TeeFee

We got TeeFee (VGSR Tag #1436) from your group about 2 years ago (Adopted: 12/22/05). She is doing GREAT! She has been to a few places this year. She gets walked daily still, and is strong and healthy as an OX. She is still eating Nutra Ultra and HOMEMADE wet wood. She is soooo spoiled.
Steve Zavada & Mindy Pham

 

 

Maya

Hi. My name is Maya and I just turned two years old on February 5th. My mom, Eva, was rescued by VGSR and five days later, she gave birth to me and my nine brothers and sisters. You might remember our photographs on the web site under the adoption page. Were we cute or what? Anyway, those first few weeks of our lives weren’t easy, because we were sick quite a bit and mom didn’t have enough milk for all ten of us. But our foster mother, Sheila, was great and took good care of all of us. When I was five weeks old, I met my new parents for the first time, even though I had no idea that was who those people were. They came to visit me every weekend until I was eight weeks old and then they took me to my new home. It was kind of a confusing time for me. My mom was gone and so were all my siblings, but my new family quickly made it clear that they loved me and were going to take good care of me. I wasn’t the only pet. There was an older dog, Chance and two cats, Mini Me and Trudy. Chance doesn’t live with us any more because she never really accepted me (especially after I grew to be so much larger than she is) and would spend most of her time behind the couch. My parents say that she is very happy where she lives now and they still see her. Mini Me and I get along pretty well, but my parents are always telling me to be gentle with him. Trudy won’t play with me. Maybe some day she’ll stick around instead of running away whenever I get near her. Let’s see what else I can tell you about myself. Oh, strangers make me nervous. Reserved is what they say I am. But I get real excited when I see someone that I know. My parents have kept me in school because they say it is a good place for us all to learn how to deal with my reserved nature and occasional attempts to display dominance. My teacher says that I’m prone to display dominance even though I don’t really want to be in the alpha role. She says that is because I’m a teenager - which always makes my parents smile. If I could, I would roll my eyes at that. I guess the really big news is that I had to have surgery right after my first birthday. That was not fun at all. The doctor said that I didn’t develop hip sockets and was already suffering from arthritis. It hurt. Sometimes I would cry when I stood up. So, my parents took me to a specialist who gave me a new hip. It was a rough time for all of us. I wasn’t allowed to do anything by myself for weeks. No running or jumping or playing for three months. Three months! Can you believe that? But now I can do all those things without the pain. It is great! Well, I guess that is all the news I have. I just wanted to stop in and thank you all for rescuing my mom and giving me a fair chance at life. All in all, my life turned out pretty darn good.

Love,
Maya

P.S. My parents and I were so very saddened to hear about the passing of my foster mother. May she rest in peace in a place where breath comes easily and all her four legged friends are surrounding her with love.

 

 

Dutch

Hi Mom (and Dad):
I'm sorry I haven't written sooner, but to tell the truth, I haven't been able to keep my paws dry long enough to get on Dick's computer. Since I last wrote, a lot has happened to me, as you well can imagine. I've passed all my tests at the vet's, but Dick is still giving me medicine for my eyes, which are getting better. He cleans them every morning, muttering something about getting rid of the "eye boogers." But I don't feel too bad, because he said Cinda had them, too. Speaking of tests, you would really be proud of me. I passed two "biggies" this past week. The first was an evaluation at Affectionate Pet Care, out at Fairfax Station. Dick took me out there last Thursday to have me tested for how compatible I would be with other dogs when I'm boarded there. They put me in an enclosure and then introduced new dogs to me, one at a time, until I was surrounded by, would you believe, four Golden Retrievers. It was a no-brainer. I wanted to play with all of them, but we were running out of time. The people at Affectionate Pet Care couldn't get over what an "affectionate puppy" I was. I didn't have the heart to tell them I wasn't a puppy any longer. I must not be showing my age. Anyway, Cinda had briefed me on the test, so I knew what to expect. The second big "test" this past week was meeting the baby grands, as Dick calls them. His daughters brought their four little ones out to the house to see just me. Can you believe it? It was great! They were running all over the place and I was running after them to give them kisses. One little guy whose name was Ronan was my favorite. He was four and just the right height for kissing. Last night was something special. Dick said he was going out to a Super Bowl party and told Cinda and me to "guard the fort." Wow! He gave us the run of the house for four hours and we were really good. When Dick came home, he was so happy that he gave each of us a whole dog biscuit. Earlier in the day, when he went to church, he wasn't so happy. As he was about to drive away, I climbed up on the couch to look out the front window. Cinda had told me that was a no-no . . . and not to get uptight about Dick leaving the house, because he always came back and wouldn't abandon me. Well, he did come back, even before pulling out of the driveway, then proceeded to scold me and put a small step ladder on the couch so I wouldn't get up on it again. Today was another exciting day. My new bed arrived--just like Cinda's, only green. When he put the bed down in the bedroom, it took some coaxing on his part to get me in it. But once I got in, it was heavenly. Earlier, I had tried out Cinda's and fell in love with it. Attached is a picture of our "dorm room." Cinda looks a little put out, because Dick made her come back into the room and get in her bed for the picture. But this is the way we hang out every night. Tomorrow Dick is going to sign me up for basic dog obedience. I thought I was doing pretty good, but he said that I needed more polish on my commands. Cinda told me the classes are a real trip and that I'll enjoy them. She said she made friends with a pit bull called Bella. That sounds exciting. Maybe I'll make friends with . . . who knows? That's all for now.

Your Loving Son,
Dutch

 

 

Rex #8

Hey Amy. I was going to shoot you an email this week to give you an update. So far he has been really good. No accidents in the house and he seems to be getting used to my schedule. He has been sleeping in the bedroom with me at night and seems to be fine all night. I have changed my schedule to get up an hour earlier than normal so I can take him out for a good long walk before I have to go to work and he goes in the crate. He does have loads of energy! I was a little worried at first for a while because he wasn’t eating much and he wasn’t going to the bathroom, but I guess that was just new home jitters. He is eating more now and is getting in a better routine. We went to the Park on Sunday and he had a blast! He behaves really well in the house so far and seems to be eager to learn. I have him scheduled to go to my Vet on Wednesday to get him checked out so I can get his Heartguard pills and Frontline. I think I am going to keep his name Rex, he seems to respond well to it and it’s a good name. I’ll keep you posted on his progress but so far so good, he’s a great dog!
Mike East

 

 

Taylor Lee

Hi, it's me... Taylor Lee, sorry I've so late getting you an update, but I'm a busy dog! My family is keeping me running around a lot; I've got so much to do with going to the dog park everyday, jumping in any available mud puddle, discovering the pleasures a full bathtub of water (I am a girl after all and love my bubble bath even if Mom and Dad don't). They have this small brown furry thing named Louise, she's a cat and I don't understand why she won't play with me, I try to give her puppy kisses and roll the ball to her but all she does is MEOW a lot! Last month they had this big dinner, I think they called it Thanksgiving. Everything smelled so good! After it was all over, my family kindly left me some pies on the dining room table, so I jumped on top of it and mmmm apple pie is my favorite! I don't think Dad was too happy about seeing me standing on top of the table though, he didn't yell at me but the look... oh my. I just wagged my tail and thought well I'm a dog after all. Oh and the dog park is so much fun, I get to run, wrestle, play tug of war and keep away. My doggie buddies and I get exhausted and have to take a big nap afterwards. Last week we started this thing called obedience classes, it's pretty boring, because I know most of it already, but I'm patient with Dad and let him think he's teaching me to sit, lie down and stay. Well I just wanted to give all my friends at Virginia German Shepherd Rescue a tail wag hello and let you know I'm doing great. I think I'm going to be a big dog, last time Mom weighed me I was nearly 80 lbs, it's fun to lean into my family and watch what happens if they aren't paying attention. Oh, Dad included a picture of me peeking around the corner of the bathtub when I found out it was full of water! Wheeeeee.

Taylor Lee

 

 

Luna (Formerly Lauren #2)

I wanted to pass on some pictures of Luna from our Thanksgiving in NY. I am sure you had a premonition about this, but Luna has been an absolute pleasure from day one. She traveled extremely well on our way to New York and with the exception of a small upset stomach for a day or two, she has been a near perfect dog. She has adjusted very well to our daily routines and has done exceptionally well in numerous situations including at the dog park with other dogs. This past weekend Luna joined a large group of my friends for a trip out to the Shenandoah Valley for some camping and Christmas Tree shopping. Luna once again was extremely well behaved and loved by all. I cannot thank you and your family enough for helping to not only save Luna's life, but to also connect me with her. She has truly been a blessing. Wednesday will be our two week anniversary and its almost difficult for me to imagine life pre-Luna. Thank you so much for the work that you do! More updates to follow.
Best always,
Mat (Mathew Todaro)

 

 

Trinity (formerly Patience)

