Available Dogs:Winter

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2-15-10 WINTER UPDATE

No, we’re not talking about the snowstorms that have hit the country this month. We mean our strikingly beautiful and velvety-soft white GSD currently being fostered in Houston . As you may remember, Winter came to us with an old foot injury which had not healed properly. The veterinarians we initially consulted decided that the best and safest course of action for Winter was to have his back leg amputated. Lots of wonderful and caring people came to Winter’s aid by donating the funds for his surgery – thank you all! You are Winter’s heroes, and ours!

But now there is new, and better, news for Winter. Yet another veterinary opinion suggested that most of Winter’s foot pain stemmed from chronic infection, rather than the injury itself. After several aggressive courses of antibiotics, Winter appears to be much better and after his followup visit he got a great prognosis for keeping his leg AND living nearly pain-free! His paw will always be a bit misshapen, but he will be able to keep his leg!

The best news for Winter is that he is ready to go to a "forever home"! If you think he might be a good fit for your family, please learn more about him through our website, and begin the application process to become an approved adopter.

For everyone who donated so generously with the expectation that Winter would have surgery (which is now, fortunately, not necessary), AGSDR would like to extend the opportunity for your money to be refunded. Please inquire by March 15, 2010 with your name, and the amount you donated, and the form of donation (check, Paypal, etc.) at winterslegsurgery@gmail.com and AGSDR will contact you about a refund. No action need be taken if you want your donation to be used to rescue another German Shepherd dog who needs AGSDR's help. Thank you!

IMPORTANT UPDATE 1/15/10: Winter’s rear foot, which sustained an injury a long time ago that was left untreated, has not improved; there is simply too much scar tissue and the ligaments, muscles, blood vessels and nerves that had fused together in his paw cannot be treated with normal surgery. The vet has decided that the best course of action is to amputate Winter’s leg. Because he young and strong and otherwise very healthy, Winter should take this new development in stride (pun intended) and we have no doubt that he will make someone a delightful companion. That’s the good news. Unfortunately, Winter’s surgery will cost about $1,000, which is above and beyond what AGSDR budgets for the typical medical bills of a single dog. Winter needs your help – now. Please click on the button below to help contribute to his surgery.

Winter is a strikingly handsome and terribly sweet young man who will need an understanding forever home once he has recovered from his surgery. Although he will technically be a “special needs” boy, Winter will be a wonderful addition to the right home. If you are interested in adopting Winter, please follow the links to our online application. Thank you for helping this sweetheart!

Update 1/10: Winter continues to be a big, sweet loverboy. After more vet visits and evaluations, it has been determined that his injured leg will need surgery after all. He will be available for adoption after this has happened. The timeframe for his adoption is still unknown, but please check back often for updates on his progress. Winter is also looking for families to sponsor him, as his recovery will likely be quite expensive. Any support you can give to this precious boy will be greatly appreciated.

Update 12/13: Winter came into the rescue with an injured foot that had surgery performed on it and the vet found that his foot had been injured and was left untreateded for sometime. It had been untreated for so long that scar tissue had built up and the ligaments, muscles, some blood vessels and nerves had fused together in his paw. Consequently his foot will never look normal, but dispite this injury he does fine on this paw. Even with this shortcoming of having an enlarged back paw due to the unattended injury, Winter is a strikingly impressive German Shepherd. His foster mom can hardly walk through the neighborhood without being stopped by admirers and schoolchildren wanting to fawn over him! He has been steadily gaining weight and is now up to a much healthier 98 pounds, though he still has some weight to gain before he is in top form. His coat has begun to thicken up and is coming in velvety soft and as white as, well, the wintertime! He behaves perfectly when left uncrated in a closed room during the day, but he also enjoys the coziness of his crate. He has an extreme fondness for toys - he loves rubber Kongs (especially if they have peanut butter in them!) and soft stuffed animals, which he delightedly tosses up in the air and carries around as he prances. Maybe Winter will have a Christmas miracle and find his forever home with you.

Update 11/18: There's nothing frigid about Winter - on the contrary, he will melt your heart! He has the most beautiful brown eyes that seem to peer right into your soul. Winter has come a long way in his basic obedience and is a quick learner, even for a German Shepherd. He has mastered sit, down, shake, go get it, stay, kennel up, and wait at the door until told to go through the doorway. He is completely housetrained and crate trained and has not shown any destructive behaviors in his foster mom's home. He knows how to use a doggie door and is a champ at loose-leash walking - he heels right at your side. It's like having a dog with power steering! Winter does enjoy the companionship of other dogs but would be best with a submissive dog. He has a lot of puppy still in him, and he seems to wag his whole body when he's excited. As with any German Shepherd, Winter will flourish with daily exercise and a calm assertive hand that shows him boundaries and limitations. Winter is a very loving boy and very much enjoys pleasing his human. Some may be intimidated by his size, but he is all love. Whoever adopts this special boy will get a wonderful family member who wants nothing more than to please his people.

11/09/09: Winter is a big, beautiful white shepherd. He came to AGSDR severely emaciated and with an old foot injury that needed veterinary attention. He is now on the road to recovery and is not hindered at all by his injured foot. Once he gets some more meat on his bones, he'll be 110 pounds of love! His foster mom reports that he is an affectionate dog and that he will lean up against you when he wants to be petted or scratched. Winter gets along great with dogs of all sizes and is very respectful of cats. He loves kids just as much as he loves his dog food and would fit in nicely with a family. He is housetrained and doggie-door trained and has begun basic obedience training; more updates on his training will be posted as he progresses. His ideal home would be with a family that will give him proper exercise and the structure and stability this intelligent breed needs. He's looking for the confident, calm home that will help this gorgeous boy reach his full potential.