INDIANABULLDOGRESCUEFOSTERPROCEDURES

Welcome to the bulldog foster program with the Indiana Bulldog Rescue! Thank you forvolunteeringyourtimeandhometohelpsaveabulldog. Fosteringisakeycomponenttorescueandwithoutyouwewouldn’tbeabletocontinueourmission.

Forthesafetyofeveryoneincludingthebulldog,weaskthatyoureadthefosterprocedurescarefullyeachandeverytimeyouwelcomeanewfosterintoyourhome.

CommunicationisKEY!Weareheretohelpyoueverystepoftheway.Ifyouhaveaquestionoraproblem,don’thesitatetoreachouttooneofusatanytime.

AshleyThornburg:Ashleyistheintakecoordinator.Shewillworkwiththesurrenderingfamiliesandevaluate thedog’sneeds toensure that IBR isable tohelp thedog. Shewillmatchthefostertothebestpossiblefosterhomeavailable.Everyplacementisinthebestinterestandsuccessofthedog.Ashleywillworktoobtainanyvetrecordsfromthedog’spreviousvetandcoordinatetransportsifneeded.

o Cell:317‐439‐1705o E‐mail:ashley.thornburg@indianabulldogrescue.com

MelissaHardesty: Melissa coordinates intakes alongwithAshley. She is IBR’s primary

contactforshelters.o Cell:317‐432‐2944o E‐mail:melissa.hardesty@indianabulldogrescue.com

JenniferMorrow:Jen,withthehelpofEmilySmith,overseeallofIBR’sfinances.Ifyouor

thevetyoutakeyourfostertohaveanyquestionsregardingbilling,contactJen.o Cell:317‐997‐9109o E‐mail:jennifer.morrow@indianabulldogrescue.com

Becky Maddox: Becky approves all foster vet requests. If you have any questions

regardingthemedicalcareorvettingofyourfoster,Beckyisyourcontact.o Cell:317‐979‐0264o E‐mail:becky.maddox@indianabulldogrescue.com

NatalieMiller:Natalieisthedirectorofadoptions.Natalieoverseestheadoptionprogram

including the screening of applications, scheduling home visits, trial visits andmatchingpotentialadopterswithfosters.Onceyourfosterhasbeenfullyvettedandis“adoptable,”Natalieisyourpointofcontact.

o Cell:480‐277‐1625o E‐mail:natalie.miller@indianabulldogrescue.com

Diana Pawelczyk: Diana is IBR’s administrative coordinator. She handles all of thepaperwork. Once your foster is adopted, you will need to mail all of your foster’spaperwork to Diana. She will then send out a welcome packet with all of the dog’sinformationandrecordstotheadoptivefamily.

o E‐mail:diana.pawelczyk@indianabulldogrescue.com

WecommunicateasagroupthroughtheprivateIBRFosterandVolunteerFacebookpage.Youarewelcometoaskthegroupanythingyouhaveaquestionabout.Ourvolunteersaregreatresources!

Many of the forms (electronic and paper) can be found by going through our Web site –http://www.indianabulldogrescue.com.Theycanbeaccessedbygoingtothe“IBRVolunteers’Login” tabonthebottomlefthandsideof thepage. Thepassword isbullieinfo. Thereyoucanfind the surrender form, all of the various HoldHarmless Agreements, bio updates, vet request,adoptioncontract,etc.

CanIadoptmyfoster?

YouWILLfallinlovewitheveryfoster.Wealldo.Ifallofourfosterparentsadopttheirfirstfoster,IBRwouldnothaveany fosterhomes left to continueourmission. Unless it is in theabsolutebestinterestofthedogandapprovedbyIBR’sBoardofDirectors,IBR’spolicyisthatafosterisnotpermittedtoadopttheirfirstfosterbulldog. Givingawayadogthatyouhavegrowntoloveandnurturedbacktogoodhealthisoneofthehardestthingsyouwilldo,butitisalsothemostrewarding. Youwillplayakeyroleinselectingaperfectforeverhomeforyourfoster. Onceonefostergetsadopted,yourhomenowhasroomtohelpanother.

AnyvolunteerwishingtoadoptfromIBRwillgothroughthesameadoptionprocessasanyotherapplicant.Theapplication,homevisitandreferencecheckswillallbecompleted.IBRwillalwaysdowhatisinthebestinterestofthedogs–noexceptions.

