Have you always wanted a Great Dane but haven’t decided if you’re prepared for one? Or perhaps you aren’t sure how they will fit into your home and lifestyle. Maybe you already own a Great Dane, and want to know what it’s like to have 2! If this is you, then fostering might be a great option.
There are rescues out there, and they need people like you! People to open up their heart and their home to Great Danes in need.
What Does Fostering Mean?
Fostering means that you take a Great Dane (or any dog really, if you foster with another rescue), into your home and show them the love they deserve, the training they likely don’t have, and set them up for success in their forever home!
Check with your local rescues, but most will pay for all vetting expenses, some will pay for food, and you just provide the home!
Who wouldn’t want to do that!? You have a chance to help save a dane. Take that chance. Your foster will forever thank you, and so will their new home.
How Do I Qualify
All rescues are different!
However, I think what scares people away the most, is that they think they aren’t qualified. I know some rescues have super strict rules about fostering, but others do not.
Some requirements might include
Fence– While some rescues may require a fence, some do not. If a fence is required and you don’t have one, I think it’s appropriate to still ask them to consider you.
There might be a dane that comes in that might not require a fence, maybe a senior dane would be a good fit? Perhaps you don’t have a fence but you have a plan in place for how to exercise your dane.
Structured walks, long loose leads, mental exercise indoors. All things that if you have a plan, may make the fence rule an exception.
Experience– Again, this can very greatly depending on the rescue. Of course as a foster and adoptions coordinator, I would LOVE foster homes with Great Dane experience, or better yet, aggression experience, and anxiety experience.
It’s a little unrealistic to find that many homes with that kind of experience that are interested in fostering. The people with the most experience already have their homes full!
The biggest thing that I look for, but can’t speak for all rescues, is a home that is willing to listen, to learn, may make mistakes but learn from them. The Great Dane Rescue of MN and WI, which I volunteer for, wants to set everyone up for success, so we make sure we do our part to give you all the resources that you need. Seek guidance from your local rescue if you need help.
Space– While you may or may not have a huge home, space is an issue, and this is something that rescues might look for. Do you have room for a 54″ crate? If for some reason your foster Great Dane and your resident dog aren’t getting along, do you have room to keep them separate?
This might not disqualify you right away, however it will make finding a dog that fits your home a challenge. In this case, we’d still love to have you volunteer with us but it might take some time before we find a Great Dane that fits into your space.
Kids– The Great Dane Rescue of MN and WI does not let families with children under the age of 8 foster or adopt, however many other rescues do! I recommend you looking into the regulations on children with the rescue you are interested in. Unfortunately rescues can come with so many issues, that we just aren’t able to risk the safety of kids in the home.
If you do have kids and are hoping to foster, I know that having your children respect boundaries is going to be a HUGE must! Never leave the dog and kids unattended, and please, no matter how cute, do not let your kids crawl on top of, or even a lay on, your foster dane, or your resident dane. I will save my rants for another post, but please, make sure your kids are respectful.
How Do I Get Started?
Most Great Dane rescues have an application process to go through! The first step if for you to fill out an application, they do reference checks, background checks, and some do home visits to ensure that your home is safe to house a Great Dane.
Great Dane Rescues by State
Please forgive me as this is a short list. These rescues are those that I have personally worked with. I will need to update this as I learn that other rescues are reputable. If you have a rescue that isn’t listed, please reach out! I’d love to add your group.
Colorado
Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue
Florida
Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue
Iowa
Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue
Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue
Minnesota
Great Dane Rescue of MN and WI
Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue
Nebraska
Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue
North Dakota
Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue
South Dakota
Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue
Wisconsin
Great Dane Rescue of MN and WI
Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue