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Annual membership for the German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund and receive a quarterly copy of our newsletter via email – Dogsbody. It keeps you updated with our news, the latest on the dogs, items of interest and other fun stuff.

https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/annual-membership-enewsletter/

Girtie Crossed the Rainbow Bridge

My darling Gertie was given peace in sleep yesterday. She had the evil disease known as DM (More information on Canine Degenerative Myelopathy can be found here: https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/2022/01/health-topics-what-is-canine.html). 

Gertie would not accept wheels. She freaked out. She struggled to accept the help of a sling and clearly voiced her objections, however, we managed. We came to an agreement that she was allowed to swear at me whilst I was putting the sling under her and getting her moving. Once she was on the go she forgave me and enjoyed her walks. Sadly her front end became weaker and she became tired. Trying to get her to toilet was another issue. She struggled to go which in turn affected her health. Her quality of life was diminishing. That’s when we have to re visit our decision of how we are handling the situation. 

Anyone who has ever loved a dog with DM will know what I mean when I say there is nothing more heartbreaking than taking a beloved friend who is happy and in all other ways and seems healthy, except their legs no longer work, to the vets for that final visit.  The final vet visit is never easy but at least if they appear sick, you can tell yourself you are taking away their pain. With Gertie there was no pain. Just a smiley happy face. 

Gertie had 2 pork chops and 2 eggs for breakfast before we set off on our journey. For the past week or so, she had not wanted to go far on our walks and had slowed right down. When she knew she was getting in the van she almost ran with excitement and I struggled to keep up with her holding the sling. 

As always my vet was amazing and handled the situation with the respect and compassion that Gertie deserved. 

There is a gene test that breeders can have done on breeding dogs and thankfully many are now doing this, yet there are still some that don’t as they say it’s not 100%. It may not be 100% but it’s all we have right now. Even if it helps 10% of dogs to avoid this evil disease then it is worth it. If you have ever taken a DM dog for their final vet visit you would totally agree and make sure this gene test is part of your breeding routine. 

Gertie came to Welfare when she was about 5/6 years old. A change in circumstances had brought her to us. It soon became apparent there was some issue going on and tests came back proving she had thyroid issues. She was put on medication which was a great help. The thyroid problem had affected her behaviour. Gertie wasn’t for the faint hearted. She would run at full pelt and body slam you. She also took her gardening very seriously. We made the decision that she wouldn’t be put up for rehoming. She had been in Welfare about 5 or 6 years. She loved her creature comforts and my bed was her favourite place to relax. 

Gertie will leave a big hole in my heart. You would never have called her sweet. You would never have called her an easy dog. But she was Gertie and totally loveable ❤️. 

Leaving her at the vet was horrendous but I came away with Norris’s ashes 💔💔💔

Fly high precious girl. I hope rainbow bridge is ready for your chaos. ❤️❤️❤️

Debbie Hill

Meet Virgil

 

Virgil is a 1 year old male German Shepherd. Sadly he was relinquished to GSD Welfare Fund because he had become reactive and his family couldn’t cope with him. The reactivity was caused by his fear of strangers. 

He has come on in leaps and bounds since being in our care. However, he will require a home that is not too busy and with a carer who will take the time to understand him.  We don't think that a household with children would be suitable for him. Virgil would be best suited as an only dog and no cats. 

Virgil is located in Mildenhall, Suffolk.

If you can offer Akoni his forever home then please get in touch via our adoption query form:

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

Please like, comment and share this post so we reach Akoni's new parents - thanks!

Meet Akoni

This handsome lad is Akoni. He is a long-haired male German Shepherd and he was born in August 2021. Sadly circumstances beyond his carer's control dictated that he had to come to us to be rehomed. He's still undergoing assessment at the moment but he has been the perfect resident so far so should be ready for rehoming soon.

He has lived with children and has played with groups of dogs. Akoni is good with people. Akomi is currently located in Mildenhall, Suffolk.

If you can offer Akoni his forever home then please get in touch via our adoption query form:

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

Please like, comment and share this post so we reach Akoni's new parents - thanks!

UPDATE:  We've been told by Akoni's previous owners that he has lived with cats.

