Rocky I had a few homes before I arrived in my current home and I am only 3 years old! My first home after leaving my mum and siblings was with a family who had a young baby after I arrived. They said that they could not cope with me after the baby was born (although I did try to be very good!). I then had to go for some test with the British Transport Police (whoever they are) and I found out that I had failed that as well – I guess I was just too friendly. Then I went to another home where I only stayed for a few weeks – they said that they couldn’t cope with me either – was I sooo bad? Things picked up for me after that, when I went to stay with my new Mum and Dad and they have told me that I can stay with them forever!!! I love playing ball with them and I make them use two balls, so I don’t have to give the first one back to them before they throw the second ball – I like to keep my options open! My Dad has taught me to sit and stay and he tries to leave me and go out of sight – well obviously I have to check everything is all right if he is out of sight for more than a couple of seconds – anything could happen to him! I love to swim in the river, especially if it’s covered in mucky pond weed which obviously makes it more enjoyable. My friend, Jess, even comes in with me now, but I don’t think Ray (her Dad) is very pleased about that, something about her being long haired I think.
	Jack My name is Jack – they said I didn’t have a name when I was picked up by the dog warden in Kent and so they called me Ratatouille because I was so bouncy. That was shortened to Ratty which I hated and so I changed my name to Jack (much more distinguished!). Anyway I can’t remember much about my old life, but whatever happened I got to the stage where nobody wanted me and so I spent some time in kennels. The people were a bit strange – they didn’t seem to understand why I was so exuberant all the time, but tell me this – if you were shut in a kennel for days on end, wouldn’t you want to let off steam when you got a chance? Anyway I bounced around whenever I got a chance until I met my friend, Ben and my new Mum and Dad. We went for a walk from the kennels and they didn’t seem to mind me ‘bouncing’! They took me off to a new home, where I met another dog Dylan, who was quite old and fragile but I was careful with him. Anyway I am well settled now, although sadly Dylan is not here anymore (not sure what happened to him but everyone was very sad, including me). Ben is good at keeping the rescue that took me in, up to date with all my antics as I struggle with the keyboard with my big paws – this is what he said about me recently: ‘Jack still has a lot of bounce in him, especially when he is in the car going somewhere, but when we have taken him for a long walk and he gets worn out he is quiet for a little while. Just a little while! He has really settled in well and he isn’t like Tigger ALL the time because he is happy and content. Jack is perfect in every respect except from when he is in the car when he howls like a wolf, and barks at every passing dog; and on the lead as he pulls really hard but he is getting better by the day. As the weather is nice at the moment we either take him to some water like a nearby river or to Southsea, or we let him have a splosh in the paddling pool! Me and mum have both gone away on separate school trips in the last 2 weeks and when we have arrived home both of us have been mugged by Jack and have had a lovely face wash as well! He has also stolen a few bourbon biscuits from me when I have been relaxing with a snack when I get back from school! Overall we couldn’t have asked for a better dog!’ Ah that’s sweet – I aim to please and they did NEED a ‘face wash’ and I do like bourbons! Here are some pictures of Ben and me in the paddling pool cooling down in this hot weather! I am very photogenic, don’t you agree?
	Cassie My name is Cassie – do you remember me? This was the poem I wrote about my life last year when there was a special appeal for a kennel to enable me to come and stay in the New Forest for some ‘recuperation time’: 6 months on a puppy farm, shut in a shed, A cardboard box and straw for my bed. Listening at night to the scurry of mice, Life really was not nice! At 6 months I thought my saviour had come A new owner to love me and give me some fun But 12 months later I was given away I don’t think I was bad - I have to say I know I wasn’t, because I wouldn’t have dared You see life in the shed had made me nervous and scared Life really was not nice! My new home was busy and they worked all the time I wanted to be with them so would scratch and whine 3 children to guard and protect was my role To bark and scare away strangers was my goal Life really was not nice Banned to the kitchen for 12 months was my fate Always to wear a muzzle, which I really did hate What had I done wrong again, someone please advise Life really was not nice! So now I am in kennels, where I am always on guard Life for a scared dog is really very hard I dream of a life where I can relax and play ball And lie in the grass with no worries at all Life would really be nice! Since then my life has really changed. I moved into my new kennel in December and I was very thin and scared, but I didn’t want to stay in the kennel for long as I saw other dogs being allowed to go in the house and I was keen to join them. I barked a lot and told Auntie Alison that I was not happy and, eventually she relented and let me come inside. I had lots of meals and was allowed to play with my friend, Ben, who helped to relax me. Then a poor little dog came to stay as well – his name was Toby and he was quite sick so I gave him lots of licks and reassurance. I got to go on walks and everything, but when I had put on enough weight and was fit, I still needed a home of my own. One day some people came to see me with a big dog called Sabre. I was not very sure about them at first, and Sabre kept barking at me, but I ignored him and started to play ball with the new people to help them to relax around me. Anyway, I must have done something right for a change, because they took me home with them and they have told me that I can stay with them forever and ever! My new Mum and Dad are great and I get lots of walks and fuss and attention. Even Sabre couldn’t resist me in the end and we now play together and are great friends. Auntie Alison and Uncle Iain came to see me in my new home and I had to make it clear to them that I didn’t want to go back so I ran away from them for a while and barked, but then I played ball with them just to show them that there were no hard feelings – these humans are quite strange and I didn’t want them to be upset. I am very happy here and ‘Life is really nice!’
