Lessons learned from fostering and adoption
Meet Jamie @jodajody.thespecials, the driving force behind The Little Speaker, a venture dedicated to nurturing young minds in Singapore through reading, creative thinking, and English Speech and Drama. Beyond her professional accolades, Jamie is a passionate advocate for animal welfare, sharing her home with two rescued Singapore Specials. Her story is one of compassion, resilience, and a profound commitment to giving voiceless animals a loving home.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hello! I’m Jamie, the founder of The Little Speaker, where I have the privilege of enriching the minds of young learners across Singapore with lessons in reading, creative thinking, and English Speech and Drama. Beyond my pursuits, I am also a proud owner of 2 Singapore Specials.
Can you tell us about the moment you decided to adopt a dog and foster another?
Growing up, I had two dogs: one was a Singapore Special, discovered by a classmate while jogging in the park. The second, a Maltese, joined our family about three years later; my cousin’s friend had imported him from Australia and, after a few short months, decided they weren’t ready for the commitment. That’s how we came to adopt our second dog. After both dogs passed away, I vowed never to have dogs again. However, upon moving out of my family home, and roughly ten years after my dogs had passed, I felt ready to welcome another furry friend into my life. While I was certain about adopting, I had never anticipated the desire to foster another.
What inspired this decision?
Hearing countless stories of people abandoning their dogs was the push I needed to decide to adopt. My experience with adopting Joda opened my eyes to the plight of Singapore Specials, a breed often misunderstood and labelled as aggressive and hostile. Like any dog or human, they possess unique genetic traits and personalities that flourish with proper guidance. Training Joda not only taught us a great deal but also instilled the confidence in us that we might be capable of fostering.
A friend sent us a screenshot of an adoption drive at the Volkswagen showroom, which our neighbour also noticed and suggested we check out. That’s where we met Joda and instantly fell in love with her. At the drive, Joda’s calm demeanour, as she sat quietly in a corner away from the bustling crowd, caught our attention. Her worried expression made us curious about what could possibly be troubling such a young puppy.
We had been following the journey of Penne, our foster dog, as she sought adoption from her first foster home. Knowing she would be at the same adoption drive, we saw it as an opportunity not only to meet her but also as a training experience for Joda, who tends to get overly excited around other dogs. At the drive, we learned from Penne’s fosterer that her timid nature had deterred potential adopters despite numerous inquiries and home trials. Penne’s foster mother expressed concerns that without a new adopter or fosterer, Penne would end up in a shelter—a situation we felt her fearful nature would not thrive in. It was then we decided to step in and foster her, believing in our hearts that we could provide the change in environment she needed to flourish.
How did you prepare your home for the arrival of your adopted and fostered dogs?
The adoption process for our new dog was surprisingly swift; we had just 24 hours to prepare for a site visit, armed only with a playpen and the basic essentials. We declined the offer of a two-week home trial, believing that it’s either a commitment to keep her or not. We felt it unfair to the dog to undergo a trial period based on human indecision.
Fostering Penne required a more deliberate approach. Our first step was ensuring Joda, our extremely playful dog, would be comfortable and behave neutrally around another dog. It turned out Joda was immediately smitten with Penne. To give Penne her own sanctuary, we equipped our home with a playpen and crate, creating a safe space for her, separate from Joda. Advocating for Penne became a daily task, as Joda’s enthusiastic attempts at play required constant supervision and moderation.
Are there any challenges or surprises you’ve encountered?
Joda’s true personality emerged within just two days, revealing her to be an exuberant puppy who found excitement in everything and anything. Contrary to our initial belief that she was calm, Joda proved to have an insatiable zest for life, lacking any semblance of chill. To manage her energy, we resorted to playing calming classical music at home and speaking to her in slow, soothing tones. Even our method of petting involved long, gentle strokes.
As an educator experienced in managing and guiding the behaviour of young learners, I recognised the need for expertise in understanding dog behaviour. Our first attempt at engaging a dog trainer, however, was less than successful. Without conducting thorough research, we hastily trusted a professional who turned out to hold stereotypical views about Singapore Specials, often suggesting that “a lot of Singapore Specials are…” in ways
that didn’t apply to Joda. Fortunately, we quickly identified this mismatch in perspectives and decided not to continue with that trainer.
Turning to social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram for guidance, we immersed ourselves in a search for a trainer whose principles resonated with ours and who would understand our dog’s unique personality. After extensive research, we found Steph from HappyTails, a trainer who not only educated us on dog behaviour but also empowered us to be better guardians for both of our dogs.
Reflecting on your time with your pets, what have been some of the most memorable moments so far?
Joda has illustrated that each dog possesses its unique personality; as we endeavour to comprehend them, they are concurrently learning to adapt to the complexities of the urban environment. Penne’s tendency towards fearfulness, which often left us guessing at the triggers of her anxiety, contrasted starkly with Joda’s unwavering cheerfulness, teaching us the value of perseverance.
It was Joda who consistently motivated Penne to emerge from her seclusion, enticing her with toys or her preferred treats. On one occasion, Penne’s leash slipped from our grasp during a walk, and she fled from us, too frightened to return as we attempted to approach her. In response, we released Joda’s leash, entrusting her to retrieve Penne. Demonstrating remarkable confidence, Joda gently guided Penne back to us, enabling us to secure her leash once more.
What lessons have you learned about pet care and companionship through your experience with your dogs?
As their guardians, we bear the responsibility to guide and protect them. Each dog is unique, possessing its own personality and identity, just like humans.
Investing effort into guiding your dog may not yield immediate outcomes; results could take weeks, months, or even years to manifest. However, the dedication is immensely rewarding because, for them, we are all they have.
For those contemplating adoption, I’d like to share advice based on my experience of welcoming new furry family members into my home. The process of adoption and caring for another being is gradual. As you familiarise yourself with them, they are simultaneously getting to know you. Remember, you’ve had time to adjust to city life; they haven’t. Your role is to guide, expose, protect, and educate them. The greatest gift you can provide is the confidence that the world is a safe and beautiful place, and as their guardian, you will ensure their well-being.