Heartfelt Lament for Norris

Editor: It's been a harsh start for 2023 for too many two and four-legged friends and I've found myself lagging recently with some stuff I needed to focus on so I'm also catching up with our furry charges. Like rescues and shelters across the world, we're all in it for the dogs' welfare and sometimes our own lives need some attention but of course, we carry on trying to help the dogs as well. We endeavour to give all of our rescues the life they deserve rather than the one inflicted upon them. In some cases that means we have to keep them in our care and even with the ever-increasing numbers each of them means as much individually as when we had half the number of dogs we do today. It's always heartbreaking when a loved one pass but we should remember that at least we were able to give them a life they enjoyed no matter how bad the start might have been. 

That's only possible thanks to the dedication of the professionals we work with who always go that extra distance. And without you all we couldn't keep doing this - it's your direct support that enables us to do this! Anyway, I'll slip back into the crowd and listen to someone who knew Norris best.

Thank you to everyone for your kind words yesterday for Norris. 

As normal Norris vocalised at 5 in the morning to be let out.  Nothing unusual. At 7.30 Ish I took him out for his playtime. Everything still appeared normal. At approximately 12.30 he started panting a bit heavily so I took him outside.  It then became apparent that something was wrong. After noting his gait losing stability and panting heavier I checked his gums. My heart plummeted seeing how pale they were. I phoned the vet to let them know we were coming in. By the time we arrived he didn’t have the strength to stand even though he made it perfectly clear he was not going to have anyone else touch him - so business as usual on that front.   After being sedated and checked a splenic tumour was given as the cause with the recommendation of euthanasia as his heart had also weakened. He was just a baby. 💔

Norris came into Welfare at just 7 months old with hip dysplasia given as the reason. They were an active family and Norris wouldn’t fit in.  Within days of being here, he had “an episode “ and he shredded my coat! It was more frightening because it was like he had flipped and wasn’t for letting up. I managed to get him off and get back to the house. I contacted the previous caregiver and asked if this was normal. After some hesitation, they revealed more information and we learned that he'd been given Nexgard treatment. You can read more on the dangers  of that and similar products here:

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

There was another side to Norris that was so loving. He adored me and I adored him.  He didn’t want anyone else near him. I suppose I was his safety net.   It is always heartbreaking when we lose our dogs. More so when they are so young and life has been so unfair for them.  I think the flip side to Norris having such issues was the bond between us because of his problems. I’m not ashamed to admit that I feel broken. I embarrassed myself at the vets. Thankfully they were very understanding. There are times when we feel we will never recover from the trauma of things like this and losing someone dear to us.  This is one of those times.  

I will never forget Norris or stop loving him as long as I breathe. Norris wasn’t just a Welfare dog. He was MY BOY ❤️

Meet Harley

The lovely Harley is still waiting for his forever home.  He is approximately 6/7 years old. He can be a little unsure at the first meeting but just needs time to get to know people.  

Harley has lived with a female dog. He shows no problem behaviour although his previous carer said he can be reactive to dogs.  We feel this could have been because he was put in situations he couldn’t cope with.   

Harley is located in Sleaford, South Lincolnshire.

If you're interested in offering Harley his forever home then please contact us via the Aption Query Form:

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

Please comment. like and share this post as widely as possible so we reach the right person who can offer Harley his new home. Thanks!

 

Meet Welfare Resident Rodney

Rodney is a glamorous long haired male German Shepherd. He is 3 years old and came into our care after a bite incident. His caregivers were distraught at having to part with him but did so for his own and everyone else’s safety.  Because of this Rodney is a permanent resident. 

He has been with us for over a year now. He doesn’t like to be touched so even everyday things like grooming and putting a lead on create a difficult situation. We try to respect what Rodney tells us and have arranged his living arrangements so we can get him into a secure field from his kennel without having to put a lead on him.  He is a happy boy and enjoys life (not as much as he enjoys his food though😂).

You can help support our welfare residents and their lifelong care by sponsoring one or more of them for only £20 each per year. 

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

Sign Up and Make a Difference

I don't get why more people don't sign up for these bonus donations - if you shop online via any of the supported sites such as Etsy or eBay, or looking to switch your broadband provider then sign up here first and earn money for your favourite charity. Naturally, I hope you'll support the  German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund​ but if you have a cause closer to your heart then push that and still sign up. Think of it like a charity tax that you can drive! 

