Over the last two months, Kaja has had to overcome a lot of changes in terms of her living situation, surroundings, and pack structure. Although significant changes can be difficult for any pup, in Kaja's case, so many things happening at once resulted in a shut down. It was decided that in order to best meet Kaja's needs, she should be moved into a foster home where she would have the benefits of consistency, routine, and leadership. Kaja walked into her foster home a little over a week ago and has never looked back. Thriving on a calm and structured environment, Kaja has begun to emerge from her shell and is acting more like a pup every day. 

At this time, Kaja is crate training and house breaking beautifully. She seems to understand that business is done outside and is keeping her crate clean and dry. When out and about Kaja is learning to ignore cars and trucks in the neighborhood. With little previous experience on leash, Kaja has been a work in progress but has made great strides in a very short period of time. She is still unsure about sirens or sudden loud sounds and will try to run away. Unknown people can also be unnerving as Kaja has not always had positive experiences with people. Continued exposure to people, places, and sounds in a controlled fashion will help Kaja continue to develop the into a well socialized dog. 

Kaja is curious, affectionate, and intelligent. Once comfortable with her people, Kaja enjoys head rubs and neck scratches. She is integrating well with her furry foster siblings and seems to draw confidence from a stable pack. Kaja is looking for a special family that will help her become the impressive dog we know she is destined to be. If Kaja sounds like a good match for your household, please ask about her today. 

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.

Aubrey is settling into his foster home nicely. He is such a sweet and lovable boy! We had tummy and neck rubs after a few days. He is now looking for his foster mom and following her around the house.  He is adjusting well to his surroundings, home noise and some city noises going on his walks several times a day. He's made a lot of progress in a short period of time although it might take some time to overcome his fears.  He is patient and is learning from the resident GSD. At times he is ok with cars, runners, children, dogs passing and then at other times he just needs reassurance that it's ok.  His leash manners are getting better and he needs patience and training to improve. He is comfortable in his crate and considers it his sanctuary during the day and at bedtime. The housebreaking training is coming along just fine and is learning that outside is the place to go.  He is a smart GSD and with time and patience he will shine! He is a sweet boy and is hoping he finds his fur-ever family soon.

Aubrey is doing great in his foster home. He's enjoying his walks around the neighborhood and the park. Even though he is still wary of sudden movements and loud noises, he is so much better. Aubrey comes to his handers with enthusiasm to get his pinch collar / leash on to go outside and is learning to 'wait' at the door. He's met a few dogs and he is fine, but not always interested. He seems to have a playful personality waiting to come out. He has put his paw on his fur-sibling a few times to test the waters but even though she is a player too, she didn't seem interested but they do run around together at times in playing in the house. Aubrey’s leash manners are getting better and he’s learning to walk nicely on a leash. He’s very comfortable starting out on our walk then pulls on our way home to get home. We have an occasional tail wag and lots of requests for belly rubs. Aubrey is ready for his fur-ever home – could it be with you?

Every day that Aubrey is with his foster sibling and foster parents, he continues to improve - he never looks back at his former life. Aubrey has learned that humans are not so bad and to trust humans more every day. He is enthusiastic to go on his walks and the regular city noises are no longer too scary. Aubrey is ok with cars passing by, people running past him, children playing nearby and lawnmowers making noise. Aubrey loves his walks and meeting 4 legged furry friends along the way. Aubrey was recently introduced to his foster parents’ 2+ yr old granddaughter while in his crate. He was timid at first and not sure what to make of this little person, but by the time we all went for a walk, he came over to sniff her on his own. Aubrey is attending obedience training classes with his foster sibling. He is doing great so far even though he can't fully participate in all activities (he’s not allowed to be off leash anytime soon), but Aubrey is so smart and wants to please. Aubrey knows how to 'halt' and 'wait' at an intersection, 'ok' and 'heel' to proceed walking. Aubrey’s foster parents are currently working on 'come' and 'sit' and he is responding as well as expected - we can't wait to see his continued success with training. Aubrey is looking for a patient and loving home. This young gentle lad has so much potential and is one of the sweetest GSDs we have encountered. Aubrey will be a wonderful, sweet, and loved member of his forever family. Ask to meet Aubrey!

Hi I'm Celia!  I just love living in a house with comfy beds and chew toys. My foster mom always tells me what a good girl I am and how I have excellent house manners. I'm housebroken, I don't beg at the dinner table or jump on furniture, although I'm sure your bed would be very comfy.  I can be a little timid around new visitors, but give me a treat and pet me and I will be your friend.  I love spending time outside on the deck and going for walk​s, but I could improve my leash skills, although my foster mom tells me I've improved a lot (I'm working on my basic commands too).  Please ask to meet me!! 