Intake:

Ashley

Vetting:

Becky

Billing:

Jen

Adoption:

Natalie

YouAreaFosterParent…NowWhat?

Startahardcopypaperfileforyourfoster.Onceyourfostergetsadopted,youwillhavetomailthefiletoDianadirectlywithinaweekoftheadoption,soit’sbesttokeepallofthesedocumentsasyougoalong.

Besuretogetacopyofyourfoster’sonlinesurrenderrequestfromAshleyorMelissa.Printthisformandkeepinyourfoster’sfile.

Complete the Indiana Bulldog Rescue FOSTER Care Agreement and Hold Harmless formthroughtheWebsite(VolunteerLogin.Password:bullieinfo).

Ifyouaredoingthesurrender,printandhavethesurrenderingfamilysigntheSurrender

Agreement. Thisdocumentgives IBRownershipof thedog. Thedog isnot legally IBR’swithoutthissigneddocumentation.Ifyoudonotdothesurrenderyourself,pleasebesurethatwhoeverisdoingthesurrendergetstheformsignedandgivesthatformtoyouasthefosterparent.Thisformshouldbeaddedtoyourfoster’sfile.

Once your foster is home, give him/her some time to decompress. The dog is likelyconfused, anxious and insecure as they are in new place. Having a new bulldog in yourhome is exciting, butwe can guarantee the dog is not as excited as you are. Give themplentyofspaceandtimeforthefirstfewdays.Untilthedogisseenbyoneofourpartnervets,thedogshouldnot interactwithanyotherdogs inoroutsideofyourhome. Youshould also take your foster to a different area to potty than your dogs until the dog isevaluatedbyavet.Thisisforthesafetyofthefosterandyourdogs.

Readandfollowtheguidelinesinthedocumentcalled“ALetterFromYourNewDog”thatispostedunder“Files”ontheFosterFacebookpageasyouwelcomeyournewfosterintoyourhome.

Wewill need clear pictures of your foster throughout the entire time they arewith you.PleasetakelotsofpicturesandsharethemwiththegrouponthefosterFacebookpage.Weusethesetogenerateadoptioninterestandsponsorships.

Offtothevet!

Your foster should be seen by one of our partner vetswithinaweek of coming to your

home.IfyoudonotknowwhotheIBR‐approvedvetisinyourarea,pleasecontactBecky.Callandscheduleanappointmentforyourfoster.BesuretotellthemthatyouarewithIBRandarebringinginanewintakeforhis/herinitialvetting. IBRpaysforallofthefoster’smedical care. If you have any questions about the vetting process or payment, pleasecontactBeckyandJen.

Complete the “Vet, Training and Prescription Request Form” through the Web site(VolunteerLogin.Password:bullieinfo).Youwillreceiveacopyofyourrequestthroughe‐mail. PrintacopyofyourrequestandBecky’sapprovalandaddit toyourhardcopyfileyouhavecreatedforyourfoster.

Theinitialvettingshouldincludethefollowing:o Officevisit/basicexaminationo Vaccinationso Heartwormtesto Fecaltesto 3monthsworthoffleapreventativeo Microchip(**pleasee‐mailthechip#toDianaASAP.Dianawillregisterthechip).o Anynecessarymedicationsorantibioticsthevetprescribeso Makeanynecessaryfollowupappointments(spay,neuter,othersurgeries).

OnceyourfosterisseenbyavetandhasanegativeHeartwormtest,pleasecontactBecky

with your address andweight of thedog. Shewillmail you threemonthsofHeartwormpreventative.PleasedonotpurchasethisfromthevetunlessyouhaveBecky’spermissiontodoso.

Due to limited funds, IBR cannot pay for grooming or nail trims. These are often veryexpensiveatthevet’sofficeandthereareusuallymuchmoreaffordableoptionselsewhereifthefosterparentisunabletodothesethingsforthedogthemselves.

