The Beast now has a brainstorm....of sorts. He wants us to foster a dog or three (not more than one at a time). I know what he's thinking. He thinks if we foster this one he has in mind, that I will want to keep it.
The problem is the dog already weighs in at 30 lbs. and it's still a pup. A friend of his from his church is a foster parent to dogs that are found by people who then call Animal Control. Our animal control here just puts dogs to sleep because they don't really have a facility to keep them. When this friend of the Beast's found that out a few years ago, they decided that they would foster some of these unfortunate dogs. Most of them have actually been abandoned for one reason or another. This one the Beast has in mind, for example. They were taken to the vet's office and checked out for problems like heartworm or mange, for example. This particular dog has a heart murmur that the vet called a *level six* problem.
Of course, we have no idea what a *level six* means. I told the Beast that he has no idea what a foster parent to a dog means. It means that WE would have to make sure the dog gets housebroken. That it learns basic commands (sit, stay, come, lay down, etc.), that it gets socialized with other dogs. We also have to make sure it stays healthy, which means vet visits. She would need exercising (she's a short but very muscular mix). We have no idea what bad habits she might have, either. We have a cat and 8 chickens to worry about, too. This is no placid puppy. The last thing *I* want is a dog that chases the chickens around.
He says that all the places the dog might be fostered are full so they need another family to foster. Oh, and it means we also have to buy a crate for it so that it can be crate trained. We did that with Baron as a puppy and those crates are not cheap. I am against fostering at this time because I told the Beast that it is just too soon to introduce another dog in this household. What if no family wants it? We end up with it by default?? No thanks. And the heart murmur? Could it be something that would kill the dog? Go through the death of another dog? I don't think so. Of course, it could just be something relatively minor like it is for some humans. I guess it's just something *I* am not ready for.
What's funny is that I actually thought about fostering a dog or two when Baron was still with us. I thought it would be good for him to have another dog to romp with or just play. But the Beast was against it....THEN. He thinks I will grow to love this particular dog. I have news for him. I don't fall for a dog easily. Not like HE seems to do. I just flat out told him NO...not yet. But I did let him know that I was open to doing that, but it was too soon after Baron.
You would laugh if you could see the cat right now. She is hiding in her litter box because we seem to have a field mouse in the house. She's hiding so it can't see her. She wants it to come out so she can catch it. It's under the stove, I think. At least, her attention is riveted on the stove. Our cat is a mouser!....LOL
She's been trying to get that mouse out in the open now for two days. We always get one or two in the house when we have our first real cold snaps. It got down into the 30's the other night and that was when this mouse got in the house. They are so fast and so sneaky. They can get in through some of the most incredibly small openings. *Sigh* We thought we had found them all and put some steel wool in them to plug them. The mice won't go near steel wool. It hurts them. I thought it was the most humane way to keep them out of the house. I really hate mouse traps.
So, for now, we will NOT be fostering a dog or pup. Later on, perhaps. I just said NO large dogs. We are not strong enough for any dog that is over 30 lbs. I'm even wary of one that large. I guess it depends on the breed/breeds mix.
Love you all. Have a peaceful Sunday. ***Hugs***
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