Sweet Celia was returned to MAGSR thru no fault of her own. She lost her dad unexpectedly and her mom was no longer able to care for her and give her the time and exercise she needs. Celia is understandably confused right now and needs to lose a few pounds. Once Celia bonds with her human and gets comfortable, she becomes protective of her humans and 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. Celia would like to find a forever home with a forever family who will commit to her and not give her up. Could that be your family?

I love my doggie beds, one in the living room where everybody sits, and one in the bedroom where my humans sleep. I like when my human comes home, I have my tail waggin', a happy face, and rub against them. I let my humans know when a car door shuts outside by running to the door and barking. I'm a little nervous around strange people, I do not like thunderstorms, I don't do well in crates because I figure out how to bust out of them. I do real good when I'm left with the range of the house. I like my Nyla-bone, and keep it by my bed in the living room and don't let the resident dog get close to it. I do good on walks, I let my humans know when I need to go out by jumping up, whining and leaning against them. I love ice cubes, and I roll over onto my back to get belly rubs. I bond very quickly with my humans and look forward to finding my forever home.

Darby is very affectionate and eager to please. He tends to jump on people looking for attention, but with consistent correction he is learning to adjust this behavior.  He would be very happy as a lap dog, although he will soon outgrow anyone's ability to hold him. Darby needs to build more self-confidence which will happen with socialization and training. He loves the resident female GSD and is so cute following her on her routine walks around the perimeter of the yard. Darby figured out how to open the back door in no time - he is a clever boy and will need someone who can provide mental challenges and keep him from getting bored. He is full of energy and is a joy to have around.

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.

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.

Hi my name is Liesel and I wanted to share a little bit about myself. The 1st year of my life, which is supposed to be filled with love, attention, and quality care was instead spent in a filthy pen with little to no food or clean water fending for myself to stay alive.  I bear psychological and physical scars of this 1st impressionable year of my life.  I am easily startled by sudden movements, loud sounds, and people. Currently, I feel safest in my crate or in small enclosed areas like the bathroom, hallway or backseat of the car.  Regardless of where I am, you will never hear a peep out of me.  I am curious about these humans who refer to themselves as my foster parents.  I am most accepting of their presence when they feed me and stroke me gently to let me know it is going to be ok. I have quite the appetite because I was not fed regularly so I’m more than willing to accept food.   My newly found favorite treats are pepperoni, turkey jerky from Aldi, and freeze dried beef liver.

I've never been an indoor dog and am used to relieving myself in my pen, but my foster parents told me I am doing so well with potty-training and are proud I've only had one accident inside.  When outside I walk well on the leash with my foster parents until something unexpectedly spooks me and in my mind, it is fight or flight, at which time I will go to the end of the leash pulling to get away from whatever scared me. Sometimes I hear things going on outside or from the other apartments around me and will get up to investigate causing me to start pacing.  However, once the threat is gone I retreat to my safe place.  My foster parents told me they think I would do best in an environment that is not city-like, where there is less activity and no people coming and going from the complex. Without these distractions I tend to keep to myself and relax where I feel most comfortable.

I am learning the ropes from these two other dogs in the home.  I watch them receive love and attention as they seem so happy to be around the humans, as of now I'm still a little unsure.  For now, I quietly retreat to my safe place where I get fed and have a warm, dry place to sleep.  I sleep through the night in my crate without incident and enjoy the company of the other two dogs as dogs are all I have ever been around.   I like the red thing filled with peanut butter that they call a “Kong.”  I will not chew your valuables or anything I am not supposed to.

I am trying so hard to learn how to just be a dog and not worry that someone or something is going to hurt me.  I am going to take time and patience to learn to trust my surroundings.  The only thing I want is to love and be loved and find a family to call my own.

Raina is settling in to her foster home. She is fine walking outside if she can be sandwiched between her humans but will continue to build confidence and work on her leash walking skills to perfect those to walk in a perfect calm heel. At this time, Raina is scared of many dogs she sees - her foster suspects that she was not treated kindly by some of the other dogs and maybe over time, she’ll settle. Raina loves food and eats beautifully being hand fed. Raina is calming down and coming towards her fosters - she responds well to praise. Raina has been great in the house, calm in her crate, and is even beginning to be playful with her parents - she is just lovely. And, most importantly, out of a wide range of options, she has selected her favorite toy - deer antler. Please ask to meet Raina if she sounds like she could be a good fit for your home.
 

