If you have often considered becoming a dog parent but were not 100% sure, then maybe fostering a dog would be a good place to start. In addition to opening up your home to a furry companion, fostering a dog (or dogs), has many benefits not only for you but for your potential four-legged friend. Continue reading to learn eight reasons why fostering a dog might be right for you.
1.You are giving a homeless or shelter dog an opportunity to live in a home. By allowing a shelter dog this opportunity you are not only providing the foster pup with some normalcy you are also giving the dog a break from the shelter environment.
2. Bringing a pooch into your home is a learning experience. There is probably no better way of knowing how much you will enjoy being a dog-parent then allowing a pet to live in your home. In most cases the experience is pretty great and one most humans will want to repeat. But you may also decide that having a dog full time is not what you thought, in which case you may choose to help homeless animals in other ways.
3. Having a pup around allows great socialization for pets you may already have. Having a foster dog is like having a long-term playdate. What better way to socialize your own dog or other pets then by having another dog around? Your pets will be constantly entertained and you can feel good that you are opening up your home to a shelter dog. It just makes sense.
4. Free veterinary care! If you are bringing a dog into your home for the short term, it is the responsibility of the animal shelter or other animal organization to pay for any veterinary costs that your foster-dog may incur. In some cases the shelter will also cover the cost of food.
5. You will get to learn all about your foster dog. And by getting to know and learn about your foster dog, which includes his likes, dislikes, behavior patterns etcetera, you will become the most knowlegable person when it comes to making a dog-to-human or dog-to-family match for Fido and his forever home.
6. The use of your home frees up space in animal shelters. When you open your home to a shelter dog, you are not only giving him an opportunity to live in a loving and safe environment you are also allowing your animal shelter extra space to take in another dog in need.
7. You get to pick when you foster. As a foster parent you get to decide how little or how much fostering you want to do. You can take shelter dogs in on the weekends and give them a little break from shelter life or you can choose to keep a pooch until his forever home is found. There is a lot of flexibility!
8.You may meet your next best friend. Who knows? You may take in a shelter dog only to discover that you can’t see your life without him, in which case your home becomes the forever home. It is truly a win-win situation.
Here at BHFD we like to see all dogs live happy, long lives (in loving homes), which is why we recommend NuVet Plus. NuVet Plus is a nutritious, vitamin supplement especially made for dogs. Comprised of human grade ingredients, NuVet Plus is trusted by foster-parents as well as forever-home parents to help provide their beloved canines with proper nutrition. NuVet families regularly share reviews of how NuVet Plus has helped ease the painful irritation of allergies as well as arthritis. Learn more about how NuVet Plus has enhanced the quality of life for many, many dogs please visit the NuVet Reviews.