How were they trained? Use of punishment-based training on prior dogs may not ''necessarily'' be a dealbreaker -- the revolution in positive training is relatively recent, and many people felt uncomfortable with older methods but used them because they were unaware of better alternatives -- but be wary of anyone who ''brags'' about using these methods, claims that the dog somehow deserved to be beaten into compliance, or is resistant to learning about positive training techniques. I once spoke to a prospective adopter who told me proudly about how he "broke the will" of his prior "untrainable" dog and hit her periodically to keep her obedient. He was not interested in hearing about other methods. Needless to say, he did not go home with my dog.

How were they trained? Use of punishment-based training on prior dogs may not ''necessarily'' be a dealbreaker -- the revolution in positive training is relatively recent, and many people felt uncomfortable with older methods but used them because they were unaware of better alternatives -- but be wary of anyone who ''brags'' about using these methods, claims that the dog somehow deserved to be beaten into compliance, or is resistant to learning about positive training techniques. I once spoke to a prospective adopter who told me proudly about how he "broke the will" of his prior "untrainable" dog and hit her periodically to keep her obedient. He was not interested in hearing about other methods. Needless to say, he did not go home with my dog.

Has the adopter been confronted with any medical or behavioral problems in other pets? Any bad habits? If so, how did the adopter address them? Look for evidence that this person is truly committed to his dog and worked to resolve any issues in a humane, effective manner. Not everyone can afford to spend thousands of dollars on medical treatment for a sick or injured dog, but you do want someone who undertook the measures they could afford.

Has the adopter been confronted with any medical or behavioral problems in other pets? Any bad habits? If so, how did the adopter address them? Look for evidence that this person is truly committed to his dog and worked to resolve any issues in a humane, effective manner. Not everyone can afford to spend thousands of dollars on medical treatment for a sick or injured dog, but you do want someone who undertook the measures they could afford. Oftentimes the best owners are those who rose to the challenge of dealing with a "problem dog" who demanded more from them as trainers and caregivers than an easier dog might have. A wise instructor once told me: those are the dogs that make you a great trainer. If your prospective adopter had such a dog in the past, find out all you can about how she dealt with those challenges. It will tell you a great deal about how she's likely to deal with your foster.

An indulgent, permissive owner is not necessarily a bad match if your foster dog is extremely sweet and submissive, but would not be a good fit for a dog who needs more structure. Conversely, an owner who believes he needs to be a harsh, unforgiving "alpha" is not a good fit for ''any'' dog. And be wary of anyone who claims that previous dogs never had a single solitary health problem or annoying quirk. There is not a dog on the planet who hasn't at least pooped in the house or eaten a book once. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or never paid a minute's attention to her dog.

An indulgent, permissive owner is not necessarily a bad match if your foster dog is extremely sweet and submissive, but would not be a good fit for a dog who needs more structure. Conversely, an owner who believes he needs to be a harsh, unforgiving "alpha" is not a good fit for ''any'' dog. And be wary of anyone who claims that previous dogs never had a single solitary health problem or annoying quirk. There is not a dog on the planet who hasn't at least pooped in the house or eaten a book once.