German Shepherd Rescue Central Texas - Basil

Please read Basil's story:

Basil's story started with "free to a good home" on Craigslist, then tossed from a car. Basil’s had a rough time of it these last months- just last week, she was observed being thrown out of a car. A good Samaritan grabbed her to make sure she was not injured and then brought her to TLAC. Well, TLAC found a microchip and located her owner. He came down to the shelter and was horrified at what he saw. See, her owner gave her away, "free to good home on craigslist" a few months ago. Back then she was a healthy, happy young puppy. Now she’s thin, still heavy with milk from nursing and has some hairloss. The new owners assured him they would take good care of her.

Who knows what happened in those months, but like many of the animals given away so easily and freely we can only surmise that she wasn’t kept as a family pet. More likely used for breeding purposes and then thrown away like so much trash when no longer needed. Her former owner is not going to take her back. The folks he gave her to are not returning his calls – what a shock. So sweet Basil needs rescue help.

She’s a petite chocolate lab/pit mix-weighing about 30 pounds. Her enthusiasm and friendliness for people is heartbreaking considering what she’s been through.

If you are interested in adopting Basil, please contact Caryn Cluiss at 512-264-4220

10 Steps to Deal with the Loss of Your Pet By Dawn Kairns

Sometimes special animals come into our lives and touch our hearts in a way that leaves us forever changed. A chapter ends as the familiar road you traveled together comes to an abrupt and. You are in uncharted territory without a map. Lost. The world as you know it may look totally different.Not everyone realizes that the bond between humans and their pets can be deeper than with a loved human. Some people often spend more time with their pets than they do with family members. Pets don't judge or hurt us the way humans can. The loss of their constant, unconditional love can leave us empty.

There is no best way to get through the loss of a beloved pet. The way through the grief process is different for everyone. Here are some things I found helpful when I lost Maggie, my beautiful black lab with whom I had the most precious of relationships:

1. Hold a ritual after your pet dies and invite friends and family who knew and loved your pet. Share stories about how your beloved animal enriched your life and other lives she touched. You may also want to create a memorial altar with a candle and your pets' photo, along with other items that belong to or remind you of your pet, such as her dish, special toys, and a lock of her hair.

2. Recognize that the grief of pet loss can be exceptionally profound and honor that by giving your grief the space to be. Allow your tears. Set-aside quiet time each day where you can decrease the demands of the outside world. Write in your journal. Allow your pain to express and release.

3. Let in the compassion and understanding of supportive family friends and strangers.

4. Don't be surprised if some family members or friends are not as supportive as you might expect them to be. Allow yourself to take time off from friends who don't understand the depth of your grief, who try to downplay your loss because it's an animal rather than a human, or who have unrealistic expectations of you at this very vulnerable time.

5. Let people know if you need to talk about your lost pet. Many well-intended people may try to change the subject to make it easier on you and you may need to let them know that it's okay to talk about it.

6. Find a pet loss support group locally or online and make use of the national pet loss support hotlines.

The Secrets Inside Your Dog's Mind

Brian Hare, assistant professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University, holds out a dog biscuit.

"Henry!" he says. Henry is a big black schnauzer-poodle mix--a schnoodle, in the words of his owner, Tracy Kivell, another Duke anthropologist. Kivell holds on to Henry's collar so that he can only gaze at the biscuit.

"You got it?" Hare asks Henry. Hare then steps back until he's standing between a pair of inverted plastic cups on the floor. He quickly puts the hand holding the biscuit under one cup, then the other, and holds up both empty hands. Hare could run a very profitable shell game. No one in the room--neither dog nor human--can tell which cup hides the biscuit.

Henry could find the biscuit by sniffing the cups or knocking them over. But Hare does not plan to let him have it so easy. Instead, he simply points at the cup on the right. Henry looks at Hare's hand and follows the pointed finger. Kivell then releases the leash, and Henry walks over to the cup that Hare is pointing to. Hare lifts it to reveal the biscuit reward.
Henry the schnoodle just did a remarkable thing. Understanding a pointed finger may seem easy, but consider this: while humans and canines can do it naturally, no other known species in the animal kingdom can. Consider too all the mental work that goes into figuring out what a pointed finger means: paying close attention to a person, recognizing that a gesture reflects a thought, that another animal can even have a thought. Henry, as Kivell affectionately admits, may not be "the sharpest knife in the drawer," but compared to other animals, he's a true scholar.