After losing our first dog at nine years old, my husband and I did not think we'd ever be ready to be doggy parents again. In fact, it took two and a half years before we were. I can only imagine now that that was because we needed to wait for Trinity (formerly Patience). From day one she has been a perfect girl. She tolerated our cat's attacks (all show) and our learning curve for her needs (after a couple of accidents - our fault). Within a few weeks, she and the cat were successfully living together, cage free, even when we were not at home. Our counters have always been surf-free and we even had to teach her to jump up on us. She rarely barks and is pure affection. Everywhere we go, people comment on how beautiful she is and the vets always tell us what a good girl she is (like we don't know). Her biggest challenge (or so we thought it would be) came almost two years ago - a new baby. I couldn't have asked for more from Trinity. To date, we've had a few knock downs, but only a few and only when she and Rachel are trying to go the same way at the same time, no jealousy, no issues at all. She truly is a wonder-dog. When she came into our lives, we were told that she was found wandering around Maryland, in good shape, as a stray, picked up by the pound and adopted by VGSR when her time was up. I have no idea why her last owners did not do everything to find her, but their loss is our gain! Trinity is my first GSD and I can't imagine having any other breed, even though I cannot see how any other dog can live up to Trinity. She has spoiled us in the best way! Thank you VGSR, Barbie and everyone who made it possible for Trinity to become an Ingram, and for us to become her parents. Once our lives settle down a bit, we'll be back for a brother for Trinity!
Rebecca, Steve, Rachel, and Mr. Mew Ingram

 

 

Brandy #3

Hi, Everyone, I am merely sending you an update on Brandy. Adopted from you in 2005? Oh gosh, how time flies. At 8 months, Brandy was full of energy. I couldn't hardly hold her on a leash. She has come a long way from when I first got her. I will admit, I had my doubts about her at first. But I am so very glad I didn't give up on her. She will be 3 years old in December and what a beauty. Her lightbulb came on in her head and she has become a wonderful companion. I would love to do more with her, fly-ball, search and rescue, something very active for her and me. However, "we", need a little more training. I am sending you some new pictures for your viewing pleasure. We missed the reunion this year due to some medical issues I've been having. Hopefully, there will be more opportunities for us to get together. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the great work you are doing in this organization.
Thanks for everything, you guys are great!
Dena Gray

 

 

DJ

Hello,
I just wanted all of the people who helped me recover from my troubled beginnings know that I am doing GREAT! My mom calls me her "sweet, sweet boy," so it must be true. My sister Grace and I recently rescued a shepherd/hound mix from our local SPCA, named Abby. My mom says that my gentle nature is perfect for the puppy, as she has some health problems. Fortunately, these problems do not stop her from wrestling and playing with Grace and me. The three of us have a lot of fun when we are in the yard with our Mom playing with sticks or frisbees. As you can see, I have grown (kind of) into my big ears and feet. I weigh about 82 pounds now, and am very tall. I love to look over the fence at my neighbors and greet them, but do not ever try to jump it. I sneak out of the bedroom at night to sleep on the couch. I try to be slick about it, but my mom knows. Luckily, she doesn't mind - in fact, she took this picture of me doing just that. I still scare myself or my sisters when I let out a big bark, which is one of the things that my mom thinks is cute. I wanted to let you all know that I am a very healthy and happy boy, and thank you for all of the love and care you gave me while I was in your care.
Love, ~DJ (and his mom, Kelly)

 

 

Lily (Formerly Nadia #1)

I thought I'd take the opportunity to update you on our Lily (formerly Nadia). Lily is doing great. She is now 4 and is a certified therapy dog. We go every two weeks to a local nursing home. She actually is a terrible therapy dog, but the residents don't notice that. They are just happy to see her and scratch her ears. Attached is the picture from her ID card (yes, her ear is still crooked!) and wearing her therapy dog vest. She has 3 beds in our room - the one she lets us share, a nice one with a lambswool cover and a bolster that she can lean against, and a third one with a plain cover that is cooler for her. All dogs have 3 beds, right? As usual, she went on vacation with us this year to Vermont. She got to go wading in a lake (she's not a swimmer) and play with her dog cousins. She played Frisbee, although she doesn't get the concept of dropping it. She thinks it should be a tugger toy. We went with her on a trip to upstate New York in the spring - our daughter needed a dog fix, so Lily brought us along to drive the car. Thanks again for taking care of Lily until we could find her and adopt her!
Lucy and Steve Swartz
Kensington, MD

 

 

Alex

Hello,
Just wanted to let you know how everything was going. Alex is doing great; she is a real character. She has settled in nicely and for the last week has been in dog school. She is a very quick learner and is very smart. She is a star pupil! Right now she is learning how to behave off her leash. She is doing very well on that to. She is hard-headed sometimes, but all-in-all a great dog. She loves to play and loves to just run and run. So she does and is really happy about it. I think she just needed some boundaries and now she has them, so she doesn't get corrected all the time. Everyone who meets her loves her and can't believe she is a rescue dog. Thanks again for all your help. As soon as I get some pictures I will forward them on.

Sarah

 

 

Hope #2

Sorry that I haven't sent this sooner. Hope is amazing! She is incredibly smart and doesn't know that she has a handicap. Here she is practicing for the 2008 Olympic diving and swim teams.

Pete & Peggy Tucker

 

 

Ozzy

Just want to update you on Ozzy. We’ve had him 4 months as of today! He has settled in very nicely and is loved by the entire neighborhood. We recently completed our first 8 weeks of obedience and while he did very well, we will repeat the class. Focus is his main issue right now but he is doing so well. I couldn’t be prouder of him. Started taking him to a dog park with agility equipment which he absolutely loves and excels in. Am planning on enrolling him in agility this fall. Attached is a photo from last weekend. Anyway, we are forever grateful to VGSR for approving our application and allowing Ozzy into our lives. He has brought us so much happiness.

Thank you,
Laurel

 

 

Precious #5

Hi everyone from me, Precious, used to be "Precious #5". Well, I'm number one now, anyway, at the Rossetti den. Well, where to do I start? Back in August of last year, my Forever Daddy-O came to my foster home at Glenda DeCosta's house. I came in and saw him, sniffed around, and gave him a couple of kisses and he kissed me back. I said "that's great, thats my Forever Daddy-O, and we left. Even Glenda said she liked him. As you can see, I'm on my balcony looking out...watching for the always clever terrorist squirrel, Abu A. McSquirrel. It's one of my favorte things to do. Daddy and I go for long walks, at least and hour each, twice a day, early in the morning and at night all the way up to Ft. Meyer and back. Daddy carries water for me and I love all the children I meet. I'm getting better with other dogs, too, espcially after the boring classes at "Best Behaved Dogs", "hated it..." It was funny. Anyway, as you can see, I was so good, I got my own stocking at Christmas and see, I got treats and nobody else did. Santa thinks I'm great. I even have my milk bone biscuit container with my picture on it. Speaking of which, all the time we're out, people ask if I'm from a "doggie show" or something, I said " I know, its hard being beautiful!". Anyway, also see here's a pic of me and Nicholas, Daddy-O's only son. He picked me out as #1 on the VGSR website when my Daddy applied to get me. We have a great time playing hide and seek and chase so Daddy never gets to sleep. Ah, what else, oh, I made friends while we were walking with a couple with a back yard and get to run there off my leash, its lots of fun. Tell everyone there that I thank them for taking care of me and also giving me to my Forever Daddy and his family. Each morning I get up I give Daddy-O kisses, and I love to lick the honey out of his coffee cup - it's lots of fun here and everyone loves me.

Kisses,
Precious

 

 

Zoe (formerly Daisy Lynn)

Hello VGSR! I can't believe it has been almost 7 months since we adopted our Zoe (formerly Daisy Lynn). She is just such a joy to have as a part of our family. I approached VGSR after a "chance meeting" of Lea by way of EBay of all places - I was selling dog scrapbooking supplies and she saw that I had posted a memorial to our beloved "Bailey the spokesdog" that represented my little pet scrapbooking business. Bailey was our GSD that had just passed away from cancer in June. Luckily Lea invited me to adopt with VGSR when we were "ready" and so after 6 months of missing Bailey.... I contacted her and I have to say, I found her to be one of the kindest people I had ever met. She treated me with respect and personally guided me through the process. After a month or so we found the perfect match for our family in our precious Zoe-girl! She is a tiny little thing and hasn't gotten any bigger either. That actually works out well for us. We just moved from a townhouse to a single family home where she has more room to run and we just drew up the plans this weekend to fence in the back yard to keep her safe when she is outdoors. Usually however.... she is a true couch potato. Thank goodness for the Dyson Pet Hair vacuum. Just wanted to let you know that she is doing well and thriving as part of our family. She is so special and we want to thank you for allowing us the privilege to adopt her.
From our dog house to yours....

Kathleen, Randy, Logan, Chase & Zoe Blodgett

 

 

Sheba #2

Dear VGSR:
We keep thinking Sheba has only been with us two or three years, but when I looked at my papers, I found we have had her four years! Sheba has been a delight for us and we love her dearly. She has perfectly fit in with our lives - of running up the road from a farm in Culpeper to a house in NoVA twice each week. It's a good thing she loves the car! She is also content in her crate when she stays at home while we run errands. Sheba even puts herself to bed at 9 pm if we're watching a movie! She has learned not to poke the cat so hard (he took care of teaching her!) and even has learned to love the occasional visit from Yorkies and Golden Retrievers. We do know she was a city dog, though. In the beginning, when she went outside at the farm to do her duties, she would go, then run right back in the house. Now she loves to accompany us to the barn to feed the horses and to check all her favorite spots around the house. In NoVA she has a nice fenced back yard where she makes the rounds checking chipmunk holes and "conversing" with the Great Danes who live behind our house (she likes them) and barking at the Pomeranian a few doors down (whom she does not like!). When we got Sheba she had some beginning arthritis in both hips and a bone spur on her spine. With glucosamine each day, she has done wonderfully well. She is just beginning to have trouble climbing the stairs. The vet says she is now suffering some neurological deterioration, but at least she is not in pain. She does need to be helped into the car now, though.
I have attached some photos for you, in case some of you remember Sheba, rescued dog #196. Thanks so much for the wonderful work you do!
Sincerely,

Cyndy Grano

 

 

Brenna

Just wanted to drop a note to say hello and send you some photos of Brenna. We are having a great time together. She is adapting very well. On her first day home, we went to an anti-war rally - yes a political demonstration is quite an introduction to DC. She is still quite shy and nervous, however, enjoys playing at the Congressional Cemetery and also loves the snow! I can't tell you how happy I am that Brenna has joined our household. She showers us in love and I trust she is getting much in return. Thank you, again.

