Success Stories
This is what we are all about.
When we place a dog in a great home, everyone in the rescue is elated. Nothing feels better than helping our dogs on their journey to find a forever home where they can love and be loved.We thank every one of our adoptive families for opening their hearts and homes to our dogs.
These are the most recent MAGSR Success Stories. Success Stories reported prior to 2016 can be found here.
We rescued Willow back in 2017, and am very happy to report that she has been an absolute blessing. Intelligent, kind, gentle, loving, and mischievous, she's everything we could want in a dog, and member of our family. She just turned 5 in March, and still has the energy level of a puppy. We can't thank MAGSR enough for what they've done for us, and what they do for GSDs in general. The organization is a national treasure!
All the best,
Rush and Jennifer Filson
Augie has made tremendous progress in the apartment and the neighborhood! In the apartment he has gone from sitting in the crate to exploring all the rooms, sometimes he even sits in the bathroom with me when I'm getting ready. He loves to snuggle on the couch and he rolls over for belly rubs. He hasn't had any accidents or problems in the apt and he already knows our routine. He still stays in the crate when I'm at work but for the first time this weekend I left him free in the apartment while I ran a few errands. He did great, no problems. He has also completed 3/6 training sessions and he's doing well with the other dogs and learning new commands. He's really good at stopping & sitting before crossing the street. He loves hot dogs and cheese for rewards. He also learned sit and shake. We are working on him waiting and allowing me to walk out the door before him, at home and at the training, he definitely wants to be first one out the door, so we'll keep working on it. He is interested in cats but doesn't do anything, just curious. He typically wants to avoid other dogs and go around them, so that makes it super easy to walk anywhere. At the training he has sniffed some butts and allowed them to sniff his butt, so he's slowly engaging with other dogs.
I'm so happy to be a part of giving the Georgia 38 doggies a normal, happy life away from the misery they experienced in GA. Augie has some scars on his legs and I hate to think how he got them but now he's in a cozy apartment and he likes looking out the window, relaxing on pillows, and getting a rub down. Considering I've only had him 5 weeks, it's amazing how much progress he's made and how much he's adjusted to our 'team work.' We are besties for life.
I was interested in rescuing a GSD and started following MAGSR. I became intrigued with the pups they rescued from Georgia and kept following their stories. I decided I wanted to make a difference in one of their lives, so we went to two "meet and greets" I loved all of the pups that were there. On Easter we adopted Tilly!
MAGSR had provided her with so much love and patience, now it was our turn. Tilly is skittish, but has come a long way, she is earning our trust, she loves her crate and that is her safe place. She was already great with household noises like tv, phone, vacuum, fans, coo-coo clock and our cats. She does well with other dogs and loves to go on walks. Tilly had to master laying on a dog bed and getting in and out of a car, we had to pick her up to put her in, she is now a pro! We started out slow going to PetSmart and Lowes, now we drive to the beach, she gets excited when I start packing, she gets carsick most of the time, but she's getting better. Tilly is scared of some people and my sons, we are working on that by having my sons feed her dinner meal and dropping treats. When Tilly first came into our lives she was attached to me the majority of the time so she wouldn't hide in the corner or pace back and forth.
We keep in touch with her foster family and a special FB page just for these wonderful Georgia pups, that has helped me out tremendously when I had questions and to see all the other pups progress. Tilly has successfully completed Basic Obedience 1 training and we are starting Basic Obedience 2. She is so smart and learns new commands or things in general quickly. We now have her off leash in the house and backyard. She is never outside by herself, she actually prefers to be inside.
Tilly's next goal is to learn to play with toys and other dogs.
I am so happy that we made the decision to make a difference in her life, to give her lots of love and patience so she can have a wonderful life! I love her so much! It's such a great feeling too!
If you have love and patience please consider adopting one of the remaining GA38STRONG pups.
Blue is a super loving and cuddly dog who loves car rides. Though still defensive at times with strangers, his humans are definitely his favorite people and he is getting much better is social situations. Also, squeaky toys are his FAVORITE toys, No doubt about it.
-Chris Quaglia
We adopted Titan a year ago today and just want to let you know that he is now a lovely part of our pack. When we first took him in he was fearful and didn't want much to do with us or his soon to be canine friends. As time went on he learned that affection from his support humans is a good thing and playing with our other dogs is the best thing ever. His beautiful coat is now shiny and healthy though keeping the mats under control is a challenge. He went to obedience training and did very well and walks well on the leash.Titan does not think deer belong in our yard but is getting better at how he reacts to them. He also is learning to be more trusting of other humans. Floyd is our younger rescue mix who taught Titan that playing and running circles around the shed is fun and Karly our other older rescue mix chooses to lie next to Titan to comfort him. Even though we have decided that at times he should have been named Mayhem, Titan is definitely a loved and valued part of our family.
Thank you for rescuing him, Martha and George Schmidt and Karly and Floyd too!