Any time your foster sees a vet, it MUST be approved by Becky. If there is an

emergency and you aren’t able to complete the “Vet, Training and Prescription RequestForm”throughtheWebsite(VolunteerLogin.Password:bullieinfo),callBeckyonhercellphone(orJen,AshleyorNatalieifyouareunabletoreachBecky).UnderNOcircumstanceshouldasurgeryoradecisiontoeuthanizeafosterbemadebythefosterparent.AllfostersbelongtoIBR,notthefosterparent,andthefinaldecisionoranymedicalproceduremustbeapprovedbyBeckyandIBR.

Anytimeyour fosterseesavet,besure tohave thevetstaffprintTWO invoices for theservicesprovided. Keepall invoicesinthehardcopypaperfileyouhavecreatedforyourfoster. One copy of the invoice will stay in the file and the other will be given to thepotentialadopterduringthefoster’strialvisit.

Onceyour fosterhasbeenvettedandwithin the firstweekofhavingthe foster,completethe“BulldogBio”throughtheWebsite(VolunteerLogin.Password:bullieinfo).It’sokayiftherearestillmedicalissuesthatareoutstandingorifyouarestillworkingtogettoknowthe dog’s temperament. Please include a little information on how the dog came to IBR,theirtemperament,anyspecialormedicalneedsanddescribewhatanidealadoptivefamilywouldbe for thedog. This informationwillbeposted to theWebsiteandused tosolicitsponsorshipsforthedog’smedicalcare.

SLOWintroductionsarenotanoption…theyaremandatory!PLEASEREADCAREFULLY.

Introducingyourdogtootherdogs:Thisisnotarecommendation.IBRrequiresthatyoufollowourguidelinesforslowintroductions.NOEXCEPTIONS.Thisisforyoursafety,thesafetyof the fosterand foryourdogs. Ifyou introducedogs tooquicklyordonot followtheseguidelines,IBRreservestherighttoplaceyourfosterinanotherhomeASAP.

o Ourguidelinesareattachedtothebackofthisdocumentorcanbefoundunderthe“Files”tabontheIBRFosterFacebookpage.Thedocumentiscalled“ALetterFromYourNewDog.”

o Always keep your pets separate for AT LEAST 7 days after the foster’s initialvetting.Giveyourfosterplentyoftimetoadjustandgetintoaroutineandstarttotrustyouandyourfamily.Althoughwewantthemtobehappyandlovedandfitin,theyhavejustlosteverythingtheyknewthatwasnormal.Thiscanbeveryhardondogs, especiallywhen there is someelementof abuseorneglect in their past life.Remember…it’snotaboutyou,it’saboutwhat’sbestforthedog!

o Onceyourfosterbeginstosettleinandyouareabletointeractwiththempositively,

itmightbetimeforthemtomeetyourpets.Donotrushit…theslowerthebetter.If

thefosterisgrowlyintheircrateorontheothersideofthebabygate,justgivethemmoretime.It’simportanttokeepallinteractionsshortandpositive.Theseshouldtakeplaceonneutralground–meaningoutside.It’sbesttohavealldogsonaleash.Youhavetostaycalmaswell.Trytoavoidnose‐to‐noseinteractions.Walksarethebest way to introduce dogs because they are side to side. Walks are great forbondingaswell.

o NEVERleaveyourfosterunattendedorunsupervisedwithyourpetsorchildren.

o No bones, toys or treats should be shared until every dog can be fully trusted.

Bulldogsarenotoriousforguardingandgettingsassywhenfoodisinvolved.

OddsandEnds.

Please continue to take lotsofpicturesandshare themwith thegroupon the IBRFosterFacebookpageaswell.Greatpicturesmakeforgreatadoptionapplications!

Should you need a “bulliesitter” while you are fostering, please reach out to othervolunteerstoseeiftheycanwatchyourfosterwhileyouaregone.

WhoeverisinchargeofthecareofyourfosterMUSTcompletetheIBREventorTransportHoldHarmlessagreementthroughtheWebsite(VolunteerLogin.Password:bullieinfo).

If the foster is stayingwith someoneoutsideofyourhome, inaddition to completing thenecessary Hold Harmless documentation, please notify Becky and Natalie via e‐mail thedates you will be gone and contact information for who is caring for your foster. Thecaretakershouldalsobegiventhefoster’svet’scontactinformationandBeckyandNatalie’scontactinformationincaseofanemergency.