Individually the amounts are small but when combined we can make change happen. Potentially impactful change. Our work is completely reliant on the amazing generosity of our supporters - why don't we spread the load a little?

Please like, comment and share as widely as possible and make online retail therapy a force for good :-)

Please join me in supporting the German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund on #easyfundraising, you'll raise FREE donations with your everyday shopping. It's quick and easy to sign up! Plus, once you've raised your first £5, easyfundraising will double it! 

Sign up now: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/support-a-good-cause/step-1/?invite=8ik9ub&char=45963&referral-campaign=s2s&utm_source=refsharebox

Meet Baloo

This gorgeous boy is Baloo. He is 7 months old with an all black long coat. Sadly he had found himself in welfare as his carer's landlord would not allow dogs. He has lived with children and our first impression is that he is a total sweetheart. 

He does not appear bothered by other dogs and has been great with all the humans he has met. Poor Baloo had half an ear missing which happened when he was put in boarding kennels. Baloo is still undergoing his mandatory assessment but we feel he could live with children and would be fine living with a female dog. 

Baloo is not neutered due to his age but will be homed with a contract prohibiting breeding.  His vaccinations are all up to date and he is microchipped.  Baloo is located in Mildenhall Suffolk.

If you're interested in offering Baloo his forever home then please contact us via the Aption Query Form:

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

Please comment. like and share this post as widely as possible so we reach the right person who can offer Baloo his new home. Thanks!

UK Dog Rescue Crisis - Insurance Petition

A petition challenging insurance companies do not automatically refuse insurance renewal for rescue charities. With the UK dog rescue sector already in a state of crisis, this presents a potentially existential threat and see rescues have to cease operations and reduce availability when demand is already swamping services. Please support this petition created by the Pro Dogs Direct rescue organisation to try and help convince insurance companies to follow a case-by-case approach.

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/sign-the-petition-save-dog-rescues-from-having-to-shut-up-shop

Please also share this as widely as you can so we can call on as wide support as possible.

This is just another in a series of issues facing rescues across the country. This article outlines many of them.

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Hot-Topic-Rescue-in-Crisis-v2-2.pdf

If you have any comments or feedback then please post in the comments below or contact me directly.

On the 21st of February 2023, the All-Party Dog Advisory Welfare Group are holding a meeting at the Houses of Parliament concerning the state of dog rescue in the UK. It's being well attended with 100 representatives from dog rescues across the UK. There are still seats available so if you'd like to get involved get in touch with them.

https://apdawg.co.uk/feb-2023-meeting

Meet Welfare Resident Ernie

Ernie is a handsome 2 year old, black and tan, male German Shepherd. He came to us after a disagreement with his previous owner. Even after this occurred, Ernie remained very loving with everyone else around him. We assessed him closely after he joined us and we found him to be a happy, fun-loving, and loving boy. He enjoys playing ball games and will bring you his ball all day long if allowed to.

We have seen no signs of any aggression with people he knows or strangers. He greets everyone like a long-lost friend. He can react to other dogs but we feel this is more out of excitement. However, we did try to re-home Ernie and discovered that he couldn't cope at all so he returned to us. We have now made the decision not to re-home him.

Ernie is kept under our permanent care, please consider sponsoring our resident dogs to help pay for their lifelong upkeep. 

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

Meet Welfare Resident Bruce

Bruce is a 2 year old black and tan, long coated entire male. At 7 months he started reacting to things when taken out on walks. We believe that he was going through his second fear period. 

Unfortunately, his owners sent him away to board and train with a disreputable (for want a better description) trainer. During his stay with the training school, they introduced him to a prong collar, spray bottle and rattle can (obviously this trainer had no idea of the science of how dogs learn). On the face of it, the training worked, but in reality, such techniques will at best mask the original issue, and are also likely to create new ones.

How prong collars are still legal in this day and age is unconscionable.

Bruce returned home, and he wasn't so reactive on walks. and his owners naively thought that the training had worked. In reality, the fear had sunk deeper and taken on new forms.  He'd learned that seeing humans resulted in pain from the prong collar.    

When visitors came to the house he was terrified of humans but didn't have the prong collar on. And so he tried to protect himself and bit. Poor Bruce now has two police records. 

