Rags To Riches
Below are Rags-to-Riches Stories of a few Lucky Dogs that have found their "Forever Homes".....
Czar (Formerly know as Madar)...in his own words...
I have been with my new family about a year now. When I arrived here I found the house to be big and the yard bigger. I found a cat was already living here. I enjoyed chasing him around even though I got yelled at. It was worth it. When I was let out into the yard they would leash me to a small part of that big yard. So I would just snap that leash. What were they thinking? My new Momma would take me for walks in the neighborhood. I liked it. There aren't many houses, and I saw all those lovely places I could run. The food is really good and I get teats too! I was thinking I could get used to this. We would go for car rides and walks in the park and sometimes I was able to go shopping at PetSmart with her. I really liked that. I never ran on those trips.
Momma plays games with me in the yard. When she has that racket and those balls, I get to play! She bats the ball and I get to run as fast as I can to try and catch them. What fun! I have a pool to cool off in when I get too warm and if I get dirty she will hose me off. I like that too. It’s refreshing. I’m growing very fond of this home I couldn’t ask for more accept maybe to stay forever.
Then one day out of the blue there was this little girl dog just like me. She was looking for a home too. She is just a baby and needs to be looked after all the time. She has to sleep in the crate still. I love my new home and my new family, my new mama, papa, little sister and even the cat. I don’t run away any more I run into the house now.
From Czar’s new parents:
Czar has been with us for a year now. He has passed the Canine Good Citizen Test. We are also enjoying the Agility classes. He is such a smart special dog. We couldn’t help but get him a playmate. He is so sweet to the little girl. We are totally in love with this dog, both of us are proud to give this special boy a forever home and a forever family. We All Love Him.
Rosie's Story as Told by Amy....
Evan and I had just moved back to Central New York from Brooklyn, where we coudn't have a dog. When I started my new job in the Syracuse City Schools, I met a wonderful teacher who volunteered for GSRCNY and also adopted a dog herself. I could tell she really cared about this organization! She came to me one day in October last year and said "Amy, wouldn't you just love to take in a rescue dog that needs a home...maybe two?" I was so overwhelmed with my first year of teaching and sometimes it never feels like it's the right time to take on something new, but she told me the story of Rosie and Rex. These two wonderful dogs had been surrendered to GSRCNY because one of their owners had passed away in a car accident, leaving the mother and children to move to a smaller home where they could not keep their beloved Shepherds. After hearing their story and seeing the tears in her eyes, I thought I would ask if it was at all possible to meet them and see where it went (that's Amy code for "You had me at woof, I just need to make it look like I need to think about it). So, we filled out an application and met the dogs. Well, it turned out that they thought that Rosie might do better as an only dog (she liked to have her own space) and my little Honda barely fit her (she weighed over 90 lbs. at the time as it was obvious he had been WELL loved). So the very next day after meeting Rosie, we decided to foster her. As it turned out Rex found a home shortly after! When we took Rosie to the vet for her first check up, she was deemed overweight and diagnosed with Lyme Disease (she had come from a high Lyme area) and our commitment and love for her grew. We treated the Lyme, formally adopted her, and put her on a diet! Soon, this 6 year old lover girl was chasing after balls and running with other dogs at the dog park (when we met her she enjoyed lying down with the ball under her so no one could get it). She is now 7 years old, weighs 74 pounds, loves cuddling, long walks and swimming in nearby lakes. We can't imagine our lives without her! Thanks GSRCNY!
The Stories of Sackett and Maya are very inspirational. If you are at wits end with your rescue dog, read these stories. It's amazing what these two families did for these two dogs. Look what patience, persistence, and most of all love can do to change a life. Please enjoy these stories as much as we have!