	Bonnie's Rap Got kicked from me digs on a Saturday night. Accused of attitude, and a bit of bite. To be blunt I suppose it was true, But wats an abused dog meant to do? Some gezza cum with a great big truck Wat was this, waz I gunna change me luck? Now I waz a bit scared, I have to say, Things looked different night to day. Next day came, I got fed Then later up a track got led. Coming down towards us waz this crew, Two black and tan dogs and old kids too. Got introduced, they seemed cool, The younger dog though he’s a bit of a fool. Now I got this sense fings waz no longer gunna be blue, Guess wat turned out to be true. The mamma and I hit it off, She knew right away I had it tough. She got rid of me stink and the lodgers too, Then taught me she waz gunna rule. So I’d got taught me some respect, and obedience too, But occasionally can’t resist answering back too. Now we went to the vets, And you never guess wat? It ended up I got me some specs! Now I wear me goggles like a lady, And guess wat guys “I’M THE REAL SLIM SHADY”
	Lilly I used to live with my sister, Poppy, at a nursery, but one night we were very scared because of some strange human habit which they call ‘fireworks’ – it was very scary and so we ran away and got into some trouble with a farmer. To cut a long story short, we left there and went to stay in a couple of places in kennels. I then went on my own to a home which I quite liked so I decided to stay there. I am taken out all over the place and I get lots of walks and have become very fit. Everyone I meet adores me and says that I am very good, friendly and well behaved – a real credit to my Mum and to the rescue. I am very grateful to everyone for helping me and so I do my best to be good so that other people may offer to help some of the dogs who still need help and good homes. I am just lucky to have found such a nice place to live!
	Rolo Hi Auntie Alison, Uncle Iain, Auntie Lynne and Uncle Nick, I know we never really met but thanks to you guys my new family came and rescued me late at night from Devon. I had only travelled from Wales the night before and was very timid and underweight. I was very tired and had seen a lot of strange faces in twenty four hours. It was very intimidating for a five month old puppy. I was put into a truck with a lovely snugly sheep skin rug to keep me warm, and two youngish children talked to me in reassuring voices to try and placate me and keep me calm as I was really shaking. I was a very good puppy and travelled to my new foster home (Ha, Ha, Lol.) like an angel. My new mum, oopps, foster mum (not) had to coax and encourage me at half past twelve at night from the truck. She was great though, she tried doggy biscuits, fresh chicken, everything. Now doggies know a good thing when they smell it and so it was not long before I came cowering towards her. She then introduced me briefly to the two other dogs in the house before settling me down in the kids bedroom. The following day I was feeling very scared and depressed, I was also very dehydrated. My mummy took a fresh look at me and decided that Auntie Alison should take a look at me as she was very worried. We went to the vets and I had a high temperature and there I was told to rest but by the Saturday I was really very poorly. My tummy hurt and I couldn’t keep water or food down. I could tell my mummy and family were very anxious for me as I couldn’t afford to lose any more weight. Then the worst thing possible happened I had to stay in a cage at the vets with a nasty drip in my leg. On the following Monday afternoon my foster mummy (lol) came to get me. I was so relieved and pleased to see her I nearly pulled the nurse of her feet, and licked my mum to death. My mummy has slowly built me up and I love my new family, yes I mean my new family, and my two doggy friends. I’ve slowly got more and more confident in the house and on the long forest walks that mummy takes us on every day where she throws balls for us and lets us go in the stinky smelly water, well maybe not but we do anyway. Because I’m a puppy I sometimes get to boss the others around, and I also like to nibble dad’s toes and fingers at five o clock in the morning so he fusses me before the other dogs get a look in, although he is trying to persuade me that six am would be a better time. (Lol). Thank you southern counties gsd rescue for giving me a new chance in life! Lots of love Rolo.xxx
