In the summer of 2019 we started fostering dogs through Dog Gone Seattle. The organization saves dogs from high-kill shelters at risk for euthanasia and places them into foster homes up here in Seattle. Most of the dogs come from Hawaii, California, and Texas.
All of the dogs featured on this page have already been adopted, but if you’re interested in fostering or adopting through Dog Gone Seattle check out available dogs here.
For more timely updates on my fosters follow me on Instagram @ranger_grizzly.
2024
Foster #22: Maestro AKA Monstro
Maestro was one of the toughest dogs I’ve fostered. He was incredibly sweet and loving, always wanted to cuddle, but he had a dark side, too. His excitement over food was through the roof so much so that I couldn’t have food in my hand or offer a treat without him biting me to get it (the biting wasn’t aggressive, it was just that he didn’t quite seem to understand where the food ended and my hand began). Because of this I got it into my head to try training him using kitchen tongs. I put some chicken in the tongs and got him to sit and try to be gentle but when he took the chicken he also took one of the rubber ends of the tongs with it. I panicked, tried to get it out but he swallowed it. I was horrified. After talking to my case manager I injected hydrogen peroxide with a syringe down his throat to get him to vomit. I had to give him a few doses before he finally did vomit, but the rubber tong end did not come up. So I had to take him to the vet where they had to surgically remove the item from his stomach. It was horrible and the guilt nearly killed me. After that there was some post-surgery recovery time and he eventually was adopted by a nice younger couple who already had another dog with a similar personality.
2023
Foster #21: Fritz
I had Fritz between my time with Chex. He was a nutty little terrier, but went to a good home and I’m sure is being spoiled rotten.
Foster #20: Chex
Chex was a scary one. The photo on the left was when I first got him, he could barely walk around, wouldn’t eat or drink water, and was basically just a skeleton with fur. I had to force-feed him goat milk with a syringe which he did not love, but after a week he was not improving and I was genuinely afraid he was going to die. A more experienced foster took him and put him on IV treatments and did a lot of other stuff to get him healthy, it took months. When he was in better shape she gave him back to me (I had another foster during the time inbetween, Fritz above). The photo on the right is of Chex after he was taken care of by the other foster and given back to me. He was a completely different dog! He was happy energetic, and actually ate food like a normal dog. I hate admitting I am not up to a task but I knew I was over my head with this one and his life was in actual danger. I am so lucky to work with such amazing fosters who are able to create these transformations.
Foster #19: Taz
Taz is a 5 year old dachshund that came to me right after being cured of mange. He was missing most of the hair on his body below the shoulders and was covered in smelly, super gross yellow scabs. I bought him a few sweaters to cover up the gross. After a month with us (and a few special medicated baths) the scabs were all gone and his hair had started to grow back. He was one my favorite fosters, incredibly sweet and shy, so quiet and well-behaved. He also had a testicle that hadn’t dropped and an umbilical hernia, both of which had to be fixed with surgery. He suffers from a laxating patella and arthritis in his hips. He always had a waggy tail despite all of this and was truly just the best dog ever. His first adopters backed out last minute, but that was fine because his second adopters were a better fit and so excited to have him.
2022
Foster #18 : Gouda
Gouda is a 3 year old female Chihuahua mix from California. She was a stray whose jaw must have been broken at some point because it doesn’t quite align properly. Her tongue is almost always plopping out of her mouth in a real derpy way. She’s extremely friendly with people and dogs and much to my chagrin preferred my husband to me. She was perfect in the crate as long as she had her beloved donut bed and very low barker. Not big on cuddling (too excited to sit still) and didn’t really bond with me the way my other fosters have. She’s a real independent lady who will try to eat just about anything she finds on the ground.
Foster #17: Greggy
Greggy was a mess when I got him. He was completely covered in ticks and it took me hours to remove all of them. They were everywhere-in his armpits, on his neck, his face, inside his ears, even on his penis. It was disgusting and not something I usually have to do. Once he was bathed and de-ticked he was feeling much better and was a super sweet cutie. He was adopted by a retired couple who live in my neighborhood!
Foster #16 : Moe
Moe was one of my toughest fosters. He was very destructive and did not enjoy the crate or being contained. He was sweet and cuddly and super adorable, but he needed a special home if he was going to be successful. A perfect lady who owns a dog daycare adopted him and he loves his new sister and all the space he has to run around.
