These original Seven Dogs touched the life of so many. These are the reflections of the rescuers, 1 year later.
Angie L. the original rescuer of these beautiful dogs...
Reflecting back over the events of the past year brings back
a flood of emotions! I fell in love with these dogs instantly (as we all did)
. I first met these gorgeous dogs when they were at their lowest point in life.
Diesel could not walk, Susanne had mammary tumors, Queenie and Gunner were terrified
of their own shadows and Tina, Georgia
and Buster joined everyone in being matted and neglected.
However, I saw hope and light. Each time I visited I saw
these dogs begin to blossom and begin to change before my eyes. Each visit with
the dogs resulted in a new breakthrough. Slowly, I was beginning to see lights
come on in seven pairs of eyes! I, however, was drowning. Emotionally, I was
drained. I knew no one that would or could help me. These dogs needed so much
more than I could give them.
GSRA to the rescue!
Memorial day 2011, GSRA came with volunteers, good food,
supplements and most importantly ….LOVE! From that moment on, we were not alone
anymore. The dogs and I had friends that were unfailing in their dedication to
helping save these dogs! I cannot adequately express the feeling of sheer
relief that came to me when GSRA wrapped their arms around all eight if us and said
“don't worry, we are here now”.
From that moment on, life got better. Diesel and Susanne
went to the Rainbow bridge surrounded by the love of a GSRA volunteer and
myself. Sadly, they were not freed from their past life in the way we all hoped
for, but freed nonetheless with love. Over the next few weeks I watched these
dogs leave…never to look back at the hell they lived for years.
In October, I got the honor to see the Fab Five all together
again and loved by their families. This is by far, the most rewarding
experience I have ever had! Not only did I help save these dogs, but I met the
most fabulous people that I am honored to call my friends! Yesterday, I
assessed another shepherd and last week I pulled another one from my local
shelter that is now safe in a GSRA foster home. I am so happy to be a part of
the lifesaving GSRA team and so happy that the fab five all got to know the love
and security of a family.
Buster
Carol S. Buster's Foster Mom
Most people who have followed this blog and the story of the
remarkable Fab Five know that we lost Buster shortly before Christmas 2011.
I’ve struggled over what I wanted to say in this final public post about him.
I’ve also struggled to choose just ONE
favorite photo to post, but searching through the photos brought me to what I
wanted to say. This photo was one of the first I ever took of him, taken the
morning after his first night with me. My intent was to let him poke around in
the yard, figuring out what this new place was, while I would work in the
garden and keep a watchful eye on him. Wrong! It didn’t take him more than a
few minutes to decide that I was the one who needed keeping an eye on, so he settled
down at the edge of the garden and made sure I did things just right. This set
the tone for pretty much all that followed with him; whatever I was doing, it
must be intensely interesting and required his full attention! The thing I love
most about this photo, and it took looking again after all this time to see it,
is that it shows how willing he was to live in the “here and now,” rather than
the “what was.” Look how much he’s come back to life after less than 24 hours
in a dog-friendly home! He was blessedly free of the emotional scars that
troubled the other dogs to varying degrees, somehow being able to never look
back. Although we dearly wish he could have had longer in his new life, we
truly did rescue his spirit. And that’s always the goal, isn’t it? Mission
accomplished.
We are so sad to tell our fans and followers that Buster passed away shortly before Christmas, after suffering a sudden decline in health. We thought at first that he had injured a leg and would respond to a few days of rest and pain control, but it was soon evident that the situation was far more serious. A dedicated team of GSRA volunteers and vet clinic staff kept him comfortable through his final days and surrounded by love until the very end, and all were touched by his gentle spirit.
Of course, all GSRA dogs are equally worthy of finding loving homes, but it’s hard to deny that there was something special about Buster that went much deeper than his stunning good looks. We’ve tried to convey that in these blog posts, and I hope it has come through. My intent in this final post is to share some of my favorite memories of him.
No Barrier for Buster
This was taken shortly after Buster came to my home for foster care. I had constructed a barrier to keep the dogs out of the kitchen while I mopped the floor, and happened to glance up to see that my labors were being watched. Do you see a Buster-sized hole there? Me neither. This was an early indication that Buster had “opinions” about things and would apply his considerable determination to overcoming obstacles. Maybe there’s a lesson there for all of us.
GSRA's Top Model
Buster was proud at the reunion picnic to see so many people wearing “his” tee-shirts. If anyone isn’t aware, that’s him on the back of the blue tie-died shirts.
Buster's T-shirt
2011 GSRA Reunion Picnic
Another happy memory from the picnic was this wonderful photo of Buster with the rest of the Fab Five (from left to right: Tina, Buster, Georgia, Gunner, and Queenie). This so perfectly captures the work of GSRA that no additional words are needed.
