German Wirehaired Pointers!

Thoughts

2012-02-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

One of our followers sent me an email saying she wished she had written about her loss of a loved one to cancer. This really wasn't by choice, but more necessity. Keeping ones sanity to some means bearing all.

While in college, I became obsessed with psychology classes. I took classes not even required for my major, due to the fact I just couldn't get enough info on the human psyche. One particular class detailed the stages of death. That of the patient and the family members detailed into thoughts, feelings and emotion. I kept that textbook oddly enough, something inside me guided me in that particular decision and the book is on my nightstand. We have made it through the anger and denial, now we are on the road to acceptance.

Aggressive cancer is like a runaway train. Careening out of control down a steep slope, it veers to the left, and swings to the right. There are ups and downs, and one prepares themselves for the inevitable....then everything shoots up a steep hill again. The patient goes through so much fear, and while they seem in my circumstance to be able to let it go for a bit, not wanting to get legal paperwork signed as it signals the end is approaching is tragic actually.

I cannot say how I would handle being the patient...that is only evident if I would be in that situation. I am a coward, and do not like the unknown...I am impatient, and selfish when it comes to control over my own life and decisions. I don't think I would allow a disease to make those decisions for me. Then my faith becomes the voice of reason, and lets me know that the spoiled child inside should never go to that dark place. That each and every moment is carefully orchestrated to provide closure to those left behind. Then I feel ashamed for even entertaining such thoughts. This is what happens when there is too much silence, and grasping at the psyche of the loved one losing the battle. One thinks a bit too much.

I am not the steel magnolia I thought I was....how could I have been so wrong about myself? For today, it is what it is. Time to come out of isolation maybe. Walking is good...the dogs need a walk. Our daily walks and outings have come to a halt as of late, and they look out the bay window with longing. So thank you furkids for perching those muzzles on the window seat. I get the message...thank you for that. Nothing will happen for that hour, and all will be waiting when we come back in through the door.

Raw Grief

2012-01-27T05:38:00.000-08:00

When reading my last post a few times over, it may appear even to myself that it is one of anger. I purged those emotions as a way of cleaning out the toxins of my being. I then realized it was not anger at all, but sheer grief. Grief within those of passion tends to be more vocal, especially for those of us that talked in church, or class. Those Nuns were always beside themselves. It became a sport for me, one I enjoyed immensely.

Oddly, the dogs all have been rallying. There is never a time I am sitting here on my laptop that I don't have at least two curled up against me. The elder dog is more reserved, she is now moving into my pack and letting her Dad move on. She is missing her daily outings in the truck, ears flapping in the wind. Her Dad always took her with him everywhere. But in her infinite wisdom, she is coping in a way I only wish I could. They have a courage and understanding of life that we simply at our core do not get.....but wish I could tap into some of that courage.

Emotion is a good thing, God gave us emotion as a gift. Robbing our expression of emotion is taking away part of what makes us human. To not acknowledge the stages of grief will slow healing and the ability to move on. Moving on one day at a time has been my coping mechanism, and it has worked quite well up until a major change of events has signaled the last stretch of the race. We will lose this war, but we have won some major battles. We have stopped and smelled the roses. There has been a lot of laughter....

Dogs will express their emotions, they do not feel guilt for doing so. They do, and move on to the next. They don't look over their shoulder and say, "wow, wish I wouldn't have done that...." They make their voices heard, their opinions....and move on. They also are very intuitive to their owner's emotions. We smell different, give off different energy, and they take care of their humans. They do not worry about tomorrow, or how things will play out in the end. They do a job, provide a service as their place in a pack/family allows. They work together to do what they were put here to do.

We are very blessed to have them in our lives...they keep us grounded, and give us a purpose. The bond with our pets is incredible, and I know I would be lost without it. They give a human permission to be human. So I will go back to being human, and they will curl up with their head in my lap, providing comfort.

The End of a Journey

2012-01-25T04:55:00.000-08:00

First let me make perfectly clear...there is NO CURE for stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer.

I had touched lightly on my husband's cancer in regards to the relationship with his faithful companion Holly and her loyal dedication...now as we believe the journey is ending, she is sending signals of what is to come.

We can learn so much from dogs, how they process grief, how they move on with their lives, and watching them for signals on moving on has been a new lesson for me. Holly has been trying to tell me something. Her detachment now and once never ending vigil by her master's side is decreasing.

In September, 2011...we were post eight rounds of chemotherapy. The massive tumor was shirking and very small. In November, the tumor had become nearly nonexistent...although lymph nodes were still hot on the CAT scan. Doctors were elated, this was a triumph and a possible road to remission. Infact, one of the oncologists said it was remission, and my husband happily went back to work on a short schedule. His men, as he called them were so happy to have him back after seven months as he is a good leader and taught them so much with his advanced skills in metal fabrication. He was doing so well, and was about ready to go back to his eight hour schedule....we thought the worst was behind us. Then one evening he came home with a severe headache. His potassium levels had been very high just a few days before, and he was administered a binder. As those levels can cause the heart to stop, and no explanation could be provided.
We entered the hospital the next morning, the pain was excruciating. While we went through all sorts of tests, no one could come up with any explanation. We were referred to a neurologist at KU Medical center, the tests showed a stroke in the eye that had caused the pain and loss of eyesight. I feel strongly in my uneducated opinion, it was caused by the series of chemo drugs, or combination.

Chemotherapy is the only chance of possible survival or remission. A slim sector (the miracles) of patients do experience remission of two to five years from these drugs. But what we did not ask, as we were desperate for that miracle, were the effects of such drugs. I am not so sure the cancer itself would have been much worse. The neuropathy caused by the drug cisplat in the hands and feet is so very painful. The pain the patient goes through while being poisoned with chemo is something to consider if you are smart enough to "ask" the right questions.

One thing I do want to be sure to share, is to listen to your body. If you become extremely fatigued, or have anything unusual going on...don't dismiss it, and get to your doctor. If your doctor does not listen to your concerns, get another doctor.

While he did have two hospitalizations one in November, and then again in December for bronchitis at which time another CAT scan was done, and tumor in check...at our appointment just one month later, the tumor was back and growing. We were shocked, looking forward to another clean "cancer under control" report, and thinking work which is all he wanted in the entire world would be approved and he would be released again for a short schedule.

The point I am trying to make sadly, is although they say attitude is everything when fighting cancer....and it is for the patient, do your research. Read statistics at Cancer.net, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, and other sites. I am talking about specific cancers, and stages. Non small cell lung cancer kills more people than breast, pancreatic, liver, bone, brain and stomach cancer combined. This I found out on my own via web research.It would have been nice to have known this initially...but I did not "ask" the right questions.

Do I feel angry that oncology used words such as "cure", which is pure fiction? Yes, I am angry...our primary physician raised an eyebrow when I relayed the "good news" in November when I had our child in for his flu shot. Am I angry that when I tried to pin them down to anything other than "think happy thoughts?" You're damn straight I am angry. To tell patients the truth, is that too much to ask? At least tell their spouse when they pull them aside and look them in the eye for answers. I told them I am tough, but don't play emotional mind games with me when I can do a little research to find the truth. I have to know the truth. In November or December, I do remember becoming insistent with oncology, and our oncologist incharge knelt down, looked me in the eye and said, "you want statistics, but we don't know God's plan...." No we don't know God's plan, but God has given you loads of patients to provide statistics, and I feel it is your mission to provide these up front.

