What does fostering involve?

Irish Cavalier Rescue relies on a network of fosters able to take in a cavalier and give it a stable, loving temporary home until it is adopted. For many reasons, fosters are one of the most crucial parts of rescue and being a foster can be extremely rewarding. The availability of a foster, especially on an urgent, last minute basis, often determines whether a dog can be rescued. Fosters give dogs -- especially cruelty cases or those coming from stressful situations like pounds, breathing space to relax, act like a normal dog again, settle and grow confident. Fosters are also important in assessing a dog -- they can give Rescue and the adopting home a good sense of a dog’s personality, skills and abilities, and any potential issues.

What does fostering involve? Let’s start from the beginning. Some fosters are valued for being able to take in a dog on short notice but this isn’t a necessary ability. Some are helpful as they can  hold a dog for a few days while it gets sorted to a longer foster or to its adopting home. Some fosters are happy to take a dog for an indefinite period until it can be homed -- which rarely takes longer than two weeks but sometimes a longer foster is required. Fosters can have cats, dogs and kids, or none of the above. Fosters should have some experience with dogs, however, and realise that while they will receive full back-up, it isn’t always possible to move a dog immediately if you decide fostering is not for you. So think through the information provided here to see if fostering sounds like your cup of tea. It isn’t for everyone, as it does take some time, flexibility and a big heart!

What does Irish Cavalier Rescue expect of fosters?

Fosters do such a wide range of things that there’s no hard and fast rules except a commitment to these dogs and an understanding that rescues usually are not like getting a dog just like yours -- as yours has been in a stable home environment. Some cavaliers will be perfectly mannerly but many may not be and won’t have come from very caring homes or may have been straying for some time or have come from a bad situation or many days in the pound. To the best of our ability we will match dogs and fosters and try never to place any foster home in an anxious situation.

Cavaliers are not dogs that tolerate being left outside alone -- as anyone who loves a cavalier knows! -- so while access to a garden is a bonus, a foster dog should not be left out in a garden alone. Cavaliers need an indoor foster environment, but you don’t need to be home all day with the dog.

What can fosters expect from Irish Cavalier Rescue?

1. • Some fosters want to cover costs like feeding the dog themselves but we can supply food and we try to make sure a dog has a collar or harness for walks. 
   

2. • We will cover all vet costs though if you feel it is necessary to take the dog to a vet yourself for any reason, please clear the visit with us beforehand, as we prefer to work with rescue vets.
   

3. • We offer full back-up, are reachable by phone, email or text, and are there to answer questions at any time. If problems arise we will work to help solve them, and can relocate a dog though this may take at least 48 hours.
   

Tips for fosters

Fosters all foster in different ways, but here are some general tips and guidelines:

1. • Remember that arriving in a strange place is traumatic for a dog just as it would be for a child. In such a situation, too much fussing and attention can add to anxiety rather than reduce it, even though you are doing what comes naturally -- trying to give extra time and attention to a dog that may have been deprived of proper care and attention for days or even months or years. But experienced fosters and dog trainers advise taking a very low key approach to a foster  for the first few days at least. Give it lots of time to explore its new environment, and don’t constantly fuss over the dog (especially as it may come to see this as expected behaviour from humans and then, become very demanding!). Kind, steady, low key love and attention are perfect. This lets the dog build up confidence in its own time.
   

2. • Don’t feed a lot of treats or table scraps but keep the diet fairly bland -- many dogs may have some stomach upset if they have been roaming or in the pound, and even simply being put into a new situation may make for anxiety. Small portions of a quality dry food are ideal. If the dog doesn’t want to eat, that’s fine; take up the food dish and try again at the next normal feeding time. It won’t starve itself and fosters often are initially too anxious to want food.
   

3. • If the dog doesn’t have a name, you can give it one!
   

4. • Remember that a foster is an unknown quantity. The dog may be housetrained or may not be -- or may have accidents as it is frightened or anxious -- so take up rugs and confine the dog to a safe area like the kitchen or a utility room if that works best for you. If you have cats it is a good idea to have the dog on a lead and under control any time the cats are around.
   

5. • We advise feeding the new arrival separately from other household dogs or cats -- across the room, or in a crate, etc -- as some dogs may be food guarders or may guard out of the anxiety in the new situation. Items like dog chews can also be a flashpoint between a new dog and resident dogs so keep dogs well separated if you are offering treats.
   

6. • If you can take the time to note down a few things about the dog once you get to know it, the adopting family always appreciates this! Sometimes this can be a nice project for a child in the family, to add to whatever a parent has said. Fosters will know the dog better than anyone else and a child’s observations always bring a smile and give the dog a special send-off.
   

Remember that 95% of the time fostering is easy and a foster cavalier will fit right in. This is an amiable, gentle breed that almost always likes other dogs, children and making friends. But is is common sense to take the precautions noted above until you get a sense of a particular dog and its needs.

Finally:

1. •If fostering isn’t for you or you’re not sure yet, but you want to help this breed in an alternative way, consider being part of a transport network. From time to time a dog may need transport from one part of the country to another, or maybe just a few miles... if you can help drive, contact us!