Raina is a sweetheart and we are thrilled with the progress she has made in a very short amount of time.  She is very smart and observant, and while she learns quickly, she can test new boundaries with equal wit and speed.  In many ways, she is a playful and curious puppy that makes us laugh every day and is wonderful company.  It is impressive how quickly she adjusted to living in a house!  House breaking was easy - she handles a full work day without a hitch (zero accidents). Raina is calm inside her crate and quiet throughout the night.  Raina has not displayed any food aggression and has no issues with her food bowls.  She continues to be quite treat-motivated and is very gentle about getting her reward. Raina is willing to accept any handling, and while not thrilled with her shower, she is cooperative.   She has been passing her open-environment tests with more and more free space in the house and she can spend many hours looking out the patio window without an event.  Her favorite toys are always nearby and when she is done playing/chewing, we often find her napping with her favorite toy as a pillow.  Deer antler is still the absolute favorite!  While she is not quite ready for supervision-free time, it is expected that she can get there soon.  Yummy food on the counter tempts her to try counter surfing and she has confused a couple fabrics for chew toys but responded immediately to gentle correction.  She is also learning to appropriately share toys, treats, and human attention and affection with the resident dog.  Now that she is experiencing the comforts and positive attention she never had before, who can blame her that she gets a bit jealous and sharing is not on top of her priority list.  Earning positive praise is key to success with Raina and she is a very astute student.  While this girl is lovely inside the house, we have been focusing on confidence building outside and are happy to report that she is no longer reacting to cars, trucks, bicycles, and is even learning to be fine with loud trains.  While she prefers calm walks and hikes in the country, she is learning to navigate busy streets too.  Raina continues to be apprehensive about many dogs but responds well to being redirected by a human she trusts.  Trust with people is earned.  As a smaller dog coming from a terrible situation, she has some skittish tendencies, but they ease daily and she has been friendly with every person she has met.  Her leash walking skills are excellent in a calm neighborhood or when hiking in the country, and she is learning not to pull on busy and distracting streets.  We have started on basic obedience training and Raina is getting more consistent with "come" every day.  Raina has been a gem and as her confidence builds she is growing into the spunky pup that she was always destined to be.   Every day, her personality comes out more and we enjoy exploring new things with her.  Ask to meet Raina today!

My foster mom tells me that I have some fans and I wanted to give this week’s Raina update. I have been having only the best kind of adventures. My walks are the highlight of my day and I’ve become so good at it that I can now be a great jogging partner. I’m told that when I trot, it looks like I am jogging on air. I walked 14 miles on the beach on Saturday and could have gone many more. When we finally reached Rehoboth Beach from the Delaware Seashore Park, it was loud with screaming children, some nice, some not nice dogs, and many distractions. I kept my focus and walked the boardwalk and town making my foster mom proud. I even went to lunch at an outdoor patio with lots of activity and other dogs and sat quietly the whole time. I think I aced the Rehoboth Beach test. I got to hang out on a longer cable lead to watch spring flower planting. I tried my best to help, but I eventually decided it best to just plant myself in the flower bed and observe the process up close.  I am not quite sure what to do with these command things that my foster mom tries, but I have learned to love my name and I now know that “come” means warm pets and an occasional treat bonus.  I definitely like "come."  I keep hearing this word “sit” but I prefer to do that on my own accord for now. I surprised even myself that I liked playing a little dress up with festive neck bows. Those also get me positive attention. I have heard that some dogs take time to learn their house manners, but my record is 100% perfect week after week and I have picked my favorite outdoor spots (right by the fence). My profile says "working on it" for housebreaking, but I think I have this one mastered so we're going to change that to a "yes" and have moved on to working on other things. I used to be so curious about what might be on the kitchen counters that my nose just kept finding itself up there. I don’t think it is my fault AT ALL that the foster dad left roast beef sitting on the edge of counter for so long, but I only got up to look, and did not touch. I wish my foster parents would reconsider their kitchen rules but I learned to respect them. The furniture also needed exploring, but I’ve been so good that all rooms are fully open to me and I can explore with more confidence. My crate is by the window, which I like, and it is my place to relax. I am not a fan of dragging a leash inside the house but my foster mom tells me it is for my protection. Given how great living inside is compared to where I came from, I guess it is a small compromise I can make. I am getting skilled at my road trips and quite used to the car. I have toured state parks, went to a great MAGSR event to see my old GA friends, toured the University of Delaware (inside and out), and mastered the beach. A couple of hours in the car is nothing for a tough girl like me! I am curious and like to explore.

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.