Arriving at Welfare we recognised a terrified and shut-down boy. His eyes told such a story - one that would reduce you to tears. Once we'd taken him in, the police contacted us. If he hadn't been surrendered to us they would have issued a destruction order.   

Within weeks of being here, and by only working at a pace he could cope with we worked with him on problem-solving. Bruce transformed as he gained confidence and proficiency. Suddenly he looked like he had the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders. 

Even with this we still have to be careful, and make sure not to put him in situations he can't cope with. He is so loving, and just five minutes in his company would leave you wondering how on earth he found himself in that predicament. Sadly the answer is all too simple - because people do not always listen to the advice given, or given bad advice and don't check. There will be no third chance for Bruce with the police, so we made the decision to keep him safe in our care.

Bruce is one of thirty or so dogs in our permanent care. He's not one of the dogs with a printed sponsor pack (yet!), but if you'd like to help us provide for his lifelong needs then you can still sponsor him by choosing 'Other', and then entering his name in the text box provided.

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

100 Days with 100 Dogs - Day 100 Livestream

A big thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for the live stream marking the final day of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs journey. We hope that it was an interesting discussion for you all and if it's something that you'd like us to do more of then please let us know and we'll see what we can do.

The recording of the video is now available on Youtube here:

https://youtu.be/3Ov8YAqRr0g

Facebook users can also access the video via our Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/germanshepherddogwelfarefund/videos/1240372676595284

Anyone who's interested in reading more about the issues facing the UK dog rescue sector as a whole can download the article from the link below and any feedback is welcome.

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Hot-Topic-Rescue-in-Crisis-v2-2.pdf

If you're associated with or in contact with other rescue organisations then please share this with them and we'd love to hear any thoughts they may have in preparation for the ADPDAWG meeting on the 21st of February 2023. Thanks!

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 99 - Meet Ace

For the penultimate post in our  100 Days with 100 Dogs series we meet newcomer Ace who's only just joined us and is still under assessment but we hope will be ready for his new home soon.

Ace is a youngster at 9 months old and as you can imagine is very energetic!  He's come to us because his previous home was unsuitable and her's currently enjoying some new space to play in.  Unfortunately, he's had little training so will need some work to help settle properly.

He's not been fully tested yet so we're not sure how he'll be with other dogs - especially males. He's very boisterous so unlikely to be suitable for a home with young children under 10 years old.

Ace is currently located in Stamford, Lincolnshire. He's currently too young to be neutered but he is microchipped and vaccinated.

If you can offer Ace a home then please get in touch via the adoption query form here:

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

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 98 - Big Mac Crosses the Rainbow Bridge

Day 98 on our journey through 100 Days with 100 brings the sad news that one of our resident dogs, Big Mac has crossed the rainbow bridge. He was one of the many permanent resident dogs we look after. He was cared for by our chairman Debbie who says...

"It is with a broken heart that I have to write this. Big Mac was given peace in sleep today and grew his angel wings. He had been off colour and his skin was becoming even more of an issue but I felt there was something else going on. All vet advice was followed but he didn’t improve. Mac then became lane on his back leg with no obvious injury. It appears he had bone cancer and was in pain. There was no option but to let him go. Big Mac had been here for 4 years and in all that time he never put a paw wrong. He never showed any signs of aggression. He was the most amazing loving loyal boy. I will miss him more than words can express. Fly high, my special boy. You were loved so deeply ❤"

We hope that you'll all join us for our live-stream event tomorrow - there'll be in-depth discussions and fun prizes: 

https://www.facebook.com/events/670393971438515/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 97 - Meet Milly

We have another newcomer for Day 97 on our journey of 100 Days with 100 Dogs and we're only a few days away from our live event to mark the final day. Use the link below to join in and the latest news is that there'll be some fantabulous prizes given away during the live stream. Not only will we talk about where we are at the moment, but also preparing for the meeting at the Houses of Parliament about the c current crisis for dog rescue and welfare in the UK.

https://fb.me/e/4JY69glHT

This impacts us all so please join us and get involved in the discussion. How would you fix dog rescue in this country:?

Meet Milly

Milly is a lovely and affectionate female German Shepherd looking for her new home. She's around 15 months old and is very energetic and playful. She does like to chase so a cat-free (anything small, furry and chaseable3 really )home would be best. She is trained in most domestic aspects and would ideally continue refining her behaviour as she settles and trains in her new home.