Tony Ogden

 

 

Zoe (formerly Lady #12)

My husband and I weren't really looking to adopt a dog last August, as we had lost our beloved German Shepherd, Bailey, to cancer in the spring. She was only 6 1/2 years old and we had raised her from a pup. We were heartbroken and missed her terribly. Through a friend, we heard that a 17-month-old Shepherd was in need of a home, and some special attention. She was being fostered by Bonnie, a wonderful foster Mom who had brought her a long way in the 3 months since she'd had her. She came to Bonnie and the rescue league as "Lady", so we decided to adopt her and give her a new name and a new life. She's called "Zoe" now and we have really fallen for her. Though the first couple of months weren't easy as we worked with her on training, socialization, and aggression, she's turned out to be a wonderful dog. She's very smart, very pretty, and so sweet! On the affection scale, she rates a 10. She loves to be held, petted, and kissed and will roll herself into your lap and lick you and nibble on your ears. We think she knows this is "home" now because she seems to be such a happy dog....she loves her daily walks, treats, toys, ball playing, and most importantly, just being part of a family that really loves and cares for her.

Chris and Jean Blas

 

 

Zeus (formerly Achilles)

I just want to thank everyone for allowing me the chance to adopt Zeus (formally Achilles). He is such a great addition to the family. I now have a sidekick that follows me everywhere. He has been checked out with my vet and has a clean bill of health and is uptodate on all shots, heartworm and so on. We are still in training but he has done great by staying in the house for three hours without an accident or munching on any of the plants or being destructive. He has gained some weight 72 lbs., but is streamlined because of the daily walks or 2 mile runs that we do at least three/four times a week. He does great with other dogs and has not shown any agression to either males or females. Even at the vet's office he played with a cat, the cat played with him and he tolerated the cat on his back without any problems. Again thanks for allowing me this opportunity to help out and giving me the heads up on him. I really dont think he would have lasted, someone would have picked him out as well. I have gotten so many comments on how beautiful he looks. Thanks again and I will continue to send updates.

Al Shipman

 

 

Kayla (formerly Blair)

Just wanted to take a quick minute to let you know that Kayla (formerly Blair) and I completed the Dog Obedience I class yesterday and she got her diploma! We're going to take Dog Obedience II in the spring taught by the same instructor. She is great. Also, I have had Kayla on the Blue Buffalo dog food since you mentioned it to me and she loves it. I take her back to the vet tomorrow for her follow-up visit. He wanted to see her after she'd been off of her medication for a month. Hopefully, it will be all good news.

Take care,
Pamela Albert Chambers

 

 

Casey (formerly Casey #7)

Casey came into our home December 18th 2005 and I can't believe that it's been 10 months already (yet in many ways it seems as though she's always been a part of our family). She is extremely intelligent, playful and affectionate. She is amazing around elderly people as she approaches them gently and sits calmy by their side, slightly toughing their leg or arm with her body an sometimes softly licking their their hand. She receives attention and compliments wherever we go. She loves her long walks especially on the beach - (she even wears her own backpack and helps us collect shells). My husband and I have said said several times that we are not sure exactly who rescued who. Thank you VGSR - you not only saved Casey #7's life and enriched her future, but you (and Casey) have enriched ours as well.

Kelley and Harry Van De Ven

 

 

Lobo (formerly Dudley)

We adopted Lobo about 6 months ago and now it's hard to imagine life without him. He fits into our lives perfectly and has developed a different way with each member of the family. With my teenage son he is rough and ready to play at any moment, with Grandma he is gentle and lets her spoil him with treats, and with me he is a well-behaved walking companion. Lobo is a happy guy, and he makes us smile and laugh with his antics and love of stuffed animals. He watches over the cats and lets us know if they have jumped up on the counter or done anything else wrong. He's still a bit skittish around small children and certain adult men, but has settled down a lot. Thank you VGSR and his foster mom Diane for all that you do and for helping us find the perfect dog for our family.

Linda Sauer

 

 

Valkyrie

We've had Valkyrie for almost 4 weeks, and we just love her. Valkyrie's 9 years have not slowed her, but made her the best dog ever for us. She came fully trained. She is a lady in the house, on leash, in the car, and in public. She responds to commands and she retrieves her ball. She's also rehabbing our two cats previously terrorized by another dog who just wanted to play with cats. She pays them no attention. We love her deep rumbling howl. The first time I heard her, I had just pushed the button on our washing machine, and I thought there was air in the pipes - very funny. Valkyrie is strictly an indoor girl unless she is going for a car ride or a walk with us. She loves the car, and we take her everywhere. People admire her and ask if they can pet her. They are surprised when we tell them we just adopted her. They often ask how someone could give up such a sweet dog after 9 years. I'm sure it was not an easy decision. I am happy to tell them about the VGSR and where they can find lots of wonderful dogs that need good homes. Thank you so much for letting us adopt Valkyrie.

Jon and Trish Tervo

 

 

Gracie and Roo

Lara and I looked for a while and eventually adopted a 10 week old puppy named Gracie. Gracie has developed into a great dog, but she was very active. We left Virginia and moved to Connecticut for work. The snow really suited our Husky/Shepherd as did the big yard. Unfortunately, she seemed a little lonely. When we saw that her sister (litter-mate) Roo was back up for adoption, we considered going down to Virginia to get her. We were too late and someone snatched her up. Then a month later, Roo was back on the web site and Lara was in the car. Roo and Gracie have been inseparable since then. They love to chase squirrels and play in our woods (we have over 2 acres, mostly woods). Watching them play must be what doggie heaven is like. They are super happy and healthy and so is the family.


Andy and Lara Bordick.

 

 

Summer (Formerly Sommer)

We are so pleased to be able to include Summer in our family. She is an excellent companion to have around the house. Summer has so many wonderful traits... she's extremely tolerant of our 3-year-old, she's always sweet, gentle, and good-natured, she has fantastic house manners, and she's a quick learner. We could not have asked for a better dog! Summer has come a long way in a short time and has completed an 8 week obedience course. She has learned how to walk on the leash without pulling, she's learned not to rush out of the door, she'll sit when she approaches you if she wants affection and she knows where to lie down when the family is eating. We get compliments on her everywhere we go - she's SO pretty!!
Thank you VGSR!!

Mitch Vassar

 

 

Colonel (Formerly Tristan)

This fine looking gentleman is Colonel, formerly known as Tristan. He was welcomed into our home on our Trooper's seventh birthday (GSD), 6 May. Although the initial integration was a little trying, Trooper and Colonel are getting along fine and Trooper is helping Colonel learn his house manners. At nearly six months old, Colonel is up to 60 lbs., and has made himself right at home. He has learned to "sit" on command, "shake", "down" and definitely knows where the treat basket is. He has drowned two toys, but a baseball is his current toy of choice... which works out well as Trooper's favorite is an old volleyball!! Colonel is doing well on his leash training and begins formal training on the 7th of June! We are so happy to have him in our home and lives.
This is one fantastic dog. He still suffers from some separation anxiety, but because I don't have to be gone long, he is handling things well. The exercises the vet gave us has paid dividends. He is growing like a weed, and has much more endurance and the thickness of his legs and hips has increased. He is incredibly soulful and has found his puppydom again... he is running, jumping and just having fun. He found out today that he can swim!!!! Trooper loves to swim and it is really good for her legs, hips, etc. Colonel was not too sure, but didn't realize there was a drop off at the lake and his instincts kicked in, which is good, because while prepared to go in, I was not excited about it. During the acclimation, I have slept in the guest bedroom, my husband still has to maintain a job after all. Colonel sleeps with me every night. So, I have a GSD on each side... I don't know what else you could ask for. The dog beds, toys, people are all community property now, which is great. Of course, I still feed separately and probably always will, I am able to give treats together, and even sit on the floor and love them both at the same time. I had to change vets, but we see our new vet Friday... with surgery to be scheduled.
He is stunning, smart, funny, enthusiastic, and most of all, a pup! We love him dearly. I still spend my quality time with Trooper and she enjoys some benefits that Colonel does not, but Colonel doesn't seem to mind. He is certainly a character, and Trooper is a great teacher and mentor!
As far as bad habits, well Trooper is continuing the tradition of drinking from the toilet and Colonel has drowned a couple of toys, but it is just too cute to be upsetting! He is still jumping up, but we are working on that. Trooper did get hold of him the other day and he got schooled, but no damage... just a little scary. Trooper doesn't want anyone on her back. Did you know that he smiles at you when you give him a treat... it is wild!!!!
OK, enough of this epic love story!!!! There have been three great dog loves of my life, and now I can say four... I am blessed!!!!! Thanks again for everything you did to make this happen!!!!! I know we couldn't have even reached Tristan without you!!!!! We owe you one.

