Life as a Foster Dog Mom

Aubrey came from a family who lived in the country. She was sort of a barn dog if that makes any sense. She and her brothers and sisters were not socialized at all and hadn't been around many other dogs either. She was an adorable little brown and white girl who was scared to death when she arrived, but she soon joined the pack and started having fun.

Aubrey was fairly young when she came to us, around 3-4 months, and had a lot to learn. But she learned very quickly and was a joy to have around. She also loved going to the dog park with the pack and playing with all the other dogs.

And she was a great snuggler. Everyone loved Aubrey, at the dog park or wherever we went. So it was no surprise that she found her forever home only a few weeks after coming to be with us.

A few weeks after Aubrey was adopted, I got another call from Metro. They had an older lady who wanted to let her dog go to our rescue. She couldn't take care of this cute, energetic Malti-Poo. I went to pick Morgan up at a Petsmart where she had been staying at their pet hotel. What a cute little dog! Morgan would soon prove that little dogs really don't know how small they are and have super big personalities.

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

Ashley was a beautiful Catahoula Leopard Dog. Grey and black, she had fantastic eyes and a great amount of energy as most Catahoulas do. Ashley was a bit nervous when she first came to us but she soon fit into the family and became another large lap dog.

Of course, the first thing I did was take Ashley, along with my other dogs, to the dog park. Ashley LOVED it. And her most favorite thing to do turned out to be chasing tennis balls. Ashley would chase tennis balls until she fell over. The good thing about it was that as long as Ashley had her two hours in the dog park, she was a great dog.

Ashley loved riding in the car and soon took over the front passenger seat. She liked to rest her head on my leg while I drove. Things were going great with Ashley until I got very sick. I had a severe bronchial problem and couldn't go to the park (or do much of anything else). Without her daily trips to the park, Ashley got really crazy.

I finally had to ask Metro, once again, to find her another foster home. They did do so, but I felt bad to not be able to finish my fostering. Still, Ashley did much  better in her new foster home with other large dogs to play with. Still I missed her face and the way she snuggled after we came home from our daily romp in the park.

But it didn't take long for Metro to call me with another girl who needed a home. As tough as it was for us, the new dog was named Aubrey.

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

Long time no blog. I just LOVE PCs. Mine decided once again to quit on me. It is now sitting in pieces on a card table while I finally write on another borrowed PC. Of course, all my pictures and other stuff is on the PC in pieces so I'm winging it.

Cowboy was with us for about three weeks. He was a snuggler and every night, he'd snuggle in my arms while Muffin slept on my lap and Dink slept on the back of the chair behind me. I was surrounded by dogs.

About a week after Cowboy's window jumping adventure, he met his future owners. They had another small dog and I knew Cowboy would love them the minute I met them. He was soon on his way to his new home and family. And yes, I shed a tear when he left.

But the tears didn't last long. I soon received a call about another dog named Ashley. Ashley was a beautiful Catahoula Leopard dog. Young and energetic, she was definitely a high-energy dog. But still a lover and very well mannered. Of course, she didn't know anything about walking on a leash and needed somewhere to run off that energy.

We immediately headed out to the dog park where Ashley chased tennis balls until she dropped. She, at least, would bring them back (unlike Muffin who likes to be chased and run around with the ball in her mouth). Ashley LOVED the dog park and got tons of attention because of her coloring. She was a beautiful grey, black and white dog. You can check out her picture in My Foster Dogs Scrapbook below.

Ashley had a lot of energy but after her romps in the park, she'd lay her head on my lap while we drove home then settle down with a favorite chewy. Another sweetheart looking for a forever home (and worming her way into my heart).

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

Cowboy LOVED going to the pet store and enjoying all the smells. He was pretty good in the car, or rather our small SUV, but one day I learned that having the windows opened was not an option with Mr. Cowboy.