Sackett (formerly known as Czar)
Sackett is doing well! He still has an excitement problem when he sees a dog on a walk. He is much better controlled but barks and voices a good bit at times. Many times he just gets a little excited and walks on. That's the only negative news. We have discovered that off the lead he is very social with other dogs. He has a girlfriend/ playmate that he sees several times a week. They will romp and play until they are so tired they cannot stand up. He walks with two very calm Bernise Mountain Dogs and with them he is calm and just trots along as they do. He meets new dogs without aggression. He is now quite a lover when he meets new adults. He may bark and tighten up but when given the command "make friends" he turns into quite a charmer. We have been using two children loaned to us by some friends to get him past the significant anxiety he would show with kids. He now will play ball with them and rolls on the ground while they pet and rub his belly. He is great in the house. He will wait at the steps until we are up or down and then follow. He was barking at night when crated and still does but for only 10 to 20 seconds. Then he sleeps through the night. His appetite is very good. His coat has been brushed and furminated by us on a regular basis and is smooth and healthy looking. He has completed one full obedience course but because he still gets wound up around dogs when on a leash, we are going to repeat the course, if only to have him around the other dogs. So that's it. I would say this is a true rescue success story. We are so happy we did this. We still have a way to go with his training. He is still a bit boneheaded and a real teenager. But he's our boneheaded teenager!!!
Maya (formerly known as Fiona)
Maya is now really flourishing. I have to be honest about those first few months, they were not easy. We knew her intentions were good, but she had zero skills; with people, or especially with other dogs. She was really hyper, nervous, anxious, etc. and it didn't seem to matter how much exercise we did -- she would stay revved-up and crazy. And it was very difficult to figure out how to control the absolute nuttiness she displayed, or get her to stay calm at all, outside of her kennel in the house.
For the first time in my life, I took a dog to obedience classes. Maya was so bad that we had to begin in private lessons -- she absolutely could not function around other dogs (and other dogs couldn't focus with her around!) With some patience and I'm not ashamed to say now, a few tears, Maya began to calm down. Not only did we learn to read all her nervous energy and signs, but I believe she began to trust that we knew what we were doing ... or at least that we were trying to do good by her! The more she got into the behavior exercises, the more she calmed down. We worked every possible angle with her: a backpack for working walks, quiet massages, obedience class, loooonnng walks practicing all her sits, "watch me's," stays, etc., hiking in the woods, and controlled play (because she could rip right up into a frenzy, the minute we would try to play tug-a-war, or even fetch!) Slowly, it all started coming together. The first time she sustained eye contact with me for a full minute in class, I stood there crying like a child!! She's been in regular obedience classes now for about 10 months and though her instinct is still to confront every dog she sees, she's learned that it's not allowed. Recently, she even "graduated" to agility classes -- something I've been dying to get her into, since it's just the kind of play that works for her; challenging her very smart GS brain, demanding control & concentration, while still feeding her happy, silly, playful self!
The one thing that sustained us, even when she was acting crazy and we didn't understand how/why it was happening, is that Maya is a very funny, loving girl. She didn't know how to show it at first (because sitting still was out of the question and she didn't understand that chewing human arms and feet was not OK!) Every time we would feel close to giving up on her, she would show us a hint of the beautiful dog we are beginning to see daily now. The cats still don't like her -- but that's not her fault! We tried off-leash a few times a couple months ago, when she really seemed to be understanding what was asked of her, but her wild side takes over without our guidance. OR, as her trainer says "Maya will still make the bad decision, if she's given the opportunity to make the decision." That's OK though, because we know it -- Maya knows that we know it and with time, we feel she will get it completely!
So -- we want to thank you for bringing Maya to us. Even though this is a family that has known German Shepherds forever, Maya was/is a very special challenge. It's important that people really understand how difficult some of these dogs can be. I think we were lucky, because we first fell in love with Maya and she gave us just enough hints about the dog she could be to keep us working with her, even though many days of those first couple months, it seemed that it might be hopeless. She has re-taught us a new kind of patience, the importance of calm, quiet time and how a surprising, silly gesture can make a whole day!
I hope your kennels are empty and all the dogs you've placed are healthy and happy!
A Rescue Tale.....
