Fostering Greyhounds

Fostering a Greyhound

Throughout the year, there are opportunities to foster a greyhound in your own home for a length of one month or more. Many people are under the wrong impression that fostering a dog means that you should be adopting it. GPAC likes to stress that if you would like to participate in fostering there is absolutely no obligation to keep a foster dog. Fostering a dog for even just a month, provides a huge service to our organization as it prepares a greyhound for "home living" for when it does get adopted.

On the other hand, maybe you are looking for the perfect companion to add to your family and what a better way to "test the waters" than by fostering a greyhound for a month to see whether a greyhound pet is a good fit for you and your family.

All fostering families will go through an interview process to determine whether their accommodations and lifestyle are suitable for the temporary fostering of a greyhound.

Typical fostering duties include:

Ensuring a crate is used and playing the "crate game" with the greyhound. Greyhounds are already use to kennel like atmospheres, and the crate is used in training to ensure that the greyhound has and understands that the crate is his escape from activities going on in a house. All feeding and sleeping occurs in the crate.
Socializing him with other animals and people and documenting his behaviour.
Walking him on a leash.
Providing consistency in discipline by using simple commands such as "No" or "Leave It".
Training the dog to not have separation anxiety.
Familiarizing the dog to stairs, vacuums, cars and windows - all objects that the dog will likely not have encountered in the past.
Establishing good habits such as no begging at the dinner table or climbing on the furniture.
Establishing a hierarchy within the family so the dog knows who's boss.
Developing a routine the dog will become accustomed to for going to the bathroom.
If the greyhound is recently off of the track, a visit to the vet with a fecal sample may be in order to determine whether there are any physical problems with the greyhound.

If you are interested in fostering, please contact GPAC at (902) 889-2214.