- Carol

He entertained and loved us for eight years, and he stole our hearts completely. He loved to make us laugh He was an amazing dog and we miss him so much. Cancer is a thief.

A few memories: the time he brought a twenty dollar bill and dropped it at our house guest’s feet. Cash dog! He would immediately cuddle up to you if you laid on the floor. He loved to ride in the car and would run to the door with his blanket. “I’m all packed!” The time he curled up in Amy’s suitcase, again, “I’m packed!” (see picture) And when I took the “indestructible” bed back to Orvis and the sales guy held it up and said, “What do you have? An Alligator??”

RIP GATOR aka G-Man, Mangy, The G, G-Manski, Mule Boy, Bug Eyes… the dog who chewed up the “indestructible” bed 10 times; one of the only dogs who would tolerate the most rambunctious and rude of puppies; our other GSP Shawnee’s best friend; the dog who proudly carried around his crazy, scraggly, chewed-up scrap of blanket; the dog who inexplicably loved to eat plants on his daily walks; the dog who absolutely knew he made us laugh and brought us joy and love every day; the best and funniest rescue/foster dog turned OUR dog ever! We’ll miss you forever, buddy But I know you are on the other side keeping ‘em all laughing and loved. You are in our hearts forever and we love you.

- Tim and Tina

I had very high hopes of having him gain weight and getting into shape to play with my dogs. I knew things would not end well for Baldwin with Thyroid Cancer, but I really wanted to give him the best end of life scenario possible. I researched and found that Flaxseed Oil, Cottage Cheese and a high protein diet were good to try to keep this killer at bay. I was even giving him contraband B-17 from Mexico and a volunteer from the rescue gave me a wonderful pill that was supposed to help fight those terrible cancer cells. All hopes for this went to hell when Baldwin decided he did not want to eat anymore a couple of weeks ago. It became a game of well, what will you eat and please eat the painkillers and pepcid at least that are hidden in your food. He quickly discovered he could eat around the foul pills and leave them in his dish. So, I had to liquify his pills and use a plastic syringe to try to get at least these down his sore throat to ease his discomfort and nausea. He soon figured out he could “run” away from me and gave me quite the run-around the kitchen island and living room to avoid the inevitable bad tasting liquid being poured down his throat. Baldwin would rear his lips back in distate and would give me what I came to call the stink eye.

I also got the stink eye when I would not let him drink the puddle water he so wanted when we would take our strolls. Baldwin loved to smell the spring air. Maybe God blessed us with an early srping this year to let us enjoy the outdoors. Our driveway is 600 ft. long and he would always start off in haste. Even when I thought he would never have energy to make it to the mailbox, he would. He would find the energy. On the way back he would usually stop and we would take our time back to the house. But, I would get the dirty looks when I would not let him drink the puddle water. Someone said on one of my Facebook posts, “Kathy-he has cancer-let him have whatever he wants!!!”. The Thyoid Cancer caused him to have the same symptoms as Hyperthroidoism which causes intense thrist. So, we kept toilets shut and him away from the puddle water (I know-bad foster Mom).

The first week was great and he started to gain a very small amount of weight and muscle. We can only speculate that he was kept in a small area as he had no muscle tone at all. The second week here he started to have what I call bad days. He would not have the energy to get up thus his harness stayed on during the time out of his crate so I could help him up. I would have to hold him as his legs shook and then gain the energy to hold him up. He was supposed to weigh about 75 pounds and he was 49 when I took him to the vet the first 3 days he was here. I would ask him if he had his legs and his tail would wag and he would be on his way. Normally ,he would follow me around the house and then wait to be pet. If he was not being pet he would wag his tail even harder and do his little bark. It was more like a hoarse cough because the cancer robbed him of his vocal cords. I think God intervened again because I ended up with an upper respiratory flu and then an accute sinus infection. All of this allowed me to be recovering at home and with him versus working at the office.

In my vet’s estimation Baldwin was not over 7 years old. That is very young for a German Shorthaired Pointer. He was certainly dealt the unlucky card in life. Again, we can only speculate-but if I were to guess I would say he led a life of complete neglect only to be dropped off when he was no longer able to hunt. Jared and I are almost positive he was a hunter as he would raise his head in glory when he would hear or see a bird. And even in weakness would end up in the most beautiful GSP stance. They are the most regal dogs.

He loved to walk, and be pet. He loved my two dogs and would wag his tail as soon as they would come around. He did not have the energy to eat, but would follow me from room to room to bet pet and loved. Life gave this boy lemons and there was not one bit of animosity in his eyes. He was grateful to be alive and loved.