Group Snuggle
During group snuggle time, Buster uses body language to tell us what he thinks about his place in the pack.
In late September Buster had what was probably a new experience for him: a hike in the woods to a river swimming hole. He was fascinated by all the autumn smells in the woods and kept up a steady pace for the two-mile round trip, which was a big walk for him. At the river, determination to follow his people took him into the water and swimming! He wore a look of surprise initially, but then soon relaxed and paddled around for a while. He also enjoyed lying right at the water’s edge and taking in the scene. Now that he’s gone and I no longer have his gentle presence in my home, I find myself remembering this day, Buster’s own perfect “moment in time.” One day, when the time is right, this is where I will return to scatter his ashes.
Buster's Perfect Moment in Time
The tragedy of loving these magnificent dogs is that we outlive them by so much. We dearly wish that Buster could have had more time in his new life, but he surely embraced the time he did have. Rest in peace Big Guy, you touched so many of us.
Hey ya’ll I finally convinced my foster Mama and Dada that I didn’t want to go anywhere else that I was at my fur ever home!They agreed!!!I’m so happy I’ve been adopted and all I have to do all day is lay on my comfy bed and ROO ROO at mama when she comes to the door.Then we go play.I really like to take care of Mama with my sisters (no longer foster sis’s) we will really raise our voices when we are home alone with Mama (even if it is Dada coming through the door).I want to thank all my loyal fans who wished me well and donated money for our care, the rest of the Fab
Relaxing in the Sun
Five are doing great too.I got to see all my kennelmates at the 2nd annual GSRA reunion.That was so much fun, but I got a little tired, there were so many pretty GSD’s there that it got a little overwhelming for me.But I stayed close to Mama and protected her.It was a tough job and I slept all the way home!Did you hear that “HOME”!
I am coming Mama!
From no longer foster mom:
We fell in love with sweet Georgia Girl and after I talked with the first potential adopters and realized that I might lose my sweet girl I couldn’t bear it.So we adopted her.She is an awesome 40th birthday present!!!Georgia is now playing with toys and throwing them into the air!She is engaging my other dogs in play, and sticks her head into the fridge when I open the door.Georgia is a real part of the family!She no longer watches, but joins in.
Georgia's Toys
Thanks GSRA for taking in these awesome dogs and giving me the opportunity to bring Georgia out of her shell and be a 10 year old puppy.
Buster’s been a busy boy since you last heard from him!To begin with, he considered ALL the wonderful people who wanted to offer him a permanent home, and decided on the family that he wanted to “try out.”That trial adoption unfortunately did not work as well as we all thought it would, so Buster is back with me now and open to considering other suitors. ;-)
It remains extremely fortuitous that he went on trial when he did, though, because his potential adopter took him to the vet for a get acquainted visit.We encourage all adopters to do this during the trial period, to make sure they have an independent assessment of the dog’s health (i.e., have information from other than GSRA), and in this case we were both grateful the visit occurred and completely shocked by the outcome:the vet detected a softball-sized mass in Buster’s abdomen!This struck fear in everyone’s heart, of course, that we might lose this sweet boy to cancer so soon after offering him a life of ease.Two days later, an ultrasound test showed the mass was associated with his spleen but did not appear to have spread beyond it.Although not wonderful, this was actually the best news we could hope for at that point, because there was a chance that surgery could be curative.
Buster had a serious shave for his surgery
Buster underwent surgery the next day to remove his spleen and what indeed turned out to be a softball-sized mass.He came through the surgery like the champ that he is, but then the waiting began for the pathology results to come back.We would have to wait six long days, because of the Labor Day holiday….Finally, the news we had all been hoping and praying for:NOT MALIGNANT!Woo-hoo!Many “happy dances” occurred among the GSRA folks in the loop on this!After a complete biopsy, it turns out that that big mass was nothing more than a big ol’ hematoma --- an overgrown blood clot.It most likely resulted from some kind of injury (and we hate to think too much about this), but it’s gone now and will cause no further problems.And an adult dog can get along very easily without a spleen.
Say "howdy" to this handsome boy
at the reunion!!
The cancer scare, surgery, and recovery interrupted the usual “settling in” things that occur during an adoption trial, so we extended the trial by a few weeks.It eventually turned out to not be a good fit, for a number of reasons, and the potential adopters were heartbroken to conclude this.Although disappointing, this is EXACTLY why we have a trial period in the first place; we don’t want either our dogs OR our adopters to be stuck in situations that aren’t ideal.So Buster is back in his original foster home now, settling in easily.We owe the lovely trial family a HUGE debt of thanks for seeing him through such a scary time.