She understands most of what she needs to fit into a household but will benefit from ongoing training.  She has lived and trained with other dogs and enjoys being with people, but some caution is needed when meeting new dogs or people, She can become excitable when encountering new things. She's still a bit of a chewer so some rehabilitation is needed,

Milly does still need some extra work to allow her to fully settle into a new home. She needs her mind and body kept busy, with someone home most of the time, and people who are willing to be patient and support Milly in embedding positive behaviours, even when excited, and enjoy having a small, young, livewire, delightful and loving GSD in their lives. Milly has so much to give in her forever home.

If you can offer the type of home Milly then please contact us via the Adoipotion Query form:

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

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 96 - Meet Luna Bear

Day 96 of 100 Days with 100 Dogs and I'm convinced there are not enough hours in the day :-) Today we meet Luna Bear who has been getting ready for rehoming with our behavioural specialist  Lisa Hirtd and you can see some of her training and rehabilitation on Lisa'sDog Behaviour Clinic  blog:

http://dogbehaviourclinic.blogspot.com/

Luna is just over a year old and ready for a new home with someone who has the time and patience to continue her training. She has a lovely temperament and can quietly settle down without being asked once she has had some interaction or a walk.

She is a young bouncy dog who thinks the whole world is exciting and needs to be explored. She needs someone who can remain calm and quiet while she calms herself. She is learning to walk on a loose lead and once she is getting regular walks every day this will be much quicker. Ongoing support will be provided if needed

While out and about she's good with other dogs but she would need to be the only dog in her forever home although an incredibly patient male dog might be ok. With her bouncy energy, she shouldn't live with young children (under 10) but otherwise, she's excellent with people and with continued training will fit nicely into her new home.

If you want to offer Luna Bear her forever home then please contact us via the Adoption Query Form here:.

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

Please like, comment and share this post so we find Luna Bear's new home.

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 95 - Meet Max

Day 95 is upon us and this week is speeding by far too quickly towards the live event on Sunday. We've just announced that we'll conduct a Q&A session as part of the live stream and set up a thread for people to add questions:

https://fb.me/e/2vhI2e9wx

We hope to see as many of you on Sunday as possible. Today we meet another Max (which seems to be a popular name!) who's eager to find his new home. 

Max is approximately 3 years old. He's a very loving dog that loves to play but also enjoys a cuddle. He is very ball driven. He also enjoys being with people including children. So far he hasn't shown any issues with other dogs although He will make a perfect pet. 

He has been on vitamin B12 injections from the vets to help his metabolism and help him be able to digest his food properly. Since his treatment of B12 he really has shown significant improvement and is putting weight on all the time. He will make a family whole with his loving nature.

Max is currently located in South Lincolnshire and if you'd like to offer him a home then please get in touch via the Adoption Query form:

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

Amazon Smile Shutting Down

Amazon has announced that they are closing their Smile program effective from February and this will be a blow to the donations we receive. The scheme used to generate a donation whenever a registered user purchases eligible products from the Amazon Smile store (essentially a duplicate of the main store). These donations were quite small as you can see from my statement and we hoped for more sign-ups but they were a free bonus that helped us pay for the ongoing costs of caring for the dogs. You can read Amazon's announcement here: 

https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/amazon-closing-amazonsmile-to-focus-its-philanthropic-giving-to-programs-with-greater-impact

Unfortunately, the new programmes do nothing for smaller charities for us. This is frustrating as we've received very little notice about this. We'll of course contact them to see if they are looking to continue helping in any way, but the way this has been handled doesn't offer much hope.

However, there are alternatives.

We've posted about easyfundraising and Give as You Live before and if enough of our supporters used them while shopping online they have the potential to transform how we can fund our operations without costing shoppers anything. They're supported by a huge range of retailers and the donations tend to be more generous than Amazon's so this could be better for all of us in the long term. They also run some excellent offers that not only can save you money, but raise more for us.

