The GA 38 arrived in MAGSR’s care in early/mid January 2019 and over the past two months, their transformation has been nothing short of amazing. These 38 broken souls knew nothing but a life of filth, hunger, and abuse. Their eyes were filled with the look of fear, emptiness and uncertainty. They cowered in the corners of their runs and tried to be as far away from humans as possible and MAGSR volunteers knew they had quite a challenge ahead to right the wrongs of their past prior to arriving in MAGSR's care. MAGSR volunteers stepped up & took on the challenge head on. And now, two months later, through the endless work of dedicated volunteers that have selflessly given their time, patience and love, these beautiful creatures have begun to meet us with tail wags, lean-ins as we walk with them, and most importantly, where once there was emptiness and fear in their eyes, it’s clear those memories have been replaced with hope and even a bit of curiosity. Their wounds have healed, their bellies are full and they have learned that all humans aren’t so bad. They are greeting us at the front of their kennel runs now eager for treats and walks. All of them have learned to walk on a leash and we are beginning some basic obedience with them such as "sit", "heel" and “watch me.” They are now used to being handled regularly for normal things such as baths, getting their weights taken, and taking their monthly preventatives. Best of all, volunteers are seeing their unique personalities and social side come out with other dogs. Just a few months ago, they were all fighting for the same food and water and ability to stay alive but today, many have completely let down their guard and are comfortable enough to engage in play and/or positively interact with other dogs. All  of these dogs have shown us how intelligent and resilient they are and have made significant strides in their road of rehabilitation. They are ready for the next chapter of their journey and we hope you may be part of  their story.

Luther is settling in to his experienced foster home. Luther, like the other GA38 dogs, is not well socialized with people. Luther remains very anxious about anything new in his environment. Although he is no longer scared of the resident dogs, he rarely interacts with them and is fearful of the activity. Luther feels most safe in his crate – it is his “security blanket” and prefers to spend a good bit of time in there. He allows humans to interact with and touch him, but is nervous about it. Luther has not yet felt confident enough to voluntarily approach humans to interact, but hopefully, that will come in time. Luther is considered a high flight risk dog. Luther has had some field trips to a local group training class which is helping him to work on his confidence. Luther would do best in a quiet home with a consistent routine, preferably with a high fenced yard, no children and not a lot of activity. If Luther sounds like he may be a fit for your home, ask to meet him.

Luther has settled in to his foster home. In the beginning, Luther was very scared of absolutely everything, even the other dogs in the home. Luther has made some progress now in that he watches as the resident dogs carry on and play. He has gained some trust in his foster home as he will now let her walk up to him without being too fearful. His foster mom speaks softly to him and Luther seems to respond well to that. Luther is looking for a low key and quiet home for his fur-ever home. If your home could be a good match for what Luther needs, please ask to meet him.

When Luther arrived to MAGSR, he was very shut down and always in flight mode. After a year in his foster home to decompress, he has learned to live as loved dogs should. Luther attends obedience class weekly and is coming along nicely. Luther needs a family that understands that he has anxiety issues, but focusing on obedience helps redirect and calm him. Luther is a very sweet, sensitive boy. It took over 8 months before he made a sound in his foster home. He lives with 3 resident dogs and a cat. Initially, Luther wouldn't make eye contact or show any interest in anything and would just cower in the back of his crate. Now, Luther smiles and is curious, but still cautious. Luther likes a routine and his crate is his safe place, which he needs. Luther needs a family who understands the unique challenges undersocialized dogs present. Look at Luther's gorgeous eyes and contact MAGSR if you think you would like to add him to your family.

Hamara came to MAGSR from a local shelter after she was adopted out and returned because she had a heart murmur. MAGSR immediately sent her to a cardiologist to have an Echo-cardiogram. The echo confirmed that Hamara has a Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), which is a common congenital birth defect in dogs and more so in females – german shepherds are also predisposed to PDAs. At this time, her heart is enlarged and is the size of an 80 lb dog. Hamara will have surgery to correct the defect on March 31st and is expected to make a full recovery and live a long and happy life. However, she will not be available for adoption for at least 3 weeks after her surgery (~April 21), as she will be on strict crate restriction during that time so she can fully recover, and then she can move on with the rest of her life. MAGSR will cover the cost of Hamara’s medical care to prepare her for adoption – the cost is very expensive, but Hamara is worth the cost. Donations towards her medical care would be greatly appreciated as this would also help us save other dogs with medical needs. If your family would like to meet Hamara as soon as she is available for adoption, please submit an adoption application and ask to meet her.

