100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 89 - Such a Floozy

Day 89 of our 100 Days series sees and Tia's Pupdate is a little late on being posted so to prevent a bottom-biting, she can also provide our New Year's Eve entertainment. No matter what you have planned for this evening we hope that you enjoy a good start to the New Year - take care and be safe!

And now let's discover Tia's latest shenanigans :-)

Hello everypawdy! Tia here with a quick pupdate. It appears I’m having another one of those season things again. I quite like it because all the boys want to be my friend.   Rodney and Bruce don’t even want to go out for their walks as they don’t want to leave me.   

When I go out for my walk I go and see Charlie. The hooman says I’m a floozy because I push my backside up to his kennel. It makes Charlie happy though so I guess that's what she means. 

Naturally, I am still being good and helping the hooman whenever I can although she never appreciates it. Apparently, we will be getting presents for Christmas so I am excited to see what I get. The hooman says there are lots of dogs that won’t get presents at Christmas which is very sad. I’m hoping that Santa will bring them a new home.  I’m off to see Charlie now to be a floozy.  Love Tia xxx

Can you help provide a loving home for one of our dogs and give the ultimate gift for the New Year?

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 88 - Farewell to Roxy

For Day 88 in our 100 Days with 100 Dogs journey, we say a fond farewell to the lovely Roxy. There's definitely no better feeling than when one of the dogs finds a lovely home.

We're pleased to see that Roxy is already making herself comfy! We'd like to thank her new parents for offering a loving home and wish them all the best for the future.

Could you give such an amazing gift to one of our other dogs seeking their forever home?

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 87 - Thanks for the doggy pressies

Day 87 of our 100 Day journey is one of heartfelt thanks. On behalf of all the dogs in our care, we'd like to thank everyone for their generous donations which meant they all received a Christmas gift. As you can see from just a few we recorded they were gratefully received and as always we're humbled by everyone's generosity - thank you so much!

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 86 - Dog Rescue in Crisis

We've reached Day 86 on our 100 Days with 100 Dogs journey and as it's Boxing Day we wanted to take a step back and examine our current status. It's a bit of a lengthy post, but will aid the digestion of any large meals you may have eaten over the last day or two!

As a charity, our primary mission is to rescue German Shepherds across the mainland UK. To perform this mission we have three supporting pillars:

1. Rescue GSDs and place them in safe environments, temporarily at first but ultimately in adopted homes. If that isn't possible then they are kept in our permanent care as long as they are able to enjoy a fulfilling life. This often involves rehabilitation work to help them recover from whatever trauma they have been rescued from.
2. Fundraising activities and awareness activities to find suitable homes and pay for our mission. We are not supported in any way by government funds and are completely reliant on public donations.
3. Education and awareness. Dogs are complex creatures. They have their own personalities and physiologies. Whilst the level of research is far lower than for humans there has still been significant progress in recent years. And we want to ensure that this up-to-date knowledge is available.

In an ideal world, there would be no need for our services although even if people looked after their pets correctly circumstances can change and some form of safety net will always be needed. Whilst it would be lovely to assume that the government could provide such a system it would be naive to assume that they will do so - especially when potential existential threats to the human population are taken into account.

As many of you are aware the past few years have presented challenges to the point where we are teetering on the edge of what we can do. We are not alone in this situation and even much larger organisations are reporting issues handling the influx of dogs needing rescue. It's easy to look at the pandemic and other major situations in recent years and assume they are the cause for the crisis in dog rescue. There is no doubt about their massive impact but that only hides the fact that many key problems already existed.

A report has been put together to identify the key problems that need solving to enable dog rescue across the sector but also to minimise the need for our services as much as possible. Over the coming weeks, I will reach out to other rescue and welfare organisations to invite their feedback and support. I mentioned earlier that we shouldn't rely on the government to fix things however they can be instrumental in helping things change, To that end, the All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group (https://apdawg.co.uk/) already have the report and has swiftly responded by setting up a panel to review the issue. This will take place towards late February 2023 and I will share more details when I get them.

In the meantime please take a look at the document and comment with your feedback. I will reach out to as many rescues as I can, but if you are involved with a rescue or any appropriate organisation then do share this post and the document link with them. Note that this document isn't about solving the issues but making sure I have identified everything that needs consideration. Fixing problems is the next stage and will require lots of support!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRw-WQZubZe4oXnv-Xgn7F0OTkZE0h682zOJNxc3_SpjWPQrOuMiFhmFX2bl73V3JS22sEneDi5yaTF/pub

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

We hope everyone and their furry (and not-so-furry) companions are having a good day. Debbie has been busy capturing some of the dogs she looks after opening their presents so I'll edit some of that footage together as a Boxing Day treat. I'm also planning to post about one of the things we've been working on and on New Year's Day Debbie will post about what we're planning for 2023.

But today we would like to thank everyone who makes our mission possible. A big thank you to kennels which provide exemplary care to our dogs and always going the extra distance whenever needed. Thanks also to the vets we work with to make sure that the dogs are kept in the best possible health. A massive thank you also to the volunteers who keep things running including the committee members. Special thanks to Lisa Hird for coming on board and providing the expertise in aiding our behavioural training and rehabilitation.

And last but far from least, we'd like to tell you how much we appreciate the support we receive from you. From adopting dogs in desperate need of loving homes, donating money, time and gifts and even sharing our posts to gain awareness for our work. Supported by dedicated people like you we are able to continue making sure that vulnerable German Shepherds can live the life they deserve and not the one they've suffered.

