Decisions have to be made about....
House vs. Apartment
Other dogs vs. Only dog
Lots of dog experience vs. No dog experience
Adopters home all day vs. Working away from home
Dog left at home vs. Dog daycare
...and so on, and so on....
So many factors to consider and its not like the dogs can talk and tell you what they want. There have been a couple of applications for him and still no decision. Not only do you have to figure out what the dog needs the most but you also have to figure out if the people are adopting based on looks or on personality, rational vs. emotional decision making, and figuring out what they're willing to do and not do to keep a specific dog.
Take me for example, my ideal dog is a border collie personality but only if I also had my ideal lifestyle too. Reality is that I work all week and have other activities that I do and dog daycare all day every day is not financially feasible. The dog that probably best suits my ACTUAL current lifestyle is a couch potato that wants to be left at home when I go to work and is happy with some toys, etc., one good walk in the evening and a trip to the beach on the weekend. I haven't met this dog yet....so I foster. I can give each dog alot more by fostering than I can by adopting. I am doing what I think I can do the best.
Turtle Gardens makes the decision on who each dog is adopted to, but I do have input into what type of home I think they might be happiest with. Whitespot will not be adopted until we all feel satisfied that he is going to the right home for him, with no doubts. Like all the other dogs before him, and after him, he deserves no less.
Aren't you glad its not you deciding? Thank goodness TG has so much experience with this.
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| Maybe it's better that they can't talk afterall? |
6 comments:
Maybe I'm being a little immature, but having adopted a dog similiar to Whitespot (Husky Mix, higher energy, escape artist) at 19 years of age, renting a tiny suite near a beach, with hardly any 'dog' experience and no backyard, we made out fine -I think.
In retrospect, if I were trying to adopt Beckett now, in that same situation, I probably wouldn't be able to. I wouldn't be good enough for him. Which kind of makes me sad.
Maybe the biggest factor adoption comes down to is knowing the needs of a dog and being committed to meeting those needs. Beckett needed 3+ hours of solid exercise a day. Other than that, there wasn't much (besides the basics) that he needed.
Not that TG should lower their criteria, maybe just to realize that the most important 'checkmarks' are the biggest deal, and that other little things are just icing on the cake. But, of course those few 'needs' need to be met. You can live in a castle and still be miserable.
And I'm also glad you're fostering him and not me, as I'd want to keep him!
PS: My ideal dog is also a Border Collie type dog, but I know that those BCs are a full-time job on their own!
Thanks for your comments Emily. I'm sure you and Beckett were a good match back then as well as now, and you've both grown together.
Whitespot isn't so much high energy as needing the correct mental match.
p.s. Be careful what you say....maybe we'll send Whitespot to you to finish his 'fostering'...ha ha
Between being fosterless and offered the chance to do agility lessons for pennies (and of course since Beckett is visually impaired, I couldn't do it with him), I'm sooooo tempted to say: "Send him my way if he wants a mental workout this summer!"
If he mysteriously ends up here I'll know who to blame though ;P
LISA. They can so talk. Look at my 4 kids
Brilliant post Lisa - I love your thought processes - you are so rational and so grounded.
Some dogs are easier to place than others. Regardless how wonderful and low maintenance WS can be, being deaf is still a huge factor in deciding whether the potential family can keep him 'safe'. One person's 'comfort zone' may be quite different than yours. Eventually WS will find his perfect home. Meanwhile, he's a pretty happy camper hanging out with you!
Patience is a virtue. When the time/family/place is right you will feel it. Whitespot will tell you! Menawhile you ARE doing an awsome job. Keep It Up! ((Couch Potato... one short walk a day... to the beach?? MMmmm my life exactly these days. 10 yr olds rock! ;-)
Cheers Kathy, Yes speach comes in ALL forms! RaaRrrOOOooo!
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