Rami Spain

 

 

Mercedes

Mercedes is working out beautifully. She is hilarious! She always has something new for us in our foyer when we come home- an empty toothpaste container from the trash, a big bottle of lotion, an oven mitt, a travel blow dryer, the cap off of a bottle of Rum (I was wondering where that went), etc. It's always one thing only, as though she patrolled the house and thought this would be a good welcome home present. It is never chewed, just gently placed there. She also howls mournfully when sirens pass close by, and we can't get her to repeat the behavior with us. Just cops and firefighters can get her to howl. Every night we have to stop what we are doing and go play laser tag in the back yard. That is the most fun EVER. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that things were going well!!!

Sharon Nylec

 

 

Renny (formerly Ranger #2)

My name is Renny Bleu Hockensmith Jr. Sometimes I'm known as Renstifers, Whinywhinerson, Pooperpooperson, ScatchyScratcherson, LovyLoverson, LazyLazerson (I used to be called Ranger # 2) and a few more depending on what mischief I happened to get into on that particular day. I absolutely love it here. I have a wonderful loving home! One of my biggest problems anymore is deciding which toy to play with. There are so many to choose from (not to mention all those stuffed animals that belong to Mom and Dad that I'm not really supposed to be playing with, but sometimes do anyway). Dad and Mom say they are proud of me. I've been going to class for a good while now and am learning a lot of good stuff! My teacher once told me I was the best in the class, but I overheard Dad telling Mom that I was the only dog in the class, so I guess that makes me the one that gets into the most trouble, too... oh well. It's great where we live, there's so much to do. There are so many squirrels in the backyard. They drive me NUTS!!! They are always out back walking around right in front of the door. One of these days I'm going to learn how to open up the back door (like I can open up the door to where the trash is) so I can go out and play with my friends. They look so yummy... I mean nice. Besides the squirrels there is a dog park and three other parks within 3-4 miles from where we live. One is right down the street. Let's see what else can I say... Oh, I love to get in the car to go places, but then once we start going somewhere I whine... actually to be honest with you, I tend to whine a lot. But who's keeping track? I want in the car, then I want out, then I want in and... well you get the picture. Hmmm, oh I like to sleep a lot to. Dad and Mom laugh at me sometimes cause when I go missing I'm usually laying in OUR bed taking a nap. I get rather tired from the tough life I lead. Mom keeps telling me that I need to get a job to "earn my keep" around here. She says that I never pay for my food or my toys or anything. She says "You're lucky you're a LOVE buddy." whatever that means. Well I'd love to write more... but I'm kinda tired. Writing all that took a lot out of me. Talk to you later.
Love,
Renny

 

 

Roxy #2

This is Tina. I am the new mom to Roxy.... I saw her listed as adoption pending and had to laugh! There is no way she is leaving our home. If you look at the attached photo of her and our Lab the second day they were together you will understand. Roxy has adjusted so well. She and Stator (the Lab) are like litter mates. You can't take just one of them anywhere; they both have to go! We took Roxy along to Myrtle Beach with us for Christmas and New years and she had a blast. We spent most mornings at the dog park (but would have to leave when small dogs arrived as she has shown us she doesn't care much for them, so I am checking around for a trainer to deal with this) and the better part of the afternoon sleeping or romping in the backyard. I was very concerned that she would try to jump our fence there as it is only 4 feet high, but she never showed any interest in leaving our sides. My husband and I can't believe we lucked out with such a wonderful loving second dog. Roxy has stolen our hearts and has a permanent sleeping spot on both the bed and couch! I want to thank VGSR for all you do and for bringing Roxy to us!
Tina Ingerski

 

 

Rex #4

Well, it's almost been a year now. We picked Rex up the day before Thanksgiving last year, so I thought you'd like a quick update on our adopted boy. We don't see you at the dog park anymore because the park was contributing to his aggression, and as our trainer put it, was a lot like taking a child to Chuckee Cheese and wondering why they were all wired up! We did some intense training with Cultured Canine, and while there was war of the wills for a time, Rex has now accepted that we are in charge and he is not. He heels beautifully and knows "place" when guests come to the house. For a time, it was hard to be affectionate with him because he thought that put him back in charge, but now is a very sweet and loving boy who understands the rules. Lisa felt that Rex was one of those rare Shepherds who really should have been a police dog. He's so darned smart that even when it seems he's not doing what you ask, it turns out it's totally logical and he's just trying to out-think us or the situation. Fortunately, he has great instincts. A few weeks ago our new neighbor who has Alzheimers wandered into our condo in the dark, and while I was screaming at the top of my lungs, Rex was only circling me protectively because he had met the man and recognized that he meant no harm. (I was thinking that he wasn't much help at all with intruders!) While there were times when I wasn't sure Rex had the best intentions towards our kitty, he now behaves like a devilish big brother. Occasionally, he just can't resist pinning her to the floor with one paw on the back and acting like he's not doing a thing! We're so happy we made the decision to add Rex to our family. Hope the rescue organization's work is continuing successfully and that you are doing well. Thanks again for helping us find a great dog!
Cheryl

 

 

Tomi Girl

Remember me? - one of Faith's pups? As you know I was very, very sick as a puppy, but because of your prayers, I am healthy and very happy! Here's my story... mom and dad were thinking of getting another GSD from the breeder to give my big sister, Cheyenne, someone to play with. A lab rescue foster mom mentioned the Shepherd Rescue - so mom checked out VGSR website and saw the CUTE picture of me. After a very long ride to Northern Virginia to check me out, and promising my foster mom that I would be in good hands, I was on the way to my forever home to meet my big GSD sister (and I mean big... 100 pounds!) It took some time for her to get used to me - after all, she had been an "only dog" for 8 years! We play well together, but I like to annoy her by taking her bones, sleeping on her bed and stealing her couch space. I especially like to butt in when she is getting love and attention. But that's what little sisters are supposed to do, right? I also have guinea pig siblings. The guinea pig cages are on the floor because my big sister doesn't bother them - so I had to learn not to bother them too. However, (it is always a good story when the word "however" sneaks in) my foster mom sent me home with a "squeak" toy. Did I mention that was my favorite toy? Know what happens when you pick a guinea pig up? He squeaks - just like my favorite toy! I was really good with him, I nicely picked him up and placed him on my puppy pad - he was really comfy and I didn't hurt him. I just wanted to hear him squeak. I quickly learned that the guinea pig is NOT my squeaky toy and I am NOT allowed to pick him up. I still like to steal his food, but I always manage to get caught because those shavings always leave a trail. Well, at least it is a trail of shavings and not the guinea pig... I am 8 months old now and mom and dad say I am a really good listener and I have a great personality. I love to chase balls (and bunnies) and I LOVE car rides - if the doors open, I am in the driver's seat - ready to go! Dad makes me move over to the passenger side. (I don't understand why he thinks I can't drive.) I love to go visiting to Grandma's house. Grandma wants to adopt me - must be my charming personality and the fact that I am so adorable. (Can't you tell from my picture?) Mom and Dad say Grandma needs to adopt her OWN GSD because she can't have me! A special thanks and some kisses to my foster mom, Shelia, for taking such good care of me when I was so sick. Thanks to everyone VGSR for saving my life and finding me a FOREVER home! May God bless all of you! - Tomi Girl

 

 

Madeline

Our family wanted to give you a quick update and most of all convey our appreciation to your organization for helping us find "Madeline". Several months ago, we lost our eight year old German Shepherd, Bailey, to degenerative myelopathy. He was a huge part of our family and we had a big emptiness in our every day. We had considered buying another puppy in a year or so. In the meantime I stumbled upon your website and instantly knew we couldn't pay a breeder for a dog when I saw all those faces and read the stories behind those eyes. From the very first contact we spoke to all the way through to our foster parent- the experience was great. We attended our first adoption day at Petco in Herndon on September 25, 2005. We were barely out of the jeep when we saw "Bella" on the sidewalk. She and her foster mom, Diane were the first we saw and talked to. I truly believe they picked us! The old saying "love at first sight" rang true! We visited with other dogs and foster parents but we came right back to Diane and "Bella". We left that day with our new family member and a new friend in Diane. Bella is now Madeline and is doing great. As you can see, she fits right in with our other dog and our three year old. She is so full of mischief and such a lover at the end of the day when she wears out. Madeline now has her own farm and river to swim in and a special place in our lives forever.
From the Hardys in West Virginia to all of you- A huge thank you for doing what you do!

 

 

Trinity #4

Hi,
Just want to provide a follow up to Trinity - We love her so much. Attached are pictures to let you know well she did in obedience. She is the absolute sweetest dog I have ever had and she fits my husband like a glove. She has lost all food aggression and we are working on the bone aggression. She adores my granddaughter and loves to play. She does not bark at strangers, all she wants to do is kiss them. I just want to thank you for the work you do. Without VGSR, we would not have found such happiness with Trinity. We have found another forever dog.
Thanks again,
Jewell F. Pitts

 

 

Tyler

Hi, it's me Tyler! I wanted to say thank you so much to my wonderful foster mom, Hilary, for saving me and to VGSR for finding my forever home. I was so very scared last year when I went to the adoption day with my foster mom. I was afraid of my own shadow. My foster mom let a couple spend lots of time with me, at the adoption day, so that they could pat me without my being scared. This nice patient family decided to take me home. At first I did not know how to play outside, or chew a bone or even chase a stick with my new GSD sister, but I could see she was so well loved and having lots of fun! I stayed in my "safe place" for a little while until I realized how wonderful it is to have food and treats and lots of love from my mom and dad. They nearly cried when I rolled over for my very first belly rub and I now "talk" to them all the time for more and more attention! I love to play hide and seek with my sister (we have six acres)and chase the rabbits out of my yard. I love to ride in the truck and go to the park. Now mom and dad have a new king size bed just for me and my GSD sister! They tell me that I am a very smart and a very loving boy and THEY are very lucky to have ME! Wow! I didn't know life could be this GRAND!! Thanks VGSR!
Love from Tyler and my forever family, Joy and John Bullock
P.S. The best thing we ever did was to rescue this awesome dog from VGSR. Thanks, Hilary!