Now in being fair, I am told by a retired oncologist friend that on that day in November, indeed the cancer was generalized, had reduced in size to the point it was hardly detectable. The lymph nodes were hot in the CAT scan, glowing....but this would be normal. we did have remission for three months. Until the chemo had worn off.

For that I am grateful....but to keep hoping, being told the first two years are the hardest, makes one believe there will be two years. And then on a routine followup, we get the "well, the cancer is growing rapidly, we can put you through four more weeks of chemo but will be mostly treating side effects.....or you may go into hospice." "We can also check with other cancer centers to refer you..." "You have choices to make" It reminds me of the drug commercials, side effects are anorexia, lethargy, general pain and suffering....but the upside is you will receive possibly three months. Which is worse?

What happened to the cure word? So you are saying after all of this treatment and cheer leading that's it? Then Damn it! Say "that's it!" Advise patients on what to do. What would you do if it were you is my new question....and I feel it is your obligation to give me a straight "answer." I have boxed up my pom-poms, and advise you to do so too....but looks like you already have.

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2011-11-26T11:22:00.001-08:00

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German Wirehaired Pointer Rescue Collage Calendar! GWP Rescue, Inc

2011-11-24T06:25:00.000-08:00

German Wirehaired Pointer Rescue Collage Calendar! GWP Rescue, Inc

2011-10-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

A lot of time has passed since my last blog post. Mostly because of my husband's cancer, rescue, and caring for my own dogs. I have always been relentless in my passion for our breed rescue, putting everything on the back burner. I resigned myself to "making it up to you later...", when it involved my family, and even my own dogs...burning the candle at both ends so to speak. Then a catastrophic event forced me to prioritize my life.

When years go by, and a rescue goes through the stress and change such as ours, you really have to stop and ask yourself if someone or something in the universe is trying to tell you something. When is it enough? There are always dogs, mail boxes full of emails from owners with the same old excuses, actually there have been some new excuses that have been quite creative. Some have been comical, like the bird dog refusing to stop eating the free roaming chickens. I felt a bit bad for the chickens, but shaking my head for the poor dog that had to be pulled out of the arms of a crying child, when rescue picked her up. And the child....how will this effect a young child that was obviously bonded so deeply to his friend?

Scenarios such as these evoke emotions from we rescuers, but especially the dog loving public. We have become hardened, we have seen and heard so much...we have cried enough tears to fill an ocean, and now we trust no one. What is happening to us as a society? Where is the responsibility? I truly see a trend of not caring, and evidence of a "throw away" society. We're lazy, we're uneducated, and I do not see light at the end of the tunnel. So I ask myself, "what" am I doing? Life is passing me by, year after year, after year. I see young rescue individuals that were 20, and in a blink of an eye are now in their 30's. They are not married, they are not getting on with their lives, but instead are totally engulfed in this never ending cycle of abuse and rescue.

So what are the answers? Do I start to care less about the dogs needing help? Do I let go of many to trust in others to save them? I am told by my friends that have been around the block in the rescue mobile, to hang in there.....they know exactly where I am coming from. Other's have died so young, and the stress involved with the frantic and overwhelming involvement that is 24/7 in this business. Google "stress and animal rescue", and you will have an entire page of articles to support the above. Heck, my husband was having a surgical procedure for his cancer, and my phone was ringing off the hook...this is after I had emailed the same individuals stating I would be off line for several days. Guess that wasn't what they wanted to hear...

Many of my most incredible volunteers, and foster homes have taken on tasks I would never have imagined anyone willing to do, so I could have time that is short with my husband. He always was supportive of all the time I took from him to do rescue. That says so much of his character, and the dogs we share our lives with, all being rescue dogs are the glue that hold together a very big portion of our relationship. We enjoy being together with our dogs, and we are so grateful for just a bit more time together.

So, the answer for me at this point is to continue to do rescue, but on a smaller scale. No one has to be the biggest to be the best, and many hands make for light work. We had I think....15 dogs we were responsible for even just a couple of months ago, and now we are down to maybe eight? We are cross posting more, as I have found out many dogs with little time left will get rescued if we network heavily enough. The ones that will require multiple surgeries, broken bones, ect., we can take...or those in our own back yard.

The networking with many groups, especially the GSP groups to the south and Midwestern regions have been long standing friendships, and one in particular...Meg with GSP of Texas got me my doll baby Gretchen. Gretchen is a one in a million rescue dog, that came to us at a time we most needed a ray of light in our lives. I am convinced she is an angel in a wire suit. But she had an angel in a human suit that answered that email when Gretchen needed help, making it all possible.

I guess purging this post has made me realize all the blessings rescue dogs and rescue itself have brought me. I see so many friends on our social networking sites being so engaged with each other, sharing experiences with their dogs, and families. This brings me tremendous joy. We have been given support emotionally and monetarily from many of our friends and adopters, whom we would have not had the pleasure to meet and establish forever friendships without the rescue. And my bucket list of meeting my mentors has been fulfilled.I have met Cesar Millan, Sue Sternberg, Emily Weiss, Gina Spadafori, and her writing partner Dr. Marty Becker. Without rescue and my passion for dogs, this would have never been possible.
I would like to attend a workshop with Martin Deeley someday. But really think that is about it. So when I start to feel overwhelmed, or possibly a little resentful, I just need to prioritize, count my blessings, and know that rescue has been responsible of all that is positive in my life.

Dwelling on the sliver of the pie that has indeed gone bad, is my responsibility to throw out...and being a glutton is indeed not good for me either.

Now excuse me while I get out of my Pj's on this beautiful Saturday afternoon and go for a walk with my rescue dogs, for they are the positive, and a priority. Not to mention the K-State vs Oklahoma game, and a bowl of popcorn with my husband!

Rescue can wait til Monday...

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2011-10-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

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Brambly Bear wants a home at OneTrueMedia.com

2011-05-31T21:51:00.001-07:00

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Comfort in a Wire Suit

2011-05-13T19:05:00.000-07:00

This is a story of two good friends. One a middle age engineer,and the other an angel in a wire suit. Nearly eight years ago, we had a call from a shelter not far from us. A female wire in need of help, and we had plans to pick her up and bring her to our licensed shelter home. Unfortunately, she had been put into a kennel run with two other dogs, and a scuffle occurred over one food bowl. When the kennel worker pulled them apart, in the heat of the moment she bit the kennel worker as she pulled them apart by the collar.

We put her in quarantine with our vet, and waited the 10 days. While she was doing her time, she was found to be pregnant...and heart worm positive. To cut to the chase, her Dad fell in love with her the first time he met her. I would like to say the same, but I would be lying. She was a sharp female, very prey driven and determined. She took a lot of work, but was so worth it within the first year.

She had nine lives, actually. After the puppies were born, and we delighted in the little furry bundles, it was decided she would stay. Her heart worm treatment was interrupted with a bout of pyometra, we almost lost her. The heart worm treatment was so harsh, her Dad carried her upstairs and put her on a large dog bed next to his side. She recovered, and went on to steal his heart completely.

She also survived pancreatitis after opening the bottom door to the smoker, consuming the drippings of two bear butt spicy chickens, and survived renal failure due to tainted dog food. Her Dad was always there for her. When he changed jobs, he took into consideration the hours as she was used to her daily walks come rain or shine.

This was only his second dog....the first was a collie that died from bloat when he was nine. He found her lying lifeless on the back porch, only til Holly came along did he open his heart to loving another.

They have such a close personal relationship, when he became ill she seemed to recognize the severity of his cancer and was not shy of the machines that were installed in his room making strange sounds. Her place was with her Dad, comforting him during his aggressive treatments. She has been the comfort that none of us could have given. Care yes, comfort no. There is nothing better than an older dog stretched against your back when not feeling good. Her Dad was even able to cease taking his blood pressure medication.

