Not necessarily. There are all kinds of dogs that need to be fostered for different reasons. There's a number that have been mistreated, neglected, not trained, etc. and have issues, but a lot are just normal dogs. There's a million and one reasons pets end up homeless. It can be as simple as the owner moving or even dying. The pets they've had for years now don't have a home.

If you've observed what appears to be a scarcity of rescue dogs that don't need training or are "issue-free," that's mostly because those dogs get adopted quickly. There's no reason for them to be fostered because they can get into a home right away.

If local shelters are full of dogs that don't click with a potential foster then foster-based rescues are a good place to look, since they don't have a physical shelter they should have dogs that are ready to adopt out that need fosters in addition to any with behavioral issues. Medical rescues as well - those pets can require more work but it's on the medical level and not the behavioral level. Those are often sweet and normal pets that just need extra attention. My easiest foster was a cat with a broken leg who literally just couldn't live in a cage. His extra required care was... living in my house.

I love rescue and fostering, but it's so important to do it right. Giving a dog with behavioral issues to a foster that is unable or unwilling to address them is obviously a recipe for disaster. A ~good~ rescue should make the effort to match a foster with a dog that suits them - that's how you adopt out happy, normal dogs!

Sorry, this turned into a bit of a rant.

Nope. The shelters know their dogs. Most dogs that are fostered are ones that have been through a behavioral assessment and are totally fine. They just need a place to go. I trained an Anatolian Shepherd who was terrible in the shelter because his breed was a guardian and being surrounded by "predators" had him on high alert at all times. I fostered him for a few weeks and he was the sweetest loaf. He was adopted shortly thereafter.

Another answer to your concern would be the short-term fostering. The shelter isn't going to put you with a dog that has big issues, but if you're still unsure, ask to take a dog out for a trip to Starbucks for a pup cup, or a walk around a new park. You can gradually work your way up with a longer field trip, then a sleepover, and then a weekend foster. Just take it at your own pace and know that you have an entire shelter there as support should you need it.

No dog is perfect. They all have their own personalities and quirks. The best trained golden retriever has likely destroyed a shoe or went counter surfing a time or two. The brilliant thing about these kinds of fosters is that you get to know this awesome new friend without having to commit yourself to months or years. When the dog returns, you can let the staff know some of those quirks and they can work on them with the pup to help make them more adoptable.

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Often time dogs who where strays and lived on the street have been so well socialized and jaded lol, they end up being the most chill dog ever.

Only problem is they can have a bit of a tendency to wander, they don't have that "where's mom?" Baby duck thing that dogs you have had since a puppy do.

It can be nice sometimes though, less seperation anxiety. You just have to always make sure they are on a leash