Sad news

We wish there was no sad news to report but...
This page is dedicated to all those trusting and loving dogs out there who have made our lives better by being in them. 
We miss them now and forever.


Pet Cremation Urns - Visit www.Pet-Urns.com for custom pet memorial products. They have a selection of German Shepherd figurine urns among other items.
 

The Rainbow Bridge
There is a bridge connecting heaven and earth.
It is called the Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors.
Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge there is a land
of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass.

When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this place.
There is always food and water and warm spring weather.
The old and frail animals are young again.
Those who are maimed are made whole again.
They play all day with each other.
 
There is only one thing missing.
They are not with their special person who loved them on earth.
So, each day they run and play until the day comes
when one suddenly stops playing and looks up!
The nose twitches!
The ears are up!!
The eyes are staring!!
And this one suddenly runs from the group!

You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet,
you take him or her in your arms and embrace.
Your face is kissed again and again and again and again,
and you look once more in the eyes of your trusting pet.
Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together,
never again to be separated.

These are memorial entries for MAGSR Dogs that have gone to wait at the Bridge.

Memorial tributes for our beloved MAGSR pups reported prior to 2016 can be found here.

March 4, 2023

Buddy (fka Lord)
Buddy (fka Lord)Buddy (fka Lord)

My name is Elke Anthony, I adopted a male shepherd named Lord (he was renamed Buddy) about 7 years ago.

Unfortunately he became sick and ending up having a brain tumor. He passed away this Saturday from continuous seizures.

He was a good dog and companion. I will deeply miss him.

Thanks for allowing me to adopt him.

 

Elke Anthony

February 21, 2023

Courage (fka Jedi)
Courage (fka Jedi)

I’m sorry to say that I’m writing you with sad news today. On June 4th, 2016 I rescued Courage from you, (though you had him down as Jedi originally).

Yesterday, we had to say goodbye and put him to rest as age finally caught up to him.

He has been truly amazing and I thank you for allowing me to give him his fur-ever home.

Thank you,
Domingo Retana

February 6, 2023



On February 6, 2023, Bayli crossed the rainbow bridge.  She has been missed truly every minute of every day since then. She will always be missed because we lost a part of us when she left. Bayli was our best friend, baby, and dog soulmate, and losing her has been so painful because of all the joy that she brought into this world. 

Bayli came home with us on September 12, 2015 from MAGSR.  When we first took her home, she was fearful and anxious, especially of men. In just a few short months she grew into a confident girl. In her early years she loved going for long walks and as she got older and her mobility decreased, she was completely content to lounge around and snuggle. Above all, Bayli loved being with her family, cookies, and laying in her bed (not necessarily in that order).  She knew what life was all about.

While there is heartbreak, we are so hopeful when we see adoption stories on MAGSR because we know someone is just beginning their happy journey.  We are forever grateful to MAGSR for giving us the chance to know and love her and be loved by her. 

January 16, 2023

Riley
RileyRileyRileyRiley

Losing Riley has been very difficult for us. We adopted her from you in May 2016. From the second she jumped in our truck it was like she had always been with us. She came into our home and went right to the bed we purchased for her. That evening she came up with us to go to bed and immediately walked over and curled up on hers. She slept through the night without issue. She was so amazing and we loved her with all of our heart. She loved to be out on the porch or on the deck and looked forward to evenings around the fire pit and she loved her walks. She was so much more to us than a pet; she was family.  We love to vacation in a cabin over in Virginia and we always took her with us. We have not been the past two years because Riley’s degenerative myelopathy made the three hour drive too difficult for her and we would not leave her behind.  On January 16th we had to say goodbye to our sweet girl. It was the hardest thing we have ever done. We know in our heart of hearts if she could say anything to us she would tell us to do for another dog what we did for her. Our hearts just are not ready right now. She truly was our world. We thank MAGSR for the opportunity to have her in our lives. We appreciate all you do for so many dogs in need of love, affection, and a good home.

We are forever grateful,

Lora and John Wakefield

December 16, 2022

Jedi
Jedi

Our dog Jedi, whom we adopted from MAGSR in 2016, ran free over the Rainbow Bridge on December 16, 2022 after not enough years as a beloved member of our family.

