Foster Program? - Page 1

Can anyone explain  a Foster program as this one?

Schloss Felsen Kennels offers a foster program for German Shepherd puppies and older dogs included in our breeding program. We have limited space in our kennel so we can't keep everyone here. We need homes for these dogs to live in which allows the animal to live with a family. We offer this program to people for an opportunity to own a top quality German Shepherd without having to buy one.

If a family qualifies as a foster home, they are given the puppy or dog and it lives with them for life. The foster home is responsible for the general vet care, training, feeding and grooming of the dog. Any breeding costs are paid by the kennel. The puppy/dog is to remain intact. The females are bred once a year until they are 8. Males are bred whenever they are needed until they are too old to perform. The foster female dog will return to the kennel to breed and then live with their family during pregnancy. One week before they are due to give birth, they will return to the kennel and stay until the pups are weaned at 5 weeks old. The males come to the kennel for approximately 3-7 days. Once the dogs are no longer needed for breeding the foster family must get them spayed or nuetered.

Is this a regular program? Please excuse my lack of knowledge on these type of programs.

                                                                                                                                       Keycat

That IS NOT FOSTERING!  It sounds like they have too many dogs, and this is their way to continue to breed. After the bitch is 8 YEARS OLD, and is no use to this so called  breeder, then she can have a forever home? Same for the males? What kind of BS is this? Run in the other direction!! Buy and own a pup outright!

Dawn

I forgot to add...what happens to your FREVER FRIEND if it dies before it's time due to circumstances that can and do happen? Mother dies, bloat.....ETC!!! So much for your forever friend after the foster family gets attached and loves the animal!

Unfortunately, like it or not, there are MANY US breeders who do this and we all know it. I agree with Dawn about what it really is about. But it is no worse than some breeders who breed and breed and breed and then dump the dogs, especially the females, when they get too old. We all see this all the time as well. Dogs are only convenient for some people as long as they make money for them. Pathetic.

It is difficult for a kennels to build their own bloodline without  a large number of litters to observe your breeding program over time, and to establish the bloodline.  Fostering allows the dogs to have a normal family life, and allows people the chance to have a dog who may be very expensive which they could not otherwise afford to own.  The breeder in turn gets to see pups from their own dogs, and select puppies with the "right stuff"--future competition/champion pups from their own breedings.  This establishes a bloodline.  This is common practice in Europe as well as the USA.  From what I have heard, the owners own the dog, and the breeder just breeds it once a year, while bearing all expenses of the litter.  The breeder takes a risk as well....a valuable animal can die due to family neglegence (leaving a gate open so the dog gets run over) as well as giving birth.  Life is risky.  And no, I do not have a fostering program at this time.  Veronica

We do this at our guide dog school..  all of our breed dogs live with families..  much better than spending life in a kennel run..   the bitches come to the kennel when in season..  sometimes get bred.. sometimes not.. then go back home..   when they are close to whelping.. they come back to the puppy house..  and stay until the pups are 6 to 7 weeks old..  then she goes home again.     I think this is far better than having dogs in a kennel forever.    People get to have a great dog.. and dog gets to have a great family..   We takes care of all vet care..  but the family pays for the dogs food..  and they must get the same food as we feed here at  the school..  It has worked out great for us.. and we have been doing it for almost 50 years.  

Akveronica,

If the breeder takes a risk as well....Don't they screen the  family home that the animals will be going to, to make sure that they will be safe?

Hodie..I agree with you! MONEY!!!

I don't know who came up with calling it a FOSTER program as that can be misleading, but I personally think it is great if used the best possible way.  Benefits for the foster family would be the pick of the litter for free, possibly other incentives of free boarding while out of town, the breeder may title the dog, they may get a cash incentive for working their dog, or the breeder may give them a completely free pup from their own dog (2 quality dogs free) at the end of the program.  Benefits for the dog would be getting to be an only dog (or close), placed into a great pet home where the breeder feels they would be provided with the best food, exercise, etc. and living there from puppyhood until they die, except for when they go to their breeders whom they would feel very comfortable with as well... always home or at their second home.  We all know many breeders rehome their dogs when they are done with them... to me this alternative is better.

Intentions of the breeder can be good or not so good.  Sure some breeders do it as they don't have to pay routine living costs but can use the dog (breedworthy or not) just as they would if they did care for them, but without taking up space either.  Personally I think the program is MOST beneficial when the breeder does this as a means to prospectively keepback some puppies and then later is very picky about which ones to breed.  If the dog remained with the breeder, especially in the home, then that breeder would have a much more difficult time deciding not to breed a less than ideal dog.  Many of these dogs end up being sold if the breeder decides not to breed them or if they never take, as the breeders program is more important than keeping the individual dog.  OR a breeder that has good intentions for the breed gets suck with dogs they don't feel worthy of breeding and then either end up with too many dogs on their hands (especially non-kennel breeders) in search for the right one, or give up contributing to the breed.

Done right, IMO it is a win-win all around, the family, the dog, the breeder and the breed.

If a valuable  breeding animal is placed with a family and something happens to the dog, what does the breeder do about this?