Thank you for all the great work you organization does and most of all for bringing Kayla into our life. Have a great summer.
Kayla’s original write-up: Life was pretty good for this young female for her first 15 months; her owner spent time with her and arranged for sessions at doggie day care while he was at work. She played with the other dogs there and was getting some obedience training. When her owner died suddenly, and no one in the family could take Kayla, she faced an uncertain future.
Fortunately, the owner of her daycare facility notified GSRNE and took care of her until a foster home could be found. Kayla has handled all the changes without losing her open and trusting personality and is now ready to meet a potential adopter.
Her foster Mom tells us that Kayla “is a total love, is very smart and has lots of energy.” She looks for things to play with and will carry one ball in her mouth while using her feet to shove a second ball away and then chase after it; she also has fun with fuzzy toys.
Kayla can be mouthy when she first meets someone but will stop when corrected. She’s enthusiastic about new adventures and would like to charge out the door as soon as it’s opened, so she’s learning to sit and “wait” until invited to go through. We’ve also learned that she is very sensitive to loud noises and will look for a place to hide, so she needs someone who is understanding and patient.
There are two kittens, under one year old, in Kayla’s foster home, and they fascinate her. She wants to follow them everywhere and carries toys to get them to play, and the kittens are a bit wary of her. She should do well with a confident and dog-savvy cat, though.
Kayla is ready to be part of a loving and active family. If you are committed to going to obedience training classes with her and have some experience with an active and outgoing German Shepherd, this might be the girl for you!
Ava has discovered that balls are fun to chase, and that a leash is good, because when it gets attached she goes on adventures!
Ava also loves to learn new things because she has discovered she likes getting rewarded with treats too!
Her favorite trick is to ring a bell by the door when she wants to go out, and she does not hesitate to use it if she thinks we aren’t paying attention! HA HA!
Ava has completed her intermediate obedience training! Wohoo!! It was a bit rough for her at first trying to control her fear. Although she is very bright, and already knew more commands that most of the other dogs in the class, they made her very nervous at first. We took it slow, kept her at a comfortable distance, and eventually she was able to concentrate on training.
Ava’s original write-up:
Baby / Ava is one of the four dogs that we took in last spring. Her owner had some medical issues and needed to find a safe place for the dogs he loved but could no longer care for. We knew that taking four dogs that were fearful and not socialized was going to require a commitment of time and a team of very special people to help each of them get ready for a new life. If you follow us here or on Facebook, you know that we recently celebrated the adoption of Holly and Mushroom, two of the dogs from that same home.
Baby is a beautiful girl. In fact her foster family asked if they could rename her, Ava, and we agreed that it was a perfect fit for her. Ava was just under a year when she came to GSRNE. She was afraid of just about everything. If you threw a ball to her to play with, she would head in the other direction. Her foster family has show amazing patience and unwavering devotion to helping her. Ava’s progress has been slow but each new accomplishment is cause for celebration. Her foster mom and dad have worked with her every day to help her to feel safe and more secure in the world around her. The bond between her foster family and Ava is very strong and we feel that she has found her forever home but we wanted to share her journey with you. We are all so very happy that we were able to help this sweet girl.
Adopted: May 22, 2016 Age: 10 months DOB 7/7/15 Click for more photos Password:Ryker
Update: July 1, 2016
Ryker is doing very well, although it seems like he’s been with us for a lot longer than the 6 weeks he’s actually lived with us. He loves to play with us and with Kensey, and he enjoys going to the park where he often gets to meet and play with other dogs off-leash. He has wonderful manners when meeting other dogs and always wags his tail and approaches the other dog slowly. He’s been great with other dogs both small and large and has never been rough with any of them. Sometimes the other dog may act defensive against him, but he always quickly backs off if the other dog indicates they do not want him near or to be sniffed. He may sometimes get a little rough with Kensey and ignore her defensive maneuvers, but this mainly happens when we are at the park and it may be that he is so excited that he finds it hard to control himself with her. We are careful to watch their interactions all the time and especially at the park when this happens. It doesn’t seem to happen at home or only rarely when they are playing in the backyard and they get too excited.
Another favorite thing that Ryker loves to do is play a simple game of toss and catch with a ball or another rubber toy. He will drop the toy on our lap (if we are sitting), sits or lies down and wait, then just jump upwards to catch the ball when we gently toss it in the air. He brings the ball back, drops it on our lap, sits or lies down and waits, etc…This pattern continues until you get up/stop. We think he could continue this game for hours if given that opportunity!! Mark played this game with him once non-stop for over an hour while watching TV! I know I’ve done it for quite a long time more than once too. It’s basically a nightly ritual for him to want to play this game!
