Table 2.
Open-ended participant responses at 6 weeks in the BuddyStudy.
| Question/Prompt | N Endorsing 1 | Exemplary Quotes |
|---|---|---|
| “What has been the best thing about fostering a dog?” | ||
| Fun/happiness/joy | 5 | “My pup is a continuous source of happiness in my life - coming home is much more enjoyable than it ever has been. To know she is always at home waiting for me gives me a sense of joy and comfort.” |
| Companionship | 3 | “The continuous love and kisses and snuggles! He is a constant companion that always cheers me up.” |
| Family bonding | 3 | “The best thing about fostering X has been our family working together to care for him.” |
| “What has been the most challenging thing about fostering a dog?” | ||
| Stress/responsibility | 4 |
“In a busy household, I already feel like I have a pile of people to care for, be available for, keep healthy, feed, etc. Adding another one can sometimes feel overwhelming (especially when she wasn’t feeling well)…”
“The learning curve of understanding my foster dogs needs and how to juggle that with my own needs has been tricky at times.” |
| “Please write a brief reflection on how fostering a dog has affected your quality of life.” | ||
| Improved quality of life | 5 |
“It’s improved my quality of life. He’s brought a lot of joy into my life, and I think I’m less stressed since he’s around.”
“Fostering has provided me with a happier and healthier lifestyle. Coming home to a pup that is excited to see you is the best feeling. Fostering has also encouraged me to go on many more walks and seek a more active lifestyle.” |
| Mixed impact on quality of life | 3 |
“It has been overwhelming, exciting, stressful, relaxing, wonderful and difficult.”
“It has been very mixed. I have been happy to have his company, and gratified to help him learn, but it has been very difficult to do anything but take care of him for the last six weeks…” |
1 Only themes endorsed by at least three participants are included in the table.