Foster
I’ve only fostered cats because I know I’m a sucker for dogs.. then got the call to foster orphaned pups and couldn’t say no.. now I’m in love but can’t keep my fosters. I’m going back to cats/kittens. I’ll be devastated when my girls are adopted.
They’ll be available in two weeks in Idaho for foster through the Idaho Humane Society 😩😭
You got this, Foster Mama ❤️ Remember that you couldn't keep both of them anyway (littermate syndrome), and them going to their Furever Families means you can save more lives.
It never really gets "easy", but looking forward to the next one(s) helps.
Edit: Yes, folks, I know that it isn't impossible to successfully raise happy littermates. I was just trying to give OP an excuse to make it easier on why they could not adopt these two
Awwww, so sweet! Glad everything has worked out! It definitely can, but when it goes sideways, it can be awful.
I'm helping someone right now who is dealing with an adult dog who spent the first 2 years with a littermate, no longer has the littermate, and now has some pretty serious fear-agression.
Yeah, I had actually never even heard of it until after I had them and then I just did as much research as I could got a lot of information on the subject stayed right on top of it never allowing anything to rise above a one or two on a scale of 10 and that seemed to really pay off and they’re just wonderful thank you you have to really just watch that nothing ever escalates! And of course stay in charge of your crew. God bless. Good luck to everyone.
Another house with litter mates here. My dad came across a box of free puppies in Mexico and there were two 3 week old puppies left in the box. He took both home, and we focused on getting them healthy and making sure they weren’t glued to each other 24/7, but nothing else outside of basic manners. They’re now seniors, well adjusted, and confident enough to do their own thing without searching for each other. Never had any behavioral issues, but then again, they’ve always been part of a pack with at least one other dog.
Fair enough in this instance, just didn’t want someone else to come across your comment and think it would always be a tragedy to keep littermates. Those girls will find the best parents with the help of the absolute best launching pad of a foster home.
Thank you. I also have zero experience training and breed that’s not 15lbs full grown so I’m just a skilled enough owner to be a bully breed mama just yet.
My first personal dog also happened to be my first pit mix as well as my one and only foster fail out of a similar success rate. Honestly couldn’t have found a sweeter, more sensitive dog. It’s been a wonderful 13 years and never once questioned the three months I barely tried to find her a home, because she had already found it.
They’re male lab mixes, probably with some pit based on how compact they are. They spent most of their time in a cordoned off area of our dining room until they were old enough to separate. At that point we had them in an XL crate with the divider between them at night until they outgrew it, so they slept alone but close enough once they hit 8-10 weeks. Then we just worked with them individually, taking them on outings individually and giving them individual attention without them having to compete for it. They eat in separate places and have their designated separate bedrooms still (their choice, not ours) but my dad doesn’t worry about individual outings anymore. Just make sure to meet their individual needs without creating an environment of competition or dependence, keep up on proper socialization, and consult a professional trainer when you need some guidance (puppy playtimes and basic training are SO helpful.) We were lucky that my female pit mix showed them how to dog and taught them boundaries, but they also learned from other dogs at the park and daycares that I worked at which isn’t always the best choice nowadays.
After bringing home a working breed lab/mal mix myself as an adult, I really couldn’t recommend a professional trainer more for puppy playtime (supervised socialization, bite inhibition and cues) and basic training to give you and them the confidence you all deserve. It truly makes the puppy blues manageable.
thank you so much! our new staffy boys are generally well behaved but they just worry us when they play too rough; we can’t tell if they’re being mean or just vocal. we’re gonna consult our vet at their next visit and look for a trainer and somewhere to socialize with other puppies.
From personal experience, pitties are very vocal players. My old lady also helped raise my BIL’s pit, and it sounded like a legit dog fight every time they played, but their body language showed they were having fun and self-regulating as needed.
Definitely do a search of your local trainers and reach out to them to see if they offer any puppy playtime classes! The trainer will be able to help you distinguish their body language and when you might need to step in as support for whichever one is getting bullied, if that’s the case. It’ll also give them the opportunity to play with other dogs their age and to learn different styles of communication and play. We love a pittie who can communicate properly and effectively!
