Foster Dog Essentials: What We Actually Buy (and Keep Buying) for our Foster Dog
- Mara Schwartz
- Aug 14
- 12 min read
What we've learned fostering two dogs — and everything we've bought along the way.
This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products I've personally bought and used with our foster dogs. Using these links helps support our next foster. Opinions are my own.
The humans in our household had been talking about fostering for a few months. Both of us needed to be on board because it's not a small thing to bring a dog in transition into a home that already has a resident dog, and we wanted to actually be ready before we said yes. The moment we actually did it was on the runway at PHL, waiting for the gate to open after a trip, the way a lot of decisions happen when you finally have thirty minutes of nothing to do. The Philly Rescue Angels application was a Google form. I filled it out from my seat.
Philly Rescue Angels doesn't have a physical shelter, so when we were matched with Teddy, I was involved from the start. I was there to collect him directly from his surrendering family, the time and place coordinated through the rescue. We don't spend much time on the reasons people surrender dogs. Our job was to give him somewhere safe to land, support the two surgeries the rescue helped arrange, and help him find his forever home. Gizmo gained his first foster brother. Teddy's forever home ended up close enough that we still dog sit him when his family travels. Seeing him settled and happy with his people makes the goodbye worth it, even when it's hard.
Jerry came through a different rescue whose work we're grateful for, but whose model wasn't the right fit for how we were able to give back at that point in our lives. That's something worth knowing going in — fostering looks different for every household, and finding the org and the setup that fits yours is part of figuring it out. There's so much need. If you feel like you can open your home, you should. There are good people and good resources to help you along the way.
About 2.8 million dogs entered shelters and rescues in the US last year. Foster families are a meaningful part of how rescues like Philly Rescue Angels are able to take dogs in at all. If you've been thinking about it, the bar to start is genuinely lower than you'd expect. Apply to foster with Philly Rescue Angels
Some things to know before sharing my foster essentials: We live in a Philadelphia row home, which means no backyard, every bathroom break is a leash walk, and shared walls with neighbors. Here's what we've bought, used, and kept buying along the way.
The 3-3-3 rule, which came up a lot
We learned about the 3-3-3 rule through fostering and found ourselves coming back to it constantly — it was helpful every time it was brought up, and we wish more people knew about it going in.
The short version: the first three days, a new dog is overwhelmed. They might shut down, refuse food, or act out — all of that is decompression, not personality. The next three weeks, routine starts to click and their real self starts to come through. The first three months, they're fully settled, trust is built, the bond is there.
What makes this useful isn't that it's a rigid timeline — every dog moves through it differently, and progress isn't always linear. What it does is ground you in where your dog actually is. When Jerry was having a hard week four weeks in, knowing he was still in the "three weeks" phase made it easier to hold steady. When Teddy seemed completely at home in 48 hours, understanding that was genuinely unusual helped us not assume every foster would be like that.
It's a benchmark, not a guarantee. But it's a good one.
Gizmo's perspective
Our resident dog is Gizmo. Before we ever brought a foster home, the question we sat with was: how is he going to react when he figures out this dog isn't just visiting?
Gizmo has always been comfortable around other dogs — social, easygoing, loves his dog friends. But there's a difference between a dog friend at the park and a dog who is suddenly just home.
He adjusted. Better than we expected, both times. The standard guidance from both rescues is to keep the dogs separated for the first two weeks, prioritizing the resident dog, and we tried to follow that. With Teddy it was almost immediately unnecessary — he had no aggression and no anxiety and practically insisted on being part of everything from day one. With Jerry we were more deliberate. His pen, his crate, his tether were his defined space on each floor of the row home, and we let him set the pace for how much of the house became his.
One thing that stuck: we started calling them "good foster brothers" when they were doing well together. Not just "good boy" to each of them separately — "good foster brothers." We wanted to give them a shared word, something that acknowledged they were in it together for a while. Whether they understood the word or the feeling behind it, it seemed to land.
The hard part, honestly.
I cried more than I expected when each of them left.
They follow you around the house. You become their person for a stretch of time, and you feel that, and then they move on to their forever home and there's this gap where they were. That bond is real and it does hurt when the chapter closes — and also it's the whole point. Watching a dog who arrived scared or confused find the place where they truly belong is one of the more satisfying things I've experienced. Those two things coexist and neither one cancels the other out.
We're paused on fostering right now, and when we're ready to say yes again it'll be because our household is ready — not because we feel obligated. We believe every dog deserves that kind of home, and we'll open ours again when we can give it properly.
What we actually buy.
A note on the affiliate links in this post: using them helps support our next foster — supplies, food, the things on this list. We only recommend products we've personally bought and used with real dogs in real situations.
The setup: somewhere to land
The first thing we do when a new foster arrives is create a space that's theirs. In a row home with a resident dog, that defined space is doing a lot of work — it gives the foster dog a safe home base and preserves Gizmo's sense of his own territory during the adjustment period.
MidWest Folding Exercise Pen — It can be configured in different sizes to fit your space, moved from room to room, and stored flat when it's not in use. A new dog with too much freedom in an unfamiliar home can get overwhelmed fast — the pen gives them a safe, controlled home base while they orient. Jerry had one on every floor of our row home for weeks.
