HSSV has several types of canine foster opportunities. The Foster Team will help match you with an animal whose needs fit your home, experience and schedule.

Sick or injured dogs

Care varies depending on the individual dog. It may include medication, activity restrictions or routine veterinary appointments.

Neonate puppies, birth to 5 weeks

Neonate puppies may need to be bottle-fed every two to four hours, including overnight. Very young puppies also need help urinating and defecating after each feeding. Puppies generally begin weaning between three and five weeks.

Mothers with puppies

The mother usually provides most of the puppies’ care during their first four to five weeks. She will need food available at all times, short walks and breaks away from her puppies, and a quiet nursing area separated from resident animals and children.

Underage puppies, 5 to 12 weeks

Underage puppies typically need three meals each day and should not be left alone for more than four to five hours. Because they are not fully vaccinated, they cannot walk in public areas. They also need a secure indoor space, frequent cleaning and a two-week quarantine from resident pets.

Adult dogs

Adult dogs typically eat twice daily and need at least 30 to 60 minutes of daily exercise, along with three or four potty breaks. They need a designated space away from resident animals and generally should not be left alone for more than four to five hours, particularly when they first arrive.

You can welcome a foster dog in one of two ways:

Request a pickup appointment

1. Select the type of dog you would like to foster, such as an adult dog, puppy or bottle baby.
2. Choose a pickup time that works for you.
3. The Foster Team will identify a potential match. Your first meeting with the dog will usually happen at pickup.
4. You will be notified at least 12 hours before the requested appointment whether it is confirmed or canceled.

If your appointment is confirmed: Arrive at the Foster Animal Vaccination Station at your scheduled time. Email the Canine Foster Team if you are running late or need to cancel.

If your appointment is canceled: Do not come to HSSV. Request another appointment or let the team know if you are open to fostering a different type of dog.

Request a Foster Pickup

Attend a Yappy Hour event

At Yappy Hour, you can ask questions, meet dogs currently in need of foster care and potentially bring home a foster dog that day.

View Upcoming Yappy Hours

The current HSSV website continues to identify Yappy Hour as part of its monthly foster programming. The appointment process above is based on the Foster Manual.

Before bringing home your foster dog:

1. Make sure your pets are healthy and vaccinated. Speak with your veterinarian if a resident pet has health concerns that could make fostering unsafe.
2. Check your home and yard for hazards. Look for holes or loose fence boards, foxtails, poisonous plants and unsecured gardening supplies.
3. Dog-proof indoor areas. Put away cords, small objects and valuables that could be chewed. Clear accessible food from counters.
4. Secure entrances and exits. Consider entering through a garage, laundry room or enclosed backyard so the dog remains contained if they slip past you. An exercise pen can also create a barrier near a frequently used door.
5. Agree on household rules. Decide whether the dog will be allowed on furniture, which words or cues everyone will use and what the dog’s daily schedule will look like.

Only feed the food provided or approved by HSSV unless the Foster Team gives you different instructions.

Feed your foster dog separately from resident animals and children so they can eat without feeling pressured. Most adult dogs receive two meals per day. Underage puppies, nursing mothers and severely underweight dogs may require a different feeding schedule.

Follow the specific amount and instructions provided at pickup. The Foster Manual currently contains a weight-based feeding chart, but that chart should be reviewed by the Foster or Medical Team before it is reproduced online because food formulas and individual dietary needs can change.

Try:

• Warming the food or adding warm water to dry kibble
• Hand-feeding
• Offering the meal in a quiet, private space
• Making sure the bowl is clean
• Asking your foster mentor for guidance

For an adult dog six months or older, submit a medical concern if the dog has not eaten by the third day after troubleshooting. For a puppy younger than six months, submit a medical concern if the puppy has not eaten for 24 hours.

Everything will be new to your foster dog. Keep their first several days quiet, predictable and low-pressure.

Start with a potty break. Take them directly to the area you want them to use before entering the home.