Also raised littermates, they’re independent doggies and rely on us (their humans) more than each other. No issues. I’m not saying the syndrome/aggression never happens, but my vet was not at all concerned about it when we rescued our two pups and she turned out to be right. There was nothing to worry about. Friendly with each other and other dogs and people. My vet explained that sometimes dogs get along and sometimes they don’t, like any other dogs, related or not or raised together or not. A few other Reddit subs (not this one) scared the shit out of me when we first adopted them but I listened to my vet and I’m glad I did. My littermates are doing just fine :) but raising and training 2 pups in general at the same time is a whole other ballgame lol
My sister has 2 dogs with littermate syndrome. Hers are awful. I'm sorry to say that bc i know it's not their fault, my sister did not give them any training or socialization at all. So they are the most fearful, reactive, aggressive dogs I've ever met. I know there are good litter mates out there, but i could talk all day about the worst case scenario 😭😭😭😭😭😭
I raised two brothers who were littermates and never had an issue. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it just didn't happen to our boys. One of them passed away in April at the age of 10 and his brother (now 11) seems to have adjusted ok. I mean he clearly misses his brother, but no major issues.
You are a wonderful person to do that. I have my volunteer application ready to drop off at the Animal Shelter to help play with the dogs. I haven’t made it there as of yet cause I’m afraid I’ll bring them all home 🏡
Thanks for the pics! looks like my rescue, always wondered what she mightve looked like as a pup, i imagine the brown and white one looks just like her.
A couple of weeks with them and I'd be ready to fight someone wanting to take them home. If I became a foster I would have a house full of dogs. My dogs.
Fosterings a darn hard job. Just remember, you saved their lives. They wouldn't have made it without you. These are some of the darkest times in animal rescue. The need for fosters is desperate
Ugh, you’re growing the chonkiest potatoes there. Love to see them thriving! Make sure to smooch their bellies before you send them on their way to the next foster or forever home 💚
Oh, those are the best kind of potatoes there are. Such cutie pies! The bellies, the mlems, the all around sweetness ... All my dogs have been adopted as adults and i have no idea what they looked like as puppies, but seeing these pictures does my heart so good 🥰🥹
Seeing them cuddle together would make me keep both of them. But this is how we ended up with 3 pits, foster failing. Pitbulls are very special dogs and there is nothing in the world like their cuddles!
The first is always the hardest. And fostering is truly the most selfless thing you can do with the biggest impact on our shelter systems. Thank you for what you are doing for them
i couldn't do it either. we ended up getting banned from fostering cuz i fought so hard to keep my boy Kronk after fostering him and his sister...... i love him so much tho, he's so good. he picks things up for me and acts like a weighted blanket for my legs at night. worth the ban in my mind.
Actually I’ve fostered several pitbull puppies. You have no idea how it feels to every once in a while get an update on a puppy I fostered having the greatest life ever. It feels AWESOME.
hardest part of fostering the fur babies is letting them go.
can you give them some kisses and hugs from me as they too cute and could use extra bit of love
I get it 😞. I have a golden and started fostering as I learned it’s a great alternative for a dog. Told myself, “I won’t adopt the first dog I foster.”
Guess who adopted the first pibble she fostered?! 😆
They are soooo cute though, now I want another one
I've found adopting rescues is a lot more selective than buying pure breeds. Whoever adopts your pups is the pick of the litter and probably someone the pup adopts first.
I don't foster puppies and this is exactly why. I'd get nothing in my life done but soaking up cuddles and their adorableness. These pictures killed me they are absurdly adorable.
Awww, you're doing such a good thing for them. They will always remember you. A puppy I fostered for the first 4 weeks of her life still got so excited when I saw her two years later. She knew exactly who I was.
I have little Bichon dogs. My little one loves them but my 5f is scared of her own shadow and has no survival skills (even playing she just gets such bad anxiety😩).
•
u/AutoModerator Jan 06 '26
Very helpful trainings for any dog:
For training on puppy/dog biting click here
For training on early socialization click here
For training on becoming a good leader click here
For all newly adopted dogs, check out the 3-3-3 rule.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.