Jeri Wagner, Dog Behavioral Therapist & Master Trainer with Bark Busters Home Dog Training chronicles her dog foster experience in the hopes of inspiring and helping others on their dog foster journey. Read along and meet Jamie!
This is the story about a puppy – a puppy who was found at about five weeks orphaned in a ditch on the side of the road with her two sisters and three brothers. A puppy who, with her siblings, was caught by animal control and brought to the shelter in Corinth-Alcorn County, Mississippi. A puppy who at eight weeks old was put on a transport with her littermates to make a trip to Malvern, Pennsylvania. A puppy who arrived 14 hours later at To Love a Canine (TLC) Rescue in hopes of finding her forever home. Her siblings Janie, Junebug, Jerry, Joshua, and Jake soon did, but Jamie’s story is a bit different.
Jamie’s History
Jamie was the last of her litter to be caught by animal control – she was so timid they had to use a catch pole to bring her in. When she transferred into foster care, her first foster noticed that Jamie was shy, but would eventually warm up to people as long as she initiated contact with the person. Her first adoption came at 12 weeks old, but Jamie returned to TLC Rescue a few weeks later: her owner said that, although she was sweet with other dogs, she bit both of the family’s young children in the face when they pulled Jamie out of her hiding place, and would growl and bark at the husband. Jamie took a few weeks to decompress in foster care but was soon adopted again, now by a single mom with another dog. TLC thought this would be the perfect home for four-month-old Jamie, but after a couple of weeks, she returned to the rescue. This owner felt that Jamie’s high energy was not a good fit for her household. Jamie’s third adoption happened in November, at five months old. This time, she only made it five days – while the adopter said Jamie was sweet with her, she would attack her resident dog over food, toys, and bones, growl and bark at her teenage daughter, and had too much energy. She kept Jamie crated most of the time. When Jamie returned to foster care, her guardian Tricia, TLC’s Foster Director, noticed some changes: Jamie was still charming and loving, but she was resource guarding around other dogs; if there were no items around, Jamie was sweet as can be. TLC decided to move Jamie to another foster to see how she would act with someone she did not know. At this home, Jamie did well with the young kids, but would act aggressively toward the husband any time he moved or entered the room. Jamie moved back to her familiar foster home, where, startled, she lunged and bit one of the kids when they entered the room.
Jamie Today
Now seven months old, Jamie’s fearful behaviors were becoming harder to anticipate. She did well with other dogs, but quick movements would set her off. She was resource guarding more, and she was nipping and biting at anyone who would enter a room or move too fast. Her behavior led her to move between foster homes and adoptive families. Was the instability causing additional fearful behaviors? The rescue had to decide if she could become adoptable for the right home.
February 2020 – Jamie was now eight months old. TLC Rescue’s Executive Director (and original foster), Tracy, decided to take Jamie in again. Jamie was great with Tracy and her dogs, but fearful of her two sons and husband. After a month, there was little improvement.
This is when Jamie got a new foster parent: me!
Over 12 years as a Bark Busters trainer and seven years as TLC’s volunteer behavioral therapist, I’ve worked with many foster families in several capacities to address challenging behaviors. This, however, is my first experience as a foster parent! My task is to help Jamie overcome her fears so she can finally find the “furever” family she deserves.
Stay tuned for updates along the way as my family and I embark on a new adventure with Jamie, our foster pup.