We were heading over to pick up my partner at her son's house, driving down Telegraph Rd. Telegraph is a very busy eight lane road with a median in the middle. Most traffics runs around 45-50 mph. I had the window opened and had hooked Cowboy's leash over the gear shift lever so he would stay in the front with me. My other dogs were in the back.

As we approached Eureka road, I moved into the left lane to make what we call a Michigan left. Basically, you go past the road you want to turn left on, turn left at the next turn lane then turn right onto the street you want to get on.

As I prepared to turn left onto northbound Telegraph, Cowboy made his break and jumped out the window! OMG!! There I was in the middle of a very busy road struggling to pull over. I managed to pull mostly off the road (right in front of a semi trying to turn on Telegraph and, of course, tying up traffic during rush hour).

I slammed the truck into park and ran around to the passenger side figuring I would be putting a dead dog back into the car. To my amazement, there was Cowboy, dangling from the end of the leash and looking at me as if to say, "What just happened here?"

I grabbed him and threw him back in the window while the semi driver smiled at me and the horns began blowing. I ran back around the car, pulled around into a parking lot and closed the window. Then I checked Cowboy to see if he was allright. Not a scratch on him and, it seemed to me, no remorse. I fussed at him the rest of the way to pick up Arleen — and made sure I never drove with the window down when Cowboy was in the car!

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

After Sable found her forever home, we were asked to take on a little dog named Cowboy. He was relinquished by his family because they could no longer take care of him. When I picked him up he was, in a word, a mess. He was so matted he could barely walk. His face looked like it had dreadlocks hanging from his muzzle! Yet he smelled fresh and clean. I suspect that when his former owners decided to give him to Metro, they gave him a bath. Unfortunately, they didn't comb, brush or attempt to groom him.

After I got Cowboy home, the groomer who works with Metro came over to our house to groom him. It took us four hours to shave him pretty much down to the skin to remove the mats. We took turns holding him while Gail shaved him. It was quite a chore. I don't think Cowboy was ever groomed or brushed in his life.

I was told Cowboy as around a year old (maybe more) and he was considered a Lhasa Apso mix. He spent all day outside in the yard when his former owners were at work and school. Cowboy weighed all of 5-6 pounds soaking wet, and he was a lover boy. His favorite spot was snuggled in my arms while my dog, Muffin slept on my lap.

After his first shaving and bath, he looked and felt much better. He was a great little dog, well mannered and easy to work with. As with all my foster dogs, we headed over to the dog park where Cowboy got along great with dogs of all sizes and loved their people. He learned to walk nice on a leash (or in his case, a harness). (It is suggested that all small dogs be walked on a harness instead of a collar and leash because their fragile airways can collapse if they tug too much.)

Together we had lots of adventures and fun in the short time Cowboy was with us. More to come on that, especially the adventures part.

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

After Murphy was adopted, we took on another challenge. Sable was an adorable chocolate Cocker Spaniel. At about 8 years old, she was the oldest dog we had fostered. She was sweet but very overweight. Still it was nice to have a dog without that manic puppy energy. Sable fit into our family very well. After being vetted, Sable was put on a doggie diet and taken for daily walks to help her get her girlish figure back.

Sable was pretty laid back but she loved to select a chewie from the infamous basket and go off to chew. She grew to love her daily walks and soon she was walking without a leash with no problems. Sable liked going to the dog park but preferred walking in other areas of the park.

Sable was also one of the only dogs who came with her name. She was an owner give up as her senior owner got too old to care for her. She, too, would have been a great fit for our home, but, again, we already had too many dogs. So within two weeks, Sable went to her new home with an older, blind brother dog to play with. The best thing is knowing she is loved.

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

We had several foster puppies — some worked out okay, some were great, some were a disaster — and then there was Murphy. Murphy was a puppy — all puppy. We quickly learned what WASN'T puppy-proofed in our house! But Murphy was a very fast learner and loved learning. He quickly learned what were puppy toys and what items were not supposed to be found in the puppy's mouth.

