Please say Hello to a new member of the family.........

[Lumpy]

This is Fee.

We collected him a week last Saturday and he is our new foster dog.

Trouble is I now have a huge problem...............he is THE perfect dog and I would really like to keep him. However, I know that if the charity find him a good home we can then take a real oldie on or like Archie, an end of life care as we have in the past.

So to all you dog lovers who think they have a space for an 'unwanted' please consider a visit to the nearest rescue centre as you might just find a perfection on paws.

[Jay22]

Absolutely gorgeous Lumpy...why aren't you allowed to keep him?

[Jay22]

I haven't voiced this to the family yet but I have been mulling over taking on an old rescue dog as company for Harry as he is not doing so well being left on his own since we lost Alfie, which means we are going to have to socialise individually or not at all! Not sure how to help with separation anxiety in an almost 15 year old dog. Then again I'm worried that if I took on another dog, H would not get in with it and what do you do then!

[Lumpy]

We could keep him if we want to but there are so few foster/ adopters who will consider a real oldie e.g 10+.

Fee is about 7-8 according to our vet and will be a perfect family/person dog.

If a home is found for him by the charity we foster for they will not regret taking him on.

Sorry Jay - I don't really have any advice for you except that you know Harry. Even an old codger can adapt. Unfortunately, the charity we deal with does not cover way up North but I am sure that there are others who would love you to consider fostering an oldie as company for Harry.

[Nannysally99]

He looks handsome Lumpy

[muddled]

Ah! Jay22....you won't regret it!

Our whippety cross, Midget, came to us at eleven and is still going strong at 13.

The first thing you need to do is talk to a rescue.
They absolutely understand and respect your need to put your original dog first and they will help you to find a pal for him...they will know best how to arrange and monitor introductions and most advise a trial weekend with no obligations or recriminations.

Midget is a foster and this means that the rescue pay for any required vetinary care and when it comes to hard decisions, they can speak directly to the vet if I ask them to and make the decision between them.

Midget comes from 'Lurcher link' based in Halifax. They are always on the look out for good foster homes and I can personally vouch for them Lurcher Link :: View Forum - Lurcher Link Homeless Hounds
There is also good information here Oldies Club – Helping old dogs find loving homes. Homes & volunteers needed across the UK. on fostering elderly dogs anywhere in the UK.

Either of these will be able to advise you (without pushing you into anything) and help to decide if its a good plan for your situation!

[muddled]

And Lumpy, Fee looks just gorgeous!

I would wait and see if anyone does come to see him before you worry about whether to let him go!
Midge is going nowhere now....we've had her two years! But sadly not one suitable person ever made an enquiry so there was never a decision for me to make!

[Small pumpkin]

Fee is lovely.
You are a wonderful lumpy for giving old doggie a loving home. Huge amount of respect

[craftymarie]

Fee is gorgeous. I adore dogs and would get a rescue one for sure when we can. However we have a very nervy indoor cat who sadly is petrified of other people especially young kids and dogs. It's taken years for me to get her to sit on my lap even. It saddens me to think what horrors she must have seen that scared her so much as a kitten to make her so nervous.

[Lumpy]

Muddled has started a trend so if anyone is interested in a Lab here's the link to the charity.

They have alot more dogs than are shown onn their web page which are normally in foster homes as they try and avoid kennals.

https://labrador-lifeline.com/

Craftymarie - I know exactly what you mean about wondering about the horrors an animal has gone through.
We paid £5 for the thinnest, baldest, scabbyist greyhound you can imagine. He had, had broken ribs, nose, ears cut off (vet thought with scissors) and bite marks still noticable in his flesh.
After vet care, loads of sardines and house training he turned into the most wonderful dog you could imagine. He was about 5 when we got him and 12 when the cancer had spread too far.

His name was Wilf and I still 'see' him now and then.

[Containergardener]

Aww fee how lovely and you lumpy for being a fosterer.
We will end up with another (or more) , olive loves friends though dunno re older than her, I thought better younger...or one of each.
It'd be the lifestyle for them to cope with, travelling in cars or vans etc , noise of working, customers rocking up and in the house, reason Ive not gone rescue was incase of any issues /fears they had, wouldn't want to upset them.
I'm sure I'd stick with labs.
We got olive as a pup from bloke I worked with , she was working dog bred with local gun dog...the old story only one left, she was ! Haaa because she is a right bolshy madam and very independent from day one.

[noviceveggrower]

He looks a lovely fella. We had a Lab once from a rescue place. She was put in because she was gun shy.

[Potstubsdustbins]

By heck Lumpy you could drown in those eyes.

[4390evans]

Aw fee is cute, we usually get the oldest dog or the one who has been in the shelter the longest.

We once had a fat old dog named star, she was perfect, good listener, good company, quite funny, enjoyed her larger we had her 3 year before she passed but she was the best dog we ever could have, I don't think we would get another one like her. We are due another dog soon and the one we have now is on his way out so we will be visiting kennels in the next few months.

[craftymarie]

Oh Lumpy your post about Wilf made me cry. It is just horrific how some poor animals are treated. Thank goodness he ended up in a happy forever home with you. There are so many rescue animals that need rehoming in good homes. I really wish people would stop buying young ones that are purely bred for sale and money. Animals should not be commodities.