Getting Your Foster Puppy Ready for Their Forever Home

Photo by Kristin O Karlsen on Unsplash

Getting Your Foster Puppy Ready for Their Forever Home

When you foster a puppy there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing them thrive and eventually move on to a loving forever home. That doesn’t mean that saying goodbye to them is easy though, as you’ve likely formed a strong bond with your foster pup and parting ways with them is a bittersweet experience. The transition from foster home to forever home can be a wonderful, yet stressful time, as new bonds need to be formed and new routines established. But with proper preparation and guidance, it can be a smooth and happy adjustment.

How long does the foster stage last?

The amount of time a puppy stays with their foster parent often varies depending on age, breed, and the fostering organisation's guidelines. Typically, puppies stay with their foster parents for three to six weeks, during which they receive love, care, potty training, and socialisation to support them through their early development. If you’re fostering a puppy, usually a minimum term will have been agreed upon up front.

Preparing your foster for their forever home

The most important thing you can do to help your foster puppy get ready for their forever home is make sure they're fully potty trained, crate trained and socialised. These skills are essential for the puppy to fit in with their new family and their new pet parents will certainly be grateful for it too! It's also important to introduce them to a range of different sounds, smells, and experiences, so they can get used to the world outside of your home. Inviting friends over with pets or children, or visiting the local dog park, are great ways to help socialise them further. It’s important to highlight that if your foster puppy has not completed their puppy vaccinations yet, you should avoid dog parks and instead socialise them at home with friendly vaccinated dogs.

Easing them into the transition

Transitioning into a new home can be stressful for some puppies, so make sure you ease them into it by gradually introducing them to their new family and surroundings. For fully vaccinated puppies, try taking them to meet their new pet parents in a neutral place, such as a nearby park or dog-friendly café, and give the pup plenty of attention, love, and reassurance throughout the interaction. The next step may be to visit their new family at home, so your foster puppy can explore and take in all the sights and smells of their new home.

Getting them used to their new parents

Once your foster pup is in their forever home, it’s important for their new family to establish trust and work on building a bond with them. Encourage them to spend plenty of time with their pup, playing, snuggling, and giving them affection. They’ll also want to continue any obedience training that was started during the foster stage. Not only will this make their lives easier going forward, but training is a great bonding exercise and will help build their pup’s confidence.

Saying goodbye to your foster dog

Saying goodbye to your foster puppy can be difficult, but it’s all worth it when you realise the positive impact you've had on their life. Make sure to give them love and attention on their last day with you and consider sending them off with a familiar item from your home, like their bedding or a toy that they love. You can also ask the new pet parents to keep you in the loop with pictures and updates if you’d like to see how they’re getting on. Remember this doesn’t have to be the end of your fostering journey, and there will be more puppies who could greatly benefit from your help.

What to do if you want to adopt your foster puppy

If you’ve formed a special bond with your foster puppy and want to make them a part of your family, it's important to discuss it with the fostering organisation as early as possible. It’s possible they have policies on adopting your foster or they may already have a forever home lined up that might be a better fit. Remember that fostering is intended as a commitment to help puppies find their forever home and not every foster is meant to be a permanent addition to your family. Fostering a puppy can be a really rewarding experience, especially when you see them move onto their forever home. While this transition from foster home to forever home can be a tricky one, with the right preparation and support, your foster pup will be able to take it all in their stride. Remember to enjoy the journey, embrace the new beginnings, and be proud of the impact you've had on your foster pup. For more tips on caring for and training your foster pup, check out the PEDIGREE Help Hub.