# Personal Observation



## dd (Jun 10, 2003)

So I see the rescue bashing party was shut down and that is probably a good thing. I did not see the first thread, and I'm glad.

On a personal note, I will have had my first rescue dog for 8 years this Sunday, and it's an important anniversary for us. The rescue I got him from was not a terribly good one, but rather than dwell on their shortcomings I would like to say that I am FOREVER GRATEFUL they got me and my pup together.

As a wise and experienced rescuer said to me once - "Even the bad rescues get it right some of the time". 

So please adopt - especially in this difficult economic time. So many need help out there.


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## Keegan62 (Aug 17, 2008)

here here

I got my other german shepherd at 10 months and he was far superior to the one I bought LOL HAHAHAHAHAHHA


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Shesh, I get busy and miss out on a good bashing. I've had 3 rescues, none of whom came for an organization that wasn't a shelter. Luther and Morgan were pulled by me after I evaluated them myself. Gideon was a mistake, I took him from a friend's sister's basement. I was blinded by his beauty and didn't see how far gone he was from abuse.


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## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

Don't get that...guess I was lucky enough to have missed it altogether.
May explain why a thread I did post in a reply said it wasn't about rescue bashing. Didn't get that either, but it may have been referring
to the party mentioned.

As for these times, yes, with all this turmoil, foreclosings, etc...the numbers of folks looking to rehome or surrender is on the rise, and the number of potential adopters on the decline, not a good combination!

Just this week, I've had 2 people ask me did I know if anyone was looking for a dog. It's gut wrenching, and likely not going to get better anytime soon.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

I posted the rescue bashing party invitation after having been called, by members of this board, a "rescue nazi" and "fanatic", along with three other rescuers. I invited members who hate rescues and rescuers or were wronged by them to bash me personally rather than bashing the 20-30 people who work so hard to save lives and the wonderful dogs we save. I was hoping to get a good juicy bashing, but the thread got deleted after 30 seconds. I was hoping to give those wronged by rescues an outlet for their frustrations by inviting them to a bashing party with me being the target. 

Oh, well, they just have to let their anger out little by little.


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## GunnersMom (Jan 25, 2008)

Wow. I'm glad I missed the rescue bashing party. 

I'll admit, I've raised an eyebrow at some of the rescue stories I've heard and while I don't know on what grounds they were being bashed, I don't see how ANY rescue could do everything right and get every rescue and every adoption right, every time. Given what they have to deal with, and the resources they have, I'd think that would be impossible. I think the vast majority of them do the best they can and the good they do far outweighs the bad. 

And happy early Gotcha Day, dd!


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## Baby Byron (Aug 20, 2002)

People's preferences are different. There are good experiences everywhere... My most favorite Sidney (solid black male long coat GSD) came from a no-kill rescue shelter in Chicago (at the time it was called the largest no-kill in Chicago). The best GSD I've ever, ever had in 20+ years. All my other ones have been purchased from breeders (or bred by my parents when they were actively breeding. Now they're into... ahem... Maltese... (huge sigh...)







)
Anyhow, two of my breeder puppers, so to speak, just never really connected with us (Aprille and Byron) despite all the "credentials" and such. It's just like people. You can have awesome friends from "low places" (hehehe... sorry, big Garth Brooks fan here...) and never be able to turn your back to some fancy highly educated dude (you know... back stabbing and such...). 
No bashing, folks... There's always an old shoe for a tired foot somewhere...


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## dd (Jun 10, 2003)

Thank you! And I agree with your comments. Aesop has that interesting parable about not being able to make everyone happy all of the time and I think that applies here.

My personal sympathies are more likely to lie with those who advocate for the dogs - because the dogs can't speak for themselves. The reality is that there is no shortage of rescues and shelters out there. If you can't get along with one rescue - move on and find one that will work with you.


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

I missed the rescue bashing party thread too. 
That is brave of you to call them off of people on the other thread and on to you. 

My skin will get tougher after that thread I guess, Already has. I will address people in the real world differently. 

I was getting so comfortable in my own skin with rescue, that I did not consider it made people who do nothing uncomfortable. (Shame on me). 