Jedi is loved in continuum by Valerie, Graeme, Ryleigh, and Todd who were blessed to have found a furry companion so loyal, loving, and playful until the last calling. We surrounded him as he passed over and never imagined being so in love with a beast both ferocious and cuddly.

Jedi loved his ball playing more than anything and had to be outside to supervise all grass mowing activities involving the riding mower.  His daily treat regime evolved from showing off his paw control to racing Ryleigh to the couch and barking/yipping while sliding through the twisting route from kitchen to living room. Jedi often overpowered Graeme in frequent games of rope pull but I think both let the other win an equal amount of time without admitting to any purposeful losses.

Jedi loved the creek and hated baths, he was a weirdo from start to finish.  Use the garden hose fill up his water bowl, or just say water in general and he would disappear. Mention the creek or start hiking through the woods and he would be in the water, over his head, trying to drag logs off the bottom before you could call him back. I'm not sure Jedi understood the creek is made of water, the same water he was so careful to avoid in any other circumstance, he didn't always utilize his rational brain.  He did learn how to unlock, and open, the sliding basement door so we are not entirely sure if he was a savant or simply a screwball. We are leaning savant as he learned how to spell the words we couldn't say without an excited reaction.

We still can't believe he's not lying in wait for us to get out of bed, come back from an errand, or monitoring the four of us from a central position. We miss the clack of his nails on the floor, the pilling of GSD fur in all corners, under every piece of furniture, and winding up in every drink or dish prepared.

None of us were ready for him to go but with two torn/bad knees and a late-stage cancer diagnosis we did everything we could to keep him at home with us from hand feeding to carrying him up the stairs when he couldn't get enough momentum to hop all the way up. 

Jedi was the heart of our house and the void without him is longingly painful. Jedi was our everything, we love him endlessly and are thankful for the circumstances that brought him to us and angry for the circumstances that took him away.

We are forever richer for having loved Jedi, and we know he is still with us, watching over us, forever our companion.

Todd & Valerie Harshman

December 13, 2022

Tillman

We adopted dear Tillman from MAGSR on June 30, 2013. Sadly, he crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Tuesday, December 13, 2022. We were blessed with his presence in our lives for nine plus years.

Please accept this donation in Tillman's memory - we miss him dearly.

 

Sincerely,

Sandy and Willie Thompson

 

December 10, 2022

Jasper
Jasper

Our sweet boy Jasper who we adopted from MAGSR in 2017.

December 6, 2022

Our boy Judd
Our boy JuddOur boy JuddOur boy Judd

it is with a saddened heart that we pass along that JUDD, a purebred GSD passed last night.  We got him from you in 2016 and he has been an amazing family member since then.  Judd suffered from a very large tumor in his abdomen which was causing paralysis in his hind and back.  Pair this with difficulty breathing and not being able to eat or drink much of the time - Judd was not himself and in pain. This medical diagnosis was only recently found and the onset of symptoms progressed quickly.  Because we did not want to see him suffer, we as a family decided to send him to a place where no pain exists.

Judd spent much of his time "talking to us."   He would sit and "yip" at you with this high-pitched voice when you did not pay attention to him or play games with him.  He was a talker, providing insight with his voice when he was not happy.   Pair this with a deep barrel-chested bark - he was a character.  When Judd finally settled into the house years ago - we learned that he LOVED ice cubes from the ice machine.  He would eat ice cube after ice cube.  It was his favorite treat and knowing where he came from we understood why.  It surely was a means of survival in the wild for him.  He was an amazing learner - having my youngest son teach him how to play "soccer" was the best of all.  Instead of eating a soccer ball, he learned to "kick it."  Judd was a handful at first, gaining weight quickly and with such a gain we learned his stomach was "temperamental" to a steady diet.  But he was amazing.  He took a bit to get comfortable with us at home, but after a few months, he knew where his throne was in the castle. 

We would like to thank you for bringing him into our lives and we are ever so thankful we could rescue him from sure death in Tennessee.  Judd is buried in a place he called home and we know he is looking down on us and saying "THANK YOU" for giving me a home and a family who loved me.


