Dogs #10 and #11

 We're done with long-term fostering, but we're keeping the door slightly ajar for very occasional short-term back-up fostering. We have had two dogs pass through, recently. The first was a lovely older gentleman who adores people - but dislikes other dogs on and off the leash and has a mighty desire to kill small animals. He's been in foster/boarding for a looooooong time, and we were asked to give him a break from the boarding kennel. 

The second is a young dog who also adores people, wants to murder small animals, and is unpleasantly leash-reactive to other dogs. Her foster family had an emergency and had to leave town for a few days on a few hours' notice. This girl is the snuggliest dog we've ever hosted, desperate to crawl into everybody's lap and nibble on your ears. 

When I packed up her crate and food so she could be picked up by her foster family, she got really worried, and lay down and moped (not her normal state), clearly alarmed by the prospect of yet another abandonment. (She was super-happy to see her foster people and their dog, though, when they arrived.) 

One of the things I've learned from fostering is that while dogs are resilient - some more than others - they are damaged by abandonment and neglect and that damage doesn't go away. You can help them work around it, you can heal them up a bit, and it fades over time, but it never goes away. I think the kids have learned that, too, - I hope they will never make the mistake of getting a dog without committing to the whole dog and the whole dog's life.