Also, we have a trainer that started coming out to the house about once a week to work on training for both Ryker and Kensey. She’s had 3 visits so far with the first visit being mainly as an introduction for all of us. They love seeing her because she always brings a large bag of toys to let them play with and to use as part of training (on top of the yummy treats)!…and they also really like how nice she is!! Ryker already knew the sit command when we adopted him, and now he is learning the down and stay commands, though he ‘forgets’ when he gets overly excited and eventually we hope he might be able to be less excited when greeting new people who come into the house or backyard. He is a smart boy so we know he will learn quickly but he needs to channel or control his puppy exuberance. We believe he will be better as he matures and over a period of time. Kensey still also gets very excited when meeting new people so we know this energy is not easy for friendly, outgoing dogs to control when they are still on the younger side. She is calmer when familiar people come over, but is still very excitable with newer people or people who also are themselves giving off an excited energy level. As you know, sometimes it’s more about the people than it is about the dog!
Ryker had a clean bill of health following his vet appointment on 6/15. Our vet clipped his nails and as we had anticipated, this was not an easy task as we had been warned by Don (his foster dad). Ryker struggled and tried to nip the vet when he first tried, even though he had been sitting and playing on the floor with Ryker, so our vet ended up using a soft muzzle while both Mark and the vet tech tried to hold him down. Ryker struggled mightily, but eventually all the nails that needed clipping were clipped and he was fine once we walked out of the exam room. Mark left with a few scratches on his legs and arms (shorts and short sleeves) as Ryker tried desperately to get free during the clipping. So this will be a challenge. The vet didn’t feel it reached the level of the worst cases he had come across. Our trainer offered to come with us to the vet’s the next time we bring Ryker for a clipping so that she can see what happens to Ryker and perhaps help. He doesn’t have any issues with us holding his paws and playing with his nails, but he definitely flips a switch when it comes time for the nail clippings.
Update: May 22, 2016
The magic has happened for our young male, Ryker, who will turn 1 year old with his adopters.
His foster Dad worked with him to tone down his enthusiasm when meeting new people, helped him learn to walk nicely on a leash and got him used to staying in a crate for short periods until he learned that he wouldn’t have to stay there all day. Once we posted Ryker on our Available Dogs page, we heard from a lot of people who were interested in meeting him.
We knew that Ryker would need an experienced adopter, someone who has lived with and loved German Shepherds previously, and we thought he would do best with a confident dog in the home….a calm female who could become a good
role model for him. There was a female German Shepherd in his foster home, and Ryker followed her around and enjoyed their play sessions.
Among our approved adopters waiting to be matched with a dog, we found the ones we were looking for. They brought their 2-year-old female Chocolate Lab to the adoption meeting, and the two dogs went for a walk as part of
their introduction to each other. The humans knew, pretty quickly, that they wanted Ryker to join their family; and when their dog seemed to agree, the match was made.
Ryker’s original write up:
This enthusiastic boy is big for his age and still figuring out what to do with all his energy. He has learned the basic obedience commands and will walk nicely on leash once he gets moving on the sidewalk or on a walking trail.
His recall is good, but he does want to jump up in excitement when he gets to you. He has the same inclination when greeting a visitor to the home and has to learn to tone things down a bit.
Ryker lives with a female German Shepherd in his foster home and gets along well with her. He wants to play and will follow her around in the yard to see whether she finds anything interesting to do. When meeting another dog outside the home, he barks and becomes very excited.
After some good exercise, he loves to relax with you in the house and will roll onto his back for a good belly rub.
He doesn’t have long periods of time home alone and will bark and scratch at the pan when he has to be left in his crate. He does settle down eventually, though.
Ryker will do well with an adopter who has some German Shepherd experience and knows positive training techniques….someone with a calm and loving personality who will enjoy the company of this outgoing and energetic boy.
Bishop was adopted in July 2011. He was 4 years old then, having just celebrated his birthday on June 1st. From the moment he set a paw in our home, we fell in love with him. We took him everywhere dogs were allowed, and he was a true companion. He loved going anywhere in the car (even to the vet), but especially for ice cream–yum! We also took him to obedience training where he received his CGS. His trips to the local nursing home brought great joy to the residents. We (both of his caregivers) faced illness of our own during the time we had Bishop, and he always knew which of us needed his hugs and kisses. He was such a comfort. We walked 2 miles each day, and Bishop made lots of friends along the way. During the colder winter months, we walked the cross-country track near our middle school. Every day we played “hide-n-seek,” and Bishop became a great tracker.
