Nala Is Adopted

We at California GSP Rescue love reuniting with familiar faces, but there's something truly special about seeing the next generation embrace rescue! When Deepak and Kaila applied to adopt, we were overjoyed to learn that Kaila's family had adopted a GSP from us when she was a child. It's heartwarming to see this understanding of the importance of rescue passed down through the generations. Nala seemed like the perfect fit for their active lifestyle, and now, a month after adoption, she's officially a cherished member of the family! Here's an update from Deepak on how Nala's settling in:

Overall Nala has been amazing, we love her company and can feel her opening up with us, and that she trusts us more and sees us as her family. Her personality is coming out more as she gets more comfortable with us and her new environment.

We’ve been playing ball with her for 45 minutes in the park daily on a very long line. We still need to improve her recall, as she rarely comes back to where I am with the ball. 

We noted that she’s gone from 42lbs to 45lbs. We can tell she has more muscle definition in her legs, and don’t see any additional fat, but are monitoring how much food and treats she gets. 

We thankfully haven’t had any more accidents in the house, and don’t think that will be an issue, especially if we keep her off new smelling items to keep her from wanting to mark them. 

We found she tires quickly in the heat/sun, and are being careful to give her plenty of water and rest during hikes, and I’ve been playing ball with her in the mornings during the heat wave over the past few days.

She’s been good and friendly with all the people she’s met, and is great at recalling people that she’s met before. 

When meeting other dogs we’ve found generally she tends to match their energy. With smaller dogs she is very calm and friendly, and typically doesn’t react if they bark at her. With dogs her size she is friendly when they are, but will bark, but not too aggressively, if they bark, but will be friendly and play if they reciprocate.

We did have an incident where she was introduced to Kaila’s mom’s dog, Charlie, at their house, which didn’t go well. Charlie’s an older, female, Australian Shepherd mix, and is very possessive of food, and is often fed table scraps during dinner. When they met it was first in their backyard, and though they were barking, they were ok with each other. Later Kaila’s parents were eating dinner with Charlie next to the table, and Nala ran over out of curiosity, and Charlie started aggressively barking with bared teeth. Nala matched that energy and we had to separate them. Later that evening we tried reintroducing them, but again they became aggressive with each other. We could tell Nala felt tense for a few days after that. We don’t plan to reintroduce them anytime soon, but when that times comes we would do it at a park in neutral territory. 

While Nala's adjustment hasn't been entirely without its hurdles, Deepak and Kaila have faced them head-on with patience and dedication. They're working on her recall and finding ways to manage her energy in the California heat. They've also successfully addressed her house-training and are navigating introductions with other dogs. Their commitment to positive reinforcement training is truly inspiring, and we have no doubt Nala will continue to blossom under their loving care. We at California GSP Rescue are thrilled for Nala and her new family, and we look forward to following their adventures together!