Holly "Beans" as she is known has kept her Dad going essentially, and provided him with that special something that we all need. We are so very blessed to have our special family members, and I am so grateful Holly was here.

Sam is coming along SLOWLY.....

2011-05-10T05:29:00.000-07:00

Sam is coming along slowly. The leg started an infection under the plate we believe so have had a long road of rehab. She is into two months of it all, and starting to go a bit stir crazy. She is such a good dog, that she is used to being poked and prodded.

No one said it would be easy, but little did we know how hard this was going to be. In hind sight, taking the leg may have been the best choice, but since we are so far into this, we want to try. At least she is a tolerant dog that accepts her situation, and moves forward. What does this teach us as humans? Patience first....acceptance....living in the moment of situations and not looking beyond. What on earth must she think? What kind of psychological damage is the walk and crate doing for rehab of a limb that refuses to heal? I don't know the answer...just have to trust our vet which I do, and learn from Sam that Patience is the key to any situation like this, and know in the end we will all be better for it.

Sam is Here!

2011-03-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

Sam arrived from KY Friday evening. Thanks to the Shelby County NO Kill mission shelter, she is alive. There are not many places that would have allowed a dog a chance like Sam. Kudos to them for performing the emergency surgery, and giving her a chance.
We are like minded rescue people, and Dr. Amanda Fowler the vice president of the No Kill Mission, is an inspiration.

Groups like these are part of the No Kill equation that desperately needs to be adopted in this country to end the senseless euthanasia of homeless pets.

GWP Rescue, Inc has some tremendous volunteers that jumped at the chance to drive Sam from KY to Kansas in a day. They arranged and executed a flawless plan of action to get this needy dog into our rehab home. They covered the transport completely, and allowed Sam the opportunity to continue her medical care.

Update: This was written on 3/13 and today is 3/26....which may give you an idea of exactly how much time a dog like Sam requires. We have had quite a time of it the past two weeks. Sam's break is catastrophic in nature and my first rehab of such a medical issue. We have Dr. Todd Knappenberger leading the way now for her recuperation. We have a plan, and it does not include any time out of the crate other than hourly walks on leash and then back into the crate. Supplying meaty bones and bully sticks, Merrick Duck chews...anything to make this confinement tolerable has been the goal. Having a full time dog sitter while I am away the 6 hours per day, and day boarding at the vet's office has been a blessing. Sam cannot be alone for one second.

Her third set of x-rays yielded some disappointment....but looking at the whole picture of Sam being an adult wirehaired pointer at 35 lbs, emaciated, and wormy wouldn't provide much foundation for healing. I just felt everything has gone our way in the past and this would be no different. There would have to be some kind of miracle here like all the other miracles right?

We learn something from each dog we rehab....we have to embrace the opportunity to learn lessons, whether they go our way or not. We have to accept and be patient. We cannot let emotion rule but common sense. (Which I must confess that I have lacked somewhat the past two weeks...blame it on no sleep...) But know that Sam will be forever in our heart, that she will be the poster wire for medical rehab...and the power of positive thinking plan of action is in place.

It will be a very long haul...not the 8 weeks we had thought, but 3-4 months. We will be with her every step of the way however, and provide all that is needed somehow. Foster homes that help us I am confident will pull up the slack, as I will be very occupied with Sam, Emma, Baldwin and Jenny. The good news is that everyone is sharing the Duck chews and bones!@

Dr. Marty Becker talks about "Your Dog: The Owner's Manual"

2011-03-07T15:40:00.000-08:00

Samantha-GWP In Need-Hit by Car

2011-03-06T07:21:00.000-08:00

Samantha is a GWP in urgent need. The Shelby County NO KILL Mission shelter in KY is doing what many shelters could do if they truly cared about animals. They jumped when the call came in about a dog dragging her leg after being hit by a car. She was rushed to the office of Dr. Amamda Fowler, DVM for emergency services. Her bills are now at $1200. When we were alerted to her need by Michelle Salyers-GSP Rescue, we immediately contacted the Shelter. All donations are Tax deductible as we are a public charity.

We are working with this wonderful group to help on the pending medical bills, and raise funds for Sam's care and rehab here which will be very costly. She is said to be a very sweet girl, as most of our GWP's are...and we are so grateful to this organization that helps so many dogs like Sam.

Our organization truly loves the breed, and have dedicated our lives to the rescue and rehoming of such dogs. We have set up transport with our wonderful volunteers to bring Sam here this week. Our Vet Dr. Todd Knappenberger will be viewing the x-rays and we will go from there on the rehab for this wonderful dog that is so deserving. If you could Please spare even a few dollars, she would so appreciate it. Ths will be a long haul for her and our organization, but we will give it our all.

Sam will require intensive care on our part, and we wish to make this possible. Sharing the widget on your websites and blog would be most appreciated. Let's make this a community effort.

Please watch for updates on Sam as they come in...thank you from the bottom of my heart and that of Sam.

No Kill Advocacy Home Page

2011-02-23T05:58:00.000-08:00

No Kill Advocacy Home Page

Emma playing

2011-02-12T15:49:00.000-08:00

Energy, Tools, and Kibble

2011-02-03T07:24:00.000-08:00

As I sit here having my morning coffee, and Emma barrels around the corner at full speed, jumping on my lap with 72 pounds...then rolling me across the room in my wheeled computer chair, the idea of energy came to mind.

While she is like a six month old in her head....she definitely is not in size. Excuse me while I get the Kong wobbler
The Kong Wobbler
The Kong wobbler is for incredibly high energy dogs with a vast amount of curiosity....it is used for dog needing stimulation, dogs with Separation anxiety, dogs that gobble their food. It is an interactive game that keeps a dog entertained. They learn to manipulate the extra large kong to dispense one or two pieces of kibble at a time...which leads me to yet another subject...kibble.

Our Holistic vet here in Kansas City was privy to a study sponsored by Ducks Unlimited. As he had been recommending Blue Buffalo and some other high quality foods to his patient's parents, he reported the study revealed that there is a wonderful kibble on the market...one with wholesome ingredients, cranberries, blueberries, with or without grain. It scored highest or comparable in nutrition, and the cost was unbelievable. It is Costco's Kirkland Kibble....yes, I about fell off my chair.
And the cost is 25.00 per bag compared to the nearly 50.00 I was spending.

Back to energy...
Dogs all are born with energy/personality as we know it. When dogs come in, one of the first things I assess is energy. While I have obtained most of my information from the dogs themselves, the Cesar Millan's books and DVD's have lent insight to various methods to be tried and true. I have also found a new source from a trainer named Joel Silverman. I like Joel's information very much, and the color coding of dogs on a color spectrum is interesting. His idea is to curb the dog's energy through training to move towards the center of the spectrum. Yellow being the middle, on the right orange, then bright Red (Emma and Martha). On the left of the middle mellow yellow is green and blue. (Bramble and Abby) Baldwin of course is the yellow, and if I look at the history of all of my dogs...most have been yellow and Buddy an orange. We have been working with Martha with the tactile exercises used to calm a very hyper dog...and it is working! Emma is doing pretty well also. Bramble's energy is very nervous, unsure...we are working with him...he is better, using lots of treats for a shy dog such as Bramble is key.

But will be pulling out Cesar's books once again to work within myself to be able to work with him. The importance of confidence, moving forward each day...not allowing myself to even think of what he must have been through at the mill and beyond is critical. He is here now, in a home with a boy he likes very much. Time to move on, which he is doing little by little.