On February 15, 2016, Bishop was not himself. He needed emergency surgery for Hemangiosarcoma, so he had his spleen removed, but the prognosis was not good. Bishop crossed the Rainbow Bridge on May 7, 2016, just short of his 9th birthday.
He was our happiest “Good Morning,” our comforting “Good Night,” and our saddest “Good Bye.”
If intelligence is on the top of your list when you think of the qualities you want in a GSD, then Suki may be the dog for you. Her keen intelligence will help her excel in obedience or agility and her serious hunt drive would make Nose Work fun for both of you, especially if the reward is a toss of the ball!
Suki came into GSRNE in January 2015, when she was under one year old. She had been allowed to run loose with an adult male GSD in the family, and th
e two of them were killing a neighbor’s chickens. When he threatened to shoot her, the owner found Suki another home, but the new home wasn’t feeding her so the owner took her back. The owner then put Suki on Craig’s List, and she was adopted by a woman who had cats; Suki went after the cats and kept searching for them even after they were put safely away, so she had to move again.
Suki has a lot of energy and serious ball drive; during the winter she would run into the fenced yard and find balls buried under a foot of snow. She wants to have things to do and will play ball without wanting to stop, loves going for walks, would be a great partner for a jogger. Her adopter will have to be an active person and really enjoy having fun with this girl!
Though she is unsure about new dogs, with correct introductions and a little time, Suki would be happy to be in a home with another young dog. Though she will probably never be a social butterfly, she ignores dog’s
passing by when out on her walks and is happy just being out with you. Her foster parents have been teaching her manners and working on changing behaviors that she had learned from the lack of structure/guidance before coming into GSRNE. Not the bravest of shepherds, Suki is looking for someone to look up to and snuggle with (and did we mention play ball?) and we now feel she’s ready for her forever home.
We decided to go with Max’s original name of Maxwell and have been calling him that. Maxwell is doing so good and we couldn’t have asked for a better dog. He fits in perfect in our home and is so well behaved. He just passed his obedience class this past Saturday and is doing wonderful. We have signed up for another group class and plan to further his training. Bob White of B&B training is wonderful and Maxwell loves him.
Happy Holidays
Lauren, Kodie and Maxwell
Adopted: Aug. 21, 2012
Biography:
Male, 1 year old (DOB 3/1/11), Black & Tan (almost bicolor, but has some light colored fur on belly area), weight is approximately 80 lbs,. He is a super sweet and friendly guy. He likes new people, interest in new dogs and kids.
It is with great sadness that I report Spirit’s passing. Spirit (aka Uta) brightened my life for 11 years. Many of you may recall her vocal disapproval when I left her sight to get a plate of food at the picnics. She was a very talkative girl, and I find that I miss her discourse. Although we don’t know for sure, the vet believes she died suddenly from a burst tumor on her spleen, so most likely she had hemangiosarcoma which was undetected until too late. Bear and I are adjusting, but we miss our smart, lively girl. Thank you GSRNE for allowing her to come into my life.
“Some people like balsam during the holidays, but at our house, we prefer to decorate with Noble Fur”
Noble’s original write-up:
Sometimes a dog comes to us with a name that really suits him/her, and that’s the case with Noble. He approaches a new person or dog with a calm dignity and likes to be close to his foster parents but doesn’t demand attention.
He seemed a bit unsure, at first, about accepting a loving touch and would move away after a few seconds. Now, however, he really enjoys giving and receiving affection and likes to be nearby, whatever is going on. He especially enjoys being brushed out, and his long coat is absolutely gorgeous. Noble loves going for walks and doesn’t pull, but he does try to walk ahead a little bit; he goes for walks in a park and in a neighborhood. He also rides well in the car and will lie down, quietly, and look out the window. In his first foster home, Noble lived with cats and didn’t pay them any attention.
We don’t know why Noble lost his original home, but he was taken in by a Good Samaritan who was contacted because she used to have a rescue organization. She had closed that rescue in 2009, but she felt that Noble was being passed around and took him in to keep him safe while she looked for an active rescue group who would find him the right adopter. We quickly saw that this boy has a good heart and just needed the right home to help him rebuild his confidence, get rid of whipworm, treatment for testing Lyme positive and neutering.
After 5 weeks in foster care, Noble is in good health and ready to find his forever home. He barks when someone comes to the door, and then he’ll peek around a corner while the person enters. He’ll go to a female visitor more quickly than to a male, but he quickly settles in just a few minutes and goes about his own affairs. He does let visitors know that he loves ear rubs and treats. His foster parents both work full time, and they feel that Noble would be happier with less time by himself during the day. He has a lot of love to give and is just waiting for the right adopters to find him.