In preparation for the New Year we have a new advert to help us spread awareness of our mission so please watch, like, comment and share:

https://youtube.com/shorts/09BCndj0gas

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 85 - Elda's First Christmas With Us

Day 85 of our journey through 100 Days with 100 Dogs and whilst you should never wish time away there are some exciting developments coming next year that we're ultra excited to share with you.

In the meantime let's reconnect with Elda. If you've not met her before poor Elda (her name was changed after joining us) spent two years in Police Custody thanks to her owner not doing as he was told. As you can imagine those two years weren't a pleasant experience for her but thankfully a judge released her to us rather than let her be put down. She is under a strict court order and so is under our chairman Debbie Hill's care.

Here's Debbie's latest update:

Saturday and Sunday were spent pretty much the same with me tossing treats into her run every time I passed. (Gaining her trust is happening at her pace. Attempting to force or shortcut the process will just make things worse. The damage to her took a long time and so does the rehabilitation). Lots of enrichment is available in her run. Most of the time now, she has changed from barking at me to a low, sad cry. Body language is still quite stiff and fearful. When I let her into her run this morning, she gave the “sad cry” but went straight to her snuffle mat that auntie Mary sent. 

This will be her first Christmas with us.

Even with the progress Elda is making, it is extremely unlikely she'll ever be suitable for general rehoming. Even so, she still gets to enjoy some of her life in a way she never could before just like the 30 or so other permanent residents we provide life long care for.

If you'd like to help dogs like Elda that we look after then please consider sponsoring one or more of them here:

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/sponsor-a-dog/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 84 - Meet Molly

We've reached Day 84 and even with the recent news and Christmas only two days away the show must go on. And that means we've been joined by a new dog. So let's meet Molly...

Molly is a black female German Shepherd who we think is 2 to 3 years old. She seems great with people but no good with other animals. So she'll likely need to be the only pet in the home. Molly will be with us for the next month for her assessment and we'll post again when she'd ready for her new home.

You can find other dogs looking for their furever homes on our website - maybe you can provide one of them the ultimate gift for the New Year!

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 83 - Ross Crosses the Rainbow Bridge

Day 83 of our 100 Days with 100 proved to be an unhappy one with another dog recently passing.

It is with much sadness that we report that Ross was the latest victim of this sudden kidney failure. He was a young healthy dog of 18 months and showed no signs of illness until this morning. He looked flat so Lawrence rushed him to the vet. Sadly he was too far gone and the vet advised euthanasia. Ross will have a private cremation and his ashes sprinkled in the field he loved to play in. Fly high Ross ❤️

Sincere thanks to Lawrence who took such good care of Ross for us.  It is a very difficult time for a kennel when they lose a dog. We can’t help feeling responsible but we know our kennels always go above and beyond for our dogs. ❤️

This is particularly concerning as we've had 3 young healthy suffer kidney failure in the past week. Two sadly didn't make it and Ned still hasn't recovered. Each lived in different locations so a viral infection is unlikely, but it seems too much of a coincidence to ignore. None of the dogs had access to toxic substances that might have been a cause. We advise keeping an extra close watch and seeking veterinary advice if your dog becomes unwell - especially if they're showing signs of jaundice.

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 82 - Meet Ned

We've reached Day 82 of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs and we're spacing out the posts a bit as we're planning something cool for the final post in the series and we think it'll be best to do it in the New Year.  Beyond that, we're already looking at building upon this series and we'll reveal more about that in the New Year.

Meet Ned

Ned is about 4 years old. We think that the owner wasn't completely candid in the reason they brought him to us. The behaviour we're seeing doesn't correspond at all and is in fact a more dangerous behavioural case than we expected. 

He first presented some issues at one of the kennels we work with. The main issue was Ned's reluctance to return to the kennels. We work closely with the kennels we use as dogs can be there for extended periods so we need to make sure that they are suitable. The owners and staff with the kennels are all brilliant and happy to go the extra mile if any dogs need it. Despite this extra attention, we do encounter the occasional dog that just doesn't settle in a kennel environment.

With this in mind and as he hadn't exhibited any other warning signs we found Ned a home as quickly as possible. After a month the adopter contacted us about threatening behaviour towards them while on walks. We immediately brought him back into welfare and saw the issue. He'd been made to wear four collars and it took us nearly a month for Ned to trust us enough to remove them. 

Ned can be the most loving boy but he can quickly turn and bite if something didn’t suit him. He still often refuses to return to his kennel and cannot be bribed or encouraged to do so of course we're not going to use force and destroy the fragile trust we're building except in the direst situation. As he's in a secure area we leave him be and he lets us know when he's ready, although by that stage he's often very upset. We'll continue working with him at the pace he sets, but it seems likely he might become one of our permanent residents.

Part of the reason we were formed was to ensure that even dogs that couldn't be homed whether because of complex health issues, behavioural problems or even due to court orders aren't killed and we undertake to look after them for the rest of their lives. Of the 120+ dogs we have at the moment, 30 of them are permanent residents.

