This
is what we are all about. When we place a dog in a great home, everyone
in the rescue is elated. Nothing feels better than helping our dogs
on their journey to find a forever home where they can love and be
loved.
We
thank every one of our adoptive families for opening their hearts
and homes to our dogs.
I am writing Magsr to let you know how much we love our new addition. It has been 7 months since we adopted Quinn and he fits right into our family as if he has always been here. He is a happy, affectionate shepherd who is loyal & protective of his family & property. His greatest trait is how well mannered & gentle he is with our children. As of late, Quinn has become very vocal, especially if we pack up to go without him. Although anxious about us leaving, he sits & awaits our return without ever acting out. Upon the girls retreating to bed, he curls up with you as he knows it is his alone time with mom & dad. Quinn is quite the charmer and loyal companion. Our life would be incomplete without him. We are truly lucky.
Deacon (Jethro) is doing very well. He is a beloved member of the Ahmad household. He loves going on walks around our neighborhood. He is a truly wonderful dog and a great addition to our family. He gets a bit spoiled by being fed natural dog food mixed in with stew that we cook up especially for him. He also gets to attend doggie-daycare 2-3 times per week.
Tamu celebrated her 11th birthday in July as well as her first hotel stay
Here are a few photos from our recent vacation together – Tamu and me on the deck at the lodge, Tamu checking the hotel’s mattress for comfort, and our senior MAGSR girl greeting folks in the lodge parking lot.
Consistently carsick through the years, Tamu tried a new herbal supplement for our four-hour drive to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water -- and it worked! She also broke in a light-weight -- almost flimsy -- canvas crate for our three-day stay, and that worked great as well.
Tamu met lots of new people and lots of new dogs on our mini-vacation. A corgi was bunking in the room to our left, and two husky mixes in the room to our right. Tamu even visited a nearby vineyard and winery which featured a resident yellow lab named Bacchus. The winery owner offered to sit with Tamu on the sundeck while I shopped inside, and later was shocked to learn that my senior MAGSR dog was 11 years old. She said she expected her to be about five!
Tamu came to me from MAGSR rated as not good with dogs, kids or cats. Since we’ve been together, Tamu participates in a weekly playgroup with five other dogs, has learned to take treats gently from children, but still sees his cat brother Linus as one big tasty snack! Not sure if we’ll ever have success to report on the feline front, but hope springs eternal.
We just wanted to give you an update on Roscoe who we adopted on Valentine's Day this year. Roscoe has adjusted very nicely and is such a wonderful dog! He gets along really with our two cats. They love to brush up against him and he even lets them drink out of his water bowl!
Roscoe is always happy. His tail wags from the moment he gets up in the morning till when he goes to bed at night. He loves to be around people and especially other dogs. He has tons of doggie friends in the neighborhood and spends lots of time playing with Izzy, our neighbor's yellow lab. They romp in the backyard when the weather is nice. The neighborhood children also come by to visit him and play.
Roscoe loves to go for car rides too. He comes with us to visit family in NJ and Ohio and loves all the new scenery, especially when there is a bunny included in that scenery! He passed his obedience training with flying colors and we are hoping to take him to advanced training this fall.
Thank you so much for rescuing Roscoe and helping to bring him into our lives. I attached some pictures of him or at least ones I could get. He is a little camera shy! We love him and he brings a smile to our faces every day.
I want to tell you how happy we are with our new companion, Max. He is so loveable and playful. He has a red ball and kong
that he likes to chase and catch. He listens so good for having him such a short time; and with the training of Mr. Manning, Max has done
fantastic. Max follows me everywhere I go. He likes me to sit with him when he eats. If I take a short nap, he sleeps in the bed with me...I
love it! We enjoy our walks to the park in our neighborhood several times a day.
He had a limp in his left front leg. We took him to an orthopedic doctor who did the surgery on Max, and he has recovered
nicely.
Silver has been a priceless addition to our family. He is a happy, goofy, but true-to-the-breed protector of his flock. More often than not providing a credible imitation o f Scooby Doo, he also is endlessly on alert at the front door, and no one approaches our door, or our young son, without getting the evil eye and plenty of warning. He greets us each morning with a thumping tail and a variety of grunts and whimpers that are unmistakably “hi everyone…did we all sleep well…who’s walking me today.” He has averted acts of aggression by other dogs (none of whom ever have ever shown any interest in a second tussle with him), but mostly he is a an overgrown puppy with us, especially with our son, now 5. He sleeps in his room, greets him daily with innumerable kisses after school, and readily engages in all manner of play. Silver is a tremendous athlete, jogging and walking companion to both mom and dad, and actually completed a 12 mile run in the winter. We cannot imagine life without him, and we are deeply grateful to MAGSR for saving his life and allowing us to adopt him. We miss our old dog, Sunny, and think of her often and fondly. But Silver is truly special…the very best of the world’s greatest breed. As the Lone Ranger used to say “Hi Yo, Silver!”
Thought I would send a few updated pictures of Yukon and Colleen (took them this morning). Both are doing great (as you can see). Colleen made it through her surgery well. We're watching closely for any returning lumps; but, so far, so good. Yukon and Colleen have become best buds but Colleen is definitely the leader of the two. Yukon is now doing a lot better with people. We have parties over here often and his biggest concern now is who he can get to throw the ball in the back yard for him. Hope you all are having a happy and safe 4th of July.
Hello everyone at MAGSR! My name is Tucker FKA Pancho. I never thought that I would have it this good. My life here at my new forever home is fantastic! I get to sleep in the bed and I even have my own bed. My crate is my little get away place when my family goes away for the day. It is quite comfy. My family is really great. Dad (aka Bob) is the alpha, he always plays with me and gives me spaghetti! It is so yummy! Mom (aka Rachel) takes care of me, she lets me outside at four in the morning and she gives me baths. The girl (aka Maria) is my playmate, she lets me chew her bear slippers and throws the ball for me. My sister (aka the Cat) is so much fun to chase. She often swats at me but when no one is looking she rubes up against me. I also learned how to play. I have so many toys and I just chew them up the second I get them. Over the last two months I went to puppy school, I learned so much. I was the dunce for awhile, and then I found my strong point which is playing!!! I met the love of my life at school and her name is Tess. She is a pretty girl and loves to play with me. I am also doing better at meeting new people ( as long as they are smaller than me). I have found my voice and I love singing with the girl. We both have pretty voices. One of my new found hobbies is chasing lightning bugs around the yard. I also enjoy trying to fit in the smallest possible spaces. Two things that scare me are the monster (aka the vacuum) and the POOL!
I’m working at being the best dog I can be and I just love my new life and family. Thanks MAGSR for finding me a wonderful home!
During the Summer of 2007, my husband and I went to a MAGSR facility to find a companion for our very active Shepherd mix, Lance. Lance had the opportunity to meet several of the dogs and ended up picking an 8-month old Shepherd/Rottweiler mix called Sergio, who we named Elliott. Honestly, we were pretty skeptical of Lance's choice. Elliott was beyond shy. Just about anything would send him running for cover. Any type of large movement scared him. Noises louder than a whisper scared him. The dishwasher, washing machine, and the doorbell scared him. Papers on my desk scared him. Dog toys and chewies really scared him. And men, particularly tall ones, were particularly frightening. For the first month, we couldn't even look at him, never mind touch him without him "high-tailing" it. During the first six months, if we let him outside to play/potty, he would refuse to come back inside unless we left the door open and went to another part of the hourse where he couldn't see us (and it would sometime take hours of him standing by the open door and looking in but refusing to come inside). Taking him to the vet was hugely traumatic. I dispaired that he would ever become anything resembling a "normal" dog. But love and patience and more love gradually made the difference. Here we are two years later, and Elliott is the most loving, gentle-spirited, obedient dog you could imagine. He is my velcro dog, following me every where I go and giving me hundreds of "drive-by" licks every day. He loves to be hugged and allows my husband to pick him up. He rough-houses and chases a ball (and brings it back!). Now when I'm washing dishes or clothes, he's right there with me "helping." When it's time to go to to the vet, he's the first one at the door and the first one in the car. He knows many hand signals, as well as voice commands and is always happy to do what he's asked. His severe shyness has miraculously transformed to exuberant rambunctiousness. His favorite trick is to leap into the air (all 75 lbs of him) and plant a kiss on my check, without touching me with the rest of his body. He and Lance chase each other and wrestle for hours. As I write this, he is contentedly lying at my feet, looking up every so often to give me "love eyes." Thank you MAGSR for our wonderful dog!!
Greeting MAGSR folks! Chuck and I adopted Layla about two months ago when Chuck got out of the Army.
We are all doing great. Layla has put on almost ten pounds and is now within a healthy weight range, according to her vet. She is such a
happy, spoiled pooch. We’ve settled in to a nice routine: She hops onto the bed to snuggle with Chuck while I get ready for work
(so unfair!). Chuck walks her and works with her on obedience training and her separation anxiety during the day. We go for a family walk
once I get home and then sit in the fenced in area in front of our apartment building with our neighbors and their dogs. She snuggles with us
on the bed when we watch TV at night, frequently on her back (better for the belly rubs) and eventually decides there’s not enough room and
hops down into her own bed for a long night’s sleep. She goes to doggie day care one day a week to get extra exercise and doggie socialization
and to give Chuck a chance to run errands. She really doesn’t like to be left alone, but we’re working on that and it’s getting better every day.
It’s Sarah, formerly Sara, formerly Sicely. My new family changed the spelling of my name so it would be like my cousins in the picture – Elijah, Azariah, and Anaiah – GET IT. First I’d like to thank all the volunteers, at the Mid Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue, for helping me. It’s been 24 hours since my adoption and I am loving life. Right now I am dictating to my new mom while I lie beside her under the fans –oohhh cooool. Yesterday, I rode all the way to my brother’s house in a gold SUV. I love this family soooo much that I did not want to lie on my new mat in the back, so I jump over the seat and squeezed in between the car seats for the kids and laid beside the baby. They love me so much that we even stopped so I could go to the bathroom so that I would be comfortable on the long ride home.
After we got to my brother’s house I wanted to make sure they knew what they were doing so I misbehaved a little, but they showed me how to get special treats and hugs by behaving. So far, my family knows I love the kids; I know the difference between my toys and theirs, and I know how to take food from them. Oh yeah I almost forgot. I went for a long run with my sister – she’s in great shape.
After I left my brother’s house, I went to my new house. My new mom had set –up my new dish with food, new bed, new toys and a dental bone - WOW. I played with my new toy in the living room then Mommy realized I would have more space in the basement. Next, mommy tried to get me to eat, but I did not want my dog food, so mommy had to give me some treats until she changed my dog food to another brand – UUMMM HUMMY!!!. She said dog food is the best for me in order to continue to be fit and trim. Last night, my mommy walked me three whole times. She and I learned how to walk on the leash. She is eager to take me to training so she can learn more. After our walks, I laid on my bed with my new bone; I chewed and chewed and chewed and chewed some more. It was great. My mom says I am soooo smart, I just think I can do anything I want. She bought me that new expensive bed but I wanted to take all the space and sleep with her on her bed. We negotiated and I finally went to sleep.
The next morning, Mommy hurried to put on her clothes to take me on a long walk. I loved the new smells and the sounds. She walked me twice before she went to the gym. While she was at the gym, my brother surprised us by coming by; he wanted to make sure the backyard was cut because I do not walk in long grass. I also met one of my new neighbors; she was really nice. At first I was snooty but then I realized she was worthy of my attention. Well that’s it for now. Mommy is taking me to Petco to see what treats I like. THANKS AGAIN MAGSR!!!!!
Sorry you have not heard from us in such a long time! We (the Ross family) adopted our Beau 5/25/08. What a wonderful 12 months its been! Beau is the best thing i could have ever asked for.
He is completely different from the dog you probably remember. The scared, skinny, timid little pup you matched us up with has done a complete 180! You wouldn't believe that his ribs are no longer visible, his coat now shiny and soft, and how he grew 4 inches taller! When we brought him home he literally inhaled his food. To battle this problem we purchased a chambered bowl to slow him down, many months later this food crazed dog was suddenly very picky. In between multiple visits and calls to the vet, we switched foods trying to find the perfect flavor thinking that he was just a VERY picky eater. When nothing seemed to make him interested in ANY food (we tried hot water, wet dog food, plain yogurt). We got worried. Finally, we figured out that he had an acid stomach. This condition made his appetite disappear, when he didn't eat the acid level increased and when the acid level increased he did not want to eat. To counteract this vicious circle we started giving him costco brand acid reducers, the problem disappeared. We still had to deal with the mental barriers he was facing, he thought that it was his right to get a special dinner! Just recently he has started eating plain, dry kibbles. Currently he is Merrick Wilderness Blend. His stool is still a problem, he takes an anti-diarrhea pill with each meal to keep that lovely stool firm! We also give him a cup of plain yogurt everyday to help his digestive system.
As far as training goes he is doing well. We immediately started going to arrowwood shepherds for training a few weeks after we adopted him. For 4 months Beau attended training nearly every Sunday. When school started up it was harder to get over to Wes's house every weekend, however to keep his mind fresh i worked with him on his recalls, extended stays, and 'heel' everyday. We plan to get started up again soon. Beau is doing terrific with his obedience.
His timid attitude toward life is receding. His fearful behavior is almost a thing of the past. Recently, he has started approaching strangers something he would never do. The cowering, tail tucked behavior is also gone. This Beau is nearly fearless. On average, he gets about 2 miles of walking everyday. All this exercise gives him a lean, muscular build. He still eats the 4 cups a day he started out on! He definitely benefits from the time spent out of the house and the exercise. Every time i walk him people stop me to admire my 'BEAUtiful dog'! All in all, Beau has blossomed into a rambunctious, curious, witty, intelligent, cuddly, friendly 2 year old.
I wish you could see him now! Beau really opened our eyes to the world of scared dogs and their need for love and stability. We as a family are interested in helping other dogs of this nature.
If you all get word of any skinny, scared dogs please do not hesitate to contact us as we would LOVE to help another shepherd overcome the fear and anxiety he or she may be plagued with. Thanks for everything!
Hi everyone! I am writing because today marks three years since I found my forever home and we are celebrating my fifth birthday today. My mommy and daddy can't believe that I am already five, they always say that it seems like just yesterday that I got into their car and stretched alllllll the way out, pushing my 78 pound brother into a tiny corner. What a happy day for all of us.
I have had a great year and wanted to share some of my favorite moments. Last spring I joined a team with my brother, mommy, and daddy and did the MS Walk in Boston. My uncle was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis three years ago and I thought it was important to do something to support him. My team surpassed our fundraising goal and I heard something about a cute picture of me on our team website having something to do with it. I included a picture of me in my personalized team bandana, it even has my name on it! It was a great day.
I had another fun summer, since my mommy works at a school I got to spend a lot of time with her and got to have extra long morning hikes. I continue to be an excellent swimmer, although I did have one incident.... for anyone who remembers me, I express a lot of what I am feeling and thinking with my tail. It is always wagging and spinning around in circles for one reason or another. One summer day my parents noticed that it wasn't wagging, it was just hanging straight down. They were very worried and took me to the vet. The vet asked a lot of questions and checked me over and finally asked my mommy if I swam a lot. She said that I swim every single day and because I love it so much, my tail is wagging the whole time I am in the water. Well, I left the vet's office that day with a diagnosis of, get this, "swimmer's tail"! Wow, I had never even heard or that, and my mommy and daddy couldn't stop laughing. At least they weren't worried anymore, they knew that I just needed some time to rest my tail since I had been working it so much.
There has been a lot of excitement at my house recently and my mommy and daddy have been bringing a lot of new things here for "the babies." They keep telling me that I am going to be a big sister soon and Bart will be a big brother, but the things that they bring home don't look like they are for any four legged baby that I have ever seen! Every one keeps talking about "the twins" and that they are coming in May, maybe I will be able to tell you more about it when I write next year. I am sad because my mommy's doctor won't let her walk us anymore, but my grandmother comes over to walk me and Bart, my daddy walks us after work, and sometimes some of our dog park friends come and pick up me and Bart for a walk - that is really fun!
I hope all of the dogs that are in MAGSR realize how lucky they are to be part of such a wonderful family that continues even after they find their forever home. Thank you all for the love that you gave me while I was living in the kennel and for seeing my potential to be the dog that I am today.
Hi my name is Kayla. Joey and I adopted Nadia a while back. I would like to give you guys a progress report. Nadia is doing
well. She put on a few pounds since we got her. She is the sweetest dog I have ever known. Shegreets everyone with a waggy tail. She is definatly getting better
on not jumping up. She loves to play and seems to go and go. She loves allanimals. I once found a kitten in the alley and before it took a tragic trip to the
spca Nad got to see it. She just looked at it almost like she wanted to play. She quickly understood that this was not a playmate. While still curious she
behaved herself very well. As for food it suprises me every time. Joe and I are known to leave a plate unattended and Nad will not even touch it. She will sit
on the opposite side of the room and watch it but never touch it. While she sheds like crazy I do not mind. I may joke about it but otherwise I love her too
much to let this get in the way. She loves to sit in my lap particularly, especially when I am on the loveseat lol. She will crawl into my lap and proceed to
go belly up and just lay there content as ever. She has had a lot of toys too. Too say the toys last long would be a lie. Her kong toy is one of very few that
actually lasts more than a fewminutes. Suprisingly she favors the kong and material toys that have no stuffing, just the wool or something she really likes
grabbing these and just throwing them around or playing tug-of-war. Just for reference I timed her when I gave her a braided rope toy with a small rubber ball
on the end. I gave it to her around 6 or 7pm and by 10 it was in peices all around the bed, smaller than an inch size peices lol so needless to say we now know
what not to get her lol. She loves rawhides but these are something that is rarely given to her. In fact she is chewing one now and hasn't had one for about a
couple of weeks. Joey has friends over quite a bit and one of those friends brought with her a 1 year old child. Nadia was as sweet as could be, if not a little
energetic. Still she was nothing but nice. At night time she cuddles up next to Joey and he holds her, its soo cute I even snapped a picture of it one morning.