So check out Joel's new book "Take-2 Training Solutions for Rescued Dogs"
The other book is "What Color is your Dog" which is on the color coding.

Cesar's new book is very, very good
"Cesar's Rules"

Energy of the human must be greater than or equal to the new dog in your life. Cesar also recommends the new dog coming in be of lower energy than the existing dog in the household...if there is one. This has been tricky with adoptions where there is a much older dog already in the house. We have been very lucky to have placed our fosters into homes that are extremely active, and obedience work, nose work, agility is just part of the every day.

Then I come back to Emma...why is she such a perfect fit? What is it about Emma inspite of her rumbling thunder, do I feel so attracted to.
It dawned on me last night, it's Buddy...She is the female Buddy. Her huffing and puffing moving that ginormous body at full speed, her incredibly loving nature, her respect, and just the hole she has filled in my heart.

Mary Murray
President/Founder GWP Rescue, Inc

Puppy in the Snow

2011-01-12T05:15:00.000-08:00

Take 2-Training Solutions for Rescued Dogs

2011-01-07T18:30:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share with you one of the best books I have read in a very long time.
"Take 2" by Joel Silverman provides a comprehensive manual for those adopting a new family member. For me, the entire book focuses on before the big day, to the first hours and beyond. Those of us in rescue want the very best for our dogs and puppies getting that second chance. And while we do offer support to our adopters along with a rapport of knowledge about their newly adopted pet, having this book included in the adoption packet seems like a pretty good idea. They will have the tools in this book to continue what we have started, and specifics on the big day, the first two weeks and further adjustment times.

As Joel states in his new book,
"The old rules don't always apply to adopted dogs, whose training and past behaviors may be a complete mystery. I acknowledge the special needs of these dogs and cover the training methods that really work for rescue dogs that hail from animal shelters, breed rescue programs, and humane societies."

Joel is absolutely right. Many of these dogs have baggage, heck we all have baggage of some kind. They do have a special need to establish trust and adjust to their new environment. Nearly all of our dogs come in with unknown history, if only they could tell us what they had been through.

I am most interested in the behavioral aspect of this book, and the color coding of the animals by energy. Those of you that know me, know I am big into energy/personality. It is crucial to all of us in our organization to always match the energy of the dog with the family adopting. Having the knowledge to work with their new family member when they change environment insures an adoption that is fulfilling to the dog, and the family.

As I write this, I just got beaned upside of the head with a flying extra large kong from red dog Emma. As Joel points out in this book, our goal is to turn Emma from a red (high energy) dog to a more manageable orange, and hopefully with training and behavioral work to a mellow yellow dog. Now with exercise, fulfillment, and a plan of action, I do think this is possible. Yellow may be a stretch, but a nice cool orange maybe? How 'bout it Emma?

Our newest boy here at our licensed shelterhome is Bramble. Bramble is from a high profile mill raid that took place in 2009. We believe he was one of the puppies taken with his litter that day, and was placed in an over crowded shelter while the courts took 10 months to decide the case. During this time it is reported by volunteers that the dogs received little or no human interaction besides feeding. For this reason, Bramble is classified as a green dog. Very cautious and afraid, he freezes with fear when exposed to a new experience and trusts no one. With the help of Joel's book, I have some new techniques in which to work with Bramble, gaining his trust. My son Reilly will be helping with Bramble with the use of treats, and extreme patience.According to the book, dogs like Bramble being extremely shy do well with treat training and patience, whereas dogs like Emma benefit from more tactile touch to calm them down. And he is absolutely right!

More information on color coding your dog's energy/personality and how to work with them is explained below in Joel's other book,
What Color is your Dog?

If you are a family thinking of adopting, you have the opportunity to prepare for the big day by buying this book ahead of time. Those that have adopted can start the behavioral training for their dog specifically at any time using the information in this book.

"Take 2" is book I couldn't put down. I hope you all buy the book, it is one of the best books addressing the needs of rescued dogs with specific techniques for each energy level. It is a tremendous resource for those of us that have only had rescued dogs and I highly recommend it.

Til next time....

I Lost my Best Friend

2011-01-01T06:52:00.001-08:00

Two days ago, I lost my best friend in the world to Canine Cancer. I had not given cancer a lot of thought, knew only one or two dogs that had died from it. Our Dock Dogs club supports Chase Away K9 Cancer, and I have purchased a tee shirt and supported the raffles. Now do I understand the significance of research and the pain of losing a family member to such a dreaded disease.

Buddy came to us nearly 10 years ago, emaciated and found in a field. Vet's said he was 24 hours from death. My husband and I went to see him, and of course adopted him on the spot. We got him into a good vet with long time friend Dr. Kayla Peterson, DVM. My husband went out and got all the ingredients for a recipe called Satin Balls to help him put on weight quickly....and he did. He was never a small puppy, at 6 months he was the size of many adults.

He was a middle of the road GWP, had that happy go lucky attitude. He was always the one to meet and greet...he made everyone that knew him smile. He was more like a kid to us than a dog, rightly or wrongly we felt that way. What's not to love about a middle of the road GWP that never had any problems with all of the dogs coming and going. He was never crazy about puppies, but as they matured...he was accepting.

Buddy was a special boy, he was the dog that went through a ton of obedience, and when we were asked to do anything in the community such as work with kids with anger issues at the mental health center...he was "the man." He was the neighborhood dog, that children ran out their front doors to say hi to, everyone always said how beautiful he was...but think it was more his aura they were referring to.
He put up with strangers ruffing up his ears to say Hi....even though I held my breath, all he did was slime them or give them kisses.
He even posed for our Christmas Card this year...Baldwin laughed at him.

The days and years went by, and this big boy grew older. He had been healthy his entire life....and when we were off for Christmas we noticed what seemed to be a stroke. Of course it was the day after Christmas, and vets closed....we watched carefully. By the next day....he was his old self, counter surfing for boiled eggs and helping himself. Little did we know what that episode was...he was beginning to bleed internally from a massive tumor on his spleen. The rebound was from his body absorbing the blood flowing into his abdomen. We had two more very good days.

On Thursday, our day began as usual...Dad got up first, let he and Holly outside. Buddy was racing through the yard on patrol for pesky squirrels, or an offending possum that may have come into the yard during the night....maybe those yapping min pins next door would be out for him to race the fence with. He had his breakfast, and took his place at Dad's side next to Holly for the morning petting and talk. Dad always told him he was such a good puppy dog.

Dad had errands to run by lunch time...and Buddy went into his giant sized crate on his dog bed to take a late morning nap...so we thought. Truth was, the tumor was not only seeping but about to rupture. I noticed he was not himself, and was disoriented. The stumbling was back and breathing was not normal. I called our long time vet letting them know we were having another episode....Dr. Tom Knappenberger said to come in. Getting this big boy to the car was not hard. He saw the leash and was ready for a walk. He fell down the front steps, and it was apparent something was incredibly wrong. He was not getting oxygen to the brain, and by the time we got to our vet...we did EKG, blood panel, his gums were white, and his breathing was so labored...panic was setting in that we were losing him.

Our good vet called emergency and let them know we were on the way...I stopped by to get his Dad, and we made the journey to the emergency room. His Dad put the back window down a bit, as it was 67 degrees, and the old boy sniffed the air by putting his nose up towards the open window. He always loved hanging that big old head out the window....this was a dog that exhumed pure joy at all times. We got to emergency, and he could no longer walk, head slumped off the back seat onto the floor....His Dad and I met the hospital staff in the parking lot with a stretcher. It took 4 of us to lift 75 lbs of dead weight and wrap with blankets. He lifted his head slightly. They ran him into the critical care unit and we went to a private waiting room.