INDIANABULLDOGRESCUEADOPTIONPROCEDURES

Once your foster ismedically cleared for adoption, youwill workwith IBR’s Director of

Adoptions,NatalieMiller. Communicatewithherwhat typeofhomeyou thinkwouldbebest for your foster. She and the adoptions team will screen apps and work to matchpotentialadopterswithyourfoster.

WhenyoureceiveapotentialadoptionapplicationfromNatalieasapossiblematchforyourfoster,pleasereachouttotheapplicantwithin5days.Pleasecalltheapplicantanddiscussinformation regarding temperament, special needs, behavior andhealth concernsof yourfoster. It’s important to be honest and forthcoming. Our goal is to find our fosters thePERFECThome,notjustagoodhome.

Printtheprospectiveadopter’sadoptionapplicationandaddittothehardcopypaperfileyouhavebeenkeepingforyourfoster.

Onceyouspeakwiththeprospectiveadopter,setupatimeforthemtomeetyourfosterifpossible. IBReventsaregreatplacestomeetwiththefamilyandhavetheminteractwithyourfosterandgetanyquestionsanswered.Ifschedulingdoesnotworkouttohaveameetandgreet,scheduleanin‐homehomevisitwiththefamilyandyourfosterataconvenienttimeforeveryone.

Duringorafter thehomevisit,complete the IBRHomeVisitCheckList foundontheWebsite(VolunteerLogin.Password:bullieinfo).Printthisform,fillitoutcompletelyandaddittothehardcopypaperfileyouhavebeenkeepingforyourfoster.Itmaybeagoodideatoprint andbring a copyof theAdoptionContract foundon theWeb site (VolunteerLogin.Password: bullieinfo) for the family to read and review. Please review IBR’s adoptionrequirementswiththefamily.

If the adoptive family ismore than 2hrs away, another IBR volunteer,who is closer, cancompleteageneralhomevisitfirst.Pleasecommunicatewiththatvolunteerwhatspecificshome requirements you foster has. If another volunteer completes a home visit for you,pleasebesuretohavethemcompletetheIBRHomeVisitCheckListfoundontheWebsite(VolunteerLogin.Password:bullieinfo)andscanande‐mailthedocumenttoyouforyourfoster’s file. A foster cannotbeadoptedwithoutahomevisitand completedhomevisitevaluationform.

Remember – you are your foster’s voice. If, for any reason, you believe the adopter’shomeisnotgreatforyourfoster,wewillsupportyourdecisionandcancommunicatethatdecisionforyou.Itisimportantthatthehomemeetsallofyourfoster’sneeds,issafeandaplacewhereyoufeel100%comfortableleavingyourfoster.

If the prospective adoptive family and you think it’s best that your foster stay with thefamilyforanovernighttrial,thatMUSTbeapprovedbyNatalieandtwocopiesofthe“In‐HomePre‐adoptionHoldHarmless”mustbesignedbyyouandthefamily.Keeponecopyinthehardcopypaperfileyouhavecreatedforyourfosterandleaveonewiththefamily.

Pleasesendthefollowingthingswithyourfosterfortheirtrial:

1. Enoughfoodforthelengthofthetrial2. Medication3. Copyofvaccinationrecords4. Bed,blanket,toys,etc.5. Writteninstructionsonthedog’scareandroutine6. Yourcontactinformation7. Crate

If the trial familyhasotherpets, theyMUSThavea crateorbabygate inplace to ensure

separationwhenunsupervised.Atnotime,duringthein‐hometrial,shouldIBR’sfosterandthetrial family’spetsbe lefttogetherunsupervised. ThesameslowintroductionprotocolthatfostersareREQUIREDtouseshouldbeexplainedtothetrialfamily.

Iftheydonothaveacrate,youcanloanyourcratetothemduringthetrialbuttheymusthave purchased a crate of their own before the end of the hold harmless date, or theadoptionWILLNOTbeapproved.

At the conclusionof the in‐home trial, youmust either finalize theadoptionor the fostermustreturntoyou. UndernocircumstancescananIBRdogbeinahomeotherthanyourswithoutavalidHoldHarmlessAgreement.

When it is time to finalize the adoption, youwill need toprint andbring2 copiesof theAdoptionContractwithyou to theadoption. TheAdoptionContract canbe foundon theWebsite(VolunteerLogin.Password:bullieinfo).Youandthefosterfamilywillsignbothcopies.Onecopystayswiththem,onewillgoinyourfoster’shardcopypaperfile.