Hi there....It's me Hamara. Things at my foster home are going really well. I am learning to potty outside and how to sit when coming in and going out. My heart condition isn't as scary as it seems. MAGSR is a wonderful, generous rescue that is willing to help me become my best self. After surgery, I have a few weeks of complete crate rest and then I will be just like any other puppy. I get along well with the resident dogs and really want to play, especially fetch. But my foster mom says no for at least a few months. The resident children are great. I really love the 10 year old resident girl and frequently sit on her lap. As a final thought, thank you for the interest and any support you can help with. This is a huge undertaking but I'm lucky enough to have a rescue that cares this much about a life. We'll keep you updated. Sincerely, Hamara

Hamara here…. I’m back at my foster home following the surgery I had on March 31st. I came through it like a champ! The doctor said a few more weeks of crate rest and then a few more of slowly introducing physical activity. My foster family is taking great care of me and making sure I stay calm. They say it is tough right now but will all be worth it. Pretty soon I’ll be good as new and ready to be a playful, energetic puppy!! Keep looking for updates (and pictures when crate rest is over) See you soon…

Hi again! It's been almost 5 weeks since my surgery! I'm acting and feeling like a puppy!! My breathing is normal and my heart isn't pounding hard anymore. My foster family has me out of the crate more each week. I'm still on a short leash, but I'm out to chew bones and be loved on, which is pretty cool. My favorite person in the house is the resident daughter - I'll do anything for her. We're continuing to work on sit and down. Next week, we'll start short walks to work on heel. I'll see how housebreaking goes but I don't have accidents in my crate. When I need to go out, I bang the door of my crate for the humans to come and get me. Other than those times where I need to go out, I'm perfect in my crate. I'll keep you informed of my progress. I can't wait to go to my forever home. Is that with you? Talk to you soon, Hamara

Jaeger’s foster reports that Jaeger is an awesome dog and is settling in well. Jaeger is crate trained and will go into his crate during the day just to sleep, and he also spends his nights there – his crate is his safe place. Jaeger is also housebroken, and he is so smart that he will alert his human when he needs to go outside. Jaeger is a very smart boy and he learns quickly – he has found the toy container and empties it looking for just the right toy, which is typically some sort of ball. Now, if we could just teach him to put all his toys back when he is done? Jaeger is learning meal time habits in his foster home – he’s learning to sit and wait while food is presented. Jaeger is an enthusiastic eater and likely needs a food bowl with a rubber bottom, as he loves to move the bowl around the entire kitchen while he eats up every bit of his food. Jaeger loves his snuggle time with his humans and he loves having his ears rubbed, but also enjoys his alone time. Jaeger is such a gentleman, he doesn't hoover at the table while you eat, he doesn't try to race you up or down stairs, he just wants a home full of love. If Jaeger sounds like he would be a good fit for your family, complete and adoption application and ask to meet him.

