Austin German Shepherd Rescue Newsletter

Transcription

1 F A L L E D I T I O N Austin German Shepherd Rescue Newsletter Inside this Issue: Fall in Love with Our Dogs 2 Dogtoberfest... 3 Did you know?... 3 Fall in Love with Our Dogs! October has ended, and we had FIVE adoptions for the month: Lilly, Millie (now Mollie), Noah, Hank, and Leia have all found Forever Homes! Now that it s November, we hope to exceed that number and find more homes for more dogs! Some of our newest arrivals include PJ, Rueger, Cheyenne, Apollo, and Jesse. However, there are still many dogs we ve had for a while that need homes, as well! Continue reading on the next page How You Can Help.. 4 Happy Tails 5 Reducing Stress for Pets During the Holidays.. 6 Finding Peace when a Pet Dies Calendars.. 8 Volunteers Needed 8 Save the Date! PetSense Meet & Greet November 20th Round Rock Premium Outlets 2:00-4:00 PM Round Rock, TX Gift Wrapping at Macys November 19th Macys at the Domain 10:00-2:00 PM 1701 North MoPac Expwy Austin, TX

2 Fall in Love with Our Dogs! Are you looking for a new addition to your family? AGSD has so many great dogs waiting to spend Christmas with a family in a new forever home! Pheonix Phoenix is a sweet girl who would make a great addition to any family. She loves to be petted and would make a great running partner! Lucky Lucky is a happy and loving boy! He loves to be pet, hugged, and to play. He is housebroken and crate trained. Lola Lola is a calm, sweet girl who has a lot of love to give. She listens well to commands and loves to be with her humans. Kain Kain is a young, energetic dog with the cutest little mohawk, you have to see it to believe it! Kain has a lot of energy and loves to go for walks, but at the end of the day he just wants to snuggle with his humans. The list goes on and on! All of our dogs are looking for that special family to call their own. If you or someone you know is interested in adopting one of our many loveable dogs, please read through our adoption process on agsdr.org. The best Christmas present you could give to one of these dogs is to give them a forever home this holiday season! 2

3 Dogtoberfest 2011 This year s Dogtoberfest was a smash hit! We would like to thank all the volunteers, and dogs, who came out to make this such a successful event. We sold twenty-five calendars, and made $525 is sales and donations! That s tremendous! Several people also expressed interest in wanting to foster, and some were interested in adoption, too! Everyone involved should be extremely proud! German Shepherds are the third most popular breed of dog in the U.S. DID YOU KNOW Rin-Tin-Tin, the famous GSD, made 26 movies in his lifetime. German Shepherds are also the third most intelligent breed of dog in the world! German Shepherds have three types of coats: normal-stock, long-stock, and long-haired. 3

4 How You Can Help Help by Shopping! Not only is volunteering or adopting a big part of helping out our dogs for AGSDR, but you can also help by shopping! By using GoodSearch.com, USBones.com, shopping at Randall s, and donating household items, you can help in tremendous ways. GoodSearch.Com and USBones.Com GoodSearch.com is a website that gives money to your charity or school of choice when you shop online. All you have to do is choose Austin German Shepherd Rescue, and they will donate money while you shop! USBones.com is a website that does fundraising for animal shelters and rescue groups. When you buy their products online, 25% of your purchase goes back to AGSDR! Shop at Randalls If you regularly shop at Randall s, then you should definitely get a Randall s Remarkable Card and update it with AGSDR s number. Every time you use your card, 1% of your grocery purchases will go to AGSDR. Click on the News and Events link on the AGSDR website for more information! Other Ways to Help out A common way anyone can help our organization that might be overlooked is that we are always in need of donated household items. We always welcome donated items such as crates, blankets, chew toys, food, leashes, etc. You can even donate your old electronics to help out! AGSDR recycles items such as cell phones, ink jet cartridges, digital cameras, and more! For more information on items to donate, click on the Support Us link on our website. All of the above information can be found directly on the website, so please help our dogs! A little help goes a long way! 4

5 Happy Tails Axl s Story My name is Axl and I m a 1 ½ year old German Shepherd. After being under the care of my foster mom, Anne, and the good folks at AGSR, I went to join my forever family, the Raymonds, in Kyle. Holly and Jeff are the mom and dad, and they have three kids, Madalyn, Beck, and Bristol that play with me all the time. seemed like forever. Jeff still takes me on runs, but he just doesn t take me quite as far so I don t get worn out. One of the other really great things I was able to do was be a star in the Pet Parade at Bristol and Beck s school. I was a really good boy and enjoyed all the kids and teachers petting me. It was a pretty big adjustment for the Raymonds and for me at the beginning while we got to know each other. I already knew how to sit and lay down and am really good about my favorite sleeping spot, my crate. But I tend to get really excited when visitors come, so I often try to jump up and give them a hug which I m learning is not the best idea. I also like to pick up things off the coffee table or chairs sometimes and carry them to my crate. The good thing is that I m getting better all the time (and so are the Raymonds). They even got me a private trainer to come to the house to help me with these things and to learn how to communicate with me in a way I understand. I m really happy here at my forever home. I know that Raymond s see it as a really big responsibility and that I sometimes get in a little trouble, but the reward of having a great companion like me is worth it, right? And the reward for me of having a great forever family like them is fantastic. Thanks AGSR and Anne for taking me in and for finding me a great home and family to be with. One of my favorite things to do is to go on runs with Jeff. We run on the trails at the golf course behind our house and I see bunny rabbits that I want to chase oh so bad. After one pretty long run I was really tired, so I laid in front of the fire place for what 5

