Gina’s experience with the dog-bullies … not!
By Gina Spadafori
October 20, 2007
Turns out that completely aside from all the nonsense over Ellen D and the whole mess over poor little Iggy, I’ve been gearing up for my own rescue experience.
Today, I adopted a young German shepherd from NorCal German Shepherd Rescue. And the experience couldn’t have been better. The organization knows the breed, has smart and kind volunteers, deals respectfully and intelligently with prospective adopters … everything you’d want a rescue group to be.
Of course, I didn’t go there to do a “60 Minutes” on them. I went there to talk to a dog. The group sends out an e-mail when it’s going to have an adoption event at one of the regional Petsmarts. I’ve been getting the e-mails listing all the available dogs from this group for 10 years, at least, and I always look at all them all and sigh, hoping they all found great homes. I love shepherds, but they’re smart, driven and sometimes tough to handle. Some don’t get along well with other dogs, and others aren’t safe around smaller pets, such as cats. I’m perfectly capable of handling and training a tough-minded dog, of course, but I’m just not that interested in doing so anymore. That’s why I like my retrievers: They’re sweet, easy-going (if highly energetic) and smart.
But I’ve thought about a shepherd for years, with more thinking recently. My garage was broken into, and with all the increased visibility I’ve had lately, I really wanted a dog who looked like maybe you should think twice before coming into my yard — without the dog being a threat to anyone. I wanted a retriever temperament in a shepherd body, in other words.
And then, in my e-mail box, there was Pippin. I can’t tell you why after all these years of looking at this e-mail newsletter — not to mention hundreds of Petfinder and other shelter and rescue listings — Pippin jumped out as a dog I had to meet. He hadn’t been a must-meet for others, and has been in a foster home for months. But he touched me, and so I went to the event and spent an hour with him, testing him in as many ways as I know how — and that’s a lot! — trying to find the reason why he shouldn’t come home with me, working on a little training, talking with the volunteers.
Assuming I pass the home test tomorrow, Pippin will be coming to his forever home — mine. He’s a little guy, about 50 pounds at something in the neighborhood of 10 months old. (I’m guessing he’ll top out around 60 with maturity and a good diet.) He’s sweet and playful, and never set a paw wrong with adults, children or other dogs while I was with him, and offered confident eye contact with a long wagging tail. The rescue folks think he may be mixed with border collie, and I can’t see how that could be a bad thing, either.
So … Pippin is joining the G-pack. Not bad for a throwaway pup from the pound in Stanislaus County, Calif.!
Welcome home, little Pip.
(The headline refers to the Salon piece I wrote about earlier today, “Ellen, the Dog Bullies and Me.”)
Gina-Good luck with Pippin.He’s a beautiful guy ! I’m sure he’ll be very happy with his new family.
Comment by Leslie k — October 20, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
Congrats! good looking boy. love his ears!! we will NEED pics tomorrow after you get him settled in {grin}
i must admit, i have “adding a new pack member” jealousy. i need to wait until i get back to CA before i expand my crew. well, i may sneak* another feline in next kitten season, but don’t tell Dot!
can’t wait for tomorrow’s update!
*sneak means behind MY back. not landlords or anyone else’s, we keep it legal in this home :)
Comment by straybaby — October 20, 2007 @ 6:27 pm
If Pippin can pass the “Empress Clara” test, he’s in like Flynn! My retrievers and shepherds always got along great. Best luck!!
Comment by MaineMom — October 20, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
I hope everything goes well tomorrow and Pippin (and everybody else) settles in easily. He’s a handsome fella!
Comment by Therese — October 20, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
Congrats Gina! Hope you are still using the Dog Jogger!
Comment by Judi — October 21, 2007 @ 10:46 am
My friend Bob the Dog Runner is family now. The dogs would die of disappointment without their three-times weekly five-mile runs.
Not to mention: Bob is also trainer of PEOPLE, and he has me convinced I can train for a half-marathon next year!
Assuming I pass this morning’s home check, Pip will be joining the family on October 29.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — October 21, 2007 @ 10:48 am
Oh he’s just precious. Congrats!
Comment by Chanin — October 21, 2007 @ 11:10 am
Hey Gina-
That is awesome Bob is family now! I am still running the Ebizon hounds but the girls are in season so I took a break for 3 weeks.
I hope Pippin (that’s a great name, I know a very cool guy named Pippin) likes Bob too!
Judi
Comment by Judi — October 21, 2007 @ 3:22 pm
Perhaps he is a coated german shepherd. My long coated female became an ROM title holder ,plus she had super temperment and was super smart . Congratulations Gina !!
Comment by thomas — October 21, 2007 @ 4:54 pm
Beautiful dog—will match up with Clara in coloring.
My guess is that Clara is going to tell him she is the boss.
He is one cool dog.
Comment by Colorado transplant — October 21, 2007 @ 6:31 pm
Congratulations! I grew up with GSDs and have only the fondest memories of them. Smart and sensitive dogs.
Comment by Jennifer J — October 21, 2007 @ 6:57 pm
Best of luck with Pippin! And by the way, thanks for writing that all rescues and rescue folks are not off the wall and crazy. You just saved me a few hours of writing.
Comment by nancy — October 22, 2007 @ 4:29 am
Did I miss an update? Did Gina pass the home check? (Not that I have any doubts on that, of course!)
Congratulations on Pippin!
Comment by The OTHER Pat — October 22, 2007 @ 6:37 am
No home check yesterday. :(
But … I can’t take Pippin until a week from tomorrow anyway because I’ll be in Texas this weekend, and I don’t want to leave a new dog with my wonderful pet-sitter. Hard on them both!
I’m guessing, though, that the home check isn’t going to be a problem, and Pip will join the pack next week.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — October 22, 2007 @ 6:42 am
I’m the volunteer who did Gina’s home visit. Have to say, I felt right at home in her house full of love and pets. Just a lot less dog hair than I’m used to with my German Shedders, er, I mean German Shepherds. Any animal would beg to get adopted by her; a few poeple I know, too.
Pippin will have a Dog’s Life. At the end of my visit, Gina’s sr. girl honored me with her ‘hug & kiss’ trick - I felt like I was the one who’d passed inspection!
Comment by GSDogGirl — October 25, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
Gina, I’m thrilled that you and Pippin have found each other! I’m the volunteer who evaluated him at the pound, and brought him into the program. He looked like a 6-7ish month old longcoat GSD pup, all ears & rear end, and not very heavy in bone.
I kept waiting for him to grow bigger and he kept insisting on staying smaller, so eventually he morphed into a likely GSD/Border Collie cross. Whatever his genetics, his sweet temperament and irrepressible joy in life made him a keeper. I knew the minute I evaluated him that his name would be Pippin (after the Hobbit). No other name would do! I’m very pleased you like & are keeping his name.
We could never understand why no one adopted my little Pippinsqueak for the months he was in the program, but now we understand that he was waiting for you.
May you & Pip have many wonderful adventures together!
Miz
Comment by MizShepherdist — October 26, 2007 @ 12:37 pm