Although Murphy had typical puppy energy, once he had his walk or run in the park, he would sleep quietly or play with his favorite toys. He, like all our foster dogs, especially liked the basket of dog toys, bones and chewies that always sits in our front room. All the dogs love to wander over to the basket and select the toy or chewie they want. They think they are in heaven.

In our house, the floors are always littered with toys and rawhides. It's not the neatest place but the dogs love it. I always make sure there is plenty to chew on and play with. And I watch the dogs when they are playing to make sure they are behaving. When I can't watch the dogs, especially puppies, they are put into their crate with some toys to keep them out of trouble.

Murph quickly learned how to behave. He picked up the potty training by following the dogs outside to do his business. The dog door has been a total blessing. It was one of the "selling" points for getting Gwenie adopted. And it helped Murphy too.

Murphy got bigger and bigger during his stay with us. I told Metro that if he grew much more, he wouldn't fit through the dog door! Being able to take him to the park and walk him off leash helped a great deal with training him.

The first think Murphy and all my foster dogs learned was the "wait" command. They learn to wait for their food, wait at the gate rather than charging out and wait in the car before getting out. For me, "wait" is so important to prevent dogs bolting out the door, running out the gate or jumping out of the car before I get out. All my dogs are taught to "wait." The next command they learn is "sit." They sit before eating and before being petted.

Of course, most the fosters I've had also had to learn their names. The rescue picks names for most of them although the adopters are welcome to change their names. Still it's helpful for the puppies to learn their name and to come when called. Murphy, also called Murph the Smurf, learned his name quickly and as far as I know he is still Murphy.

Murphy stayed with us longer than any of our other fosters and wormed his way into our hearts. If there had been a way for us to adopt him, we would have. But with four dogs already, our house was full. Murphy was finally adopted after about two months. And yes, I cried when he left us even though I know he has a great, loving home.

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

Murphy grew in size and in our hearts as we kept him. People at the dog park kept saying they were surprised he hadn't been adopted yet. I was too. In the meantime, Murphy learned how to walk off leash at the park. He usually followed Muffin and Tootsie and was generally a very well behaved puppy.

Of course there were times when he decided he didn't want to go home yet. Then he'd run around the truck but not get in. Muffin or Toots would usually get out and chase him back to the car. And then there was the time we headed to the park on a cool spring day. I had been having trouble with the truck and could no longer roll the windows up from the driver's side. In order to close the windows, I had to get out of the truck and walk around to use the button on the passenger door.

One cool, crisp spring morning, we stopped at the dog park. The park is rather empty on weekday mornings and the one person with her dog left as I pulled up. Without thinking, I got out (leaving the truck running so the automatic windows would work) and headed around to the passenger side to close the window. I had shut the drivers door so Murph wouldn't jump out while I wasn't looking. I rolled up the window and closed the door. In the meantime, Muffin and Tootsie had jumped out of the car and started running around. Murph, being a rambunctious puppy, was very eager to get out.

As I walked back around to the drivers side to let Murph out, he jumped up on the door — and locked the door! Unfortunately, the drivers side lock locks all the doors in the car (a "safety" feature). With that one enthusiastic jump, Murphy had locked himself inside the truck along with my keys. And the engine was still running! I was shocked and flabbergasted. Now what?

The park is well traveled but the dog park area is off the road a ways and not easy to find unless you know where you're going. And I was stranded outside my still running truck with Murphy inside trying to figure out why I wouldn't let him out. Fortunately for me, I had my cell phone in my pocket along with my ID. Not knowing what else to do, I pulled out my phone and called AAA. When I explained what happened, the lady tried very hard not to laugh, but...

She agreed to send a tow truck out to unlock my car. As I stood there with the truck running and Murphy jumping around inside staring at me, I started to laugh. What else could I do? The lady at AAA said it would take around 45 minutes for the wrecker to get there — if he could find us in the park. Hines Park is a very large park and we were off the main road. It was going to be a while.

