About Fostering
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Puplandia Dog Rescue is a foster and volunteer based operation. Our ability to save dogs is limited by the number of foster homes we have available.
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Responsibilities of a foster go above and beyond being interim housing for a dog in need. You will be a photographer, a care provider and a transporter and advocate for your dog at adoption events. Fosters help with evaluating the needs and personality of their dog to better match it with a forever home.
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Puplandia Dog Rescue provides all doggy supplies, food and medical care to our foster homes and you will be plugged into our foster network for information and support. Being a foster parent is an integral and extremely rewarding way to volunteer.
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If you are interested in becoming a foster for Puplandia, please use the link above to download our foster application. Then e-mail the completed application to us at PuplandiaDogRescue@gmail.com
Foster FAQ
Can I take the dog to a dog park?
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No. The dog is still getting used to a new environment and situation no need to make it harder by introducing the pup to several new dogs it has not met. Also, the dog has not bonded to you yet, so it may get scared and get in a fight with another dog (which no one wants). Also from a liability stand point the rescue owns the dog and would have to pay vet bills if the dog were involved in a fight.
Can I let my foster dog off leash at a park or beach or in my neighborhood?
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No. Again the dog has not bonded to you and we are not sure how they will do off leash. If a dog bolts and is found by animal control it could end up costing the rescue up to $500. We don’t know what will scare the pup in your car, keeping a leash on your pup helps let the dog you are there, and they don’t have to run. If the new owner chooses to do off leash I always recommend a professional dog training class first.
I ran out of food can I just go buy some food for my foster?
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Yes and No. The rescue is glad to provide all the food for the dog. Some dogs have dietary restrictions and often changing food will give dogs an upset stomach. If you want to donate food and buy some for the foster in your care, then you must buy the same brand of food. Before you do anything though check with the rescue first.
There is something wrong with my dog can I take it to the vet?
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Yes and No. If it is an emergency, please rush to the vet but remember the dog legally belongs to the rescue. Contact the rescue immediately and allow them to make medical decisions about the dog. If it is a minor problem, please contact the rescue first and allow them to make the decision to go to the vet or not. The rescue will pay for any medical problems, but they get the final say.
Can I let my friends or family watch or borrow the dog?
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No. The rescue trusted the dog to you because they know you will provide the standard of care we are looking for. If you need to go out of town for an extended period, please contact the rescue to determine what to do with the dog. If you have friends or family that are interested in watching the dog for you put them in contact with Puplandia, we always need fosters, even temporary fosters. The rescue likes to be involved with the dogs in every way and a meet and greet is the best way to help grow the Puplandia family.
My Foster just arrived at my house and does not seem happy or is acting out a little bit, should I return them to Puplandia?
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No. Please wait three days for the dog to settle into your place before you make any decisions. If it is an emergency or very strange behavior, then please feel free to contact Puplandia (541)270-2828. Remember these dogs are in a new situation and have been either with a family they loved who could not keep them or are from a kill shelter. Either way being away from the place they called home can be hard for some dogs and they take some time acclimating to the new environment. They may never have had a back yard before or a couch or bed to sleep on or toys to play with, so they need to know the rules. They will learn quick, often the foster dog will just want to make you happy. Just be patient and get to know the dog and give them chance to get to know you.
Can I take my foster dog on a walk?
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Yes. It can be exciting having a new dog in the house and we understand wanting to take that dog everywhere. We just ask that you wait at least 3 days to a week to bond with the dog, so it will come to you if it gets off the leash (some dogs know all the tricks). Our first priority is the safety and wellbeing of the dog so hold off on walks for a few days will make sure the dog knows and trusts you if anything should happen. When we drop off the foster pup to you this is one of the things we talk about – this rule can be broken – if the pup is a good pup and already has skills we won’t ask you to wait the 3 days – the 3-day request is for dogs coming from a kill shelter that has little to no skills and/or is sick.
Can I take pictures of my dog and post them on Facebook?
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Of course. The more people who see the dog the more likely they are to be adopted. We just ask that you tag Puplandia in every photo. We love all the dogs in the Puplandia family and enjoy seeing all the fun things they get to do. Nothing makes us smile more than a happy dog and wagging tails.
How do I become a Foster for Puplandia?
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Just send us an email at Puplandiadogrescue@gmail.com and ask for a foster application. Complete the application and email it back to us. We will review it and set up a meet and greet and contact you when we have a foster dog ready.
Do I really need to kennel the foster dog?
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YES! Kenneling is part of fostering. Every dog that gets adopted should be kennel trained potty trained and up to date on shots. The kennel is a safe place for your dog to go to if it gets scared or overwhelmed – it’s also a place for the pup to take a rest when you (the foster) need a break. Foster pups have been dumped, thrown away, forgotten so they are needy – it is totally ok to ‘load up’ your pup in the kennel with a treat and have a quiet cup of coffee away from your foster dog. I will provide a kennel and training on how to train your pup. The pup should eat and sleep in their kennel, when you are not home the pup must be in its kennel for your protection and the protection of the pup.
My foster dog doesn’t know basic commands, can I teach it to sit, stay, and lay down?
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Yes, in fact it is encouraged. A solid foundation of good training will help your foster dog gain confidence, build trust, and teach boundaries. We ask that you would use the techniques employed by Zak George. This way we can ensure a continuity of good training when your foster moves to their forever family. You can find Zak George videos for free on YouTube. We like his techniques because he uses positive reinforcement that will stick with the dog for a lifetime.
My foster dog is on medication, what happens when I run low?
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Do not wait until you are out to ask for more medication. Give Puplandia a 1 WEEK notice prior to the last dose. This ensures that we are able to obtain a new prescription from our vet and get the medication to you without disruption. A few tips on remembering to request medication would be to set a reminder on your phone, write it on a calendar, or write the request date on the medication bottle. NEVER give your foster dog your own personal medication or medication from another dog. Not all dogs are the same or will react the same way to medication. Giving unauthorized medication could result in harm to your foster and even death. Doing so will result in your foster dog being placed in another foster home and you will no longer be able to foster for Puplandia. If you have questions or concerns about medication please contact us immediately.
I’m heading out of town for the weekend to an awesome getaway, can I take my foster dog along on the trip?
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The short answer is no. Our first priority is the safety and well-being of the dog and since most of our dogs are not up-to-date on shots this would constitute an unnecessary risk to the health of the dog. While some dogs are great at staying close, our dogs may have a past that would leave it prone to running away. Often times they have no training and maybe even have been surrendered to us for escaping and running away. Since our pack is based mostly in Washington County Oregon it is also difficult to assemble a crew to help search for a dog in the event is goes missing. We would ask that if you are going out of town that you would request the use of one of our emergency fosters. For any planned trips please provide us with a minimum of a week’s notice so that we can make proper arrangements. In rare instances we have approved a dog to leave the county but these instances are by far the exception due to the increase in risk involved to the dog and the rescue.
My friend of a friends wants to adopt my foster, can I set up a meet and greet?
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While we appreciate your excitement and advocacy for your foster the answer is no. Puplandia is not a first come first serve rescue, instead we are dedicated to finding the best fit for the dog and the adoptive family. In order to accomplish this we have a through and proven adoption process, and while it is difficult at times, we would ask that you respect that process. You can invite your friend’s friend to an event that your foster dog is going to attend or have them read the full bio. If they feel it is the right fit they can email in for an application at puplandiadogrescue@gmail.com