I have a very big announcement...

tifanietiberio

So in the past seven months, you all have really been my family. I don't have much of a real-life one, but you all really do a great job of supporting me and making me feel cared for. and as you all know, losing my Mayer in September broke my heart, but through all of your well wishes and support, i didn't fall apart and i feel like a much stronger person all around.

so i have some news- i think it is going to be good news- and no one is more surprised than i am about this, but..........

on friday i will be picking up my foster daughter from the animal shelter. her name is peppy and she is 10 months. i am *just* fostering for now (but let's be honest....) At least if i can't handle it emotionally or she turns out to be a holy terror, i know i have the option to take her back or to keep her and work really hard to find her a permanent home.

i will NEVER love another creature as much as Mayer, but i am empty without him and i need something to love and cuddle with. i think. and i think a good way to honor him is to give another pup a chance.

if you want to see her, here is her link: http://www.petango.com/Adopt/Dog-Terrier-Pit-Bull-Mix-14601868

wish me luck, i will keep you updated.

♥Faerie♥

That is awesome, I wish you all the Fae luck that I have♥ I am sure she will at least fill your heart once more....

rml_16

Wonderful! I wish I could foster.

sangelic

As a former animal shelter worker, THANK YOU for opening up your heart and home to give another dog another chance at finding their happy ending!!!!!!!! Even more kudos because it's a pittie!!

LindseyDD

Congrats!! I am a pug mom to 2 male pugs and I run the local pug rescue in my town - I take in fosters all the time and fall in love with each of them, you will know if she is right for you and if not it just opens your home for another dog you can love. I always have to remind myself of this when I want to keep them - I hope she is a good fit for you and can help fill a little bit of the hole in your heart!

GOOD LUCK!! Fostering is the most rewarding thing you can do for an animal!

pipinana

OMG, she is SOOO cute! Congrats!

twoscimitars

That's awesome! I wish I could foster - but my kitty likes to be an only child.

Jena_72

ADORABLE! Really a beautiful dog! You are sooooo gonna keep her!

drog2323

good for you! cute pup!

PlanetVelma

That's very cool! I've done fostering and it's very rewarding (and challenging of course).

I'm no longer eligible to foster because the shetler I was working with won't allow anyone who owns a Pit Bull to foster dogs, regardless of the dog/owner, etc...

Now I have a Staffordshire Terrier, she is considered a "Pit Bull" according to their rules. I fostered several large breed dogs prior to that change WITH Ashley (my Staffy). I was really sad, but what can you do?

drog2323

I saw an awesome pic the other day, about losing a dog/friend. I don't have the hyperlink or photbucket, otherwise i would post. its so fitting for the OP

SithZombie

=D Awwww! When I left home in August, I had to leave behind my 7 year old Rottweiler (I left him with my Grandparents and his two sisters). The breed is banned from most military bases, so bringing him along would have just lead to heartbreak and trouble down the road, so I did what was best for HIM instead of for me. I was so awfully homesick, and couldn't sleep at night without that big lump of snoring fur....so after a few months, my husband & I adopted our fur-baby, Leia, a German Shepherd! I really hope having a new puppy in your life helps you out!!!

jennifer2977

Everytime I rescue an animal I say it's just until I find a home for them. Now I have permanently have two cats and two dogs and want more!

Good luck! I would never be able to let fosters go.

Salukisazuki

Very cool

I too dont have much in the way of family and my dog Mildred is my rock, she is also from a shelter and over the past few years has gotten me through everything......PLUS she liked to steal all my food so shes diet effective too

Dont give up if you get a problem dog though- most can be fixed/rehabilited. Milz was put in a bag and thrown into the road having been starved and beaten with ciggarettes put out on her so she has had MANY issues but shes worth the stress. they all are.

she is currently upside down on my sofa, dribbling with her tongue out the side

well done to you , and good luck
x

sundancer1966

That is great news!! I know how it feels to loose a beloved. I lost my Fergus 5.5 years ago and when he died, my soul went with him. I was totally unconsoliable. We got a puppy and I knew I would never love him as much as Fergus, but, this little guy stole my heart with his first tail wag. It is not that i love him any less or any more than Fergus, I still miss my boy, but Teagan, is not a replacement but a little boy who is totally loved in his own right.