The adoption feemustbepaidby the time the adoption is finalized. IBRprefers that alladoption fees are paid online through PayPal via the IBR Web site.http://www.indianabulldogrescue.com/donate/). APayPalaccount isnotnecessary. Theadoptercanpayusingacreditordebitcardasa“Guest.”IBRcanacceptacashier’scheck,butNOPERSONALCHECKS. If you have questions regarding the adoption fee, specialaddedclausestotheadoptioncontractorpaymentplans,pleasecontactNatalieandJen.

When you finalize the adoption, you will need to take a photo of your foster with theirforever family. Within24hours of the adoption, youneed to complete theHappyTailsUpdatefoundontheWebsite(VolunteerLogin.Password:bullieinfo).

IfanotherIBRvolunteerfinalizesyourfoster’sadoption,theyneedtocompletetheHappy

Tails Update within 24 hours of finalizing the adoption and mail the signed AdoptionContracttoDiana(11267S.CountyRoad750ECloverdale,IN46120)WITHIN7DAYSOFTHEADOPTION.ItisYOURresponsibilityasthefosterparenttoensureandfollowupwiththe other volunteer to ensure the Happy Tails Update and the Adoption Contract iscompletedandmailedtothePOBoxwithintherequiredtime.

WITHIN7DAYSOFTHEADOPTION, youneed tomail your foster’s completehardcopy file toDiana (11267 S. County Road 750E Cloverdale, IN 46120). Print andinclude as the cover sheet to the file IBR’s Foster File Checklist found on the Web site(Volunteer Login. Password: bullieinfo). This is the final and very important step! IBRneeds all of the legal documentation for the dog soon after the adoption. Diana sends apacketwithallofthedog’s informationandmedicalrecordstotheadoptive family. Theyneed to get this information quickly after they adopt so it is critical you mail all of thefollowinginformationtoDianawithin7daysoftheadoption.

1. DianaPawelczyk11267S.CountyRoad750ECloverdale,IN46120

2. TobeincludedinthefosterfilethatismailedtoDianawithin7daysoftheadoption

is: Surrender Questionnaire (electronic surrender form submitted by the

ownerande‐mailedtoyoubyAshley). Surrender Agreement (signed form the owner signs to allow IBR to take

ownershipoftheirbulldog.Doneatthesurrenderorattheshelter). FosterAgreement(submittedbyyouonline.) All vet records (fromprevious owner/shelter, from any vet the foster has

seenunderIBR’scare.Shouldincludeinvoicesfromeveryvisit,shotrecordsandmicrochip#).

Vetrequestformsandapprovals(submittedonlineandapprovedbyBeckyviaemail).

Copyofapplicationofthepersonadoptingthedog(willcomefromNatalie). CompletedHomeCheckEvaluation SignedAdoptionContract. Adoptionfee(cashierscheckorPayPalreceipt).

Weencourageyoutostayintouchwithyourfoster’sforeverfamily. Youknowthefoster

betterthananyone.Beasupportsystemandaresourceforthefamily.

Andlastbutnotleast….THANKYOU! Thankyouforopeningyourheartandhometogiveabulldogthelifetheydeserve.Withoutyou,wewouldn’tbehere!

A Letter from Your New Dog 

 

Hi there!   I’m your new dog.   Thank you SO much for bringing me  into your home.     Since I only speak 

dog and I’ve been told dog doesn’t always translate that well to human when spoken, I wanted to share 

a few things with you in writing before we meet again. 

 

Things have been kind of strange for me  lately.     All of the people that  I know and trust  in my current 

home  look and me and say, “You are going  to your  forever home!   Aren’t you excited?!?   This  is  the 

greatest thing ever!   They are so excited to meet you!”         That  is a whole  lot of words and my foster 

family *sounds* so excited for me.  I want to be excited, too, but, I don’t have any idea what all of those 

words mean!  So I asked my foster brother about it and he explained that I’m coming to live with all of 

you just like he lives with my foster family.   

 

I don’t mean to be disrespectful because you seem like nice people, but I’m not so sure about living with 

you quite yet.  I really like where I’m living right now, to be honest.   I know this house, the humans, the 

other dogs, the routine, the yard, and everything else here.      