Give them a calm tour. Keep the dog on leash while allowing them to sniff and explore. A lightweight leash may be left dragging while closely supervised so you can redirect them without grabbing their collar.

Introduce their confinement area. Spend time with them in the space and help them associate it with treats, meals and rest. Practice short periods of separation while you are still home.

Limit visitors and outings. Give the dog time to learn your home and routine before introducing new people, places or activities.

Establish a routine. Consistent times for meals, potty breaks, exercise, play and sleep can help a dog feel secure. Many dogs need several days to decompress and several weeks to become comfortable, but every dog adjusts at a different pace.

Your foster dog needs a secure place to stay when you cannot supervise them.

The space should be:

• Indoors and climate-controlled
• Easy to clean
• Free of cords, food and chewable hazards
• Secure enough to prevent an escape
• Large enough for the dog to rest comfortably

A bathroom, laundry room or small room closed with a door or baby gate may work well. HSSV may also be able to provide an exercise pen. For puppies, placing a shower curtain or other waterproof barrier underneath the pen can help protect the flooring.

Resident dogs

Put away valued toys, chews and food before the foster dog arrives. Introduce the dogs during a walk outside the home, and supervise every interaction. Do not leave the dogs together unattended.

Underage puppies should remain separated from resident pets during their two-week quarantine. After that period, they can begin meeting through a secure gate.

Resident cats

HSSV shelter dogs have not necessarily been tested around cats. Give your cat a secure space the foster dog cannot enter and be prepared to keep them separated for as long as necessary.

For an initial introduction, keep the dog on leash and use a gate so the animals can see and smell one another without touching or chasing. Reward calm behavior with treats.

Children

An adult should supervise every interaction between children and the foster dog. Children should:

• Leave the dog alone while they are eating or sleeping
• Never remove a toy, treat or chew
• Avoid teasing, chasing or running near the dog
• Keep their toys picked up
• Allow an adult to hold the dog’s primary leash on walks

A child may hold a second leash when appropriate.

Enrichment is any safe activity your foster dog enjoys that allows them to use natural behaviors such as sniffing, chewing, foraging, playing and interacting.

Ideas include:

• Sniffing during walks
• Playing “find it” or another nose-work game
• Eating from a food puzzle
• Licking food from a frozen Kong
• Finding kibble scattered in a safe area
• Chewing an HSSV-approved toy or chew
• Playing fetch or tug
• Short positive-reinforcement training sessions
• Gentle petting or massage
• Calm social time with people
• Playing with another dog when approved and safely supervised

Offer different activities throughout the week. Providing appropriate enrichment can also reduce boredom-related behaviors.

Use positive reinforcement. Reward behaviors you want to see and manage the environment so the dog has fewer opportunities to practice unwanted behaviors.

How do I help my foster dog feel comfortable in a crate?

Add comfortable bedding, feed meals in the crate and place treats or toys inside at unexpected times. Begin with short, positive experiences rather than using the crate only when you leave.

How do I potty-train my foster dog?

Reward the dog immediately after they eliminate in the appropriate place. Keep a log of when and where they urinate or defecate, then adjust the potty schedule based on the patterns you observe.

What should I do about puppy mouthiness?

Keep a toy nearby and redirect the puppy to it when they begin mouthing. If they continue mouthing you, calmly end the interaction for a short period.

How do I stop inappropriate chewing?

Provide appropriate chew items and praise the dog when they use them. Keep prohibited objects out of reach. When the dog has something they should not, calmly exchange it for an appropriate toy rather than chasing or forcibly removing it.

What should I do about barking?

Avoid rewarding attention-seeking barking. Instead, reward an alternative behavior such as sitting or checking in with you. If the dog is barking at something in the environment, create more distance and reward them for disengaging.

How can I help a fearful foster dog?

Give the dog space and allow them to choose whether to approach. Never force an interaction. Pair the sight or presence of something concerning with treats at a distance where the dog can remain comfortable.