 

 

Remington

Um...hi. Sorry I'm still a shy guy. I'm the small horse formally known as Odin. Dad named me Remington, though. I was a first year rescue! I came from a nasty, abusive home with my brother and sister, and was rescued at only 5 months old! A wonderful woman named Charlie took me and my family into her home. My brother went to a policeman, my sister to another great family (I get to see her at reunions!), and I got my forever home, too!
I was really shy at my adoption day and wanted no part of any of the scary sounds. My mom and dad-to-be came up to me, though, with their dog, Ciara. I thought she looked kinda funny (she says she's a Lab and her ears are normal), so I sniffed her. Then I nuzzled Dad to tell him I wanted to go home with Ciara. Mom says I picked them, it was meant to be, blah, blah. Dad just smelled like Milk Bones, that's all.
I'm now a big, oversized 90 pound Red Sable, dynamo of lovin'. I could be bigger but I need to maintain my girlish figure since I have mild hip dysplasia. I take my pills, though, and outrun and outswim all takers...or try to.
Strider's a liar. I'm the favorite...I just let him think he is.
I love car rides, too...and HIKING! But...I'm scared of bikes, so no mountain biking for me, thanks. In fact...I'm still scared of lots of things despite Mom and Dad's best efforts to get me over my fears. I'm really good with women, and I LOVE kids. New guys tend to make me nervous, though. But if they like dogs...I give 'em a fair chance.
Mom's yelling that I'm drooling too much on the keyboard, so I gotta go.
Thanks everyone! Miss you, Charlie!

Remington

 

 

Strider

Hi! My name's Strider. My foster dad, Brent, named me Calvin when I was found as a stray with my buddy, Hobbes. When my dad saw how I loped around, though, he named me Strider. Personally I think he's just a freak that loves Lord of the Rings, but shhhhh don't tell him.
I was only 60 pounds or so when I was rescued. Waaaaay too skinny. I'm now a 78 pound Black and Tan, kitty chasing, bad boy. I love my forever home. I have five acres to chase deer on, and a sister that loves me... but her ears are floppy...must be broken, and a brother that is a jealous punk because I'm Dad's favorite.
I loooove to go for car rides with my family, vacations, and mountain biking in the nearby National Forest with Mom and Dad. Dad almost cries when he goes anywhere without me because I've honed the art of pathetic howling and screaming. Highly effective at striking the guilt into his heart.
Since I'm the good boy (heh...imagine that) I get to go EVERYWHERE. Sometimes Dad takes me traveling when he has to go somewhere for work, and I'm a regular at the Front Royal Daily Grind.

Thanks VGSR, especially you Brent, and Lea!

 

 

Moscow

Dear Barbie and Fam,

Remember me, Moscow?...Of course you do, how could you forget! I can't begin to tell you how thankful I am to have been a part of your home. Because of you I have the forever family that I always dreamed of having. I live in Blacksburg, Virginia with my forever family, Amanda and Dave. I have a big backyard that backs up to a big park. It's my park now, and if other dogs want to use it they have to be approved by me. Amanda and Dave are fast mountain bikers and they take me with them all the time. My first couple rides with them were EXHAUSTING! But I got in shape fast and now I can run for over three hours, and still have energy to play with my toys when I get home. I never let Amanda or Dave get out of my sight. On long uphills I have to keep running back and forth between Amanda and Dave. Amanda "takes her time to appreciate the scenery," so it makes it difficult to keep them both in sight. I love riding in cars, I put my head out the window, and get lots of attention at stop lights. I visit with Amanda and Dave's friends, I like to think of them as my own friends now. They like mountain biking with me, too. Dave goes to graduate school at Virginia Tech, and Amanda works for Virginia Tech. It's great because there is always somebody home with me. The longest I have to go without my forever family is from 9 - noon. I must say it is a relief to have the house to myself because sleeping is my other favorite activity next to bikes and car rides. Amanda says that I am very adaptable, and that I am warm and friendly in every situation. Therefore, I get to go everywhere my forever family goes. I even go to work with Amanda sometimes. I am so thankful for my family that I try to show it everyday, by being the best dog I can be. Thank you, Barbie for taking care of me when I had no family. I will never forget your smells, and I promise keep in touch.

Moscow

 

 

Dakota

Howdy! I wanted to check in and let you know what's been happening since I came home.

A Stormy Start
After being neglected for 6 months as a young pup, I was rescued by VGSR and then adopted by a couple and their two cats. Since I ignored the foster family's cat (I was busy) , people seemed to think I would ignore all cats ...silly, huh? If these cats were gonna be my packmates I wanted to know all about them! On the first day, I went in for a good sniff and the cat punched me right in the nose. After being scolded a couple hundred times, I finally realized I'm supposed to stay farther away from them. Something about "personal space..." Everyone was pretty tense for the first 3 weeks while we were all learning to live together. My people told me I was "hanging on by a string" at one point, but since I don't know what a 'string' is I decided not to worry about it. My parents' free-wheeling lifestyle was crimped by having to come home and play with me every night, and I still hadn't figured out how to tell them when I needed to go to the bathroom. The cats rarely came out of their room (I would have visited them, if it wasn't for that dumb baby gate) and all I heard about was how unhappy the cats were! The hardwood floors downstairs were another challenge, and it took a while to get my "sea legs." They told me it was like living with a 70 lb drunk... Then there was the crate. I used to live outside, so it was pretty hard to adjust to the confinement. Besides, during the 10% of the day I wasn't sleeping I figured it would be much more fun to poop around the house and tear stuff up! After I let myself out one day, my people decided to reinforce it.

After the Storm
Somehow we all made it through the adjustment period. I started figuring out the whole bathroom thing: you eat inside, but you pee outside... who would have guessed? When Ma bought me a ball to play with in the backyard, I knew I'd found my sport. My favorite toy is a giant, volleyball-sized tennis ball from Target! I would run around the yard herding it with my nose at top speed! I could even do belly spins on top of it, but the best part was when Pa would kick the ball across our big yard for me to chase. I'm so fast now that he really has to work to get it past me! It doesn't bounce as well now that I grew big enough to bite it, but it sure is a lot easier for me to carry around. They're kind of slow sometimes, but my people are finally starting to understand me. Ma kept talking about sending me to military school during those first three weeks, and wouldn't ya know it they DID! I started obedience training with them and it's been great. Miss Brenda was already teaching me to sit before I came home, but now I'm learning even more cool stuff. Ma helps me practice my training at least twice a day, so I'm always at the top of the class. As for the crate, I'm still not crazy about it but I do get treats and toys every time I "kennel up."

Life As I Know It
I love to go places, and my parents took me on walks every day from the start. We never go the same way twice, and I've met lots of people who really seem to like me. Sometimes I even get to sniff other dogs! Jeep rides are another blast. Before being adopted, I'd acquired a reputation as a "yacker" but I haven't thrown up at all in the Jeep. I have my own harness that hooks to the floor, so I can stand on "solid ground" and walk around, but I can't jump out by accident. I'm 8 months old now, house-trained, and I haven't destroyed any furniture. I'm also getting along better with the cats these days. After a month or so, they rejoined the family and we're hanging out more. They are still a bit wary of me and won't let me sniff them as much as I'd like, but what's a pup to do but throw himself to the ground with a big dramatic sigh. I may have started out being a forgotten Christmas puppy tied to a tree, but thanks to VGSR I'm now a very important part of a happy family. Thanks to Brenda, Rick, Arlene and the whole VGSR team for helping me be successful!
That's the news for now,

Dakota Anderson

 

 

Allie

Allie is doing absolutly great. She has gotten used to George and has even given him kisses. George bought some treats that are only given by him, and she likes sleeping in Becca's room too. She always lets us know if someone is outside of our house and even LOVES to howl at the firetrucks/police cars going by. And you were so right about the vaccum becoming my best friend. I don't think my carpet has seen this much of it before, but I think Allie is almost done with her winter coat and she appears to be thinning down a bit. She is such a sweetie and follows me everywhere I go. Thank you so much for allowing Allie to become a part of our family. She is truly loved here..and spoiled rotten! Thanks again,
Stephanie

 

 

Samson

Sammy is just wonderful! Jim and I wanted you to know how much we love him and also send recent photos of the little guy (all 85 lbs. of him!). He is quite the star pupil in his Monday training classes. The teacher works with him showing the other owners how to train their dogs. Sammy is in his second set of classes. He will go on to advanced. We would like to train him well enough so that he can visit nursing home residents and pediatric wards in the local hospitals. Thank you so much for fostering him for Virginia German Shepherd Rescue. I know how hard it was for you to let him go! He is totally adorable!
Sincerely,
Urlee O'Donnell