Chris and Joy Davala

November 12, 2022

Lucy

 I wanted to share our story of adopting our dog Lucy from MAGSR over 15 years ago.  She was one of 13 puppies and mom that were found in the side of the road. Lucy was being fostered at a home in Dundalk, she was 3 months old when we met and adopted her. MAGSR named her Flyer. We knew immediately that we wanted her to be a part of our family. Lucy was born the same year, 2006, as our 16 year old grandson.  Our younger grandchildren have not known life without Lucy being a part of it. Lucy just passed away on November 12 just short of her 16th birthday.  She was the sweetest girl who was a cherished member of our family and her passing had left a hole in our hearts.

We are heartbroken, but happy that Lucy lived such a long, good life full of love. 

Thank you,
Robin Evers

November 11, 2022



I am writing to let you know that Leila crossed the rainbow bridge on Friday, November 11. She turned 12 in October and had such a loved-filled life. We brought her home with us on March 17, 2012 and enjoyed every last second with her. In February 2021, we adopted a puppy, and she really took the role of mothering Bo as her top priority. They were two peas in a pod, and Bo misses her terribly. With her medical history, we are so fortunate to have had Leila in our lives for such a long time. She was my shadow, and we are trying to create our new routines without her. We have a hole in our hearts right now, but our wonderful memories will carry us through this tough time.

Much love,
Jennifer, Brian, Sammy, Michael and Lauren Hemann (and Bo)

March, 2023 to October 18, 2022

RIP Max
RIP MaxRIP MaxRIP MaxRIP Max

Max Isaac crossed over on October 18,2022. The vet said he had a spinal cord issue. He became paralyzed and there was nothing more I could do for him. I am sorry to have waited to inform you but my mom passed 3 weeks before Max on September 28th and my grief has been tremendous. My comfort has been knowing they are in heaven together.

Max will be interred at the Baltimore Humane Society Memorial Park in Reisterstown MD. with the rest of his family there to welcome him. He has left me with so much love to share with another dog who needs me too. I am waiting for Max to place one in my path. That is his legacy which I will do my best to honor. I love and miss you so much Max. Godspeed.

October 5, 2022

Koda
KodaKoda

I wanted to notify the community that my cousin's dog, Koda, crossed over the Rainbow bridge yesterday. Koda was adopted at around 6-8 months old by my cousin and lived most of his life ong Long Island sprinting around his large backyard, being loved by his family, watching over their son and trying to fend off all the fireworks on July 4th. Unfortunately he had a condition that caused an extremely enlarged heart and the hard decision was made yesterday to let him go and be pain free. 

My cousin wanted me to extend a huge thank you for the volunteers and community for saving Koda and bringing him into their life! He was truly loved!

December, 2013 to October 1, 2022

Our Sweet Sandy
Our Sweet SandyOur Sweet SandyOur Sweet Sandy
Embedded thumbnail for Sandy

Our sweet Sandy passed away on 10/1/22.   She was diagnosed with cancer just the week prior. 

We adopted her in April 2014 when she was just 4 months old.   She was an amazing dog - truly part of our family.   We are heartbroken, but we know that she was loved so much.   We will miss her always. 

Thank you guys for letting us adopt her and bring her into our family.  

 

Thank you!
The Schwaner’s
(Jack, Sheri, Katie and Johnny)

September 30, 2022



Cassie loved to go to work with me,  She was a great Book Store dog and had her own fan club

Always ready to get a cookie from the Mailman, FedX, UPS and sales reps.  Playing with a tennis ball was her favorite thing to do.  Whenever we went outside for anything always had to have a tennis ball.  

September 7, 2022

Georgia

To the MAGSR team -

 

It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of Georgia Jenkins.  GA was a 7/ 2011 adoption from MAGSR  GA was an important part of our family and enjoyed a good furever home with us.  She especially liked lounging by the pool, playing with her balls and toys.  She also enjoyed traveling and exploring new places in her RV.  GA had some significant weight loss and began having some mobility issues, but we had been able to work around those ( she loved her steak and tuna!).  However, over the labor day weekend she stopped eating and you could just tell she wasn't feeling well.  The doctor  believed that she had cancer based on passing black stool and the drastic weight loss.  I want to thank you for blessing our home with Georgia - she was a very good girl!