I will never forget this boy. He was only with us a little over 3 weeks before I had to make the decision to help him to the Rainbow Bridge. I really wish I would have had more time to spend with him, but the time we had was wonderful. I can tell you he went in peace and I held his head and looked into his beautiful brown eyes as he left this world. I wish he would have come to us sooner and we could have put some weight on him and given him a fighting chance, but that was not in his cards for Brave Baldwin. In the end, the best we could give him was comfort and love.

I want to thank everyone that has loved him and supported him. I told him every day that he had people that cared for him. And I told him again today.

He may have come to us as a foster, but as all fosters they never truly leave your heart. I would take any of them back on a moments notice if they needed me. Baldwin left this world with a family and a Mom that loved him dearly. He was my boy when he left. And I hope he is waiting for me at the Bridge wagging his little nub.

- Kathy (Baldwin’s Foster-Mom)

- Dawn (Elyria, OH)

- Alison (Akron, OH)

- Greg & Jenny (Chagrin Falls, OH)

I want to give big kudos to Adriana for doing such a wonderful job of matching the right dog to the right home. Wyatt is our third rescue, but our first GSP. What a wonderful breed! Wyatt is a PERFECT fit for us! I have attached a few photos of Wyatt with our girls so you can see for yourselves how well he has transitioned into our family. Thanks!

- Rachel & John (Gahanna, OH)

Obie participated in the cell-dog program and the GSP Ohio group were wonderful through the whole process. He has the typical GSP attitude (demanding “it’s all about me!”, vanity, plotting, entertaining) which we absolutely love. A perfect day involves breakfast, a walk/swim/fish, healthy treats, a ride in the truck, another walk or a run, dinner, more treats before going down for the day on top of one of us covered up. We absolutely love him! He makes us feel good. He also is wonderful with our 14 year old H57, Perkins. We are thrilled Obie chose us as his forever home. I often say GSP’s are smarter than most people I know, and I mean it. GSP’s forever!

- Carrie and Greg (Massillon, OH)

We still remember what you told us the day we picked her up. You stated that she was a “Diamond in the Rough” and would be a very active little girl, you have no idea how right you were. My job in the military required us to move across the country several times as well as for me to deploy and be away from the house for extended periods. Heidi was my wife’s constant companion, friend, watch dog, protector, exercise partner, snuggle buddy and just a joy to have in our home.

Whenever we were traveling, Heidi would sit in the back seat and just watch the world go by without a care because she was with her forever family. While on the road we would stop at Arby’s because that was her favorite restaurant, and get her a roast beef sandwich which we would feed to her being careful not to lose a finger in the process. She was a real chow hound, she loved to eat and never missed a meal which is one of the ways we were able to train her as well as win her confidence and gain her trust. Heidi was a smart little girl she would walk up to you and bark as if she needed to go outside, so when we would get up to let her out she would run over to the closet where we keep all of the dog treats. As Heidi grew older and we needed to give her medicine, she figured out that we were hiding pills in her treats so we went through the entire spectrum of treats (every dog treat we could buy, Oreo cookies, hot dogs, pizza crust, peanut butter, pasta noodles and yes e ven steak) anything to get pills in to her. She was a friendly girl; in fact she shared her home with 2 other GSP’s, Hans Von Wine Stube, (Ellie) Eloise Von Hohenzollern, and a little rowdy coonhound named Buddy.

Heidi constantly patrolled her yard against all intruders (squires and birds) and she was a very active girl until her last 6 months when we noticed that her hind quarter was getting weak, she was slowing down, sleeping more and losing her appetite. We were concerned and thought it was just old age but being the concerned GSP parents that we are, we took her to the Vet just to be sure. After several trips and lots of tests and medicine she finally let us know she was tired and no longer willing to fight. In the end there was nothing we could do other than love her and make her comfortable as the cancer robbed us of our little girl. We did not want her to be in pain or suffer so we asked the Vet to put her to sleep. She went to heaven in my wife’s arms and afterward we brought her home and buried in her back yard under a peach tree so she could be with her family. So every morning we drink coffee with Heidi under her tree as we think of her patrolling her yard and pro tecting her family against all the evil squires of the world.

We just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for the precious gift and joy you allowed to come into our lives, we think of her often and she is missed very much. In this Letter you will find a donation in Heidi’s name please use the money to help another “Diamond in the Rough” find a forever family. Again thank you very much for all of the years of happiness by allowing our little Heidi to be a part of our family.

Sincerely,
John and Susan
Hans, Ellie and Buddy

- Annette (Pittsburgh, PA)