OFFICIAL

First post! First incoming foster dog!
BORING INTRO FIRST. 

So, as indicated by the shnappy little 'About Me' block on the right of the blog, I'm Laine. I'm a student. Hurrah. And I'm embarking on this adventure through the trenches of fostering dogs with one of my housemates and friends, K (that's not her actual name, but unless she tells me that I can call her by her actual name here on this blog, 'K' she shall remain). We got this whole crazy idea in our heads about fostering back in January after both of us would spend many minutes through the various days of the week moaning and vocalizing self-pity and such about how we want a pet but can't afford to actually adopt etc. Both of us are interacting with animals on a daily or weekly basis; K with her many jobs and internships, me with the less scholarly weekly dog training, and both of us with monthly volunteering at feral cat spay/neuter clinics. Being surrounded by animals helps lower the whole 'I need to live with a pet' thing -- at least for me -- but, personally, it only helps so much and it doesn't stop the constant daydreaming. So when we realized that both of us were up for trying out fostering, you cannot believe the excitement that was had.

But anyways. When we finally got off our butts, asked our landlord, and got quite an awesome 'APPROVAL STAMP,' we went to business. ...Or well, we went about the planning of business. It took over three months to finally be able to attend a required foster orientation because of various reasons and time conflicts. And let me tell you, those months were LONG. It was like someone telling you that Christmas was tomorrow but yet Christmas never seemed to come; it was always TOMORROW, TOMORROW, TOMORROW.

WELL GUESS WHAT. TOMORROW IS OFFICIALLY ARRIVING. This afternoon we got the green light and are able to pick up our first foster dog tomorrow evening from the SSPCA! This means FUN. AND CHAOS. AND THAT TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE THE LONGEST DAY EVER CAN YOU TELL THAT I'M YELLING?

I'm both excited as all heck, but nervous as well. I've never had 'sole responsibility' for an animal before, meaning that while my childhood cat was cared for by me, and that I have cared for many other animals including my family dog... there's always been an adult around. Responsibility loaded on shoulders much? Just a smidgen.

I'll get over it, though. this is going to be a great learning experience, and it's because of this potential learning experience that I've created this blog in the first place. Blogs are great tools in increasing the adoptability for a   shelter animal, be it cat, dog, rabbit, rat, snake, whathaveyou. While many of the ones  that I follow are written from the animal's perspective on life -- such as those 'by' the dogs from BADRAP -- this blog won't be written as such. My goal with this is to record memories, thoughts, experiences and lessons gained from this fostering experience and from time to time I'll be putting in my two-cents on issues and thoughts etc that don't directly pertain to the foster dog. Much of this two-cents stuff will probably be on the topic of pit bulls. Why? because I love them, work with them regularly, and our foster dog is a supposed pit bull mix (though imo she looks like a pointer mix judging by her website photo but tomorrow will tell, and either way I will love her just the same).

In fact, most of our foster dogs will probably be pit bulls/pit mixes. Again, why? And again, because I love them. And K and I asked for them. This isn't to say that we're not going to foster a dog in need who isn't a pit bull/mix; if a lab comes in, needs a foster and it's a good match with us, we'll take it; if a border collie, rat terrier,  or heck, even a chihuahua (we asked for larger dogs because most can hold themselves for a few hours until we come home to let them out and do business) , all come in and need help, we'll help. From cropped ears to no ears to scars to missing eyes to no teeth to three legs, if that dog can fit with our lifestyle, we'll take it. I don't judge a dog (or any domestic animal) on physical looks; those cropped ears don't mean the dog is aggressive and neither do those scars.

Unlike people, who can choose how they look, how they carry themselves and present themselves to others and society as a whole, a dog cannot. A dog does not. A dog doesn't go to a vet, or to its owner or owner's shady friend and say, " You sir, would you mind using those rusty scissors and cutting off my ears? I wish to appear tough, and mean. I wish to become mean," or, "Yes, I'd like that spiked collar -- no, the four inch one, with the two inch spikes. Chain? Yes, the 40+ lb one, please." No. That's ridiculous. But the a dog's owner can and does.So what am I getting at? I am saying that a dog's physical appearance is the direct product of its owner (or previous owner) and breeder; if they have cropped ears or wear huge thick chains and spiked collars or harnesses, or are squaty muscled monstery-looking things, it doesn't mean that they're aggressive. it doesn't mean that they're  going to bite you, or attack your child. The similar thing is true for the temperaments etc of dogs, but that's a longer talk and I'm tired.

SO HEY. Time to sign-off and continue being excited. In the mean time, remember: don't judge a dog on its looks. If you don't like how they look, blame your own species. It's our fault.

(the drunk people from across the street are yelling drunkenly again. It's definitely time for bed.)