Somebody here correct me if I'm off base with this; but if I were a foster for a dog, meaning I am just a wayward stop for the dog before he finds a permanent home. My job is to idenify and if possible deal with any issues the dog may have emotionally and physically. Be able to give a over view of what the dog is, and maybe some recomendations for training to the adopters. While some glue is going to start congealing, my job is not to bond with the dog. In fact I would think a real bonding would make it harder for both myself and particularly for the dog when the inevitable break came.
I say keep the bonding business to the adoptees.
Randy

With fostering the dog how long will you have it? How much work are you going to be putting into it? As all of these factors will be bonding time for you and the dog! How old is the dog? As this will determin how much play and how much work you will have to do with it as well.

That makes sense Randy. If Gloria on the other hand is expected to do any training of him, that will include at least a certain amount of bonding.

If you're going to "identify and if possible deal with any issues the dog may have" you need to have a bond with the dog. Identifiying and dealing with issues is training and if you're gonna train a dog you need to have a bond with it.

I did qualify what I thought would be the limit in bonding by paraphrasing, 'glue starting to congeal', and if I may paraphrase some more, 'but not allowing the glue to set', ie. my job is not to bond with the dog. The dog must move on.
My thinking is the fosters job is done when the dog can be adoptable with some reservations. To be honest I don't know having never fostered a dog before. Maybe I should have couched the last missive as more of an open question.
Seems to me that trust could well be an issue with some (if not all) of the rescue dogs. Trust is one thing and bonding is something else all together. Trust is all that is really needed for most day to day training, while bonding is that 'I live and die for you' kind of devotion we all work for in OUR dogs. I submit that allowing a bond to form with a dog who's in transit puts an undue stress on the issues the dog may already have and make the future harder for him to face.

If I'm not learning, I'm not paying attention.
Randy

On the other hand alowing the dog to make the mistake will give you the opportunity to correct him. This will stat to teach the dog correct rules for when guests come over. If you don't give the dog the opportunity to make the mistakes he will never learn what he can and can't do!

BUT, you first need to make sure the dog understands the rules and boundaries. I don't agree with teaching with corrections. Once the dog is clear in understanding, no matter what you are training him for, then corrections have a place.

using corrections before there is understanding is unfair and can break down a relationship or hamper the development of a the kind of relationship I would like to have with a dog.

Also, correcting a dog that may be having a fear response will actually reinforce the fear. It's totally normal for adolescent dogs to behave fearfully from time to time, for no good reason (to us humans). I would work on teaching him with markers and use that food drive to your advantage!

Edited by Cindy Easton Rhodes (02/24/2008 09:26 PM)
Edit reason: adding info

OK, so I have some questions too.

How do you teach a dog right from wrong, especially if it is a new foster you haven't had for long and don't intend to keep?

In other words how do you extinguish an incorrect response without using a correction? Like, lunging, snapping, growling, jumping up, etc. I am asking this in all seriousness because I have a similar issue and I would love to know how to "explain" to the dog what his limits are before having to correct him for it.

With my elementary understanding, a correct response is met with praise/reward, and an incorrect response is met with some type of correction, according to the level and severity of the infraction. Example - walking calmly - "good boy" - lunging and growling - leash correction and "no!". But... is what have been doing trying to "teach with corrections?" which if I knew of a better way, I would gladly use it.

Ed has explained in his theory of corrections that there is a difference between the "correction phase of training" and corrections for "pack/rank behaviour."

I have been assuming that the sudden lunging while walking, or growling at another dog/person, even out of fear (as it is in my case, I believe) is a pack behaviour. ???

So when we are on a walk and my dog displays behaviour I don't want, and I'm pretty sure he's fearful, what should I as a dog owner/fosterer do?

I hear ya....fostering is hard, esp when you get a dog of unknown history and I sometimes don't know if I'm doing the right thing...it is very confusing.