I am happy that you are forstering!! That is a great way to help a dog in need of a home, and a trial basis.

Best of luck and Congratulations.

sangelic

I'm no longer eligible to foster because the shetler I was working with won't allow anyone who owns a Pit Bull to foster dogs, regardless of the dog/owner, etc...

That is awful :noway: I'd understand if you had a dog aggressive dog, but otherwise why does it matter?

drog2323

I'm no longer eligible to foster because the shetler I was working with won't allow anyone who owns a Pit Bull to foster dogs, regardless of the dog/owner, etc...

That is awful :noway: I'd understand if you had a dog aggressive dog, but otherwise why does it matter?

totally ridiculous. we had a pitty/shar-pei mix. and he was super gentle and less snippy than our lab. but of course, mostly loser owners with pits, gave them (in some people's opinions) a bad rap! it's such a joke. Look at the owners...then talk to me.

I feel sorry for you...thats really crappy.

CouchSpud

Sometimes you wonder about their rules. Who actually makes those up?
As for the OP, you will be just fine., you might not love the new one the same as Mayer, but you eventually will in a whole different way. Believe me, I grew up with dogs and since the first one died (when I was about 16), we had a beagle mix and now suddenly ended up with a Labrador mix (all our dogs are from the shelter). They all have been my babies - the lab is mu current big big babe. I love them all dearly, in a very individual way and it's never gonna change ^^

EmCarroll1990

So sorry to hear about your puppy Mayer. But I wish you the best of luck with your new beautiful puppy!!

tifanietiberio

for those of you who don't know me in real life, please be aware that this "fostering" nonsense is just that.... nonsense. no one thinks i have any intention of giving her back. i am getting her from the shelter where i was the marketing director for 3 years, where i got mayer, and they're just like "ok, you can do it as a *trial* for two weeks and if you want to make it official then...but since it makes you feel comfortable now to say "fostering" we will call it that" nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

as for pit bulls being banned, etc. it INFURIATES me. i mean, it's dog racism in my opinion. mayer was a dogo argentino/pittie mix and he was the biggest baby ever. not an aggressive bone in his body. bully breeds in general are brilliant, sweet and loving creatures. the only reason they are used so often in fighting is because they are very smart and very easy to train and are so loyal and wanting to please their owners, that if the idiot owner trains them to fight or be aggressive, then that is what will happen. they arent used for fighting because they are inherently "aggressive" or "blood-thirsty". i mean the breed isn't for everyone, but to be forbidden to have one because people make blanket judgements just makes me sick.

k. that's all.

PlanetVelma

I'm no longer eligible to foster because the shetler I was working with won't allow anyone who owns a Pit Bull to foster dogs, regardless of the dog/owner, etc...

That is awful :noway: I'd understand if you had a dog aggressive dog, but otherwise why does it matter?

totally ridiculous. we had a pitty/shar-pei mix. and he was super gentle and less snippy than our lab. but of course, mostly loser owners with pits, gave them (in some people's opinions) a bad rap! it's such a joke. Look at the owners...then talk to me.

I feel sorry for you...thats really crappy.

I've had my staffy since she was 6 weeks old, she's been properly socialized, spayed, leash trained, crate trained....oh good lord, you name we've done it. Well she doesn't poop on command. LOL She'll be 4 in September. Best dang dog I've ever had. I should've had my vet classify her as a "Lab" when she was a puppy (the vet offered) but I didn't see the big deal.

We even have 2 small dogs - a boston and a Lhasa/Chi/Maltese mix and she treats those 2 dogs like they are her puppies.

*sigh* Ashley even helped me with a food aggressive Rotty (which I really wanted to keep but he didn't like my husband). He was basically un-adoptable...when he left you could hand feed him wet dog food.

