The German Shepherd Rescue Trust Newsletter January 2012

Well 2011 is but a memory now and we’re into a New Year. We hope 2012 is a good year for everyone

We are happy to report that all dogs who were in foster care prior to Christmas were able to be placed in new homes in time for Christmas with their new families.

Overall thankfully things were relatively quiet on the rescue front. A couple of emergencies were dealt with but all in all we had a reasonably quiet Christmas.

As most people would expect (and hopefully understand) there is a slight delay in processing applications/home checks etc. because of the Christmas period - even the worker bees need to spend time with their families.

Adoption numbers are currently at 955 – far too close to 1000 dogs. We hope it is a long time before the 1000th dog comes through rescue but at the same time we know it is inevitable.

Two senior dogs will be listed on the homes needed page shortly, both are very good with cats which is a welcome bonus. The joy of owning a senior dog was shared in an earlier newsletter so we are confident these two boys will soon be placed in loving homes.

For me this year my annual read was a book by Patricia McConnell – “The Other End of the Leash”. I can’t say I particularly enjoyed her style of writing but I was thoroughly engaged in the subject matter. One phrase that has stayed in my mind was in reference to “gaining dominance over your dog”. In the author’s opinion this phrase should be struck out of the English language – personally I couldn’t agree more!! This book is well worth a read if you really care about your relationship with your dog. Read the book with an open mind – you never know what you might learn!

As I write this issue it’s a particularly warm evening; emphasised by the heavy breathing going on behind me (where my girls are laying asleep). With the hotter weather comes fleas! Don’t forget to keep the flea treatments for your dogs up to date; you may find you have to go to 4 weekly instead of the recommended 6 weekly dosage. There are other alternatives if you don’t like the topical remedies though. Oral products like Comfortis or ‘Flea Free’ flea powder added to the food have proven to be quite successful – a number of our members use Flea Free.

Wandering Jew is thriving at the moment too due to the humidity and rain so try to keep the gardens clear of it. A lot of dogs develop rashes after coming into contact with it.

Take care until next time

Colleen Johnson
on behalf of the Trustee's of The German Shepherd Rescue Trust.