Failing Up: A Tail of Two Foster Dogs

When it comes to foster fails, we call them success stories. And when we think of the great fosters who open their homes and hearts to our rescues, we think of Debbie Thomas.

The Dogs That Change You

People often ask me what kind of dogs I foster. My answer is usually the same: the harder ones. The dogs others are afraid to take. The ones who are scared, traumatized, or labeled “difficult.”

I’m drawn to them because, to me, they’re the most rewarding. When a dog comes in terrified of the world and slowly learns to trust you, that trust is profound. When they finally believe you’re safe, they don’t just trust you — they really trust you. And honestly? I think I get more out of it than they get from me.

I’ve been fostering with HavaHeart Rescue for about two and a half years now, and I’ve fostered 76 dogs. But there’s one who will always stand out.

July: The Dog Who Taught Me What Trust Really Means

July was one of my very first fosters. She was one of more than a hundred dogs rescued at once — and she was terrified. When I set her crate down on my kitchen floor, it literally shook and slid across the room because she was shaking so hard.

That first month? I’ll be honest — she bit me. Not out of meanness, but pure fear. The first time I took her to the vet, I sat in the waiting room and cried because she was so scared of everything and everyone.

We tried it all: calming collars, calming powders, patience, creativity. To pick her up, I sometimes had to gently corner her. I learned to place a towel over her face so she felt safer while I held her. She shook the whole time — but she let me hold her.

Progress came in inches. She wore a leash in my house for three months. I carried him in a sling (something I do with all my fosters).  I slid treats across the floor so she’d only grab them if she thought I wasn’t looking. I boiled more chicken than I can count — chicken was her weakness. Eventually, she’d come sit right next to me for it, then dart away, then come back for more.

And then one night, she climbed onto the bed.

She lay at the foot, watching me. If I moved, she disappeared — but once the lights were out, she stayed. Over time, she let me pick her up. Hold her. Love her.

HavaHeart found the perfect family.

When I handed July to her new girl, Molly, July laid her head on Molly’s shoulder — and never moved. She rode home on her lap, slept with her that night, and has been living her best, spoiled life ever since.

Even though I miss her, I get regular updates on the progress she's made. "July seems so content. I promise she's changed our lives as much as we've changed hers."

That dog taught me what trust really looks like.

Then There's Munchkin: My Foster Fail

I fully intended to adopt him out. Truly. But from the moment he arrived, he fit right into my home — especially with my dog, Lexi. I took him to a meet-and-greet fall festival event… and realized he wasn't going to go anywhere. He was mine.

When you held Munchkin, he’d rest his head on your shoulder like he was handing you all the worries in the world. He followed me everywhere. Learned the stairs on day one. Slept on my pillow beside my head that very first night. Within days, Lexi was under the covers on one side of me, Munchkin on the other, and I knew it was over. I turned into a marshmallow. Total foster fail. Zero regrets.

He’s part of the family now — and still rotten in all the best ways.

You’re one of the best, Debbie. Thank you. HavaHearts fosters are always given the first right to adopt. No sweeter deal–and the best way to fail.

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Fostering isn’t always easy. But it’s always worth it. Watching a dog learn that humans can be kind — that safety and love are real — is something that stays with you forever. Say yes—to adoption, to fostering, to supporting rescue work. If you’ve ever thought, I couldn’t do that, I promise you: you can. And it just might change your life as much as it changes theirs.