This is the story of Buddy and Roxie, but it starts with the story of Buddy and Blondie (Blondie is shown on the right).
In June 2007, our beloved German Shepherd Missy died, leaving a huge, aching hole in our hearts. Our house was just not a home without our dog. I remembered meeting Tami at our vet's office some time ago, and she told me about the GSRCNY. I had kept that in the back of my mind, and only a short time had passed since losing Missy when I called Tami and asked her to find us a new friend.
She introduced us to Blondie and Buddy (Buddy is shown on the left). Blondie was a beautiful, blonde girl. She was attentive and calm. She had the softest fur I had ever touched. As I looked into her intelligent, amber eyes, I knew she would be coming home with us. Buddy, on the other hand, was skinny, rather scruffy and a bit of a "spaz". Because he seemed so nervous, I worried that he might be a bit much to handle. We could not choose between them, so, we chose both! And, although I had my doubts, that just goes to prove that first impressions can sometimes fool you. Buddy sat on my lap all the way home. He became my shadow. He is the most obedient, loving gentleman anyone could hope for (my son Joe says that the only reason Buddy was so nervous that day was because he was afraid that we would NOT take him home with us!).
Blondie was every bit the loyal, intelligent, intuitive girl my Missy was. I cherish the time we were given with her. Sadly, she died unexpectedly in February 2009. But, that is how Roxie became part of our family! It must have been fate, because a day after Blondie died,Tami called to offer us a puppy that actually had been adopted by a family that was suddenly unable to take her because of a family emergency. I looked at the picture of this forlorn little puppy-girl, and looked at my poor dear Buddy, whose heart was broken over the loss of Blondie, and it was all I needed to call Tami and ask when we could meet Roxie (then "Sarah").
The rest is history. Roxie (shown on the right) brought fresh, new, puppy joy to our home, and pulled Buddy out of his depression. She is sweet, fun, nice and full of love.
People often ask me "How could you get another dog so soon after losing one that you loved so much?" My answer is, that no matter how badly your heart is broken, there is a new friend out there who really needs you. And, I truly feel that the very best way to honor a dog that was loved so much is to adopt another.
I will always be grateful to the wonderful, caring people at the GSRCNY for rescuing these wonderful dogs. I can't imagine life without them!
And there's another piece to this story....from Tami's side....
In March 2007, GSRCNY was asked to a Rochester Shelter to evaluate 32 dogs that had been seized by a backyard breeder. Several were young pups, easily adoptable at the shelter. I was immediately taken with Buddy and Blondie and requested that GSRCNY be allowed to pull them into our rescue program.
On that same day, we met Sandi, who is also Buddy's littermate. At the time she was 18-months old and had spent her entire life in a crate. She was literally "frozen" in the back of the kennel. Her lip was ripped open from fighting the catch pole, which was the only way animal control officers could get her into their van. I wasn't sure our group had the means to deal with this so I didn't ask that she be put on our list.
In May 2007, when the dogs were legally released for adoption and we returned to the shelter to pick up Buddy and Blondie, we found that no other rescue had committed to Sandi. My husband looked at me and said "we can't leave her behind"! So....we brought her into our pack of four other dogs and our work began. 
Sandi has been with us over two years now and although she is still a timid girl, she is very obedient, enjoys her pack, and lives life to the fullest. We call her the "border patrol" as every evening she insists on running the border of our property one last time to make sure all the rabbits are gone before she settles into bed. I had my doubts, but the Shepland Pack (shown on the right) would not be complete without Sandi who is fondly known as the "Brown Dog". So....this completes this rescue tale...
Moose's story...
In February of 2007, I lost my beloved German Shepherd, Meghan at 9 1/2 to cancer. My house was too quiet so I adopted two kittens. I named them Jeter and Rocket as I am a huge NY Yankees fan. Yes, they made a lot of noise and tore around the house but their loyalty was to each other.