When she needs to be corrected she quickly listens. I never heard her growl, well except in play and even that sounds meek. In fact I can't find any faults for
nadia. She is as sweet as can be. I always mess with her like sticking my hands in the food bowl, or grabbing treats from her and she just looks at me odd and
listens. Thank-you for letting us get Nadia. I love her alot and so does Joey. We deeply appreciate everything you have done for her.
In December of 2005 a Christmas card was sent from MAGSR. It was a card with a picture of Moscow in front of a Christmas tree. Having recently lost my beloved Gentle Ben the thought of another German Shepherd was out of the question. Though I carried the Christmas card with me and periodically glanced at the picture. As time passed and I found myself admiring that handsome gentle giant on the card more and more I decided it was time to give Moscow a chance.
I looked at a number of Shepherds up for adoption trying to replace my Ben. Quickly, I came to the realization that there would never be a true replacement for him as Ben could never be replace my Lilly. You see replacing one we loved is simply not possible. Replacing a void in our lives and hearts is possible.
Eventually, I was introduced to Moscow by one of his many supporters a Mr. Bill Meyers. As with Lilly and Ben I know love at first sight was real. Bending down to pet Moscow I immediately knew from his big brown eye look that we needed each other. Within 30 seconds I stood looking at Moscow and Moscow looking at me. I said "He is the one".
On a cold rainy April day in 2006 he came to his forever home. While driving I told him "No more bad days!". As our bond became stronger he was enrolled in Basic Obedience and graduated top of the class receiving a High school diploma, Oct 19, 2006. We further bonded and he was off to college receiving his Advanced obedience diploma, January 4, 2007. Once again top of his class, a Bachlors Degree. Due to his outstanding performance on January 8, 2007 he received a AKC/CGC certification, a PHD. As time passed we deceided to attend Medical school and on March 3, 2009 he was given certification by Pets on Wheels, his MD. Now he visits nursing homes, retirement homes and works to his fullest potential of helping those in need. I always knew he was a special Shiloh Shepherd and I guess we were meant to be. See we both believed in the beauty of our Dreams, Now we will forever Dream together.
I just wanted to let you know that Mia is doing awesome. She is having so much fun with the boys. Sammy is having the time of his life with her. She is so gentle with him and he plays with her constantly. She still loves Alex. She follows him everywhere. She and Tasha have come to an understanding and they are getting along very well. Better than I had expected. Tasha has decided that Mia is okay. Thanks again for everything. We are still so thrilled to have her. We love her with all our hearts.
Over two years ago now, on a chilly November day, I was walking down the boardwalk
next to the Atlantic Ocean when my best friend, Joe, asked me what I wanted for
Christmas. I shocked myself with my reply, "I want a dog, a German Shepherd." I
shocked Joe as well. I hadn't had a pet in years. And as far as dogs go, I never
really considered myself a "dog person" even though I had grown up with them. But
the thought of a German Shepherd had been playing around in my head for sometime
now. This was the first time I had voiced it out loud to anyone.
It didn't take me long to start researching this wonderful breed and trying to
locate the right doggie for me. I knew alot of time and work would be involved and
I wanted to make sure I was up for it. I also knew that this was a step that
shouldn't be taken lightly, especially for an inexperienced dog owner. If I was
going to adopt, I wanted to be sure I would be the best "daddy" I could for my new
doggie.
A few weeks later, while at work, one of my co-workers asked me if I had considered
adopting a rescue dog instead of a puppy. I said I hadn't, but liked the idea. My
friend Kim, who is a wiz with the computer, found MAGSR and Archer in a flash.
Archer was a rescue from neglect in Virgina not far from the North Carolina border.
Him and his brothers & sisters didn't have proper shelter, enough food or any
medical care. The minute I saw him and read his story I knew he was the one for
me. I did however check out the rest of the doggies for adoption but kept coming
back to Archer. There was just something about him. That same day I filled out the
adoption papers and sent them off and then waited.
A short time after, in December, I had the phone and home interview and before I
knew it I was approved. But, to my disappointment, Archer had been adopted. I was
happy for him but sad for me. I took one last look at his profile and picture one
night and said to my computer screen, "if you ever find yourself in need of a home I
will be right here waiting for you buddy." Then I said two prayers. One to God and
one to Mrs. Marie Laveau.
By now it was February, and I was still searching for a doggie, but only
half heartedly, when on my way out the door one morning the phone rang. It
was Christie from MAGSR Adoptions, Archer had been returned. The next words out of
my mouth were, "when can I pick my boy up?" Christie asked if I wanted to know what
he had been returned for. I surprised her when I told her he had probably bit at
his owners. Christie asked me how I could have possibly known that. I just smiled
to myself and said it didn't matter to me what he was returned for. No dog, like
humans, are perfect, and if Archer had issues I would be willing to work that out
through training and by giving him a good loving home...for life.
That coming weekend I was off to Columbia, MD, to the home of Mrs. Candice
Bagroski, President of MAGSR who was fostering Archer. The minute I met Archer I
knew he was the one for me. He was happy, bouncy, goofy and every where at once.
Full of personality and life. All I could do was laugh at him. I had the right
doggie. And, to add to my delight, Archer had two different color eyes, just like
me!
That was 2 years ago this February. Archer, my son, couldn't be a better companion
in my opinion. He passed his obedience training with flying colors, gets along well
with other animals, a great watch dog, and has never even shown a tooth to me or
the other members of my family, let alone trying to bite. I couldn't be happier
with having adopted a return that had an issue and just needed a little extra time,
training and love to show him the right way.
Needless to say that Archer is a very spoiled boy but within healthy limits. He is
the apple of his daddy's eye and has been very therapeutic for me as well. Since
the night Archer came into my home, the nightmares I have had on and off since I was
in my early 20's stopped.
Archer now spends his days exploring the 6 acre farm we live on, taking naps
on "our" king size bed, chasing cats and anything else that moves, and helping my
mother not get to bored during her retirement years.
Archer and I would both like to say a special thank you to all the people at MAGSR
that helped him find his forever home. Mrs. Candice Bagroski for her assistance,
day or night, for answering training and health questions. Christie in Adoptions
for remembering someone out there was interested in Archer. And last but not least,
my mother, Susan, (Archers' grandmother) for taking such good care of Archer when
I'm away from home. Thank y'all very much!
The little boy from Virginia who was returned has found his forever home.
We lost our 14 year old GSD in January of 08. At first we could not imagine trying to replace our first dog but after 6 months the house/family just didn’t seem complete.
We adopted Apache May 24, 2008. He has been with us for 8 months and we could not imagine life without him.
He is a so much fun to be with especially when he is in play mode.
He loves to fetch, to play in the river, to play in the snow but most of all he loves his walks.
His favorite toy is his massive HONK, HONK!
He is a very big part of our family.
We appreciate what MAGSR does for all of the dogs and families!
What a great joy Sheba brings to our life! In our first year, we have learned she likes to play with frisbies & chase logs, short walks, car rides whenever possible, bouncy balls, playing catch, doggie treats, cat food, opening packages delivered by UPS and being with her Dad. She has trained us to prepare the house when we leave as she might turn into a goat and check out the laundry or trash cans or clean out the cat dish!!! She is trying to convince me that her food is much tastier if we play ball before and as she eats at 6 am!
Sheba is the most intelligent, gracious, loving, loyal and obedient GSD companion. We love her to pieces. She is happiest when with the family. Weekends are great because we get to hang out. She has won the hearts of our family ... ages 7 weeks to 81 years old.
We will be celebrating Sheba’s birthday on February 2nd , our adoption anniversary. She is a healthy, loving and kind girl. Please know that we are truly grateful to MAGSR for rescuing Sheba and allowing us to adopt her.
Hi Dugan here! I've been living with my new mommy since February 2008 and I thought, since it's getting close to my 1-year anniversary, that it would be a good time for me to provide you with an update of how I'm doing. Well, in a word, I am DOING GREAT! Oh, that's four words isn't it? Well anyway, it was a cool day this past February when my mommy came to the kennel with the intent of meeting, and perhaps adopting, my shelter mate, Clancy. Lucky for me, my mommy was hesitant about Clancy since he was literally bouncing off of the kennel walls and making a whole mess of noise. I was housed next to Clancy so, I played it real cool. I trotted back and forth between my indoor and outdoor run so she would see just how handsome I was! I may have given a quick "wooff" or two but I showed that I was a calm and cool kind of fella.
The nice MAGSR rescue lady, Marion, convinced my mommy to meet me and we did in the grassy area in front of the kennel. I was very quiet and I showed that I could walk nicely on a leash. Marion and my mommy took me to the outdoor play area where a ball was thrown for me – well, it had been so long since I played with any toys I didn't quite know what was expected of me so I just watched the ball as it sailed away from me. Fortunately for me, that didn't seem to dissuade my new mom from learning more about me. She learned that I was found in an abandoned building in Baltimore and that I probably hadn't eaten in a while because my spine could be felt through my fur. I had been with the nice folks from the rescue and kennel for only about one week. No one knows how long I was alone in that building and it is a memory that I choose to forget.
Well, lucky for me, mommy decided to adopt me and I went to my new forever home. I must admit, although I was on my best behavior in the house (not one accident – ever!) the first few weeks were a little rough for my new mom. I got a little beside myself and started to show a little aggression towards other humans. I didn't like anyone coming near us. My mom was willing to work with me and so we went to Arrow wood Shepherds for obedience training. However, I acted crazy again. I growled and barked viciously at Wes, the trainer, and his wife, Rebecca. There were even some nice folks from MAGSR in the class and they were astounded by my acting out, however no one was more surprised and distressed than my mom. I guess I was unsure of myself and my new mom, as great as she is, had not yet established (in my mind anyway) that she was alpha and the boss of me.
Wes took care of that real quick! He trained my mom and taught her how to handle a big, alpha boy such as myself and after 12-weeks of training we are now the perfect couple! I know that she is the boss and I have not acted out again. People can pet me, visit us in the house, and I am even calm and polite around children! I have become a perfect gentleman. Although, just between me and you….I still think that small furry creatures: squirrels, rabbits, cats, are fair game and have been put on this earth for me to chase. For example, my mom didn't share my enthusiasm for the vole I had caught in the backyard. I was pretty proud of myself considering I had been stalking the darn thing for a week! Anyway, I just didn't understand why she screeched so loud and made me drop it even after she saw that I was happily chomping on it. What was the problem? Maybe I should have asked her if she wanted some. Well, mom threw the vole over the back fence and I never saw it again. Humphff!
These are just a few stories but I hope that you get a sense that I am so very happy and so very, very loved. Mom and I walk for 1 hour every, single day. I love my house, my neighborhood, my neighbors -- although at first there were a few crazies who thought that my mom was walking a wolf -- I don't look like a wolf! Oh, well, where was I? Oh, I LOVE my fenced-in backyard, my toys, my own food bowls, my doggy beds, napping on my back, snuggling with my mom, and my 9pm, "right before bed", treat! Yes! Who invented the 9pm treat?! Thank you!
I thank everyone at MAGSR for taking me in and caring for me. I will never forget the kindness and compassion you showed me. I especially thank Marion, who convinced my mom to "just take a look" at me and Candice who provided my mom with encouraging words when I was acting out. It is my wish that all of my fellow GSDs will find a loving forever home just as I have.
I have posted a few pictures of me in various stages of happiness! Thanks everyone! Love, Dugan.
"Sending wishes for joyous holiday. Leo (fka Torcan - one of Cassidy's babies) is wonderful. He's 78 pounds and a bundle of love and energy. He loves to work for his treats and he adores his tennis balls!! We just love him. Thank you for all your kindness and care. We'll never forget all you did for the babies. Matt, Nancy, Sophia, Jack and Cecilia."
I am writing MAGSR to tell you how wonderful Roxie has been to us. She has gotten so tall and so big that we cant believe she is only 11 months old. Roxie is now taller then our other dog Lilly. Roxie went to the vet recently and the scale says she is 78 pounds. We can not believe how much progress roxie has made over the past months. She used to chew everything up but that was expected, now she rarely chews things up. She sleeps out of her crate now and we are trying to keep her out all day. We are pleased to say that Roxie is a great addition to the Stone family!
Merry Christmas! Attached is a photo of Cinder, who we adopted from you in 2003? What a wonderful addition to our family she has turned out to be. Below is my current address for you files.
She is over 50 lbs now. She is very sweet and smart. She was housebroken very quickly. She finished her basic puppy training in late summer. We are planning more in spring, she does well with small group or one on one training. She eats well but is a picky eater and likes lamb and salmon and teddy graham crackers as treat. :) She likes playing 'fetch' with the kids and Kayla, Draco and Marika are her friends!
Just wanted to drop you and your wonderful organization an update on how well Magnum is thriving in his "forever home". He adores his two feline brothers, Oscar and Dozer, as if they were born right there beside him. They too are rescued animals that happened upon our lives like a blessing. He tends to bathe them when approached. You've never seen anything as funny as a 90lb GS chasing an eight pound cat up the stairs and then to have that same cat in return chasing the dog right back down the stairs. It is quite a sight. He loves going out back and playing "Run it" which is a time when we have him sit in front of us and when told to "run it" he hauls tail out to the extent of the property and comes right back and sits on my feet. Although he is getting a bit heavy for that game, maybe I will have to teach him to sit beside me instead of right on my feet. But I have included photos to show how his progress is in size and girth. And as you can see he is not afraid to share his bed with his brothers. We will try to keep you updated on all of the new happenings in his life. We thank you again for allowing him to choose us as his parents and his forever home. We will try to make a visit sometime with him, I am sure he will truely enjoy that.
Well it's Christmas time and my mom said that I should let you all know how I'm doing in my new home, especially to my foster mom who I'm sure misses me. I'm quite a cutie and I cant imagine it was easy to let me go. I've been about 4 months now in my new home with my mom, dad, kitten sister, and brother (also a MAGSR alum) Baxter (fka Gordie -- one of Marissa's puppies).
My family loves me soooo much (except the kitten, but I just CANT STOP chasing her). I am absolutely spoiled rotten. I spend my time running with mom or dad, playing in the woods and in the field, wrestling with my brother, and cuddling. I have so many toys. I melt like butter in my mom's arms. I curl up right next to her and she sleeps with her face nuzzled in my neck hugging me like a stuffed animal. I even got to see santa yesterday! I have learned that belly rubs are nice and that it's a good thing my mom has two hands because my brother likes them too. We get our bellies done every morning. And who knew -- shepherd's can swim! My brother is way more a lab than a shepherd, so I am trying to teach mom & dad the true meaning of being a shepherd. I chew, bounce and misbehave with only the grace of a shepherd. And when I get in trouble? I fluff up my fuzzy shepherd face and look at them with my big brown eyes and know that eventually I'll get kisses. Oh, how I love to chase that kitten.....
I am 3 weeks into puppy kindergarden classes with dad and I am the shining star of the class! The instructors are all so impressed with my "attentiveness" -- whatever that means. All I know is that when dad stands there waving food around, of course I pay attention. I have a HUGE appetite and if mom & dad aren't careful, my big shepherd nose might land right on their plate!
Thank you to everyone for bringing me my family. I dont think a puppy can be more loved than me, no matter how much I misbehave. I am sending you my christmas picture as well as my brother's christmas picture and someof us at the beach. Happy holidays to my foster mom and everyone else at MAGSR. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
We can’t express enough how much we love our beautiful furry family! Shane and Danica Marie bring us so much joy! They’re very happy and thriving. b Shane is eight now and is a Momma’s Boy; he’s always by my side and ‘thinks’ he’s a lap dog, at 110 lbs he is one big gorgeous “baby” boy to have sitting on my lap! He loves to snuggle and play with Danica; this union could not have worked out any better.
Danica Marie will turn three soon. She is a delight – she’s beautiful, playful and perky. Quite the firecracker she is, just like her namesake! She loves to play with her big brother, and when she isn’t jumping all over him, she’s busy chasing squirrels around the deck on weekend mornings.
We hope you enjoy our recent pictures.
Have a wonderful holiday season and a blessed New Year,
Quick update on Caleb (fka Kedar) adopted in May 2001. Really hard to believe that it’s been seven years! He is and always has been fantastic. It’s great to have a big giant dog to scare away any potential bad guys, while at the same time, a super marshmallow with friends and family. He even allowed us to bring a new cat into the house two years ago. It’s laughable that I was once worried about whether adopting a full grown dog was a good idea. I wasn’t sure he would attach to us. HA – he follows all of us around wherever we are in the house. Up & down the stairs on laundry day, out to the pool over the summer, in the yard during the fall. So if you are a potential adopter – don’t let that worry stop you. Now the hair is another thing……people warned me but I didn’t believe them J
Its Fluke! I am writing you as it is my annual update time, around
Thanksgiving! A lot has been going on, I've gained some weight and lost it
from this super diet "Jason" has me on, he tells me its because the
doctor said so... well Dr. Ward is right- im feeling much much better now, and I
still have my shiney coat! Jay brushes me all the time because I have this
really thick Lab/GSD coat, that seems to be shedding all the time.. we have it
down to making pillows with it, lol haha woof!! My big brother Dakota is doing
awesome for 15 years old, he still plays with me; like a 'yahoo' as Jay
calls us when we are jogging around the yard!! Our cousin Reiley comes and
visits thats Jason's sisters black lab, he's real cool and all three get
along, most of the time Dakota just goes into the house- kinda like thank
goodness I can take a break now! Woof! My training is less and less now, I have
to advise Jay has really made me learn and now I am broken of my nipping act
that I did, I just got tired of hearing the word "NO" so i just
stopped completely. Last month some rather sad news, I had to go into surgery
for a tooth, it was okay, I didnt like the drugs at all... they are nasty... I
was playing tug o war with a rope with the knots in the ends with Dakota and i
was offset from a straight line and it did a number on my premolar on my right
lower jaw. Dr Ward had fixed me up and Jay said that was my Christmas present, a
new smile! He was kidding- we sent a new picture, hope you can post it. Happy
Holidays - write you all soon. Woof Woof!
Simply,
Fluke
and... Jason (Dad) Smith, Sparrows Point, Md
Hogan is doing well. We were at the vet last Monday for his update on shots and Hogan weighs 101 pounds. He is very good w/Tom and me but we are still working on him w/other people. The trainer I told you about said he will help w/exposure for him. Otherwise Hogan is very happy, he is always wagging his tail. He is never down. He is like you said, very lazy in the evenings, that is his rest time.