Tootsie, Muffin and I took a little walk around the area and headed over to the main road. Murphy was going crazy in the car. He just didn't understand the problem he had caused me or why I wouldn't let him walk with me. Poor Murph. At least he was warm since the heater was still on too — and the radio.

After almost an hour, the wrecker driver called me to ask where I was. I tried my best to give him directions and Muff, Toots and I walked back to the main road to wave him down as he passed by. He finally found us and, after laughing with me at the predicament I was in, he was finally able to unlock the door for me. Murphy was so glad to get out of the car and of course, he was still wound up so off we went on another walk.

Needless to say, I learned my lesson that day and never left Murph in the car when I was closing the windows again. After our second (or third, I lost count) walk, we headed home to rest!

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

Murphy came to our house at three months old. He was cute as a button and everyone, even the dogs, fell in love with him. We were sure Murphy would not be with us long. He'd be adopted quickly — or so we thought. Turns out, Murphy stayed with us for almost three months. That was the longest we'd ever had a foster dog. Murphy started out as a typical puppy — not potty trained or leash trained, no manners, and, as usual, he didn't know his name.

But Murphy was a cute, endearing puppy who made friends with everyone he met. Murph was called a Shepherd mix but we believe he had some terrier in him. As he grew, he started to get terrier-like hair around his muzzle. It was really cute. As usual, we took Murphy everywhere, to the dog park, to the pet store, walking around the neighborhood, to visit friends and of course to every weekend adoption event.

We knew he was going to be a big boy and he grew very quickly. He started having a hard time getting out my medium dog door. Murphy was a very smart dog and soon learned to walk on a leash and get in and out of the truck by himself. Even Dinky loved Murphy and that's definitely a stamp of approval because little Dink mostly hated all those big, dumb puppies disturbing him. But he even shared his big dog bed (he always sleeps in the biggest dog bed) with him.

We had a lot of fun with Murphy and several great adventures. Murphy learned to walk in the park off leash with Tootsie and Muffin, and he loved going there. We went to the park almost every day for at least an hour but occasionally Murphy, just like a kid, didn't want to go. But eventually he'd run over and jump in the truck. I loved watching the dogs run free and chase shadows in the woods. I could almost feel the joy they exuded as they ran and played.

We also went to the dog park regularly. Everyone there fell in love with Murph but since most of them already had more than one dog, there wasn't much chance of Murph getting adopted from there. But he sure loved to go play with his dog (and people) friends.

Of course, the first day we went to the dog park, Murphy was pretty scared. He spent most of his time glued to my legs. Gradually, he started running and playing with the other dogs. But he'd still run back to me if another dog got too rough. Eventually he learned how to play with the big dogs and really started having fun! It was a joy to watch him come out of his shell and learn how to be a dog.

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

After all the years with Summer (it was really only around three weeks), we changed dogs with another foster mom and took in Nan. We had already fostered Nan's sister, Nelly, another sweet black Lab mix. Nan turned out to be even more laid back than her sister and definitely better for our quiet family than Summer.

Nan stayed with us for almost a month. She was a really sweet dog and found a perfect home with another black Lab sister. After Summer and Nan, we had a rest for a few weeks between foster dogs. Then we were asked to foster another black Lab mix named Gwen (we ended up calling her Gwenie). Gwen and her three siblings had been abandoned in a field in Detroit.

Eventually, people took all three of Gwenie's siblings and left Gwenie alone and on her own. She was about three months old at the time. She became very resourceful during her time living in that junky field. She slept under a sofa and played with an old tennis shoe by herself. It took the rescue a week to finally catch her!

When Gwenie came to me, she had never lived in a house, never been on a leash, and didn't know her name. But she was a sweet, lovable puppy. She was also very smart. She picked up on the potty training and taking herself out the doggie door with my other dogs.

She gradually learned what she was allowed to chew and what not to (but she still tried to get away with whatever she could, just like a typical puppy). Together we went through puppy training, teething, leash walking, and all the other puppy stuff. One thing I always try to do with my puppies is to take them everywhere with me and expose them to as much as I can. We ride in the car, walk through pet stores, go for walks around the neighborhood, and go to the dog park. Anything to get the puppy used to life with a family.

I take them to visit my grandchildren and the cats. They learn not to eat the birds (I have a Lovebird and five Budgies along with the dogs). As soon as I could, I started taking Gwenie with my dogs to the local dog park. At first, she was too scared to move. She spent most of her time standing between my legs watching all the other dogs play. But gradually, she started venturing a little further away from me. Pretty soon she was playing with some of the other dogs, although if they got too rough, she'd scoot back between my legs for safety.

It was at the dog park that Gwenie met Doc and his other dog Daisy. The three of them got along great and pretty soon everyone at the park was telling Doc he needed to adopt her. Finally he did and she made herself at home with Daisy. I still see her occasionally and my dogs boss her around a lot. But now, she loves Doc and Daisy and they're her family. And she's beautiful.

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

We had been doing pretty well at fostering the dogs and then letting them go to their forever home. That's now to say we didn't fall in love a few times, but we were always able to let the dogs go — that is, until Truffle (now called Muffin). When Helen called me to ask me to foster Truffle, I of course said yes. Then Helen told me Truffle was a Cocker Spaniel. Arleen, my partner, LOVES Cocker Spaniels. To top it off, when I saw Truffle, I know Arleen wouldn't be able to let her go. She is a tri-colored Cocker Spaniel and had been groomed beautifully.

I took Truffle to the dog park with my other dogs before bringing her home. The minute she walked in the door, I knew she'd be staying. Not only is she beautiful, she's a total sweetheart and a "love muffin," thus the name. It only took us about an hour to decide we had to adopt this one, but I waited 12 hours to call the rescue. We just told them she'd found her home. We wanted to make sure that she wasn't taken to any adoption events. And for her, Muffin moved into our hearts and our home almost immediately.

Turns out Miss Muffin had been found as a stray wandering in Detroit with burrs in her fur and smelling pretty bad. She was bathed, groomed, given shots, checked for a micorchip (there was none) and finally brought home to us. She's been here ever since. Being a stray, Muffin does have a few issues. She is very toy possessive and wants to be everywhere we are, although she is learning how to be comfortable in her own skin and now stays at home while I'm at work. She is completely potty trained, knows how to walk on a leash and off leash, and has become a therapy dog. Muffin visits a nursing home once a month and LOVES it!

Muffin loves all people and most other animals, although she does think she's the boss of everyone. She loves to go to the dog park, but won't take any guff from any of the other dogs, no matter how big they are. And she LOVES chasing tennis balls.

The only thing we are still working on with Muffin is her desire to walk around with something — ANYTHING — in her mouth. She doesn't chew things up, just carries them around with her. Right now there are socks in my yard, socks in my car, pieces of paper in the bed, etc. She doesn't really care what it is, she just wants to carry it around. But she's so cute that she's usually forgiven.

She has been a gem since she came home and she still is. I am constantly hearing how people just want to take her home with them. But she's staying with us for the rest of her life. We adore her and she adores us. It's a match truly made in heaven.

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

I'm skipping ahead a bit, but I've had Boog at my house since September. Boog is best described as a Basset Hound/Beagle/Dachshund mix. I'm sure there's other dog breeds in there, but these are the most obvious. Boog will be 3-years old in January and I've been watching him while his mom was living with her mom temporarily. Their other dog has been living in North Carolina with Boog's mom's sister. Boog has had a few overnights with his mom, but in a "no pets" apartment, it's been kind of touchy.

