I have permission to pass on this delightful email I got from one of our wonderful volunteers in Wellington.

Thought I would write you a few lines around our first few weeks with Pixie

I love my 3 year old German Shepherd Grizz with all my heart – and he desperately needed a canine companion, so we found Pixie

I have done some home visits around Wellington for German Shepherd rescue, however we found Pixie on the net, and drove to Turangi to pick her up. She is my own little rescue dog.

Pixie lived with a family for her first 2 years in South Auckland – but was picked up by the dog ranger and impounded. Apparently this had happened a couple of times but this time her family didn’t collect her. Then a man picked her up from the pound to take home and “train” into a guard dog. Her life definitely went wrong about then because she lost about 10 kilos in weight in a few weeks – not sure what sort of training that was!!

Pixie doesn’t have a grumpy bone in her little body – so he rehomed her to a couple who got her as a companion dog for their small white fluffy – Pixie does have huge play drive and is very boisterous and very German Shepherd in her play – not suitable for a small dog at all. So for the next 3 weeks she spent her life outside, and given her reaction to small dogs think she had some very unsuitable management around this situation, she is friendly and open with big dogs, so sure we can sort this one out quickly by giving her some confidence around small ones. When I collected her I commented on how very thin she was and the women said yes and she has put on weight since we got her but she doesn’t really like the super market brand food, but she steals the cat food all the time!! She was starving.

Pixie’s first night at home was interesting – Grizz was not at all pleased with his new playmate – stay away from my mum!!! He took about 2 hours and then suddenly they were running around the back yard playing. They played for a couple of hours and then Grizz was exhausted. Grizz would not let me rub Pixie dry with a towel and was very grumpy if he thought she was getting too much attention, he was like a 2 year old with a new baby in the house – excited but quite put out. Pixie jumped on the bench to eat dinner scraps and was very very hungry. For the next few days we feed her 3 times and day and then we established a feeding routine of morning and night – which has sorted her food theft issues – Grizz has the same routine, she would have eaten anything but sure does love Eukanuba.

She is a delightful bundle of fun - her first walk was hilarious – she kept looking at the trees and grass and stopping and sniffed everything almost like she hadn’t walked like that before – or maybe because of being impounded and the next 2 homes didn’t walk her – not sure she had seen a river before by the way she stopped and looked and then ran up and down – but she sure can swim. She has huge play drive – and will go for hours. She took a couple of days to settle and actually sleep and three weeks later is still very busy in the house – always wanting to know where you are – or what you are doing and very nosey , some of this is personality but some is because she is anxious. Not a surprise given she had 4 homes in a month!! We have a rountine of feed walk and play which has definitely helped her settle. She is a clown, make the whole family laugh and is quite uncoordinated which makes everyone smile – her mate Grizz now wants her near most of the time and wants to play as long as he is boss, she is absolutely endearing. She loves me most and when I am home she is right behind me – but a ride in the car with one of the kids or a walk and she is off. She sleeps on a Victorian chaise lounge in our bedroom!! Our three pedigree cats are a source of interest but she must have lived in homes with cats because she is pretty good 99% of the time – and the other 1% the cats sort.

I suppose the point I am raising is that sometime animals choose you – and adopted German Shepherds absolutely give you there hearts and win yours in return – how can you refuse.

Merry Christmas and take care

What a wonderful story. She looks so content on her chaise lounge! Bless her - what ahorrible month or so she's had before meeting you!!! Thanks for sharing such a heart warming story!