Here's a pic of Hogan in a pile of leaves that I raked in the side yard; he likes to play in them before I collect them.
Kaiser has been so sweet. Amazingly, all the elementary school kids at the bus stop in the morning love to see him. He is very gentle with them. Of course, that is why we picked him, because he was so gentle with all the new people and dogs at the Arundel Mills Petsmart in September.
Also, although we always take him out a lot of times during the day because Tjen is home, he still will occasionally "forget" to ask us to take him out to do his business. But on the whole, he has been so nice.
We have had Griffin for a year and a half now. He got along so well with our two cats that we allowed to him to adopt a stray kitten that followed us around. Then we got some minature donkeys. We soon had a baby boy donkey andGriffin just loves to play with him. So here are some pictures of Griffin on the farm with his cat Minoi and his donkey pal Jacob.
We’ve been owing you an update for a long time. It was a busy spring and summer for Kurt, Warren and me. We have some medical info to share that may help others in the future. This spring we took Warren to the vets because he went completely lame in one leg- the vets ran Lyme tests and he was found positive (for a 2nd time! Same indicator as the 1st time- limping/ lame, but different leg). We put him on the meds, but he did not respond well. He was totally listless and losing weight rapidly. The vets then diagnosed him with Hip Displasia, but that although the X-rays clearly showed Displasia, the worst hip with arthritis was his right hip, and he was not standing on his left. The vet said the amount of deterioration in either didn’t seem to be consistent with Warren ’s severe lameness, and sudden onset. He felt they were possibly missing something more severe. They referred us to an orthopedic surgeon and specialist- He thought perhaps in addition to the Displasia we had a tumor, cancer or torn ACL.
At the orthopedist, the Dr. diagnosed him with a condition called Panosteitis. Basically, a grand and severe case of “growing pains.” It is a temporary condition in the bones that will go away by the time he is about 3. It may have even been the cause of his lameness when we discovered the Lyme disease- though if it was, thank heavens, because we never would have known about the Lyme! In the interim, he will face sudden onsets of pain, lameness, listlessness, loss of appetite- but the pain is treated well with meds, and will take about a week or so with each onset. He will eventually outgrow it all together- Apparently Panosteitis is difficult to diagnosis because when it strikes, it moves from leg to leg- one time it may be a front leg, one time may be a rear leg, one time it may be severe and the dog won’t walk at all, other times you just notice limping.
I wanted to let you know about our experience in case it helps other owners. We were told Sheppards are particularly prone. We are just very relieved that we know what it is and have the pain killers to treat him when it flares up. Other than those 2 bouts, he has been as puppy-like and silly as ever.
I’ve attached some recent photos.
Just a quick note about Zach. We are so proud of our little,
well...not so little anymore, guy. Last week Zach joined his fur
brother Mike earning his AKC canine good citizen (CGC)! His personality
has really blossomed, we plan on testing for his therapy dog international
(TDI) certification when he gets a little older - the world is still just
a bit too exciting to be that calm around new people for more than a few
minutes! We'll get there - all in good time. In the mean time Zach enjoys
helping me teach the 'manenrs' classes at the obedience center, sharing his
wisdom with the new doggies :)
We seem to have found a good combination of medications and
food for him. Most days his orthopedic problems don't seem to keep him from
doing too much. Cold and rainey days seem to be a bit uncomfortable for him.
We have his irritable bowel syndrome pretty well controlled also. He is now
holding his weight - about 92 pounds at last check. The vet would like to see
another 5 pounds on him - he has a REALLY big frame - so much for stunded growth!
Zach has grown in to a really sweet, mellow fellow. It's hard to believe that it
has been a year and a half, we couldn't imagine our family without him.
I am Roxie's (fka Dolly) mother. She is now 7 months old and still
as playful as ever. Her ears aren't up but she looks cuter with them
down. She is bigger than my other dog Lilly. Roxie is now about 60
to 65 pounds. She is loving life and loves chasing my cat Cutie-Pie.
Everyone gets along though.
Hogan is finished with his training. He had his graduation last nite. He is excellent at the obedience he just is not so yet w/his attitude towards others. He is great with Tom and me, but strangers not so yet. We are still working with him, so don't worry!! Linda loved him and said that he was too smart for his own good. He tried to command every class. But at least he was the best! He is just not ready to move on to off the leash training due to his aggression. He is not aggressive with us. We just love him to death.
Sinbad is doing extremely well. He and Heidi get along great. Sinbad watches
out for me and Heidi. He is putting on weight and is about 68-69lbs now. I just
put both dogs on a raw food diet and they love it. Sinbad is doing great in his
search and rescue training and he seems to enjoy it. Funny, Sibad is a rescued dog and
he might one day rescue someone. Everyone who meets him thinks he is so handsome.
They also love to watch him move because he is so graceful. You can not help to
crack up when he plays the way he leaps and bounds around. He finished his obedience
class with flying colors about a month ago. He just got all of his shots. He is
getting comfortable now and his personality has changed a bit in the last month and he
is a lot of fun. They make a great looking pair. He has recently gotten free roam of
the house with Heidi during the day. I think he is truly happy here. John Aiken
Just wanted to give everyone on Trixie's first born, Cream Puff (Lexi).
Her first birthday is here and she had a party! We had a visitor, Sam
for a couple days who was there for the festivities (everyone had a
special bone). She is now 70 lbs, and very strong. Cream Puff is a
lovely dog, very mellow and great with everyone. In fact she has to say
hello to everyone, the social butterfly. She really loves her sister,
Leela, and they play constantly. Their favorite thing to do is wrestle
while we are out for our daily walks. Cream Puff is usually the
instigator!
Patty, thanks for giving her a great start. I am so impressed with the
work everyone does for all of the dogs.
Greetings from Sparrows Point Maryland MAGSR family...
its Fluke with a my bi-yearly update. Its my new dad's birthday today! He turned 29 and seems like i send these updates on his birthday, haha! My new life is good. I have learned a lot from dad (Jason) and my brother Dakota (Flukes GSD brother from another mother, lol) on disicipline and family structure. My new life doesnt consist of staying cooped up in a crate or locked up in a house... Im outside enjoying the plush green grass and water, and sand between my paws! Dad takes us both to the park near the house, this is my new favorite place to walk and exercise. Jason lets both of us off the leash, Dakota and I keep only a 10' distance from Dad, while walking we are always looking back at him for commands if he may choose to tell us something! He is awesome... I have learned that jumping up on people is a waste of energy, and have been tapped on the nose too many times to do it anymore. SMILES... and also i mirrored my brother on how he walks on a leash.. I am not anxious to get off anymore because I know I am not tied to it (the leash) for life... Its good to be here, life is good and I am sooo happy. Oooo...before i forget, since Jason has adopted me, he has been rubbing my 'floppy' ears, I am proud to tell you all that my ears are starting to become pointed like Dakotas, a true GSD look, im so excited to tell you this... when i hear a new distinquished noise or someone i dont know approaches the gates, they pop up, its so cool!! Well its time to go to work, guarding the house and yard with big brother Dakota, hope everyone is as happy as I am, stay happy live happy! Fluke Smith typed and translated by Dad (Jason)
Dear Nancy: Thanks you so much for the wonderful surprise package that came yesterday. Lady loves her new toy and spent time playing with it in the backyard last night. Lady is really settling in beautifully. Lady now follows Bob and I around, depending on her fancy for what we are doing. In the afternoon, she will come in and be in the air conditioned rooms as it has been so very hot.Last evening it cooled off enough for us to have dinner on the back porch and Lady was right there with us.
Thanks so much for the heartworm tablet. I gave it to her after her dinner last night and I have an appointment with the vet on August 11 for a blood test and general check-up. This Thursday evening our dog trainer will come with her dog. She likes to work with us alone for a short while and then we will join a group class. I talked with her for a while this weekend and think she will be good to work with.
Lady was great with our weekend company. Everyone was amazed at her calm sweet disposition. We are so thrilled with her! Thanks for letting her join our family. Love, Lois, Bob, Robert and Allison
I wanted to write you to tell you that I am doing good. Mommy and Daddy changed
my name to Roxie because I am fiesty puppy. You would not believe the toys that
I have, everything from tennis balls to chew bones to squeaking toys. I even
have a toy box too. (But I like to keep all my toys out when mommy starts to
put them away.) My favorite that I have to sleep with every night is a leopard.
I am getting really big right, I find out how much I weigh when I go to the
vet's tonight for more shots. I love going to the vets because I get to meet
all kinds of animals. I just love all of them. I get along great with all the
dogs that I meet. Ohh, I almost forgot, I got a pool. It is just a baby pool,
but who cares, it is still a pool for me. I like to get in and just splash
around and I like when mommy squirts me with the hose. Although I like the
pool, I still am scared of bath time. Mommy and Daddy do not know why though.
I have meet all my
neighbors and I am very friendly with all of them. Ohh, I almost forgot, I
have a boat too. I have to wear a funny looking vest when I go out on the boat,
and Daddy says I look like a banana. But it is suppose to help me if I jump
overboard. The vet has not given the okay on that yet, she says that I should
be fully vaccinated before I jump in the water. Mommy is going to attach some
pictures of me on the boat and with my new friend Winston. Ill keep in touch.
Here is Branigan at 4 months. He is getting better with the potty training. Now he just is looking for something to chew 24/7. He was in the car with me waiting for my husband to come back with a fresh supply of chew toys/bones. He was so excited that we had to open one and give it to him as soon as Chip got back.
I wanted to send you an update on Sasha AKA Eclair since it has been a while. We have had Sasha since November and I couldn't be happier with our choice. She passed training back in January and the trainer said she would be a good candidate for the Canine Good Citizenship. She gets along great with Jersey, our 4 year old Puggle. She is very gentle with our little girl who is 2 years old. You can tell Sasha is her dog. Sasha is by far one of the smartest dogs I have come across. House trained within 2 months and loves car rides. Overall she is just a big cuddlebug, very lovey and sweet.
Here are a few recent pictures of her.
Thank you all.
This is Abby, formerly known as Tiramasu from Trixie’s litter. She is absolutely the best thing that could have happened to Kevin, me and Molly! We are living in North Carolina on Lake Norman in a terrific house right on the lake. Everyday Abby and Molly go for swim…or I should say Molly takes a swim and Abby goes for a wade. They enjoy fetching sticks and Molly gets the ones that are too deep for Abby. The photos above are of her on her first fishing trip. Abby is very well mannered and loves people. We are really lucky to have such a terrific girl!
Just a note to say Hogan is doing well. He is such a good boy. We have had no problems. He loves Tom, and is happy to see him come home from work as you can see in picture. I made a gate for the front of the deck and he is happy to hang out there and wait 'til Tom comes home so he can greet him. He has only had a few accidents in the house and likes to play a lot. But he is listening very well.
Well, it's time for my birthday again. Can you believe I am going to be 2. I am soooo happy. My mom says I am the happiest dog she has ever seen. Guess what I got for my birthday? A POOL!! It is so COOL! Ha, Ha, my COOL POOL!!!
I just wanted to drop a note to all of you for taking care of me until my real mom could find me. Here are some pictures of my adventures during the year. I personally like the sofa one. I was sooooo pooped after a day of playing ball with my Mom and my Granddad that I just couldn't lift my head. It was great!
Mr. Merl is just perfect. He and Champ are best friends, they are inseparable. Merlin is all alpha, only subordinate to me, Cam and the birds (he hates the birds!!). He's such a ham and loves to show off. He is always praised for his technique and "good looks". Thank you so much for all the training and hard work you did with Merlin. He is such a great dog. I can't imagine being without him. I look forward to everyday. He's such a joy and such a "gooooofffffff"!
Our favorite game is soccer. He's great on defense and always tries to fake me out on the offense. When we play, he usually wins. Merl is such a pleasure and loves to show off. He passed his basic obedience class and is on to better things. We are taking the advanced basic obedience class as well as a tracking class and I am taking a training the trainer class. Merlin and I are in class 3 days a week!!!! He loves every bit of it. The tracking class is by far his favorite. We spend at least 3 hours a week in that class alone. Down the road, we want to train for shows (as soon as I get down the moves) and perhaps some search and rescue. I hope you are all doing well.
Friday is an awesome dog, and we love her dearly. She loves
3 our boys and is very protective of them. She loves to go
for long walks with me, or go to the dog park. Basically,
she is happy as long as she is with us! Thanks to Chris and
MAGSR for doing such a great job with Friday and with all
the dogs you have cared for.
Lydia is doing very well and loves her home with us. Three different neighbors here brought home 3 puppies which she wrestles with frequently.
Thanks for all your work.
The Legambi Family
I went to visit Alexa today. She wanted me to tell all of her friends at MAGSR that she is doing find and enjoying life. She loves to spend time in her big back yard under the shade trees. She has an appointment next week with the groomer so she will be even more beautiful than she is now.
I first met Nina when she came to the Jarrettsville Vet, where I work as the bather in the groom shop. She was sick, bald and scabby, her pictures say it all... Part of her recovery included regular baths. Needless to say, because of her condition we became friends and spent some time together. I introduced her to my husband, we have 2 other rottweilers (and a pit bulldog), he had to meet her. After about a year, Nina was doing well and ready to move on into her next chapter ... she was our pet Santa mascot at work and I knew she was going to have to go soon. We decided we wanted her to live with us, the spunk and determination she has is unbelievable. We adopted her the day after Christmas last year. We met Bill Meyer at a spot where all four dogs could meet, it was pouring like crazy and we all stood out there soaking wet just to make it the best Christmas ever. We took her home and it's been great! She is a awesome, happy dog and loves her house, yard, sisters and brother, cat, neighbors ... you name it, she is always ready to go. She and daddy recently completed their basic obedience class, and she did great, we are so proud of her! She was ready for a home and we are so happy and thankful to all the people who have helped Nina, you were so right, she was worth it!!!
Brenna has been with us for almost 7 months now and I must say that she is more than a little spoiled. We bought her 3 dog beds and when we go in the bedrooms, we put a sheet on the beds because she is right up there in bed with us. She has brought us more love and joy since we got her and we shed more love on her then most people do on their children. It took Brenna a while to get use to us and her beds, toys and treats, etc. but now she is like an old shoe. She loves running in the backyard, which is a nice size, and she loves looking out the windows in the sunroom at the traffic and people going by. What she likes most is going out in the car. She is a real gasoline hinny.
Brenna was diagnosed having lyme disease after a blood test, and we do not know where she got it, as we have-not seen or felt any ticks on her. She has taken all the prescribed antibiotics and she is scheduled to go back in September for another blood test. When we got Brenna, she was 48 lbs, and as of a month ago, she was 50 lbs. We love Brenna very, very much and we are so glad we got her. We will update Brenna again after her visit to the vet again in September.
I thought I would send along some new pictures of Colleen. Please feel
free to share them with everybody at MAGSR. These were just taken today
(Easter). Colleen is doing great. She is now up to about 3 cups of food a
day and the vet says she is at a perfect weight. We have her registered for
intermediate obedience training (starts on the 27th). I have been working
her in the yard, neighborhood, and taking her to PetSmart whenever possible
to get her used to different surroundings, people, and animals. She is
doing really well with all of that also. She is also getting better with
the cat (or, I should say, the cat is getting better with her). They can
now be in the same room without the cat hissing and, the other day, we caught the cat sneaking in to take a drink from her water bowl while
she was sleeping next to it. She really has become a part of the family.
Hello everyone at MAGSR!
I am writing because today is officially two years since I have been with my forever family.My mommy and daddy picked today to be my birthday and say that I am four years old, but I still feel like a puppy!
So much has happened since I updated you last year. The thing that I am most proud of is that I learned how to swim at the end of May, 2007. My mommy and daddy tried to get my used to the water slowly and my brother, Bart, is a natural water dog, so I knew that someday we would all be able to have fun together in the water. On the day I learned to swim, my mommy threw my tennis ball in the water like always, not too deep so I could run in and get it and my paws would still touch the ground. One time she threw it in and the current took it out a little farther that I was used to, but I am pretty smart, so I got on top of a rock that was in the water so I could reach it a little better. It may have looked like I slipped a little bit and went into the water by accident, but I think I just felt especially brave that day and finally took the plunge! I moved my paws as fast as they could go and I didn't sink! And I got my ball! My mommy was so proud she cried - she is just crazy like that! Usually my daddy doesn't get worked up about things like that, but when he got home from work, my mommy and daddy took me and my brother back out for another walk so my daddy could see for himself that I learned how to swim. My daddy is more adventurous and he threw my tennis ball out pretty far, but I didn't care, I went all the way into the middle of the lake to get it. I was even faster than my brother (ha ha, take that, Bart!)
I also got some not so good news this year - over the summer my left eye kept getting infected and my vet sent me to a specialist. This doctor told me that my left tear duct doesn't work and I must have had some trauma to that eye when I was younger, before I came into MAGSR. So now I get four types of medicine every day and in the winter I sleep with a humidifier because the air is so dry. My ophthalmologist said that some dogs have it a lot worse than me and are in a lot of pain all of the time and get ulcers from not having enough tears. Luckily that hasn't happened to me and as long as I get my medicine when I am supposed to, I am a happy girl.
I also got to learn some more information about myself earlier this month. It was my mommy's birthday and my daddy surprised her by having me and my brother's DNA tested to see what breeds we are. I know you will all be excited to read that I AM part GSD! I am also part Clumber Spaniel, Collie, and Dachshund.
I am getting more and more confident around other dogs and don't bark as much when I am nervous. My parents are very proud of how far I have come in just two years. A few weekends ago we were on our morning walk and found a big doggie play group. Before we moved last year, my family went to a doggie play group every weekend and I would bark the whole time and stick right by my parents' sides. This time I explored the group on my own and went up to other dogs and people with no nerves. I didn't bark at all...well, maybe I did just once, but that was because another dog barked first and I can't stand to be out-barked!!!
I want everyone to know that I am very happy in my forever home and my mommy and daddy tell me that I am a good girl, that they love me very much, and that they are so lucky to have found me every night before I go to sleep. They finally gave up and let me sleep in bed with them every night. My daddy pretends that he doesn't like this, but get this - on nights when I feel like sleeping in my own bed, he wakes me up and tells me to get in bed with him and mommy! Parents can be so silly sometimes!