1. Remain calm. Do not yell or chase the dog. This may cause them to run farther.
2. Gather supplies. Bring your phone, a leash and high-value food.
3. Keep the dog in sight. Follow from a safe distance so you can provide an accurate search location.
4. Invite the dog toward you. Use a cheerful voice and toss appealing food. Avoid walking directly toward a frightened dog.
5. Approach in a curve. If you need to move closer, follow an arcing path rather than approaching head-on.
6. Create a slip lead if needed. Pass the leash clip through the handle to create a loop that can be placed over the dog’s head.

If you cannot safely recover the dog, contact HSSV immediately at canine.foster@hssv.org or 408-262-2133 ext. 188.

If your foster dog bites anyone and breaks the skin:

1. Seek first aid or medical attention as needed.
2. Contact the HSSV Canine Foster Team immediately.
3. Document the incident in detail.

Provide:

• The person’s full legal name
• Their age, address and phone number
• The date, time and location of the bite
• The location and severity of the injury
• Photos of the injury when possible
• A detailed description of what happened before, during and after the bite

HSSV will complete the required bite report and coordinate a 10-day bite quarantine. Depending on the circumstances, the quarantine may be completed in your home or at HSSV.

Contact HSSV immediately when your foster dog experiences:

• Difficulty breathing
• Vomiting or diarrhea accompanied by lethargy or loss of appetite
• A possible toxic ingestion
• A broken limb or severe swelling
• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Multiple seizures

Examples of concerns that are generally not emergencies include mild diarrhea or constipation, sneezing, coughing, eye or nasal discharge, small cuts, mild swelling or limping. Submit a non-urgent medical concern and expect a response within approximately 24 hours. If the animal’s condition worsens while you are waiting, follow the emergency protocol.

The emergency instructions are:

Daytime emergencies, 7 a.m.–5 p.m.

Call 408-262-2133 ext. 188 and come directly to the HSSV Medical Center.

After-hours emergencies, 5 p.m.–7 a.m.

Use HSSV’s VetTriage service, select “Connect Now” and enter the discount code HSSV50.

If the veterinarian determines that outside emergency care is necessary, they will direct you to a specific hospital. Bring your foster dog’s animal identification number.

All outside emergency veterinary visits must receive advance approval from HSSV.

Complete the dog’s personality profile two or three days before their scheduled return. The details, photos and stories you provide help the Adoptions Team introduce the dog to potential adopters.

Depending on the dog’s needs, the next step may be:

• Remaining in foster while available for adoption
• Returning to HSSV for adoption
• Moving to a designated off-site adoption location
• Being adopted by the foster family
• Being adopted by a foster’s friend or family member
• Completing a scheduled spay or neuter surgery

Contact canine.foster@hssv.org when you are ready to return your foster or when someone you know is interested in adopting. Include the dog’s animal identification number and the interested adopter’s contact information.

Adult dogs and older puppies may qualify to remain in foster while waiting for adoption. Very young puppies are generally returned because they are adopted most quickly when they are visible at HSSV.

Keeping an adoptable dog in foster can:

• Improve their quality of life while they wait
• Provide helpful information about their behavior in a home
• Generate stronger photos and stories
• Help potential adopters understand their personality and needs

You will submit your availability for adoption appointments. The Adoptions Team will generally provide at least 24 hours’ notice, although multiple meetings may be scheduled during one visit. Appointments typically last 30 to 45 minutes. Staff will let you know whether the dog was adopted or needs to be picked up afterward.

Your role is to help the Adoptions Team understand and market your foster dog. Provide bright, clear photographs and complete the personality profile with specific examples of the dog’s habits, preferences and strengths.

The Adoptions Team will communicate with potential adopters, provide counseling and finalize the adoption. HSSV uses a conversational approach intended to identify ways to make a successful match while respecting each person’s experience and knowledge.

When a foster family, friend or relative is interested in adopting, contact the Canine Foster Team as soon as possible. Staff will explain the current steps for completing the adoption.