 

 

Cammy (Formerly Holly #4)

Hello German Shepherd Rescue! We wanted to give you an update on our precious Cameron ("Cammy") - previously known as "Holly #4". This picture was taken about 30 minutes after she was dropped off at our home. As you can see, she was quick to find a cozy place on the sofa to snuggle with her new sister, Abby (also a rescued girl). Cammy has become a very important part of our lives and a wonderful addition to our family. She's a bit younger than we'd speculated and therefore has an amazing amount of "playtime" energy. She can often be found attempting to lure her big sister (or Mom or Dad) off the couch for some attention!! She loves to "talk" to us when she's excited and happy that we're home, and she loves to "dance" with Dad... when he asks her to. She has a bark of a dog four times her size yet one of the sweetest temperaments around. Cammy is remarkably agile and can often be found jumping multiple stairs throughout the house - especially when someone from her pack returns home! She loves (and receives) constant affection from everyone - and is happy to dole out much more than she is given. We were nervous about getting another dog because we were convinced that we could never be as lucky as we were with Abby. Cammy has proven to us that there was never a need for fear! She is a beautiful, sweet and loving little girl and we're so glad that our home is now her forever home. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to adopt one of your beautiful animals.
All the best,
Mia and Allen McNaughton

 

 

Wolfy

We met Wolfy (formally Nelson) at an adoption event in the summer of 2003. He was found as a stray and was being fostered by the wonderful Barbara Dodge. We were drawn to him because of his temperament; he loves everyone and everything, not a mean bone in his body. Not to say it was an easy transition, he was quite a handful when we first brought him home. He had a bladder infection that caused him to have frequent accidents and he thought the cats were the best playthings ever! However, after a little patience, some antibiotics and training he has become the perfect dog, we cannot imagine our lives without him. We laugh so much more now that he is with us. Like the way he likes to carry around our socks. He doesn't chew them mind you, but he manages to get the entire thing in his mouth so you can't see the sock, but his cheeks puff out a bit giving him away. He will walk around like this until you tell him to drop it, and then out comes the slobbery sock. He loves other dogs so much that 9 months after adopting him we adopted a terrier mix from a rescue group in Maryland. It is impossible to keep a straight face watching a 15-pound terrier and an 80-pound Shepherd take turns chasing each other back and forth in the yard! They just have so much fun together. Whenever we take him to the pet store or the dog park we always get comments on what a beautiful, sweet dog he is. We never hesitate to tell people that he was a rescue dog and refer them to VGSR! Thanks again for letting us adopt this wonderful dog,
Katie and Sean Cartwright

 

 

Jada

An update on Jada - She is definitely the best thing to happen to our family! She has the ability to make everyone she meets fall in love with her. She was the unofficial mascot of my son's marching band. We would go to the practices and she would charm everyone. She really likes to play ball and Frisbee, although she will only play for 3 or 4 throws and then wants to take her toys back inside. At first, she had this thing about sleeping with one of my shoes, I would only find one shoe where I had left them and the other one would be on her blanket in the living room. She never chewed my shoes, she just wanted my stinky shoe near her. My in-laws, who are not really dog people, love to have Jada come to their house. The only problem is that sometimes she will jump in the car when we are not going anywhere and she will not get out unless we drive her somewhere. So, we drive down the driveway and then she will get out. I don't think that is much of a problem if that's the worst thing I can say about her. We took her down to the beach near our house and she really loved the water, and she didn't even think about eating the dead stinky things that sometimes wash up on the beach from the bay. That was a problem with all of our other dogs. She sleeps with us in bed and is very soft and quiet getting up and down. She sleeps on our bed when she is home alone because we can hear her jump down when we get home. Our dog sitters next door also did something very unusual. They have been watching our pets for about 15 years, and after getting to know Jada, they asked if she could just stay at their house while we were gone. They never wanted to take any of our other pups home. They have horses and they said that Jada likes to jump over the horse jumps. She is always showing us more and more things that she can do. When we got home I had to go and bring her home. They were very happy to have her as their guest. Right now she is lying at my feet under the computer desk. Our son, Ricky, is always on the floor snuggling with Jada. At about 9:00 PM every night is Jada play time. She will just start throwing her toys around to let us know that it's play time. She still will whine and cry sometimes, and I can't tell if she misses one of us or what. She was crying a lot more when we first got her and now it's only occasionally. She is so pitiful because we don't know what the crying is about. It took a month or two to start getting tail wags and kisses, but now she is full of them! Thanks again for letting us have Jada. Everyone agrees that she is the Best!
Lorelle Duelley

 

 

Hailey

Dear Foster Mommy,
I wanted to let you know how well I am doing and how much fun I am having with my Mommy and Daddy. I have so many wonderful toys and lots of play time every day. My favorite toy might just be my football squeaky toy that mom and dad throw for me in the back yard. I also love my naps! Curling up in their laps and taking a nap is my favorite thing to do. I know when mom and dad put me in my crate it is quiet time, and I go to sleep. I am doing great with my potty training. I go to the door to let mom and dad know when I need to go out, although I have had a few accidents - but heck, I'm still a puppy! I even let them know when I need to go potty in the middle of the night, I give a few short yelps, Dad or Mom comes and takes me out back and I go right away - then I am very good about going back to sleep.
Jasmine and Nevada are two of my friends that come over to play with me often. We run all around the back yard and I am always very excited to see them. Soon I will be just as big as them! I think I must weigh around 22 lbs. or so - at my first visit to the vet. I weighed 14.5 lbs., but I know I've grown SO MUCH in the last couple weeks.
I'm happy to tell you that one of my ears is finally at full attention! The other one is almost there. I think by the end of this week they will both be standing straight and pretty. Thanks so much for telling people to be careful with my ears!
Mom and dad took 3 rolls of pictures of me the first week I went home with them. There are a few pictures attached, but I have grown so much since these pictures were taken, I'll need to send you some more soon so you can see my pretty ears and how big I've gotten!
Can't wait to see you and my brother, sister and mother at the reunion next fall!
Love, Hailey

 

 

Kasha

Kasha Case (although she didn't know that was her name yet) was just a few weeks old when she was found wandering the cold streets in the middle of winter. Luckily, someone took her to VGSR where some nice people kept her warm and gave her love until she found her way into our hearts at about 8 weeks old. She was barely 10 lbs and still had floppy ears. Her big sister, Casey Case (who is a Dachshund mix so she is only 15 pounds full-grown), was pretty surprised when Kasha surpassed her size in just a few short weeks. Now, at two years old, Kasha is a happy, healthy, 70 lb. GSD.
Angela Case

 

 

Gretta

On St. Valentine's Day ('03), Jennifer and Jonathan shared a unique gift with the family- the addition of a new girl: Gretta. Gretta, formerly known as "Annabelle", is a 3-year-old female German Shepherd Dog of German lines. She stands vertical and proud, and weighs about 70 pounds. Gretta's past is a mystery both to VGSR and ourselves, but she is now a very happy girl. Gretta arrived at our household just before the big blizzard in February. At first she showed signs of a troublesome past- an unwillingness to go into the basement, for example. Worse, it appeared as though a previous owner had filed down or cut off her canines, and the teeth were rotten to the bone. Over time, she had become more confident and easily wanders throughout the house and neighborhood on her walks. As for the teeth, in June she went to the vet dentist and had six rotted teeth removed. After a couple weeks, she was back to her usual diet- including treats. Still, Gretta loves all people - including visits to the vet. She spends her time keeping an eye on the family "pack." One of her favorite family activities is watching HBO's "Sex and the City" with Jennifer. She also enjoys her weekend 4-mile walks around Lake Accotink (in Northern Virginia), and playing with her toys. Gretta gets along with most dogs, and has made numerous friends- especially "boyfriends"- both in the neighborhood and in her obedience class. We have enrolled Gretta in dog obedience classes, and she is one of the better students in the courses. To date, she has successfully graduated from level two, and next will begin off-leash training. However, cats are another story.... Her prey drive definitely kicks into gear upon seeing felines. She has not yet met a cat that she doesn't want to chase. Much is the same case with squirrels, and so far we are having to walk her around Lake Accotink on a leash. These days, Gretta is really a part of the "pack," and Jennifer and Jonathan are very happy with her joining the family.
Jennifer & Jonathan Gibson

 

 

Abygail Anka

I wanted to give you an update on Abygail Anka's life since she had left the rescue association (VGSR). Abygail was adopted from the VGSR association in August 2001. She has been a wonderful addition to our family since this time, and her relationship with our house cat (Malamar) is amazing. They play chase throughout the house and an 8 lb. cat chases the 90 lb. Aby as if she were a dog. They stay together like best friends. Shortly after Abygail's adoption she received the AKC Canine Good Citizen Award. Soon thereafter, he was appointed the Ol'Roy (dogfood) Dog of the Year for our area. She was given the best of the best food but will only eat it with a light mixture of Ol'Roy. The contest judges appearance, personality, and other aspects of being a great dog. Soon after her appointment as Dog of the Year, she began to show signs of lameness and difficulty walking. After many trips (and hundreds of dollars) later, she was diagnosed with SEVERE bilateral hip displasia, which surprised me since the VGSR vetinarian stated she was cleared of hip displasia on her intitial evaluation. Anyway, Abygail was admitted to Virginia Tech's Vetinary Hospital on September 1, 2003, and now has a new prostesis for a hip joint (Total Hip Replacement). She has many more weeks of rehabilitation before she can return to her regular daily activities. She will be off her precautions at the end of December. As you can tell, we are very thankful for the companionship Abygail has offered us up-to-date and we would not trade it for anything. She has showed to be a great German Shepherd, guardian, and friend. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Virginia German Shepherd Rescue for joining our family with Abygail Anka, who has provided an abundant amount of love and friendship. Please pray for Abygail's quick and successful return from her recent surgery, and I know she will be in your hearts.
Dr. Daniel Morrell

