Question:
I want to foster dogs for the SPCA. What do I need to know?
?
2011-07-01 10:32:09 UTC
Is there some certification I need to achieve? If so, how? How does the process work?

I live in Sarasota where there is a huge dog-racing track. Consequently, the majority of dogs in the shelters around here are Greyhounds. What should I know about Greyhounds?

The second largest group of dog breeds in the shelters are bully breeds. What should I know about them, too? I'm aware that many of them come from fighting rings, but from personal experience, I've also known a lot of very sweet bully dogs as well.

I pretty much like all dog breeds/mixed breeds, and that all dogs are different. I'm not prejudiced when it comes to that. I have good handling with dogs (I grew up with a shepherd mix who was aggressive towards men, and I helped train her). I also volunteered in a no-kill shelter in high school.

Furthermore, I have two cats who are fine with dogs (which means I would have to be selective about what dogs I can take because of the cats there).

I live in a fairly small house, but it has a decent-sized backyard with a high boarded fence.

Thanks in advance! I really want to help and I feel that this could be a good way for me to do it.
Eight answers:
2011-07-01 11:05:47 UTC
First of all, high-five for wanting to foster dogs! That is an AWESOME goal and I am so glad somebody wants to do it!



I don't know about certification, but I doubt it. They will probably just come check out your house, the height of your fence, etc. Nothing huge.



About greyhounds: You should know that in spite of their reputation for being huge runners, they are actually huge couch potatoes! They can go FAST when they want to, but they only need a really good run once or twice a week and they are calm, content dogs the rest of the time. Greyhounds rescued from tracks are generally very shy and nervous. I would work on not allowing biting or snapping, even out of fear, and tons of acclimation to new things, like cars, roads, new people, cats, fountains, busy parks, other (nice) dogs, etc. I do know that greyhounds like company and it's great if you can rescue two or three together - they will entertain each other, help each other feel at home, and calm each other down when they're nervous. It's best if you do a multiple foster to get dogs that have known each other for a long time - for example, were in next-door kennels at the track, came from the same litter, etc.



Here's something else that just came to me. If you are planning on fostering more than one dog, it is best to start with just one, get that one used to your house and yard and basic-obedience trained before you get another one. Two nervous, frightened, not-at-home dogs that don't know each other are a recipe for disaster. As I said you can get two littermates or kennelmates together usually without a problem.



The bully breeds. As you said, by nature sweet dogs. I agree with that completely. However, fighting dogs are trained to do just that - fight - and whether American Pit Bull Terrier or Golden Retriever, fighting dogs are mean. I would be very, very aware of the dog in question's backstory. Were they rescued directly from a fighting ring? How long did they live under such conditions? Do they have behavioral problems like barking, biting, snapping, growling, possession guarding, etc. that you should know about? I would recommend staying away from any dogs who are just plain mean, but a shy or frightened pit bull can be rehabilitated and that is the kind of dog I think you should look for to foster. Be aware if they are not good with other dogs as greyhounds are not good at protecting themselves.



If you're going to keep multiple dogs, it's also a good idea to get the greyhounds first. A mixed dog of the pit bull background may become very possessive of your home if they are no other dogs there to begin with. My dog came to us when we already had a dog of three years, so she knew it wasn't her house. A pit bull entering a house already "owned" by other dogs will be more submissive, both to them and to you, than if you get the pit bull first.



You should know about something called pack discipline. Pack discipline is a frightening thing if you haven't seen it before and don't know what it is. A bit of wolf history: wolves live in packs. The alpha male is boss and if alpha says to do something and another dog doesn't do it, the alpha will usually go for him, roll him on his back and growl a bit to teach him a lesson. This is what may happen in your home with multiple dogs, especially at first.



When we got my dog, Cali, our other dog, Sandy, didn't know what to think. He's a very laid-back dog, but instinct kicked in big time. Cali is a big barker, so every time she barked and wouldn't shut up, Sandy would come right on over and nip her, maybe snarl a bit, and then back away and look at us fearfully because he knew he shouldn't bite. But he had to - again, pack instinct. We let it go on without correcting him for it, and in a few months, he stopped doing it and hasn't done it since. Cali learned her lesson!