Dear people of the Mid-Atlantic area, this is MAGSR’s lovable house-wolf, Gunner. Okay, I am not a wolf, I just play one on TV. I am actually an ENORMOUS puppy. You should see my paws, humongous. I have been living the good life with my foster family. They have middle school aged kids and two other shepherds. I really like to play with my fellow dogs and I am not happy when they play right outside my crate and I cannot join in. I don’t mind being in the crate when other people are not around. I am in there all time right now, unless I am being walked, because I am not to be trusted yet. Or so they say. Like most Belgian Malinois, I am extremely smart and quite handsome. My foster sister cannot keep her paws off of me. I will require training from an experienced trainer and a household of people who are all capable of teaching me that I am not the boss. Otherwise, I will be happy to establish myself as the boss and that does not ever go well. (You should let me order as many pizzas as I want to, though). I like my resident children and will warm up to strangers after a careful introduction. I am driven to protect the ones that I love and I will require a lot of guidance to make good choices about how to conduct myself. That is why I can only be adopted by people with experience with dogs like me and I would not be a good fit for a family where one person is committed to training me and the other person wants a couch potato. Otherwise, when my leader is away I might be tempted to turn your couch into an origami potato. I very much like walks and I went for a hike near the Gun Powder River. I REALLY wanted to jump in and swim. I love balls and I caught a bird in my mouth while it was flying by. I dropped it when I was told to; but my foster mom said that it didn’t do the bird any favors. I would definitely like to live with a family that has other dogs and birds. But maybe your birds would not like me. I am housebroken and walk nicely on a leash when someone is consistent in requiring that I do so. My biggest challenge is that nobody ever taught me not to use my mouth as a tool on people. When my foster family tries to put a leash on me, I try to grab their hands and help. I do this too when they are adjusting my collar. They don’t like this at all but I think it is a fun game. It is important for me to be crated while collars and leashes are being put on me that way if I get too excited and start with my malligator routine the door gets shut and I have to settle down. Then they try again. I have not been snappy about food or toys in my foster home and don’t seem concerned about sharing a water bowl. But that is never a promise that I wouldn’t act differently elsewhere. If you are looking for a stunningly handsome puppy who is going to be quite large and even more handsome when I grow into my ears, then you should ask to meet me. Taking me to an experienced trainer is extremely important as are setting limits and following them 100% of the time. I am a very smart boy and if you show me a loophole in your rules, I will jump through it. But if you are consistent and positive in training me, we could live our best lives together. Seriously, I’m not kidding about the pizza.

Gunner is doing great in his new foster home! Gunner is now attending weekly training classes to learn obedience and how to be a good canine friend. Gunner is a high drive GSD/Mal mix that needs consistent management by a very experienced handler. Gunner would do best being placed in a home with humans who have had prior Belgian Mal or high drive working GSD experience. Gunner has a lot of energy and needs a handler who will work with him every day to burn his energy. Gunner has great focus and ball drive – he’s extremely attentive to his handler. He’s even climbed a tree in his foster home. Gunner is so smart that he knows how to use his paws to grab someone’s ankles and stop them. Gunner has excellent working potential and would be well suited for a working position or a home situation that has the structure of a dog in a working position. If you have the necessary experience and can offer the perfect environment for what Gunner needs, please ask to meet him.

Theo is a large boy who will definitely need training in his future.  He knows sit, down, touch and can heel, however, he usually only follows the commands when he absolutely has to.  He's a boisterous boy, who will run and jump up on you to say "Hi!", we're working on letting him know that isn't the way to greet new friends!  He does love his squeaky ball and frisbee and will chase them for hours, when not following you around the yard.  Theo needs a family to spend time burning some of his energy, and training will help with it too.  Theo is a sweet boy who is very affectionate, leaning on his human for love and attention, and takes treats gently.  Theo rides well in the car, is crate trained, housebroken and is good with other dogs and cats.  Do you think your family has room in your home for Theo?  Ask to meet him, you won't be disappointed!

Grace has completed her heartworm treatment and is now heartworm free. Once Grace bonds with her human and gets comfortable, she becomes protective of her space. This can be easily managed by putting her away in a secure room and/or crate when people come to the home. She will also benefit from a strong leader, who has prior experience with the breed, and who will provide appropriate correction and training. Grace will not meet families with children under the age of 16. Grace is very excited to be able to run and play just like any other dog once again. Now she’s even more interested in finding her forever home and family to share her love with. Could that be your family?

Miss Grace is just as beautiful, sweet, bouncy, and eager-to-please a dog as you could ask to meet. She’s doing wonderfully in her foster home, crates beautifully, does great out and about in the car and in public places, loves her foster siblings, and bonds tightly to her person. She’s been going to training just about every Saturday for months and has developed very nice obedience – she knows her basic commands, and she is great at staying where she’s been put in a sit or a down and won’t move – well except for her tail which is pretty much always wagging! Grace is protective of her space with people she doesn’t know, and needs consistent handling and proper introductions, but once she warms up to someone, Grace’s wonderfully upbeat and happy personality shines right through – with her bushy happy tail “always on!” Please ask to learn more about Grace if you think she might be a good match for your family.