2021
Foster #15: Dexter
Dexter is a 8 year old terrier mix we had for almost four weeks in September – October. He was super sweet and cuddly but suffered from some leash reactivity. He went to a good home with a retired couple dedicated to continuing his leash training and providing all pets he requires.
Foster #14: Fred
Fred is a 6 year old poodle/spaniel mix we fostered in August. He cuddled his way into my heart right away. Sweet, snuggly, friendly, happy, housebroken – he was the perfect dog.
It hurt much more than usual when he was adopted after three weeks but I had my two boys to make me feel better.
Foster #13: Danny
Danny is a two-year-old terrier mix with loads of energy! It was like fostering a puppy. He loved to race around the yard, play fetch, and cuddle. He was super friendly to everyone he met and even won over a couple of my friends who aren’t that into dogs. He had a small umbilical hernia on his abdomen but it wasn’t a big deal and didn’t cause him any discomfort. He was a little harder than the others to potty train (had more accidents than most of my fosters) but got the hang of it by the end of his stay with us. He was with us for about a month, then was adopted by a couple in Shoreline with another dog his size. So glad he will have a playmate!
Foster #12: Sammy AKA Oreo Milkshake
Sammy came from a hoarding situation similar to Paulo. He had an extreme fear of humans and the world around him so much so that he would just freeze in terror when he went outside. This helped give him his “Oreo Milkshake” nickname – Oreo because of his fur pattern and Milkshake because he was constantly shaking in fear of everything. After two weeks we had him walking around the neighborhood without any issues and cuddling with us on the couch. He was such a sweetheart, and we had him for about a month before he was adopted. He’s now living with a brother his own size in West Seattle!
Foster #11: Paulo AKA Foxdog
Paulo came to us when his owner died – leaving 14 Chihuahua/Spaniel mixes behind. When we got Paulo he was very nervous and hated the leash, but very well behaved inside the house and so quiet. He was a real sweetheart, and very popular – we only had him for a week and a half! His fur was so red and his snoot so long he resembled a fox and quickly became known as “foxdog.”
Foster #10: Nina AKA Piglet
Nina is a 5 year old purebred French Bulldog with severe food allergies. Her skin was raw and patches of fur missing from her scratching her itchy skin (a symptom of food allergies). Her owner went into a coma and was found to have over ten dogs in her house, Nina being one of them. So she was skinny, skin in bad shape, ears infected, and it is likely she was used for breeding at some point. None of that matters, though. She has been recovering with the right diet and will continue to improve under good care. She’s a gentle sweet girl who just loves to cuddle and sleep.
2020
Foster #9: Sir Kensington
Kensington (I added the “Sir”) was another older dog. We have found that the older dogs fit in best here so we have been taking them more often than younger ones. He was a sweet dog – though did bark a lot. We had him about a month before he was adopted. He had the cutest underbite and liked to cuddle with his human and get belly rubs. A real sweetheart.
Foster #8: Blue
12 years old. Blind. The dog we came the closest to keeping and I miss the most. I wrote a post about him here.
Foster #7: Yuki AKA Little Miss
Yuki was a seven-month-old terrier/schnauzer mix and our very first lady dog foster! She was an owner surrender – her owner was an older woman who had knee surgery and just couldn’t care for her anymore. Being a puppy, Yuki took a lot more work than our other foster dogs and had a lot of energy. She became fast friends with Grizzly and they spent a lot of time playing together. She was super sweet and would follow me around everywhere I went.
Foster #6: Barney AKA Scruffy
Barney was our very first foster dog of 2020! He is a 7 year old border terrier mix and one of the absolute sweetest dogs I’ve ever met. Which is surprising considering the abuse he suffered.
Barney was found in a field in California wrapped in a garbage bag and locked in a crate. When he came to me he was severely underweight and shy. I created a special “get well quick” diet for him consisting of goat milk, eggs, salmon oil, kibble, and Tylee’s. His legs were very weak and it took a week or so before he was able to jump up onto the couch – and even then it was with difficulty. I was so happy to see him adopted by two very warm and caring women – I know they will give him a great home!
2019
Foster #5: Buttons
Buttons, a miniature poodle, was one of the easiest dogs. His owner had passed away, so he had been taken good care of until then and was a really well-balanced dog with no serious issues. He was the fastest of the dogs to be adopted! I think we had him less than a week.