Now, Boog will be going home to his mom and new human baby sister. I know he'll be excited. Although he has enjoyed his stay, he still misses his original family. This foster has been a little different than all the others in that Boog has a family. Usually my foster dogs don't have a family of their own and are looking for one.

Boog and I have gotten very close. He has had his issues (and still has some) but I hope that his stay here has been helpful to him and maybe he's learned something. Mr. Boog has definitely been spoiled. I take my dogs to the dog park or my son's one acre of yard almost every day to run and Boog LOVES that. He also rides in the car a lot and he loves that too. Boog prefers the front seat although he also likes to stick his nose out of the window in the back.

Boog is both a laid back dog and an energetic puppy, all rolled into one big, heavy package, and my feet will be glad to see him go (he stands on them more often than I prefer). But I am going to miss him. With Boog, I've had to train him to walk off leash simply because he is too strong for me and when he came here, he didn't know how to walk on a leash. He's 45 pounds of pure muscle on short, strong legs. But he listens really well and has learned to come when he's called and stay with me when we walk (most of the time....). He is a hound so sometimes his nose leads him astray.

Still he's a nice dog and it's been fun to have him around. I will definitely miss him, but I know he'll be glad to go home. And I'm sure the rescue will call me soon to foster yet another dog — and I know I will. Fostering is one of the most rewarding things I do and I love it!

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

I consider myself to be good with dogs. Although I'm not a professional trainer, I still have had some success with getting dogs to do what I want them to. But Summer was a different story. Summer was a beautiful dog — a Brittany mix with a gorgeous face and fantastic eyes. Summer was also what Arleen and I would call an ADHD dog.

Summer was a puppy, about four months old when I got her, so I expected typical puppy energy. But her energy was much, much more than plain puppy energy. If I took Summer to the dog park for an hour and she ran and ran, it made no difference. She was just as crazy before as after. I have never seen a dog with so much energy. She bounced off the furniture, bounced off the walls, ran around the house, chased anything she could, and then she ran some more. Summer NEVER sat still! YIKES!!

In addition to her manic energy, Summer never, at least with me, learned what "no" meant. No matter what Arleen and I did to teach her, she simply didn't learn. I don't think she was stupid, just stubborn. She terrified Dinky, my little 12-year old Shih Tzu to the point he was afraid to move. No matter where he went, she chased him. I thought the poor old guy was going to have a heart attack.

And, to make matters even worse, she was toy and food aggressive and became very protective of me. She wouldn't let any of the other dogs near me or the food or the toys. My poor babies were not happy at all. She dug holes, growled and chased the other dogs, chewed everything in sight, and generally annoyed all of us.

But she was so cute! That sweet little puppy face was just adorable, even when she was destroying everything in our house. I walked her, ran her, played with her, and tried, and tried, and tried to teach her — but nothing... She just never got it.

It finally became obvious that Summer was definitely NOT a good fit for our family. I had to call Metro and ask them if someone else could take her. I didn't want my dogs to feel like they didn't belong and poor Dinky was having such a hard time trying to avoid her.

I talked to Marian and explained the situation. She asked me if I could take another foster in place of Summer and I told her yes as long as the dog wasn't as manic as Summer. In the end, we traded dogs with another foster mom. She took Summer and we got Nan, a Black Lab mix puppy. Nan was Nelly's sister and we had fostered Nelly for a while. It turned out that the other foster mom had a Brittany of her own and her dog got along just great with Summer. In the meantime, we welcomed the more sedate Nan into our home and everyone relaxed.

At first I felt like I had failed with Summer but Metro reassured me that sometimes fosters are just not a good fit. Because most of my animals are older, a crazy, energetic puppy like Summer just didn't work. Nan was a much better fit. Although she was also a puppy, she was much more laid back. And hour in the dog park would wear her out for a while and she got along with my dogs. She was also much more willing to learn.