On August 10, 2008—exactly 18 months after Meghan died, Tami Evans called me and said she had a dog that would get along with my two cats. Was I still interested? Tami and her husband, Chris, brought him to my house to see how he acted with the cats. He was a perfect gentleman. He was housebroken, crate trained, knew his basic commands and walked well on a leash. I had to have a Yankee name for him too, so I named him Moose after my favorite pitcher, Mike Mussina.
This poor boy was found wandering around Rochester at about 6 months old. Eventually, he wound up at Shelter where he was in danger of being euthanized due to his shyness. A worker there, Leslie, there took him home and called Tami to see if she knew anyone who might like to adopt him. I am so thankful to Leslie and Tami. He is a perfect dog. He loves little children and all other animals. He loves to play with my cats. Moose only barks about once every 2 or 3 weeks. He is still very shy around some adults but has never shown any aggression. The most important part to me is that he loves me and is so loyal. I am so thankful to GSRCNY for placing Moose with me that I decided I wanted to volunteer with the rescue. Thank you to all who had a part in matching Moose with me. I feel that I am the one that went from Rags to Riches.
Note from GSRCNY: Moose's Mom has become a wonderful volunteer and Moose has become a mascot for our fundraising functions. GSRCNY won too!!! Thank you Martha and Moose for all your help and support!
Rascal's story....
After losing our beloved German Shepherd last September, our family of five was heartbroken. We decided to wait until spring and warm weather to even think about another dog. However, our dog void was overwhelming, our house was way too clean and our two cats were taking over. After secretly reading the dog ads in the classifieds for several weeks, we started to wonder out loud what would be best for our family- a puppy? an older dog? a rescue? We even wondered about different breeds! One very cold, very snowy day in early January we decided to "just look" at the GSRCNY site! The next day we"just looked" again and there were three fuzzy, tan and black, adorable twelve-week-old Shepherd mix puppies! We immediately filled out an adoption application and were soon invited to see them in person. Rascal came home with us that night and the world was right again!
Rascal is smart, cute, funny, hairy and hasn't met a person or dog he doesn't like. He also loves to play with cats (more than they do) and pick his own wild blackberries off the canes when out for his daily hikes. We love him and have recommended GSRCNY to our family and friends. We now have another GSRCNY puppy in our extended family.
Schultz's story, told by his "Mom".....
We lost our family dog about 5 years ago and decided to wait for awhile before we ventured into having another pet. Then all of a sudden all the kids had moved out and we were left with an empty nest. So now we could do anything we wanted anytime we wanted... But yeah something was missing - enter the German Shepherd Rescue. After watching Animal Planet’s “Animal Cops” we always thought that taking in a rescue would be very fulfilling. Well when we took one look at the picture on the GSRCNY internet site and we were hooked.
Shultz became our new member of our home and we couldn’t have picked a better companion. We started out with the GSR obedience class with 4 of his brothers and we learned that he was a quick learner and very intelligent. He now does everything with us and looks forward to taking rides in the car which at one point was his biggest fear. He absolutely just loves everyone he comes in contact with as well as everyone falls in love with him. Our grandchildren adore him and he plays just like he’s one of the kids even though he’s grown to 75 pounds. He is so playful with them but is like a gentle giant around them.
We couldn’t thank the German Shepherd Rescue enough to bring such happiness into our lives and the lives of our whole family. We look forward to the advanced obedience class...
Radar's story, told by his "Mom"......
Sky & Kylie....
We adopted Skylar in 2007 from GSRCNY after one of our dogs died, and at the time she made our family complete. After less than two years, it was Sky who was left behind by her big sister--another GSD. A very important part of her life was gone and she needed a canine companion.
We looked to the rescue's website--there were some pups from a high kill shelter and we arranged to meet "Kylie" (alias Savannah). Kylie was small and the vet said she wouldn't get much bigger so we were a little worried that she wouldn't be able to keep up and worse, might always be prone to getting hurt alongside a young, energetic, typical GSD. Kylie soon showed all of us that she was all the pup any of us could ever handle--boundless energy, with incredible speed and agility, and a forever "all out" attitude. It is Sky who is most likely to get hurt, not "the little one" They love each other. We have two crates, two dog beds--but Kylie wants to be touching Sky, so that is what she does when they are not chasing each other. She slid right into our family--another friend to the end.
