“Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen” ~ Orhan Pamuk

Foster Homes Needed

In order for us to help save more dogs we need people like you to open up your home and foster one of our dogs until their family comes. A foster home provides a safe and temporary home for dogs while we search for their permanent home. Please click on the Fostering Guidelines for more information about our foster program. Some of our dogs come to us with behavioral issues, so we have found that previous experience with German Shepherds is helpful. If you have the desire and the interest, but are not familiar with German Shepherds, we ask that you fill out the application. Regardless of your experience with this particular breed, our dogs need good foster homes. We hope to soon have a program available to educate future foster and adoptive parents about the breed and provide training tips.

We want to thank you for your interest in helping GSROR by opening up your homes, families, and hearts to help a dog in need. Rescues would not exist if not for the thoughtful time and generosity of foster parents.

Mission Statement

German Shepherd Rescue of the Rockies (GSROR) serves the public as a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue of homeless and abandoned German Shepherd Dogs (GSD). While providing loving, temporary homes for our dogs in rescue we get them vetted and spend time getting to know them personally so we can place them in the home that best fits their needs. Our goal of German Shepherd Rescue of the Rockies is to find well-matched, carefully-screened, permanent homes and families for each dog. As a community resource, we provide nutrition information, referrals, education, training tips and other services.

WoofTrax

GSROR has joined the Walk for A Dog Program at www.WoofTrax.com

To supporrt GSROR go to www.WoofTrax.com and download the app. Instructions for using the app are also located there. There are apps available for both Android and iPhone.

Brian’s Bite-sized Behavior Bits – January 2018
Look What’s New!

Click here to see all of Brian’s Bite-sized Behavior Bits

I thought it might be appropriate to start the New Year off with a discussion about helping dogs with “new” things. For some dogs, novelty is something they thrive off of, and they tend to get overly-excited and rambunctious. For others, novelty throws them off and freaks them out. Below are some quick tips for addressing some new situations in ways that set your pooch up for success.

• Anytime you move residences, make sure that you walk your dog around the new neighborhood for a long time before entering the interior space (even if they’ve “visited” the new place already, move-in day is a different matter). Just trust me here. You’ll save yourself all kinds of trouble and avoid the bad behaviors that accompany moves when people just pull in the garage, open the car door, and let the dog run inside and gallivant about.
• Anytime you get a new dog, but especially with puppies, be prepared to throw “hot dog parties” during their first couple thunderstorms. If your dog’s first experiences with booms of thunder are immediately followed by an ecstatic owner who starts dishing out pieces of hot dogs, you can pre-condition them to like thunder, or at least not be as freaked out by it. The idea here is to get your dog to think that thunder makes you become a whole lot more fun and unbelievably generous with treats. You can use this same process for fireworks and other generally “scary” situations.
• If you are welcoming a new baby into your family, some in-depth prep-work with a canine professional is probably in order. That being said, there are some simple things you can do to help create a successful transition for your dog and your new arrival. Make sure your pup is exposed to baby noises, baby smells, baby strollers, and the like. The more your dog is used to the sights, sounds, and scents they’re likely to encounter when you bring your new bundle of joy home, the smoother things are likely to go.
• If you are getting another dog, it’s best if your current dog meets him/her on neutral territory (i.e. not in the living room or back yard). Use a friend’s yard, or even a dog park or your dog’s regular daycare center for their first encounter. Things tend to go better when dogs meet on neutral space, and then walk back to the home as a pack, rather than meeting face-to-face in the home.
• If you are switching your dog over to a new diet/food, for the love of Moses, make sure you do it gradually over the course of a week to 10 days. You can do it overnight, but you’ll need to make sure that you have brown floors in your home (this way they won’t change color when all’s said and done and your dog’s digestive system finishes leaving its “mark” on your home).
• And with each new day, let your dog’s zest for life, unquenchable curiosity, and the joy your dog brings to every single day inspire you to give yourself the gift of unbridled joy, and a love of life, even through all of its fascinating twists and turns.

Happy training… and Happy New Year!

Content Copyrighted 2018. Brian Bergford. All Rights Reserved.