What to do!!!

[clara4457]

I am so frustrated!!! As most of you know, I take fosters in quite often. I am lucky in the respect that I have foster rooms that I can keep dogs and cats in while they wait for their forever homes. Leo gets along great with all creatures - great and small. No matter who I bring into the household - Leo greats them with a play bow and and a "let's be friends".

Penny Lane on the other hand, has made it more and more difficult. I love her to death, but she has become so aggessive to other animals. As she has gotten more comfortable in my home she has gotten so harder to deal with. She used to tolerate fosters, now she is out and out aggressive. It used to be that she was only aggressive to the younger and more exuberant dogs - now she is aggressive to even the more laid back ones. I don't know what to do. I feel bad because these dogs are forced to live in my additional room without constant contact with the family.

I try to spend one on one time with them, but it is just not the same as living within the family - all because Penny Lane is being such a b****. I wonder how many more dogs I could save if she were more tolerant. I try to crate her when I have the fosters in the "living area" but she goes so ballistic that she rips her toe nails out trying to get out of the crate.

Sorry all - I am just feeling a little low right now. This latest foster has my heart in knots. He is just not doing very well - and I would love for him to have more contact than I can currently give. He is just so needy and I feel bad that I have to leave him in another part of the house most of the time. :(

Thanks for letting me vent.

[schteve_d]

I am writing not because I have great advice (though I wish I did), I am no expert, but just to say that it sounds like you are doing a great thing under less than ideal circumstances and I hope all works out for you! Best of luck and hopefully someone will have some great ideas/advice!

[joycenalex]

as hard as it might be to hear this, after barney has found his home, you need to think about not fostering dogs again. i have friends in pug rescue, and their mix breed, finally had enough of little puggy visitors, it was too hard on her. she made the visitors, humans and herself miserable by acting out her stress . i can guess how hard this for all of you, but for the sake of your own dog, home peace and your peace of mind, think about not fostering. i am sorry to suggest this. :(

[lizbud]

Gosh, this is a very difficult situation to be in.:( Unless there
could be another place for Penny Lane to spend some time
while you work with a foster dog, I can see how you would be
torn & unset by her behavior. I really don't know what to advise,
but trust you can & will do everything possible for all concerned.

Hang in there & we'll all be pulling for you no matter what. :)

[lizbud]

Hi Clara,

Just wondering how things are going with Barney? I do hope
you have found some solution to the Penny/Barney problem.:(
I do understand how upsetting that situation could be for everyone. Best of luck to you.

[clara4457]

We are maintaining. I need to make everyone understand that I have seperate areas for the fosters - so it is not like I have to give up fostering for Penny. It is just a matter of I cannot let the fosters live in the "living area". They are housed in a seperate room as long as Penny is such a problem. I spend a lot of time with the fosters in the upstairs area. It is still better than living in a shelter. They are not caged. They have several hours of one on one time with me. I bring them downstairs to play in the backyard with Leo and they are much better off than living in a shelter 24/7. Yes - Penny gets a little stressed when they are outside and she cannot go - but trust me when I say that it is a small price to pay for saving other dogs.

That being said, Barney is doing well. He has some medical problems we need to address. He has an ear infection that we are treating and he is doing well with. He also has some problems with his shoulder that we need to take a closer look at. The vet thinks it might be bone cancer - which means that he will not be adoptable. If he does have bone cancer, we will keep him happy and comfortable as long as he has left. If he has bone cancer and since it is in his shoulder, surgery will not be an option and the prognosis is pretty grim. Usually they only have less than year at the most. With bone cancer, surgery will only give them a few extra months and those months will be full of pain - so we are not inclined to prolong their suffering.

Please pray that Barney does not have bone cancer and we can find a great home for him to live the rest of his days in happiness. If not - we will make his last days happy and comfortable. I am very sad, as Barney has wormed his way into my heart - but I have to think that I am doing the best thing for him.

Clara

[lizbud]

Clara,

I think you are making the very best of a less than ideal
situation and it sounds like to me that you are working very
hard to balance out each dogs's needs. Not an easy trick in
the best of times.:) I think Barney(as well as Penny) is very
lucky to have you & your rescue group on their side. I hope that
Barney's medical problems can all be treated & cured. Have they
started any testing yet on his shoulder? Prayers that all will turn
out well for this sweetie. I love this picture you posted before.

http://tutzauer.com/shelterhelpers/Images/Barney5.JPG

Good luck Barney.:)

[pitc9]

I'm so sorry things are so hard for you now... I pray everything works out for you, Barney and Penny Lane!

You are a wonderful person for all you do, I hope everything turns out for the best for you all. I think if you were to stop fostering you would loose a part of who you are! Glad to hear your not goin to stop! There's no reason to stop!