In the summer of 2019 we started fostering dogs through Dog Gone Seattle. The organization saves dogs from high-kill shelters at risk for euthanasia and places them into foster homes up here in Seattle. Most of the dogs come from Hawaii, California, and Texas.
All of the dogs featured on this page have already been adopted, but if you’re interested in fostering or adopting through Dog Gone Seattle check out available dogs here.
For more timely updates on my fosters follow me on Instagram @ranger_grizzly.
2023
Foster #19: Taz
Taz is a 5 year old dachshund that came to me right after being cured of mange. He was missing most of the hair on his body below the shoulders and was covered in smelly, super gross yellow scabs. I bought him a few sweaters to cover up the gross. After a month with us (and a few special medicated baths) the scabs were all gone and his hair had started to grow back. He was one my favorite fosters, incredibly sweet and shy, so quiet and well-behaved. He also had a testicle that hadn’t dropped and an umbilical hernia, both of which had to be fixed with surgery. He suffers from a laxating patella and arthritis in his hips. He always had a waggy tail despite all of this and was truly just the best dog ever. His first adopters backed out last minute, but that was fine because his second adopters were a better fit and so excited to have him.
2022
Foster #18 : Gouda
Gouda is a 3 year old female Chihuahua mix from California. She was a stray whose jaw must have been broken at some point because it doesn’t quite align properly. Her tongue is almost always plopping out of her mouth in a real derpy way. She’s extremely friendly with people and dogs and much to my chagrin preferred my husband to me. She was perfect in the crate as long as she had her beloved donut bed and very low barker. Not big on cuddling (too excited to sit still) and didn’t really bond with me the way my other fosters have. She’s a real independent lady who will try to eat just about anything she finds on the ground.
Foster #17: Greggy
Greggy was a mess when I got him. He was completely covered in ticks and it took me hours to remove all of them. They were everywhere-in his armpits, on his neck, his face, inside his ears, even on his penis. It was disgusting and not something I usually have to do. Once he was bathed and de-ticked he was feeling much better and was a super sweet cutie. He was adopted by a retired couple who live in my neighborhood!
Foster #16 : Moe
Moe was one of my toughest fosters. He was very destructive and did not enjoy the crate or being contained. He was sweet and cuddly and super adorable, but he needed a special home if he was going to be successful. A perfect lady who owns a dog daycare adopted him and he loves his new sister and all the space he has to run around.
2021
Foster #15: Dexter
Dexter is a 8 year old terrier mix we had for almost four weeks in September – October. He was super sweet and cuddly but suffered from some leash reactivity. He went to a good home with a retired couple dedicated to continuing his leash training and providing all pets he requires.
Foster #14: Fred
Fred is a 6 year old poodle/spaniel mix we fostered in August. He cuddled his way into my heart right away. Sweet, snuggly, friendly, happy, housebroken – he was the perfect dog.
It hurt much more than usual when he was adopted after three weeks but I had my two boys to make me feel better.
Foster #13: Danny
Danny is a two-year-old terrier mix with loads of energy! It was like fostering a puppy. He loved to race around the yard, play fetch, and cuddle. He was super friendly to everyone he met and even won over a couple of my friends who aren’t that into dogs. He had a small umbilical hernia on his abdomen but it wasn’t a big deal and didn’t cause him any discomfort. He was a little harder than the others to potty train (had more accidents than most of my fosters) but got the hang of it by the end of his stay with us. He was with us for about a month, then was adopted by a couple in Shoreline with another dog his size. So glad he will have a playmate!
Foster #12: Sammy AKA Oreo Milkshake
Sammy came from a hoarding situation similar to Paulo. He had an extreme fear of humans and the world around him so much so that he would just freeze in terror when he went outside. This helped give him his “Oreo Milkshake” nickname – Oreo because of his fur pattern and Milkshake because he was constantly shaking in fear of everything. After two weeks we had him walking around the neighborhood without any issues and cuddling with us on the couch. He was such a sweetheart, and we had him for about a month before he was adopted. He’s now living with a brother his own size in West Seattle!
Foster #11: Paulo AKA Foxdog
Paulo came to us when his owner died – leaving 14 Chihuahua/Spaniel mixes behind. When we got Paulo he was very nervous and hated the leash, but very well behaved inside the house and so quiet. He was a real sweetheart, and very popular – we only had him for a week and a half! His fur was so red and his snoot so long he resembled a fox and quickly became known as “foxdog.”
