November 2011

No. 23

Greetings!

 WE NEED YOUR HELP!  GSP Rescue NE is in desperate need of foster homes. Right now, we have two dogs in our program - Tramp and Scamp - who have nowhere to call home. And we can't bring any additional dogs to safety until we have an adequate number of approved foster homes.

Scamp, right, and Tramp, sitting on the curb, waiting for somewhere to call home. Won't you help them?

These dogs depend on us. We're their only hope, the only soft spot where they can land. There are 450 of you good folks on our mailing list. Can't someone open up their home to a needy, deserving dog in this time of year where so many of us count our blessings? 

Have you considered fostering, but worry what it will be like? Will the foster dog get along with your other dogs? Will it disrupt your life? And, when the time comes, will you be able to part with it and place it with a loving, adoptive family? 

The first time fostering can be a scary thing. But when you meet the dog, the fear slips away. There is just something amazing about a rescued dog. Although somewhat needy at first, they begin to realize they are safe and loved and their personalities begin to shine. For the first time in their life, they are living the way they deserve.

 Without us opening our homes, these dogs would have never had the chance at finding their family and a chance at a life they never knew existed.   

So when you say no to fostering because you are afraid to get attached or fall in love, try and consider the cost to the dog. A continued life at the end of a chain, out in a kennel or a crate in the house, left to spend each and every day alone. Left, just waiting, for even one minute for the love you are capable of giving.

So how do you prevent yourself from becoming too attached?

Don't think of the foster dog as "yours." Each dog already belongs to someone else - you just haven't met that person yet. The dogs are with you until their special person is able to come and take them home. 

 Another foster volunteer looks for minor, arbitrary faults in each new dog: "Oh, well, we don't need another male." "This one's nice, but we already have a white one." And, of course, the easiest way to keep from getting too attached is to remember that there is another dog that will need your help after this one goes home.  

Fostering certainly isn't easy. It is a way to help a dog that really needs you. At times, it's incredibly stressful. It requires dedication, hard work, serious time commitments, lots of stain remover, and - above all - an understanding of the purpose of the process. If you can't give your heart to a dog and then let it go when it's the right time, you probably shouldn't get involved.

So what's good about fostering? It can be the most rewarding thing you'll ever do.  

Read the wonderful story below by Grace Saalsaa. If you truly "get" it -- if you are moved by this story -- please consider getting involved in the foster care program. The dogs need someone like you!   

Your friends at   

GSP Rescue NE

"Little Pieces"

     Melissa sat on the floor, unable to sit straight and tall like her mother had always admonished her to do when she was a child. Today, it would be impossible. And tomorrow... it probably wouldn't be possible then either. Her mind was too busy thinking about the dog that lay across her lap.

When he came to be with her, he had no name. She remembered that day very well. The first sight of him was enough to break her heart into little pieces.

The woman who had taken this dog from the rough streets where he had lived, had tried to save him because she was unable to watch this young dog find his own food in a dumpster outside the crack house where he lived. Nobody cared that he was gone.

His fur was very thick; so thick that she had to wiggle her fingers down to feel his bony body. And as she pulled her fingers away again, they were coated in old dirt. Black and white, he was supposed to be. But on that day he was beige and dust.

He sat in the back of her car panting continuously, ears laid outward for he had lost his courage and couldn't keep them proud and tall. He sat motionless, waiting and limp.

But the thing that was the most disturbing was the look in his eyes. They were quiet eyes, sunken into his head - and they watched her. They were alive with thought. He was waiting for her to do something "to" him.

Little did he know at the time that, instead, she would "give" something to him. She gave him one of the little broken pieces of her heart.

She reached out to stroke his head and he instinctively squinched his eyes shut and dropped his head, waiting for the heavy hand. With that little bit of movement she gave him another one of the broken pieces of her heart.

She took him home and gave him a bath. She toweled him dry and brushed some order back into his coat. For that, he was grateful and even though his own heart was loaded with worms, he accepted yet another piece of her heart, for it would help to heal his own.

"Would you like some water, big boy?" She whispered to him as she set down a large bowl of cold well water. He drank it up happily. He had been dehydrated for a long time and she knew it would take him most of the week to re-hydrate.

He wanted more water - but it was gone. Ah... that's how it is, he thought to himself. But he was grateful for what he had been able to get. "Would you like some more?" and she gave him another bowl along with another little piece of her heart.

"I know that you are hungry. You don't have to find your own food anymore. Here's a big bowl of good food for you. I've added some warm water and a little piece of my heart."

Over the four months that he stayed with her, his health improved. The heart full of worms was replaced piece by piece with little bits of her loving heart. And each little piece worked a very special kind of magic.

When the warmth of love and gentle caresses are added, the little broken pieces knit together again and heal the container it resides in. That container becomes whole again.

She watched each little broken piece fill a gap in the gentle dog until his quiet eyes radiated the light from the little pieces. You see, kind words gently spoken turn the little pieces into illumination for the spirit that resides within.

He rested beside her, happy to be with her always. Never had he known such kindness, such gentle caresses; such love. His health had returned, his spirit was playful as a young dog's should be and he had learned about love.

Now his heart was full. The healing was complete. It was time to go. There was another person who had another heart that was meant to be shared with him.

So she sat shapeless on the floor because all the broken pieces of her heart were with the dog. It is difficult to sit tall when your heart is not with you. She wrapped her arms around the dog that sat with tall, proud ears for her. Lean on me, he said.

And she gave him one last thing that would keep him strong; that would keep the pieces of her heart together long after he had gone on to live his new life. She gave him her tears and bound them to the pieces with a simple statement made from the ribbons of her heart.