In the end, both Nan and Summer got what they needed. Summer had a huge backyard and another Brittany to play and run with and Nan got a quiet, easy going home. Both were adopted into the perfect forever home and are living happily ever after. Summer is an only dog and totally spoiled and Nan has a big Lab sister to keep her company. I just love happy endings...

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

Not long after Bridgette, now spelled Brigette, found her forever home, I was asked to foster Nelly, a sweet Black Lab mix puppy. Nelly was a very laid back, calm dog and was already used to being in a home, so she was much less work. That was a good thing because Arleen and I needed a little break from the crazy puppy stuff. She stayed with us a week and was adopted.

Then there was Miki, a sweet Shepherd mix. Although still a puppy, Miki was a little more comfortable with being in a home. Miki loved the dog park and got along great with our dogs, but we only had her for a week. The very next week at an adoption event, Miki went to her forever home with a big sister for company.

After Miki, actually at the same adoption event, I was given another dog named Summer. Summer was a young Brittany mix from a litter of four. Two of her siblings were adopted at the same event as Miki. Too bad Summer wasn't adopted. She was our first failure.

Summer was, to put it mildly, a handful. For the three years (I kid you, we only had her three weeks, but it seemed much longer), she drove all of us, human and animal, absolutely crazy. More on Summer in the next article...

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

Miss Bridgette was learning how to live the good life. And from that once frightened dog, a full-fledged puppy began to emerge. If you haven't puppy-proofed your house before you get a puppy, you will once that puppy comes home. Bridgette was now that puppy. She was into everything! She chewed shoes left on the floor, socks, papers, bags, anything she could get her puppy mouth on. Arleen and I worked diligently, and constantly, to teach her what was a toy and what was not. Still, it didn't stop her from trying everything and I have the chewed up stuff to prove it!

In addition to daily walks with my other dogs, I began taking Bridgette to dog parks to learn to socialize with other dogs. On sunny days, we went to an outdoor dog park. But during the early spring rains, we headed over to Canine to Five's indoor dog park for play and socialization time. They have an indoor dog park in a large warehouse setting. There are tables and chairs, but if you sit down, you may end up with a dog in your lap! Its a lot of fun for both the dogs and humans and Bridgette LOVED it.

She ran and played with every dog she could find and got as much attention from the humans as she could. And she made friends. One of those was a black dog named Riley. She really loved playing with Riley. They chased each other, wrestled, and generally ignored all the other dogs.

Riley's owner, Gwen, noticed how much they liked each other and pretty soon, she became interested in adopting Bridgette as a friend for Riley. It took about a week and Bridgette still had to be spayed (it's the law in Michigan) but finally Gwen filled out an application and formally adopted Bridgette. She picked her up from the vet after her spay surgery and they have been together ever since.

Sweet little (not anymore) Bridgette went from being an abandoned puppy living alone under a bridge to being a much loved house dog with furry and human friends and tons of love. It was a great ending to my first foster experience. Even though once Bridgette was gone and I did miss her, I knew she went to a great home with a great family. And with my first foster experience, I knew I would continue foster dogs as long as I could. And I still do!

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

The first day I took Miss Bridgette for a walk, I wish someone had taken a video of us. I'm sure anyone who saw us was hysterical. Here I am, this little, short, fat lady with two normal, sedate dogs walking by my side and one absolutely wild animal on the end of a leash. Bridgette jumped, pulled, ran to the end of the leash and got pulled off her feet, wiggled, struggled... She was NOT a happy dog. But still, occasionally, she would lay down in the grass and just fill her nose with the smell of Spring.

It was fun to watch her learn about the world, even though I thought my arm was going to fall off. We didn't go far, but we did get a sort of walk in. Later when I wanted to take her in the car, I had to lift her up to put her in. She really didn't like the car at all, but I dragged her along anyways. My other dogs kept looking at me as if they thought I was nuts! Why on earth would I want to have this crazy, squirrelly puppy living with us?

