# Happy Gotcha Day Chief!!



## MustLoveGSDs (Oct 31, 2008)

Can't believe I missed it..it was on the 19th! I feel like such a bad doggy mom but I have been so busy and preoccupied with the holidays and some personal issues that needed to be dealt with.

On Halloween last year I fell in love with this handsome black boy with orange eyes. I had just said goodbye to a GSD I was fostering who had really bad SA and tore up my apartment and chewed out of 3 crates, so I was ready for an easy foster. I was introduced to "Jake", an adult solid black male who was one of our IKE rescues. He was being fostered by my friends/fellow GSD rescue volunteers and they said he would be the perfect dog for me so they agreed to let me foster him. I was thrilled because everytime I talked to my friends I always asked about Jake and was always missing him.










He left the comforts of the german shepherd haus to come live with me









When his old fosters brought him over to me, he acted like a visitor for a few days. He stayed by the door a lot and wasn't sure if he could trust me yet.




















After my really bad experience with the foster before him, and falling absolutely in love with how awesome this big black GSD was, I officially adopted Jake (now known as Master Chief) on December 19th, 2008 after keeping him away from events and out of the public eye long enough, lol. I knew there was something special about him and he was "my dog" after about a week with him.

Fast forward to a year later and here we are. He has changed so much over the course of a year and has really come out of his shell. It is amazing to see such transformations since this is one of those dogs who isn't all happy go lucky kissing all over you and begging for attention when you first meet him. You have to earn his trust and affection, he is pretty reserved and observant. When I first got him, he could care less about being my shadow, he was fearful of toys/balls, and he had a pretty bad case of heartworms. Now he is my velcro dog and it's funny to watch in public, if he loses sight of me like at the dog park he will run around to everyone sniffing them and keep searching for me, he gets an extremely alert posture and stops at nothing to seek me out..it's like his world stops. He now loves to play with toys and tennis balls and regularly engages in a good ol game of tugowar with his siberian sister. He is a very healthy nearly 80 lb GSD with a lustrous and luxurious black coat! I'm not so sure GSDs are supposed to be as soft as he is..lol.

Chief is a full-fledged member of my family and has accumulated some pet names.."Cheefers" "Cheefer Sutherland" "Creepers" among others







Chief is hands down the best dog I have ever had the pleasure of sharing my life with. He is patient, kind, protective, fiercely loyal, brave, and just plain cool. I think I will always have a black German Shepherd in my life. 


I got a DSLR camera for Christmas(thanks boyfriend you're the best!!) so I wanted to share some new photos of him.






















































































and some of his dumb husky sister























































Thanks for looking/reading!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Love your subjects and your camera!! What camera do you have? They are so crisp & clear very nice pics.
Happy Gotcha day Master Chief! Your mom lucked out finding you








Zelda's collar is sweet!


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## MustLoveGSDs (Oct 31, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girlLove your subjects and your camera!! What camera do you have? They are so crisp & clear very nice pics.
> Happy Gotcha day Master Chief! Your mom lucked out finding you
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks I can't believe how lucky I got with a dog like him! I hope he is around to bring us joy for many more years to come.

The camera is a Canon Rebel XSi/EOS 450D I think that's all of it, lol. I have much to learn about this incredible instrument.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

What fantastic pictures!!!


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## AngelJ (Aug 24, 2009)

Wonderful pictures!!!

HAPPY GOTCHA DAY TO CHIEF, such a handsome boy!!!


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## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

He is so handsome, wonderful story and how great you have such a strong bond.


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

So glad Chief has a great place with you! I see I have lots of pictures to look at when I get home to my "house" here. Can't see pics at work - and I jsut got here! 

I have a new DSLR for Christmas too, hubby got me D40. He did not send it to Iraq , I told him no way!


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## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

Wonderful pics!!


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## MustLoveGSDs (Oct 31, 2008)

Thanks all! Poor Chief is probably getting sick of the camera always in his face now. Kathy these cameras are amazing! I'm in love.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Happy Gotcha Day Chief!!!


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