100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 15 - Meet Willow

Day 15 of 100 Days with 100 Dogs and we've met some lovely dogs so far, and there's still many, many to come. Let's find loving homes for them, so they can live a life they deserve, not the one they've suffered.

Meet Willow

Willow is an 18 month old black and tan female German Shepherd, and she's an absolute sweetheart. She can be a little shy when she first meets you, but it doesn't take long to gain her friendship, and from then on she'll be fine.

She is good with people, shown no issues with dogs or cats, and we don't see any reason she couldn't live in a household with children.

Willow isn't neutered (and currently is too young to do so), and is located in Sleaford, South Lincs.

If you'd like to offer Willow her new home then email gsdwelfarefund@gmail.com.  Other dogs in our care can be found on our website - http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/ and in our adoption Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/gsdwfadoptions

Behavioral Topic - Labels

In this latest Behavioural Topic article, our resident behavioural expert, Lisa Hird warns of how labels can limit understanding if used as shortcuts when training and interacting with dogs.

Discover more about Lisa Hird and her Dog Behaviour Clinic on her website: https://www.dogbehaviourclinic.co.uk/

Labels

Throughout our lives, people attach labels to us, and we attach labels to others. Those labels reflect and affect how others think about us as well as how we think about ourselves. Labels are not always negative, but some of the labels that we use to describe each other are the result of assumptions and stereotypes. 

We regularly apply labels to people whom we barely know or have never even met, and the same is done to us. Sadly, this also happens with dogs.

"This dog is reactive"

"That dog is aggressive"

"The dog next door is vicious"

"My dog is stubborn"

"He is a difficult dog"

and the list goes on......

Labels can limit the amount of information we can gain about the individual dog and they also shape how we think about that dog.

A dog’s behaviour is a reflection of how he feels in a particular situation, or about a specific trigger. He may not behave in the same way in other situations.

Just because a dog barks or lunges towards another dog, does not mean he is aggressive or vicious or a "bad" dog. Labelling also doesn't take into account motivation.

A dog may be labelled "aggressive" but really he may be fearful of the other dogs. He may have had a bad experience in the past, he may have been forced to meet other dogs when he would prefer not to, he may have been punished for not being "sociable", or he may even be in pain. He now uses barking or lunging to create distance from other dogs - he isn't wanting to get closer to attack the other dog.

The labels we use affect how we view the behaviour, instead of looking at why he is behaving that way.

We need to view a dog’s behaviour with compassion, empathy and understanding - not judge them (and the same goes for humans too)!

Discover a varied range of articles covering behaviour, car, and health related topics in our article archive: https://gsdwelfare.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 14 - Meet Resident Ace

For Day 14 in the 100 Days with 100 Dogs we meet the amazing Ace. He's one of 20 odd dogs whose needs are complicated beyond being able to rehome him. We don't euthanise for not being suitable for homing, and so he's still enjoying life in our care.

Ace is a handsome 5 year old neutered male German Shepherd. He came to us when he was just 9 months old. He'd been in several homes by then and had become very reactive. The reactivity was born out of fear, and so it took him a while to learn to trust. 

Just when his rehabilitation was going well, we noticed him bumping in to things and suspected a problem with his eyesight. A vet check confirmed cataracts and he was then referred to a specialist.  Sadly because of his fear and reactivity he wasn't an ideal candidate for surgery as they wouldn't have been able to administer the aftercare.   

Ace is now thought to be completely blind but copes amazingly well. Ace is liable to bite out of fear if put in situations he cannot cope with, so we made the decision to keep him in our care to keep him safe.

To help pay for their lifetime of care, resident dogs can be sponsored - find out more here: http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/sponsor-a-dog/

   

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 13 - Meet Max P

Day 13 of 100 Days with 100 Dogs is upon on us and we'd like to thanks everyone for their positive responses thus far. Not only are the dogs looking for their new homes being shared for and wide, we've had some possible new parents approach. We still have a long road ahead of us, but with amazing and generous supports like you we'll get there!

Meet Max P

This cheeky chap is Max P. He's an 8 year old black and tan male German Shepherd.

After a change in domestic circumstances he was brought into Welfare. Max can get a bit full on, and so is probably better suited to a more experienced German Shepherd person.

He has lived with other dogs before, but he's most likely better off without cats in the household. We also recommend a child free home.

Max is currently situated in Mildenhall.

If you can offer Max a loving home, then contact us via email gsdwelfarefund@gmail.com 

You can find other dogs in our care on our website - https://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/dogslist/ and on our Facebook Adoption group  - https://www.facebook.com/groups/gsdwfadoptions

Become a GSD Welfare Fund Member

The German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund relies solely on donations, memberships, merchandise, and fundraising activities to fund the work we do. We have to raise enough money to cover the costs of kennelling the German Shepherd dogs rescued by us and pay their often expensive veterinary fees and medication. 

By becoming a member you will be helping the dogs rescued by The German Shepherd Dog Welfare Fund. 

As a member, you will receive a quarterly copy of our newsletter – Dogsbody. It keeps you updated with our news, the latest on the dogs, items of interest and other fun stuff. On top of that you will be helping us to continue to help those wonderful dogs of our beloved breed that are in need. Membership lasts for one year. Renewal is not automatic yet, but we will remind you when your membership is due to end.

http://www.gsdwelfarefund.co.uk/product/gsd-welfare-fund-annual-membership/

100 Days with 100 Dogs: Day 12 - Meet Tara

On the twelve day of the 100 days with 100 dogs series we have another young dog looking for a loving home to welcome her.

 

Meet Tara

The beautiful Tara is just 18 months old. She's a black and tan long coated female German Shepherd.

Tara hasn't been neutered as still quite young.

She came to welfare after a fight with a resident dog. With this in mind she would best be suited to a pet free home, and without young children.

Would Tara find the home she needs with you? If so, please email us at gsdwelfarefund@gmail.com. If not, please share her far and wide in the hopes her perfect pawrents will see it.

Our New Online Store is Open!

We are pleased to reveal that our online store is now open and available from our website. Currently there is a modest selection of merchandise including car bumper stickers, and customisable mugs and treat bags are available.

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

The sale of items contributes directly to helping to fund our mission to rescue, care for, and rehome vulnerable German Shepherds. We'll look at adding new items in the near future, and like the recently added car bumper stickers, we'll share ideas with our supporters to gauge interest.

You can also review items from the store, so feel free to share your impressions with the world.

Sponsor a Dog, and the bumper stickers are the current hot items available!