So if you see your first dog, the dog you rescued first, nipping or snarling at another dog, it's usually pack discipline. Don't interfere or problems could develop. It's very quick and you may miss it if you aren't looking for it. If your dogs get into an all-out fight, teeth and claws flying, up on each other, growling and biting, that is NOT pack discipline. Use something - not your hands! - like water, a stick, something, to get them apart and then separate them for a time-out. Real fighting should be a capital crime in multi-dog household.



Teach them to be good on leads together so you can do group walks, which are very fun and will draw interesting looks from other people. Play a lot. Play games that exercise, like tug, fetch, and hide-and-seek, and play games that teach thinking skills, like hiding a treat under one of three cups and mixing them up, and then telling them to find it.



Best of luck to you! Have fun!
Eartha's Garden of Delightfulness
2011-07-01 13:39:48 UTC
Greyhounds are lovely! Gentle companion animals and perfect as house dogs. You need to give them some good running type exercise in the park morning and night and then they just chill with you for the rest of the time. A lot-of the rescue greyhounds though may have personality problems as the result of being abused by some of the less principled breeders and trainers in the industry.Now leaving a traumatised dog alone for hours a day is not a great idea, as they may get separation anxiety and start ripping up your thesis notes.



If you really want to devote some time to the dogs and still have time to study, then why not volunteer to work at one of the shelters? Dog walkers and mucking out, that kind of thing. Also with your science training you can probably be a lot of help maybe even in the labs or with Data Entry and the like.



That way when you're finished Uni and ready to devote some more time to an animal you'll have really good training to know what the dog needs and how to go about providing it.
TAMMY P
2011-07-02 08:51:21 UTC
Good for you.



There are a lot of dogs in shelters that need help and im glad that someone is finally stepping up.



Most of the time you fill out an application and if that ia approved they will stop by for a house check.If both are deemed to be okay then they should set you up with a dog.



Most shelters will call you once a week for a while to see how it's working out. After a while the calls will get less frequent.



Don't let anyone stop you from giving these dogs a life saving chance :)
Sara
2011-07-01 14:19:29 UTC
I live in Texas where there are a lot of Pit Bulls, and I would advise you not to get them.



They can seem as sweet as a flower but if they are provoked, they will fight to the death, bent on punishing the other dog and not just to the point of capitulation.

A Pit is a match for a full-grown German Shepherd.



Males will fight for dominance, and it can start at any old time, even when they are excited at the gate waiting to be let out.



I have a half-Pit half Dalmation, and he engaged in terrible dogfights with my Border Collie male now and then for years, until the day the Border Collie tore him up and he had to be rushed to the vet for stitches. I don't know if they have it settled now, I sure hope so. But that's what even a Pit mix will do. You can't always be there to watch that they don't fight.
kitterman
2016-09-09 06:07:52 UTC
Be sincere and gift the knowledge. If they are saying no, they are saying no. Keep in brain that fostering is a massive dedication. Some puppies have disorders that you just have got to paintings via; even those that do not require a massive dedication. These puppies will have disorders from no longer being housetrained to being puppy-competitive. Besides that, you have got to preserve cautious list of what the puppy is like in order that knowledge adopters understand what they're going to be coming into. You have got to cross to adoption drives and feature a -really- open time table to fulfill with knowledge adopters. And finally, you have got to manage giving up a puppy you could have grown hooked up to.
2011-07-01 14:02:03 UTC
Oh, I doesnt know anything about that one there, Miss! But I is veddy educated (harvard, etc) Hindu lady and we likes many animals dogs cats and all. Many gods will bless you for this one doing nice for doggies.
Sonny Yoan
2011-07-01 10:47:12 UTC
http://www.hssc.org/dogs.html



i dont think they have greyhounds but it shows you what you need to know about getting a dog from SPCA.

if you want to know about greyhounds they will tell you what you need to know about it too.
Collie
2011-07-01 12:25:23 UTC
I am from the UK so I don't know your answer but what I would do if I was you IS ASK THE SPCA! Seems quite obvious to me





http://tedthedogbooks.com


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