Bizmark-Read Bizmark's Story in His Own Words by Clicking Here
Here is Bizmark when he first arrived at GSRCNY in 2007. He was a 90 pound bouncing pup who had absolutely no manners!
Pictured here is Bizmark now! See what time, commitment, and love can do for a dog?? His owner never gave up on him, and now he has a loyal, loving dog that everyone enjoys!
The latest addition to the Arnold Pack....Meet Kai....
(she's on the right in the picture)!
Last August, our friend, Tami Evans [GSRCNY], asked my wife and me if we would consider fostering a recent arrival named Jazzy. Tami worries about how some dogs will do in a kennel and Jazzy had caught her eye as a dog that might do better in a foster dog setting.
So, it was Sunday, August 24th, 2008 when I met Tami and picked up “Jazzy”. She came home to meet and become a foster part of the pack comprised of Freya, Maximus and Brio. She was a little thing – still is. She was variously estimated to be 1 year or 2 years of age – who knows?
From the first, it was her eyes. They rather bugged out of her head. Her little hips were pointed and had no extra muscle, and her ribs were visible. It did not take a week to fully fall for her, and on September 12th, Tami let us adopt.
Just what we needed: a fourth GSD but she fit into the pack without problem, and the older dogs seemed to sense she needed to be with them, at least, that is what I choose to believe. She is littler than the other dogs but she has the GSD heart that overcomes size with attitude. Some times, she acts as though she is as big as Max, who is about 40 pounds bigger.
We changed her name from Jazzy to Kai, for Natasha Kai, a particularly enthusiastic player on the US Women’s Soccer team. Her name means, in Hawaiian, ‘the sea,’ and coincidentally, Ms. Kai is from Hawaii.
Kai was licensed on September 22nd and I told the clerk that no one really knew how old she was, so we decided that day would be the first anniversary of her birthday.
Kai is our shadow, our lap dog, our prancer… She was a missing piece in our ‘dog’ puzzle. The four dogs play, share, and sleep together. There is balance and harmony. So, now there are four in the pack. Two are from kennels, and two are from German Shepherd Rescue of Central New York.
I am going to pause from typing this to reach down and pet her head. Feels good. Feels right. Thank’s Tami.
Dan, Peg, Sheba and Jagd....from Peg's Perspective!
January 2008 was the first anniversary of our adoption of Sheba. Although we had kept in continual contact with Tami at GSRCNY over the past 12 months, we wanted them to see how beautiful and well-behaved Sheba was with her new family.
We emailed Tami regarding a beautiful female we had seen on the website named Sasha, thinking maybe Sheba should have a friend. Tami explained that it may not be a good idea to place two girls together, especially since Sheba was already the queen of her household. But, she did tell us about a new young boy named "Hogan" that had just arrived at rescue. He was a stray that had been picked up by an area dog warden.
I fell in love with him IMMEDIATELY. Although we both loved Sheba, she had her eyes set on Dan and she had quickly become "his" dog. I could tell in his eyes that I had found my boy in Hogan!
The two dogs played like puppies during their first meet and greet and we decided on the spot that "Hogan" had found his forever home!
We renamed him Jagd and he took to it like it had always been his name. We now have a crazy Shepherd household. It's almost Jagd's one-year anniversary with us, and we can't even remember how it had been with only one dog! We visit our local park almost every day and often run into another pair of crazy Shepherd people who also have two dogs each. As we pass each other, we always say, "it's German Shepherd Day at the Park"!!
Thank you Tami and GSRCNY. We love our two kids...they definitely filled our empty nest with life!
The story of "Red" now known as "Rex"....from a Rescue Point of View....