The shepherd lean is strong with Lulu!  She's a calm, gentle soul who is seems particular about her female friends, when it comes to Huan. She came in with Huan, and there must be some history there, as those girls do not get along! She seems fine with male dogs, paying them little attention on her kennel walks. Once she's used to you, she gives you the benefit of her warm lean for love and attention.  She's a real sweetheart, offering kisses to her handler in exchange for neck scratches. She jumps in the back of the car readily and rides well. While she walks well on a leash, she will need training, which will help her bond with her new family.  Would you like to be the one to receive the kisses and leans for attention?  Ask to come see Lulu! 

When Buzz entered into his foster home, it was very apparent that prior to his arrival at MAGSR he had not experienced the life, luxuries, or kindness that he clearly deserves. His body told the story of limited food, health care, and experience within a loving household. Although having clearly survived some challenging circumstances, Buzz walked into his foster home with a happy-go-lucky attitude. He has an overall enthusiasm and curiosity for what life has to offer. With so much to learn and so many new experiences to partake in, Buzz has been very busy over the last few months. 

He started with the basics, crate training and housebreaking, which he has mastered at this time. He loves to be outside and knows that this is where his "business" needs to be handled. Then, it was onto pack introductions with the resident senior dogs. Buzz loves the company of other dogs but needed to learn that senior dogs are not always as playful as younger pups. Having learned what is and is not tolerated by the resident dogs, Buzz seems to have found a good balance within his foster pack and does well with a few reminders from his fur siblings from time to time. More recently, Buzz has started a regular regiment of daily training. He is highly food motivated and seems to be excelling with sit, down, wait, watch, and come. As he masters these commands, he will be ready to learn additional commands particularly, if food is involved. In his free time, Buzz has been learning that tough toys and bones are great to play with, that a daily run and a long walk or two helps him burn energy, and that head rubs really are the best type of affection. 

Buzz is an amazing pup and will be a great match for an experienced household. Although he is not aggressive with children, he does not realize that his size and energy can be too much for little people. He would be better suited for a home without children; this will allow him to further develop into a good canine citizen without the distraction of little people. If Buzz sounds like a good match for your household, ask to meet him today. 

Hello!  I’m Buzz and I’ve been told that you want to hear about my latest adventures. I love exploring new places and learning new things. Attending training classes with my foster mom has been great. This week, the trainer gave me compliments for being patient and calm around other dogs and people and a positive role model in class. That made my foster mom proud. We’ve been practicing every day. I’ve been told that I am excellent with environmental distractions. I’m a teenage pup with occasional mischief and testing, but I’m well on the way to becoming a canine gentleman. I’m a fan of car rides, especially when they take me to fun new places, and I insist on going everywhere with my humans. Hardware stores are cool, farmers markets are easy, meeting people on our walks is fun, parks for hiking are the best. Pet stores? Well, I don’t know how they expect any shepherd to stay calm around all the exciting food, treats and toys. I like food – A LOT!  Food puzzles and food-filled chew toys make my day. Frozen food treats are amazing on a hot afternoon. Meal time is the biggest event of every day and I am learning a bit more focus with each dish. Sometimes, I like to test what delicious things may be around me. They say that it’s good to stop and smell the flowers. My preference is to stop and eat the flowers, but I am learning that that’s not a good way to earn praise. The neighbor’s horse is my new friend and I enjoy meeting all the neighbors. A few of them are my buddies now and I give them kisses. Being the center of attention is great, but I think I miss having other dogs to play with. My foster mom started calling me Love Buzz because I like to snuggle and I don’t leave her side. I’ve been trying to convince her that there is absolutely no issue with an 80 lb. lap dog. She’s not convinced yet, but I will keep trying. While I wait for my fur-ever home, I will continue to soak in my adventures and have a good time. Let MAGSR know if you would like to meet me.