They're not perfect and you need to make sure that you use their websites and/or apps to ensure the donations are tracked. Retailers' apps don't always work properly so you need to use the websites for shopping - this isn't always convenient, especially for your big supermarket shops, but even if you use them for some shops or special deals every little bit soon adds up. For people who use browsers, you can install handy add-ons that will let you know if a retailer supports the scheme when you visit their web stores and ask you if you want to track a donation. If you are not sure what this means then shout out and I'll help if I can.

Finally, if you use my personal referral links then once you've raised £5 we receive an additional £5 donation free. I've also copied screenshots of my current statements for both schemes and as you can see takeaways, e-|Bay, Etsy and many other stores can earn donations. Together we can make the difference without costing anything extra - will you make the difference?

https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/support-a-good-cause/step-1/?char=45963&invite=8ik9ub&referral-campaign=s2s&cid=45963&name=Michael

https://www.giveasyoulive.com/refer/R9UoZA4yjntKlOrMZIfyog7ag0qzM9sKNA-3D-3D

Please share with friends, family and anyone who can sign up and help us continue our work. Thank You!

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 94 - Fond Forever Farewell to Max

Day 945 of the 100 Days with 100 Dogs series brings us another good day with the news that Max has left us for his forever home. We wish him and his new family all the best for the future.

We will be celebrating the 100th and final day with a live online event where we will talk about the current state of the GSD Welfare Fund and the upcoming meeting about the general state of UK dog rescue. This will be hosted live on Facebook and you can find out more and register your interest here:

https://fb.me/e/2ChlCK7Fc

We hope to see as many of you there as possible!

10 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 93 - Meet Carmen

For Day 93 of our journey through 100 Days with 100 Dogs we meet Carmen who's a recent arrival and so still being assessed but will hopefully be ready for her forever home soon. We're also busy preparing for the meeting about the state of dog rescue in the UK. Find out more on this here:

https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/2023/01/uk-dog-rescue-in-crisis-updated.html

Carmen is a 3 year old long haired female GSD. She found herself in our care after her previous carer's circumstances changed and they didn’t have time for her. She became reactive but this could have been caused by stress due to the changes. She has been a little sweetheart whilst in our care. Carmen has only been with us a couple of weeks so is still in her assessment period. Then we will be looking for a home for her. We have not tried her with other dogs yet. She has been good with the humans she has met so far.

She is currently located in South Lincolnshire and if you can offer Carmen or any of our  other dogs a loving home then please get in touch via our adoption query form:

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

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 92 - Forever Home Farewell to Bruno

We have a lovely piece of happy news for Day 92 of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs series and that is Bruno is off to his forever home.

We'd like to thank his new pawents and wish them all the best for the future together!

We still have 90 dogs looking for their forever homes - can you provide one o them?

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

UK Dog Rescue in Crisis (Updated)

Whilst preparing for the upcoming meeting in February at the Houses of Parliament I have updated my Rescue in Crisis document, This has included some new items that have been provided by various people in response to the first version. You can download this new version here:

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Hot-Topic-Rescue-in-Crisis-v2-2.pdf

If you have any comments or feedback then please post in the comments below or contact me directly.

On the 21st of February 2023, the All-Party Dog Advisory Welfare Group are holding a meeting at the Houses of Parliament concerning the state of dog rescue in the UK. It's being well attended with 100 representatives from dog rescues across the UK. There are still seats available so if you'd like to get involved get in touch with them.

https://apdawg.co.uk/feb-2023-meeting

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 91 - Meet Murphy

We've entered the final ten days of our 100 Days with 100 Dogs series and we're looking to put something special together for the 100th Day. For today though let's meet Murphy who's ready to find his forever home - can you help?

Meet Murphy

Murphy (or Fluffy Bum) is a 2.5 year old German Shepherd and is absolutely ready for his new home. He is a gentle calm boy who would love an armchair or sofa to chill on. He loves slow, sniffy walks and gives the most amazing snogs. He can be calm around ducks and even squirrels!

He does prefer a quieter environment and can happily amuse himself if you are busy, but he does like a good snuggle and tummy rub too.

He can walk past other dogs with a little distance and encouragement but can be socially awkward with male dogs in particular if they come in his face. He has been known to say hi to the female dogs at the kennels! He ignored other dogs in the veterinary clinic with a little encouragement too. He walks beautifully on harness and lead.

He would be best as an only pet as he's not comfortable generally with other dogs or cats. He's good with people but not so much with younger children. He's happier in a calm environment.