Foster #10: Nina AKA Piglet
Nina is a 5 year old purebred French Bulldog with severe food allergies. Her skin was raw and patches of fur missing from her scratching her itchy skin (a symptom of food allergies). Her owner went into a coma and was found to have over ten dogs in her house, Nina being one of them. So she was skinny, skin in bad shape, ears infected, and it is likely she was used for breeding at some point. None of that matters, though. She has been recovering with the right diet and will continue to improve under good care. She’s a gentle sweet girl who just loves to cuddle and sleep.
2020
Foster #9: Sir Kensington
Kensington (I added the “Sir”) was another older dog. We have found that the older dogs fit in best here so we have been taking them more often than younger ones. He was a sweet dog – though did bark a lot. We had him about a month before he was adopted. He had the cutest underbite and liked to cuddle with his human and get belly rubs. A real sweetheart.
Foster #8: Blue
12 years old. Blind. The dog we came the closest to keeping and I miss the most. I wrote a post about him here.
Foster #7: Yuki AKA Little Miss
Yuki was a seven-month-old terrier/schnauzer mix and our very first lady dog foster! She was an owner surrender – her owner was an older woman who had knee surgery and just couldn’t care for her anymore. Being a puppy, Yuki took a lot more work than our other foster dogs and had a lot of energy. She became fast friends with Grizzly and they spent a lot of time playing together. She was super sweet and would follow me around everywhere I went.
Foster #6: Barney AKA Scruffy
Barney was our very first foster dog of 2020! He is a 7 year old border terrier mix and one of the absolute sweetest dogs I’ve ever met. Which is surprising considering the abuse he suffered.
Barney was found in a field in California wrapped in a garbage bag and locked in a crate. When he came to me he was severely underweight and shy. I created a special “get well quick” diet for him consisting of goat milk, eggs, salmon oil, kibble, and Tylee’s. His legs were very weak and it took a week or so before he was able to jump up onto the couch – and even then it was with difficulty. I was so happy to see him adopted by two very warm and caring women – I know they will give him a great home!
2019
Foster #5: Buttons
Buttons, a miniature poodle, was one of the easiest dogs. His owner had passed away, so he had been taken good care of until then and was a really well-balanced dog with no serious issues. He was the fastest of the dogs to be adopted! I think we had him less than a week.
Foster #4: Finn
Finn, a Maltese mix (?) was a tough one. He was terrified of everything and everyone, including me. He was dehydrated, really underweight, anemic, and infested with fleas. I spent a long time bathing him and combing out fleas until he was finally flea-free! A few days with good food and water and he was no longer dehydrated or anemic.
The fear took a little longer. He spent all his time in his crate for the first week – but eventually, like the others, warmed up to us. By the end of his stay with us he had become just another one of the dogs:
Maybe it was because I had to care so much more for him than the others, maybe it was insanely adorable face, but Finn was pretty hard to let go.
Foster #3: Lancelot
Lancelot is a Chihuahua mix of some kind and was very scared when we brought him home. He didn’t want to leave the crate and it took longer for him to feel confident and safe with us. He did eventually warm up, as you can see from this ridiculous photo of me at my desk with Lance stuffed inside my jacket (he would get cold easily, he liked the body warmth and would sleep there while I worked).
Foster #2: Donovan
Donovan was a wirey-haired dog with the most serious expression! He rarely ever “smiled” and always stared at us in sort of a sad way. He took a little longer to warm up to us than Kermit, but by the end of the stay with us he was following me around everywhere I went.
Foster #1: Kermit AKA Kermie
Kermit was our very first foster dog and the hardest one we had to let go. Other foster parents have commented that the first one is the hardest and I completely agree. We went back and forth on whether or not we should keep him. When we ultimately decided not to (I didn’t sign up for this to get a third dog – I signed up to help many dogs) there were a lot of tears.
Kermit was an “owner surrender” – the notes said he kept escaping the yard and I was warned that he was an escape artist when I took him. He did dash out the front door one time when I had him – terrifying me beyond belief. He made it across the street but stopped when I ran after him and called to him. He turned tail and ran right back to my house. Not me, mind you, crouched in the middle of the street, but my house. He waited at the door for me to walk back and let him in.
He had such a friendly, energetic personality and was a big cuddler. You would never guess he had suffered neglect from his past owner.
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