Brian Fettner has functioned as a player agent in the National Football League (NFL) since 2014. As the owner of BT Foods in Boca Raton, Florida, Brian Fettner has managed numerous restaurants, including Maverick’s. In this position, he is able to support a variety of community organizations, including local animal rescues.
Fostering a dog until a local animal shelter can find a forever home for the animal is one of the most effective ways of supporting a local animal shelter. Fostering alleviates strain placed on space and resources at the shelter, while providing the dog with a calmer family environment in which to thrive. Extensive research should be performed by both the family and shelter prior to welcoming a foster dog into the home. That said, a few basic pointers can help foster families avoid common issues with foster pets.
Many precautions involve providing foster dogs with a stable, consistent environment from day one. For example, young children should never tease a foster dog or chase the animal around the house. While many dogs enjoy this playful behavior, it can create anxiety in other dogs and may prevent animals from acclimating to their foster homes. Similarly, while resource guarding can be an issue with some pets, families should refrain from taking away a foster dog’s favorite toy or item.
Establishing a sustainable daily routine is key to a foster dog’s success. Not only is the repetition of a walk, feed, and play schedule comforting to the animal, but it allows foster families to slowly introduce new areas, people, and other pets to the dog, helping it grow more comfortable in the environment without being overwhelmed.
Lastly, crate training can be an effective aspect of house training any dog. In fact, some animals prefer a quiet place they can retreat to at will. That said, crates should never be used as a form of punishment and foster families of nervous dogs can expect crate training to last for days, if not longer.