 

 

Sampson

Sam a.k.a. Sampson is an awesome dog! I could not have asked for a better dog. I was truly blessed when he came into my life and don't know what I would do without him now. Although he was very scared at first and needed to get used to the many things he was never exposed to, like riding in a car, he came around well. He has settled in perfectly in the house and has become the king of the castle. He loves his furry sisters and playing with them, specially chasing them around. He has become such a spoiled brat that he does not like it when mommy brings in new foster dogs. He makes sure to let them know where their limits are and will not allow them into "his" master bedroom or "his" TV room. He has gotten very attached to me, so he is my Velcro dog now and gets very upset when strange dogs jump on me for affection. Sam is a lap dog who loves to be hugged. He will come and try to get on my lap for affection all the time and is very persistent in getting it regardless if you can at the moment or not. Every morning, when HE decides we have had enough sleeping, he will come and jump on my bed to let mommy know it is time to get up and have fun. Sam had no obedience, did not even know what "sit" meant, but has now been through basic obedience and is now enrolled in intermediate. He also goes herding on the weekends, something he absolutely loves and enjoys, and has agility once a week. He excels in all of it!!! Since he will do ANYTHING for food, he does what ever I ask him to do, except the "down stay" and mommy walking away out of sight. He does NOT like that! Mommy even bought him his own agility equipment so he can now play at home, too. Sam goes to a nearby doggy park very often and has a blast with his sisters and friends. Now and then I will take him to the lake for a swim as well or hiking at a farm with some GSD friends. Needless to say, he is a very active dog with a very busy life! He is a very happy and confident boy. Thank you Geralyn and VGSR for allowing me to have this gorgeous boy in my life!
Carolina Valenzuela

 

 

Mystique (formerly Princess #4)

I fell in love with Princess #4 when I saw her picture on the web site. I was driven to adopt her. She was in heat, so we had to wait. We finally got her on March 21, and brought her back to Virginia Beach where she joined Duke Leto, Dog of Dune (another rescue, see Happy Tails) and changed her name to Dune Mystique. (The name of our house is "Dune"). We have applied for ILP numbers for both dogs so they can compete in obedience at some future date. We absolutely adore "Stiqui". I picked her because she looked like Raven who died at 12 in January, even down to the "love ears" in her picture. For that, we loved her before we even met her. Now that we know her for herself, we love her even more. She is a total "house dog" now and has to be thrown out to do her business. She gets a long walk at least once a day, though she pulls like a sled dog on the leash. She has a toy basket full of toys which she unloads every day and plays with every toy (right now, she's got a red ball) and every night I have to pick them up...just like when the kid was a toddler! She's a great retriever but does not willingly relinquish what she retrieves. "Get your own ball," she seems to say. "I chased this one." She wants to fly and sometimes it looks like she might be able to. She'd also like to climb trees because that's where the squirrels are. Rabbits would be on the endangered list if we didn't walk her on a leash. "Ethopian thin" when we got her, she convinced us to feed her exactly what she likes which is the new "Chicken Soup for the Dog's Soul" kibble "sweetened" with "Little Champions" packets. She's gaining weight and is one of the "slope back" Shepherds you see in the show ring. Her "flying trot" is like a ballet. She's now been spayed so won't have to put up with "heat" again, is microchipped, has dog health insurance with a double cancer policy, has had her dew claws removed, nails cut and teeth cleaned. She's good to go. She still has some baggage from the past. Away from the house she is stand-offish to strangers, but generally friendly. No meanness in her at all. But when someone comes to the house, she breaks our heart. She crouches down or runs into her crate. It's like she fears they have come to take her away. Little does she know, I'd fight a Great White Shark with bare hands and teeth to keep her and Leto. Leto had similar anxiety upon meeting people when we first got him, but has figured out that he has a permanent home. We're counting on Mystique figuring that out, too. I don't know how anyone could put this wonderful dog in a shelter and abandon her, but their loss is our gain. Thanks to VA German Shepherd Rescue for bailing "Stique" out of the pound, for fostering her with love and kindness until we could bring her to her forever home.
Elizabeth Gregory

 

 

Tyra

It's been 3 months and 3 days since we adopted Tyra and we can't imagine life without her. She spent the first couple of days searching for the cat we used to have that passed away in December - her big nose picked up the scent immediately! Thanks to her wonderful foster mom, Leesa, Tyra was pretty well house-broken when we got her, and was fully in control within a few days. After the first week, we had a parade of people coming over to meet her and she was wonderful with everyone - even a 3-month-old baby! She loves to give kisses and be petted and never barks at people. We attempted obedience training after we had her for about 3 weeks, but that didn't go so well. She cowered big time when the trainer arrived and practically dug a hole in the floor to get away from him when he pulled out a training collar. The trainer said that Tyra had probably been abused to some degree with her previous owner and seeing the training collar brought back some very scary memories. So, we stopped the session right then to allow Tyra to recover. Within about 30 minutes she was back at my feet in the kitchen! Her favorite sport is soccer and she likes to "kick" her squeaky soccer ball with her nose. She also loves to play with a tennis ball, but with both sports she's not very good at giving the ball back to us! She retrieves the ball, but then takes it somewhere else and plays with it on her own! Her other favorite pasttime is running with other dogs at the dog park. She tries to play with the big dogs, but most of them seem to be older and not real interested in playing with a "young adult". So, when the big dogs ignore her, she turns to the smaller dogs who seem to be more playful - like beagles! She's very good with other dogs and doesn't show any signs of aggression. The only issue is when she's on her leash - if she sees another dog while she's on her leash, she tugs and barks until she can get to the dog. Most owners of big dogs seem to understand and don't mind if we let the dogs meet. It's the owners of the little dogs that tend to panic and run the other way! So, we have to work on our leash manners. The biggest issue with Tyra has been her digestive system. The poor little thing was underweight when she got to the rescue so we were trying to put some meat on those bones, but she couldn't seem to properly digest her food. As a result she kept losing weight rather than gaining. She was under close watch by our vet and even had an emergency trip to Clocktower Animal Hospital one morning, but the doctors were baffled. They were certain she had EPI - a pancreatic problem common in GSDs -- but the blood tests came back negative. After three months of tests and bland diets, the vet now believes she has an irritable bowel and we're treating it with canned Eukanuba Veterinary Diet, antibiotics, and steroids. The good news is that she is finally putting on weight and has much more of a twinkle in her eyes. The steroids made her sleepy at first, but we're tapering them down now so her energy is coming back. In two months we are moving from our condo to a house on a lake. It's something we had planned to do at some point, but having Tyra has expedited those plans! We want her to be able to sit outside with us and watch the ducks and geese and birds and cats and groundhogs! We don't know if she's a water dog, but the first time she chases a duck into the water, we'll know! Sorry for the long-winded report! It's just that Tyra has become such an integral part of our life that we want everyone at the Rescue and all the potential adoptive owners to know that we feel there a few things as rewarding as giving a dog a second chance in life. Our deepest gratitude and admiration go to the VGSR volunteers and foster owners. Thank you for making our family complete.
Melissa & Ken Knueven

 

 

Sassy

It has been four months since Sassy came into our lives, and what a difference those four months have made! I will never forget her first time investigating her new home where she put her big paws right up on the kitchen counter. She did not understand what she could and could not chew, and where to relieve herself. I remember waking up every two hours that first night trying to persuade her to go "potty" outside and not in her crate or in the house as she had done with previous families. In addition, we spent many days at the vet's trying to rid of ear and eye infections as well as a small bout of mange. To top it off, she was desperately thin, weighing only 45 pounds. I was about to give up on her when she escaped from the kitchen one day and decided it would be fun to put a big hole in the mattress. But, she always managed to win us over with her huge heart, desire to please, and ease of learning. She just didn't know that what she was doing was wrong. She is very smart and just needed someone to take the time to teach her appropriate behavior. Today, at a whopping 25 pounds heavier!, she is the center of our universe, and we can't imagine life without her. After initially spending time building her confidence, we began her obedience training. Today, she holds her "Canine Good Citizen" degree and is enrolled in dog obedience III/IV preparing to earn her first CD now that she has Indefinite Listing Privileges with the AKC. For a warm up, we assist with a dog I and II class where people are always amazed that she was a rescue dog with no training only a few months ago. Our next step will be agility. She is very athletic, running six to seven miles per day with us, and bounds over streams and logs. We are considering Search and Rescue once we complete our competitive obedience trials. At the end of a work day, we can't wait to see our best friend and go for a run! Thank you for the opportunity to once a gain feel the joy of having a faithful and loving, intelligent friend in our lives!
Mary and Mark Denigan

 

 