I changed my sig. Took off my list of pets that I have rescued, so I do not look like I am trying to be "better than everyone". 

Sorry still a little bitter from the thread. 

My point for stopping by was to wish dd a happy gochta day too!!


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## wsumner26 (Jan 27, 2006)

I was also glad that the rescue bashing thread was shut down. For those people who think shelter dogs are somehow inferior to breeder dogs, I would like to show my last foster who came from a high kill Ga. animal control. She is 10 months old, and was turned in by her owner to be killed. She went to her new home on Sunday.


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

She is gorgeous! 

Glad she found a home!!! 

Yes right now I am blown away by the gorgeous Sables, the LH and others in Urgent right now. 

I would LOVE to have Jazz!


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

I missed it to and I am glad!!
Nothing wrong with it and I think all of you who do rescue are angels


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

> Originally Posted By: wsumner26For those people who think shelter dogs are somehow inferior to breeder dogs


I've notice that over the years too. Show me where this girl is inferior in any way, 6 months old found wandering on the streets, full of parasites with an ear infect that took months to clear up. Just back from the vet today after her senior 6month checkup, perfect health, always has been (knock on wood)


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## dd (Jun 10, 2003)

Both these girls are stunning!


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## emjworks05 (May 30, 2008)

she is gorgeous, i guess i did miss it too...sad.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I adopted two dogs from shelters. William was a spaniel/retriever/afghan hound mix, to everyone's best guess.
He loved everyone, was great with kids, could retrieve a ball for hours, did tricks, and was a therapy dog that played the piano to entertain the residents of retirement homes. People confided in me all the time, that they don't like dogs, but they like William. And dog-agressive dogs would bow-play to him and turn into oversized puppies trying to gain his friendship, to the total amazement of the owners.

He lived to be 15 years old, only showing age-related health issues in the last two years of his life. I buried him in the back field 4 years ago, and not a day goes by that my heart doesn't cry a tear for him.

Keeta was a stray, adopted from a shelter, mostly on the strenght of her friendliness with people, and being good with cats. 

She came with issues - that I mostly attribute to being an unsocialized alpha female that spent the first year of her life tied to a chain. 

Yet I bow in admiration and humility at her strenght of character for having overcome her fear of everything, for her willingness to learn, for her massive intellect, for her courage at being a dog that use to cower away from men to being a dog that does Schutzhund and pushes into the helper without batting an eyelash. 

Together we have come so far, the rewards are unmeasurable, and though she is 100% better dog she used to be, she pushed me to be 500% better dog person that I used to be. 

It takes courage to take on an unknown dog, and I am not afraid to take on someone else's mess. For many people have the courage and insight to see the beauty and potential under that mess, and bring it out to light.


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

Man he is gorgeous.







Love that pose!! 

Is that your dog? Morgan?


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

These are some of the dogs I fostered. They would all be dead now without rescue help. Today they are cherished by their families. 










When I look at them, I am proud to be called the "rescue nazi" and fanatic on this board. Looking at their smiles makes dealing with nasty people tolerable.


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## Jazzstorm (Nov 29, 2005)

<span style="color: #3333FF">YES rescues have puppies!

These adorable girls were dumped in a high kill shelter last year....but the bad breeder had to cut the ear of one of them first.

This the picture from the shelter,just over 2 months and look at the ears!









Here they are two weeks later camping with my family:









Here's Lexi aka Rain. She earned her CGC and is starting agility.









Rio,no ill effects from having her ear cut and still beautiful!







</span>


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Zoebel vom Fleisherheim, placed well in the Sieger show at the age of 2, winner of numerous obedience titles.

Rescued (and later adopted) at the age of 8, 6 hours before being euthanized. Selling breeder refused to take back. Crossed the Bridge February 2008 at the age 12.5


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## brt (Sep 16, 2008)

The two best dogs I've ever had the pleasure of sharing my life with were very similar in temperament, trainability and intelligence. Both working line girls who were great Therapy dogs. The similarities end there. 