Lifelong care requires a substantial commitment and you can help us by sponsoring one or more of these dogs:

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/sponsor-a-dog/

Treat Someone Special This Christmas - And Help Vulnerable GSD's at the same Time|

We're delighted to announce that in partnership with Wendy's Personalised Gifts we now have a range of personalised Christmas gifts and decorations along with our existing 2023 Calendars and Christmas Cards. And treating yourself or that special loved one has never been so guilt-free knowing that whatever you order will help a vulnerable German Shepherd live a life they deserve - not one they've suffered.

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/shop/

 

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 81 - Newcomer Max

Day 81 of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs series introduces the newly arrived Max. We would ordinarily conduct a longer assessment period before posting, but he's such a sweetie and his background means that getting him into a loving environment again as quickly as possible would be the best we can do for him.

Max is  6 years old, and very sweet, although he's a bit worried at the moment with finding himself in kennels. He's come into welfare because of a family relocation and has clearly been well looked after. 

Max has obviously been a loved dog and he's good with other dogs, He also appears to be great with children. He hasn't been tested with cats. He has been neutered and is currently located in Clacton, Essex.

If you can provide Max with the loving home he needs then please contact us via the form on our adoption page here:

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/adopting-a-german-shepherd/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 80 - Fond Farewell to Jerry

After being cheered up by Dickie's hormones we have some happy news for the 80th day in our 100 Days with 100 Dogs series!

We're happy to say that the amazing Jerry has left to start his new life with his new mum. Jerry so needed to find a place to call home where he can gain independence from Tom and in return, I think he will help mend his new mum's heart. I feel sure they will make a great partnership. 

Thank you Kerrie for opening your home and heart to Jerry ❤❤❤ we look forward to seeing updates 🥰

Of the dynamic duo that leaves the ever-energetic Tom looking for his forever home. He's quite boisterous and can be vocal at times although he's responding well to training. It should be remembered that he has missed out on the crucial socialisation period so extra care will be needed with him and no young children or other pets in the household would be best. So far he's not shown any issues and he's very affectionate and will make an amazing companion for the right person.

If you can offer Tom a home to develop, grow and be loved in then please get in touch:

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/adopting-a-german-shepherd/

Please Like, Follow and Share this post to help find Tom the future this young lad deserves!

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 79 - Dickie Big ...

After a grim week, Dickie has joined us for the 79th day in our 1009 Days with 100 Dogs series - I'm sure we can rely on him to cheer things up a bit...

Dickie Big B....

Hello pupstars although I guess I'm not a pub anymore so Hi everypawdy instead!. Its Dickie Hill here and I thought I would just check in with you all. I'm 11 months old now so very soon I'll celebrate my first birthday. It's very exciting!

Mum says she can tell I'm that age because of the hormones. I don't know what that really means but she keeps calling me Billy Big something which is silly because she knows my name is Dickie. 

She also said that we probably have another year of this hormones thing and she doesn't look happy about it. Apparently we need to practice all the things I already knew because I seem to have forgotten it all. 

Instead of being just me and Ada on our walks we now play with ACE and Beau. They are not quite as much fun as Ada but we still have good times.  Mum says I am still a good boy really. I hope you are all well. Love Dickie xxx

Mum and I also say 'Thank You' to those of you helping Bella and her pups - it's very kind of you. We're closer to our target, but there's still more needed. I wonder instead of presents (well maybe some presents) people helped Bella that would be a nice surprise for Mum and Bella - what do you think?

https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-appeal-for-bella-and-her-five-pups

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 78 - Princess and Shadow Cross the Rainbow Bridge

It has been a sad week for Welfare. 

On Tuesday Princess needed a vet check because she wasn't eating and continually straining to go to the toilet. Clearly, this caused her considerable distress. Sadly the vet agreed that there was something serious causing stomach problems and that at her age it wasn't fair to her to keep her suffering. He recommended euthanasia and heartbreaking as it always is we agreed. Princess joined us very recently and we can'#t help but wonder if this was why she'd been relinquished to us. 

Then today, Shadow appeared as bright as a button all day. He went for a walk this afternoon and then an hour later he lay lifeless in his kennel. He was rushed to the vet but sadly was dead on arrival. 

Princess was buried at Rose's and Shadow will be privately cremated and his ashes will be scattered in the field where he loved to play. 

It always hits hard when we promise these dogs a new life and we don't get to fulfil our promise. 

Our sincere thanks to Rose Greig and Lawrence John respectively for taking such good care of Princess and Shadow whilst in Welfare ❤

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 77 - Tom & Jerry Playing in the Mud

Day 77 of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs series sees Tom and Jerry having fun in the mud. I can't help but wonder what's buried there!

The ever energetic Tom is still looking for his forever home. If you can provide a loving home for him and continue with his training then get in you via the form here:

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/adopting-a-german-shepherd/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 76 - Elda Settling In

After yesterday's video showing the scope of our current undertaking, we want to remember the positive side of what we do. So for Day 76 in the 100 Days with 100 Dogs we see how Elda is progressing since joining us after being rescued from Police custody - a battle that took two years to win.

Elda Settling In

The lovely Elda continues from strength to strength. Given all that she has been through, she's adapted amazingly well. Her character is starting to reveal itself and she is full of mischief. 

Elda loves to interact, in fact, she almost demands it because she still doesn't feel secure enough to be touched. Naturally, we'll continue to let her determine the pace of progress. It's not something to be rushed. She will snuggle up next to me on the sofa as long as I don't try to touch her. 