Buster lost some of the gains we had made in his physical condition during the time he had to minimize activity after surgery, but we’re working on that again.You know, not seeing him every day during the time he was on trial allowed me to somehow lose sight of how INCREDIBLY handsome he is, not to mention sweet.I hope you get a chance to see him in the flesh yourself.He’ll be moseying around the GSRA reunion picnic on October 2nd and would be most happy to make your acquaintance.;-)
Georgia has been with us for almost 2 months now, and has really settled into the routine, so I’m afraid I don’t have much exciting news to share other than that Georgia has finally realized she could bark without getting into trouble.When I leave I have to put her in her kennel which she isn’t too pleased about anymore and will give me some loud BARK BARKs to let me know she does not appreciate the fact that she has to be in the kennel.
I WILL get that bee!
She continues to eat well (but extremely slow or maybe her foster sisters eat too fast!) and rides great in the truck.She has taken several road trips with foster sister Tara.She walks great on the leash and we are starting to get longer walks in now that it is getting a little cooler in the evenings.Georgia is great at the Pets Mart, she has quite a few admirers, just about everyone we walk by has to stop and say how beautiful she is.Which of course I have to agree with!
Other than that she is enjoying the good doggie life that she deserves.I will get Georgia back on the blog soon so you can hear from her.Who knows she maybe on the website real soon!
Queenie's been with us now a little over a month. While she has made huge strides in some areas (she's eating like a champ now!!) she continues to have issues with feeling comfortable in her own fur. It's like she doesn't know what she wants. Well, actually, she knows what she wants, it's just that her "wants" and real life, don't exactly mesh. If Queenie could have it her way, she would lay on the living room rug, at a vantage point where she could see everything that is happening in the house, but not be involved in it directly. She would never be left alone, she would never be crated or put in her dog pen, she would be allowed to chew anything and everything her heart's desire, her humans would be satisfied with her giving "drive by" kisses and not ask for any other attention from her and she would always have her sister Iris, the only creature she seems to really trust, right by her side. Hm...yeah, there are just a *few* problems with Queenie's ideal life :)
I am ok over here!
Whenever we are rehabbing a rescue dog there is always that balance you have to strike between letting them go at their own pace, but then also challenging them to reach further so they can actually make progress. You want them to feel comfortable, but you can't baby them. Every dog is different and every foster job requires that you learn what your dog can and can't handle so that you keep them moving forward in the direction of being ready for adoption one day. In this regard, Queenie has probably been our hardest foster case. She also came to us at a time when our house was already full (with 6 other dogs), so the amount of time we are able to spend with her has not been optimal. It was with these things in mind that we reached out to a fellow rescuer for help.
Queenie considering a dip in the pool
Enter Keith. Keith is not your average rescuer. In fact, he kind of fell into this rescue gig. He fosters and trains service dogs but in the course of his work he was put in touch with someone who could no longer care for their GSD. Long story short, Keith started working with the dog (Joe), contacted GSRA and Joe was rescued by GSRA. However, that experience prompted Keith to want to work more with the breed, especially more timid GSDs that would benefit from the kind of training he was familiar with. It seemed totally serendipitous that I worked with Keith to find Joe a foster home and then Keith wanted to work more with shy GSDs. I mean, what better subject could Keith hope for that our very own Miss Queenie? This seemed like the perfect win:win situation for everyone and so we agreed that Queenie would start visiting with Keith a couple of times a week to see how she did.
The first visit she had with Keith was last weekend. She went along with big sister Iris as we thought she'd feel more comfortable that way. Keith and hos family took Queenie, Iris and their dog Macy to Umstead Park in Raleigh and went for a hike. Keith reported that Queenie did GREAT! He noticed that she is a naturally curious dog who has all the traits of a great GSD. She is attentive, obedient, great on leash when directed how to walk and she has the kind of nose that picks up scents...and the drive to want to follow those scents!! He said her timid nature definitely gets in the way of her natural curiosity, but all the same he was very happy to see this side to her.
Queenie going to get the leash
Last Friday, Queenie went for her second visit with Keith, and her first on her own. Naturally, she was more nervous than the first time, but even so, Keith was very, very impressed with how she handled things. He worked with her on "waiting" at the front door before going out and he also continued to work with her on her issues with stairs (yes, she is still completely uncoordinated when it comes to either going up or down stairs!!). They went for lots of walks in a near by park and, once again, she had a great time sniffing things out. When we went and picked her up she was calm but very happy to see us. Today, however, was the best visit yet. Keith started out by trying to do some very basic obedience exercises with her but he said that she wasn't quite able to relax enough to the point where she could focus for these lessons. So he just let her be and let her hang out in the house and get used to new surroundings. He noticed that, when she would get antsy (as she often does during the night at home) she would start to almost panic and want to get outside. She paced, she jumped up on furniture, scratched at windows etc... Keith told us that taught her the word "NO" today in response to these antics. It seems obvious, I know, to want to reprimand a dog for this kind of behavior (especially when they are jumping at the windows hard enough that they could, conceivably break them), but until now, we have not been sure of whether or not she was ready for this kind of reprimand. In reality though, I don't think *we* were ready for *giving* this reprimand to our delicate (so we think) little Queenie.