If you can offer Murphy a home then please contact us via our adoption query form:

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

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 90 - Don't Let Ignorance Harm Your Dog

We've reached Day 90 of our mammoth trek through 100 Days with 100 Dogs and today we're reiterating an important message. Unfortunately, many aspects of dog welfare are poorly regulated if they are at all. A key service here is behavioural training and even more so for many of the dogs coming into our care. 

Like all fields of human endeavour, there is a constant flow of research and new learning. This is notably the case for animal behavioural training where outdated techniques have been found to be harmful to the animal's development. Positive reinforcement encourages your dog to follow the behaviour you want. Fear or pain-based methods can appear to provide swift results but research has shown that this merely suppresses the unwanted behaviour.

Animal training, therefore, is an evolving field and with complex emotional creatures like dogs, there is still much to discover while their minds may not be as complicated as ours they do share many traits and are much richer than many people realise. With that in mind, it's sensible to seek professional help with training and behavioural problems in the same way you would consult a vet for health issues. The important difference here is that vets are required to have specific training but this is not the case for trainers or many other services. In this context, it's alarming how many adverts (especially on social media) offering a shortcut to a dog training career.

From Lisa Hird, the behaviouralist we work closely with

The wrong type of training can ruin a dog. It can mess them up completely. Dogs do not think like us. Therefore, when trying to use a human method to solve a problem the dog doesn't learn what you hope he is learning. It may suppress the behaviour for a while but chances are it will resurface with a vengeance. 

When posts are put in the group about celebrity trainers and we make negative comments it is not personal against the poster.   Part of the reason for this group is to educate dog guardians in the hope that fewer dogs end up in our care. 

Proper dog training is based on science. I prefer to follow science rather than some whim or fad. Some of the celebrity trainers do not have adequate training themselves. They show problems being solved in the hour that the program is on. They don't mention all the behind-the-scenes work and the times it went wrong. There is no such thing as an overnight fix. They also don't mention the aftermath when the problem rears its ugly head worse than it was originally. Rehabilitation takes time. Often there is an emotional issue at the root of the problem.  The emotional state of the dog needs to be addressed.  If you are hollering and shouting and I tell you to calm down it won't work. 

If you are a dog pawrent you owe it to your dog to look into the science of dog training and how dogs learn. That is only fair. You chose to share your life with another species. 

If we make negative remarks about trainers that are not using science-based training it's because we care so deeply that dogs are not getting a fair deal ❤

From Debbie Hill, GSD Welfare Fund chairman

Someone recently asked me for advice about their dog. From what they were describing, it sounded like the dog was a bite risk.  This problem needed to be handled with care. It needed qualified behaviourist advice. I make no secret of the fact that I don’t trust many behaviourists. We see the problems they cause and the dogs that come to us because of it.   I suggested that they arranged a zoom consultation with Lisa Hird from Dog Behaviour Clinic. I made a follow-up call to see how it was going.  They informed me they hadn’t contacted Lisa as they couldn’t see how a zoom meeting would help. They needed someone to come and see the dog so they found one on Facebook!!!  I cringed. 

Whilst I wholeheartedly agree that an in-person consultation is best, I also know that the trainer/behaviourist cannot train your dog or do what is needed to help your dog. YOU need to do that. I also know that an in-person consultation with the wrong behaviourist can lead to your dog going into rescue or worse still, euthanasia. What the zoom consultation can do is give you the tools to work with the problem.   But it has to be the right advice and the right tools.   Some of the dogs we have come in can be very difficult. Lisa is always my “go-to”. Obviously, she cannot get to see every dog in our care so we have online discussions and it works really well.  Most of the dogs that are here with me are bite cases which could have gone horribly wrong. 

People often ignore the little problems with their dogs thinking they will grow out of them. The truth is they will grow into it. Then it escalates until it cannot be ignored. These problems do not need training advice. They need behaviour advice. There is a big difference. A zoom consultation with a behaviourist such as Lisa can save a dog's life. 

If you know someone having problems with a dog, what a great Christmas present an online consult with Lisa would be ❤️

We obviously love Lisa and if you frequent our groups especially our Friends of GSD Welfare group she is incredibly generous with her advice and support.

https://www.dogbehaviourclinic.co.uk/