Her whole look has changed. She is such a sweet character that it doesn't bear thinking about how frightened she must have been to get her in the situation she was in.  She is now enjoying life and I don't think I've ever met a GSD that uses their nose as much, but after two years in a cell who can blame her?

Elda is currently one of our resident dogs and one who's been through court procedures so we have additional responsibilities for her care. Like other dogs that will never be suitable for re-homing we don't punish them for it, but instead, provide them with a life they can enjoy.

If you'd like to support their lifelong care then you can sponsor resident dogs here:

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/sponsor-a-dog/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 75 - Meet 118 of the Dogs in our Care

We've reached the three-quarter mark of our journey of 100 Days with 100 Dogs and it's been an eventful one. Along the way we've tried to make the quarter completion stages and with this being the penultimate stage somebody had the bright idea of trying to show the context of what we're trying to achieve. At the start of the series we had 100 dogs, now we have over 120 and we've collated photos of 118 of them to assemble this video.

Each dog has 1.5 seconds as Debbie (our chairman) tells us each of their names. For each of those passing seconds, we have a hungry mouth to feed, a dog that might get sick and require veterinary treatment, a dog that's likely to need rehabilitation before it can be homed and of course, the daily care that we all know as fans of the breed requires considerable effort. We love the dogs passing through our care and we look after them as we would our own dogs. However, it's not hyperbole when we state that we are in crisis and need people to come forward to adopt and support us with donations.

We face a potentially grim future - the worst case of which would be us no longer being able to help vulnerable German Shepherds. It could be bleak, but we're still holding on and that isn't just down to our tenaciousness - it's thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our supporters. Time after time they step forwards and help us keep going. And this 100 Days series has also brought us new friends and also new more adopters. If we can build on that momentum then the future might not be so bleak.

There are so many ways people can help - the easiest starting with following and subscribing our page and channel and liking and sharing this post. We need so many shares that it makes the algorithm take notice of our posts and boosts them even further! If you're looking for other ways you can paint the future brighter then check out this massive list here:

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/how-you-can-help/  

It truly is a long list and probably near impossible to manage them all, but there's sure to be at least one that suits your circumstances. Thank You!

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 74 - Joined by Princess

Day 74 of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs series arrives and once again we're beyond capacity and shouldn't take in any more dogs. We urgently need adopters for the dogs already in our care and funds to pay for their upkeep and the 30 dogs that are permanent residents.

Naturally, that lasted as long as it took for the next GSD to need our help. There is some good news with a few more dogs off to their forever homes, but still fewer than those coming in. In practical terms, we should close the gates and try and maintain our resources as best we can for the 120+ dogs until the situation improves, but that's not why we were founded. How could we say no to this little girl when she needed us? 

And with your continued support, we hope that we won't have to say no - especially as often we're a last-stop call from a rescue that puts the dogs down to create space.

Joined by Princess

This regal lady is Princess and she's 11 and a half years young. Her owner left the country and felt they faced no alternative but to leave her in the property alone. 

Although not underweight she is malnourished. Her diet consisted of cheap tinned food which is basically cereal and so now has an upset tummy. She's had 2 litters of puppies. 

Princess has the sweetest nature but she's feeling a little bewildered at the moment. We'll give her some time and properly assess her to see what comes next.

We are constantly fundraising so that we can help dogs like Princess. If you care about German Shepherds please consider supporting us. If you work or own a business that can help then please get in touch. Every little helps if enough people are pulling together - there are even schemes like Amazon Smile, Easyfundraising and Give as you Live to earn donations when you shop online that cost you nothing.

We've recently created the Friends of GSD Welfare group and for as little as £3  per month, you gain membership to our exclusive group and access to some incredible content. We need you. Please help. ❤

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/friends-of-gsd-welfare-membership-1-year/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 73 - Tia and the Wheelbarrow

Unfortunately, it's not been a good day or two for me, especially with my main computer deciding to go on strike. Thankfully Tia volunteered and said that she'd cover Day 73 of the 100 Days with 100 Dogs series. Normally I'd be worried but she promised no bottom biting and that she'd been helping the hooman (Debbie) out without any problems.

I'm sure it'll be fine...

Tia and the Wheelbarrow

Hello everypawdy. Tia here with a pupdate.   You will all be pleased to hear that I have been on my best behaviour. It's true and not only that - I've also been helping the hooman nonstop to try to lighten her load. 

You may remember how I discovered the hooman having fun all on her own with the "snow" last time. Well, once I discovered how much fun it was I keep my eye on her now so I don't miss out. Today was my lucky day. It was kennel cleaning day and the hooman was wheeling the snow to the kennel. Being the good girl that I am I even helped her wheel it so we could get there quicker. I was surprised how much fun I had doing that. I was trying to grab the wheel to pull it to help but it kept spinning around. I wasn't going to let it get the better of me. I perservered. The hooman was ever so excited that I was helping especially when the wheelbarrow turned over. I don't know how she would have done it without me.  I'm worn out now after all the excitement and the hooman looks a bit dishevelled. Off to get some chimkin now. Love tia ❤❤❤

Oh, I should have also announced that the GoFundMe for Bella and her pups has surpassed £3,000 - which is great. However if we can get that even higher and tell them that Tia sent you then the hooman will now who helps the most round here!

https://www.gofundme.com/manage/urgent-appeal-for-bella-and-her-five-pups

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 72 - We Salute Those Who Served

In the UK today is Remembrance Sunday (a few days ago there was also Veterans Day in the US) a day in which we remember those who have served and sacrificed in countless wars throughout history. Whilst we all yearn and pray for a time when wars are no longer fought, especially where they benefit the few at the cost of the many, we remain thankful for those who do step forward. The traditional red poppy signifies the remembrance of service personnel and all who have paid the ultimate price.

