Phin
GSRNE #390
2007 – 2019
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Password: Phin
Adopted on 3/15/2014
“My sincere thanks to GSRNE for providing Phin and I with a wonderful journey together.”
GSRNE’s Phin has crossed the bridge. We all loved him very much and knew how happy he was with adopted family. Rest in peace, beautiful Phin.
10/5/2014 Update:
Phin has bonded very well with his Dad and is very happy. He is enjoying playtime and walking at the Outer Banks. He no longer has separation anxiety as his dad has him on a regular schedule. Phin’s dad works regularly with him on obedience training. Phin is very smart and learning commands quickly.
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Biography
In April of 2013, GSRNE took in a 6-year-old male GSD named Phin. He had lived with a family that included grade-school-age children, and he had some issues that needed work; the family was moving and asked GSRNE to find another home for Phin.
We had to board him until a foster home became available, and he lost weight in the kennel and was very stressed, barking incessantly at the other dogs.
Once in a foster home, though, he gradually calmed down and began regaining the weight he had lost. His foster parents found that he had severe separation anxiety and would not stay in a crate unless it was in the bedroom at night. If one of them needed to go out during the daytime, the other stayed with Phin or took him in the car. They began leaving him for 5 minutes at a time, gradually increasing the time, and worked on obedience training. Another issue was that Phin was reactive to other dogs and definitely did not like small white dogs, so taking him for walks was a challenge. His foster parents worked with him for months and were making some progress, when they had a family health emergency that meant Phin had to be moved.
Fortunately, we had received an adoption application and done a home visit with a man who was a retired police K9 officer and who seemed like a good match for Phin. We explained to him what the issues were, and he agreed to take Phin as a foster-to-adopt candidate. It didn’t take long for him to bond with Phin and appreciate his intelligence and potential. He continued working on the obedience training and took him for 5 or 6 walks a day, and Phin has responded well.