Danika first came to our house as a foster dog. We learned that she had a difficult life, and was already returned several times. We had a rescue cat, named Patrick, and we knew that Danika had lived with a cat previously. For a while, Patrick would tease Danika by walking back and forth right next to her nose. He also liked to jump onto the dining room table and try to smack her on the head with his paw as she looked up at him. When he crossed the line, she would jump at him, he would jump to the floor, and the chase was on. Sometimes, it sounded like a horse was running through our house. I must hasten to add, though, that these incidents did not appear to affect their friendship; and they seemed to respect each other. After spending a coupe of months with Danika, we decided that we wanted to give this dog her forever home – she earned the right to have her own family again.
She was not an easy dog. Being in foster care for more than half of her life, it reinforced the attitude of independence and distancing from her family. It looked as if she decided to not form attachments any more. Still, as time went by, Danika became a little warmer. She loved chasing and grabbing the ball, and when racing to it, she pounded the ground as if her paws were hoofs. Her expression at those times was pure puppy. She also played like a puppy in the snow and couldn’t contain herself; she’d yip, bark, jump and roll in the snow and jump to catch snowballs and even snowflakes. She also loved playing tug of war, and when inside would curl up near our feet and relax.
Danika had interesting tastes and manners. She wouldn’t eat her kibble unless it was “garnished” with some treats – usually Beef Liver pieces. She never ever surfed kitchen counters or trash can – she was above that. In the evening before retiring for sleep she’d come and press her head to me, asking to scratch her ears. And she would lick my hands, saying “Thank you!” in her language so clearly… She rarely felt comfortable indoors and preferred staying outside, playing or not. But once in a while she would really show her friendship and gratitude – and our hearts would melt… She wasn’t as independent and separate as she tried to look.
Danika also managed to impress our local police. Once my wife’s mother needed help and the town police came to rescue. Danika (probably recognizing the uniforms and “business” smells – leather, gun oil, equipment belts) let them in, went to my wife’s mother, and sat near her. The officers were greatly impressed by such intelligent behavior, and praised Danika to us when we spoke with them later that evening.
When we had a baby, there was some concern – how Danika would blend in. No problem, as it turned out! She was correctness itself. Sniffed and licked the baby a few times, but kept the respectful distance – and never any inappropriate move. She did not add any difficulty to the hard time of caring for an infant. We were waiting for Leah to grow, hoping that they would be able to play and make each other happy. Alas, that was not to happen. Cancer was quicker and stronger. Danika crossed the Bridge, and is playing there, waiting for us…
Danika is resting with our beloved Tasha at the Proctor Cemetery in Nashua. RIP, dear friend!
Adoption: January 23, 2013
Biography:
Danika is a beautiful four year-old female GSD that had been with her original owners from the time she was a young puppy. However, a change in the family’s situation made it so they were no longer able to keep their beloved GSD. Saddened at the prospect of giving up Danika and wanting to find a good match for her, the family called GSRNE to see if we could help find her a new loving home.
Danika has many individual characteristics that make her unique. One of her most notable characteristics is what her family refers to as her “tracker nose.” She loves to play a game of “find it” and will retrieve treats from shoes, atop bookshelves, behind lamps, and many other hiding spots. Wherever you hide it, Danika is determined to find it.
Really, though, Danika loves to engage in any type of play. She is enthusiastic about Frisbees and Kongs and will gladly sit and wait on command until you throw the ball to her. She loves opportunities to run and play and has a puppyish quality to her when she is running around the yard with her recently retrieved toy.
Danika is also a true water dog. She absolutely loves to swim and is happy to take a dip in fresh water or ride the waves at the beach. And if a daytrip to a local water spot isn’t in the plans, Danika is just as happy to stay home and chase the hose or leap into the path of the garden sprinkler.
Danika has previously been crate trained. While likes to have her crate available as a place of refuge and comfort, she most often has spent nights curled up on her blanket at the foot of her owner’s bed. The use of a crate in her adoptive home will help her transition into her new space by providing her a familiar space and a place of her own.
Danika is not an overly affectionate dog that lavishes her person with kisses and nose nudges. She is, however, a very loyal dog that is appreciative of attention. She wants to be with her person at all times, but is not overly demanding of her owners. Despite her tendency to develop such strong human bonds, Danika has shown no problems with separation anxiety. She does well when left alone in the home or in a vehicle and patiently awaits the return of her human counterparts.
