My boy

Has left his foster home with us to go back to rehab! Missing him so much     So wish we could have kept him!









Took a day out to take Biscuit for a big 4 hour hike in the woods. She's sad too

Aww Rach must be awful and Bis is bound to miss him too xxxx

I don't do giving up and although we agreed to him being a foster initially we were so set on him staying. None of us were to know the problems that would arise, but it's just been so heartbreaking :(Feel like we've failed him! xxxxxx

Aww rach he's such a lovely boy you bound to all miss him. But you did what was best for you all

I admire what you do, can't be easy Xx

You haven't failed him at all Rachel, without the time he spend with you his issues may have been missed and then it may have been to late for anyone else to do anything about it. The time was definitely well spent

ahh bless him,so hope he does well in rehab Rach x

You have done so much for him tho Rachel.
Must be so hard to say goodbye to him.

You did your very best and thats all you can do xx

Aww you all must miss him terribly it's so so sad but you know you did the right thing for bisc

Thanks for all of your comments, they mean a lot xx

  xxx

What were his problems? You have made a positive difference, even if you don't think you have.

I was looking for a calm, sociable dog that I could train off lead as a companion for Biscuit. I had to be quite specific as Biscuit is nervous aggressive with men and other dogs, and needs continuous careful training and socialization in a calm home as loud voices scare her. We were his 4th home and he didn't really have any training and was very boisterous, this wasn't a problem but he had previous male owners and was used to stern, loud commands. I whisper commands at Biscuit as she's so sensitive so the louder commands with him were really worrying her, she was just crawling around whenever we spoke to him and really unsure, him going through the terrible teens didn't help! The main problem though was that he had a strange obsession with branches. If we came across one on a walk (quite often as we walk in the woods and surrounding fields as their quiet enough for biscuit) he would "attack" them; screaming and lunging/snapping if you came near him, and trying to bite through his long line to break free. I tried distraction with toys, stern commands, excited commands, taught him to leave and come but he just went into a different mind set when he saw one. The only way to get him away was to move him away with the lead and hold him until he calmed. These outbursts scared the sh*t out of Biscuit and she would end up being on edge and reactive for the rest of the walk. We tried walking him in different areas but whether it's the moors, the park, the beach, there are sticks! I tried walking him on lead but as he's a young lab cross he had a lot of energy and and would get destructive if he didn't have enough exercise. Eventually he bit me over a stick and put a puncture in my leg. I tried for 2 months but he wasn't improving. He also had a separation problem (we managed to resolve that) and pinned and just couldn't get on with my friends dog who is Biscuit's only friend that she can walk with. If it was just me I would have kept him in a heartbeat but Biscuit is my priority. They were wonderful together in the house, so well matched but I couldn't safely control them together on walks and trying to walk them separately around a full time job and give them both full rehab was too much, so he has gone back to live with the behaviourist. Sorry for the essay, all a little complicated!

No, it is very informative.

The best way to assess a dog is through fostering. If a dog is assessed correctly, s/he has a much stronger chance of finding the right home and staying in it.

The stick problem is obviously severe and does need to be worked on by someone who knows whether there's even any chance of a recovery from this, as I would have thought it's going to be a problem whatever the home.

The fact is, you now know this dog inside out. You also know biscuit that little bit better and know what kind of dog would make a good companion dog.

I fostered two dogs one after another who were a) so aggressive towards certain men (but nobody else) that they would prepare to attack b) would bite me all the time. You can't have that. It's not safe. It's certainly not safe if you have children around at all.

You will find the right dog for biscuit. You have done both dogs a favour. It will be interesting to find out how rehab goes.

It is normal to get attached to dogs. You should be proud of yourself.

Thanks so much, honestly. I've been beating myself up so much for "giving up" on him and have been put on a guilt trip by other rescue workers, been feeling pretty horrendous if I'm honest. I know it's not right, and I wish it was different but it's just not.

Biscuit needs something steady, I think perhaps an older dog that isn't fussed about much other than a fuss and a warm bed or maybe even a shy dog, anything that wants a quiet life really! Still going to visit Max so that they can walk together, but will be taking on an older dog when we're ready to start looking again! But need to get Biscuit back on track first!

Have you been fostering to find a friend for your little one or just to help the dogs themselves? It teaches you a lot, how's your dog coping with the dogs coming in and out? I've had short stay fosters when I was working in kennels, but just helping a small rescue now. Will keep you updated on the rehab

Its so easy for others to stand on the moral high ground but they havnt walked in your shoes for the past couple of months!!. And to make you feel guilty when you and biscuit are clearly missing him is just horrible. He is still young so i'm pretty sure much of what you have taught him will stand him in good stead for the future   

Rupert was my third foster - who I kept.

This Christmas I fostered another dog with him. She was amazing, it also taught me a lot about who R might be compatible with. Two dogs on a permanent basis is too much for me, though.

It's easy if you love dogs to play down their problems. This does no - one any favours. If a dog has behavioral issues, they need to be dealt with.

Also, you need to find the right dog for your home. You'd be very lucky indeed if you hit the bull's eye straightaway, which is why you've done it the clever way - through fostering. It's exactly because of the kind of incompatibility that you've experienced that dogs get rehomed/bought, then abandoned or given back.

Dogs are complex. If they have mental health issues they need to be taken seriously, not swept under the carpet or wished away.