We adopted Abby Glenn and have been calling her Abby since she joined our family. Abby has been a wonderful addition; she is curious, loving, easy to walk, and always "smiling". Even though she had so much to learn about being an inside dog, she is thriving. Abby loves other dogs and has learned so much about how to behave from watch her labrador brother. Some of Abby's favorite things to do are lean against us as we sit or stand around the house, pace to keep an eye on what's going on around the house, lie out in the sun, and cuddle with her cat brother. We have even brought a newborn baby home and Abby seems intrigued by her, barely alarmed by the change. We could never have imagined how adaptable and sweet this GA rescue would be!
Macklee aka Francis just returned from her first 'spa day" with the groomer. Our groomer told us she did terrific! She was curious, social and very well behaved!
We have always loved our groomer and knew our boy's love her but we were not sure how our girl would do. Roxy our groomer had no concerns about her, and in the end it worked out great!
Our girl just keeps surprising us and reminding us of why she was meant to be ours!
Our Greta has brought so much joy to our home! We first met her at one of MAGSR’s Open Houses and our first impression was that she was so sweet! After just 11 short weeks, she is settling in nicely and has become quite a “Daddy’s girl” too! We cannot believe the changes we have seen in her in such a short time. She loves to be brushed and her favorite place to relax is on the kitchen tile, although she also loves to lay at our feet. Some noises still upset her, but she calms down much quicker these days. She is halfway through her basic obedience classes and is learning quickly! We are so blessed that Greta also picked us to be her family.
When we saw a picture of Nia in the local news, newly rescued from a Georgia puppy mill and taken in by MAGSR, we knew we had to give her a chance. That was eight months ago and just as we have seen the little waif in the picture bloom into a magnificent dog, we have been overjoyed to see the development of her personality as well. We have hope for her future and in doing so, we have gained a renewed sense of purpose in ours, in that we reached out to an animal in need with no guarantees but have had joyous returns. She has always been curious and it is rewarding to see her mind at work as she explores her surroundings and learns new things. A goal is to expose her to as many happy and stimulating interactions as possible, not only to build trust and confidence, but just because we hope she will enjoy them. Her dignity and beauty never fail to attract attention when we take her for walks or training sessions in a local park. She has proven to be very trainable and is a pleasure to be around. She loves car rides, her pool, being brushed, and playing with toys in which she has to figure out solutions. Challenges persist but each day, we see progress. She has been a Blessing and a joy for us. We can’t imagine life without her.
We lost our GSD in April and then heard about the #ga38strong. During an open house in May Trudi picked Jay and that was all it took. She needed him and he needed her to help getting over the lost of King. Over the course of the last four months she has made so much progress although there were weeks where Trudi would take one step forward and two steps back. Everyone's patience has paid off. She is now house broken, less skiddish and is starting to finally enjoy the life a dog should have. Trudi enjoys her multiple mile walks a day which she gets to spend bonding time separately with Dad and Mom as well as sitting outside watching the bunnies and deer. She doesn't bark much and we are still working on the bonding so that she will spend time with us in the house. Her comfort zone is upstairs in our bedroom suite. That is where you will find her most of the time hanging out. Trudi is such a sweet and gentle girl who has so much love to give on her own terms. She can be lovey with kisses when she wants. We love her to pieces and would never trade her in for the world. So sad that any of these pups had to go through such an experience but we are glad that she is in our life.
Jay, Mary Ann and Trudi Pierre
It’s been a year since we adopted Gemma – our 2nd from MAGSR. I wanted to share a photo from the day we adopted her and one from today so you can see how far she has come. When I had her to the vet for her annual visit she weighed in at a healthy 85 lbs! She still has her skin problems so she stays on meds all the time. She has moved with us into our new home with a much larger backyard and continues to do well. She is a fabulous dog!
On March 16 of this year, we adopted “Zotta” renamed Chance, a beautiful white GSD! Very skittish non trusting and always ready to flee! Well it’s been almost six months now! He has learned to trust to love and to play with toys! All these are a first for him! He also wags his tail now! It hasn’t always been easy. There has been ups and downs along the way, but when he looks at me with stars in his eyes,rolls over for me to rub his tummy, I know we are on the right path! He listens well. Walks perfectly on a heel comand, better then our neighbors dogs! Gets compliments by people when I walk him! “He really listens to you”! Sometimes cars stop, roll down the window, and tell me what a beautiful dog he is! We are a work in progress! Have to confess we do spoil him at times, but it’s hard not to. Structure and patience are the key! The love part just comes natural! Chance is my fourth GSD over the years, but my first rescue! Can’t imagine life without my wonderful Georgia boy!!!
Today marks 6 months since we adopted our little girl. It's been a learing curve for all of us for sure. To say I wasn't apprehensive at all the day we brought her home would be an understatement. There were plenty of tough days with her and there still are sometimes, but we wouldn't trade her for the world.
Why are we so thankful we took a chance and adopted her? She is smart, sassy, sweet, snuggles on her terms, and she knows how to make her presence known.