 

Donna Jenkins 

September 2, 2022

Diamond
Diamond

We adopted Diamond April 2010 and, sadly, she had to be euthanized on 9/2/22, at the approximate age of 14 years old, after a slow decline led to severe mobility problems and almost complete loss of strength in her hind legs. 

She was the sweetest girl and yet a prima donna, with the greatest flair for the dramatic. She always had to tell us all the news of the day, barked in great detail. She followed her mommy everywhere and loved chasing balls. She was great friends with our cat Harley and tolerated her German shepherd sister, Emma. 12 years went by too fast and our hearts are broken at losing her

August 17, 2022

Miles
MilesMiles

We adopted Miles from you 11 years ago as a puppy. He has been an absolutely gorgeous member of our family and we have loved him as much as possible.

This morning Miles awoke me with his crying and we eventually took him to an Emergency care facility it was determined his abdomen was full of blood from bleeding tumors.

Our primary vet agreed after looking at all the test results so this afternoon we will let myself rest forever.

He was a beautiful dog and we will miss him very much.

August, 2022 to August 15, 2022



 Our great and well-loved dog, Bolton, crossed the  Rainbow Bridge  this afternoon.  He will be greatly missed.

He was 2 when we adopted him in 2012 from the Mid-Atlantic German Shepard Rescue group and he was a loyal, smart, obedient and protective companion.  We spent many days and hours with a profession trainer to help direct Bolton’s energy and curiosity and it was worth the effort to enjoy his playful personality.

He was well-known in our small community because he would some times escape the house and cruise the neighborhood out of curiosity.   All the kids recognized him and and when I showed up in my SUV they’d just point and say, “He went that way.”  Luckily he was well trained enough that when he saw me he’d come running and happily jump in the back of the car, so proud of his escape but happy to be with his dad again.

Trips to the dog park were always a treat because his guard-dog genes would kick in and the first thing he’d do is inspect the perimeter fence, all 15 acres.  He was also the self-appointed sheriff. If two dogs squabbled he’d immediately run up to them and walk between them as if the say, “Alright, guys calm done.”  Then he’d walk away as the “combatants” also left.

A couple of years ago he began suffering from hip dysplasia ( common on large dogs) and arthritis and long walks and trips to the dog park were no longer possible.  None the less, he was ALWAYS ready to walk to the mail box for the morning paper followed by a short walk down the street and back.

From the waist forward he was 100 percent pure dog, but his rear legs wouldn’t always cooperate.

The life span of a GSD is 13 years, and our dear furry friend almost made it.

He will be missed terribly as we get accustomed to his absence, his happy welcoming when we returned from errands, and his demands for his 8:30 pm treat before bed time.

Good bye to the “bestest” dog — ever.

Max

July 28, 2022



Max was adopted from MAGSR a little under 5 years ago.  This boy was such an athlete.  He could catch freebies and loved playing ball all day, every day.  Frequently he would go running at least once a week.  He loved life and was so happy. We are so glad to have been part of his happiness. We miss him terribly.  

July 25, 2022

Pretty
PrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPrettyPretty

Today, I had to say goodbye, for now, to Pretty. We captured her in March 2015 and I adopted her in April 2015. Pretty was really something special. Flights risks dogs have so much to offer and while it may take a while (and I mean a while, like years), they do finally trust and bond … over the last 3-4 years, she regularly looked for attention, leans, pets, and kisses. 

Even with all the tighter routines I had in place to ensure she was always kept secured, she ended up being probably the easiest dog I’ve ever had, which is kind of hard to believe, but she really was. 

I never thought that the skittish girl that came into the rescue, who was trembling that day when I bathed her, and then got loose from her adopters 2 weeks later, then after those 9 weeks out loose and 35 miles of tracking her, that she would finally know she was home here .. but she did. 

I remember the night Monty & I captured her down in Beltsville, after 3 weeks of no sightings and then that day .. the phone rang off the hook with sightings … that night we captured her, I just couldn’t believe it; and she was mine already, I just didn’t know it that night. 

It will be quiet here without her, as she was the loudmouth lol … and we will miss her. She was the Pretty Princess in this home (and a hooker for food always lol), but she was worth every single minute I had the pleasure of having her in my life. RIP Pretty – you will surely be missed.