 

My foster brother told me that living with you will be great because I’ll have my very own family forever 

and ever and ever, but I’m going to need some time to figure that out for myself.   He then told me that 

you love me so much already that you’ll work with me and give me time to get comfortable.   He said I 

just need to tell you what I need and you’ll happily do it all to make sure that we have a long and happy 

life together.  So … here goes …  

 

1)  I need time to decompress and acclimate 

 

As  I mentioned, you seem  like nice people, but  I don’t know anything about you yet.      I’m a  little bit 

stressed, honestly, because we took a long car ride to get here and there is a lot for me to think about 

and process with  all of  these new people,  things,  smells  and  sounds.     Yesterday,  I  knew everything 

around me and that made me comfortable.  Today, everything is new and that makes me really uneasy.   

Plus, I am *really* tired from processing all of this change.  That is not to say that I can’t get comfortable 

here.   I just need some time to get there.    

 

Do 

Do  set‐up my  crate  in  a quiet but  common  area of  the house  so  I  can  see  you  and  start  to  get 

comfortable with all of you and your house, but still feel safe. 

Do let me rest in my crate a lot. A whole lot for at least my first two weeks.  It is not mean to leave 

me in crate.  It is quite the opposite.  It is the best thing you can do for me.  If we aren’t exercising or 

doing training, I should be in my crate.    

Do understand that  I am over‐stimulated and over‐tired so  I may act a  little crazy.   Just  ignore me 

and let me settle down.  Do give me soft praise when I’m calm. 

Do block‐off a small area outside my crate for me to very gradually start exploring your home.  Baby 

gates work really well.  During my third week, I can start spending more time here if I am settling in.   

Do keep your other dogs and pets away from my crate and small area outside of my crate for the 

first three weeks.   If I seem to be settling in during my third week, you *might* try some slow and 

short introductions through the baby gates or crate, but don’t rush it.  I think we’ll be friends in the 

long run but, until I get to know you and your home, I’m not comfortable meeting them. 

Do  respect my  personal  space  and  avoid  surprising me.    Be  especially  cautious  if  I  have  special 

needs. 

Do go about your normal life and just let me watch and observe.  I’d really appreciate it if you could 

keep  things a  little quieter around my crate and not have  too many crazy  sounds, movements or 

smells but, other than that, you living life as usual is the best thing you can do for me.    

Do  avoid nail  trimmings,  ear  cleanings,  etc. during  at  least  the  first  two weeks, unless  these  are 

medically required or recommend by my foster family. 

Do  walk  by me  and  give me  smiles,  softly  praise me,  tell me  I’m  good,  and  reassure me  that 

everything is going to be okay.  I really like that kind of stuff. 

 

Don’t 

Don’t  introduce me to new people, places, pets or other things for at  least the first two weeks.      I 

know that  I’m absolutely adorable and you want to show me off to all of your  friends,  family and 

neighbors but they’ll be plenty of time for that stuff later.  For now, it is important for me to get to 

know you and your house, nothing else, because all of that other stuff will just overwhelm me more. 

Don’t  introduce me to the other pets  in your home until my third week at earliest.     Please don’t.  

They need time to get used to me and I need time to get used to them.  

Don’t let me free roam in your house.   The best thing you can do for me is to keep me confined to 

my crate or a small area so I can watch, observe and get comfortable.   

Don’t approach me suddenly, make loud noises around me, or do anything else that may be scary to 

me.  My senses are over‐loaded right now so I will over‐react to anything scary. 

 

2) I need you to show me that you are a leader who I can trust. 

 

I am a bulldog so, by nature, I will rule the roost if allowed. But, to be honest, I’m not at my best when I 

am in charge.  So, for us to make this relationship work for the long‐haul, I need you to show me right 

from Day 1 that you are the leader.  If you do show me that you are the leader, I will trust you, follow 

your instructions and be much more comfortable and happy for years to come. 

 

Do 

Do make me work for every single privilege before you give it to me.   Make me sit and be calm for 

affection, food, leash, treats, toys, going out the door, etc.   Make me be calm and quiet before you 

give me freedom from my crate.   Anything that I seem to want, make me work for it.   If I don’t do 

what you ask, walk away from me and try again until I comply. 

