Foster Dogs
Dear Frankie,
When my brother Spot died, my mom decided to foster dogs. I was adopted from a shelter and saw dogs who waited years for a family, so I was all for it.
At first, we fostered a few puppies a year, and they were adopted in a few weeks. Once the foster agency realized what a great job my mom was doing, they started sending us older dogs who stayed with us for months before they could be placed. Many of them had never lived in a house with a family, so they had to be taught to be housebroken, follow basic commands, and walk on a leash.
To help them learn, my mom asked me to coach them on their daily walks and model the behavior she taught in their daily training sessions.
The most challenging skill for many was walking on a leash together. One would stop to smell something, while the other would pull to keep going, turning into a snarl or a skirmish.
These walks are wearing on me; I’m no spring chicken, and refereeing isn’t my idea of a good time. I also resent that the only time I get to be with my mom is when I’m working as her foster care assistant. Am I terrible for feeling this way?
Tag
Dear Tag,
You are not the first dog who resents sharing their mother with others. I suggest you share your feelings with your mom and tell her how much you miss the two of you spending time together. Your mom may be so wrapped up in being a foster mom she is unaware of how it affects you.
A compromise you might offer is she takes fewer dogs a year and only puppies or older dogs who are trained. You might remind her that it was her choice to be a foster mom, and although you are glad to lend a paw, you would like to choose which activities you participate in and how often.
Your mom appears to be someone who would be open to making changes once she realizes that you are feeling overworked and misused. I’m keeping my paws crossed and hope I’m right.
Best, Frankie
© 2024 Geneva Woodruff
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