~Candi M

July 8, 2022

Liam

After 12 wonderful years Liam was euthanized on July 18 2022 at the emergency vet clinic in Annapolis.  We had a great life together.  He hadn’t appeared to be sick but in the 17th he couldn’t get up.   We took him in hoping he just needed his thyroid meds adjusted but the vet said she couldn’t stabilize him and he was full of tumors and said we should euthanize him now.  He was surrounded by people he loved, all of us saying goodbye.  Thank you for giving me this wonderful boy. 

Thanks,
Sue

June 20, 2022

Scout at Sunset
Scout posing with MomScout babysittingScout and his brother

Friends of ours, friend of animals and friends of Scout, I am so sad to share with you that Scout crossed over the rainbow bridge on Sunday held closely by his mom and me. We miss him so much. He was the best dog and the worst dog we have ever had, but mostly the best. He almost never stole food from the table, but he loved his groceries. He was supremely tolerant of his cousin Papi and his cat brothers Charlie and Boomer. He is preceded in death by Riley and Cody and his cat brother Ivan.

He was only the worst dog if you were a dog that threatened him, in some manner not observable by humans. He put a few holes in other dogs before we really got our guard up! Having been rescued from a shelter in Greenville, Tennessee with several unexplained scars and a ripped tip of his ear we came to understand his instinct to protect himself. Despite these challenges he was a calm, sweet and gentle boy with people and the family’s dogs.

He loved boating. His favorite place to ride was on the little whaler, right up on the bow, keeping a watch on everything. His favorite activity was fence chasing with our neighbor’s dog. He enjoyed the outdoors in all sorts of weather, often requiring coaxing to come into the house.

He will continue to be part of our family and we are grateful for the time he spent with us.

June 8, 2022

Lena
LenaLena

So sad to say that my precious Salena went to rest on June 8th, 2022 at the age of 17 due to DM which she had for 2 years.  I adopted her when she was 7 years old and had her for 9 1/2 years.  I loved her so much and will always miss her.  My only comfort is that she spent her last 9 1/2 years without constant scratching as she had food allergies, but I had her tested and put her on a special diet.

She was such a loyal companion, always by my side.

I am grateful to MAGSR for rescuing her and to her foster mom for taking care of her for me.

May 31, 2022

Cannon

We wanted to inform MAGSR that, sadly, Cannon (Tag#3807) passed away this morning at the age of 13.  We got him in 2015 and he’s been a great dog for us.  The foster family was Kate and Will.

Thanks for the great years, Cannon.

Angelika Wirick

May 26, 2022

Trudi
TrudiTrudi

It is with a broken heart that I am writing my last post about Trudi. 3 years ago to the day of her adoption (5/26) she crossed over the rainbow bridge.

She didn't show any signs of sickness until Sunday when she suddenly stopped eating and over the course of the next few days her poor little body just gave out.  She had quite a few internal things going on and was a sick little girl. It was so shocking because as of Saturday she was out running around the yard barking and chasing the guys cutting the grass like nothing was wrong.
Over the last 24 hours we have gotten over the anger of wondering if any of this had anything to do with her prior life to knowing that this is how she came into our life for 3 years.

Trudi you had 3 great years with us and us with you. You made so much progress from being that scared little girl. It was not always easy but you learned to love, be loved and enjoy the life you deserved.
Rest in peace beautiful, run pain free. Mommy, Daddy and Ryder love you and miss you so much. 

#GA38strong

Thanks

Mary Ann and Jay

May 10, 2022

Raven
Raven

Hi magsr folks,

Attached is a picture of our sweet Raven, formerly known by magsr as Monroe.  She took her last breath on earth on 5/10/22, she had nerve issues in her hind quarters that could not be repaired, so the decision was made to send her over the rainbow bridge....its been a week today and I still cry at the mention of her name.  I know that she is no longer in pain....but we miss her so very much.

 

Thank you Magsr for the work you do with these dogs.  When we came to your place on 1/20/13 we were looking for a black and tan shepherd, none seemed to fit. Then we met Raven (Monroe)...she picked us! We loved her so very much, she had some issues from being abused by her former owner but we loved her in spite of that and we know that she loved us...just as much!