It does make me really sad, but my husband was actually happy because everytime we'd get a new foster there would be lots of tears once they were matched with a suitable owner and it was time for them to go. LOL Yea, I think I was the one with separation anxiety! HA!

shayjgordon

I'm no longer eligible to foster because the shetler I was working with won't allow anyone who owns a Pit Bull to foster dogs, regardless of the dog/owner, etc...

That is awful :noway: I'd understand if you had a dog aggressive dog, but otherwise why does it matter?

totally ridiculous. we had a pitty/shar-pei mix. and he was super gentle and less snippy than our lab. but of course, mostly loser owners with pits, gave them (in some people's opinions) a bad rap! it's such a joke. Look at the owners...then talk to me.

I feel sorry for you...thats really crappy.

The whole pit bull issue is ridiculous. It is the trainers/owners not the dogs! I have a pit bull cross myself and he is the most gentle, cuddly dog I know. All he wants to do is play, which because of his size, some people may think he's being aggressive, but he's not, he wouldn't hurt a fly. I have some across many pit bulls in my life, and I have not had a problem with any one of them!

Tifanie-congrats on your new dog! So cute!!

PlanetVelma

for those of you who don't know me in real life, please be aware that this "fostering" nonsense is just that.... nonsense. no one thinks i have any intention of giving her back. i am getting her from the shelter where i was the marketing director for 3 years, where i got mayer, and they're just like "ok, you can do it as a *trial* for two weeks and if you want to make it official then...but since it makes you feel comfortable now to say "fostering" we will call it that" nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

as for pit bulls being banned, etc. it INFURIATES me. i mean, it's dog racism in my opinion. mayer was a dogo argentino/pittie mix and he was the biggest baby ever. not an aggressive bone in his body. bully breeds in general are brilliant, sweet and loving creatures. the only reason they are used so often in fighting is because they are very smart and very easy to train and are so loyal and wanting to please their owners, that if the idiot owner trains them to fight or be aggressive, then that is what will happen. they arent used for fighting because they are inherently "aggressive" or "blood-thirsty". i mean the breed isn't for everyone, but to be forbidden to have one because people make blanket judgements just makes me sick.

k. that's all.

Your dog is the cutest! I love those large breed dogs! He reminds me of the American Bulldog we fostered for awhile. He was so huge it was ridiculous....Huge and afraid of the dark.... He's grown out of that (thankfully) and lives with an older man with lots of property to patrol.

My daughter wants a dogo when she grows up (she's 10 right now). I told my husband I want one before she turns 15...train it to keep the boys away. HA!

sangelic

for those of you who don't know me in real life, please be aware that this "fostering" nonsense is just that.... nonsense. no one thinks i have any intention of giving her back.

:laugh: I also took my 2nd dog home as a one week "trial"...she has now been with me for 6 years. Your new pup is beautiful, good luck with her!

CouchSpud

we took the last one home for trial, the big lab puppy - let's be honest, once the dog is out of the shelter and with the family that's as far as trial normally goes with me. :laugh:

ALW65

Oh, she's such a cutie! I'm betting you can't part with her once she's home with you in her "forever" home. Thanks for saving another rescue - I've got the itch to get another greyhound myself right now, but my boy is so neurotic and just got over my girl coming along in Feb. of last year. It would send him to the Prozac clinic for sure!

I hope things go wonderfully for you and your new best friend ( with Mayer always number one in your heart )

Mummsy

Stop it with how dang cute she is! I am in love What a pretty girl! I can't wait to hear how it goes.

twocsmom

Oh she is a cutie! I know no dog will ever take Mayer's place, and like with people you never love more...you love differently. I grieved my Timber for so long, but I love my Sophie girl just as much-just differently!

Good luck! Keep us posted on how things go!

1momx3

Good luck with the new pup! I have a 15 year old male golden retriever named Kody and I am dreading the day I lose him. All the best to you.

adamsonam

She is gorgeous!! I think she will be as much of help to you as you are being to her. This should be a great thing for you both. Good luck and Congrats!!

Cait_Sidhe

Good luck! I personally suck at fostering. I still have all my "fosters". Some of them 8 years later. I've come to the conclusion that fostering is just not for me. Adopting is though