I included some of my favorite pictures from this year so you can see how I am doing for yourself! I hope you all know how much my whole family appreciates what you did for me two years ago - you kept me safe until my forever family could find me. We will never forget that.
Last night was an awesome night for MAGSR alum's! Five dogs passed their Canine Good Citizenship exam and someone was there to capture the event! Jack, Sara, Lucy (FKA Lilly), Rosie (FKA Rose), and Nina (fka Holly) all did great!
I want to send a personal thank you to our trainer Ethan Hall of CapitolK9, who has done wonders, especially with Jack and Lucy, both very suspicious untrusting dogs, who now accept petting from anyone! Nina had to leave before the end of the video but we still got some great footage of her!
Hey guys, it’s my birthday on
March 5th so I thought I should send you an update.
I am almost all grown up now and thought I should tell you all
the things that I have been up to. My mom named me Tolinka (Inka)
which means flapping ear of a Coyote in Native American. I
think the name suits me because I like to relax and go along for
the ride. I am a city dog, so I walk to the inner harbor almost
everyday. A lot of people ask to pet and I am ok with it but I
have a harder time with children and men. If you see me, ask to
pet me because I need the practice. My mom sends me to dog school
once a week where she said I would learn to socialize with other
dogs, but I think that she just wants me tired. On the weekends
we go to the dog park where I get to run and run. Sometimes, when
its crowded, I have to jump over the other dogs which makes them
chase me.Not many can catch me though. There are not many female
dogs where I live so I have a lot of boyfriends. I get along with
all of them and go on walks with my steady boyfriend Lex. (Don’t
tell him about the others, he doesn't know.) I have completed
obedience training a while ago but I am having a hard time with
stay. It’s soooo boring to just lay there.I have a cat sister
who thinks she owns the house, geeez the cat owns everything.
I try to eat her but she must think it’s a deep tissue massage
because she leans into my mouth. Where can a dog get any respect?
My mom says that I am going to start some new training soon. I
wonder what it will be, I hope its agility, I hear you get to
run and jump over things. Anyways, that’s it from my hood. I will
keep in touch and send pictures of my next big adventure.
We adopted Cocoa (FKA Kayla) in
June of 2004. She was about 8 months old - a poorly mannered and
out of control puppy! We regretted adopting her and considered
returning her - we were not prepared for the challenge. However,
thanks to Wes (Arrowood Shepherds), we devoted hours and hours
of training to her. She quickly became well behaved and a beloved
member of our family. We are so thankful that we did not give
up on her.
We now have a miracle story (rather than a sad news story) for
you. She became seriously ill on Feb. 21, 2008. We took her to
the vet and he advised that she needed immediate surgery or she
would die in a few hours. It turns out that her intestines were
twisted. The vet (Waugh Chapel Animal Hospital - a MAGSR supporter)
successfully untwisted her and a few hours later she was fine.
Today is March 1, 2008 and Cocoa thinks that she is fully recovered
and wants to resume all normal dog activities - running, jumping,
and playing. Of course she needs to take it easy for a while longer,
but we expect her to fully recover.
Rebecca Lambert and family
Just wanted to say hi and let
you know that Augusta (used to be Aurora ) is doing great. We
just finished basic obedience with her and she knows sit, stay,
come, down, and the all important shake.
She still has a lot of energy and can be pretty rambunctious and
strong willed, but she has a great personality, loves to play
and has been learning how to play with other dogs--though she
prefers to herd them. :)
Anyways, thanks again for your assistance in the past and we feel
very lucky to have Augusta . She's our first GSD and I don't think
we could have asked for a better one. I attached a pic from a
recent outing we had at Congressional Cemetery (which is also
a dog park) in D.C.
--Chris + Conny
Hi Guys,
It has been more than a year now that we went to our new home.
We were a bit nervous at first but we got settled in a lot sooner
than expected. After we moved in our Mom and Dad put up a privacy
fence so we could run around and chase the squirrels and the moles
in the yard.
If we our not outside playing than we are inside digging through
our basket of toys to keep us busy. Unless we see Nana pulling
up then we run to the door and wait for her to come in she brings
us some pretty cool treats.
You guys take care!! We will send you more updates soon.
Gusty and Hailey
We can't believe it has been almost 6 months since Storm came
to live with us. As you can see from the attached pictures, she
is doing great!! We actually had her to Hickory Vets this week
for a check up and Dr. Bob has given her a clean bill of health.
The mange is cleared up and her skin and coat look great. There
is always a chance it can come back, but we will do everything
we can to keep that from happening. Storm has gained weight since
being with us and is now a healthy 71 pounds!!!! We look at her
and think her outside now matches her inside, beautiful!!! She
also appears very happy. She loves to run in the yard and chase
anything you throw. We try to go for walks at least once a day.
She is much stronger now, so there is a lot of pulling on the
lease, but we will work on that when our training class starts
on February 12th. Storm had her picture taken with Santa twice
this December, once with all the kids at the mall and once with
MAGSR at Pet Smart. We are looking forward to the spring and getting
out even more.
Thank you MAGSR for rescuing Storm and for bringing her to us.
She is such a love and we feel very fortunate to have her.
Best Regards - The Jacksons (Karina, Steve, Brittney, Zachary,
Tyler & Storm)
Auburn came into my life as
a foster. She was picked up in rural West Virginia by animal control,
and sent to a local shelter. Weeks passed, and no one came forth
to claim her or adopt her. Because of this, she ran out of time
- meaning she'd be sent to the Rainbow Bridge far too soon.
F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote that "There are no second acts in American
lives." Well, as fine a writer as Fitzgerald was, he never met
Auburn - because just as her fate was about to be prematurely
decided, a wonderful rescue angel who works with MAGSR stepped
in - and Auburn's second act had begun.
It was April 2007, and I was in a hotel room in New Jersey, after
spending the weekend attending a dog behaviour seminar with a
MAGSR volunteer and good friend. The previous December, I'd been
devastated by the loss of Beckham, my big MAGSR boy. I wasn't
entirely certain that I was ready for another dog. My friend was
sitting on the bed with her laptop, sorting emails and pictures
of dogs coming into MAGSR's custody. "Sara," she said, "come look
at her." I did. There she was, a beautiful black and red girl.
She was on her way to MAGSR, and she needed a foster.
A foster. Just a foster, I said. I'll take her in and give her
shelter and food and affection, and when the right person or family
comes along, I'll send her forth with love.
The following weekend, I picked up my new "foster." It became
immediately apparently that this was no sophisticated, soignee
Simone, and so Auburn she quickly became. I spent a few days working
at home, to acclimate her to what it was like to live in a house
- something she'd clearly never done before. She was not housebroken
and had no training. She was also terribly hand-shy, abysmally
frightened of men, and was fast developing a mild case of separation
anxiety every time I left her for more than a few minutes. Despite
all of this, she was also smart, receptive to learning, and almost
painfully willing to please me. And even as I cleaned up her countless
messes on the carpet, I was happy - happy that she was out of
the shelter, and happy to hear the clack of doggy nails on the
hardwood once again.
Throughout that first week, I told myself, "She's only a foster."
Repeatedly, and with great feeling. And then it was time for her
spay. Off to the vet's she went, accompanied by an old, worn college
t-shirt of mine, for comfort and security. Later on that evening,
I picked her up from the vet's. Auburn was in a back room, recuperating
in a cage. Out she stumbled, heavily medicated, and drooling profusely.
She espied me standing a few feet away, and did three things that
immediately sealed the deal - she smiled dazedly, she wagged her
tail sluggishly, and then - then, she turned back to the cage,
picked up my old college t-shirt in her mouth, staggered a few
steps towards me, and dropped that t-shirt at my feet.
Watching her blossom these past nine months has been a joy. Auburn's
a happy dog who has gained confidence with structure, exercise,
and love. She's no longer terrified of men, although she requires
slow introductions. But she continues to make incredible strides.
She's wonderful with Nik, and smothers him with kisses every chance
she gets. She's too smart by half, and can open closed doors and
locked baby gates - with her paws. Her aunt Rebecca taught her
"shake" not too long ago - she learned that trick in less than
15 minutes.
That proverbial hole in my heart was huge when Beckham left this
world. Thank you for helping to fill that hole. Thank you for
giving her another chance.
here is a picture of alexys and
her family...joe,stephanie and sharon heiss at her graduation
in august she is doing very well she is a little over a year now
and is very loved...we just wanted to update you on how alexys
is doing in her new home...~the heiss family
Hello
everyone at MAGSR,
It's Melina A.K.A Abira. I just wanted to take time to take everyone
for finding me my forever home. This has been the time of my life.
I have 2 loving parents who are giving me much needed love and
attention. I'm enjoying my new home very much. My forever home
has a big backyard for me to play in and , I have my very own
room I go to when I want some time to myself or just rest in.
My forever home also came with a big brother, his name is Marcus
we have fun playing for hours during the day. We really love playing
tug of war with our tug-tug. And sitting in front of the windows
watching people and cars go by our home. Our parents take us for
wonderful walks in the park, where we sometimes see Colby and
his family. He seems to be adjusting very well. My life has become
very wonderful and I finally have a place where I can call home,
I just wanted to say Thank-You.
Melina/A.k.a Abria
She's now up to 38lbs and is still proving to be quite the playful,
energetic pup. So far, her favorite things to do seem to be going
outside to play and dig, chase and play with her 3 yr old adopted
brother and sleep (provided we're somewhere nearby). Everyone
always comments on how beautiful she is and how much of a sweetheart
she is. She always wants to be the first to greet me when I get
home in the evenings and doesn't have a problem pushing her older
brother out of the way to get to me. Even if one of us goes out
for a short time and then comes home, she eagerly, and happily
greets them as if she hasn't seen them all day. She can be a funny
pup to be around, but has the biggest heart in a dog I've ever
seen.
I've included a picture of our three 'kids' in front of the xmas
tree.
Jonathan, Shannon & Jenna
We have renamed him Buddy. He is doing fabulous!!! Patty was
right, he has a lot to say and thinks he is a lap dog but I wouldn't
have it any other way. Here are some pictures of Buddy enjoying
his new home. Again, thank you so much. He really is a bundle
of joy in our lives.
Christina Minot and Scott Cravalho
Lucy is doing great from the streets of Baltimore to country
living. Lucy has turned into a very well behaved Dutch Shepherd
mix. She is getting ready to pass her CGC, and loves playing
with her MAGSR foster sibling Anika, and MAGSR ALUM Andy. She
is a very awesome dog!
As most of you know, Jack is very camera shy. But we finally
got some great shots of him while he was distracted outside
by his kong (the red toy) and his Momma J. Hope you enjoy these
pics of our boy as much as we enjoy him!
Alex and his sister Sammy (FKA Brandy also from MAGSR) are
doing great! They are very happy, energetic dogs and a perfect
match for each other!! All they want to do is play. They
definitely keep me from getting lazy!
Happy New Year to everyone at MAGSR and to my
foster-dad Steve! I'm doing really well here with my family
of 1 ½ years. I used to be such a skinny little thing and I didn't
have a lot of energy. Now, I've really filled out and I look
GOOD! I also have lots of energy. Lucky for me, Mom and Dad just
got me a brand new fence so I can go outside and play a lot more
now. I have 4 kids to play with, so it's a good thing I REALLY
like kids. I love hanging out with my family, or playing. I have
lots of toys (and I just got some new ones this Christmas) and
the kids like to play chase the bubbles with me. I really get
to show off my athletic ability with that game – lots of leaping
into the air and running. My mom and dad tell me all the time
what a good girl I am. I listen really well, and I don't jump
on people or furniture (usually). My mom thinks I'm funny because
I have this habit of greeting new people by kissing them – face
licks only of course. Now when people come into the house and
don't understand this, I am very determined. The minute my Mom
or Dad let me out of my sit or down, I'm leaping in front of
the person without touching my paws to them just trying to steal
a kiss. Non-dog people tend to be the funniest because they don't
quite get that I'm very friendly and I'm actually not trying
to bite their face off. Just a lick is all I want. I must say
that I'm realty good at getting my kiss and I never get my paws
on the person. Well I have to go, but I do want to thank everyone
at MAGSR and Steve for all you did for me while I was with you!
Happy New Year! We just wanted to take a moment
to let everyone know how 'little Fiyero' (Zach) is doing. Well,
at 11 months old Zach is now 90 pounds and has not even thought
about starting to fill in- He's going to be a big boy. The older
Zach gets the more his personality is starting to shine through-
he's definitely loosened up quite a bit, not nearly as serious
as he had been with non family members. He's one of the most laid
back, sweetest guys around, though as with most GSD's occasionally
he needs to be reminded what the rules are and that he doesn't
get to be in charge, though he would really like to be. Zach is
starting his third obedience class next week and has done well
in all his previous classes. Once we get him through all the puppy
excitement he should have no problem getting his CGC and possibly
his TDI certifications. Medically, as suspected by our vet and
confirmed by several specialists, Zach has several problems in
addition to his hips. We found out it is not hip displasia but
his whole pelvis is deformed. He also is missing some ligaments
in his front legs and has a slight deformity of his spine. All
the vets have agreed that there really isn't much we can do about
most of it but just let Zach tell us when it starts to bother
him too badly and we'll treat from there, whether that is surgically
or medication and possibly a doggie wheelchair. But, for now we
are doing everything possible to slow down the progression of
the arthritis, though X-rays show he already has some significant
changes. None of this has slowed him down a bit. Zach looks forward
to our daily walks, playtime in the back yard and wrestling with
his brother under the bed. We have attached a picture of our handsome
boy. Again, Happy Holidays. Todd and Lynn
Just a quick note to let you know how great things
are going with Trevor and Naomi These two darlings have been with
us for 1-1/2 years and it seems like just yesterday we brought
them home and at the same time, like they've been with us
forever. They are wonderful and we still comment to each other
that we're so lucky no one had adopted them before we came along.
The two pups have really settled into our family. Naomi likes
the bed and recliner, while Trevor is partial to the one end of
the sofa! They both love to hang out in the back yard, Naomi likes
to wait for the birds and squirrels so she can tear across the
yard - so far she has not caught anything (thank goodness). Trevor
is happy to just dig or sit and watch nature - he does give chase
to the critters sometimes, but not like Naomi! They still love
to race around, Trevor is usually chasing Naomi, but he likes
to stop and wait for her to circle back around by him, then he
joins in again. Twice I've seen Naomi run right over the top of
him (back to front) because she had too much speed going and there
was nowhere else to go, but over him! The look on his face was
priceless! (Huh?! What happened?! She was just behind me but now
I'm looking at her behind!) We are so happy with these two, it's
great to have them with us. Everyone who comes over just loves
them, and comments on how well behaved they are. And we think
to ourselves "Of course. We have the two best dogs in the world!
Thanks for saving them for us. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday
season - and all the best for 2008!
Here's an update on Dani, adopted about a year
ago. I have attached a few photos of "Dani" because it has
been a while since you have seen her. We have had her as part
of our family for over a year now. We celebrate Nov. 25th (the
day we adopted her) as her birthday.
Our vet told us that he thinks she is actually
closer to 10 years old rather than the 7 years old they told us
when we adopted her. It really doesn't matter to us how old
she is, she still has a lot of energy and you would be very proud
of how far she has come! Last February she went through her obedience
training and did very well. We actually had the trainer come to
our house and train her one on one because she was very shy and
we thought she would do better without the distractions of other
dogs.
You can see she has settled in quite nicely and
she gets along very well with her 2 kitty brothers. She is a very
loving little girl and has become very territorial protecting
our house. She sleeps in our room every night on her own bed.
She does not even try to get on any of our furniture even though
I try to coax her to the sofa. She also will not go upstairs unless
we tell her it is time for bed or we have a thunderstorm during
the day while we are at work. I am thinking there is something
in her past she had to deal with about steps, either she was never
allowed to go up the stairs or something else I don't even want
to think about.
If you are ever in the area please let me know
because we would love for you to visit Dani and see for yourself
how she has grown to be a wonderful, very loving mommy's girl!
She loves her daddy too but has really attached herself to me.
Every day when Paul gets home from work, she
greets him at the door with her tail wagging. When he comes into
the family room he plays a game with her. He pretends he is not
paying attention to her and she actually starts "talking"
to him to get his attention. She is definitely "talking" because
the sound is completely different than her regular bark! I wanted
to give you an update of our "little girl". We can actually
rub her belly too!!! Now that is really saying something!!
Hi Everyone! I just wanted to say
"hi" to all my Rescue family. I've been with my new
parents for just over a year now and wanted you all to know I
am very happy. I appreciate all that you have done for me, everyone
at the kennel as well as my great foster parents, Julie and Rich.
I am extremely thankful for all the love and care I received –
you brought me into a new life.
I am very loving and attentive to my new parents. They like to
play ball, so I join in and retrieve it for them everyday. It's
good exercise and its actually pretty fun. I love those tennis
balls! Some days I just walk around with it in my mouth in case
they can't find theirs. I'll throw it around the room just to
remind them it's here, ready for use. I have a laundry basket
of toys too! My parents are not very good at putting them back
after I use them, I'm always having to search the house to find
my favorites. My sister, Lakota, likes to pull the stuffing out.
She pretends she is a hunter a lot. I hate to tell her that little
white bear is fake.
I'm turning into a much better greeter. I am less fearful of
strangers, but I always wait for my parents to tell me these people
are ok, then I let them into the house. Every once in a while
I'll give them a good bark just to remind them I am boss and I
am watching you. If they are not dog people, it's funny to see
them jump in surprise. I try not to laugh out loud, but seeing
their faces get all scared for a second can be amusing. My parents
usually tell them right away that I am harmless, no room for a
big ego here. I don't know how many times I have to remind them
that I am the man of the house – doesn't hurt to flex every
once in a while, show them who is boss. I don't know why they
keep forgetting that!
I've visited with the vet a couple of times now. Got my shots
in April. I don't know if my parents knew this, but I was very
scared. I tried not to shake visibly and I tried to explain it
was the last dog left who expressed their anal gland on the table,
but I don't know if they believed me. I know they didn't believe
me when it happened the next time. Can't tell the same story twice
– my parents are too sharp for that! I had to go in for a yeast
infection in my ear. I didn't like the whole ear thing, though
Dr. Goldman is very nice. I had to tell him I do not like this.
