A few years ago on a trip back to New Jersey my mom gave me a box of “younger me” memorabilia. One of the items in the box was an assignment I completed in first grade. The assignment? A list of questions about our future selves. One of the questions asked was: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” A simple question for a five-year-old with limited life experience. 

And when I read my answer to that question - I was shocked! Why? 

Here’s a little more context for you as we go through this flashback together. As a kid, I always pestered my mom to get me a dog. Her answer was: “Of course, honey!” 

NOT!! Psych! Or, whatever the kids say nowadays. 

Her real answer was: “Um, no!” 

My mom never had a dog growing up. My grandmother was not a big fan of the mess that pets make. 

When my mom and I lived in our condo complex, I remember walking other residents' dogs, playing with the dogs in the neighborhood, and visiting Gretchen - a retired police dog.

At age six, my entrepreneurial instinct was ignited when I brought back a neighbor's dog who I walked regularly for free. That day, I decided I should charge what I was worth and asked for twenty-five cents. Her response was something like: “let someone know when you are going to charge them before you take their dog out.” We both had a laugh, but I had no idea what we were laughing about! 

My mom wouldn’t allow me to have a dog because she thought it was a lot of work. She assumed that the walking, feeding, vacuuming, etc. would fall on her shoulders. She was right - pets require a lot of work. But if there was one kid who would have done that work, it was me. 

Now that you are caught up, circling back to that assignment, what did little Gary at age five want to be when he grew up?

A DOG WALKER!

Can you believe it? Thirteen years of my professional adult life has been spent working with dogs and humans. I even walk my mom’s dog when I visit. Yes, my younger sister was allowed to get a dog when she was a kid. Don’t even get me started. 

(See Exhibit “A” Above :) 

So, what is the purpose of this walk down memory lane? I want you to feel bad for me, of course. Juussst kidding! 

In all seriousness, if I had just known as a kid that fostering a dog was an option, I’m certain that I could have convinced my mom to let me foster. Unfortunately, there was no Internet back in the 1980’s to help me figure that out. 

It would have been amazing to show my mom how responsible I would have been. All the walking, brushing, and imagining all the adventures me and “Charlie” would have gotten into. If I only knew! 

So to all the kids out there, and parents who have kids asking for a pup, you can foster a dog! (Any kids that need my help with their parents, email me and we all will Zoom!)  

In my ebook, you can get it here (all proceeds go to charity) I discuss fostering dogs and/or volunteering with a carefully-selected organization first, so your family can learn more about what it takes to care for another living being. If the time and experiences are used effectively, fostering and/or volunteering can be a great first step in gauging the commitment that is necessary. 

Will the kids really help? Will your partner really do the morning walks every day? All the scenarios and well-intentioned promises will be tested with fostering, without making the full commitment of adoption.

In addition to all the knowledge the family will gain from fostering, it is really rewarding emotionally. When you see an animal that you have been caring for, knowing their quirks and schedules, get adopted - it’s an amazing feeling. It's a great lesson I think more kids could benefit from. 

What else can you learn from fostering? Here are a few that we cover in the book...

1- Creating new schedules and routines. Morning and evening potty times, meal times, social outings, are now a daily necessity for your foster. Will you be ready to let them out at 7am after a long night out? Can you stop home after work to feed, walk, and potty break before you head out to dinner with friends? What about soccer practice right after school? Your dog doesn’t have Facebook. They need us to keep them socially and physically active. 

2- Dog Behavior. Pulling on a leash, dealing with different energy levels, sizes, coat types, grooming, and so much more. 

3- Any potential allergy problems? You can find out quickly. If you are allergic, you can foster golden doodles or other hypoallergenic breeds.  

4- Will the whole family chip in and share the tasks? Some people enjoy the easy parts of having a dog, like filling up the water bowl and the quick potty run. But, they don’t want to be bothered with letting the pup out if an unexpected upset stomach arises in the middle of the night. Fostering first can ensure that all family members will participate and share the responsibilities having a dog comes with, without the long term commitment from day one. 

So, How can you take action today and get involved? 

Do you have a friend who fosters or volunteers? Start by asking them about how they got involved. All organizations are different. Some groups need long term fosters until a dog gets adopted, sometimes they need short term help for a week or even a weekend, or to watch their booth at an adoption event. They all need help!

We have Google now, for better or worse. Search for animal rescues, public and municipal run shelters, and animal welfare organizations in your area. Start asking questions and learning how you can be of service to them. Most organizations have a section on their site “how to get involved,” or a person to reach out to to get started. Let the fun and learning begin.

I hope this little trip down memory lane provides some insight for anyone interested in getting a dog, but would like to test the waters first. Fostering or volunteering is a way to get hands-on experience without having to make a lifetime commitment to an animal in need. Caring for a dog is so fun, but acknowledgment of the responsibilities shouldn’t be ignored. Dogs are the ones who could potentially suffer. 

Any questions? Feel free to email them over. I look forward to seeing you out and about, maybe with a furry sidekick.

Head scratches and belly rubs,

The Dog’s Side

P.S.

You can get our adoption ebook here. I lay out how to research a vet, interviewing dog walkers/pet care professionals, the economics of having a dog, and so much more. It’s over 40 pages and almost a decade and a half worth of experience.