This goes along with what I started off this blog by saying: it's really hard to know how to balance love and teaching when dealing with some foster dogs. Anyway, probably not surprisingly, Queenie didn't melt into a puddle of shaking fear, or self-combust with terror at being told "NO", she simply stopped doing what she was doing and went and laid down and observed... And what she saw made a big impression on her! Macy, Keith's Golden Retriever puppy who is in training to be a service dog, knows that, when she wants to go out, she has to pick up her leash and bring it to Keith. I guess Queenie had watched this a couple if times over the course of the morning and so, after her window antics hadn't gotten her the outside time she was hoping for, Keith said he saw her walk over to where her leash lay on the table. He said he watched Queenie look at the leash, look at Macy, look at the leash, look at Keith...and then she slowly picked the leash up in her mouth and looked at Keith. She didn't manage to bring it over to him but the message had been clear: Queenie was asking to go outside...please :) How about that???
When we went and got our little protege Keith talked to us about taking Queenie through the Canine Good Citizen training. He said that, in all honesty, he doubted she would be able to pass it, but he said the lessons and skills she would learn, and the self confidence she would gain during the training, would really help her develop. We are absolutely THRILLED with this idea. Imagine that, our little girl Queenie is going to school :)
Buster’s smile is brighter now that his teeth are clean.
Buster’s been with me for almost a month now. Much of my news on him isn’t remarkable in and of itself, but I hope anyone who’s been following this story will realize the wonderful milestones these events represent for Buster. First, a little medical news: Buster came through his recent dental cleaning and neuter with flying colors. He was still groggy from the anesthesia when I picked him up, but did me proud by trudging right up the ramp into the car. Good boy, Buster! See Blog post #23 for the backstory on how big a deal this is. ;-)
Buster likes the cool dirt under the deck.
As he’s figured out the household routine and become increasingly comfortable, it’s a joy to see normal doggie behaviors start to emerge. I first saw this when he started to recognize the sound of my car returning and would appear at the gate with the rest of the crew as I emerged from the garage, with his tail gently wagging. Then into the house through the doggie door to join the swirl of happiness that the pack is reunited! This joyful greeting when I return home is such a simple --- yet essential --- part of dog ownership for me. Has Buster ever gotten to participate in this before? Has a person been overjoyed to see him, too? I don’t know, and it hurts my heart to wonder….but I DO know the greeting ritual will be part of his routine from this day forward.
The Big Man likes to wrestle with young Chess
Buster has also started to play! I first encountered this as a bunch of thumping around behind me as I worked at the computer. Turning around, I was amazed and amused to see him “wrestling” with young Chester: shoving each other around with their shoulders, spinning to deliver a hip check, grinning (!), having a big ol’ time skittering around on the hardwood floor. Now, Chester is a big boy, too (90+ lbs), and has youth on his side, but he can’t yet take down the Big Man. ;-) They looked for all the world like a kid and a favorite uncle roughhousing on a weekend afternoon.
Outside, Buster’s play efforts are a bit clumsy, and could easily be interpreted by another dog as inappropriate/aggressive. But then how would you, as a mature adult, like to try to learn the rules of the playground? You probably wouldn’t find it very easy, either. Buster’s not at all interested in chasing a BALL, but he LOVES to chase another DOG chasing a ball. Of course, he’s not very fast, so watching this is much like watching a freight train gather speed and momentum. Imagine 100+ pound Buster lumbering toward you with a determined look on his face. Yikes! Chester sees this and decides to just keep on moving. ;-) Max ignored/evaded it for awhile, but then decided he wasn’t thrilled to have the big lug interfering in his game. So he screwed up his courage and gave Buster a stern correction! I held my breath, wondering what would happen next, and….Buster backed down, seeming to say “Oh. Well, pardon ME!” So, the lesson was learned, and we now know that Buster will both “get it” and “take it” when another dog points out his misbehavior.
Nothin’ like a good bone to chew on.
I bet I can make it through the doggie door with this…
Finally, Buster has also discovered the joy of a good bone. We’ve been having quite a conversation about whether bones should be enjoyed inside or outside, and we both have strong opinions on the matter. ;-) Although I prevail most of the time, his big maw can conceal a lot of things, so the bone does make it inside occasionally. He looks indignant when I take it away to toss it outside, but is too well-mannered to object.
Just hangin’ on the deck
So that’s what Buster’s been up to. Just happy living an unremarkable doggie life….
Most people who have followed this blog and the story of the
remarkable Fab Five know that we lost Buster shortly before Christmas 2011.
I’ve struggled over what I wanted to say in this final public post about him.
I’ve also struggled to choose just 