But he gave me some medicine, and my ear feels great again!!
And speaking of medical issues, I did come to them with a submissive
peeing problem. It took me about 4 months to stop doing that.
I still check every time I think I might have done it only to
discover I haven't. I am very relieved I have gotten that under
control although sometimes when I am uncertain as to why they
are approaching me with something funny in their hands, my first
reaction is fear. So when I don't understand, I sometimes drip
a little. I don't mean to, and lucky for me, my parents know I
don't mean to. Safety is a priority for me.
One of my mamma's likes to hide my milkbones when she works out.
She thinks I get bored watching her so it's an opportunity for
me to practice my tracking skills. It's a pretty fun game. I try
to show her how fast I am, I can see it makes her proud of me.
Plus if I move faster, I get more milkbones. It's a win win situation
if you ask me! I have to compete with my sister, but she is no
challenge. I am a better tracker than her at least inside the
house.
I take my parents for nice nature walks everyday, sometimes twice
a day if I know it's their day off. I can see it helps them to
get out and move their bodies, smell the fresh air. I like it
too. We enjoy a beautiful trail in the woods thanks to our neighbors.
I see plenty of deer. Lakota likes to chase them, me, I like to
stare them down. Much more effective. Sometimes I will follow
Lakota half way, but I prefer to stay and protect my mamma's from
other wild animals that might lurk in the woods. I can see they
appreciate that. Sometimes I'll hide for a second so they will
yell my name in the forest. Instead of yelling "Rico",
they'll say Reeeeee-co-laaaaaaaa. I think that is a TV commercial,
they thinks it's funny. Just another one of their goofy human
jokes.
I'm a really good cuddler. One of mommies goes to bed early because
she has to get up so early. I like to lay with her for a bit while
she goes to sleep. She likes it when I put my paw on her, I think
it is very comforting. I just like to touch whenever I can. My
other mommy likes to play with me on the bed. I wrestle with her,
sometimes I let her win. I'm really a lover not a fighter. I wish
they would buy a king size bed though, then there would be enough
room for everyone! At lights out, I go to my bed. I am a good
sleeper now, no more pacing. I even let myself take naps during
the day.
I have come a long way in one year. I am rarely anxious anymore,
my life is very peaceful. I love my parents very much and make
a point of telling them everyday. I always make sure I smile at
them; I like looking them directly in the eyes and expressing
my sincere gratitude. They get me. Thank you to everyone at MAGSR!
Thank you Rich and Julie. I am blessed!!! Happy Holidays!!
It was November 2006 and we had just lost our
loyal faithful Sadie, She was our 5th German Shepherd and had
only lived for 8 years. She died peacefully in her sleep, We all
missed her very much so now what do we do. Every night before
she would go to sleep she would come to both sides of the bed
for a good night kiss. From 3 yrs on our 7 yr. old grandson would
not go into our yard without Sadie, We had all kinds of suggestions
most suggested we do not get another big dog, We also had 3 cats
and about 40LB, part lab who was 8 years and looked like she was
on her last leg,
I went on the internet and found MAGSR and was impressed. We ist
went through their adoption requirements which were extremely
strict which also impressed me. Anyone that passed was serious
about getting a forever pet.
We were invited to the kennel and they were going to have 3 dogs
to look at
The 1st 2 were great and we could have chosen one of them,but
we also asked to see Tyson who had been with them just under 3
weeks and had not been in a foster home yet.
When he saw us he came running over and my grandsons eyes got
big as saucers and he had a little fear, Mary was the MAGSR volunteer
who brought Tyson to show us. She was great she took our grandson
in the pen and Zacky played with a football and gave treats to
Tyson. Every time Nancy or I looked into Tysons eyes they said
I want to be your forever dog please take me home.Nancy and I
were sure but Zacky said he is very big grand dad.
Mary told us we would need to take Tootsie our other dog and Jerry
our cat to see how they behaved together. It was ok but Mary suggested
that we foster
him for a couple of weeks and then make a decision for adoption.
We took him home on Dec. 7th Pearle Harbor Day and changed his
name to
General Patton and call him Patton. When we got him in our back
yard Zacky
said grand dad is Patton the Biggest Best most wonderful German
Shepherd in the whole world and I said to us he is.. After one
full year we still feel the same way. He is one awesome dog. Everyone
in the family loves him as he does them. He has been totally trouble
free and is Zackys best friend, He has brought life back to tootsie
and he gets along with all 3 of the cats.
In the year 2007 Patton is the best thing that happened to our
entire family, He looks great very healthy alert and very fast,
He has kept his tall lean build and to strangers he is very frightening
until we properly introduce him. We just know God directed our
path to MAGSR and your volunteers get an A Plus in checking us
out and help us to get a forever shepherd. I would recommend MAGSR
to anyone who is serious in adopting a shepherd.
We are hoping to take him to see Santa again this year.
We adopted Rhea two years ago and she is now called
Pumkin. You would not believe how sweet and loving Pumpkin is
and how much joy she brings to our family every single day. She
is wonderful! :) Even though I donate through CFC I still sponsor
white shepherds once in a while on the website too!!!! smile
Here are some pictures to help you remember Rhea…The pic when
she left MAGSR and one of her sleepily watching over her people!
She was so tired from running and ripping with the other doggies
she could hardly keep her head up.
Thanks for all you do!
Steven and Mikele Ann
Hello
to all of my friends at MAGSR!
Falcor here, and I wanted to give you all an update on how I am
doing. Well, it has been almost a year since my Mom, my Grandma,
Grand Dad, and my human Aunt came to pick me up from the kennel.
Originally, my Mom wanted to adopt a senior female, but once she
saw my sweet eyes and how I kissed her little sister, she got
tears in her eyes.
I knew it was the right family for me; I have never been so spoiled
in my life! I have myself some special orthopedic bed, so many
bones, and Mom even lets me lay on the couch with her. Once I
got settled in, my Grand Dad even put a carpet runner on the steps
so I could zoooom down them with ease. I spend my days lounging
around the house, visiting the neighbors who always have treats
for me, catching up on some light reading, and going to see my
Grandma and these weird naked dogs she has. Mom says they are
Chinese Crested and its a way to show us that God has a sense
of humor. It took a while for them to get used to me, but now
they use me as a heating pad.
I even got to dress up as a Penn State football player on Halloween!
Mom sometimes takes me to her work and the girls at the bank spoil
me too. They let me run around in the lobby once they lock the
doors. There is a lady there named Sally who "apparently" doesn't
like dogs too much. Mom told me she had cookies for me, so I followed
her into the vault. But, they don't have cookies in there... oh
well, maybe next time. Well, I hate to run, but I am off to see
my Grandma and be spoiled some more. I want to thank everyone
at MAGSR for helping me to find my forever home and hope to see
you all soon!
Hi MAGSR! I can't find "Aunt Patty's " email, who was
Warren's 1st adoptive mom, so I am hoping you can send these
photos on to her, and anyone else who may like to see how Tiny
baby Warren has grown…. We ADORE HIM!!!! He is the brightest,
happiest dog who just never stops smiling. He has many dog and
children friends, and shares his home with a bunch of Fowl- Chickens,
roosters, ducks and Guinea fowl. He is magnificent with them—we
don't even watch him around them. If he's not inside, he has
a large fenced part of the property which has a hole big enough
for all the feathered critters to come and go. Often, we'll
look outside and he'll be sprawled out with several chickens
sunbathing next to him. He has a wonderful peacefulness about
him. The other day we left the front door open as we were hauling
stuff in and out. I came down to find a funny scene. The chickens,
most curious creatures, had let themselves in and were checking
out the joint. Warren- as you'll see- couldn't have been bothered.
Luckily I had a camera on hand. We hope to make it to the Bull
roast. It sounds great and we're just making sure we are in
town that weekend! Keep up the great work! Sage, Kurt and Warren
Here is a picture of our two MAGSR rescues – Molly (left),
adopted in May 2002, and Callie (right), adopted in September
2006. They are great buddies although sometimes Molly needs to
show Callie her boundaries (just little sisterly spats). By far,
their favorite activity is going for walks and they are always
receiving compliments on their good behavior!
Hi everyone! Everything has been going really well since I was
adopted over 2 years ago. I've been being really good, I even
eat my food at dinner time now! I love playing catch, although
I would rather throw the ball and have daddy or mommy run after
it, but I go get it when I'm told to. I love attention from everyone,
and can never get enough. My grandparents let me on the couch
at their house, so now I sit on the couch at home too. Chad is
their dog, he's from MAGSR too. I pretend sometimes like he is
annoying, but I really love going to see him. My parents saw that
I was getting lonely and got me a little sister, she is very small.
They said they would have loved another sheperd but can't handle
another big guy like me. I show her how to chew on sticks and
beg for food, she is catching on very quickly. She steals all
my toys though, so I take hers. I'm much better since she got
here. At night I like to sleep of my back with my legs in the
air, but when daddy goes to work really early in the morning,
I get up on the bed in his spot and cuddle with mom (I think she
likes it better when I'm in the bed). Anyway, I'm doing really
well now, and wanted to thank you for letting my parents find
me. I'm their perfect dog! Love, Scout
Dear MAGSR and all my special friends from the kennel days,
It was a year ago that I was taken into foster care for a whole
24 hours before everyone knew, including me, that I was in my
forever home. It has been a wonderful year. My family says that
the wary expression I used to have on my face has melted into
sweet, calm composure and I’m now referred to as ‘ZenDog’
(as well as The Prince, but that’s another story!). I live
a rather peaceful life and because I’m so well-behaved,
I’m welcome almost everywhere. I help my family shop at
the farmer’s market, we go to the park and the beach, dinner
and party invitations to them include me, and I’ve had a
summer full of cookouts and socializing. We’re about to
go on another weekend retreat to the woods with friends and I’m
packing my things to go along too. I just wanted to send you a
note to say thank you for caring for me and let you know that
I am a beloved and treasured.
Sincerely,
Hi MAGSR! We adopted Geisha from you back in March. We would
like to inform you that as of last Sunday Sept 9, 2007, Geisha
completed her training class with P.U.P.S. in Clarksville. I am
including some recent pictures of Geisha on Labor Day at my parents
house on the water. She had a blast! Thanks! Heather and Scott
Stockslager
Sheba came to her forever home in 2006. She came to us all skin
and bones, her coat was like brillo.
Take a look at her now! She has made our house a home. We love
her so much!
I just wanted to
send a picture of our star dog. He's learning all of his commands.
He is quite intelligent but maybe we are a little biased. - Charlie
and Bev
We thought you might
enjoy this picture of Fenway taken early August on one of our
trips to Quiet Waters Park at the dog beach. He is doing really
well! Up to over 90 lbs! And enjoying his time with his "older
brother". He has become quite a water dog, and now likes swimming
more than our lab. :)
Happy Birthday to
Sting. Yes, it was his birthday on July 29. We have had him for
6 years now and as you can see, he is wonderful. It seems like
yesterday that we went to the kennels to pick him up and he has
brought us so much happiness every day since. He is accompanied
in the picture with his "children" and "Mommy" was standing behind
"Daddy" with a "treat" which always gets his attention. We are
so blessed to have him in our lives. As he celebrates his 7th
birthday, you can tell he's getting older - some times he moves
slower or stumbles but otherwise, he runs around like a 2 year
old; and yes, he is sporting a gray muzzle. He did get "presents"
for his birthday - some of his special treats, he especially likes
his "JUMBO" treats. Thank you again MAGSR for allowing us the
opportunity to adopt him. Got to go - Sting is running around
with a toy - ready to play! Thanks again.
We've had a great week
with Dallas . We took the crate down after 2 days. She and Buddy
are getting along just fine--even starting to play games of chase.
This weekend we stayed with my mom and her doggies. All went beautifully!
Cori
Hi Everyone at MAGSR!
I wanted to say hello and I hope that you are having a wonderful
summer! My moms have been taking me swimming at a canine fitness
center twice a week to help my hip and I thought you might like
to see some pictures of me in action. I'm still getting used to
it - honestly, I really hated it at first and I thought they were
trying to kill me - but now I am tearing up the water and they
tell me I am doing fine. Plus swimming gives me all kinds of energy!
I hope all is well with all of my foster brothers and sisters,
and maybe I can get up there to see you guys some time. We all
think of you often and are so grateful for all of your love and
the wonderful work that you do!
All kinds of love,
Cori
Hi Folks,
We just got back from 16 days on the Maine Coast -- it was incredibly
beautiful and relaxing. We think Toby and Racy (f/k/a "Hope") had
as good a time as we did! Best, John
Hi
I wanted to send you a couple of pictures of our girl Molly (Elphaba).
When we adopted Molly from MAGSR in April, she was just a little
fuzzy ball of energy and attitude.
Today, at 6 months old, she is a beautiful girl that loves to be
with people. Molly has been through the basic level of obedience
training and passed with flying colors!
We start our level 2 in September.
I just thought we would let you know how Zach's doing. In addition
to his hip problems we also have found Zach appears to have a
slight deformity in his front legs too, he kinda flops his feet
out infront of him to get going. The vet said when we get the
hips more closely evaluated Zach probally needs to be looked all
over very closely to see if he has any other issues,then get a
total plan together to see what we can do for him. We were told
that due to the nutritional state of Nicki during her pregnancy,
the rough start the pups had and Zach being the smallest of the
litter- poor guy just got the short end of the stick. Now we are
medically treating him, orthopedic dog bed (even a special mat
for naptime at doggie daycare), nutritional suppliments and low
impact exercise to build up his legs. The vet encouraged us to
let him do as much as he wanted and to "let him be a happy puppy".
Now I don't want you to think for a second that any of this is
slowing Wackie Zachie down one bit. He's not what I would call
high energy, if there is nothing better to do you just lay down
and sleep but if there is something to get into he's right there
and ready to go. Everyday more and more of his personality is
starting to shine through, with "his people" he is indeed Wackie
Zachie- just as big of a goof as Mike is. With people out and
about he checks them out, takes pets as offered then just as quickly,
he's over them- again aloof to say the least. He's doing well
at doggie daycare- really likes playing with the other dogs, you
just can't seperate he and Mike, they are very attached and throw
whining fits if not together. Zach just finished puppy kindergarten,
everyone commented on how calm and focused he is for a young pup.
Next, week Zach starts "manners" class- it starts some of the
basic obedience work but is designed for younger dogs- still have
a puppy playtime and som e fun agility stuff thrown in to keep
their interest. We have also attached a picture of our handsome
boy with his big brother Mike.
Hi MAGSR!
I know this is the second update since my adoption, but today
is my first birthday so I of course thought of everyone who has
been a part of my life during my first year. Plus, I saw the update
on my sister, Lily (fka Lana), and though I haven't seen her since
we were 8 weeks old, I couldn't let her upstage me now!
I am a very busy puppy. I am still HUGE (80 lbs!) & every time
mom & dad think I'm gonna stop growing, I gain another 2 lbs!
I'm by no means tubby -- I'm very lean & in excellent shape...
but HUGE! I think I am almost caught up to my paws though. I haven't
been practicing my running with mom cause of this hot weather,
so I tend to get my exercise by going to camp once a week (where
I chase & wrestle with my friends ALL DAY-- it's indoors) and
by swimming. I finally figured out that I'm not a GSD, I'm a Lab.
And as a Lab, I'm a GOOD swimmer! I go almost every weekend &
this past weekend for my birthday, I went to a place with a boat!
I was scared at first, but I was eventually jumping off the boat
& swimming in deep, deep water! They nicknamed me the "orange
bullet." "Orange" -- because of the puppy life jacket Mom bought
me... and "bullet" because of the way I darted through the water
tirelessly! I'd go right over top of you if you were in my way!
The only thing I couldn't do myself was get back ON the boat,
which was no fun for dad because like I said earlier, I'm quite
the big boy! Luckily my life jacket had handles.
So that's how I'm doing. Attached are a couple pictures of the
"new me." Mom & dad have been saying lately that I'm a really,
really good boy and just the cutest & best boy ever. My kitten
sister is becoming more tolerant of my antics everyday. I'm pretty
happy with the way things turned out.
Thanks again MAGSR for my mom & dad & everything you do to help
the dogs. Maybe someday I'll get a MAGSR brother!
Baxter (fka Gordie)
On Feb 11th, MAGSR volunteer Lisa picked me up from the
kennel where I unhappily resided because of an unfortunate
bite incident. I was transported to meet a new Foster mom,
a senior, living alone in the suburbs with a large fenced
in yard. "Momsie" renamed me Angel Lynn, and I have adjusted
well to her irregular schedule. We sleep late and stay up
real late. I sleep anywhere in the whole house, including
her bed that I warm up for her each night. Then she kicks
me off, and I get to wander around, carrying tennis balls
and other toys from my big toy basket to all parts of the
house. Next morning, she calls it my battle field, and smiles.
Meals are great, with chewy treats and sometimes "people food"
like a biscuit with butter or jelly, or a pizza crust or two,
chopped liver and chicken talkin' about eatin' good in the
neighborhood- yeah!! You guys should see me in MY big ole
yard-standing with my ears, legs and tail erect- warning off
all birds, squirrels, and rabbits. When Momsie goes on "poop
pick up" I show off my leaping and racing skills. I scratch
up dirt and run around her 90 miles per hour-she just laughs.
We really like each other; I follow her everywhere. I try
to impress all of our visitors by being quiet and polite and
Mom gives me that "good breath" stuff so that I can cuddle
real close. I haven't had one accident in the house. Mom gave
up on teaching me to howl, but we do bark and growl together.
I love car rides. When we watch TV, or Mom reads or discusses
something with me, I snuggle real close as she pats my head
or rubs my belly- I can't help it- I moan and purr like a
kitty. She calls these "Smooch the Pooch" sessions. Many thanks
to MAGSR Volunteer Lisa for foreseeing my wonderful future
with this happy lady, who, on Apr 6th (my own Good Friday),
legally adopted me. June 2006
It's me again and oh, what a time I am having. I have traveled
and left my distinct scent thru Maryland, Virginia, North
and South Carolina, George and finally Florida. Momsie and
her daughter (Momsie 2) said that I am a perfect traveler,
quiet and obedient. I had the whole back seat to relax and
observe the scenery. Those big noisy trucks scared me a bit,
but after several miles and constant chatter, laughter, singing
and snacks, I was so happy that I forgot to be afraid.
