We started with the idea of fostering dogs at NMAR a few years ago. After a large black lab mix named Haile, while we were working at the Huntersville location, I saw a rather pitiful sight. Roxy was 8 weeks old, skinny, pink, and hairless. It turns out that she was in the process of recovering from demodectic mange–after having been tossed from the window of a moving car. She came home with us to heal, be housebroken, and learn some basic obedience, as well as spend some time with other dogs and a couple of rather territorial cats. She stayed with us for a while, taking bi-weekly medicated baths and getting syringes of liquid medicine shoved down her throat twice a day to kill the mange, and meeting several prospective families while she was here… all of which she took pretty much in stride. When the economy really crashed, adoptions fell as well, and I didn’t get a call about her for almost another month. At that point, when the next call did come, I had to be honest–Roxy wasn’t going anywhere. Miss Rox is doing well, and her name is still Roxy, but I don’t think she knows that. We call her either “Little” or “Small Fry” as nicknames (she’s smaller than our other two), and she answers to them, so we’re sticking with it. Vinnie and Mojoe are doing well, also, although ol’ man Vin needs the occasional painkiller for his arthritis. The Small Fry seems to enjoy hiking with me (weather’s been too crappy for it lately, alas), and she even has her own little coat since she’s kinda short on the fur. Little is quite possibly the smartest dog I’ve ever had, and she picks up tricks pretty quickly. While still a big fan of chewing on my sunglasses if I forget and leave them on the coffee table, the chewing seems to have waned for the most part. She’s full of energy, and quite cuddly, and while still a little nervous at new things, is nowhere near as timid as she was when we first got her. She’s got a pretty little coat since we got rid of the mange, although as a whippet, there’s still not a whole lot of hair to speak of. Suffice it to say, after 2 years with Small Fry, I think she officially qualifies as a foster failure. :-)