 

Thank you again....blessings to all of you,

Jane and Tom Leech

May 9, 2022



We adopted Tara (fka Savannah) from MAGSR in September of 2009 and lost her this January 2022. She was the most amazing dog and I miss her every day.
We learned so many things together. She must have known over 100 different tricks, from basic manners, to agility, to nose work, and all the stupid pet tricks in between. She passed all three Odor Recognition Tests for nose work showing she knew to search for birch, anise, and clove scents. She absolutely loved to search. And when she earned her NW1 title in 2013, the judge gave her the special “Harry Award” to “the most outstanding rescue dog that demonstrates extraordinary ability and spirit in nose work.” She was absolutely the most outstanding rescue dog.
She was my constant companion for over 12 years. We hiked, ran, and walked 1000s of miles together. And that’s not an exaggeration. On average, she ran 30 miles a week through her prime. Her longest training run was 20 miles and her longest race was the toughest 10 mile trail run I’ve ever done. She was the best trail dog; no matter how far we went or how lost I was, she always knew her way back to where we started. There was nothing she loved more than running along the trails with me. She made me feel safe and rarely let me out of her sight.
She took every change in our lives in stride. She moved with us across the country to Kansas for vet school, then back to Virginia again. She traveled all over the country with us. She hiked the mountains of Colorado, the plains of Kansas, and the New Mexican desert. She swam in the Atlantic Ocean, explored the Virginia forests, and romped in the snow in the West Virginia mountains.
She stuck to me like glue when each of our boys were born. She refused to leave my side for anything. And she was amazing with the boys as babies, then as they grew into toddlers and big kids. I could not have asked for her to be more patient and tolerant of them.
She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in September 2021, twelve years after coming home to us. She was already suffering from early changes of degenerative myelopathy as well. Radiation bought us four more wonderful pain-free months with her before bloat took her suddenly in January. She was loved so very much and is missed so very greatly.
Thank you for bringing her into our lives.

May 2, 2022



Adopted just before Christmas about 8 years ago when Blue was 5. He had a splenectomy March 2 for cancer with metastasis to the liver. He was given 2 to 3 weeks. Today, 2 months later, he crossed the Rainbow Bridge very peacefully at home. Thank you for the gift of Blue, he will be missed.

April 28, 2022

Sandy
Sandy

It is with extreme sadness that I tell you our beautiful girl, Sandy, passed over the Rainbow Bridge today. We adopted Sandy (aka Vanna per MAGSR) in December 2013. Sandy developed lymphoma and was diagnosed in October 2021. The doctor only gave her a few months to live. Luckily for us, she exceeded that estimate. We started chemo for our beautiful dog. The lymphoma went into remission. We were told the cancer was not curable. The cancer stayed in remission until the end of March 2022. We did absolutely everything to try to save Sandy. She was loved so so much and I and my husband are devastated by her passing. The house seems empty without her. We got Sandy special prescribed medication, chemo, learned how to infuse her with saline with electrolytes to help her physically, took her to the hospital when things weren't good, made scrambled eggs, and broiled chicken for her because she would not eat dog food any more. We stayed up nights with her to comfort her when she wasn't feeling well and let her out numerous times during the sleepless nights so she could go to the bathroom. All of that was done out of real love for our girl Sandy. We miss her so much already.

During her life with us, we took her and our other two dogs, Truffles and Duchess, on vacations to the beach. We walked in the park near our house. She had a nice fenced in backyard to run around in. She got the best dog food, and best medical care that we could get. She got nylon bones to chew on, soft dog beds to sleep on, a warm house to stay in. We gave her the best we could afford. She would sleep in our bed if she felt like it and she was welcome to do so. But most of all she got our loving attention.