Danika does have some food allergies, but has done very well on foods that do not have wheat or grain. Her food allergies have been easily managed in the past and potential adopters will need to maintain a consistent diet for her. She has lived previously with a dog-savvy feline without problems but may be best in a home without cats. Danika would be happy being the only dog in a household, but would likely do well as a companion for a sociable male.
The ideal home for Danika would be one where she can quickly become part of the everyday household activity. She loves the attention of her people and enjoys regular interaction and activity. She need not be the center of attention at all times; she is just as happy to join you while you work at your desk or do some gardening in the yard. As long as she can be with you, Danika is a happy dog.
Danika filled the heart of her owners for over four years and was a wonderful pet and companion to them. If you think you have space in your home and your heart for this wonderful girl, please give us a call.
It is with heavy hearts that we said goodbye to our beloved Kyra.
Last May, Kyra was having trouble with her rear legs and would sometimes collapse. After x-rays, cat scans, and a myelogram, the diagnosis was chronic intervertebral disc disease. A month of treatment and restricted exercise yielded some improvement, but only temporarily. Eventually, the kindest option was just to let her go.
Rest in peace, dear Kyra.
Adopted: December 7, 2013
Biography:
Meet Kyra! Kyra came from a situation that she needed to be removed from and was put into our program. She lives in a foster home with one adult and no other animals. Krya is an absolute love bug with a lot of spunk and a dog that has quite the personality. She wants nothing more than to be your companion, but fully understands you need to make a living to give her the finer things in life!
Whatever your activity, Kyra is up for it: walks, rides in the car, running errands with you, playing fetch, or sitting and enjoying laying at your feet while watching TV. She loves to be outside and play, but wants to do so with companionship. On hot days, her favorite thing is to submerge in the cool-water-filled kiddie pool. One of her favorite toys is a Jolly Ball. If you are not careful, she may bang it into your leg to get your attention to play with her.
Kyra has been nothing but a perfect angel in her foster home. She is completely house and crate trained, has never been destructive, would never dream of climbing on the furniture, and prefers her dog bed for napping. Kyra also enjoys having her crate and is most comfortable going to bed at night there. If it is time for bed, and her foster parent is still up, she will put herself to bed (just walks into the crate and goes to sleep). She can be extremely affectionate with giving you kisses. She loves nothing more than to be patted and touched. Although when she first arrived in her foster home, she had some reservations about being touched, but has overcome this issue.
When meeting new people outside the home, Kyra is very friendly, especially when they are giving her treats. When meeting people in the home, she is more cautious, but will warm up to them once introduced to them properly. Once Kyra knows you, she wags her tail and is happy to see you. She will go to you, let you pat her, will run to the foster parent and run back to the known visitor for more pats.
When Kyra is meeting new dogs, she has no problem, but has not been permitted to engage in play with any dogs, just walks with them, and meets them at different places like the vet’s office, groomer, etc. Her play can be rough and she likes to chase, especially after the bunnies and birds in her yard.
During Kyra’s time in her foster home, she started to show an irritation with one of her eyes. After having it checked by a regular vet and then an eye specialist, we learned that she had an ulcer on the cornea that needed to be surgically removed. Kyra is now on steroid therapy and has a recheck, so once approved by the eye specialist, she will only need her eye to be examined annually by a regular vet. UPDATE 10/04/13 – Kyra had her recheck by the eye specialist and has received a clean bill of health. Her eye is healed and in great condition. Her eye will only need to be checked during her annual exams with a regular vet.
Are you looking for a companion to take short walks, hang out and watch TV, or go on errands with you? By meeting her, you will see how much more she has to offer!
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We knew that taking four dogs that were fearful and not socialized was going to require a commitment of time and a team of very special people to help each of them get ready for a new life. If you follow us here or on Facebook, you know that we recently celebrated the adoption of Holly and Mushroom, two of the dogs from that same home.
Ava’s progress has been slow but each new accomplishment is cause for celebration. Her foster mom and dad have worked with her every day to help her to feel safe and more secure in the world around her. The bond between her foster family and Ava is very strong and we feel that she has found her forever home but we wanted to share her journey with you. We are all so very happy that we were able to help this sweet girl.
She had been allowed to run loose with an adult male GSD in the family, and th
He’ll go to a female visitor more quickly than to a male, but he quickly settles in just a few minutes and goes about his own affairs. He does let visitors know that he loves ear rubs and treats. His foster parents both work full time, and they feel that Noble would be happier with less time by himself during the day. He has a lot of love to give and is just waiting for the right adopters to find him.
