And just when you work through all their bad habits and that crazy jumping bean of a puppy is finally starting to settle into a really good dog, they leave.

And just when you work through all their bad habits and that crazy jumping bean of a puppy is finally starting to settle into a really good dog, they leave.

A foster dog is not ''your'' dog; the ultimate goal is to say goodbye. That's hard too.

A foster dog is not ''your'' dog. The ultimate goal is to say goodbye. That's hard too.

Don't get me wrong: fostering is ''wonderful''. I very much hope you will do it; otherwise I would not have created this wiki. But it is ''hard''. And it is important to go into it with open eyes and realistic expectations.

Don't get me wrong: fostering is ''wonderful''. I very much hope you will do it; otherwise I would not have created this wiki. But it is ''hard''. And it is important to go into it with open eyes and realistic expectations.

Here are some of the things you might want to ask yourself before deciding to take the plunge:

Here are some of the things you might want to ask yourself before deciding to take the plunge:

*''' Do you have time for a foster dog?''' Again: these dogs typically arrive knowing ''nothing''. For at least the first few days or weeks, you will have to manage them closely to ensure they don't get in trouble while you teach them how to live politely with people. Your foster pup may be stressed or fearful upon arrival and need a lot of gentle, one-on-one attention to help come out of her shell. Can you devote several hours a day to the dog?

*''' Do you have time for a foster dog?''' Again: expect your foster pups to arrive knowing ''nothing''. For at least the first few days or weeks, you will have to manage them closely to ensure they don't get in trouble while you teach them how to live politely with people. Your foster pup may be stressed or fearful upon arrival and need a lot of gentle, one-on-one attention to help her come out of her shell. Can you devote several hours a day to the dog?