Sandy came to us with a broken heart. She had been passed around from house to house and was sure we would get rid of her too for the longest time. We used to look at her and tell her that she was stuck with us. Lol. But, she didn't believe us. She had a wonderful personality. We had another German Shepherd who had DM. Sandy was the most compassionate dog I have ever seen. The dog with DM was lying on a dog pillow. Sandy went up and lied down beside her and put her paw on the other dogs arm and she did this numerous times. It was like, I'm here to support and comfort you. It was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. A real heart of gold. She liked to comfort other sick or injured dogs. She had her quirks. Don't we all. She liked absolutely clean sheets with no creases in them. Would not sleep on anything else. She liked absolutely clean water with no other dog drinking in the same water. Kind of hard to do with 3 dogs. But, we changed the water many times a day. She didn't like going out in the rain. She would give me a look like why are you making it rain? She didn't like stepping in puddles or mud. She would try to walk around both. We found some of these things very amusing and made us love her more. It was Sandy. She would stand at the bottom of the stairs and howl a welcome while wagging her tail. It made you feel very welcomed and loved. We would take her for a walk. She was slow leaving the house and walking away from it. But, on the back home, she was like a horse racing back to it's barn. Sandy would start really pulling on the leash to get us to move faster so she could get back to comfort of her home. Home was a word she loved. And she loved her home and she loved us. We were greeted very enthusiastically whenever we came home.

One more story about Sandy to show what an amazing dog she was. I have so many wonderful stories and times with Sandy.  The day before she passed away, it was early in the morning. My husband was getting ready for work. I was still asleep. This was after Sandy had not eaten for a week because the cancer medication she was given destroyed her stomach and she would not eat at all no matter how much we begged her to eat. Therefore, she had gotten very physically weak. We live in a colonial house where you have to climb a lot of stairs to get to our bedrooms. We had helped Sandy up and down those stairs because she wanted to be near us at night. All our dogs have full run of the house and they decide where they want to sleep at night. So, suddenly that morning I was awaken by Sandy in my room trying to wake me up to take her downstairs so she could go to the bathroom outside. The reason this was so amazing is because she had been downstairs and in her weaken condition she climbed each stair by herself. She literally put herself in jeopardy by climbing the stairs by herself. It probably took every ounce of strength she had left in her body. My husband was in the shower and I was still asleep. It was so important to her to get me and ask me to take her outside so she could go to the bathroom. She was so amazing that even in her weaken state she was not going to go to the bathroom in the house. That tells you just how amazing Sandy was. Incredible dog. I miss her so much. My husband and I have been crying since yesterday when we had to let her go and free her from her pain. We truly miss the warmth of her love.

So, Sandy passing away today is a big loss for us. I can't say it enough, we already miss her so much. Sandy was very loved. All she wanted was to be loved and to find a permanent home. She got her dream because she had both with us. There is definitely a feeling like I'm missing a part of myself. We will remember our beautiful compassionate fun loving Sandy for the rest of our lives. She made our life so much better. 

 

Leo and Mary Maksymchock

April 22, 2022

Jaicee
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Jaicee, formally spelled Jaycee (she didn’t mind the spelling change!), joined our family on May 4, 2014.  The first picture is the day we brought her home.  She was a wild girl, and we knew things were going to be “exciting” for awhile.  With training, and lots of love, she developed into a great dog.  She loved people, and going for walks.  In fact, she with us, walked over 4 thousand miles for WolfTrax, and will continue to contribute until we get another GSD.  When we lived in Frederick, our daily walk was along Carroll Creek Linear Park, and Market St.  She made friends with the homeless, shop owners, and parking meter enforcers.  We moved to Florida in December, and resided in a hotel for 74 days.  She acclimated to the new environment immediately.  We moved into our new home the end of February.  We continued our long walks along the Gulf of Mexico.  It was important for us to secure a home with a yard for our enjoyment, as well, as hers.  Unfortunately, she would only utilize it for 2 weeks.  We noticed a change in behavior , and made an appointment with a recommended veterinarian on March 9th.  Blood tests showed anemia.  Her abdomen was tender, and an x-ray showed an enlarged spleen.  Symptoms highly suggestive of hemangioma sarcoma of the spleen.  Surgery was done the same day.  The largest tumor had ruptured.  Her abdomen was full of blood.  “Not survivable”.  Fortunately, we were able to say good bye to her while she was still alive, but under anesthesia  We are heartbroken.  We intend to adopt another GSD from MAGSR when in Maryland in June.  Please advise Trish that we’ll be in touch.  Having lost our previous beloved GSD to the same deadly diagnosis, we plan on close monitoring of labs, and abdominal tenderness in the future.  Hemangio sarcoma “the silent killer”, doesn’t exhibit symptoms, typically, until it’s too late.  Early detection may have extended the lives of 2 precious family members.

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