Scout

February 18, 2003 was our lucky day! After losing both of our beloved Collies to old age in 2002, our family was devastated. We tried to find another Collie but couldn't even look at those oh-so-similar faces without getting teary. After some discussion, we settled on a shepherd, another breed we liked, and started our search.
We wanted a young adult that we could train with and compete in AKC Obedience. As puppy-raisers for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, we already had plenty of experience with puppies and didn't want yet another one! Our current GEB pup, Ann-S, leaves in June and we're expecting another little Lab then. So we knew we wanted an adult. Then we started thinking about how great it would be to raise our very own pup from scratch, one who would never have to leave us . . . but then we came to our senses and realized how much work TWO puppies would be. So back to looking for a young adult.
And that's when Lea called. "I know you want an older dog, but I just got this puppy in and I think you'd be perfect for him!"
We picked him up that very evening. "Puppy" had never been named by his previous owner. He was eight weeks old, a floppy-eared baby whom we instantly adored. He weighed 15 lbs. and quickly settled into our home, house-broken within a week and climbing all over our Lab. Our hearts felt lighter by the minute.
It's April now, and Puppy has been named Scout. He's turning into a handsome fellow and at 16 weeks, weighs a solid 40 lbs. We're wondering just how big he's going to get! He also is the biggest sissy we've ever seen (we say with love!). He is terrified of other dogs and at puppy kindergarten, a baby Lab half his size chased him around the room. We are working on positive repeated exposures to a variety of dogs and we already can see a difference. He also is doing well with early obedience training. He will come, sit, stay, and down and kennel on command, and doesn't bat an ear when we trim his nails in the evening.
Scout is interested in our cats and becoming better with them by the day. Our oldest cat, Silk, was bereft when his old buddies crossed the Bridge without him, and he's delighted to have a new canine pal. We can already see the day when Scout will be sleeping with Silk cuddled up against him. Scout also loves Ann, and we know he's going to miss her when she leaves in June. Hopefully, he'll enjoy having a new little buddy to play with.
Thanks, Lea and VGSR, for helping us find our new little buddy. He's made us happier than words can ever express.
The Rodgers Family - Andy, Anne Marie, Katrina, Elise, Ann-S, Teddy, Silk, Leo, Lucie and Phoebe!

 

 

Cody

It all started because we missed a friend... He'd been gone about 18 months when we decided to look for another special German Shepherd. The first one we found was at in the local SPCA and was very young and active. At the last minute, we were told he did not like other dogs. So we looked at picture after picture - and they all started to blur. Anyone who says you cannot see the personality of a dog in a picture didn't see Cody's picture. We knew when we saw him he was special and couldn't wait to meet him! The girls (terrier mix-Pepper and border collie mix-Nibbles) were not impressed with him. They were used to having the place to themselves and really didn't want to share. Within minutes of the home visit, he was following "dad" around the house. Things went so well, we wanted him to stay. It turned out that he is very insecure and suffers from major separation anxiety. For the first month, we tried to help him through this issue by trying different ways to calm him when we were gone. Cody is one very smart individual and it was like a two-year-old testing his limits. To keep our sense of humor, he was quickly dubbed "Cody-monster", and everyone agreed that it seemed to fit. We finally hit on the right combination (I'm sure additional time to settle helped it along also), and he is now much better when we leave. I don't think he'll ever like it when we do - but what dog enjoys being left behind? He has even managed to charm the girls! He has turned out to be the biggest lap dog there is. He had lost some weight in the transition and was only 114 lbs. when he went to meet the vet shortly after the adoption, but he has filled out a great deal in the past three months, and is now once again over 120 lbs. He has always tiptoed around our one-year-old-grandson, but "big" people are fair game and, for a time, greeted everyone by giving out hugs. He is now learning some manners and the routine and is also learning what is expected of him. As time goes on, his protective instincts are starting to emerge and he is proving to be a devoted and intelligent Shepherd. Unlike our last Shepherd (who preferred "dad"), Cody has shown himself to be equally attached to us all. It's hard for him to make a decision as to who he should stick with - unless, of course, you're going out the door!! If a coat is on and the keys are rattling, he's by your side and velcro couldn't keep him any closer. He will not be fooled either. If you don't leave right away, when you do, there's Cody - stretched across the doorway. With some work, this has also become manageable. We can now get him to stay inside and he knows that if he is not in his crate we will be right back. He will wait patiently at the top of the steps for us to return. He is worth every bit of not only the love we have given to him, but also the commitment we have to make him a part of our family - and is returning this to us ten times over! He tries so hard to understand what we expect from him and is content to be with us where ever we may be. He also likes to move things. Doesn't like to chew on anything, but will just pick something up and take it somewhere else and put it down... I find things in strange places - shoes, empty soda cans, even a bowl was removed from the kitchen sink and placed in front of the bathroom door when "dad" was in there! Yes, he kicked it when he came out. We are looking forward to taking him to our trailer in Virginia on weekends and see how he does as a fishing buddy. I just hope he likes the boat, the beach and the water... We will keep you updated. Shepherds are truly loyal and intelligent. They require, and give back, a lot of respect to the families who adopt and understand them. We sincerely thank his foster mom Barbara, and Lea, for all of their support and suggestions when we were at our wits end. Thank you for allowing this comical character to be a part of our lives.
Jim, Vicki & Jason Corbett

 

 

Zenzi

An update on Zenzi-Bonita-Terry (AKA: Zenzi). She has been with us for a couple of months now. She has been a wonderful addition to our family. She is a wonderful dog, and has bonded with everyone, except she loves me the most of course. We went through some tough times with a spaying infection, an adverse drug reaction to antibiotics, and a bought of dehydration due to prolonged vomiting (on every carpet in the house it seemed). Other than that trauma, things have been really good. She's now settled in, the infection has cleared and she's experiencing the good life. She has us all trained very well; walks about 5 or 6 times throughout the day, belly rubs almost as often, car rides are a must, and loving attention from each of us. She has a wonderful relationship with my 13-year-old son. She can even get him out of bed at 6 am on Saturday for a morning constitutional. Amazing! Other than her self disillusion that she can climb trees, she is a perfect dog. She's absolutely captivated by squirrels and fancies herself as a squirrel hunter. It is a very funny sight to watch a dog looking up into the branches in constant search for those elusive creatures. She even got a Valentine's card with a squirrel's picture on it. I want to thank you for what you do. Zenzi has been a blessing.
Patrick Terry

 

 

Beauregard VanMarmaduke (formerly Castro)

We and Beauregard VanMarmaduke (went for the French/Dutch/Danish Dog from Hell connection - well, if there wasn't such a connection, there is NOW :) are jello-ing nicely. We have had a couple minor bumps in the road but nothing that a good dog obedience program won't solve. His good points include his total snuggle factor. He's a love!! He's sweet, he's gentle, he's obedient the vast majority of the time. He loves to please and will cleave to anyone in the house willing to give time...very social boy. He has grown very protective of the house and yard and has a very basso bark when riled. The Marmaduke in him is as follows: his chief source of annoyance is anything in the bird family... despises birds. He also hates the drive through....barks savagely at the little box...can barely get an order in...between him barking and me laughing my fool head off...I've never seen such a thing. He also attacked our vacuum cleaner and has a propensity for getting into the kids toys...actually stuck his head into a partially open toy drawer, extracted a toy and began to chew it...I rescued it but still...he's a flippin hoot! Exuberance, in his case - given his size and gangliness, is a detractor so we are doing simple sit stay upon arrival and departure as well as when he gets "fired up" with a lot of coming and going. His beautiful face (hence Beau) and almond eyes melt us each time we see his face...and we see other wild life in him...moose or some other ponderous elk creature, bear....and the beauty of a doe in that awesome face. Thanks to you ALL for once again helping to make our house a home...w/o the pitter patter of clod hopping feet and the plethora of rolling fur balls...it's just not home. He's just what the Good Lord ordered for this family.
Stephanie Mendenhall & family

 

 

Leto (formerly Nikko)

Here I am on my dad's leather couch in his den in Virginia Beach. He's nicer than Ma; she won't let me on the yellow couches. I just had my neutering - it was a breeze - and am busy learning all about my new family. I'm a looker and everyone is impressed with me. I haven't been allowed alone in the yard, but that'll come. I go on walks and will go to "Dog School" (humans call it Obedience Class) once the Vet clears me from my "operation". I wish all of you good luck in your adopted homes.
Duke Leto, Dog of Dune

 

 

Angeles (formerly Vegas)

We began our search for a new companion by identifying what we desired and what we could provide. We decided on a dog but had to consider a breed. Time and money were the two resources that had to be allocated to any new family member. The question was how much. Since my wife is much smaller then I am, we wanted to be certain that she could handle the dog, as it got older and larger. We discussed the breeds and settled on the German Shepherd. We were first nervous about if we met the requirements to own a German Shepherd. My wife and I had been around dogs for the majority of our lives. Though I had never owned a GSD myself, I have known enough of them to recognize the beauty and intelligence of the breed. I knew that a German Shepherd required a lot of effort to keep stimulated and happy. There was the concern of the common disorders associated with the breed including hip disease. We decided to start looking for good breeders and visited a few over the next few weeks. I was in the kitchenette at my place of employment when I noticed a fluorescent green 8-1/2 by 11 sheet of paper that had the picture of a German Shepherd on it. I was concerned that one of my coworkers had lost a dog and started to read the notice. My attention was well placed, as this was a flyer for the Virginia German Shepherd Rescue. Taking the information, I began researching VGSR and what was involved with participating. I recognized that this was a group of people who where very concerned for the health and well being of the German Shepherd Dog. The determination of the vol