In 2006 the Purple Poppy was released to remember the animals that served alongside our soldiers. Historically this was mostly horses and ponies, but in contemporary times this is now mostly working dogs. Throughout history, many species of animals have been utilised in warfare from rats to elephants.

Dogs were first recorded in warfare dates to over 2,500 years ago and were formed into fast assault units thrown at the enemy. In 525 BC  they were used in psychological warfare at the Battle of Pelusium, Cambyses II against the Egyptians taking advantage of the Egyptian religious reverence for animals. Sadly dogs even though highly prized were generally used in an expendable manner. For the main part, this continued into the 20th century although as technology advanced and units became more specialised so did the animals,

In modern times the British Army in particular uses dogs for two main purposes: Protect and Detect. Sentry and patrol roles are used to protect bases and units and despite the rapid progress in technology dogs are still a superior choice due to their incredible sense of smell, intelligence and ability to operate with their handlers in a vast range of environments and operations. Those same advantages are even more applicable for their detection roles sniffing out explosives, drugs or people. It is without a doubt that these military dogs have saved countless lives throughout the years and notably in the counter-insurgencies British forces have engaged in since World War II.

An interesting write-up of dogs used by the RAF can be found here:

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/dogs-war/

Not only have dogs provided stalwart service throughout the years (20,000 dogs were trained for service in WWII) they have also been recognised for outstanding bravery. In 1918, Airedale called Jack, helped same some troops of the Sherwood Foresters when pinned down by German troops, after delivering their message for help. Sadly he died from bullet wounds shortly after delivering the message.

More recently, Sasha, a Labrador received the Dickin bravery award from the PDSA. She'd located 15 bombs and ammunition caches in Afghanistan before being killed with her handler Lance Corporal Kenneth Rowe in July 2008.

While there are controversies with dog service in the forces their utility and unique abilities make them an important part of modern forces.

To all who've served - we salute and remember you.

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 71 - Casper in Training

Often when we take in a dog we need to work with them before they can be rehomed. We've seen the need for this rehabilitation work noticeably increase as a result of dogs acquired during lockdown not being properly trained or socialised. However the dog we meet on Day 71 of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs series the reason proved very different...

Casper in Training

Casper is an 11 month old white male German Shepherd. He came to us at 9 months with his previous caretaker stating that "he'd never had such a dog. Casper didn't listen to anything he said" We soon discovered why.  After a couple of hours in our care, we realised he was deaf. 

Since then Casper spent the time just decompressing. We will now try teaching Casper some visual signals. He is microchipped and vaccinated.

Casper is located in Holbeach, South Lincolnshire but he isn't ready for homing just yet.

You can find other dogs that are ready to join a home on our website:

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/

We've also just released our 2022 Christmas cards - support our efforts and treat your friends and loved ones here:

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/2022-christmas-cards/

Christmas Cards Now Available in our Online Store

We are very pleased to announce that our new 2022 Christmas cards are now available in our online store for the festive season.

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/2022-christmas-cards/

They are sold in packs of 5 for each type and come with envelopes. They are printed on sturdy card stock and the interior is blank and so has plenty of space to add your own message.

Two varieties are available:

GSD Portrait Sketch

This square-shaped card measures 15 cm (6 in) along each edge. It features an antique sketch of a German Shepherd in a clean and classic style.

GSD by the Fireplace

This vertically aligned A5 (15 x 21 cm / 6 x 8 in) sized card features a hopeful GSD waiting by the fireplace in a vibrant style.

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/2022-christmas-cards/

Calling on the 5,000

WE NEED YOU TO BECOME ONE OF THE 5,000!

Dog rescues across the country are in a state of crisis - we operate thanks to the amazing generosity and here is an opportunity to make a significant change.

Generate free donations when you shop online and earn us an additional £10 donation when you sign up and shop at any of the supported stores three times before the end of December.

If 5,000 people signed up and generated £5 donations each would cover most, if not all of our monthly running costs - AT NO COST TO YOU! So even with the current financial crisis, you can increase your support without impacting your household budget.

A few extra clicks while shopping online and you're contributing directly to helping us save vulnerable German Shepherds and caring for them while we find them new homes. That level of funding would be a game-changer for us and keep us operating well into the future. 

Will you become one of the 5,000 and make the difference?

https://www.giveasyoulive.com/join/gsdwelfarefund?utm_source=charitytoolkit&utm_content=585608&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=CT10kGiveawayCampaign

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 70 - Farewell Sandy

If you're a fan of traditional British puddings then today is a doubly good day! Not only is it British Pudding Day (a real thing apparently - https://nationaltoday.com/british-pudding-day/) and so a patriotic duty to treat yourself, but we also say a fond farewell to Sandy.

We introduced Sandy all the way back on day 40. She's a six year old bitch who ended up in a fight with another bitch at her previous home. Apart from that incident, she's been a joy and we're so happy that she's found her forever home. We thank her new parents for providing their home for Sandy and wish them all the best for their future.