On my first day, I stared down the local tom cat named
Silas, a tough critter who did not run off - just stared back
at me. I met some "hoppy" things called frogs and lizards,
chased ducks and geese back into the lake by our house. A
very tall white bird stood on one leg in the lake watching
me on the bank. So I lifted my front paw and stood at attention.
I barked and moved forward but he just stood there on one
foot - such a "show off". The weather was hot but Momsie 2
took me to two parks and I was admired by other walkers. Went
to the beach and saw that big surf called the Atlantic Ocean
when it smacked the sand - too tall and noisy for me. Again,
I had no accidents int he house, never jumped on the furniture
and made a favorable impression on all of our visitors. After
several weeks we headed back to Maryland. Momsie says that
I continue to be a perfect little companion. Sure hope my
former kennel mates find happy homes also.
Hi
everyone at MAGSR, it's LILY!!!! I know, you all remember
me as Lana but I love my new name. I really fits my personality.
Anyway, I thought I would send you some pictures of me as my
1st birthday approaches. I am still the ugliest
German Sheppard Dog around but the most beautiful black Lab.
I will be graduating from my obedience class next week, just
in time for my birthday. I wonder what my snotty cousin
Lucy is going to get me for my birthday. She is little
but really bossy. She was in MY crate the other day.
Can you believe it. I was just too nice to tell her to
leave but, REALLY. I guess she was jealous since I got
to go to doggie day care and she had to stay at my house all
by herself. I am SOOO pooped when I get home from daycare.
It's a lot of work getting into everyone's business
and making sure I never miss a thing.
Just wanted to update you on Finnegan's progress. He passed
puppy training and
in fall will continue with more training. He has been neutered.
He can be a
handful at times but with the help of his shepherd pals, Orion
and Barkley were
teaching him how to be a good house mate.
It's been a few months and we just thought we would let you
know what Zach, fka Fiyero, is up to. We finally have enough
shots that we can start going out and about-watch out world
here comes Zach- tonight he is at his first puppy kindergarten
class. We have also had him at his first Petsmart Furry Friends
Network adoption day- he played very nicely with the other doggies
(though he is a bit wild for a few of the older dogs) and met
lots of new people, though I must say he likes the doggies best.
Zach definitely has that Shep attitude- if you aren't one of
his people he really doesn't care one way or the other about
you or your attention- aloof to say the least.
Zach has decided that Todd is his special person and follows
him any chance he gets- I'm okay but the world revolves around
Todd. Zach and Mike are best buddies, and play for hours on
end in the backyard- play get more and more fun all the time,
as Zach grows and can race and play more. Zach is now big enough
that he goes along on walks and keeps up pretty well. However,
he considers it the ultimate insult to be pick up and carried
when he starts to get tired.
Zach is now 30 pounds and still thin as a rail- the vet said
it may take him the better part of 8 or 9 months to catch up
because he was so small to start out with but, looking at his
frame and growth rate the vet figures he should end up being
around 80 or 90 pounds!!!!!! So much for a smaller GSD!!
Jason, my dad has been taking very good care of me over
the past year. It has been over a year now in my new home
with him and my new brother Dakota, also a GSD. Life has been
good. I have a huge yard and two parks in the neighborhood
we visit. I enjoy my walks, I learned from Dakota that biting
at the leash line is not a good thing, I really miss a lot
of ground worrying about that thing. The parks are beautiful
and the exercise is great. I run in the early mornings with
Jay so I get my needed exercise.
My brother, what a fun guy to be around. I have learned
if you are a good boy while the family is at work and Dakota
and I are on guard at the house we get rewarded. I actually
have a job too! I work 7 days a week, watching the house and
also the yard on the weekends we get to enjoy the nice soft
grass Jason has been working on for three seasons, getting
it like plush carpet under the paws!!! While things are so
good at this time, I miss all the volunteers that made my
adoption sucessful. The words thank you doesn't make it sound
like its enough. I am very well loved here at this home. I
feel needed. I hear about this girl dog, Loakie. This is dads
girlfriends dog, he says shes very much like me- spoiled!
She has my colors and I cant wait to meet her. Should be a
fun time.
Fluke, Fluke alright boy that's enough typing for the
night! MAGSR it has been a true delight to be master of this
one of a kind GSD "Fluke". As his name states a
stroke of good luck, I feel that Fluke really has a lucky
family to have taken him in. As his small read about Fluke
states he loves SUV rides and for his walking- it has improved
greatly. I have never had a dog want to go so bad and the
excitement he displays is cute. Dakota his older brother just
stares at him as if something is terribly wrong with Fluke,
a sight to see! His walking formation is extremely the proudest
walker stride, head up long graceful strides he takes. His
biting of the leash has stopped. I am continuing to coach
him about his affectionate biting and nipping capabilites
this boy has. Take the coopertone kid comercial with the small
puppy dragging behind the childs cloth diaper- that was Fluke
a few nitghts ago with me and some friends over my house.
He nipped me in my butt and thought it was funny- to kinda
stay clinched tight. If I had a camera to snap the look cast
upon his face it would have been priceless. With some coaching
and working closely at his level we have had no other incidents.
Hi Dawn & John:
Sorry we didn't make it to the Reunion , but we thought
you would enjoy these pictures of Jax and his sister/side-kick
Diva.
Anita and Julius
I've
got it pretty good here! Sage's dad drove all the way from
Massachusetts 2 weeks ago and spent 3 entire DAYS with
Mom and Dad building me a massive fenced yard- about a ½
acre just for me! The gardens are enclosed in my yard too,
so we have all been outside planting and having fun…I am
almost never alone. Last weekend my first "brother" arrived..
a Rooster named Tonic. I pretty much just ignore him. Now
that I have gotten all my shots completed and got rave reviews
from my new vet, I've been spending a little more time in
the city too. Yesterday I went to my first dog park- I was
pretty scared at first, but by the end had made LOTS of new
friends- we went back this morning! My first day of school-
obedience class- is tonight. My vet thinks I will impress
my teachers, because I already have a very strong command
of "Sit, stay, come, and (lie) Down" My human cousins are
ages 3,4, and 6. I have been having twice weekly play dates
with them and their friends too. I love playing with kids! I
love being up high, although I'm learning that not all furniture
is mine to climb on.
We wanted to let you know that Zach (fka Fiyero) had a great
first week in his new home. He is doing VERY well
at potty training- goes to the back door and whines
Zach has also figured out the doggie ramp into the back yard
and going up steps- going down steps is still too
scary. Zach likes to play with his fur brother Mike. Zach
likes to bounce up to Mike and bark then Mike takes off running
circles around him like a nut- Zach seems to think this is
all pretty impressive. We are still working on the kitty thing-
Zach would really like to see what they are but at the first
bark the swatting and hissing starts- though the cats have
started to check him out when he's crated or sleeping- it
will come but just slowly. Zach now has a big boy collar and
is wearing his MAGSR tag.
I am glad you and MAGSR are doing well,
Quinn is very smart and listens pretty well. Matter of fact,
when we went to the vet the other day to get his nails clipped,
there were two chairs for people to sit, Dad was in one, I
was standing, and instead of Quinn jumping on the table, he
jumped into the chair like a person waiting! The vet
got a good laugh. Everyone loves Quinn. He has
really adjusted well and calmed down quite a bit. He
still likes to play but he knows when to settle down. As you
can see by the attached photo, Quinn has settled in quite
nicely!
My mommy and daddy thought it would be nice for me to share
how I have been doing over the past year. They told me that
today is my "birthday" because this is when they picked me
up from the kennel to do something called "fostering"... all
I know is that as soon as I got in their car, I knew I would
never be back at the kennel again! I still remember the first
time that I met my mommy the week before I went home with
my family; she volunteered to walk some of us that lived in
the kennel with my Auntie Julie. My mommy took me for a long
walk and kept saying how cute and pretty I was. She seemed
sad when she had to put me back in my run and I just knew
that she would be back!
I love having a brother and having a family of my own. I
have learned a lot over the past year, like how to come and
stay, how to heel, and how to convince my parents to let me
sleep on their bed with them. That one was easy! I also had
to teach my parents that what I love most of all is chasing
after a tennis ball. My brother, Bart, doesn't play fetch,
so they didn't know that game is my favorite.
At the end of the summer we moved to Massachusetts and that
was very stressful. Before my mommy and daddy even started
packing I could tell that something was different and that
made me worried. But once I saw that I was going to move with
my family, I felt a lot better. We got to move into our new
house in December and I love having my own yard and lots of
room to run and play with my brother. There are two great
places to go walking that are very close to my home and the
best part is there are lots of friendly dogs who get to be
off leash in these places. We go there every day and I love
being off leash so I can smell and run and meet everyone that
I pass. It took me some time to get used to meeting all of
these new dogs and I still get nervous and bark sometimes.
While my brother goes off and plays, I let the people pet
me and tell me how pretty and sweet I am. There are even some
people who bring treats especially for me! They say that they
would take me home with them in a second, but I know my parents
wouldn't like that very much. I love hearing them say that
because there was a time when I thought no one wanted me.
Now I am popular!
My mommy showed me how to include some pictures so you call
all see how happy I am. The best part of today has been getting
my first birthday present. I still think of the nice people
in MAGSR who took care of me, walked me, and gave me attention
before my parents found me. I know there are lots of dogs
that they are busy taking care of now, and those dogs are
lucky for that. I don't think I will be able to come down
to the adopters reunion this year, but I hope we will be able
to make it next year.
Here's our beautiful Emma Prancer Wallace,
now a little over 7 months old. Our newest family member has
been with us for a little over 6 weeks now and feeling right
at home. We all love going to puppy class at Wes' and Emma's
training is going great and she's getting bigger every day!
We want to thank everyone at MAGSR for everything you all
do, with a special thank you going out to Candice. Emma sends
her love…
'Finnegan has doubled in size to 30 pounds
and is a magnificent looking boy. He loves playing with
the other pups at Wes' puppy obedience classes. And
he and MAGSR alum Barkley play together so much, Barkley is
called "the Babysitter".
Hello to all my friends at MAGSR especially my original foster
family.
I am doing great here at my new home. I have trained my new
owners well. They take me for walks everyday, three times
a day, and we play in a really large soccer/baseball field.
In return, they only ask me to do tricks and be housetrained.
So, I have learned all sorts of good doggy tricks: catch,
run, sit, stay, leave, jump, crawl, hide and seek, jump through
hula hoops, etc...In fact, I am pretty good at this if I may
say so myself. My new owner must agree because he and I are
going to join an agility class. Maybe some day you will
see us on TV!
More importantly, my new family and I have bonded well. And
I love playing with the two boys in the family. In fact, there
are a lot of kids in the neighborhood who like to play with
me.
So thank you MAGSR! You are a fantastic organization who has
given me a second chance. Please say hello to my old foster
family and let them know I am doing well. And say thanks for
taking me in until my new family could get to me. Say hi to
the original Vinnie for me! I still have big ears (as
you can see in the picture). My new family think that they
can teach me how to fly with them. :)
Oh yeah! I am now 55 pounds and still growing. My alpha is
very pleased with that! And he is also happy that I have a
big deep bark now instead of that high pitched yip.
Hi to all my friends at MAGSR. My name is Duke and I'm
happy to be in my new forever home. Thanks to the Ellises
who gave me a wonderful place to stay until I got home!!!
This place is nice. I have a new dog sister (she likes to
chew my ears) and we romp in the backyard anytime we want
to. Sheridan is three years younger than me and we're about
the same size and same energy level, so we really get along
well. I also have new parents and a human brother and sister
who cuddle with me every day.
I've already learned to wait for a treat and I'm learning
to take treats gently, but my mom says I need help with my
manners, whatever they are. She seems to think dogs shouldn't
take food off the counter, dig in the yard or stand on couches.
I mean, really! I play tug of war with Sheridan and we have
a new game—she chases the ball and brings it back, and then
I try to steal it. She's faster than me but I have plenty
of patience!
Thanks for taking such good care of me and for helping me
along the way. I hope all the dogs go home soon.
Panther's
new name is Mica and she is settling in very well.
Sleeping right now under my desk after a busy morning
with outdoor play and indoor toys. She has done
very well with housetraining, only a couple of mistakes
this whole week, even though we got rid of the papers
after the first day. She has almost mastered "sit"
and "down". (Flawlessly if I happen to
have a bit of cookie to offer her. ) She has had
two tours of downtown
Annapolis with Heidi. We walked up to Paws
to buy the "girls" ice cream, then sat at the
outside tables at City Dock while Rebecca and I had coffee
and the doggies ate their puppy ice cream. They
get a lot of attention that they both seem to enjoy.
Mica is really a good little girl...even sleeps through
the night with no troubles. She has a warm cozy
crate in Rebecca's room for nighttime. The vet says
she is still a little under weight and needs lots of low
fat protein, so Mica gets a scrambled egg as a mid morning
snack and a bit of yogurt in the afternoon.
Let me know if sending two pics at once is too big.
Hi
my name is Dani. I was adopted on November 25, 2006.
I was a very shy and timid little girl. My new forever
family already had to cats (they are my brothers) and as
you can see we are getting along very well. That is
my brother "Marble" taking a nap on my new bed
with me. He likes to do this a lot. I think
he (and also my other brother (Domino) are glad that I came
to live with them. I have just completed my obedience
training and my teacher thinks I have gained a lot of self
confidence and pride now that I have a family that really
loves me and is taking really good care of me. My
new parents are very proud of me and think I have settled
in just fine!!! Both of my parents love me very
much. I got to meet lots of my new relatives over
the holidays and Santa was very good to me. I love
my new home and know I will be here for the rest of my life!!!!
I just wanted to share this great picture of Genny (we adopted
her in March 2005). We had friends visiting with their 20-month
old son this past weekend. We were a little concerned because
Genny always seems scared of little kids (despite the fact
that she came from a home with children). Initially, there
was growling anytime the boy would come near her but we
told her "no" in a stern voice and monitored their
interactions. After the first few days, she seemed to get
used to him and would let him walk past her without any
fuss. The last night at our house the dogs were laying around
and let him pet them. The greyhound (Cam) is our second
adopted dog, a retired racer from the Greyhound Pets Association--they
also had a few rough days but were fine to be left alone
together after a couple of days.
Although we are no longer in the area, I like to keep up
with the MAGSR news and check the new pictures on the Arrowwood
Shepherds site. Without both of you, we wouldn't have our
Genny dog. She is still stubborn and doesn't always follow
commands but she is doing very well and loves having a big
backyard to chase the squirrels.
Greetings friends at MAGSR,
I was looking over some pictures of summer fun and I came across these.
Even a puppy will be worn out after a full day on the boat. Check out
these before and after shots of Jimmy........
Happy New Year, The Russell's
I
wanted to send a quick update on Rocky (formerly known as
Rock). He's been here two months now, and seems like
a perfect fit for our family! We have baby-locks on
the inside handles of the exterior doors to prevent the possibility
of him letting himself out. Rocky learned to respect
the invisible fence very quickly and loves the freedom of
running throughout the yard! We are extremely happy
with Rocky! Thank you, MAGSR, for bringing him to us!
We just wanted to drop a line to let you all know how Jade
is doing. First of all we wanted to thank you for accepting
our application and letting us bring Jade into our lives.
We may not have looked like the best candidates on paper due
to our lack of dog ownership history and work schedules.
Thankfully for us and Jade you saw that we were both really
committed to making a good home for a GS. I think Jade
would agree that we're doing a good job so far!
Jade is great. The best part is that she is just as
advertised: loves food, is obsessed with chasing cats (and
squirrels), and is very sweet. She immediately took
a liking to Meredith and follows her around religiously.
She's coming around with Brian especially when he cooks and/or
has treats (once again – it's all about the food).
She loves to take naps and has completely carved out her own
places in the house to relax and just hang out. She
never makes messes, has accidents, or barks when she gets
excited. She's just so even tempered we can't believe
how perfect she is. Our friends who own dogs meet Jade
and can't believe that a dog that looks like a cross between
a kangaroo and a coyote can be so friendly and sweet.
The best part about having her is all the adventures we have
on our frequent walks around Baltimore City. She makes
lots of friends and will headbutt dogs sometimes to say hello
which is always entertaining :)
Jade has really exceeded our most optimistic expectations
of what dog ownership would be like and for that we are thankful.
Most importantly however, we know that Jade will enjoy the
rest of her life in a loving and dedicated home. We
treat her like another member of our family and it's only
been two months. We are truly lucky.
We've attached some pictures so you can see what she's been
up to.
Chad is a great dog and he is very friendly
to everyone. He loves to go to PetsMart and he's a
big kisser. The photo above shows Scout on the left, and
Chad on the left. Both get along great together and they
love to play and chase each other. Everyone I have met from
MAGSR is great and we really do appreciate the
job that you all do. Thank You.
Falcor seems to be adjusting very well
to life. He LOVES to ride in the truck, hanging his
head out the window. He has been eating and drinking
well and loves to run around in the back yard. He
seems to LOVE kids, he wags his tail uncontrollably whenever
kids are near and will happily roll over on his back for
them to rub his tummy. We are looking to start obedience
classes after the holidays are over. I wonder why
his last owners gave him up? Were they NUTS?
He is the sweetest guy! He likes to give hugs with
his big head and lean against me when I do the dishes.
I attached a picture too! Hope the holidays are as
wonderful for you as they will be for us!
Fluke has been learning the ropes from
his new brother Dakota. Above you can see Fluke on the left
and Dakota on the right, happy at home and waiting for Santa
by the tree.
I've gained 18 lbs! Now I'm up to 90 lbs, and
the vet thinks I should be about 95 lbs. So I have
a little ways to go, but I'm really enjoying gaining weight.
I get some really awesome food in my new home, and treats
too! All you GSD strays out there, you have got to find
your way to MAGSR. These people are the best!
When I got to my new home, I was kind of scared and
confused, and a little unsure about new people.
But now that is all in the past, I have met so many nice people,
and they always praise me and tell me how handsome I am.