	Poppy I used to live with my sister, Lilly, at a nursery, but one night we were very scared because of some strange human habit which they call ‘fireworks’ – it was very scary and so we ran away and got into some trouble with a farmer. To cut a long story short, we left there and then I went off on an adventure of my own. I was quite pleased as I never really liked Lilly very much. I now live with my new Mum, Jo, and my little friend, Snoopy. You will never guess what happened to me – I had to have an operation at the vets and the very next day when My Mum took me out to do my business (I don’t like doing it in the garden), we were burgled. The policeman that looked after us was lovely. He had just lost his own very elderly GSD and is hoping to be a police dog handler; if that doesn’t work he wants another GSD just like me! Snoop and I are getting on better now. I have to remember that I’m much bigger than him and not play too roughly otherwise he gets very cross (he’s just a stubborn old terrier – well, nearly a year older than me anyway). I love living here with my Mum and Snoop and have met most of my new family, still got two grandchildren and some more dogs to go! I have inherited a friend through my predecessor (a GSD called Polly). He is a dachshund called William, and he is helping with my lead walking, but he does walk sooo slowly! Mum says she loves me dearly and I think Snoop is getting quite fond of me, despite all the grumbles and I am very, very happy here!
	Talin When I was very young I lived with three other dogs who bullied me which was not very nice and so I went to live with some other people who just had one dog, Sky, who was my best friend. We lived in a pub with my Mum and Dad and got to meet lots of people and other dogs. Sadly we had to move away from the pub and my Mum and Dad had to go to work all day and Sky and I were left at home on our own. We didn’t get many walks either and Mum and Dad thought it was best that we were found a new home where we could have more attention and exercise. It was very sad as they really did love us but they thought we would be happier. Sky found a new home before me and I was left all on my own then and was quite sad. I am not a very brave dog even though I am quite big and so didn’t really like being on my own. Anyway one day it was my turn and I went off to my new home. I was a bit worried at first as it was all very new and scary, but I have settled in now. I have a new friend called Stella who I go walking with around the farm twice a day, and I even get to play ball and chase pheasants which is great fun – I never catch them though. I also like to ransack the recycling bags as there are all sorts of interesting things in there for me to take out of the dog flap and distribute around the garden – bacon wrappers, cream and yoghurt pots and all sorts! My new Mum and Dad have been away a couple of times since I have been here and I go and stay with some really nice people who look after me in their home. I am really quite happy with my new life.
	Blue I have been very useful in my time – In my younger days I used to patrol a college grounds to make sure everyone was safe. It was a very responsible job and I took it very seriously. Then I was retired and went to live with one of my ‘handlers’ – I think they call it. I was a little bit unlucky as I then became sick – cancer they said it was! I had to have some treatment and I got better, but then my Dad got a different job and I had to stay at home in the kitchen for 12 hours a day. I was very lonely and unhappy. One day a nice lady came and took me to another home where I stayed until a permanent home could be found for me. I really had started to lose hope – who would want an old boy like me whose useful life was over? Anyway my luck changed and I went off to a lovely home with my new Mum and Dad – they love me a lot and someone is with me for most of the day. It is a lovely retirement home for me and I get to go out on lots of walks and get lots of fuss – maybe life isn’t so bad after all.
	Zeus I am nearly a year old and I have had lots of homes. I stayed in my first home for a couple of months but was sent back to the house where I was born – I don’t know why! Then I went to another home where they had an 18 month old human – they didn’t keep me long as they said that I was too bouncy, barky and nippy – well isn’t that what puppies do? I then had to go somewhere else where, get this, they expected me to sleep outside in a kennel!!!! I made it known that I was not happy about that and grumbled at them a bit. They said it was only temporary while they were trying to find me a forever home, but I was NOT impressed. Anyway all that is over with and now I live with my new Mum and Dad and I get loads of fuss and attention. My Dad is a personal trainer and so I get lots of exercise and I get to watch the training sessions with his clients in the gym at home as well. I have been here since early February so I think I have persuaded them that I am really a very good dog and they will keep me.
	Page 1Page 2

© Southern Counties German Shepherd Rescue 2010 All Rights Reserved
Registered Office: Bogmyrtle Cottage, Tom's Lane, Linwood, BH24 3QX
Company Number: 6866590   We are a charity for tax purposes (XT20569).