If you'd like to adopt one of our dogs then take a look at the too many we have eager to find their future on our website:

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/

Please Like, Follow and Share so we can reach as many people as possible and find homes for the 120+ dogs currently in our care. Thank you!

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 69 - Meet Teddy

We continue with our journey through 100 Days with 100 Dogs and we've passed the two-thirds point! We're trying to put something together to mark the 75th day so fingers crossed that it comes together!

Today we meet a dog ready for his new home with fairly relaxed requirements, so hopefully, he'll find one easily! Please Like, Comment and Share to bring this lovely boy to the attention of his future parents - this also strengthens our visibility on the various platforms - so double bonus!

Meet Teddy

This Handsome boy is Teddy. He is a dark long coated 3 year old male German Shepherd. He was very barky and standoffish when he first arrived but since then has settled well and is now ready for homing. 

He is very food motivated which could be a good thing for future training purposes. Once he is comfortable around you he likes to be with you although still a little untrusting. It takes him time to build trust even after getting to know you so a little extra patience may be needed. 

He's not shown any aggression towards other dogs since he has been with us. Teddy has not been tested with cats. He has been neutered and has previously lived with other dogs.

Teddy is currently located in Cleaveland.

If you can offer Teddy his forever home then please contact us via the form here:

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/adopting-a-german-shepherd/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 68 - Meet Kosmo

An illness-caused gap has disrupted service for a few days, but hopefully, we're now back on track! Day 68 of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs journey lands on Dog Film Festival day - a day for celebrating our furry friends in short films. Naturally, it's a US event, but that doesn't stop the rest of us from having fun with it too :-) 

My entry is an advert idea to try and attract more people to adopt our rescues - it was a fun idea :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3kuQrLUl0M

Today we meet a young dog that will soon be ready for a new home.

Meet Kosmo

Kosmo is an attractive black male German Shepherd. He's a very barky lad, sometimes in a playful manner, other times he barks aggressively. We feel eventually a home with an older, confident female is likely to be good for him.  

He is 2 years old and any prospective adopter will need to visit several times to gain his trust. However, he isn't quite ready for home at the moment. He's currently located in Cleveland.

He's certainly come along though:

https://youtube.com/shorts/qJzKubjl4MA

Discover more dogs looking for their furever homes here:

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 67 - Meet Roxy

With the excitement of Halloween done (although there's one special auction left - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/364034132187) we resume our journey through 100 Days with 100 Dogs - unfortunately, it's now 120 dogs :-( Today we meet a lovely young lady who hopefully will be off to her new home soon.

Meet Roxy

This pretty girl is Roxy she is an 18 month old, black and tan short-coated female German Shepherd. She is good with dogs, cats, children and adults. In fact, she is an absolute sweetheart all round. 

Her family were devastated to part with her but it was circumstances beyond their control. They have done a wonderful job in raising Roxy. Thankfully we have a possible family lined up for her who have been waiting for a while so fingers crossed. 

It makes our lives so much easier when they come to us so well-adjusted. Roxy will still have to stay with us for a minimum of 1 month but how could anyone refuse her ❤

Roxy is currently located in Clacton, Essex. She hasn't been neutered yet as she's too young.

Discover more GSDs looking for their new homes on our website: 

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/

Helping your puppy to Feel Good about scary stimuli

As part of a series of articles on caring for your puppy, expert dog behaviourist Lisa Hird from the Dog Behaviour Clinic provides advice on how to help your puppy Feel Good about the many things that you have around the home.

To learn more about Lisa's background, experience, qualifications and services visit her website: dogbehaviourclinic

STAGE ONE

1. Make it all Feel Good. Put your puppy on her mat or in her puppy den and give her a stuffed frozen Kong or similar long-lasting treat. Bring the vacuum cleaner into the same room as your puppy but DON’T TURN IT ON.

2. When she looks up at it, praise her. If she goes back to her Kong and does not seem bothered by the vacuum cleaner, move it a little closer to her.

3. If she does not move away, or show any anxiety, praise her.

4. Gradually move the vacuum cleaner closer and closer, as long as she is still showing signs that she is ok with it, until it is right next to her. If she sniffs at it, praise her (you can give her a tiny, tasty treat as well to make the experience feel even better).

5. Take the vacuum cleaner away calmly and put it away.

6. Leave her to finish her Kong then let her out of her puppy pen once she is calm.

7. If she shows any uncertainty at all during this process, move the vacuum cleaner further away from her but do not make a fuss of her. This kind of reassuring around worrying things creates anxious puppies – what she needs is an upbeat, cheery approach from you. As soon as she is eating her Kong and relaxed around the vacuum cleaner you can go back to step 2 and follow each step, always checking that she is calm and relaxed.

REMEMBER to leave the vacuum cleaner turned off throughout Stage one. Your puppy needs to adjust to it being silent at first so that she is not afraid of it.

STAGE TWO

1. Put your puppy in her puppy den and give her a stuffed frozen Kong.

2. Put the vacuum cleaner in another room, (possibly upstairs if you already know that your puppy is easily startled by loud noises) and turn it on.

3. Go into the room with your puppy and praise her if she continues chewing the Kong and shows no uneasiness about the noise of the hoover. 

4. If she is comfortable with the noise and continues chewing her Kong, move the hoovercloser to her room, but don’t bring it inside.

5. Before she finishes her Kong, turn the vacuum cleaner off. Leave it just outside the roomso that she can investigate it when she comes near it.