JOLLYVOGUE Calming Donut Dog Bed — The raised edges matter. Dogs naturally want to press into something when they sleep, and this shape gives them that. Gizmo claimed ours immediately and has defended it from all fosters, which is maybe the best endorsement I can give. Washable, which is non-negotiable.
POCBLUE Washable Dog Bed, Large (35") — For bigger fosters. Teddy has one now that started life as a foster bed. It fits a wide range of dogs, holds up to washing, and the size is generous enough that a dog can fully stretch out.
Furhaven Waterproof Throw Blanket — We use this under the exercise pen to catch accidents, and sometimes outside the pen too — Jerry stood up and peed outside the pen in the middle of the night once, and having the blanket down made cleanup significantly less of an event. It also lives on the couch, in the car, wherever a dog is going to be.
Pee Pads — We keep both kinds on hand. Reusable washable pads for the long term — the non-slip backing keeps them in place and washing them is more economical than replacing disposables every week. Disposable pads for the first few days when you're still figuring out a new dog's schedule and accidents are more frequent.
Blink Mini Indoor Camera — We use this to monitor when we're out of the house, especially during the early separation phase when you're still learning a new dog's anxiety level. Compact, plug-in, easy to set up, works with Alexa.
Food, chews, and figuring out what motivates them
One of the first things we try to understand about a new foster is what motivates them. Some dogs are highly food motivated from day one. Some won't take anything from you for the first week — they're too shut down, too overwhelmed, still deciding if you're safe. Some respond more to eye contact and affirmation than food at all.
It also shifts as they move through the 3-3-3 phases. A dog who wouldn't look at a treat in week one might be obsessed with chews by week three. We keep a range on hand because we're always working with a dog we're still getting to know.
We keep mini Milk-Bones stocked at all times — they're a reliable baseline. From there the escalation goes: soft treats, then chews, then if nothing is landing and something needs to happen, the tip we were given that we've used exactly when we needed it is hot dogs. Not a daily thing, but useful to know.
For meals, Gizmo eats kibble with a topper — affordable, and he's healthy and happy on it. Teddy eats Zignature Duck Limited Ingredient Formula, which his family found works well for him and which is, frankly, more thoughtfully selected than most things I feed myself.
Salmon Oil — Goes on every foster's food from day one. Helps with coat, digestion, and the general adjustment stress of being somewhere new. Particularly useful for dogs who are hesitant around eating — it changes the smell and makes the bowl more interesting.
Native Pet 11-in-1 Food Topper — A powder that goes over whatever they're eating. Covers gaps when you don't know a dog's full history and are introducing new food.
Turkey Tendon Treats — First-reach treat for a new foster. Single protein, hypoallergenic, rawhide-free, and long enough to actually matter as a chew. We keep two sizes on hand — PAW Turkey Tendons for bigger dogs and VITADAY for smaller fosters. Which one to buy depends on price and deals at the time — both are good.
Cibaabo Dog Water Bottle + Food Container — The leash attachment that holds water and treats so you can reward good walking behavior without filling your pockets. More useful than it sounds once you're doing multiple leash walks a day in all weather.
Cowdog Chews Beef Collagen Chews — For when a dog needs something to really work on. These replaced bully sticks for us because they're completely odor-free, which matters in a row home with neighbors. Long-lasting, digestible, no smell.
DentaLife Dental Treats — One a day for smaller fosters. Dental health is easy to deprioritize when there's so much else going on. These make it a non-event.
MRSOHRET Puppy Chew Toy Set — A pack of different textures and sizes, useful for figuring out what a new dog actually likes before you invest in individual toys.
Chuckit Ultra Ball — For the dogs who want to run. Not every foster does, but the ones who do, really do.
Slow Feeder Dog Bowl — About half our fosters have been gulpers. This slows them down enough to help with digestion and just generally makes mealtime less chaotic.
What helped Jerry specifically during his decompression phase: having the same toys, beds, and smells consistently in his space. Familiarity mattered more than novelty. We kept his leash on inside for a while too, which gave us more ability to redirect without a chase. Something to keep his mouth busy as he settled made a real difference — the collagen chews and turkey tendons were part of how he started to relax.
Getting outside: every bathroom break is a leash walk
There is no letting a dog out back. Every single bathroom break is a leash walk, in all weather, at whatever hour the dog decides it's time. In practice that means being dressed enough to go out onto the streets of Philadelphia — coat, boots, whatever the weather requires — while also managing a harness, poop bags, treats in your pocket, and a dog who may or may not be reliably leash trained yet.
Voyager Step-In Air Harness + Leash Combo — We've bought Voyager harnesses in multiple sizes, colors, and versions over the years — for our dogs, for fosters, for our parents who weren't as practiced at online ordering. The step-in style velcros across the back like a little vest, which works well for smaller dogs and ones still building trust with you. When we got Gizmo about seven years ago the options looked nothing like they do now. US pet industry spending has grown more than 56% since 2019 — the selection caught up with the demand. The combo with the leash is what we'd buy if we were starting from scratch today.
