Tips to Set up Fosters for Success with Challenging Dogs

Many dogs arrive at the shelter with limited (if any) historical home information, making it challenging to discern which behaviors might improve by a change in environment and time to decompress, and which ones may require further behavior modification.

To set up challenging dogs in foster homes effectively, it’s important to be proactive, collaborative, and transparent. Fosters should both have the necessary tools to support their foster animal — provided to them or guidance on where to find them — and be equipped with the understanding that an adjustment period is normal. Setting fosters up to expect the unexpected will help them prepare for any challenges and surprises that could feel big or scary without this foundation.

Provide these key ingredients to set up both the foster volunteer (and the foster pet) for success:

• Set Expectations for the Foster: When a foster volunteer is prepared (as much as we are able), they tend to have a better experience.

  • Start with transparent communication related to the potential foster dog (i.e., sharing behavior observations [positive and challenging], how long the dog has been in our care, any medical concerns, environmental needs, and how the foster will be an integral part of learning who the dog is and what they need). For example, if this dog does best without other animals around, communicate that to the foster to confirm it’s something they can support. 
    Communicate what the foster will need to do to support the foster dog during their treatment.
     
    You want to create as full a picture as we can of the dog the foster may be bringing home. The key here is to communicate the animal’s needs without overwhelming the foster. Ensure they know what to plan for and that the shelter is there to support them.
  • Prepare the foster for the dog’s transition and adjustment period. Moving from one place to another with an entirely new person can be a lot of stimuli all at once. Preparing the foster for a possible adjustment period and asking for their patience and understanding from the start will go a long way in grounding them through transitions. Foster volunteers may see behaviors not seen or discussed previously, and helping them wrap their heads around the unexpected being expected will strengthen the foster/shelter relationship. For example, if a dog has had little to no time in the shelter, the foster may see behaviors like mounting, jumping up, leash pulling, potty mistakes, barking, distress while being left alone, etc., that the shelter has not seen. These behaviors could be seen particularly during an adjustment period, and the foster should communicate the behaviors they observe to the foster coordinator. The foster should also be made aware that these behavioral challenges in the first few days may not be indicative of the dog’s true personality. Trusted, transparent communications can help the foster coordinator tailor the right level of support to help the foster animal remain in the foster home during this period. Alternatively, some of the dog’s behaviors discussed in the initial foster preparation may not show up at all when the dog is in the foster home. For example, a dog that is vocal and mouthy at the shelter may be relaxed and at ease in the foster home. The foster should share this information with the foster coordinators as well, as it helps create a complete picture of the dog.  
  • Leave time for (and encourage) questions and discussion. While setting expectations for fosters, there will be questions. Leaving room for discussion while speaking with the foster will support both them and the foster dog. Fosters may ask questions about their environment that we didn’t even think of and that’s great! This will help to ensure their environment is a good fit for the foster animal and allow them to prepare for the specific needs of the dog they are bringing into their home.

  Meet the Needs of the Foster Animal: After the foster is prepared and well-equipped with an understanding of their foster dog, it’s time to bring them home. The foster volunteer can put into practice what has been discussed and specifically focus on meeting the foster animal’s needs. 

  • Provide fosters with necessary safety and training equipment, such as crates, ExPens, leashes, and harnesses, or recommend where these can be obtained by the foster. 
  • Supply fosters with enrichment items or recommend DIY enrichment. Dogs may be presenting a variety of challenging behaviors, such as mouthing, jumping, arousal, leash pulling – a myriad of things. Discussing enrichment with fosters and supplying them with enrichment items will help curb some of the dog’s challenging behaviors and meet the dog’s needs for mental and physical stimulation throughout their day.
  • Set up a management plan. It goes a long way to provide a roadmap to fosters, such as if the dog jumps up excessively, we recommend you toss treats on the floor to redirect them and lure them into their crate, an ExPen, or a designated area with a barrier in between you and your foster dog. Provide your foster dog with a long-lasting enrichment item in their designated area to help them decompress. Or, in the first few days in the home, we recommend you set up your home with a crate or ExPen and keep your foster dog on a drag line to support the management of any challenging behaviors that may present themselves. These recommendations will vary from dog to dog, but setting a foster up with a plan to manage their environment is critical for both their safety and the dog’s safety.
• Support the Foster: When a foster brings a dog home, they have become an important part of understanding the full picture of their foster dog. 
  • Provide consistent and frequent check-ins. Answer foster’s questions in a timely manner and support them through their challenges. This is not only supportive of a successful foster experience, but it's also the key to retaining your foster pool. This information gathered through foster conversations will help support both current volunteers and future fosters. Feedback is a gift from our fosters and allows the shelter to communicate the first step of the process (setting expectations) more effectively and continually improve your fosters’ experience.

How to Set Fosters up for Success: Resources & Management Plans for Behavior Challenges in Dogs [PDF]