Our vet had sent the EKG, xrays, and blood work with us. He had an IV and oxygen immediately administered. Within 30 minutes, a very good vet Dr. Hoh came into the room....Buddy had a huge mass in his abdomen...his spleen had ruptured. It did not compute, then she said the most agonizing word....Cancer.
But he had no symptoms...how can this be? What were our options? Disbelief, agony, helplessness, then the grave prognosis.

Buddy had a silent aggressive cancer, Hemanigosarcoma. Cancer of the blood vessels. Dr.Hoh explained that symptoms come by the time it is too late in most cases. There were no options for us...surgery and extensive chemo may provide some patients 1-3 months. But with Buddy, it had already spread to his heart, and most likely all of the organs now. How long was he sick?
Dr. Hoh said most likely no more than a month....that is how aggressive Hemangiosarcoma is.

Dad was by this time sobbing, and I made the decision with Dr. Hoh's help to let our big boy go...
His Dad was inconsolable, and I asked him to please wait in the car...I wanted our last moments to be peaceful, calm, and it was time for Buddy and I to have that final conversation. Which he agreed would be for the best.

Buddy never left the stretcher...he was wrapped in beautiful hand made blankets. When he was brought to me, his head was up...I remarked he "looked better"...Dr. Hoh explained he had gotten oxygen since being there, and it was temporary. He was coherent...I was so pleased he knew who I was. Our eyes met and he smiled...I began to talk to him, and rub that big old head...he sighed and put his head on his paws.

I had watched the movie "Marley and Me" the night before, and had never watched the ending...that night I did. Was this God's way of preparing me? If so...a big "Thank you" God.

The scene was much the same...different dogs, parents, and words....but much the same message. He relaxed and I spent time rubbing his head and back...when Dr. Hoh left us for a time, she came in and checked on us. He had closed his eyes, and was not gasping for breath. It was calm, quiet, relaxed and he was so very tired....it was time.

Buddy went peacefully, just melted away in my arms. No sobbing from me until I hit the car, and I have been sobbing for two days now. This is not the first dog we have lost...doing rescue for years, we have lost a few...but this was different.

As I said, Buddy and I had ten years together, lots of obedience classes...he learned a "few" things, he was sort of like Marley come to think of it...you couldn't help but love him. Everybody loved him...We have received ecards and letters of support from all over the world since Buddy left us not even a week ago. He has touched so many lives and raised awareness of Hemangiosarcoma. I have received support from so many people sharing their stories of the loss they have experienced regarding this terrible form of cancer. The caring and outreach from so many people has been such a comfort. Thank you for that....

Chase Away K9 Cancer is a 501c3 organization dedicated to finding a cure and treatment for canine cancer. Please see their website, it is inspirational, and I will be taking the time to explore it and hope you all will too. I would like to make this Buddy's Cause...as he would want it this way.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I am assured the sting will go away in time, getting involved raising money in Buddy's name to help others not suffer the way Buddy did, offer research into treatments so that there is hope will probably be the way healing can take place....as I said, Buddy would have wanted it that way.

Chase away K9 Cancer has donated funds to help and Research Buddy's Cancer...Please see the link below
http://www.chaseawayk9cancer.org/breakthrough-technology.html

Baldwin Gwp

2011-01-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

Baldwin Gwp

Raw Nerve

2010-12-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

As the President of GWP Rescue, Inc, and the one that holds the Animal Care Facility licenses in three states, I find myself needing to vent here a bit.

As there have been so many blogs on the involvement of large private charities in illegal raids, confiscations of animals from hoarding situations, only to send them to high kill shelters, or shelters where many of them die from disease at the hands of such "rescuers", I find myself outraged!

A raw nerve if you will when it comes to those making profit off their pull and dump on small organizations/over crowded rural shelters whilst they make money off of the situation by taking a lot of photos and asking for money on their huge professional websites. When in truth they pocket funds and little if any of the money pocketed by these large organizations actually goes to help the animals in need.

Those of us in rescue have seen it many times. It being a LARGE organization, coming in to save the day on their white horse...and basically giving a ride to the animals to be shuffled off to over crowded high kill facilities or dumped on small rescue organizations. it is time to stop believing those TV commercials folks...take a look at www.Guidestar.com at any organization you wish to support...take a look at their books which are public record.

I invite you to view the following blogs:
KC Dog Blog
YesBiscuit!

Maybe it is because I have a vested interest in one of those raids, months of rehab work on GWP's that thankfully ended up in the hands of GWP Rescue. Maybe it is because of the input I am getting from those that were actually there witnessing the animals being kept in small cages and never getting human contact....maybe it is because of the psychologically damaged dogs I have spent the last 6 months working with. What really caused all of this damage, what really made them so afraid. Guess we will never know will we? What made them so hand shy they hit the floor when you toss a ball?

It's time to wake up people!
There are rules and regulations to follow. There are ways to educate and reform situations. There is a way and as a society we must insist on those in law enforcement to enforce the current laws, and for those in states where laws do not exist to lobby for a change.

There...I feel better. But that doesn't help those poor animals that have no voice, and depend on us to provide "better" living conditions, a chance...not throw them to the wolves so those doing the throwing can rake in more of our hard earned dollars by deceiving the public.

I am sick to death of the abuse, neglect, irresponsibility of owners and now RESCUERS that are equally irresponsible. You have probably guessed it, the LARGE organization I am speaking of is the HSUS, and those that bring in dogs from horrible situations enabling such organizations. Rescuers that fly by the seat of their pants, and then beg constantly for money. Yes, we all need money at times, but regulate the numbers please....and you-John Q. Public..get your dogs spayed and neutered OK?

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Happy-New-Year-from-GWP-Rescue--Inc.html?soid=1102527936961&aid=1uw-UiFWTO8

2010-12-29T09:30:00.000-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Happy-New-Year-from-GWP-Rescue--Inc.html?soid=1102527936961&aid=1uw-UiFWTO8

GERMAN WIREHAIRED POINTERS RESCUE FEEDS HALO, RECEIVES DONATION (4)

2010-12-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

GERMAN WIREHAIRED POINTERS RESCUE FEEDS HALO, RECEIVES DONATION (4)

the Importance of Fostering-A Dog like Meg

2010-12-12T05:48:00.000-08:00

I recently got an email with photos from one of our adopters on one of our more difficult cases...her name was Meg. I decided to get out her file and go over her notes, on just how bad she was in the beginning. Not bad I should say, but what a challenge she was, and how I fumbled through different ways of handling her to counter these challenges.

The first weeks entries were eye opening. I had forgotten all of Meg's quirks, and my own dismay over her personality. She was a huge girl, around 28" at the shoulders. She had obviously been a kennel dog all her life with little socialization with humans or other dogs.

Meg was dumped into a shelter with what we believe to have been her breeding partner. When another rescue contacted us, it was decided they would take the male and I would take the female. We enlisted help from those wonderful transport people, mostly former adopters of ours to help bring her from the Texas panhandle to Oklahoma City where my son and I would meet them from Kansas City.

When we picked up Meg, she was incredibly thin....shaking, and belly crawling. Rescuers were shocked as we were. Considering she had some huge ticks on her, my first thought was tick borne disease. When we got her to our vet here that was ruled out. It was the extreme lack of socialization and realization she was just a breeder...a money maker. Meg had never had any affection, and we learned early on that a nod when she did something good was enough. When I started to work with Meg, it was a day by day slow progression. I really had to work hard on my frustration level, breathe, meditate...seriously before working with her.

