What to Expect as a Foster - Geauga Mama Dogs & Pups

Some Things to Consider Before You Decide to Foster

Living Arrangements – Puppies need an area that is safe and comfortable and large enough to play, eat, and sleep. Some place easy to keep clean. For example, a gated space, a spare room or an exercise pen with a sleeping crate. Examples of how volunteers setup pen spaces can be found in the Fosters area of this site that will be available to you once you become a foster.
Time Outside – As a foster, you are not expected to house train your puppies, however, taking pups outside to begin the process and to allow them to explore the outdoors is encouraged.
Your Schedule – Puppies should not be left alone for more than 8 hours at a time. This includes overnight or during the day. They need to be fed, played with, and cleaned up after. There will be lots of poop and pee, especially if they are left unattended for long periods of time.
Dogs – If you have your own dogs, they must be up-to-date on their shots and non-aggressive with puppies. Your own dogs can teach the puppies a lot! If your own dogs (or cats) do not want to interact with the puppies, that’s ok, as long as the puppies have their own safe place to stay.
Children – If you have children, they must be supervised at all times while interacting with the puppies so that both can benefit from the foster experience.

There are multiple locations puppies may be picked up from: our headquarters in Garrettsville, other foster’s homes, or from the transport in Medina or Elyria. We will do our best to make logistics convenient for our fosters whenever possible.
Puppies are typically fostered for 2 weeks, from about 7 weeks until about 9 weeks of age.
During that time, they are given worming medicine and vaccines, and any problems, such as skin issues, are addressed.
We provide all food and medicine and the fosters provide a safe, comfortable place for the puppies to stay.
There is always someone available to answer questions and help if a problem occurs or if a puppy becomes ill. Each new foster is assigned a mentor to answer questions and provide assistance if necessary.
We encourage the whole family to become involved with the puppies and help them learn what being in a home is all about.
Puppies should not leave the foster homes, or to be exposed to areas where unknown dogs may have been because their immune systems are fragile and they are not completely vaccinated for diseases like parvo and distemper.
If a foster is unable to continue to care for their puppies, another foster can take over for them.
At the end of the foster period, puppies are transferred to a shelter for adoption. We also have an adoption program through GMDAP, and fosters can find adopters for their puppies if they wish, but it is not expected or required.