Do give me time‐outs if I continually refuse to listen to you.   

If  it  is not  too hot outside, do  take me on short walks.     They are great  for our bonding  (and my 

waistline!).  

Do realize that all of this may be a little bit time‐consuming and frustrating for you at first.  However, 

if you are patient, calm and consistent at the beginning, it is by far the best thing you can do for me 

in the long run. 

 

Don’t 

Don’t  let me on your bed or  furniture  for at  least  four weeks.   Furniture  is a huge privilege and  I 

really need to settle in and learn my place in your pack before I earn that privilege.   

Don’t give me free reign to food, toys, bones, etc.     Make me work for these things and then take 

them up and put them away when we are done with them.   Make me work for them the next time 

you bring them out. 

Don’t introduce me to any other dogs, including resident dogs, before you have established yourself 

as my  leader.   Before  I am allowed  to meet any other dog directly,  I  should be able  to  sit calmly 

when asked by you from a distance.   

Most importantly, don’t let me guilt you into giving me all of this stuff for free with my sappy eyes, 

whining and/or barking.   I might be new to your house and a bit uneasy but I am still a bulldog so I 

know how to work people over.    My attempts at guilt are actually manipulation.   I want to be in 

charge but being in charge is not good for me.  I need you to be in charge and following these rules 

consistently is the best way to do it. 

 

3) I need a routine so that I feel comfortable 

 

Don’t  you  feel more  comfortable  in  a  new  situation when  there  is  structure  and  you  know what  to 

expect?  Well, so do I!   See, we have something in common already.   So, if you establish a routine for 

me and follow it consistently, it will help me settle in a lot more quickly. 

 

Do 

Do write down a daily routine for me before I even arrive and review it with the entire family.   Post 

it close by my crate so everyone can see it! 

o Feed me at the same time and in the same place each day 

o Schedule my potty times  

o Schedule multiple times each day for short obedience training sessions 

o If it is not too hot, schedule times each day to take me on short walks (but don’t take me to 

the park or to visit neighbors just yet. These walks are for you and I to bond!)   

o Schedule  huge  blocks  of  time  for  rest  and  relaxing  in my  crate.  Remember,  if  I  am  not 

exercising or doing training with you, I should be in my crate!  

o Schedule sleep and wake‐up times 

Do talk to my foster family about my routine and incorporate their feedback in your schedule for 

me. 

 

Don’t 

Don’t write down the routine and then not follow it.  I get very confused and will feel very insecure if 

things change each and every day.   Just like you, I feel better when I know what to expect! 

Don’t change my food or introduce new things into my diet. 

 

4) I need you to set me up for success and not risk failure.   

 

My first weeks  in your home are the most critical because this  is where we are setting the foundation 

for our long‐term relationship.   So, I need you to take it slow and easy with me.   Don’t rush things.   I 

really want our life together to be a long and happy one but, in order to get there, I need you to spend a 

bit of extra time with me upfront.  I’m worth it, aren’t I? 

 

Do 

Do talk to my foster family and make sure you follow all of the guidelines they give you for me.  They 

know me best at this point! 

Do keep my foster family’s phone number handy and call them with any questions at all. 

Do introduce me to your home, pets and things around me very slowly.   Give me weeks to settle in 

before introducing new things and, when you do introduce new things, do it very slowly.   

Do watch me closely when introducing new things.  If I seem uncomfortable, back off and try again 

some other time. 

Do keep things short and sweet when  introducing new things.     The first time  I meet another dog, 

for example, should be a 30 second exercise.   

 

Don’t 

Don’t get overly excited and rush thing with me.  I know I am cute and sweet and you have all kinds 

of big plans for us but there is plenty of time for all of that in the future.    

Don’t be scared to slow down.  If you have any inkling that you might be moving too fast, back off 

and try again later. 

 

Well, I think that is all for now.  I appreciate you reading all that I’ve written here.  If you do these few 

things for me, I *promise* I will be the best fur kid and friend to you that I can possibly be.    But, please 

remember  the only way  that  I  can  communicate with you  in  real  life  is via body  language, growls or 

possibly snapping. So, if I do any of those things as we get to know each other, it probably means you've 

rushed one of these things that I've told you.  Don't worry, I won't hold a grudge ... as long as you don't 

give up on me.