I was so wrong when I thought she was "dumb as rocks"...as later when I observed her opening crate door latches with ease. I thought, "okay girl, if my eyes did not deceive me which I KNOW they didn't, you are capable of so much more than I am getting from you." What could I do to reach this dog that when even patted would maul you with unwanted attention, or ambush me from behind while I sat on my computer wrapping her legs around my neck and licking my head? Oh that used to frustrate me, now it is quite funny to think of it.

I see from the progression of my notes, the big changes came two months into her stay with us. As we are somewhat lucky, being our breed is not overly common we have the capability of taking in a few at a time and doing actual rehab. We are not about numbers, but about working with our dogs to provide our adopters with a pet with some manners, and no surprises. My big requirement is a loose leash walk, some idea of recall, sit and wait.

I have a special son, actually three special sons...but one that does good work with the dogs. He has grown up observing rescue dogs, he reads them, handles them well and the dogs respect him. He was the one person Meg did not pull any punches with. He was much larger than her, and one of our first orders of business was to master the walk with Meg. I will never forget when we "saddled" up the dogs for their pack walk I of course, being the experienced handler wanted Meg. That lasted about one block, when I told Matt..."Hey, you're going to have to trade me the three pups for this one!" Meg was bucking like a horse, and I could feel my back and shoulders taking hits already.

What happened next was nothing short of a miracle. Matt made her go into a sit,(one command I was able to teach her), leaned over her and spoke to her. He pulled the leash short, and Meg was no longer bucking. She fell into a heel, and walked beside him or slightly behind. He said he had laid out the rules, pulled up his energy from the gut and Meg had understood. Meg soon realized the leash was good, sitting calmly was required for the leash to be attached, and waiting at the door required. I remember as time went on how I used to take her alone in the evening, and how wonderful it was to be one with the dog....a team, and the joy of realizing this girl was going to progress into a lovely adoptable pet! Matt was featured in Cesar Millan's Newsletter with Meg last March, as special kids seem to have an intuitive communication with the dogs.

Meg started then to mingle with our other dogs, and she did very well. She started Daycare in the country two times a week, mostly hunting breeds and geared towards their needs. She was changing, before my eyes. We labeled her the Queen Diva Bigness, as she conveyed the Diva attitude in her body language, almost as though she thought she was royalty.

We came to adore Meg as she was with us six months, and so ingrained into our day to day lives. A dog that required so much had not disappointed us, a young man with little confidence other than his handling skills with the rescue dogs felt proud of his hand in making her what she was now. She was finally ready to move into a home.
And that home did come. Meg went to live with the most special couple, one that marveled at her leash skills, obedience, and manners.

As we stay in touch with our adopters and love to hear updates and receive photos, one such email this week announcing Meg had a new sister from Lab rescue prompted this post. As this most unlikely pair sit for a treat, and are the couch Divas together, can we celebrate the rescue, rehab, re-home and rejoice of these tremendous animals. As they teach us so much, and allow us to never give up....to keep trying.

Below We have a photo of our new Queen Diva Bigness....her name is Emma, and the saga continues!
"Oh Matt???"

Not all Rescues are Created Equal nor Shelters

2010-10-31T06:35:00.000-07:00

This blog post is dedicated to the companion animals that have no voice, they are at our mercy when it comes to rescue from high kill shelters.....

So what IMO defines a "rescue"

A rescue to me means abiding by the rules. Rescues need to heed state licenses and requirements, no group is above the law. Even if they have the word "National" "United States" or "Humane Society" in their name...ask for them to provide their credentials...licenses, 501c3, are their fosters inspected? Are they inspected by their state inspectors annually? How do they actually help the animals?

A rescue must have the funds in hand to provide medical care before committing to an animal/animals.

A rescue should be able to provide the very best in care, not allow the dog to languish in an outdoor kennel for months on end....especially when relinquished by a family that has had the poor dog indoors their entire lives on a big puffy dog bed.

A rescue must be willing to provide services that will benefit the animal and make them more adoptable, spay/neuter, medical tests, microchipping, leash training, crate training, obedience work. The rescue must do their very best to provide a healthy pet to their adopters, and disclose any potential problems with solutions and volunteer intervention if needed if a problem does arise.

A rescue must think with their head, and not their heart....as this is difficult at times, many times I have seen the "road to hell was paved with good intentions."

A rescue must not work within a panic mode, but a logic mode.

A rescue MUST always be responsible for their dogs/cats, taking them back into rescue when an unforeseen event may happen in the adopter's life. Stay in touch with their adopters, check up on the dog/cat, and always save a foster space for any event when a dog/cat must come back into rescue.

What I have seen going into 16 years of companion animal rescue, is that the problems are this:

Shelters not willing to work with licensed 501c3 rescues, people calling themselves a rescue with no credentials, zealots as I call them...not in a bad way, but filling up in boxes with "This Baby dies at 1:pm today" "SAVE this Furbaby!!!!" "OH GOD...I am begging!!!" Don't they realize these posts will be deleted by seasoned rescuers?

I also love it when a dog of our breed is cross posted bcc'd to multiple rescues, especially those of us that do not talk to each other...or it has been blind copied, thus leading to duplicated efforts.

Which leads me to Facebook....

I have seen some incredible legitimate rescues work together to move animals, egos left aside, providing adequate care, training, dog parks with photos...socializing animals at events, and volunteerism that is to behold.

There have been some incredible people working behind the scenes, coordinating medical care with no other intention but to provide the animal a chance to be adopted if a surgery is needed for example....or coordinate a transport to another legitimate rescue (with licenses and 501c3).

There have been many, many good saves and dogs put into good homes.

Then there are the ones that I question....those that do not ask questions of the organization willing to help. Do they have proper licenses to work within those states? How will the dog/cat be housed and cared for? What is their protocol, are they a no kill rescue? Or do they only give the animal minimal medical care, and if the animal proves to need more, euthanize. Just because they have the word "National" in their name, does not mean they work within the laws of such states...nor does it mean they will provide an indoor home to teach the dog (using dog here) house training, crate training, manners so they may go into an adopters home. Do the dogs receive basic obedience or any type of training? What are their credentials? Are they legitimate with the IRS to run a business?

Why am I so adamant on working within the laws, rules and regs? Because there are those of us licensing yearly in states we do business, we keep accurate records as the state agencies coming in for yearly inspections want to see them, because we do it right, and if it means we cannot save them all due to space then this is what happens. We do what we can, but we will do it right. We work hard to provide complete medical care, working within the law, work only with legitimate 501c3 organizations with a good standing within the rescue community. Ask for references, do home visits, vet references and do background checks on adopters. Carry liability insurance we pay for dearly each year to protect ourselves and the public. Do not adopt out animals we feel are not completely ready or rehabilitated. List any and all incidents after rehabilitation and document in their files. Do what is best for the dog, always.

When visiting a local Petsmart yesterday, I spoke to a group that was there doing an adoption event. They had a lovely 9 month old pup there that had been returned....why? Because the couple that had adopted her the week before were in their mid seventies, the energy level of the dog was not matched with the family, and because she had issues with food?
When I asked "what type of issues?" "Oh she is food aggressive....." "Nothing that cannot be worked on."
Now ask yourself, is a dog with food aggression with no rehab being adopted to a seventy year old couple fair?