It's no coincidence that the two species that pass Hare's pointing test also share a profound cross-species bond. Many animals have some level of social intelligence, allowing them to coexist and cooperate with other members of their species. Wolves, for example--the probable ancestors of dogs--live in packs that hunt together and have a complex hierarchy. But dogs have evolved an extraordinarily rich social intelligence as they've adapted to life with us. All the things we love about our dogs--the joy they seem to take in our presence, the many ways they integrate themselves into our lives--spring from those social skills. Hare and others are trying to figure out how the intimate coexistence of humans and dogs has shaped the animal's remarkable abilities.

Trying to plumb the canine mind is a favorite pastime of dog owners. "Everyone feels like an expert on their dog," says Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive scientist at Barnard College and author of the new book Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know. But scientists had carried out few studies to test those beliefs--until now.

This fall, Hare is opening the Duke Canine Cognition Center, where he is going to test hundreds of dogs brought in by willing owners. Marc Hauser, a cognitive psychologist at Harvard University, recently opened his own such research lab and has 1,000 dogs lined up as subjects. Other facilities are operating in the U.S. and Europe.

The work of these researchers won't just satisfy the curiosity of the millions of people who love their dogs; it may also lead to more effective ways to train ordinary dogs or--more important--working dogs that can sniff out bombs and guide the blind. At a deeper level, it may even tell us something about ourselves.

Referral Posting For Rottilove Rescue

Kat - Referral
Approx age: 4 yrsSex: female, spayed
Good with: male dogs, cats
Adoption fee: $100

Kat recently came back to our group (Rottilove Rescue) after a 2 1/2 yr adoption. Unfortunately her last adopter moved to California where his job took a turn for the worst and he was not financially able to care for her.

As you can see, Kat is a mix. Our best guess is Rottweiler and Heeler or Catahoula, but who knows. Kat is very much scared of strangers, mostly men, but her last home was a single male. She does adjust and start to trust rather quickly. Just 2 hrs after arriving in our home, she was coming to me when I called and givin me lots of kisses. She is a major kiss-aholic. She would do best with a home with only one other dog...male...her size or larger that is not dominant.

We just need a patient home that will not let her initial "freak out" session get to them. This girl is beyong sweet and we hope there is another home out there for her. She is current on shots, heartworm and flea prevention. She's house and crate trained as well. If you want to give a special dog a special home then look no further because we have the dog for you!

If you are interested in adopting Kat, please go to the Rottilove website's adoption application page here: http://www.rottilove.com/forms/adoption-application.php and submit for consideration, or email: rescue2@rottilove.com.

Brandy Has Been Adopted!!

BRANDY is a 6 year old Golden Retriever mix. She is spayed, current on all vaccinations, and has been given a clean bill of health by the vet. Brandy was rescued from the city shelter where she arrived as a stray.

As you can see from her "mug shot" (above) her coat was terribly matted, and she was suffering from flea dermatitis which caused significant hair loss. In foster care, Brandy has, of course, been freed from the horrible fleas and is receiving top-quality nutrition and supplements to help her coat grow back to its former beauty. Brandy may have suffered a broken leg at some time that was not treated properly. She politely refuses to sit on command, and her gait is very slightly off.

Because of the cruel conditions that Brandy endured for the last 2 years (since she was previously adopted from the shelter), she isn't suitable for a running, frisbee-catching, wrestling style of life, in spite of her young age. We are looking for a home for Brandy where her humans will enjoy her quiet, attentive companionship and give her the loving care she deserves. Brandy does very well with other dogs.

She is most happy to be near people, including children. She is gentle and so happy to receive attention and affection. She's just a sweetheart that loves to lay down at your feet or put her head in your lap. Brandy enjoys spending time outside. She is gentle on the leash and approaches other dogs appropriately.

If you are interested in adopting Brandy, please contact Caryn Cluiss at 512-264-4220

Enjoy The Wonderful Slideshow Of Cadet & Friends Below!

Cadet is one of the many beautiful German Shepherd and German Shepherd mixes that are available for adoption through our rescue.

Caly Was Once A Junkyard Momma Dog!

You'd never know to look at her now!

This her mug shot:

From Caly's adopters: Caly has been so funny the last few days! She's been dancing around like a baby girl. This morning she came bouncing in, jumped up into the chair. She gets upset with me when I grab the camera though.....so I only got one. Yesterday, she barked like a real dog. We've found another treat she seems to love too......real stinky.

Enjoy The New Slideshow Of Wonderful Dog Available For Adoption Through German Shepherd Rescue Central Texas!

We've added a number of new beautiful purebreds and mixes. Maybe one of them is your new BFF!