Long-term readers of this blog know that my beloved Sheltie, Sasha, joined our family after having been rescued from a grim situation and then fostered until I came along. In the years since she joined the family, I’ve often wondered what it would be like to care for a dog who will, at some point, leave us for their forever home. To get answers to some of my questions about dog rescue and fostering Shelties, I turned to Michelle Hodges Cordell, a former academic colleague who’s been active in Sheltie breed rescue/foster for many years in northwest Arkansas.

***

Q: How did you get started in rescue and fostering?

A: We purchased our first Sheltie from a reputable breeder back in 2000. True to the Sheltie breed, she was very smart and a handful. When she was about 9 months old, we were introduced to a Sheltie at an all-breed rescue in Little Rock. That was our first rescue; she’d been turned over to a vet office after contracting heartworm.

Arkansas does not have an official Sheltie Rescue. We foster for numerous Sheltie rescues in nearby states. Sheltie Shack in MO, Fresh Start Sheltie Rescue in TN, Second Chance Sheltie Rescue in MO, and another one in OK. We’re normally asked to pick up a rescue, transport or even do a home visit in our surrounding area.

Q: Are you fostering any Shelties now?

A: I have one foster dog that I got last week as an owner relinquishment. He is a 3.5-year-old neutered Sheltie. He’s super-sweet and enjoys lots of attention. He will lay beside you and want some loving.

Unfortunately, he has been shuffled around and probably wasn’t getting the attention he needs. He’s housebroken, crate trained, loves to chase the ball and he knows how to sit on command.  I am fostering him for Sheltie Shack out of Missouri.  If anyone is interested in Willow, they should contact Linda and fill out an application on the Sheltie Shack’s website.

Q.  Do you pay all expenses when fostering?

A: I groom our own Shelties, so I also groom the fosters that we have. If I didn’t do that, rescue would pay for the grooming. Rescues will pay for all vet bills, food, etc. We typically pay for the food ourselves; we feed our dogs an expensive food. And when a foster leaves us, we’ll send a good brand of food along with them. It’s kind of our donation to the rescue.

We have a Sheltie Rescue account at our vet. All of our fosters get charged to that account and they bill the rescue for us. We foster for one group mostly and they will always pay. Our vet emails the bill to them. If someone was new to fostering, I would be sure to ask how they handle the vet bills since that’s the biggest expense.  If it was a local rescue, ask if they use a certain vet who will bill them when you take the foster dog to them for care.

Q: How do your own dogs react to the foster dogs?

A. Typically, they ignore the new foster for about two weeks. (Not sure if that is a Sheltie thing or if all dogs do that.) After that, I think they resign themselves to the fact the fosters may be here for a while and then they’ll play and interact with the new arrivals.

We focus on fostering Shelties because that’s the breed we love and know well. We have fostered a couple of Shelties with questionable parentage, and we once fostered a Belgian Tervuren. It was fun to have a big dog in the house for a while, but we had to rethink everything. He could stick his head in the kitchen sink or easily get things off the kitchen counter!

Q: How can I apply to foster a dog?

A: Most rescues have a foster application, so detailed information may vary by rescue groups. For Sheltie rescue-foster and adoption, be prepared to answer questions about your experience with the breed, your relationship with your veterinarian, your ability to take good care of your dog with wellness checks and flea/tick prevention, and even other animals you may have. We do home visits, and we always check that you have a fenced, secure yard.

If you’re willing to provide the time, attention, and resources the dog needs, fostering can be a genuinely rewarding experience for you and the dog.

***

My thanks to Michelle Hodges Cordell for sharing her knowledge and experience with us!