"I love you, Joe." And Joe lived happily ever after.

Melissa sat on the floor, straight and tall like her mother had always admonished her to do when she was a child. Today, it would be possible. And tomorrow... it probably would be possible too. Because her mind was busy thinking about this, the next dog that lay across her lap.

Where did she get the heart to help yet another dog, you ask? Ahhh... it came with the dog. They always bring a little bit of heart with them. And when the rescuer breathes in that little bit of heart, it quickly grows and fills the void left by the last dog.

(If you can open up your heart and home

 to a foster dog, please contact Celeste.)

November is Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month and there are more than 14,700 adoptable senior pets waiting for their forever homes on Petfinder.

On the GSP Rescue NE website, we have three lovely senior dogs awaiting their new homes - Hunter, Kobie and Mr. Fonda.  

11-year-old Hunter

Why is adopting a senior such a good idea?

• When senior dogs are adopted, they seem to understand that they've been rescued, and are all the more thankful for it.
   
• A senior dog's personality has already developed, so you'll know if he or she is a good fit for your family.  

12-year-old Mr. Fonda

 You can teach an old dog new tricks. Senior dogs have the attention span and impulse control that makes them easier to train than their youthful counterparts.

• A senior dog may very well already know basic commands anyway!
   
• In particular, senior dogs are often already housetrained, or can be more easily housetrained than a young pet with a tiny bladder. 

Almost-13-year-old Kobie

  A senior dog won't grow any larger, so you'll know exactly how much dog you're getting.

• Senior dogs are often content to just relax in your company, unlike younger dogs, who may get into mischief because they're bored.  

• Speaking of relaxing, senior dogs make great napping buddies.
   
• Senior dogs know that chew toys (not shoes) are for chewing.

• Senior dogs are some of the hardest to find homes for - so when you adopt a senior dog, you're truly saving a life.      

      Can you find it in your heart to adopt a senior dog? Do it. You'll never regret it. 

National Dog Show

 The National Dog Show, presented by Purina and hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia on Nov. 19-20, will be televised Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 24, at noon on NBC.  

At Thanksgiving, Eat This, Not That

   Although Thanksgiving is a time for sharing, it's unhealthy to share holiday meal leftovers with the dog, no matter what he tells you.

    "Veterinarians experience an increased number of office calls due to digestive problems after the holidays because humans invite their animals to celebrate with high fat meals (ham, gravy, turkey skin), chocolates, bones, etc.," warns  veterinarian Casandria Smith.

     "Turkey bones are hollow and can easily break and splinter into sharp pieces, causing blockage and perforation of the intestinal tract. A pet who has a turkey bone lodged in the digestive system may not exhibit any symptoms for one or two days. However, when they do occur, symptoms include loss of appetite, depression, vomiting or diarrhea," Dr. Smith said.

Raffle Items Needed 

      Plans are well underway for GSP Rescue NE to have a booth at the Bay Colony Dog Show and Canine Pet Expo, set for Dec. 8-11 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence.

     We're in need of dog-related items for our raffle.  We're open to any suggestions and hope we have some hidden talent among our volunteers that you're willing to share! These can make the difference in a dog's life!

GSP Rescue NE's raffle table at the Bay Colony Dog Shows.

  In the past, we have been lucky enough to receive several  breed specific (GSP), hand made, one of a kind items to raffle off at the dog show.  These items were a hit among our supporters (who are able to purchase raffle tickets via email) as well as attendees of the dog show.  We have many GSP owners who stop by our booth on the day that the GSPs are shown in the ring. 

      We are again looking for some handmade, one of a kind, GSP items to raffle at this event.  If you have a talent for this kind of work, or are able to purchase this type of item, and would like to make a donation, please contact Audrey Carmosino. 

     Again, we would like to stress that a large part of our success at this event last year was due to the fabulous raffle prizes that were donated to us.  

     Thanks in advance for your help!

Training Koa

  This is Mia Unson, one of GSP Rescue NE's longtime volunteers, with Kekoa, a male GSP.  

  When Mia started working with Koa, he paid no attention to her, sniffing only the ground, not making any eye contact and ignoring his name.  

When this video was taken, Koa had had four training sessions of maybe five minutes each over the course of two days, and nothing on the day before.

Take a look at what brief training sessions, repetition and positive reinforcement can do in turning a dog around.  

Kekoa in training

Quick Links

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Look who's been adopted!

Donations

Thank you, donors!

Pet First-Aid, CPR Course Scheduled in Conn.

 Tails-U-Win, a dog-training center in  Manchester, Conn., is offering a pet first-aid, CPR class on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Cost is $80 and participation is limited to 22 students. Contact Tails-U-Win to register. 

This course, presented by Jim Helems, covers assessing illness or injury, restraining & muzzling, choking management, bleeding and shock management, CPR and more. 

Participants will receive a handbook and certificate of completion.

Click on Pet Tech to read more about it. 

2012 Calendars Available!

The 2012 GSP Rescue calendar has arrived!

 Compiled by Mid-Atlantic GSP Rescue, this calendar features rescue GSPs from all over including some from New England. 

Cost is $10 plus $2.99 shipping.

 Order from our rescue store .

All proceeds go to helping our dogs. 

Free first-aid class!

Basic first aid classes for pet owners, with an emphasis on what you should include in your pet's first-aid kit are held on the first Tuesday of each month at Vetcision, 293 Second Ave., Waltham, Mass.

 Classes alternate each month between basic first aid classes and other topics.

 Please call or email for details and to RSVP.

For more information, go to Vetcision.

Dog door discount!

Pet Photography

Partners for Pets Program

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