6. Let her finish the Kong and then let her out of her puppy den once she is calm.

7. Praise and give her a tiny, tasty treat if she approaches or touches the vacuum cleaner.

8. If she does look uneasy at any time, just crouch near her, and smile at her. Do not say anything. The instant she goes back to chewing her Kong, praise her, and give her a tiny, tasty treat to boost the Feel Good of the experience.

9. If she trembles, looks anxious, whines or tries to move away from you or the sound of the vacuum cleaner, turn your head away from her, count to 5, then go and move the vacuum cleaner further away into another room.

10. Come back into her room and repeat steps 1 -4. If the noise is still overwhelming her, go and turn the vacuum cleaner off, and repeat steps 5 and 6 of STAGE ONE. When you next repeat socialising with a vacuum cleaner, go back to the beginning of STAGE ONE for a couple of days.

11. You can then build-up to STAGE TWO again, but make sure the vacuum cleaner is several rooms away so that it isn’t too loud. It is very rare that a puppy has such an extreme response as this, and if she does, contact me so that I can help you with her response to noises.

STAGE 3

1. Repeat steps 1 to 7. This time, you can move the vacuum cleaner up and down outside the door to the room she is in. Remember to stop the exercise before she finishes her Kong.

2. If she looks at all uneasy, either move the vacuum cleaner further away, or turn it off. Try to remember not to fuss her or give her attention for being nervous. Then praise her when she can look calmly at the vacuum cleaner. 

STAGE 4

1. Repeat steps 1 to 7 but bring the vacuum cleaner inside the room where your puppy is eating her Kong. If she is comfortable, you can move it up and down a little bit inside the door, but do not bring it too close to her.

2. If she continues to ignore it, you can gradually move it closer to her, but NEVER have a vacuum cleaner closer than about 2 metres to a dog unless you can guarantee they are completely unbothered by it. They are noisy machines and dogs’ hearing is over 100 times more sensitive than ours, so very few dogs like vacuum cleaners. 

KEEP THE VACUUM CLEANER AWAY from your puppy if she is stressed by it and arrange to do the vacuuming when she is out of the house or in the car (supervised by somebody, with a stuffed frozen Kong) until she’s comfortable around it.

Noise-sensitive dogs can be de-sensitised to anything, but it does take time and it is vital that you take things very slowly with your puppy if she shows any uncertainty around loud noises.

You can use the above method with many things that you have around the home, such as:

• Washing machine – obviously, with stationary objects you need to move your puppy closer to them, rather than move the object!
• Dishwasher
• Hair dryer
• Wheelie bin
• Noises on the TV (this method is particularly good when you hear barking dogs on the TV)
• Door bell
• People dropping and breaking things – you can try this method with somebody dropping a saucepan lid, starting with them doing it in another room!

https://www.facebook.com/germanshepherddogwelfarefund

How You Can Help - Adoption

Like many rescues and shelters across the country, we are experiencing the busiest time in our nearly 50-year history. The pandemic, financial squeeze and a host of other factors have combined in a perfect storm. We are always appreciative of the generous support we receive and are often asked in what ways people can help. We do have a page that lists most of the options available, although it is a large and not very user-friendly page so we're starting a new regular feature to call out the individual opportunities and so make people aware of what they can hopefully engage in.

We're starting with the biggest and most important of all the ways to help and that's adopting our dogs.  Not only does this support our primary focus, but in these tight times, it helps free up resources and make the difference if we can rescue another dog or not. Many of our rescues require specific conditions for the dogs and we know that not everyone's circumstances allow them to adopt - much as they'd love to. Here everyone can help by sharing our posts about these dogs as far and wide as you can - the further we can reach the more likely we'll find a new home for another dog.

Below we have a short piece in text and image form to make it nice and easy to share on any platform.

ADOPTING

The ultimate goal for any of the dogs we rescue is to set them up in a new, loving home and so enable them to live the life they deserve and not the one they’ve suffered. We have an established process to ensure the best possible match between the dog and their new family. 

If the dog has complex medical needs then we can help with advice and financial support. If the dog has certain behaviours then appropriate restrictions will be required for the safety and comfort of you and the dog.

Taking in a dog and aiding them in rehabilitating into a new life is incredibly rewarding. If you’re interested in sharing this journey then you can learn more about the adoption process here:

www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/adopting-a-german-shepherd/

Discover dogs looking for homes on our website:

www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/

And on our Facebook group:

www.facebook.com/groups/gsdwfadoptions

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 66 - Meet Resident Bella

For Day 66 of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs series, we meet one of our resident dogs. Unfortunately, not all of the dogs we rescue are suitable for rehoming. This can be for various reasons such as complicated health issues, or trauma that is too deep-rooted to fully work out. In a few cases, they have police orders, so if anything such as a bite incident would be put down. 

We don't take a decision like this likely and only if it's best for the dog. And from our inception, we wouldn't put a dog down just because they couldn't be rehomed. They deserve a chance at a life they can enjoy like any other. Sadly we're finding that more of our recent rescues have issues beyond the usual rehabilitation and so require more work to prepare for adoption if they ever become suitable at all.

Meet Resident Bella

This little darling is Bella and she has been with us since she was 7 months old.. Bella's original owner wanted a guard dog so spent time winding Bella up. Bella didn't have the right temperament for this and became so traumatised that she started to react to the wife and the children. 

