Foster Resources

Setting your foster freegle up for success! 

Whether you are an experienced foster or new to this amazing journey, the first two weeks can be an exceptionally challenging and emotional time for you and your foster freegle.

All our dogs have come from a research environment and have no real world experience. It is up to us to teach them to be good citizens and help them learn the rules of living life outside the lab.

As much as the dogs will need to have rules and guidance so do our fosters. 

BeFreegle provides a comprehensive workshop prior to fostering or adoption to help you set up your freegle for success! We provide our adopters and fosters with the tools they need to be successful. Check out our workshop materials in the link below or click on Juno and Maya who will take you there! 

BeFreegle Foster Volunteer Workshop-08-2026

Foster Rules:

Be patient. This can be easier said than done as your foster freegle just soiled in the house for the 10th time. Be assured they do not know any better. In the lab the freegles live in a co-housed kennel with other same sex dogs. They have no concept of where to toilet. They become very confused when we put these new demands on them. Especially if it is too cold, too hot, raining, snowing, traffic, other dogs, and on and on. Everything we take for granted is new to them and we must practice patience as we help them to learn to navigate this great big world.

Be kind but consistent. In order for our new freegles to learn to be successful in the world is it up to us to help them by being gentle but consistent in their training. This can be challenging when you come to realize how incredibly sweet our dogs are or how frustrating they can be as they are refusing to walk on leash or you both standing shivering in the rain while you wait for them to potty outside. You are the first family our dogs have ever lived with and they need time to learn the rules of your home.

Remember what brought you here today. Somewhere along the way you discovered that dogs were used in research and you made a decision to be a part of BeFreegle and help give these dogs the lives they deserve. We owe these dogs a huge debit of gratitude but we also owe you our gratitude as well. Giving our dogs a home to live in, love and patience, putting up with the frustrations of their stubbornness, at the end of the day they are beagles after all, are priceless. But within a short period of time you will realize they are finally “getting it”. Pottying is for outside not in the corner of the bedroom! These seemingly small victories are a reason to celebrate both you and your foster freegle. There is solid evidence showing that most of our fosters become foster fails. There is a bonding experience between you and your foster freegle as you are their first helper outside of the lab. You get to witness the small victories and share that joy with them.

Your first few days. These can be the most challenging days as your foster freegle is working so hard to be brave in a completely unfamiliar environment. As much as you can set up ahead of time the better. BeFreegle will provide you with the tools you need to hep make the transition as smooth as possible.

• Provide a quiet space for them to retreat to, if they need a time out.
• Accept that things may not go according to plan and you will need to adjust.
• Every freegle is different, has different needs, and will proceed at their own pace.
• This isn’t a race but a journey.
• Enjoy, as much as you can, the early days of bonding. 
• Keep a close eye on your new foster freegle. Help them explore their new world. 
• Sights and sounds both inside and outside of your home are all new. Some are afraid of cars zooming past, others frightened by the tv, or the vacuum cleaner. Go slowly, let them show you what they are ready for. Desensitization exercises are helpful in getting them familiar with their new home. Introduce things slowly and remember to take a few steps back if they seem to regress. That is not unusual at all.