Missy is settling in nicely in her foster home after a little more than a week. Missy is a very sweet dog. She's a little skittish with new people, but once she bonds with her human, she will follow them around the house, and listens very well. Missy is crate trained and seems to be house broken. She's easy to walk other than doing circles at times, but working with her can correct that. When she's left alone, she will sometimes howl. Stay tuned for more updates coming later on this beautiful girl.

We've gotten to know Bellair a bit more since she's been with us.  What a pleasure this lady is to work with; it is apparent that she likes to work.  She seems to know so many commands but quietly tests out the handler as she works.  Once she figures out that you mean business, she handles beautifully.  Bellair is clearly food motivated and doesn't require much tension on the leash when a redirect is needed.  She corrects quickly and responds nicely when given an activity.  She loves balls, and will play fetch, then carry the ball around with her.  She has excellent behavior at the vet, she is even good about the thermometer.  She is easy to leash up, jumps into the car readily and is a very good car rider.  We're also told she's quite cuddly, could you see yourself cuddling with Bellair?

Bellair is enjoying life in her foster home. She has great house manners, is housebroken, and crate trained. She loves, loves, loves squeaky toys, treat-filled kongs and daily walks. She has started group obedience training with her foster mom and is learning that squirrels, rabbits, dogs, and cars don’t need to be chased while walking. Her new family will need to continue training, as Bellair has a high drive and will need a strong leader to help her become a good canine citizen. If Bellair sounds like she coudl be a good fit for your family, ask to meet her - she's a sweet lovable gem.

Grace has completed her heartworm treatment and is now heartworm free. Once Grace bonds with her human and gets comfortable, she becomes protective of her space. This can be easily managed by putting her away in a secure room and/or crate when people come to the home. She will also benefit from a strong leader, who has prior experience with the breed, and who will provide appropriate correction and training. Grace will not meet families with children under the age of 16. Grace is very excited to be able to run and play just like any other dog once again. Now she’s even more interested in finding her forever home and family to share her love with. Could that be your family?

Miss Grace is just as beautiful, sweet, bouncy, and eager-to-please a dog as you could ask to meet. She’s doing wonderfully in her foster home, crates beautifully, does great out and about in the car and in public places, loves her foster siblings, and bonds tightly to her person. She’s been going to training just about every Saturday for months and has developed very nice obedience – she knows her basic commands, and she is great at staying where she’s been put in a sit or a down and won’t move – well except for her tail which is pretty much always wagging! Grace is protective of her space with people she doesn’t know, and needs consistent handling and proper introductions, but once she warms up to someone, Grace’s wonderfully upbeat and happy personality shines right through – with her bushy happy tail “always on!” Please ask to learn more about Grace if you think she might be a good match for your family.

Ned is doing great in his foster home. He is learning he must share his humans with other pets in the home and he's smart, so he's learning quickly. He met several kids on his walks and enjoyed meeting them, but seems frightened of the cars that pass by. Ned is working on his leash skills and is walking better overall. Ned's tail continues to wag on his walks, as he enjoys them. If Ned sounds like he may be a good fit for your home, please ask to meet him.

The GA 38 arrived in MAGSR’s care in early/mid January 2019 and over the past two months, their transformation has been nothing short of amazing. These 38 broken souls knew nothing but a life of filth, hunger, and abuse. Their eyes were filled with the look of fear, emptiness and uncertainty. They cowered in the corners of their runs and tried to be as far away from humans as possible and MAGSR volunteers knew they had quite a challenge ahead to right the wrongs of their past prior to arriving in MAGSR's care. MAGSR volunteers stepped up & took on the challenge head on. And now, two months later, through the endless work of dedicated volunteers that have selflessly given their time, patience and love, these beautiful creatures have begun to meet us with tail wags, lean-ins as we walk with them, and most importantly, where once there was emptiness and fear in their eyes, it’s clear those memories have been replaced with hope and even a bit of curiosity. Their wounds have healed, their bellies are full and they have learned that all humans aren’t so bad. They are greeting us at the front of their kennel runs now eager for treats and walks. All of them have learned to walk on a leash and we are beginning some basic obedience with them such as "sit", "heel" and “watch me.” They are now used to being handled regularly for normal things such as baths, getting their weights taken, and taking their monthly preventatives. Best of all, volunteers are seeing their unique personalities and social side come out with other dogs. Just a few months ago, they were all fighting for the same food and water and ability to stay alive but today, many have completely let down their guard and are comfortable enough to engage in play and/or positively interact with other dogs. All  of these dogs have shown us how intelligent and resilient they are and have made significant strides in their road of rehabilitation. They are ready for the next chapter of their journey and we hope you may be part of  their story.