Now there are many dogs in the shelters that have no issues at all...divorce, loss of job, and the list goes on...the owners cannot provide care...or in our case "the dog cannot hunt." I would say out of close to 300 dogs we have had within our system, we have had very few with issues that could post any threat to the general public. Within the right environment, food aggression can be rehabbed....by experienced handlers/trainers. But not in a shelter environment.

Shelters should be made accountable when a purebred dog comes within their system, to have lists of purebred rescues to come in to help...thus making room for another mixed breed dog. Not only is the dog placed properly, but with some rescues such as ours, not returned to the rescue as we have gone the distance to insure proper placement with experienced individuals.

I guess my beef with the entire situation is this:

While we all want to save a dog's life....sometimes being turned over to "some" rescue situations is worse than death. Asking questions, be responsible, do some investigation before throwing a dog to the wolves.

Off my soap box now....I hope this post will give some guidelines to those needing it.

New Books Worthy of our Hard Earned Dollars

2010-10-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Two Must have Books for those cold winter nights! Nothing is better than curling up with a good book. I wanted to share two books I would highly recommend!

The first Book is "Cesar's Rules" by Cesar Millan and Mellissa Jo Peltier.

The book encompasses some of my favorites, Cesar of course...Ian Dunbar, Martin Deeley, and Joel Silverman. Many other behaviorists and trainers also, but those above are most interesting to me as I am familiar with them. The similarities and differences are outlined in philosophy, but all have a common ground to help owners achieve balance along with engaging their dog in training that is critical for bonding and safety of the pet. I was very happy to have a book that those of us that are seasoned owners could sink our teeth into.

As Cesar points out, (paraphrasing) A well trained dog is not necessarily a well balanced dog. This book will show you how to achieve both, a well trained balanced dog. As I have read all of Cesar's books, I have two favorites and this is one of them.

In our licensed Shelter home, that takes on only a very few fosters at a time from neglect and mill situations, I have always worked towards balance. As I see this as the most important first step. As we get our dog's trust we can then move on to the training aspect. I loved trying some of the games outlined by Ian Dunbar to engage our balanced fosters, and have always enjoyed Martin Deeley's insight and perspective on training techniques. I loved Joel Silverman's input and knowledge that he has so graciously shared. Joel by the way has a new book coming out soon that I am indeed very excited about. "Take 2-Training Solutions for Rescued Dogs." ...looks to be a tremendous book so also on my list of must haves when it comes out!

As many of you know...."Baldwin", my mill puppy I adopted out of 28 puppies from a back yard breeder relinquish last year, has been raised Cesar's Way as I have understood the philosophy. In fact, all of the 18 puppies that came to live with us were raised with Leadership, as I had to become the Mother dog basically with the little ones 5-6 weeks old with no mother. Of course, I am so very proud of all of them, we lucked out on temperament and stability. Baldwin is so very balanced as he has an extremely good temperament, been raised going to events with Leadership, daycare with other well balanced dogs since he was 16 weeks old, and has been in agility since he was 6 months old. As I see him as the best dog I have ever had the pleasure of sharing my life with, I still want to increase that bond as we learn together. "Cesar's Rules" is just the book I have been longing for, and the introduction to other behaviorists/trainers allowed me to view their insights and knowledge. It is a "Must Have" book truly! With the Holidays coming up, I cannot think of a better gift!

The second book is "Oogy:The dog Only a Family could Love"

This incredible book details the courage and commitment of a one time bait dog, and a family willing to go the distance for a dog that had known no human kindness. Tears are shed through this book, but the lessons this wonderful dog has taught and then shared by his family brings home that no matter how terrible life can be, if we remain positive and hopeful we can survive it. Oogy's story has had a profound effect on me and as the author/owner Larry Levin says on Oogy's Facebook page,

"What we've learned is you can't avoid bad things happening, you can't let them define who you are. You have to wait and see what's going to come out at the other end."

You must get this book....You will LOVE Oogy.

Both books are bookstores now and online!

Veterinary Rescuer: Doggie DNA Testing of the Tests

2010-10-12T05:01:00.000-07:00

Veterinary Rescuer: Doggie DNA Testing of the Tests

My Montage 9/24/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-09-24T17:17:00.001-07:00

A short video of the 18 GWP's that have been with us since Jan. 2010!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My Montage 9/18/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-09-18T15:04:00.001-07:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Baldwin's Day at the Pet Ranch at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-09-07T04:56:00.001-07:00

Adopt your new Best Friend!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Agility short

2010-09-04T14:10:00.001-07:00

Rescue Baldwin GWP loves agility!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Morning Romp at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-08-10T07:11:00.001-07:00

Updated Video of our SD Puppy Mill Mom's. They are starting to cut loose.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Morning Romp at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-08-09T11:31:00.001-07:00

New Movie of our Midwest Mill Girls! One month in our licensed Rehab home, and they are starting to blossom!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Baby Baldwin at the Pet Ranch at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-06-18T11:13:00.001-07:00

Baby Baldwin at the Pet Ranch KC!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

2010-05-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

German Wirehaired Pointer Rescue would like to Thank Freshpet for their donation to our rescue orgainzation! The food is the very best I have used in 20 years! Our dogs come into our homes emaciated, with heart worms, very neglected. They are hunting dogs, and come in from rural areas across the United States...

When we were asked if we would like to try the Freshpet, we were so incredibly surprised at the quality, and high nutritional content. And the dogs LOVE the bites, treats, here in our licensed Shelter home. Our dogs that are adopted locally go home with some FreshPet. Many of our adopters are using it now, and their new and current dogs simply love it.

Thanks to Freshpet...our Cowboy that came in from Tennessee at a dangerous 42 lbs now weighs 60. He looks incredible. He had hardly any hair on his face, ears, and tail. He was missing patches on his hind end.

This sweet boy owes his life to Freshpet! His hair is back, he is healthy and Happy! He is finally ready for his new home!

I suggest you try FreshPet too! I don't think you will ever try a fresh food as good. Your Dogs will thank you for it!

2010-05-19T06:13:00.000-07:00

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Well, it has been a repeat of last May with constant raining. Hard for the dogs that are used to a lot of outdoor activities! Made me peel back the layers of the old onion and really "think" about some indoor activities. Nobody minds a little soft rain, but the big boomers with lightning are just a little too dangerous!

What's on the menu....okay, when we can only go outside for a quick potty break, energy builds up with the young GWP's I have here....now with four under the age of two years...with two of the four just under a year, I have really had to pull out my old kong recipes and jazz it up a little.
You can google Kong Recipes and find many sites, I like this one

New Kong Recipes
or
Nutritional Kong Recipes
The mental stimulation of the kong after a game of hide the treat allows the dogs to relax and become a little more tolerant of the rainy day.

Indoor Games
One of the best indoor games I have found is Hide the Treat! I use little pieces of treats, and hide them throughout the house. I engage the nose and ask one of my furkids to "find". They catch on quickly, and have a really good time tracking the treats down.

Hide and Seek
Hide and seek requires the same idea> Hide and call your dog....see how quickly they can find you and praise them.

Train new Tricks
Pick a trick, any trick, get a bag of treats and start training your dog! Just five minutes at time, several times a day, are a fun easy way to get that doggy brain churning.

Indoor agility
We purchased a very inexpensive agility kit.
We move the furniture, set up the tunnel....get the treats and practice!

Treadmill Training
We rely heavily on the treadmill during the rainly times. Odie has mastered the treadmill off leash, and is quite funny to watch him running along, rolling off and once again jumping on. He loves it! We start slow...onleash with a stuffed kong they can lick as they focus more on the kong than the treadmill!