In January 2008, we were called to an area Shelter to "rescue" a three-year old German Shepherd that had been found running. His owner turned up, but decided that she no longer wanted a dog. When we arrived at the shelter, we met "Red"....a skunky smelling, sorta unkept boy. We were told that he liked women better than men, he chased wildlife and cats, had always been chained outside, and didn't like to ride in cars! It took three of us to get him into our van!
After a few days, it became obvious that Red never really had a structured life, nor any rules. He was smart and ready to take control. I personally wasn't sure he'd ever be suitable for placement. But one day, when he was acting like a wise guy, I finally got him into a down position and just gently "sat" on him! After that, he was a new dog! One that was ready to engage and learn and live!
A few months later, a wonderful gentlemen named "Craig" arrived to meet Red. He took him home, cleaned him up some more and just let him prove himself over and over. Today, Red, now named Rex, is living in a house...YES a house with two other dogs. I wasn't sure he'd ever be a house dog, but he proved me wrong! Rex is pictured here (on the left) with one of his canine companions, Harley (right). Craig recently told me that this is the "dog of his dreams, the one he always wanted". It just goes to prove that there are a lot of diamonds in the rough! Rex, my buddy, YOU taught this rescue person more than you realize! Have a wonderful life!
A Happy Ending for "Gunnar" now known as "Ranger" 
Gunnar was dumped off and fortunately found by a lovely couple that held him at their home until his "time was up" with the dog warden and he bacame "their dog". Unfortunately, they already had two dogs and one that was not fond of Gunnar, so they took care of his basic veterinary care and asked us to help him find a home. Soon after we had him neutered a lovely couple applied for a dog. They had a 12-year old German Shepherd that was beginning to fail and wanted a companion not only for their beloved dog Simba, but for them, as they knew Simba didn't have much longer to live.
Gunnar went home with this couple, who named him Ranger, and a few months after they lost their beloved Simba, but after celebrating their first Christmas together, they recently sent us this picture with these words:
"We never thought we could love a dog as much as we loved our Simba, but we think we love Ranger even more! He is such a lover! We have so much fun with him, he loves to snow shoe and go for long walks. He has been a great dog for us. Thank you for giving us such a gift. We hope you have a great 2009!"
Ranger is shown in the picture above with his new Mom!
Greg and Sharon tell the Love Story of "Tyson & Lucy"
A couple of years ago we lost our canine companion and best friend "Bum". After a few months of being without a dog, things became way too quiet around the house. So we contacted GSRCNY and were lucky enough to be adopted by Tyson. This guy had as much energy as three dogs, but his loyalty and affection outweighed his enthusiasm and he quickly became a family member.
Soon after it became apparent that Tyson needed a pal, so once again we contacted GSRCNY, and Tami was on the lookout for a sister for him. Then came Lucy, what a sweetheart. She and Tyson quickly became best friends, and it is as if they had been together from the beginning.
Thank you Tami and GSRCNY for finding us the best dogs ever!!
Mattie
Hi! My name is Mattie. Last year at this time (March 2007), Tami & Tracey, two GSRCNY volunteers, were part of a transport team that transported me from an out-of-state shelter to GSRCNY. Unknown to them at the time, I had the beginning stages of Parvo! I became very sick. GSRCNY saved my life by getting me the necessary medical treatment. My "Mom" picked me up from the vet hospital and with the help of my dad, sisters, brothers, and cousins, I am a healthy 18 month old girl.
My Mom & Dad walk my German Shepherd brother, Rex, and I just about every day. Rex and I play in our fenced-in backyard, and when I torment him too much, he puts me in my place. My sister, Sammy the cat, runs around the house until I chase her and get in trouble.
Thank you GSRCNY for saving my life and finding me a forever home where I add happiness and joy every single day, even when I am bad! Life is good for me now!
