Max Is Adopted!
Max a five-year-old male German Shorthaired Pointer was surrendered by his family when they could no longer manage his separation anxiety. He had lived his entire life with another dog in his original home, but the pair were separated when the original owner could not place them together. Max missed his companion and routine and, when left alone, became anxious. Notes from the family that surrendered Max to us said that Max needs to live with another dog. They described the ideal home for Max would be a family with at least one other dog.
Micki and Kevin and their son, Brock were repeat adopters. They adopted Olive from us in 2020. They saw Max on our website, and inquired about him. Olive had separation anxiety, so they had experience managing that, and were up to the challenge, and ultimately wanted to give Max a home. The only challenge left, was how he would do with their 2 cats.
Well it has been a year since Max has been in his forever home, and we wanted to share how he is doing!
“We rescued Max from California GSP Rescue in January 2023. Max has been with us for one year. We could not be happier to have him as a member of our pack. We heard about Max last January, what a sweet dog he was, and that he had been with California GSP Rescue for nine months. He was not in a foster home where he was acclimating to home life, so we wanted to get him here as quickly as possible. We were a little worried about how he would do with house training since he was not acclimated, but he was a champ! You could tell he was trying so hard to please us. Rescue dogs are so grateful.
It was really important that we did slow introductions to our pack with him to make sure he was confident in his new living situation. It took Max about three months to really fit in, showing his true personality. He is a very strong GSP. He is not the largest we have ever had, but he is definitely the most powerful. We currently have two GSP’s now, and a smallish terrier, Andie, rounds out our pack. Max cat-tested very well at California GSP Rescue, and we were able to incorporate him into our home, which also includes two cats. Everyone gets along great.
We feel very lucky. Max and his sister Olive, also a rescue from California GSP Rescue, exercise twice daily. They get a 3-mile walk in the morning and, most days, some additional park time or a second walk. We call that morning walk “resetting the walnut.” Everyone knows GSP’s need exercise for their brain to function properly, right? Haha.
My husband and I both work from home, so we are able to spend a lot of time with our dogs. Both Olive and Max were supposedly given up due to separation anxiety. Neither of them shows any signs of having this disorder, although I think a good strong pack, both people and other dogs, helps them feel confident. We are able to leave all of them home alone without crating for several hours.
I encourage anyone who is considering GSP ownership to take advantage of an older, more established dog. Max is the fourth GSP we have rescued, and we have found the transition to home life so much easier than rearing a puppy. It just works best for us. I think rescue dogs get a bad rap because they were given up because something was wrong with them. I honestly believe that the owners are the problem and not the dog. Good dog owners have good dogs.
We appreciate all the volunteers at California GSP Rescue. They do an amazing job acquiring, vetting, and sharing great information with potential adopters so you know about the dog you are bringing into your pack. We have been regular financial supporters of California GSP Rescue for several years and plan to continue. These dogs deserve our best.
PS: One really cool side note: Max and my husband have the same birthday”!
