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German Shepherds

Looking for a breed that is clever, courageous, faithful and fearless?  The german shepherd may be your pup of choice.  They are very muscular and strong, obedient, and ready to learn.  They have been known to give their lives for their humans and are a very loyal breed.  They love their families, but can be wary of strangers.  They should not be left alone for long periods of time and need to be around their people.  They are usually not big barkers, unless they find it necessary, but they can be whiners!  They do require a strong handler and training from an early age or they may get skittish and definitely need socialization.  They love to have “jobs” and do great as working dogs in the police force, guide dogs, tracking, or security positions.  They are not couch potatoes and if they are left to sit around in the house or locked in a back yard, may become very destructive and out of control.  German shepherds are heavy shedders and shed year round.  Some of the common ailments and diseases that can affect the breed are hip and elbow dysplasia, blood disorders, digestive problems, bloat, epilepsy, and flea allergies.  Our own Gwinnett Pet Watchers, Robin, just rescued a german shepherd puppy and she is a love!  If you want an active and protective pup, then they would be a wonderful choice.

Sponsor a Pet Friday

Let’s make today Sponsor a Pet Friday!!! Here is just a couple you could choose from. Please send the money you would spend on a cup of coffee or a sandwich it would make such a difference to these animals in need.

Angels Among Us Pet Rescue
It is me Weddles presenting my 5 remaining babies. I gave birth to 11. I grieve for them but know I will see them at the rainbow bridge. I was very sick and my babies needed help. We had to be at a vet. If you can please help with my big vet bills. I didn’t want poor Angels to have to spend so much on me but they tell me I am worth it. All of us will be grateful to all of you who prayed, shared and donated to us. More doggies like me could be saved if fosters could be found for mom and babies. Sweet Andria Levine took my picture!!!! Angels will post her site. God bless and please donate to that bill. www.angelsrescue.org
IMOM (In Memory of Magic)
Sirocko is a 19 month old Persian cat sick with a partial urinary blockage. Sirocko is currently at home with his owner and is losing a lot of weight. He needs a perineal urethrostomy, to allow him to urinate on his own. He has had several obstructions and has been treated for this already. We are trying to raise $1359.80 before he blocks again. To donate, please visit http://tinyurl.com/79og6jd and mark your gift “Sirocko Adkins” or we also have paypal, our address is paypal@imom.org. To read more about Sirocko, visit his topic in our online community at http://bit.ly/Q6b0p8.
Angels Among Us Pet Rescue
These little Angels desperately need your help!!! Poor Momma Winnie developed mastitis and an awful ear infection 10 days ago and stopped nursing her babies. A wonderful foster has been bottle feeding the babies, but they have coccidia and are not absorbing nutrients, as they diarrhea continuously. If the foster falls asleep and doesn’t feed/medicate them every 2 hours, they will literally start dying and she has to revive them. They are so tiny and fragile and we are so afraid of losing them. We are wanting to take them to a 24 hour vet so that they can be monitored, medicated, and fed every 2 hours, but their care is going to be sooo expensive 🙁 Poor Momma Winnie needs to go to the vet too, as she hates getting her medication so much she spits out most of it and has basically stopped eating and drinking. We are begging you to help us pay for their care, they are all very pitiful and sick, when just 10 days ago they were happy healthy kitties. It’s so sad to see. Please donate at www.angelsrescue.org with Winnie and Sick Babies as subject line. We desperately need your help! Thank you and God Bless! ♥ ~R — Please Help Us Save Poor Winnie & Her Sick Babies!!
Angels Among Us Pet Rescue
Hi! I’m Flip Flop and I am so worried. I urgently need a foster or adoptive home. Yes, I know I am a pit mix, but I never asked to be born. I’m just a baby. Maybe 6-8 mos. I don’t deserve to die because my mom wasn’t spayed and because my owner didn’t love me and my sister, Mittie. Our time is up and luckily the shelter gave us a bit more time over the weekend . They believe in us despite our breed mix, but every day, dogs like me get dumped here at the pound or picked up as strays. Please sponsor me and Mittie, my twin sister, and most importantly consider fostering me to save my life. $150 each is needed for our vetting. Anything not needed goes to help another dog or cat in need. Please hurry. Applications and PayPal at www.angelsrescue.org
Foster@angelsrescue.org

Are You Ready for a Rescue Dog?

Lucy, Jake, George and I were at the park going for a walk today when we came upon a woman who had two small dogs. One of the dogs was barking and just uncontrollable, not behaving very well. We stopped to talk to the woman about it and her instant explanation was that he was a rescue. What a cliche that has become. It seems everywhere I go when a dog is misbehaving the owner says “She is a rescue,” and that is somehow supposed to excuse this bad behavior. Now we all understand that when we do take on a rescue dog sometimes there are some behavioral problems, but it’s not an excuse for a lifetime of this behavior. When we take on a new dog we take on the responsibility of training and spending time doing what you need to do to make that dog both a good companion and a good community dog.

I know this stance will not make me very popular, but if you’re not willing to take the time, or invest the money in training, then maybe a rescue is really not the type of dog you need. You might be better off going to a good breeder who has started the training for you; someone who has already done the beginning of socialization and has raised the puppy in a loving family environment that will fit in with your lifestyle. You will still need to invest time and money in training but you know you are not dealing with a dog that has been abused or mistreated.

A great article to read before going forward with pet adoption is this one from the Humane Society: Are You Ready To Adopt A Pet? Ten Questions

That said, there is no better feeling than taking a rescue dog and working with that animal to help it overcome its past — to watch an animal that has been abused learn how to be a dog, learn how to be a pet and learn how to be well behaved part of your family. What a wonderful feeling when you see this animal blossom; but don’t think that comes without a lot of work and money. Sometimes you will have to hire a private trainer or someone who specializes in animals with behavior problems. But being a rescue is not an excuse for animal to continue to misbehave.

Before you adopt a dog that has been abused or traumatized you need to take a good look at yourself and your family situation. You need to be honest. How much time are you willing to dedicate to this dog? How much money do you have to put into rehabilitation? How much experience do you have? One question that I think is overlooked most of the time is whether the whole family has agreed to be part of the rehabilitation of this animal. These are questions that should be answered before anyone takes on an animal that has behavioral problems.

If you don’t have the experience, the patience, or the money, then you need to give a second thought to rescuing a dog that has emotional problems. It does not make you a bad person or any less of a dog lover, it’s just a reality. The last thing we want is to add to the problems this animal already has. Try and make sure that the dog that you adopt does not have problems that you are not ready to handle. After all, it’s a lifetime commitment.

Here is a great website for training rescue dogs and a great place to start out: Rescue Doggie

Be safe and have fun!