Cessna has been in her foster home for almost a week, and has surprised her foster family with how quickly she has adjusted to her new environment. She has never been in a house before, so at first, the crate, stairs, TV, refrigerator, microwave, drawers, bags etc were all new things to be wary of. Surprisingly, after only a few repeat introductions to these things, Cessna has quickly gotten comfortable around them. She is taking to crate training well, and snoozes in the crate for our 8 hour work day and does well in the crate at night. She has had no accidents in the house or crate and waits until she goes on a walk to go potty. Cessna has also done well with our two cats. She is curious about them, but does not chase and largely ignores them. She is currently making great progress learning "sit" and "come" commands. While Cessna isn't quite sure what to do with herself in the house, when we take her on walks she is in her element. She is an awesome walking companion. She walks in a near perfect heel position, no pulling, takes correction well and is such a fast learner! She is not reactive to other dogs, bikes, or runners we pass in the park. Her favorite thing is to run through the leaves and sniff everything! Cessna would make someone a great walking, hiking or running partner! Like all the Georgia dogs, Cessna has never been in a home or around a loving family. Even so, she readily accepts pets and even runs up to her foster parents to say hi. She has already come a long way and will need owners who will give her time to adjust, lots of love, and the structure and training to help her know how to navigate her new world as a good canine citizen.

Cessna has been making good progress in her foster home. Her foster family maintains a strict daily routine for her with structured walks and being fed in her crate, and this has helped her become much more comfortable in the home. She knows her schedule and will whine softly when she knows it's time for her walk, her favorite thing! She will run up to her foster parents wagging her tail because she is excited to go outside. Cessna LOVES being outside and has lots of energy, so her foster parents think she would do best in an active home that will take her on long daily walks, hikes or runs. Her walking manners have been very good, she doesn't pull, or react to other dogs, she heels nicely, and has been getting good at auto-sitting when her handler stops. She does well with these skills as long as she is working with a strong leader. She would do well with an owner who has previous GSD experience, as well as some basic training experience with an adult rescue dog. In the home, Cessna is still working on being comfortable when outside her crate. She has become less afraid of the TV, and has even recently come out of her crate to sit and lay down with her foster family for a few minutes. When she needs her space, she goes back in her crate, where she is most comfortable. She has surprised her foster parents with her interest in chewing a nyla-bone (often the GA dogs don't have any interest in toys/treats...because they've never seen them before!). She is still doing great in her crate during an 8 hour work day and also overnight, with no accidents or whining. Cessna still needs to work on being around lots of people, as she finds busy bustling environments to be overstimulating and scary right now. She also needs more exposure to riding in the car, as this is still a new, nerve-wracking experience for her. Her foster parents are working with her on these skills, and she is making steady progress! Cessna will need an adopter with lots of patience, love, and strong leadership to show her how best to navigate her home and the world as a good canine citizen. 

Jasper is doing great in his foster home and loves his foster parents. He is such a sweet boy who has come a long way since he came into the rescue. He went from not wanting to eat to sitting and eagerly waiting for his food. Jasper has a great appetite now and has put on some much-needed weight since his surgery. He loves everyone he meets and loves getting attention from everyone too (he’s so darn handsome and friendly, why wouldn’t anyone not want to give this boy some attention). Jasper likes his doggie beds, and if allowed, he’ll get up in the human bed too. Jasper is housebroken and crate trained, and he really loves to go for car rides. Jasper loves his Nylabone, although, his humans must be very careful in the toys selected for him due to his history, and he’s only allowed to have them when supervised. If this lovable handsome boy sounds like a fit for your family, check out his profile and ask to meet Jasper – he just might have a kiss waiting for you.