Patch Pup is Back in Foster Care With His Mom

The lessons about being a foster for dogs continues.

I have learned that it's easy to get attached to the animals you foster and that some people end up keeping the foster dogs and cats. While it's great for the animals who get adopted, it usually means that the rescues will lose those families as fosters because now they have a full-time pet that they care for.

I have been told that the more animals you foster, the easier it becomes to get them adopted. I know from seeing a couple of other fosters that you still get attached, but maybe only if you have them for more than eight weeks.

I have also learned that sometimes the animals you let go, don't always get forever homes.

One of the Patch Pups, a boy I named Frankie (after Frank Sinatra for his bright blue eyes) is back with me. The family who adopted him wasn't prepared for a puppy. They had a nine-year old smaller dog and Frankie wanted to play with the puppy. In the end, it didn't work out for them and so they returned him to Royal Rescue. It was the right thing to do for the family and for Frankie.

So now I have him back with me. He is still beautiful. His eyes are a bright green now and his fur is like velvet. He is playful. He has gotten my seven-year-old Beagle back into puppy mode, especially since Frankie, Sadie and Buster all opened their Christmas presents. Buster and Frankie have had several games of tug-of-war. Sadie is much more laid back and is happy to chew on a chew toy and watch the other two play.

While I am thoroughly enjoying Frankie, I still want to find him a new home. If I can get him adopted, I can foster new dogs coming into animal services. It's a lot of work, but it's also nice to see them get homes.

I also still want to find Sadie a home. She's back at a healthy weight and she has been spayed, so no more puppies for her. She's a loving and sweet dog and needs a home where she will be loved. I suspect she didn't get a lot of love in her previous life and she just soaks up attention now.

Sadie is extremely tolerant. She let's Frankie crawl all over her, tug at her skin and she will even roll over and let him crawl on her belly. The two sleep together at night, and Frankie has learned to sleep through the night which makes me much happier.

Frankie is a smart puppy and is motivated by treats. He has learned to sit and will sit and wait if he knows a treat is coming. He's not as good with waiting or staying if no treat is involved. I am working on shake and a few other commands. I hope that the next time Frankie gets adopted it will be to a forever home, so that I can take on my next foster assignment. Besides, I don't want to have to name him Boomerang.