So I like everyone now, especially kids (I like to lick them). I learned
how to play games, and I like to play with tug of war
with a rope, and with squeaky toys. I'm a perfect gentleman
with my doggie girlfriends, and I'm starting training soon
to learn more doggie manners when I first meet new dogs.
My christmas wish was to find a forever family who would
love me, give me a dog bed to sleep on, feed me great food
(maybe a treat or two), play with me, take me for walks, and
let me hang out with them. I told Santa that I was willing
to work in return, and I think that is why Santa gave me my
christmas wish early. I had a little trouble with
separation anxiety, but can you blame me. I finally
found nice humans, and I didn't want to let them out
of my sight. I mean would if they didn't come back,
I just couldn't chance it. But I'm much better now,
especially because my mom and dad give me pigs ears when they
leave me, can you believe that!
I'd like to thank everyone at MAGSR for helping me find
my new home, especially Rebecca (who did the intake), Birgit
(who did the homevisit), Bill (who got me out of that awful
shelter), Denise and Marian (who convinced my mom and dad
to take me home as a foster), Jamie, John, Dawn, and Candace
(who gave my mom and dad lots of advice, and helped them through
the rough spots), Lisa J and my other sponsors, and all the
volunteers from MAGSR for helping out the dogs. Last
but not least, I'd like to thank my former owners, because
if they hadn't given me up, I would have never found such
a happy life.
Merry Christmas to all of you, I hope your Christmas wishes
come true too!
My new mom & dad thought that it would be nice to send you
an update on how I am doing in my new home since it's Christmas
& mom says at Christmas you tell nice stories to people.
It's been about 4 months now since I left Aunt Stef's house
to go live with my new family. I couldn't be happier!
I have a kitten sister who doesn't quite care for me yet but
I love her & am hoping she will see my good qualities eventually.
Mom says sometimes when I am sleeping, kitten sister will come
up to me & sniff my paws. I don't know anything about
that because I sleep like a ROCK! Especially when I sleep
on the couch with Dad (see picture). The reason I am always
so pooped is because my new life is so full of FUN! I go on
long walks with Dad, go to the dog park & play (mom is always
talking about how I seem to like the "little guys"
there), go on hikes and go on runs with mom & dad. They say
I am an athletic puppy & have me up to running 4 miles
at one time! I guess that's good because mom is a
marathon runner & someday I want to be her favorite running
partner! It's a lot of fun, but boy do I get pooped!
This past Tuesday the 5th, I graduated from puppy kindergarden
in Rockville. Got a diploma & everything! Mom
is going to frame it & hang it in the office next to her
medals- it must be really important for them to hang it by her
medals! I had so much fun at school that dad might take
me to another class soon- all I know is I go there to see the
other dogs & get TONS of treats! I sure hope the next class
isn't hard!
I am 5 mos. old now and already 50 lbs.- I have HUGE paws! I
remember how Aunt Stef used to say I was the biggest guy of
all the puppies because I tried to eat everyone's food.
That hasn't changed. Mom had to move kitten sister's bowl because
that fish sure smelled good! I can't help it I love to eat.
I got in BIG trouble the other day for jumping on the counter
& eating asparagus from it -- I guess that was for mom &
dad.
Thank you MAGSR & Aunt Stef for raising me into such a sweet
& handsome little guy- here are some pictures of me
& my new family. I'll have to send one of me & mom another
time. Mom & dad love me so much & I love them &
kitten sister, too! I am looking forward to my first Christmas
& hopefully first snow- I even have a stocking in the living
room that's still empty but I am hoping that changes. I guess
I better stop eating things I am not supposed to or they will
never fill that thing.
I just wanted to update you on our adoption puppy. On June 4th
, 2006 we adopted a beautiful male puppy named Little "D"or
Daughtry. He was very malnourished and underweight, shy, timid
and a loner. He joined our family that consisted of three adults,
a eleven year old lab mix named Sunny and a domestic cat named
Chessie. Daughtry being somewhat of a runt and an underdog was
quickly renamed Rudy after the Notre Dame football player that
was diligent and overcame many obstacles. Rudy took his time figuring
out who was in charge, he would eventually learn that it was not
him.
He loves to play and run the yard and eventually run out of steam
to lounge on the deck. Rudy has a new lesson to learn and that
is how to interact with a brand new human baby (Jameson) in the
house. He has done well so far. He loves to walk by and give a
quick kiss (lick) on the head or foot of baby Jameson.
The only bad habit Rudy needs to work on is chewing. He is an
aggressive chewer. The family is working on this together and
know he will eventually catch on to what to chew and what not
to chew.
We are anxiously awaiting our first Christmas with Rudy.
Rudy (aka: Litlle "D" Daughtry) 6-04-06; Rudy and Jameson
November 2006
Ruff Ruff, Morning everyone. Just thought I would have my
mommy write you (because my paws are too big to hit those
little square things) I just wanted to let everyone know I'm
very very happy in my furever home. Mommy and daddy give me
treats and I take my eye drops very well with just my mommy.
My new odd not furry parents have given me lots of toys to
play with since I broke my squeaky ball Lisa gave me, that
lady was nice she gave me treats and toys tell her I said
thank you :) Well i have a huge fluffy bed here and mommy
and I cuddle all the time, we go on long walks and play at
the park. I even come to visit and help the other dogs at
the kennel every other weekend. I just want to say thanks
for everyone that rescued me and got me into a great home,
also here is a picture of my mommy and I cuddling on my bed.
Thanks everyone talk to you soon!
Love, Charlie :)
p.s. I couldn't leave daddy out so there is a picture
of him scratching my tummy on the couch :) oh that couch
thing is FLUFFY :)
A quick note to say that our Dini (Houdini-that's
a whole nother story) is doing well. She's filling out,shiny
and happy. Just look at the face in the picture. We'll be
starting dog school in January and hope to have a canine good
citizen. Thanks to Jen for doing such a good job fostering
her, and to MAGSR for providing such a valuable service. Everyone
who sees Dini wants to know where she came from, so we direct
them to the website!
I just wanted to drop you a quick note with an update on Cheyenne
(FKA: Breeze) and Dakota (FKA: Fabio).
I adopted both dogs in August 2004... and they quickly adapted
to their new home in Mount Vernon, VA. Within a week they
were answering and responding to their new names (formerly
Breeze & Fabio), and within a month they had figured out
the Alpha Dog hierarchy... Cheyenne won! But, they are absolutely
inseparable now, and spend their days together while I work.
They did very well with obedience training, but do not really
have fun at the local doggie parks, as they don't understand
why so many other dogs are not voice command obedient and
act so crazy.
Whomever owned Dakota previously must have been a very bad
sort, as Dakota is deathly fearful of fire, matches or butane
lighters, tucks and runs out of the room when he sees a candle
being lit. It also took nearly 3 months to convince Dakota
that he could climb and descend stairs, but he he still works
himself into a little frenzie when he can't navigate them
as quickly as bullet Cheyenne. He eventually makes it upstairs,
and is happy to find his bed. Although he has no fetch drive,
he is very content to have me chase him around the yard, so
he can skip just a little. He likes to play in his own way,
but since he is more senior, he tires out easily. He'd prefer
to just lay down and watch the excitement.
Cheyenne is much better now, but had major separation anxiety
when she first came home. She has eaten (not chewed, but entirely
eaten) one of every type of clothing I own, and she has acquired
a taste for hard-back novels, personal passports, CD boxes
and metal buttons on pants. She is very familiar with "time-out"
and knows how to get there quickly. :) She absolutely loves
to play with softballs, frisbees and Kongs, and will spend
forever chasing them all over her big back yard.
They both love children, and quickly reduce their size (both
are between 75-80 lbs) down to the size of the inquiring child.
They love to be petted and brushed, and enjoy the results
after going to the groomer every couple months. Cheyenne can't
wait for it to snow -- as she loves to catch and eat snowballs,
and both she and Dakota love to bury their noses in the snow,
and get coated with a snowblanket.
Both have had no lasting medical problems... they've only
had an ear infection and minor sinus colds since they were
adopted. Although they love all-natural treats, they really
liked it when Grandpa came over to puppy-sit with a Happy
Meal... although he doesn't do that anymore since the Vet
said they were gaining weight and needed to go on a diet.
I will try to get photos soon -- they won't sit still long
enough to snap the picture.
Hi friends at MAGSR-
it is me, Sierra. Can you believe that it has been one
year since I was adopted and came to live in my furever home?
Things are going just great. I knew when I stepped into
the house that it was going to be OK because there were all
the right smells. And there were toys already there,
and special beds too. And then there was the family
bowl that I eat out of. Mom said I was the third shepherd
to use it.
Mom and I have seen some of you in the last couple of weeks.
We went to the Pasadena Petsmart and when I walked in the
door I was greeted with "Is that Sierra?".
We stayed and talked to some of the people who stopped by.
Mom told them how wonderful it was to adopt an "older"
shepherd, and I sat there looking perfect. Someone said
I looked well loved, and spoiled rotten.
The
next weekend we went to Tammy's house to the yard sale.
I was supposed to play in the back yard but..... when the
gate closed I couldn't see Mom anymore and I got a little
scared. So I barked, and called her. She answered
but I needed to see her. So, she came and took me out
of the yard and put me in our car. That way I could
see everything. And every now and then Mom came and
got me and we walked through the yard sale. I had my
water bottle for drinks, and my lunch. Yard sales are
interesting. A
couple of weeks ago there was a blessing of the pets at our
church. Mom and I went. Mom said she had no doubt
that Jesus loved me because I was so good, but we went anyway.
I got a little St. Frances medal. Mom put it in a little
box for safe keeping.
Mom and I have been taking a class called Good Manners for
Dogs. There are 7 dogs in the class, but naturally I
am the star. Mom said she is so proud of me she could
shout it to the world. We both enjoyed it so much that
we are now signing up for Better Manners for Dogs.
I still go to Doggie Day Care two days a week, and now that
Mom is retired, she takes me to the dog park too.
Thank you MAGSR for keeping me safe and sheltered and helping
me find my furever Mom.
Love,
Dear MAGSR,
In February of this year my husband and I adopted a GSD. We
originally went to the kennel to meet a GSD named Jack who seemed
like a great dog, but while we were there we also met a GSD named
Rascal. While Jack was playing with a ball in the yard and having
lots of fun running around, Rascal was content to sit and lean
against us. Also, Rascal had a scar on his ear and a look in his
eyes that made him look much older than his true age of 1 year.
Anyway, it was his combination of sweetness and sadness that made us
choose him to be the new addition to our family. Rascal had been a
stray prior to his stay at the kennel so we figured it was pretty
safe to assume he wasn't too attached to his name and we could rename
him. His new name is now Cope... seems strange we know. We named
him after Myron Cope, a legendary radio announcer for the Pittsburgh
Steelers.
We now have had Cope in our lives for nearly 8 months and we can
honestly say that we are absolutely in love with him! Everyday he
amazes us with how intelligent he is, how much personality he has and
how much love he has to give. If you look at his MAGSR original
profile it says he is unknown with housebreaking and children and it
says for obedience that he is learning. Turns out he is great with
the kids he has met so far and he has been nearly perfect as far as
housebreaking is concerned. As for training he has picked up on
nearly everything we have attempted to teach him almost immediately.
He sits, lays down, stays, shakes, comes, and finds his ball on
command. It doesn't matter what the distraction, even at the park,
he will come immediately when called. Cope's favorite activities are
going to the park to play fetch or going to doggie daycare to play
with his canine friends for hours on end. I have to mention too how
great his manors are. Cope doesn't get on the furniture, doesn't
jump up on people, doesn't beg, and always loves to shake hello (over
and over again).
However all this being said, he has come a long way since he came to
live with us. When Cope first arrived he was a very timid dog. He
was deathly afraid of going into bathrooms or closets and also very
afraid of most new people until he got to know them (mostly only men)
which could take hours to repeat visits to earn his trust. Also,
very strangely he was afraid to go to the bathroom while on a leash
or while we were watching. Whether Cope has a very sad past prior to
being rescued by the pound and MAGSR or whether he just had very
strange quirks will never be known, but either way it took us a few
months to work with him to overcome his strange fears. He now has no
strange fears associated with closets or bathrooms and his skittish
behavior around new men has been reduced drastically.
Last but not least, I mentioned earlier how loving he is but that is
just not saying enough. Although Cope does love to play fetch, it is
undeniable that his all time favorite activity is to snuggle up with
you. We find ourselves falling in love with him over and over again
each time he puts his paws in our laps while we are watching TV, each
time he licks our feet, cuddles up against you in bed or when your
laying in the floor with him, or most of all the way he comes over,
cocks his head, folds his ears down and looks you with his beautiful
brown eyes. Anyway, we just feel so lucky to have Cope in our lives
and we like to think he feels that way too. Thank you MAGSR for
rescuing Cope and allowing us the opportunity to make him part of our
family!
We've attached a few recent pictures for you.
- Emily and Jay Hartman
Saturday
Dear Dog Diary: I am so proud!! Today I went to the
Fallsgrove Yappy Hour -- my first "event" from the other
side of the kennel. I mean, I'm already adopted and have
my own home with my mom and brother, T-Bone - so I was there volunteering
to help MAGSR dogs who need a home and to help raise money for
MAGSR. Mrs.Pansy (Susan) said we did very well !!
It was so exciting, we got to ride together in Mom's car, and
then there were dogs and people of all sizes everywhere.
I guess I got a bit anxious because I keep whining and whimpering,
so Mom and Birgit kept walking me around and reassuring
me. But, get this! I was great with all the other dogs no
matter how small or how big. So was T-Bone, although he kept sniffing
you-know-where. I was more discreet! I impressed
everyone by my sit; I did the down too, but couldn't keep down
because I was pretty distracted! T-Bone and I wore our yellow
and black seat belt harnesses
and the lady who gave out the prizes saw us later and said we
should have entered!
What a day! I sure took a nice long nap after we got back home.
Mom said she gives me twos
up for how well I behaved!
Well, now its beddie-time, so more later
--
Sammy
You may remember the little female shepherd that was
hit by a car and found on the side of the road with a broken
pelvis. Animal control picked her up and most likely
would have put her to sleep because she was badly
injured but they had to keep her the required two
weeks in case her owners came looking for her....but of
course they didn't. A few days before the dog's time
was up a MAGSR volunteer stop by the shelter to look at another
Shepherd and while he was there, as sort of an after thought,
the shelter worker mentioned this dog but told him she
was injured and they said he probably wouldn't want her....WRONG.
He came over to talk to her and even though she
was in a lot of pain she impressed him with how sweet she
was despite her condition so of course MASGR. Like they have
done so many times before the volunteer returned for
her, and with the help of a second volunteer she was
taken straight to the emergency hospital where they
preformed immediate surgery on her hip
It all seems so long ago. My whole side was shaved, I had a
huge incision and big old metal clips holding it closed. While
I was still trying to understand what was happening another
volunteer came to the hospital, scooped me up (literally) and
off I went with her to rest and recover in the country. I had
to stay on strict crate rest for two weeks...not fun... then
was allowed limited activity..also not fun as by that time I
wanted to be allowed to play with my foster brother and
sister. If all this wasn't enough it was determined that I was
heartworm positive so back to the vets for treatment then more
crate rest. Enter Linda and Missy...they read my story on the
MASGR website and just knew that I was for them....even
with my bum leg and a sick heart they knew they wanted
to care for me and make me part of their family.
I now live in Silver Spring, with my fur sister Chloe and
two kitties. I am so loved and spoiled and even when I ate
the sofa they still loved me. My coat is full and
soft and I can run and play with the best of them, no more
limping for me. Today I went back to visit my foster mom
and she thought I was the most beautiful dog in the world. Although
she had seen the "before" version and thought
me pretty then the "now" dog that I am is
amazing and is a tribute to the power of love and
care. I took one look at my foster mom and remembered her
instantly and never stopped wagged my tail the entire time
I was visiting.
My name is Cori and that is the rest of my story.....
Before - Cori right after her hip operation
Now - Cori recovered, beautiful and VERY much
loved.
My name is Johanna, now very fondly call Jo Jo. Just about
a year ago I was abandoned in the woods in PA and left to
fend for myself. I was on the run for over 4 months and although
kind folks at a nearby house put food out for me I wouldn't
come anywhere near them. While their food was good I
had picked up all sorts of nasty parasites who were literally
eating me from the inside out. Animal control, the folks
with the good food...all manner of folks tried to catch me but
I was so frightened that I successfully eluded them. Then came
the ice and snow, I found shelter but there were days that I almost
gave up. People, knowing of my weakened condition, were very
worried about me and knew I probably wouldn't survive another
snow storm and called MASGR.
In the cold, rain and snow MASGR volunteers came because a
shepherd was in need. After several days a volunteer with a very
special talent for gaining the trust of dogs on the run was able
to win my trust long enough to slip a color and leash on me then
whisked me off to the emergency vets. Knowing I found and safe
made the Christmas for many MASGR volunteers last year.
Until I was safely in the hospital did folks know just how
close I came to not making it. I was nothing but bones covered
with limp coat of dry brittle fur. I trusted no one but was too
weak and sick to hide so I let the vet help me. She said that just
a few days more and I wouldn't be lying here with her. I
remained hospitalized for over two weeks and as my straight came
back all I wanted to do is run and hide...I was so frightened.
When
I recovered enough that I could leave the hospital I went to stay
with what I was soon to learn was a foster mother...someone
who cares for you until you are ready to be adopted. It was
at this point that something miraculous happened.... some how
I knew I was safe. After just a few days of sleeping in a big
,soft comfortable bed in a warm house, with good food and a foster
fur sister and brother to tell me this was a great place to be
I started to trust humans again. Although the yard was completely
fenced my foster mom was so afraid that I would bolt and run so
at first I had to stay on a long leash even in the yard. Little
did she know that there was no way I was going to leave this warm
and loving place however once she saw that I followed
her everywhere with adoring eyes and hung close to my brother
and sister when we went out I soon had the run of the place,
not that I wanted to run anywhere but back inside to cuddle with
my foster mom.
