Foster Program? - Page 2

Dawn....we all have accidents, kids, dogs, whatever...it can happen.  Even if it is a stupid accident definately not on purpose...it can still happen.  Also, a breeder can select as carefully as possible, but still place a dog in the wrong home occassionally.  People who want a great dog aren't always honest, are they?  What if a breeder placed a naturally protective SchH or PSA titled dog in a home?  The value of the dog will meet or exceed whatever the family puts into it, probably for the rest of it's natural life.  This is a huge risk.  I disappoint callers several times a year, when they call to ask me about dogs with some protection training for a protective companion for their family, and what the cost would be if they got one. 

It can be a winning situation for the foster home also.  It doesn't not have to be about exploitation, though I acknowledge it sometimes is.  That's human nature.

Veronica

I would RUN as fast as possible sounds suspicious to me lol

its a big RED FLAG if the breeder is a newbie or has only had a few litters.

 Such a situation was exactly what I was looking for when I first came here.  My first GSD was a "co-ownership" thing - I had a wonderful pet/companion/soul mate, and the breeder maintained breeding rights and provided free boarding when I needed to go out of town.

I figured what I would offer is a loving family home and socialization with kids and other animals.  A better life than being in a kennel most of the time.  What I would get out of it is the experience of being a "breeder", the companionship of the dogs, raising the pups, etc., without being an irresponsible breeder.

It does provide a better life for the dog, but please get everything in writting and talk to others that are also fostering for this kennel so you are not burned.  I would also make sure that excessive vet bills are the responsibility of the actuall owner. 

It can be fun but also heart breaking if the kennel owner decieds the dog is not worthy of breeding and you have to give her or him up to pet home and are asked to take on another one.  Will your investment in vet bills, time ect offer you a chance to keep the dog as a pet at a discounted rate???

Get to know this person before taking in one of the dogs, see how they train and what they are actually doing, could be a front for a puppy mill.  Definatly a way to make money off pups without the expense of the bitch.

It could be good, it could be bad. All depends on how and why it's done. A contract drawn up by a lawyer for the breeder and reviewed by a lawyer for the prospective foster home would be a must. If done well, it could be a winning proposition for all parties, including the dogs. If done poorly, everybody loses especially the foster home and the dogs.

I would get too attached to a foster dog to do this. I prefer to own a dog outright, but I have no problem keeping a breeder updated on a pup's development and health.

Co-ownership of a dog is a similar situation; the dog lives with one owner but is used for breeding or showing by the other owner. It is a way for the breeder to keep tabs on the puppies she raises and the progeny they produce. Unless you have a large kennel setup on many acres of land, it's hard to raise enough litters to see the outcome of your breeding program without some sort of arrangement of co-ownership or contractual obligation on the part of the buyers to provide updates on the puppies.

 When you say "make sure that excessive vet bills are the responsibility of the actuall owner" do you mean the breeder, or the one providing the home?

When I moved to Canada, my dog was getting too old to breed and the breeder had no problems with me taking the dog with me.  I didn't have to pay any extra money either.  The breeder was a really wonderful honest lady, we had absolutely no problems or misunderstandings whatsoever.  She was great.  I miss her.