Bill and "Nicky"
Nicky's story started years before I met her. A friend and co-worker's wife who volunteers and helps rescued pets called me one Saturday years ago and told me about a seven-year old female German Shepherd who was having a pretty rough time because her owner just died. She asked if I would be interested. Well, it turned out that she was not only a wonderfully good natured dog, but a smart and well trained one too! Unfortunately, we had only two years together. She was my first German Shepherd dog, and I knew that if I was to have another dog, it would be a Shepherd.
Shortly after she died, I asked this same friend's wife to let me know if she knew of a German Shepherd in need. As it turned out, she knew about a local organization, German Shepherd Rescue of Central New York (GSRCNY). Within minutes, we found the website and I started filling out the adoption application after finding Nicky's picture!
Nicky had been rescued from a backyard breeder. She was very thin and had been tied to a tree in the backyard all alone for a very long time! GSRCNY took her and 23 other dogs into their custody where they were completely vetted and properly fed. Nicky had just started obedience classes with the volunteers of GSRCNY when I first met her. I knew by the time the class was over that Nicky was worth a try.
Nicky is incredibly beautiful, loving, and intelligent. She is now giving back to the community by participating in the "CUSE CANINES" picture posters to benefit the "United Way". Nicky has brought an enormous amount of joy into my life and is also helping others. Thank you GSRCNY. I am the lucky dog!
Tami, Chris, and "Gazi" (pronounced Jazzy)
Does anyone remember this tiny pup? She was the wee pup that also came from the same backyard breeder as Nicky. This pup weighed 1.2 pounds at four weeks old and came to GSRCNY with her mother "Jasmine" and seven littermates. At this point in my rescue career, we had never had this many dogs at once, muchless three litters of sick puppies. After endless hours of special feedings and medications, we were lucky enough to only lose one of the eight pups. We really did not expect this wee girl to make it, but she had a spirit like I'd never seen in a pup. 
At eight weeks old and coined the "miracle girl", she weighed three pounds. The rest of the litter was big enough to be placed in homes, but the vet advised us to wait until this one was bigger.
Not wanting to leave her alone at the kennel, my husband and I decided to "foster" her until she was bigger. As it turned out, however, we couldn't let this one go. 
In October of 2006, she joined our "pack" that already included Greta, Griffin, and Grace. It only seemed right that she have a name that began with a "G", but she was so much like her Mom! So, we turned Jasmine into "Gazi" with a "G"! This girl now weighs 71 pounds and is still as much of a spitfire as she was at 1.2 pounds! She truly is our miracle pup!!
Sandi, another rescue, and a story for another time, joined Gazi and the "Shepland" pack in May 2007. 
The Story of Lexi.....
This is the story of Lexi and how she "saved" her Mom's life:
"Five years ago I was nearly killed by a crazed ex-husband while I was living in another state. I moved back to my home state of New York trying to forget the whole experience and get my life back. The man was put in prison for a very long time, but the nightmares and sleepless nights continued. With only my teenage daughter living me and getting ready to move out, I knew there was never another thought other then getting a German shepherd. I looked in the newspaper and decided I didn't want a puppy, I wanted to feel secure right away. I went to see Pat De Chick. Pat showed me all the dogs she had available, but excluded the most beautiful Shepherd I had ever seen, "Lexi" (known at the rescue as "Sexy Lexi"). See Pat had Lexi for over a year because no one wanted the expense of a long term medical condition. Pat took Lexi out of the kennel, I played with her and instantly feel in love with her. I came back the next day to pick her up, That night I had my first night's sleep in a long time.
Two years later, I have since bought Lexi a little brother (Dylan, shown in his chair) because she really didn't get along very well with other dogs. Although, Lexi has a leather chair to sleep in every night she sleeps on a rug next to my bed, and Dylan sleeps in the hall way out side my bedroom. Neither one of these dogs have received and formal protection training, it is all just one of the many fine qualities of a German shepherd.
When I have nightmares now I wake to a beautiful German shepherd, that someone threw away.
