When a
dog
arrives at his foster home…
Health care
Unless you
are
told otherwise by a MAESSR representative, take the dog to
the vet for general examination and to
bring all standard procedures up-to-date (see “Medical
Procedures” below). Unless the dog requires immediate attention,
observe him for a couple
of days before visiting the vet to identify any
medical conditions that may require checking out. While you
are
petting the dog, run your hands over him to look for lumps,
sensitive spots, hidden wounds,
etc. Try to get
a look at his skin; if it
is pink and/or flaky, he could have an infection or allergy. Check his ears and teeth. Watch for excessive scratching,
sneezing, coughing, congestion,
signs of urinary infection,
excessive lethargy, unusual lack
of appetite. If
the dog shows any unusual symptoms,
try to contact a MAESSR officer before going to the
vet. If the vet spots any conditions that require treatment, follow
the instructions given under “Medical Procedures” below. Although it
is most important to
check out dogs who have come from shelters, owner relinquishments should also be vet checked and observed.
Get an
itemized receipt for all
services performed. If the dog received
any medications, note on the receipt what they were for. Also briefly describe any symptoms the dog exhibited and the diagnosis. This will serve as
the dog’s medical history. Make a copy of the annotated receipt. Send one copy to MAESSR for reimbursement and place the other copy in the
dog’s envelope.
If
your vet
bills MAESSR directly, be sure
to get a copy of the services performed to take with you
Tell your vet
that the patient is a
rescue dog in
foster care, explain that we are funded completely by donations, and ask if they will give a discount.
Some vets give us their “professional” discount. We
currently get
discounts of 10-50% from some vets.
Standard Procedures – these are required unless noted. MAESSR will always pay for these.
• Spay/neuter
• Heartworm test
• Rabies vaccine
• Combo vaccine (distemper, parvo, etc.)
• Lyme vaccine – optional, based on season and environment
• Bordatella vaccine – optional
• Frontline – try to get
a single dose, or keep extra doses for the next
foster dog
• Heartworm preventative –
try
to get a single dose, or keep
extras for next dog
• Fecal
worm test (optional) and worming if positive
• Urine Test
Second Tier Procedures – MAESSR will pay for “normal” treatment of common medical conditions such as those listed below.
Pursue these procedures
only if the dog exhibits
symptoms. Contact either
Operations VP-Incoming dog/foster care as
soon as possible to alert them to incoming bills.
• Ear cleaning and
medications
• Skin infections
• Minor
respiratory tract infections
• Urinary tract
infections
• Minor wounds
• Flea dip
Third Tier Procedures – If a dog requires major, expensive treatment for a serious condition
(e.g. major
surgery, broken bones, cancer, epilepsy, heartworm…) DO NOT proceed until
the treatment has been
approved by either Operations VP-Incoming dog/foster care. We have limited resources and must use them to the
best advantage of all
the dogs.
Rescue dogs run the gamut from perfect gentlemen and ladies who could perform proudly in the
obedience ring to excitable puppies and adults who have never been taught any rules. Commonly we know
very little about a dog’s level
when it gets to your house.
It is your job to
evaluate and report on the dog’s
behavior, and to get a start on improving his behavior and training. If the dog has known bad behaviors
(lucky you!), start
working on replacing them with good behaviors right away. You do not
have to turn the
dog into an obedience champion, but we
do like to pass on semi-civilized dogs capable of functioning in a house and in public. It
is the responsibility of the adopting family to fully train the dog, but they should at least
know what to expect. Remember, many behavior problems can
be solved by teaching the dog rules
and
showing him that you expect
the rules to be followed. A dog expects to be disciplined for disobeying
the rules, but he
needs to know that discipline will be fair and does not
mean that you don’t love him. Behavior problems to look for:
• Dog aggressiveness
• Food aggressiveness
• Toy aggressiveness
• Submissive urination
• Separation anxiety
• Excessive barking
• Chewing
When you are comfortable with the dog, push him a little in
order to identify problems.
If you experience
any of these problems, notify either Operations VP-Incoming dog/foster care. it is
important to have this
information for the dog’s profile. Work on the problem if you can;
ask
for advice if you need
it.
If
the dog shows any aggression toward you, discuss this with either Operations VP-Incoming dog/foster care immediately.
We will not place a dog that bites. In dealing with an aggressive dog, trust your
instincts. If you have a bad feeling, there is
probably something wrong. Don’t keep these feelings to
yourself! Some rescue dogs are broken and need a lot of care and work to fix. Many of them have been
abused and may react unexpectedly to your actions. At best, they may be hand-shy; at worst, they may be fear-biters. Approach discipline
gently and carefully until you have a good
sense of the dog.
Be
sure that the disciplinary action
is appropriate to
the dog. Again, the most important thing
you can do with these dogs is to establish
trust. In parallel with
behavior, you must evaluate training. Test the dog to find out
if he responds to simple obedience commands. If not, teach
the dog to sit. It will improve your life together
in ways you never thought possible! Take the dog out on a leash. Does he walk well? If not, leash walk him
whenever possible to improve those skills. Work on the dog’s house manners if necessary. Teach the dog not to jump on people, countertops, and other dogs. Teach him to
release toys and other objects
to you, and that your attempts to
recover stolen items
are
not a game. Work on crate training and
housebreaking, if necessary. Take the dog out
in public. Pace yourself based on the dog’s security level, but get them out into
different situations
and meeting other people as much
as possible. Introduce him to visitors at your house. If possible (and under strict
supervision), introduce him to young children, cats,
other dogs, people, and anything else you can think of. This is a long list of
tasks. You may be lucky; very
few
may apply to your dog! If you are unlucky, take them in
stages, first addressing the things that most
affect
peace in your household. Try to not be
scolding the dog all the
time. If you are having trouble, post
to the MAESSRVols list. You’ll undoubtedly get more suggestions than you want. And keep in mind the first rule of owning Springers: a tired dog is a good dog.
Passing on the dog to his new family
The Adoption
Coordinator will
review the list
of potential families for a specific dog, then sends an
“offer” email instructing the potential family to contact
the foster family.
When you talk
to the prospective adopters, give them as much information as you
can about the dog. Be honest, answer all their questions,
and offer any other information you think they should know. They may ask to meet
the dog before they make a decision, or they may just come and get it. If/when they decide to adopt the dog, preferably make arrangements for them to come to your house.
It is best for them to meet the
dog someplace where there is space and the dog is comfortable. If that is
not possible, make arrangements for a suitable meeting place. Remind them to bring a collar with ID, leash, and adoption fee.
Prepare two
copies of the adoption
contract by filling in
the three blanks at
the
top and the information about the dog on the second page. Have the adopter initial all items, fill
in their personal information, and
sign the contract at
the
bottom. DO NOT sign the “MAESSR officer” blank yourself. Take back both
copies of the contract and collect the
fee. Inform the adopters that a signed
copy will be
mailed back to
them. Give the adopters all of the dog’s papers and copies of medical records, and wave goodbye to your
dog (sigh...). Send the two contracts and the adoption fee to MAESSR, P.O. Box 807, Goochland, VA 23063. A MAESSR officer will sign the contract and one copy will be returned to
the adoptive family.
And remember…
Play with your dog. Love your dog.
Fuss over him. Pet
him. Snuggle with him. Talk to
him. Let him know that whatever his world was like before, it
is good now. Have fun!