Unknown to me at this time was a lonely lady
in Cumberland. She had lost both her husband and her beloved
shepherd within a month of each other about the time I was abandoned
in PA. She was grieving so badly, feeling so alone and sad. Her
wise daughter knew that while no one could replace her father
or the other shepherd, her mom needed someone to love and care
for again even though she didn't. Her daughter showed her
mom my MASGR website picture and read her my story. A glimmer
of sunlight brightened the heart of this lonely lady who felt
an instant bond with a dog she had never met, dog who need her
just as much as she need a dog. An application was filed
out, a MAGSR volunteer who having suffered a similar loss
and understood the urgency of her mission, drove all
the way to Cumberland to do the home visit and the rest is
history.
Today for the first time since my adoption, my mom and I drove
all the way back from Cumberland to visit my foster mom. She
has been anxiously waiting my visit and was overjoyed to see me.
The 45 pound girl that I was has been replaced by a 80
pound beautiful girl with the most beautiful long haired
coat. Although at first my eyes almost never left my new mom,
I remembered my foster mom and gave her lots and lots of kisses.
We had coffee and cinnamon muffins (yum) on the
deck ...hey how come I wasn't allowed people food the last
time I was here.
When it was time to go, I jumped in the car, got buckled into
my seat-belt that would keep me safe for the 2.5 hour ride back
home and smiled at my foster mom. My mom told my foster mom that
I had helped her recover from a very dark time in her life. Even
now when short bouts of sadness return I know exactly
when them come and always stick extra close to help her through
them. We are inseparable and love each other deeply. Mom
and I are together today because MAGSR is there when dogs
desperately needed them to be. Please don't let anything stop
you from continuing your work there are so many dogs and people
who need your help.
remember my fuzzy fosterdog, diamond
(now known as chai)? her mom sent me a few pics of dimey now getting her weekly
frappe. pictured also are her brother bailey the golden retriever and her mom,
toni. dimey is still as cute as ever. she has the perfect home. remember
what a ball of fire she was? she is really great with small children, and
has charmed some people who don't even like dogs.
It's been a whirlwind four months, and my boy now weighs 77.2 lbs and still
thinks he can sit in your lap. He just finished obedience training, which
surprised me that he passed only because he was so very bored. But he has
improved but there wasn't really much of a problem to begin with. In the
beginning he thought he could potty anywhere he wanted but that dissolved
quickly. The trainer taught us how to give massages, and my baby gets one
almost every night and almost every morning. He tries hard to figure out
what you're saying to him. You can have a conversation with him and he'll
look directly at you like he understands. He's very intelligent.
Rommell is so, so spoiled. I have to get him 2-3 more toys every few weeks
because he pulls the insides out and tosses the stuffing all over the house.
Although it drives me nuts, I can't help but laugh every time. He is so
entertaining. He's not much of a kisser but he throws himself on you
and lays back and just stares up in your face, and you can just see the
love. He's such a good boy and so very sweet.
Although he loves everyone that comes near him, Rommell still has
issues with our little Piglet, but it's more her problem than his. She'll
steal his bones directly out of his paws and Rommell will let her and just
looks at her like Oh Well. She tells him off, but he's so sweet that he just
walks away. Piglet is starting to realize he's here to stay, and they've actually
started to play together.
My boy does not know how big he is. For example, I'm sitting here on
the floor in the living room typing this with one finger because Rommell
has decided he needs some attention and if I stop scratching him he walks
across my lap a couple of times and flops down on my legs.
We are lucky to have found him and am so grateful things have worked
out.
We adore Rommell, but honestly, he's my baby.
Thanks everyone.
With appreciation,
Lynn, Tim, Sean, Rommell, and Piglet Shepke
Since we adopted Katie at the beginning of April,
we have made a lot of progress. Katie was terrified of
the crate when she first came home. We worked with her
for about a month and now she goes in her crate willingly.
Being able to put her in the crate really helped us with
housebreaking her. Katie has put on some weight but is
still very lean. She is a very active girl!
She loves to run and jump in the backyard and go for walks.
Katie also graduated from basic obedience training on July 30,
2006. I am attaching pictures that her proud grandparents
took at graduation. We had a lot of fun and Katie really did
well and seemed to enjoy the training. We plan on continuing
on with her training. The training has helped us and her
around the cats. We have 2 cats that like to try and "stir"
her up, but now all we have to do is say "leave it" and
she walks away from them. We are still working with Katie
because she is very much an alpha female and a little aggressive
with her brother Rocky. Katie's trainer felt that she
was still trying to show dominance in our household and felt
that it would eventually go away.
We truly love Katie and are very happy
that we adopted her from Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue.
We would encourage others to adopt from MAGSR and will adopt
again from MAGSR in the future.
Thank you for our girl!!
Mike, Kim & Tyler Ulmschneider
Time flies when you're having fun, and
we can't believe we've had
Thunder for a year. He turned "4" on Sept. 13 and celebrated
with a
roast beef sandwich, which he scarfed down, but we're sure he
enjoyed
it anyway :) In the last year, we've learned adopting a rescue
dog
isn't always easy, but it's sure worth it. He makes us smile and
laugh
even when we don't feel like it and gives us unconditional love
even
when we feel we like we don't deserve it. He's been a wonderful
addition to our little family and we're thankful to MAGSR and
Thunder's foster, Joe, for taking such good care of him until
we came
along. Thanks for all you do!
Hi, this is Sophie(aka Bissell). We adopted Sophie
in May and haven't had a chance to write till now. She is doing
very well in her forever home. She house trained and crate trained
right a way. She loves playing with our cat Max. He is no longer
afraid of her and they get along very well as you can see. She
is very smart and graduated from her first training class. We
are still working on not jumping on people but that too has gotten
better. She is a wonderful addition t our family and we want to
thank all the people at MAGSR for giving dogs like Sophie a chance
in life.
Hi, It's me Maggie, a.k.a. Wiggles. My new family
decided to change my name after several days of calling me just
"puppy." I didn't mind, but I am liking my new name
especially when they call me to play or to go outside. I have
a little skin infection and I am on antibiotics. I scratch a lot
so my family sometimes says they should have named me "thumper."
I am doing very good with potty training and I have only had a
few accidents in the house. I like my crate and I sleep through
the night. The little girl here plays with me all the time. The
little boy has something called Autism, so he mostly stays away
from me. At first he was a little scared, but now we can stay
in the same room together and I don't scare him. I am so ferocious,
you know?
Speaking of ferocious, I met the Rottweiller up the hill. I let
him know who was boss. I don't think he will be coming around
here much, ha! Now, sometimes the wind and inanimate object still
scare me. This whole big world is new to me but I did master the
steps!
I went to the vet for all my shots and I was so good, he thought
my family had brought him a stuffed animal, not a real dog. I
am a very smart dog and a very happy dog. I think my family is
happy that they picked me. They keep telling everyone how good
I am.
Enjoy my new pictures because I am growing everyday!
Thanks to Aunt Patty for taking such good care of me and to MAGSR
for rescuing me.
Rentz is fitting in very well and is a quick learner.
He is learning what is his and what is not. The other night my
wife was sitting in a chair folding towels and lickety split Rentz
had one in his mouth. He was so
smooth and fast my wife looked at me like, what happened to the
towel I just had? We both had a laugh and Rentz gave it right
back with a proud look about himself. Our cat keeps Rentz busy
too. I was concerned she would have to seek sanctuary upstairs
and not get any attention, but I under
estimated her. She keeps strutting around like its a dare to chase
her. They're both having fun at it. Today Rentz has an appointment
to meet his new vet. Rentz also has enrolled (us) for some training
classes at the Terrapin K-9 Academy, I'm sure he will do good.
The kisses we were warned about keep
coming and thank you for such a great dog.
Marley came to our home at the end of April. Her
foster mom did an incredible job with Marley, but considering
her life before coming to MAGSR, we knew she was going to take
some time and work. Marley was afraid of so many things such as
ceiling fans, certain people, and so forth. My husband's Seeing
Eye Dog does not always find it easy to get along with dogs, but
he fell in love with Marley from the first time they met and this
really helped Marley with her transition to her forever home.
Marley loves being with everyone in the home, but she most of
all loves her new mother and follows her everywhere. We try to
take Marley everywhere we possibly can and expose her to new situations
which really helps her build confidence. Marley recently
past basic obedience class and did very well. She does not like
it when the grass is wet so she wasn't overly happy for her final
class, but she'll learn its okay. During the time Marley has been
here, she has gotten over her fear of ceiling fans, doesn't even
pay any attention to them at all and has really come out of her
shell. She is such a wonderful girl, full of energy, play, and
is always doing some amusing thing or other. She is just
as sweet a dog has there ever was and we can't thank her foster
mom and MAGSR for all of their support and letting us meet several
dogs that our GSD was comfortable with. MAGSR is one incredible
organization who truly are the finest, caring, and dedicate group
we have ever met. If anyone is looking to adopt a dog, you will
be doing yourself a favor by working with this incredible organization.
I must first apologize for dropping the ball and
not staying in regular contact. Some time ago Kyla allowed us
to adopt her, through the MAGSR, and she came to live with us,
"us" being Buddy the Golden Retriever, myself and my two daughters
(part-time). When Kyla arrived she was very thin as she would
not eat for you. She also had a problem with separation anxiety.
Well, we are happy to report that Ms. Kyla, or Ky as she is now
called, has filled out and is a sleek but healthy model of what
a Shepherd should look like. She passed her obedience course with
flying colors although she did earn the title Ms. Congeniality
because she expressed a dislike for any other dogs (nothing really
bad, though), especially if they came near her Daddy.
She obviously has bonded with Buddy the Golden, and he with her.
They obviously like each other and are in almost constant company.
However, Ky has demonstrated that although she is a model of physical
agility and fitness (she constantly patrols the acre backyard
keeping those subversive squirrels from stealing Dad's lawn
tractor), Buddy is clearly, when compared to her, the resident
couch-potato. The best part is that although Ky has demonstrated
a dislike for any other dogs, Buddy is obviously the exception
and it is very obvious they enjoy each other's company. There
has been no sign of the separation anxiety as she is always with
Buddy or one of us, and, indeed, Buddy seems to mind her not being
around (he would always run to greet her when Ky and I got back
from her obedience class sessions).
What really thrills me is that she is very clearly happy to all
who see her. She bounds up and down the yard, her ears alert and
her tail flying, with what appears to be a tremendous smile on
her face. She has been observed bounding up to Buddy and pouncing
on him (a game he loves), and then having a game of chase at which
Buddy has the clear disadvantage as Ky can really run when she
wants to. She is simply beautiful when she decides to really take
off and stretch out in a real run, which I am thankful I have
the room to allow her to do so.
There was a rule at the house that no pets got on the furniture,
but Ky changed that. I call her "My Princess" as she is quite
a lady. She somehow got the rules changed and now she gets on
"her" couch and will lay there with her front paws crossed,
just like a Princess. She does allow us humans to get on it, too,
but we must pay the price of an occasional behind-the-ear scratch.
(If not, you will be urged with a gentle nudge of the nose to
do so). She has been a wonderful girl and is, simply, part of
the family. I look forward to coming home at night to find both
Ky and Buddy waiting for me. (I must admit that, although she
is very happy to share attention given her by my daughters or
visitors, she has made it clear she is a Daddy's girl. I call
her my on-site job inspector as no project gets done without Ky
having checked it out to ensure I am doing it right.) She also
insists on sleeping on her bed beside my bed and will often, on
weekends, wake me up in the morning with a happy face and waging
tail.
We discovered that Ms. Ky likes company while she eats and I now
have to stand beside her while she eats her dinner. (She will
allow me to not be there for breakfast, but dinner is a different
story). Of course, although this might seem excessive to some
people, she is such a sweetheart that I or one of my daughters
are happy to do so. She gets a breakfast consisting of dry food
and then dinner of dry food with a little canned food mixed in
to give it some pizzazz. I feed both of them Iams Lamb & Rice
as we found Ky has a sensitive system and the Iams Lamb &
Rice seems to be the best one for her. Her coat has become thick
and soft and, as I said, she has filled out and looks sleek and
powerful. She is really a beautiful girl.
The bottom line is that Ky seems to be very happy and is an absolute
joy to have around. She has definitely found her forever home
and I think, if she could, she would tell you that. I also think
Buddy would tell you she is his best companion, although there
are times where she seems to act as if she doesn't know him
(she seems to know when he does something that will get him in
trouble, like pulling wash off the clothesline to modify with
a few rips or tears). It is funny to see in that she will stand
up on the hill in the backyard and bark at him as if to say, "I
will not be a part of that! You are going to get in trouble!";
and he usually does (he gets caught red-pawed every time as he
has not yet learned the art of being subtle).
I will attempt to send you some pictures and a copy of Ky's
obedience class certificate, but I thought I would write while
I had the thought in my somewhat sieve-like mind. Thank you again
for all your help and allowing Ky to adopt us. She is a true joy
to have around and just brightens everyone's day that comes
in contact with her. She really seems to appreciate having a real
home and being loved as part of the family.
Hi Everyone!
I am now 5 months old and have been with my new family for one
month. I just want to tell you, and especially to Aunt Stef, how
happy I am in my new "Furever" home! Yippee!! Shane
(my older MAGSR rescue brother) JUST LOVES me! We play all of
the time, we run around the house like crazy and chase tennis
balls! I follow him like a shadow and he lets me cuddle up and
sleep next to him at night too. I also have furry friends in our
neighborhood that love to play with me too - I'm very popular!
I hope you enjoy the pictures of me with Shane - aren't we gorgeous!
Thank you for taking care of me Aunt Stef. Love, Danica
Dear
Friends at MAGSR: We are all so very happy and just wanted to
update you on how well Danica is doing. We just love her. We're
overjoyed at how happy Shane is to have such a fun and loving
playmate. We wish we did this sooner!! Asta, our Rottie, can now
get some rest after all she's going to be 12 in December.
We'll send another update soon.
Lots of Love and Licks,
Adrian and Renee, Asta,
Shane and Danica
Hi everyone! I am writing because today marks three years since I found my forever home and we are celebrating my fifth birthday today. My mommy and daddy can't believe that I am already five, they always say that it seems like just yesterday that I got into their car and stretched alllllll the way out, pushing my 78 pound brother into a tiny corner. What a happy day for all of us.
She said that I swim every single day and because I love it so much, my tail is wagging the whole time I am in the water. Well, I left the vet's office that day with a diagnosis of, get this, "swimmer's tail"! Wow, I had never even heard or that, and my mommy and daddy couldn't stop laughing. At least they weren't worried anymore, they knew that I just needed some time to rest my tail since I had been working it so much.
riends come and pick up me and Bart for a walk - that is really fun!
A lot has been going on, I've gained some weight and lost it
from this super diet "Jason" has me on, he tells me its because the
doctor said so... well Dr. Ward is right- im feeling much much better now, and I
still have my shiney coat! Jay brushes me all the time because I have this
really thick Lab/GSD coat, that seems to be shedding all the time.. we have it
down to making pillows with it, lol haha woof!! My big brother Dakota is doing
awesome for 15 years old, he still plays with me; like a 'yahoo' as Jay
calls us when we are jogging around the yard!! Our cousin Reiley comes and
visits thats Jason's sisters black lab, he's real cool and all three get
along, most of the time Dakota just goes into the house- kinda like thank
goodness I can take a break now! Woof! My training is less and less now, I have
to advise Jay has really made me learn and now I am broken of my nipping act
that I did, I just got tired of hearing the word "NO" so i just
stopped completely. Last month some rather sad news, I had to go into surgery
for a tooth, it was okay, I didnt like the drugs at all... they are nasty... I
was playing tug o war with a rope with the knots in the ends with Dakota and i
was offset from a straight line and it did a number on my premolar on my right
lower jaw. Dr Ward had fixed me up and Jay said that was my Christmas present, a
new smile! He was kidding- we sent a new picture, hope you can post it. Happy
Holidays - write you all soon. Woof Woof!
I
think the name suits me because I like to relax and go along for
the ride. I am a city dog, so I walk to the inner harbor almost
everyday. A lot of people ask to pet and I am ok with it but I
have a harder time with children and men. If you see me, ask to
pet me because I need the practice. My mom sends me to dog school
once a week where she said I would learn to socialize with other
dogs, but I think that she just wants me tired. On the weekends
we go to the dog park where I get to run and run. Sometimes, when
its crowded, I have to jump over the other dogs which makes them
chase me.Not many can catch me though. There are not many female
dogs where I live so I have a lot of boyfriends. I get along with
all of them and go on walks with my steady boyfriend Lex. (Don’t
tell him about the others, he doesn't know.) I have completed
obedience training a while ago but I am having a hard time with
stay. 
It’s soooo boring to just lay there.I have a cat sister
who thinks she owns the house, geeez the cat owns everything.
I try to eat her but she must think it’s a deep tissue massage
because she leans into my mouth. Where can a dog get any respect?
My mom says that I am going to start some new training soon. I
wonder what it will be, I hope its agility, I hear you get to
run and jump over things. Anyways, that’s it from my hood. I will
keep in touch and send pictures of my next big adventure.
A
couple of weeks ago there was a blessing of the pets at our
church. Mom and I went. Mom said she had no doubt
that Jesus loved me because I was so good, but we went anyway.
I got a little St. Frances medal. Mom put it in a little
box for safe keeping.
When
I recovered enough that I could leave the hospital I went to stay
with what I was soon to learn was a foster mother...someone
who cares for you until you are ready to be adopted. It was
at this point that something miraculous happened.... some how
I knew I was safe. After just a few days of sleeping in a big
,soft comfortable bed in a warm house, with good food and a foster
fur sister and brother to tell me this was a great place to be
I started to trust humans again. Although the yard was completely
fenced my foster mom was so afraid that I would bolt and run so
at first I had to stay on a long leash even in the yard. Little
did she know that there was no way I was going to leave this warm
and loving place however once she saw that I followed
her everywhere with adoring eyes and hung close to my brother
and sister when we went out I soon had the run of the place,
not that I wanted to run anywhere but back inside to cuddle with
my foster mom.
Dear
Friends at MAGSR: We are all so very happy and just wanted to
update you on how well Danica is doing. We just love her. We're
overjoyed at how happy Shane is to have such a fun and loving
playmate. We wish we did this sooner!! Asta, our Rottie, can now
get some rest after all she's going to be 12 in December.