6 Reducing Stress for Pets During the Holidays We want our dogs to share in all the special times in our lives, including the holidays. However, our dogs may not be able to appreciate or understand the strange people, noises, things and goings-on associated with holiday celebrations. Here are some tips from the American Kennel Club to keep your dog safe and happy during the upcoming holiday season. Reliving Stress Dangerous Foods and Plants Stick as closely as possible to your normal routine. Try not to vary your dog's feeding, walking, and playtime schedule. Remember to play with your dog. Don't give your dog scraps from the table. Turkey is very rich and may cause an upset stomach- and extra trips outside- for your dog If you host a party, remember that some guests may be uncomfortable around dogs, and your dog also be uncomfortable around a unfamiliar people. If you choose to keep your dog out of his crate, keep him by your side to keep him from getting into trouble with other guests. No matter how fun the party gets, never ever give your dog alcohol. Turkey bones can pose a choking hazard for dogs. Do not give turkey bones to your dog. Keep an eye on the holiday table and secure leftovers and garbage to prevent your dog from access to dangerous holiday foods. Holly, mistletoe and poinsettia plants are poisonous to dogs. Make sure they are kept in places your dog cannot reach. Tell The Guests, and Especially children, the Rules for Your Pet: what rooms they are or are not allowed, not to feed the pet scraps (if ten guests feed a dog two scraps each, you could have a very sick dog!). Outdoor Safety Rock salt, used to melt ice on sidewalks, may irritate footpads so be sure to rinse and dry your dog's feet after a walk. Petroleum jelly may soften the pads on a dog's feet to prevent further cracking. To prevent frostbite on your dog's ears, tail and feet, don't leave your dog outdoors for too long. Like people, dogs seem to be more susceptible to illness in the winter. Take your dog to the vet as soon as possible if you think your dog might be sick. 6

7 Going Home: Finding Peace When a Pet Dies An excerpt from the book Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die by Jon Katz Dear Friend, It is my time to say goodbye. My legs are weakening, my sight failing, smells are faint. My spirit is fading, and I have been called home and away from you. Although I have been called away, I leave you with memories of our life together. I remember a cold winter's night when you sang to me in the dark as the wind howled and snow drifted outside the window. I felt your loneliness and you my worth. I never tired of watching you, of being with you while you lived your life. I supported your life wherever it went, whatever you felt, whatever you did. I was your witness, your testament. I remember walking in the snow and running along side you and chasing after balls, frisbees, sticks, and sitting by you when you read books or watched baseball games. I remember my heart jumping out of my chest when you came home, called my name, or grabbed a ball, or took me outside, or fed me. I hope you know that I loved all of those things. Whatever you chose to bring me and give me, whatever time you spent with me, I loved. And I thank you. By now you must know that there is always a goodbye hovering in the shadow of a dog. We are never here for long -- or for long enough. We were never meant to share your life, only to mark its passages. We come and we go; we come when we are needed, we leave when it is time. Death is necessary it defines life. I will see you again, I will watch over you. I hope in your grief and loneliness that you will consider how sad it would have been had we not had this time together, not had the chance to give each other so much. I do not mourn or grieve, but I will miss standing beside you, bound together on our walk through life, even as I know there is a long line of others waiting to take my place and stand with you. Thank you, it was nothing but a gift. Finally, I ask these things of you: remember me, celebrate me, grieve for me, and then when you can, let me go freely and in peace. And when you are ready, do me the great favor of bringing another animal into your life so you can give and receive this gift again. 7

8 2012 Calendars on Sale Now! If you loved the 2011 edition of our calendar, then you ll definitely want a copy of the 2012 edition! With more than 45 photos of beautiful dogs, The Expressive GSD is ready to be ordered today! Calendars are $15 plus shipping if you order from agsdr.org, or you can get two copies for $25 at any AGSDR event! Thanks to all the AGSDR volunteers and dog lovers from around the world for taking these wonderful pictures so that we could make another great calendar! Last year s calendar sold out completely, and we have already sold 60% of them, so make sure to order yours today! This is also a great stocking stuffer for fellow German Shepherd lovers for the upcoming holiday season. Gift Wrappers Needed! On November 19 th, we will be in need of gift wrappers at Macy's at the Domain. AGSD Rescue will be there from 10-2, and we will also be bringing a dog or two as well. Although our December dates for giftwrapping are not confirmed yet, we will be in need of gift-wrapping volunteers to wrap and take donations at Macy's in the Domain throughout December, including Christmas Eve. If you are interested in helping out this holiday season and giftwrapping, please amiebojamie@yahoo.com to volunteer! Austin German Shepherd Rescue