It’s good news: your foster dog is getting adopted!

When friends and acquaintances meet my newest foster, they always cheer us on and thank us for stepping up to help a homeless dachshund. “I wish I could do that,” they say, “but I could never let them go.”

In rescue talk, a “foster fail” is what happens when a dog that was only supposed to be your temporary foster is so lovable that you just can’t say goodbye and the dog winds up becoming part of your family.

With my most recent senior pair, Jack and Mimi, I felt that familiar heart pang when I envisioned having to “give them up” to adopters. Yes, vetted and highly qualified adopters. But still, as I spoke to the new adopters on the phone, looking at my senior pair snoozing in the sunny rays of my kitchen, my heart hurt. Over the last dozen years, I’ve fostered over 60 dachshunds and I experience those same feelings nearly every time.

It's terrific when a dog finds a good forever home. That’s the goal of every good shelter and rescue group. That’s the good news. The bad news is that sometimes, by adopting your foster dog, you may no longer be in a position to foster. With so many dogs in need, every foster family is critically important to the rescue. When you’re available to foster, the rescue can take one more dog. And that’s what I remind myself when it’s time to let go.

As your foster is adopted, feel proud of the hard work. You helped the dog learn how to live as part of a family and become a success adoption candidate. You were a blessing to this dog by providing a loving temporary home and a healthy environment where the dog could decompress and grow. And now, a loving individual or family is getting a great companion.

For many foster families, they exchange contact information with adopters and will get periodic updates and photographs for months or years. Yes, it's hard to see your foster dog go. They leave a paw print on your heart and you’ll remember them for a long time.