Puppia Soft Dog Harness — Maizee is technically a foster fail at my parents' house — they fostered her and couldn't let her go, which is how fostering sometimes goes, and we love her for it. Maizee is about 60 pounds and pulls hard toward every smell on the block. My dad walks her regularly and was dealing with a genuinely sore shoulder until they switched from her collar to a harness. The Puppia goes over the head and around the body, no stepping required, which works well for a bigger dog who isn't holding still for you. She's gone through a few colors. His shoulder stopped hurting. That's the review.
Earth Rated Dog Wipes — Post-walk paw wipe, quick cleanup before the couch, general "this dog has been somewhere" situations. Plant-based, thick, unscented. [affiliate link: amazon.com/dp/B088KZGCQG?tag=marascorner-20]
Sperry Saltwater Seasonal Boots — My go-to when I need something I can get on fast. Easy on, easy off, handles wet Philadelphia sidewalks without making the whole exit a production.
Arctix Insulated Ski Bibs — For the early morning winter walks when the dog is awake before you are. Step-in means you're outside in thirty seconds instead of standing in your hallway fighting with a zipper while a dog stares at you. These are the ones I reach for.
On the dog clothing front: preferences are personal and breed-specific, but here's what worked for our fosters and for Gizmo.
Warm Dog Hooded Trench Coat (Green) — Gizmo's go-to and the one that consistently stops people on the street. He knows. We call it his coat. It comes in multiple colors — the green is his, and it works for his coloring, but there are plenty of options.
Lelepet Zip-Up Dog Coat, Blaze Orange — Jerry came with this coat and it was genuinely one of the easier things about dressing a dog who was still building trust with us. Zips up the back instead of going over the head, warm, waterproof, and reflective. We kept it. Not every color works on every dog — orange isn't Gizmo's best — but the design itself is excellent for a foster who isn't fully comfortable being handled yet.
Fitwarm 3-Pack Fleece Turtleneck Sweater — A good layering piece for smaller dogs, especially under a harness on cold days. The pack means you have options without committing to one style.
6-Pack Winter Fleece Vest Sweater — For smaller fosters, under about 30 pounds. Good basics to have on hand when you don't yet know what a new dog's cold tolerance is.
Ruffwear Front Range Harness — Gizmo's spacesuit. That's what we call it, and that's how he knows it — when the spacesuit comes out, we're going somewhere. We got ours at a dog park clothing exchange in South Philly, which is a very Philadelphia sentence, but it's available online. Reflective, padded, dual leash clips, adjustable fit. It goes right over his little sweaters when it's chilly, because he is a baby about a breeze and we respect that about him. Every dog has different harness preferences — this one works for Gizmo.
If you're thinking about fostering
The rescues we work with — Philly Rescue Angels and Northeast Boston Terrier Rescue — are self-funded and operating on limited resources. Before you commit, understand the rescue's policies on funding for food and vet bills. Know what's covered, what isn't, and go in with clear expectations. The dogs need homes. They also need foster families who know what they're walking into. And always thank the volunteers and the rescue workers for what they do behind the scenes!
You don't need everything on this list before your first dog arrives. You need somewhere for them to sleep, something for their mouth, pads for the first few days while you figure out the schedule, and patience with the 3-3-3 timeline. The rest you'll figure out as you go.
If you foster and have a product we're missing, we want to know. This list gets updated.
Product | Affiliate URL |
Voyager Step-In Air Harness + Leash Combo | |
Voyager Step-In Air Harness (standalone) | |
Puppia Soft Dog Harness | |
MidWest Folding Exercise Pen | |
JOLLYVOGUE Calming Donut Dog Bed (small) | |
POCBLUE Washable Dog Bed Large 35" | |
Furhaven Waterproof Throw Blanket | |
Reusable Washable Pee Pads (LOOBANI) | |
Amazon Basics Disposable Pee Pads | |
Salmon Oil for Dogs | |
Native Pet 11-in-1 Food Topper | |
DentaLife Dental Treats (small dogs) | |
Cowdog Chews Beef Collagen Chews | |
MRSOHRET 20pc Puppy Chew Toy Set | |
Chuckit Ultra Ball | |
Slow Feeder Dog Bowl | |
Earth Rated Dog Wipes | |
Sperry Saltwater Seasonal Boot | |
Arctix Women's Insulated Ski Bibs | |
Warm Dog Hooded Trench Coat (Gizmo's green coat) | |
Lelepet Dog Coat Zip-Up Blaze Orange (Jerry's coat) | |
Fitwarm 3 Pack Fleece Turtleneck Sweater | |
6 Pack Winter Fleece Vest Sweater | |
Ruffwear Front Range Harness (Gizmo's spacesuit) | |
PAW Turkey Tendons (Large Strip) | |
VITADAY Turkey Tendons (small dogs, 3oz) | |
Cibaabo Dog Water Bottle + Food Container | |
Zignature Duck Formula Dry Dog Food 4lb | |
Blink Mini Indoor Security Camera |
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