Team Recall
Get some treats your dog loves and at least one more person to play this game. Stand about 10-15 feet apart and take turns calling your dog to come. Reward him when he does. Gradually increase the distance between the people and work up to positioning the people in different rooms of your home.

Food Puzzle Toys
There are all sorts of food puzzle toys on the market in which you can stuff food treats. Your dog has to use his brains and sometimes his brawn to get the food out. Kong and Premier Pet Products make great food puzzle toys. The new Kong food dispenser can allow your dog to roll the kong and dispense the kibble.
There are several food puzzle toys on the market just now...
check out these puzzle toys from one of our Sponsors-SitStay.com

For added fun, try tying a food stuffed Kong in an old sock, or hiding the toy in a room so your dog can have the pleasure of hunting it down.

Well...the rain is setting in...time to batten down the hatches! Til the next time...have "fun" with your Dog!

Wirehair Empire Strikes Back!.mpg

2010-05-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

Go to our Video Page at www.YouTube.com/Murr41 to see our Star Wars Wire Videos!

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These were just too funny not to share! Rescue Wirehairs staring Baldwin, Jester, Daisy, Sonny and Thorn make their acting debut in the remake of these classic films...enjoy!

Greater Kansas City Pet Expo

2010-04-22T05:11:00.001-07:00

The Greater Kansas City Pet Expo is the largest venue of its kind in the country. It is GWP Rescue, Inc's largest event of the year. With some 200+ rescue/shelter organizations, KC Police dept canines and horses, Dock Dog's regional finals, flyball and agility....not to mention all of the vendors.

We had five wirehairs at our booth, and all were very well behaved met the crowd happily in spite of the high stress environment. What I was the most proud of was that all of the work, all of the time we have spent with the dogs especially Meg was so worth it. While other rescue dogs pulled ahead and drug their handlers, Meg loose leash walked beside or slightly behind me. Her trust was evident, and I was proud to show her that the outside world even in this type of venue was a challenge she could face. She embraced the crowd, was gentle with children, and took a lot of treats from them.

A little background on Meg. She was pulled from a shelter in Amarillo Texas with GSP Rescue Meg Villarreal, and when she came to GWP Rescue, Inc she was frightened, had no confidence, and had never seen a collar or leash. I had serious doubts if she would ever recover. Meg has more than recovered, and has become the poster GWP for rehabilitation. Her problems were not temperament, but lack of experience with the outside world. She attends Daycare, goes to events, is a neighborhood favorite. I am so very proud of her.

Using mainly the philosophy of Cesar Millan, leadership with rules, boundaries, and limitations, the dogs in our care respond. Meg and all of the wires want to be secure with routine, exercise, obedience and affection earned. Meg was so starved for attention, and lack of social skills would jump all over us when we praised her with even a pat on the head in the beginning. Being she is so large, this was definitely a problem. Learning that a simple nod and smile was all that was needed to convey approval was something Meg taught us.

Meg now understands what we want from her. She knows that jumping on someone while in their computer chair is an ambush from behind, and not okay. She seems to know that sitting for a treat is not a one time thing and the treats will keep coming when she is calm and obedient. She is now ready for her new home, and I am saddened to see my "Big Diva Girl" leave, but Meg has taught me so very much and I am grateful to have been her student.

Providing a Fulfilled Life for your Canine this Summer!

2010-04-12T04:59:00.000-07:00

With the economy in such a mess, we all seem to be feeling the tightening of the purse straps. When before if your dogs needed about anything, they got it no questions asked.

Now it seems these days one must consider "if" it is really necessary. Before, if the rescue dogs need a new dog bed for their crate...no problem. Now I find myself skimming garage sales, going to Good Will or thrift stores looking for either these or padded blankets to fold. Do the dogs care? Absolutely not!

Seeking out a butcher with fresh meaty bones not only has saved me some cash for the rescue dogs.....but they enjoy them better than the bully sticks, teeth are cleaner, and they now all LOVE their crates.

So, one has to ask if the commercial products we so enjoy purchasing for our canine friends are really practical or even needed. Or is there a alternative that is even more natural, and less expensive?

I believe my need to provide quality in my own mind....clouded my creativity? As we improve our play yard here at our shelter home, providing a stimulating environment for the rescue dogs to interact while they wait for their forever homes....I have asked myself this many times.

As we put the dogs into more environments for socialization, events such as agility...dock diving....trips to the lake for training....doggie daycare, do I realize the environments are dependent on ones own creativity to enhance that environment.

Doing some research online and networking with others sharing ideas lately, do i realize the importance of networking for our canine friends.

Digging-
the turtle sandbox is usually always at a garage sale, usually with no lid...which is great! Or a kiddie pool filled with sand. Bury the toys under the sand and take the dogs out to the box. Encourage them to focus their excavating skills and perfect them in the designated area of the sandbox. Finding the toys under the same is very exciting for them and the focus is turned to finding the toy...not the digging.

Agility-
Our rescue dogs being a working breed love agility. For the shy dogs, it builds confidence...the praise they begin to crave, and as with any living being....we all want to succeed and please.
I ordered a very inexpensive set of equipment for my yard from DrsFosterandSmith.com
We had a gift certificate, and hey...why not> Agility set

However, pvc pipe with rebar put into the ground works well for weave poles. Jumps can be lawn chairs with a pvc pipe, tunnels can be found very inexpensive at the toddler dept online, or at thrift stores and garage sales. Nothing fancy...again, the dogs don't care...and it is more mentally stimulating. A variety of games are great for the dog.

Dock Diving-
We are relatively new to DD...we belong to MoKan Dock Dogs and have started our pup into the sport. This is a very inexpensive sport that is family oriented. Get together with friends and families for practice at our lake get us out into the fresh air, enjoying each others company....and watching the kids with their dogs, and the dogs with extreme talents is so much fun. Go to DockDogs.com to find a chapter near you.

Daily Walks/runs on leash-
Daily walks and runs on leash are the mainstay of our rescue rehabilitation. The backyard is just a large kennel with walls, so don't think this will suffice for most dogs. Most of our dogs come into rescue from either backyard hobby breeders that don't know when to quit until authorities tell them...or high kill shelters in rural areas. Most of these adults have never seen a collar or leash, so the challenge is to get it on them in the first place. We use a device called an Easy Walker harness.
"I've tried harnesses in the past, and they don't work", you say? Well...this is not a harness in the traditional sense. It is made by the company that represents the Gentle Leader. What I have found to be true with all of the tools in my training box, that this and the Ilusion Collar work very well. The Ilusion collar needs to be adjusted and my hint is to start the straps through the buckles before slipping it over the dogs head, then adjust. The Easy walker you do adjust, as it comes in a variety of sizes...but once it is adjusted, the dogs learn to put their feet in, and go.
The Easy walker has a clasp on the chest. So logically the dog really cannot get ahead of you.

The photo above is from one of my adopters Dr. Gaylene Geisler, DVM and her new puppy Kiera. The exercise ball sitting in the corner of the room is getting a workout from Kiera and the horses. Hey! Do I have one of those sitting around here? This looks like tremendous fun.

The whole idea of this post is to encourage us all to be creative with what we have in a tough economy. To know the dogs don't care...games are fun, it can be a noodle from the pool to create a jump between lawn chairs....hey! That is another idea.
So please share some of your ideas. This could be a subject so many owners and their special canine friends can benefit from!

As I put on my thinking hat for more ideas, I ask you to please comment and share your ideas. The networking and brainstorming for ideas outside to make your dog's day would be most welcome.

Mary Murray
Executive Director-GWP Rescue, Inc
GwpRescue.com
Edie and Baldwin with the Flirt pole