The first came from a much anticipated breeding between the German BSP and an imported SchH III bitch. I worked at the training kennel where she was born and she was a favorite of mine from an early age. Her prelim X-rays at six months were horrible so she was given to me. She taught me more than I ever thought possible. I lost her at age 10 1/2 to a brain tumor.

The second is a little sable girl from a shelter picked up as a stray. She was at the shelter for 7 months or more because she showed cage aggression when people were allowed to view the dogs. She did have some issues with hand shyness and men in the beginning but she quickly overcame both as soon as she learned to trust that we would keep her safe from harm. She also turned out to be a natural at therapy work. She is now nearing 10 years old and is an all round great dog who has never had a single health problem in her life. She loves all people, dogs, cats and is my autistic granddaughter's best friend.

I'm not insinuating that dogs from breeders will have health problems, That is totally up to mother nature in my opinion.
I plan on getting a dog for SD work and will definitely adopt. So many of the shelter dogs are just diamonds in the rough that just need a bit of polish.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I can't believe how amazing Rio and Rain look! Yowsa! I saw them when they were tiny.







I can't find photos of most of my fosters but here are some of my personal dogs and one foster. 

Here is my current pack of throwaways: 










Rafi and Cleo, both left to fend for themselves:










And the tigger of all dogs, Kai! His mom was semi-feral and he and his sibs were born under a porch. His mom was feeding herself by killing small animals.


















Here is my boy Basu singing hello to one of his favorite foster brothers, Grommit (gsd x rottie). Grommit was left in someone's apt. when they moved. Basu was abused and neglected for 4.5 years, kept 14 hours a day in a cage in the garage and then crated in the house. He was purchased from a breeder by two doctors. It took a lifetime to undo the damage done to him.


















And here is my first dog, Massie. She was abandoned at 9 weeks old. She was an AMAZING dog. Rafi looks kind of like a miniature version of her. Here she is as a baby:










And then all grown up, hiking with me in New Mexico:


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## Jazzstorm (Nov 29, 2005)

<span style="color: #3333FF">Great pictures Ruth! I especially love the New Mexico pic...beautiful.

Yeah the twin girls look different huh?I didn't even have them 2 weeks when you met them. I was looking at pictures of them the other day,as crazy as it was to foster them,I miss 'em!</span>


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## Rügen (Mar 19, 2008)

Your dogs are all beautiful. I can't understand why anyone would bash a rescuer... Not sure if I want to.

My Sarge had a similar story to your Grommit. He was left in an apartment at the age of 8 years old to starve. AC got him and he escaped! They picked him up again a few days later and sent him to the rescue group I volunteered for. While there he scaled an 8' fence with barbed wire at the top. I took him home to foster because he was going after the cats... I called the rescue that night and asked them if they knew I was going to keep him. They did. I love my shepherds, but he was something special. He was certainly not defective! 

In this photo I have a baby gate keeping Sarge in his home. He never tried to run away from me. I miss my big guy. 









He was quite the master mind.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

This little guy was dumped at 2 weeks old with a leg so broken it had to be fused together. He was brought by A/C to his owner's work (vet office), he turned out to be BJDimocks Frodo. Look at that face.










You can see the fused hock in this pretty well but such a joyful pup, to look in his happy little eyes, you wouldn't know there was anything wrong with him. So sweet.


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## GunnersMom (Jan 25, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Castlemaid
> It takes courage to take on an unknown dog, and I am not afraid to take on someone else's mess. For many people have the courage and insight to see the beauty and potential under that mess, and bring it out to light.


I think it does take a certain kind of person to rescue. A rescue dog can be like that proverbial box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get. 

But when you get right down to it, you never know with 100% certainty what you're going to get with a purchased puppy, either. How many times have we all heard people say that their puppy just isn't meeting their expectations, or that he/she isn't turning out to be what the breeder had promised? How is that any different than a rescue dog surprising you with an issue or two?

Personally, we've had both rescued GSDs and puppies purchased from breeders and have had both challenges and absolutely wonderful dogs from both sources.