Bella was now terrified but the family decided she had to go. They called a 'behaviourist' (we use this term lightly in this case) and he collected her and he put her in a stable. He spent hours trying to encourage her out of the corner. The next day for reasons best known to himself, he let her out in the menage. At this point, he couldn't catch her, and she'd tried to bite him. He then contacted an acquaintance of Rose to see if they knew anyone who could help or he'd have to have her shot.

Rose received the call and agreed to take Bella in. He pointed out that she would not have any more luck catching her than he was having She told them to contact her old owners and have them catch her and bring her to her. He did and it worked she arrived wearing two muzzles and petrified. Her owner put her in the kennel and took the muzzles off, and Rose then didn't see Bella for the next week. 

She ate her food overnight, and never entered the run if Rose was near. She proved the most difficult case Rose has dealt with. After continuing to toss treats and ignore her, some weeks later Rose managed to get her out in the bigger run, still not touching just using treats to get her in and out of the run. It took months for Bella to gain confidence. As she did so it became apparent that she wouldn't tolerate strangers. With this in mind, she will stay in our care.

Of the 115+ dogs currently in our care, 30 of them or residents. Committing to their life long care requires long term resources. To help with this we have an annual sponsorship programme to help pay for what they need. You can sponsor a dog for only £20 per year here:

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/sponsor-a-dog/

2023 Calendars Now Available

We are very pleased to announce that the 2023 GSD Welfare Fund calendar is now available from our online store. They're A3 size and full of spectacular photos from supporters submitted in the Calendar Competition. Picking the final choices proved tricky as there were so many great pictures to choose from! We also made sure that some of our more famous residents made an appearance.

Order yours now here: https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/2023-calendar/

Winners who had their dogs included have been contacted already and their copies sent out if we have your address. We've emailed the two that we didn't have addresses for so if you entered please check your email in case you're a winner.

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 65 - Luna C's Birthday

After yesterday's unexpected and unwelcome surprise today has delivered a more positive mood...

Luna C's Birthday

Luna is a gorgeous young dog who is 1 today and she's almost ready to start looking for her new home. She came to us about 2 months ago, severely underweight and with patches of fur missing. She has since put on several kgs and her fur has returned nicely.

She is a lovely dog who enjoys human interaction but needs to learn a few more social skills when it comes to other dogs. Lisa our Behaviourist is working with her three times a week to help her learn to be less reactive around other dogs. She is a beautiful dog, both in temperament and looks.

She can be a bit excitable and for this reason we would suggest a home with no children under 10 years of age and as an only dog.

If you'd like to give Luna C (the name still cracks me up 😇 )  the ultimate present with a home and a future then please contact us via the form on this page:

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/adopting-a-german-shepherd/

Signed copy of Beneath the Boards by David Haynes

Here's another generous donation from one of my favourite British contemporary horror authors. This is also one of his finest books and a worthy addition to anyone's scary story collection.

One day I hope he'll receive the plaudits he deserves and when that happens it might even become a valuable part of the collection :-)

Beneath Jim Stokes’s shirt is a scar, one last horrific reminder of his old job in the police force.

Beneath the everyday normality of the village Stormark is a shameful secret, haunting people’s dreams.

Beneath the floorboards of the lake house is a hatch, sealed and forgotten for years until Stokes opens it up.

Beneath them all is blackness, and unheard screams, and scratching sounds in the night…

…and her whispers.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/364030053495

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 64 - Tigger Crosses the Rainbow Bridge

Day 64 of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs has proved to be an unhappy one. It is with much sadness to reveal that Tigger crossed the rainbow bridge and gained his angel wings today. 

Tigger came to us at just 8 months old. He had grabbed the child next door so his owners were now worried. They stated that this was new behaviour. Even so, they hadn't explained to us the full extent of his reactivity. It was worrying to see one so young behaving this way. 

However, he had been treated with Nexgard flea treatment which is known to cause neurological damage.  With careful handling, Tigger did make improvements and we were hopeful for his future. 

We lost that hope today when he suffered a seizure that he didn't recover from and the vets advised us to give him peace in sleep. Tigger lived for just 11 months and died as another preventable victim of Nexgard. 

Fly high Tigger and may you find peace in eternal sleep.

If you are unaware of the dangers of Nexgard then you can learn more in this article:

https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/2022/04/health-topics-nexguard-and-bravecto.html

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 63 - Meet Leo

All too often the dogs we rescue are suffering mentally as well as physically from the trauma they've experienced. It's amazing (and not in a good way) that there are some people who don't appreciate that. The fact that some still use outdated fear based techniques and barbaric devices like prong collars (How are they still legal?) is saddening when you consider the advances in understanding dog psychology and behaviour.

Today we meet Leo, looking for a calm home to live in.

Meet Leo

Leo is a male German Shepherd and he's approximately 3 years old. He is quite a nervous boy but has come on in leaps and bounds since being in our care. 

Even with his progress so far Leo would suit a quiet home where he can be given time to settle. Any potential adopter would need to do several visits to gain his trust. 

He is not neutered and he's currently located in Mildenhall, Suffolk.

If you can offer Leo the home he needs then please contact us via the adoption query form:

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/adopting-a-german-shepherd/

As always, please Follow, Like and Share this post far and wide and find Leo his new parent(s) - your support is much appreciated!