Loki and Joys of Fostering

by Robert Hudson

Loki and Joys of Fostering- How it Began

Tim started a Facebook page for his first dog Loki and a troop of fosters and a hamster. After Loki past, the troop included Bear, a Samoyed and Momo, the cutest little dog you will ever see. “I was looking for a Corgi when I got Loki. It was before the Instagram era, so I learned about Corgis on YouTube. A Corgi seemed like a good fit for me (a big dog in a small dog’s body). Loki was 3 months old when I got him.” Read on to learn more about Loki and joys of fostering

“Loki was a very smart dog, so the training part was easy. The main thing I had to learn was how to schedule my life around him. Everything I did, from school to work, had to be scheduled with him in mind to make sure he wasn’t alone for long periods of time,” Tim said.

.

Loki and Ham Ham became best buds!

“When we got Ham Ham, we didn’t anticipate that Loki and her would get along so well. If Loki had shown a desire to chase and eat her at any point, we would have kept them apart at all times. We don’t remember exactly how we introduced them, but we likely had her safely tucked in our hands and let Loki sniff her to gauge his reaction. He was surprisingly calm about it, so we cautiously progressed their encounters until we were sure he would never harm her.
Although Loki and Ham Ham got along very well, it’s not something we would recommend to every dog/hamster owner. Bad things can definitely happen with a reactive dog.” Corgies were bred to not only herd, but to hunt rodents as well.

“Loki sadly passed away in 2016. We adopted our second dog, Bear, in 2017 and started fostering dogs around the same time. This led us to adopting Momo, our fifth foster dog.” To date the family has fostered 16 dogs and photographed them with Momo and Bear.

“We initially looked into fostering because we thought it could be a way to see if we were emotionally ready to have a dog in the house again. The rescue didn’t have a foster dog for us right away, so we ended up adopting Bear three days before we got our first foster dog.”

How do you know beforehand if a foster will get along with your dogs?

“We don’t, but rescues do try to match foster dogs with homes that suit their needs (unfriendly dogs with homes without dogs, friendly dogs with homes with dogs). We have had some foster dogs who weren’t as friendly as others, but we’re experienced enough to know how to manage any disputes.”

What is the typical process of fostering? Why do rescues foster?

“After we receive a foster dog, we take 1-2 weeks to observe the dog and then report it back to the rescue. Once we’ve figured out what kind of home would suit them best, the rescue lists the dog online for adoption. Suitable applicants are then interviewed and given a home check/meeting with the dog. They are then given a few days to decide if they would like to adopt the dog. I believe fostering allows rescues to find the most suitable home for the dog. It reduces the chance of a dog being adopted into the wrong home and being returned.”

 How long is a dog typically fostered for before it is adopted?

Our foster dogs typically stay with us for a month.

Is it hard to let them go?  

“It’s always hard. It’s a bittersweet feeling. Tears are sometimes shed.”

Do you have to stay emotionally unattached? Who is responsible for the medical costs of a foster?

“We try to, but it’s harder with the dogs that stay with us for a longer time. We know we have to let them go if we want to keep fostering. The rescue pays for all the expenses, including food and medical expenses. This is why adoption fees are necessary. Rescues often lose money on foster dogs because of the various expenses.”

Did you face any challenges with your fosters?

“Shortly after we started fostering our current foster dog, Kanao, we found out that she experiences seizures, which made her less adoptable. Because of that, she’s been with us for nearly 9 months.”

Do you find fostering to be easy or difficult?

“The fostering part is mostly fun and straightforward. The potty training can be frustrating. The hardest part is saying goodbye.”

Bear

“We feel very lucky to have found Bear. We adopted him from his last owner, who adopted him from his first owner, so he’s actually been re-homed twice in his life. His last owner couldn’t find enough time to spend with him because of work, so he was getting depressed from being alone at home all the time. She put him up for adoption because it was what was best for him. Bear sheds a lot! Loki also shed quite a bit, so it wasn’t too hard to get used to Bear’s shedding. Bear requires brushing a few times a week to keep his coat nice and fluffy.”

.

Please support this site by shopping at our store

Momo

“The rescue we adopted Momo from said that his first owner used to hit him (according to neighbors) and that he was found abandoned in the streets when he was rescued. Momo was very underweight and had trouble walking when we started fostering him. His legs were very wobbly, and he couldn’t walk for more than a couple steps at a time before collapsing on the floor. Seeing him progress from a frail, shy boy into a strong, confident one was likely the biggest factor affecting our decision to adopt him. We weren’t looking to adopt a second dog when we started fostering him. It just happened. Momo is an affectionate and assertive dog. He cares very deeply for the people around him and hates being alone.”

Bear is a Samoyed breed and Momo is a mixed breed.

Kanao

The families current foster is Kanao and seems right at home.

“Kanao was rescued from a puppy mill that was using her for breeding, and she likely lived in a cage for most of her life before she was rescued. We had to potty train her and teach her how to walk properly on a leash.

We probably would have adopted her if she didn’t already have a family waiting to adopt her. They decided to adopt her a few months ago but wanted to wait until they moved to take her in. She should be going to her forever home sometime this month.”

Discover Loki and joys of fostering for yourself on their social media

Loki and Friends website

Loki and Friends Facebook