One was Heidi - a 4 year old that my mom rescued from the pound when I was just a baby. She'd been abused and my parents quickly learned that she had a serious hatred for men that she never got over. She didn't want to let my dad in the house for a while, at first. Luckily dad has a _really_ good sense of humor and they worked it out. She learned to love and trust him, but that was as far as she was willing to go. Couldn't blame her. 

There was Brut - a big 120 pound LHGSD that mom and I adopted from the pound after we lost Heidi. One of the best dogs we've ever had. He'd already had two different homes and was dumped at the shelter by the third owner because he had a problem with food aggression.









There was my Alomar, purchased as a pup. Probably my biggest challenge ever. He was a big baby with the few of us that he'd really bonded with, and Cujo on steroids with everyone else. 

And there's my Gunner, purchased as a pup. An absolute dream (the occasional acts of snittiness aside.)

So ya just never know.


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

Any more rescued dogs to show off?


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

Ok, here are 2 of my rescues...
Divvvie I have posted before, her full name was 
"My-Husband-is-Gonna-Divorce-Me-if-I-Bring-Home-Another-Dog". Now doing beautifully as an agility dog.









And Gus, who was found his second adoptive home with the help of this board's Colorado members....


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## Myamom (Oct 10, 2005)

Mya...adopted her at age 5...the BEST dog ever...perfect fit for my small children...she's like Nana from Peter Pan!!





































No puppies in rescue? Here's Ava (pics from when we got her)














































Mya is now 9 and Ava 2...and we are so very thankful every day to have them!! They are the best of friends and fit into our family beautifully!!


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## skyizzy (Apr 15, 2008)

I thank God for rescues and people that do rescue. No one rescue is perfect nor are all people that rescue. But they are the real angels. AND A BIG THANK-YOU!


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## ncgsdmom (Jun 24, 2008)

Here are a few before and after pictures of Rasmund, the black shepherd I pulled from a shelter in NC back in July, some will remember her form the board. She is fully healthy now, and will be going to her new home at the beginning of the year. The couple who is taking her absolutely fell in love within the first 5 minutes. Despite all the neglect she had experienced, she is the most loving sweet dog you could imagine, and turned out to be quite stunning!!

Rasmund in July:









Rasmund recently:


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

OMG this is amazing. It must be very rewarding to be the responsible for such a transformation.


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## Remo (Sep 8, 2004)

Wow - that is incredible. 

Hearty congrats on a fantastic save. She was beautiful in the first picture and even more so in the second. 

If I was wearing a hat, I would take it off to you!


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

WOW!!!









I remember when she was first posted. That is simply an amazing transformation. You gotta love those diamonds in the rough! FANTASTIC job!!!!


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## rainydaygoods (Oct 13, 2008)

I literally have tears in my eyes from the beautiful changes in Rasmund. Thank you for healing her and finding her forever home!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Thanks for posting pictures of Rasmund. She looks absolutely fantastic. I wish her all the best in her new home--she certainly deserves it!


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## CindyM (Mar 20, 2007)

Ruth - that New Mexico picture is magical!!


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

I have a hunch when the rescue bashing started, but cannot remember the exact post. However, I do not think it should have been shut down. 

Let folks, regardless of what we think express their opinion. I foster, adopted a rescue, and also bought an expensive GSD.

The dog you pictured is marvelous. And so many others included pictures or information about their rescues. 

Are these rescues inferior to a high end GSD; I doubt it. I have also fostered a few rescues, that were absolutely wonderful dogs.

So after looking at the information submitted, suffice it to say these are wonderful dogs. Actually, I would happily take any one into my home.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

What is a "high end" GSD? Because if it's a dog that was carefully bred, has lots of titled ancestors, and cost the original purchaser a lot of money, many of the dogs in rescue aren't just as good as those dogs, they ARE those dogs.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

And of course the inverse is true - many of the dogs obtained from breeders at high cost, are not actually particularly high quality dogs by those measures. 

I think it may be more instructive to look at differences in lines, breeding, drive, type, color, etc. as the differences between different dogs - and with GSDs there is certainly a wide variety









But to look at rescue versus breeder as a difference in where the dog was most recently obtained rather than an intrinsic difference in the dogs themselves.


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