Pete, Meghan, and "Autumn"
Last February we went to the German Shepherd Rescue hoping to find a dog that we would be a good match for us. The very first dog that was introduced to us was Autumn. From what we heard at the Rescue, Autumn had been there for several months and had been at an area shelter before that. She had apparently been found wandering the streets and no one seemed to be looking for her.
After taking her for a walk, we could see that she was a very good dog but very shy around us. We went home that night and talked about all the dogs we had met that day and we kept talking about how Autumn was just so perfect for us. We called Tami the next day and asked when we could come back to see her. We went back that day to play with her a little more and in just a few short minutes, we knew that we wanted her to come home with us. As luck would have it, Autumn became a member of our family that very same day....and our lives haven't been the same since!
Autumn has been part of our family for nearly a year now and in that time she has really showed us her true self. She is a very good listener, smart, sweet to everyone she meets (human and dog alike), good with children (which is good because she is going to be a big sister in June), and she is even a fantastic little singer.
We never knew how much a person could love a dog until Autumn became part of our family. We couldn't imagine our lives with out her and wouldn't want to!
Thanks to everyone at the Rescue for taking such good care of her and for allowing her to be a part of our family!
Dennis, Nancy, and "Goliath"
After sharing our lives with 2 wonderful dogs, a German Shepherd and a West Highland Terrier, who both lived long lives – 14 and 16 years respectively, we officially became empty nesters (except for 3 cats) with our youngest child leaving for college.
For a short time, I was determined not to get another dog. However, there was definitely a void coming into the house without a dog to greet us. A wonderful person at our vet’s office told us about a GSD that was in need of a permanent home. My husband made the contact, and we met Goliath. It was love at first sight. Despite the cruelty that this wonderful dog endured during the first 3 years of his life, he is incredibly sweet and lovable. Goliath is so well mannered in the house, and is loving the freedom of running and playing in our large fenced in yard. Goliath has adjusted so well, but “we” consider ourselves the lucky ones. We’ve only had Goliath for about a month, but he has already accompanied us on many excursions, such as checking out our house at the Jersey shore – he loved walking on the beach, but was a little wary of the water as he hesitantly got his feet wet. Goliath is so adaptable and our entire family adores him.
We just started obedience classes as he does need socialization (he barks at other dogs), and we are working on getting him used to our cats. He did “pretty well” at his first class, and with consistent work he should be fine.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share our lives with Goliath!
"Brio" and the Arnold Pack
Brio [formerly known as Kleo von der Konigsgarde] became a member of the Arnold pack on June 14, 2005. She was 11 months old, born on July 7th, 2004, in Bad Vilbel, Germany. In the accompanying picture she is the one in the middle, between Maximus on the left, and Freya on the right.
A friend and supporter of German Shepherd Rescue of CNY came knocking on my door one morning at about 9 o'clock. She carried a picture of a young GSD that had been surrendered to the rescue, and she was actively trying to find someone to adopt the dog. She caught me at a weak moment, and for some reason I decided that I should meet Brio.
Brio was lively and exuberant, and not a little independent, and I was hooked at first sight. Pat DeChick and I talked dogs for a long time that day. She found out I had two GSDs at home, and she probably thought I was crazy for considering another dog. I made the pitch for taking Kleo home with me, and Pat approved it.
I am grateful for my friend's morning visit, the conversation with Pat, and the addition of Kleo to the pack. And I'm
grateful my wife immediately bonded with the new member of the family.
Brio, as she is now known, is a member of the family. She is energetic and alive, and that vibrant personality is one of the reasons I changed her working name to Brio. She is an equal member of a pack populated by Maximus and Freya, and as I'm typing this she is asleep at my feet. What a good and loyal friend.
Through Brio we met a new friend. Dogs are like that. They can bring people together, and they can bring contentment at the end of a trouble filled day.
Brio passed her AKC Canine Good Citizen test, and her preliminary Sunshine Friends evaluation, and is in the qualifying stage of becoming a therapy dog. We look forward to her bringing happiness to others as she has brought happiness to our family. It can be a good thing to have a friend that visits early in the morning.