The Best Laid Plans of People and Potcakes: Keemo's Arrival

Last night my dad and I met two other volunteers to pick up three potcakes from Delta baggage claim. As we approached the Delta office we spotted the dogs. Their crates were stacked on a cart in the aisle and they seemed understandably scared but happy to see some friendly faces. They got a lot of attention as we wheeled them back to the parking lot. The cart clunked along horribly over the seams in the concrete and we felt so bad for them having to endure more scary noises after all they'd been through, but we finally got them to an empty space next to the cars and took them out to stretch their legs. My first impression of Keemo was that he was very much a puppy. He leapt around on the leash and mouthed my hands. I wondered what I'd gotten myself into...

I was surprised that he went willingly back into his crate so soon but thought it best he ride in it in the car, having no idea if he'd been loose in a car before. These guys make such a journey from The Bahamas - they see more in a two-day trip than many dogs do in their lifetimes! On the way home my dad and I strategized about the introduction. It was late and what we most wanted to do was get everyone settled down to rest, but I knew that Ruby would have to meet him or she would be a maniac all night long. I believe her to be reactive partly out of frustration, so dogs she can see and smell but not get to are very hard for her to handle. We decided that my dad would walk Ruby and I would walk Keemo so they could meet side by side. I took Keemo's crate inside so that both girls could get a good sniff before actually meeting him. When my dad came out with Ruby I kept my voice very cheery and said "look, Ruby, a new friend, let's walk!" We walked them around the complex and it was a total non-issue. They both had playful body language (if a bit unsure from Ruby, Keemo is tall and lanky so is quite a bit bigger) and Ruby was even on the disinterested side. I breathed a sigh of relief as I thought the hard part was over - at least the part I'd been most nervous about.

Something I left out of my foster dog preparations was to expect the unexpected, as that is exactly how things happened last night. My reactive dog welcomed a newcomer easily and my calm, social dog wanted to send him right back to The Bahamas. That's right...Boca is not a fan of our visitor, and told him so in no uncertain terms after a great initial introduction. Once I had separated them with Keemo in the kitchen behind the dog gate in order to spend some time with the girls Boca started barking and lunging at him on the other side of the gate. I was shocked - I'd been so confident that Boca would be her sweet and easygoing self that I was completely unprepared to see this side of her. After doing my best to calm things down and comfort a now-frightened Keemo with a stuffed Kong and some calming music, I went upstairs with The Ginger Sisters and lay awake filled with anxiety and doubt, wondering if I'd made a big mistake.

This morning I'm glad to report that things are better - I'm still keeping Keemo and Boca separated but we took them on a walk together and they did fine. She has only barked at him once and seems to have resigned herself to pouting. Keemo and Ruby are playing wonderfully together (and I think Boca is jealous about this even though she has little tolerance for Keemo's rowdy teenaged boy ways). Keemo seems to be a fast learner and although he is bouncy and mouthy, he is already getting the idea that polite behavior earns attention. He is cautiously interested in everything and very food motivated. He slept in the kitchen overnight with no accidents or destruction and has pottied on the patio for which he gets praised and treated. He climbed the stairs hesitatingly but trustingly - I had intended to bathe him but decided not to push things since the stair negotiation was scary for him and opted for a dry shampoo spray and wipedown instead. He is a sweet and eager boy who just needs a patient teacher. I'm excited to try some clicker training with him in the next few days. Meanwhile I am trying to keep things as low-stress as possible (not an easy task for someone as anxious as I can be about my animals) and hope that Boca will warm up to him. Fostering is hard, you guys; each time I do it I wonder if I'm really cut out for it. But look how cute he is...

Five Ways to Prepare for Your Foster Dog

My first foster dog - Bjorn the Norwegian Elkhound, aka Bjorngenstern the Destroyer - in 2005

My fourth foster dog, Keemo the Potcake, will arrive from The Bahamas on Sunday evening, part of a desperately needed puppylift of twenty-seven other potcakes who would otherwise face a sad fate as the island shelter struggles with lack of funding and insurmountable challenges. Volunteers from Pilots N Paws fly the dogs off the island, they will stay overnight in Florida to obtain their U.S. health certificates, and the Colorado-bound dogs will fly Delta commercial the rest of the way. It takes an unbelievable amount of last-minute coordination between the shelter, the pilots, the sponsoring rescue and all the volunteers along the way. As a planner and a bit of a control freak, I'm glad I've been through it once before with Boca and am doing my best to not worry, be happy and go with the flow with my chill island girl as my shining example. I've learned a lot since my first foster dog, and along with The Ginger Sisters am ready to welcome this new boy into our home. Here are five things I will be focusing on as we prepare for Keemo's arrival:

Plan the Introduction
This one is extremely important and also particularly challenging with a reactive dog like Ruby. Her introduction to Boca was five minutes of pure chaos. I wasn't sure how to manage them both by myself and Boca was ready to get back on the plane as Ruby barked madly from behind the gate. Thankfully, Boca demonstrated her incredibly tolerant nature and after a brisk parallel walk in the dark they quickly settled into life-long friendship. Employ the help of another dog-savvy person if possible and know what will work best for your dog. Neutral territory is usually a good idea and there is something about walking side by side that can make dogs fast friends. Now that I know meeting through the dog gate doesn't work for Ruby (barrier frustration) and since I will have my dad's help, my plan is to alert him to our arrival from the airport and have him bring Ruby outside for an immediate walk with Keemo, then allow Boca and Keemo to meet on the fenced patio when we get back. I am still expecting some chaos, and hoping for Keemo to have the same mellow non-reaction that Boca did to my nutty terrier. Since Boca met about fifty different dogs face to face last weekend at the farmer's market, I have faith that one more potcake will not phase her in the slightest.

Assume the Foster Dog is Not Housetrained
In Keemo's case this is almost certainly true. He was found as a stray trying to get in to the shelter and has possibly never lived in a home. Even if a foster dog was previously house-trained, if they've spent time in a shelter they will very likely need a refresher course. Be patient, take frequent potty breaks, expect a few accidents, breeze through clean-ups as if they are no big deal with no scolding or shaming, and throw enormous praise and treat parties when the foster dog goes where it is supposed to. This worked wonders with both Ruby and Boca, neither of whom were house-trained when I got them. It didn't take long at all for them to figure things out reliably. I recently won a pet-safe cleaning supply giveaway over at It's Dog or Nothing which could not have come at a better time. I'm sure I will put the prize to good use as we may have a few messes to contend with.

Create Safe Spaces and Secure Boundaries
I wasn't much of a believer in crate training until I started fostering dogs. Used appropriately, crates create a safe space for an uncertain dog, and reduce accidents and destruction. It's generally not hard to help dogs form a positive association with the crate by starting slowly and providing them with comfort (in the form of soft blankets and pillowy mats), enrichment (safe chew toys or stuffed Kongs) and deliciousness (treats delivered liberally) inside. The dogs from The Humane Society of Grand Bahama sleep in portable kennels at night, so if Keemo is anything like Boca he will feel at home in one. I like to give the new and existing animals, especially my rickety old senior kitty, lots of down-time and options for their own space. I have several dog gates in my house which make it easy to give everyone separate areas. As I get to know Keemo I will decide what arrangement works best when we leave the house and overnight. It's also imperative that fences are checked and not relied upon for foster dogs - they may be frightened or disoriented and shouldn't be left unsupervised outside. Along those same lines, extra caution should be taken with leashes and collars - slip leads or martingale collars are good safety measures to prevent accidental escape.

Pick Up Food & Toys and Closely Supervise Interactions
The well-being of my existing animals is always my first priority when fostering a dog, and I take steps to set everyone up for success as we all adjust to a new resident. Resource guarding is a common issue and one that may crop up temporarily in an unfamiliar environment. Boca growled in her crate over the first antler she had probably ever seen, which alarmed me at the time but was not a continuing problem. Management is the best strategy for things that might be coveted, and I'll be putting away the free access toys and chews until I'm able to assess how the three dogs interact. Meal times will be closely monitored with crates and gated areas utilized as needed. I also won't be leaving them alone together until or unless I'm confident there will not be any conflicts.

Prepare to Fall in Love and Prepare to Let Go
I've loved all my foster dogs, and obviously loved Boca too much to let her go (though that decision was largely based on how beautifully she and Ruby bonded). Just like now, I already had two dogs the first times I fostered and there was little danger of "foster failing" then because I would have been overwhelmed with three dogs of my own. I very closely budget for high quality food, pet insurance, and of course way too many treats and toys and the truth is - a third dog is not really an option. My house will be a stop along the way to Keemo's forever. I knew that previous fosters were going to the very best homes, and the experience was so rewarding that I knew I would want to do it again. I have no doubt there will be moments of stress and doubt as my dad and I manage a three-dog household, but I also know that every dog I meet expands my heart in ways I didn't expect. I'm so excited to meet and learn from this potcake boy. 

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