She likes to be on her long lead, laying on the front porch with her big brother's Nate and Diesel. She will poop now when the trash man goes by on Friday instead of shaking and bolting to the house. She prefers just being around her brothers, my husband and I. We have left her crate door open over night a couple of times without issue. We also leave it open during the day when we leave, but won't be gone for a super long time. She picks at Diesel, but follows and learns from Nate. She has chosen my husband as her human, but she will love me on her terms and when it is feeding time for sure. She is all about her schedule and does not like it being messed with. She still barks at noises, but we are working on it. We still take her to the trainer, and she still has a way to go but the apprehension I once had has been erased.
If given the choice to adopt her verses a non GA38, we would choose her again and again.
Actually, if we didn't have 3 German Shepherd's already we would adopt another GA38.
We have had our Big Baby (my nickname for her) for two years now. She will be 3 in December and is such a joy and is so smart! She loves to play and can spend hours playing catch. She will literally throw her ball back to me after she has caught it. She knows a number of commands and has great manners. She loves to learn, to play tug of war, and she invites herself into our elderly neighbor’s house to check on them and leave. No seriously, if someone is by their front door, she will run over to go inside and run to the back bedroom to check on “Pop” (the elderly gentleman) and then comes out! She is full of love and truly believes she is welcome anywhere she goes. She brings us so much joy and is my number one snuggle buddy. Our older dog (13) has a new found energy and loves to play hide and seek with her. Thank you for our Big Baby, my light, my joy!
Woof - Finn is my name and fun is my game!
I turned 1 year old in July. I am maturing a bit and losing some of my puppy craziness. My parents are delighted. I am a good listener and come really fast when I am called. My Mom always rewards me with a tasted snack. I play very nice with all the neighborhood dogs. I love car rides especially when we are going to the dog park or training. And my parents think I am very smart. One night I quietly alerted my dog sitter something was wrong in the neighborhood. A group of 4 people were breaking into cars. All were arrested. But when it comes to neighborhood bunnies, deer, and squirrels in my yard - I bark loud and clear - what fun it is to let everyone know of these visitors. When the day is done - I give my parents big, wet kisses good night and snuggle in between them for a restful sleep.
I hope all my litter mates are doing very well.
Juno, aka "Primrose" - Adopted September 3rd, 2013
Juno has been a blessing in my life. After the loss of my first German Shepherd - Juno came to the rescue and made my life complete again. We now live in Florida where Juno enjoys swimming in the ocean and catching frisbees. She even has a feline adopted sister she loves. She is spoiled beyond belief!!! I work from home so she is with me 24/7 pretty much. Juno is sweet as can be, affectionate, loyal, loves people, smart, and is behaved and obedient off-leash. Not sure what she is a mix of - but, something very unique. 100lbs of awesomeness! Juno may be the most beautiful dog in the world. She gets attention and stopped everywhere she goes with me.
Thank you MAGSR for everything!!!
Victor
We have had Zeus and Athena for almost six months. The pups came into our lives when we were devastated after losing our German Shepherd Malibu. She was the love of our lives and battled lymphoma like a true shepherd...valiantly. She was also from MAGSR. Zeus and Athena are wonderful and make us laugh all the time. Athena is clearly the Alpha. What is Zeus’s is hers and what’s hers is hers. Sometimes she scares her brother who in turn tries to get on my lap. They are affectionate with us and each other. Athena loves wagging her tail; while Zeus is more stingy with his wags.
You have to earn his wags. They were a bonded pair when we got them but have relaxed and do not need to be in each other’s sight anymore. They have come a long way and trust us. They are fantastic with our kids. They love playing with toys and ripping and racing around our house. They are typical shepherds and are highly protective of our house, yard and people. Thanks MAGSR for bringing them into our lives. We are so very grateful!
Deanna
“Harp!” is a trip! At 5-months and 33 pounds, Harp just graduated “Puppy Kindergarten” with flying colors.
Thank you, MAGSR!
Harp rocks!!!
It has been almost 6 months since we adopted Blue. He is such a gem, we love him to pieces! He has adjusted well and even graduated training!
We adopted Jazzmin on March 18, 2017. The first day she was at our house - 5 hours after adoption, she snuck through the door and ran away. We were heart broken. We were unable to locate her until 9:30 the next morning and she pranced home on the leash like she was a queen. She was very skittish and was definitely afraid of men more than women. Coming from a high kill shelter, she truly had a terrible life. It was months before she would even come to me. My wife was more fortunate, Jazzmin befriended her and would come to her, etc. After almost 2-1/2 years, she and our other rescue Beau, (formerly Boyka, adopted 4-9-2018) are best friends and love to play in our yard. I am attaching a video of both of them fetching a lacrosse ball. Jazzmin is the dog with the floppy ear. They love to run and once finished, Beau will go for a swim in our pool. We are grateful for all that the volunteers at MAGSR do to help the dogs.
The Brady's
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