But Tootsie did help me a lot with Bridgette. Tootsie became her stand-in mother and taught her a lot about what to do and not to do. She kept Bridgee in line. Bridgette followed Toots around all the time, when she wasn't following me.

We began immediately to work on house training and Bridgette soon learned to take herself out the dog door. But she still had accidents. One thing I did right away was crate train her. Knowing that she was safe in her crate while I was at work was a total blessing. I didn't have to worry about her tearing up the house or relieving herself everywhere. She took to the crate really well.

I remember when Arleen and I first got Bentley and Gypsy (our Cocker Beagles) from Ar's daughter Sandra. She said she didn't want us to put the puppies in a crate. "It's cruel!" she said. But we crate trained them anyways and even now, at 16 years old, Bentley still loves to sleep in a crate. He always has. His crate is his home, bed, safe place, den, and favorite place to rest.

Bridgette soon learned to walk on a leash, sleep quietly in her crate, and finally, to jump in the truck all by herself. She was slowly learning to be a pet. And she loved it!

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

I finally got the courage up to contact a rescue organization in my area and volunteer to foster a dog. I was scared, but I knew I wanted to try it. A short while after I got in touch with them, and after attending several adoption events, they called me to see if I would foster a four month old puppy named Bridgette. She was found living under a bridge on the I-96 expressway (thus the name). The lady who found her already had several dogs, so I told them to bring her to me and I would give it a shot.

I had been watching Cesar Millan and remembered him saying that when you bring a new dog into your home, take the dog for a nice long walk before you go home. So I loaded the dogs into the car and headed off the meet Helen and this new puppy. I thought we'd all take a walk then go home.

But when I met Helen, she told me this dog had never had a collar or leash on and didn't know how to walk. She was hunched down and terrified. I ended up just transferring her into my car and going home. My dogs seems okay with her despite her fear. Once we got home and I struggled her into my fenced yard, she headed straight to the yard. I finally coaxed her into the house where she immediately tried to find a place to hide and cower.

This poor baby had never lived in a house, wasn't potty trained, and was afraid of every human she met, even Arleen and I. I did stop to consider that maybe I had bitten off more than I could chew on this foster thing. And the first few days were more than a challenge.

We got her to settle down for a while, then she went outside and disappeared! Oh my gosh, I've lost my very first foster dog! Now what!?!? I spent several hours driving around searching for her then went home to call the rescue group. Imagine my surprise when I found her hiding in the bushes in the backyard.! So much for the lost foster dog. But our adventures didn't end there. Not by a long shot. Stay tuned for more of my adventures with Bridgette.

Rev. Claudia and the critters...

I avoided fostering dogs for many years even though I wanted to. I was so afraid I'd fall in love with every dog and it would break my heart to let them go. But as the years went by, I realized that each foster dog I gave a temporary home to and let go gave me room to foster -- and save -- another dog. And many of these dogs might otherwise be killed.

Actually, I started by driving rescue transport for dogs. It's like a rescue railroad that moves dogs from rural shelters where they have little chance of adoption, to larger, more populated area rescues and shelters where they can find a home. I read an article on the web and decided that if I can't save all of them myself, I can at least help give them a chance for a home. Each person on the transport drives anywhere from 50-75 miles then transfers the dog or dogs to the next driver for the next part of the trip. A coordinator keeps track of the dogs and drivers during the transport. Each driver calls in when the dog is passed and reports on any problems with the dogs or the roads.

My first transport was from downtown Detroit to Toledo, OH with a high-energy Brittany named Loni. She sat in the front seat and looked out the window the whole trip. I got a picture of her before I sent her on her way.

After my first transport, I did one pretty much every weekend as long as I could afford it. Each driver donates the gas and time. The experiences I had running transport would make a book, if I could remember all of them. I never took any notes, just enjoyed the rides and the dogs.

Rev. Claudia and the critters...