Benito Is Adopted!

Benito, a four-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer, waited quietly as the shelter filled around him. Space was running out, and time was slipping away. Like so many good dogs, he found himself at risk, not because of anything he’d done, but simply because there was nowhere left to go.

But rescue is never a solo act.

Because of a team of dedicated volunteers, Benito’s story took a turn. Volunteers shifted their days, mapped out the miles, and met in the quiet space between destinations. In that moment, a dog who was nearly out of time was handed something rare and beautiful: another chance.

When we first met Benito, he carried himself with a quiet, steady calm. There was a gentle curiosity in his eyes, a sense of watchfulness that lingered just beneath the surface. He greeted other dogs with excitement, sat when asked, and moved with a mellow confidence that catches people off guard—especially those who expect every German Shorthaired Pointer to be a whirlwind of energy. Benito wasn’t that dog. He was the kind of companion who wanted to walk by your side, explore a trail, or share a quiet run as the sun comes up. Benito doesn’t crave chaos—he thrives on connection. Give him thirty or sixty minutes of your time, a bit of guidance, and a touch of structure, and in return, you would find loyalty, quiet companionship, and a steady presence that makes every day a little brighter. Happiness, after all, is something you build together.

Cheng and Nicole applied to adopt a dog after losing their 14 ½ year old GSP, Junior. They were looking for a more calm dog around 5-8 years old. They were open to a male or female that was social with both humans and dogs. Familiar with the needs of the breed, they both are very active, and wanted a dog that could accompany them on long walks, trail runs, hikes, camping and even back country skiing trips. A life every dog would dream of!

We told them about Benito who we felt his calm demeanor, would be perfect for them. They didn’t hesitate, and came out to meet him right away. They felt the same way we did about Benito. An amazing dog with so much potential, and for Cheng and Nicole, he was the one.

We have received some updates and photos since Benito, (now lovingly known as Benny), has gone home that we would love to share.

First day

“Benito is a very sweet boy. His temperament fits in with our family well. Very mellow once he settles. We are working on some issues. He is not house trained which we expected. That is not a problem, and he seems to already be picking it up.

The more serious issue is he is afraid of stairs. Normally I wouldn’t say this is an issue at all but our home has 3 flights of very long stairs. The first one is required to enter the house. It makes it quite difficult to house train him when he’s afraid of the stairs. So far we are using both high value treats to help him, and sometimes we end up just carrying him down. Occasionally he will make it about half way and freeze. Going up seems to be less of an issue, but still takes quite a bit of motivation. 

Other than the stairs he is a very sweet boy, and will be a great part of the family once we get the stair thing figured out”.

Week One

“Benito has been doing great. He's been learning a lot and has been really receptive on training. Since our last check in things are improving with him. He seems to have gotten used to the most important flight of stairs, the ones leading to and out the house which is great! Still a few minor bathroom accidents but we are getting there. 

We are slowly working on the inside stairs. We are confident he will get use to those too, and he has mostly overcome his fear of the stairs. He can go up and down without promoting for the most part. Learned the command “stay”, and his name. We had a dog trainer come by for some loose leash training which he’s picking up. He’s pretty comfortable in his crate also.

Occasionally he will still mark a house plant in the house but that’s a work in progress. He LOVES other dogs, sometimes a bit too much for other dogs.

Overall he’s been great, super sweet, and a great addition to the family.

We started calling him Benny, he’s been doing great and making lots of progress. Getting exposed to different situations and adventures slowly. We recently went camping and he loved it.  Still teaching him some manners, he is a very sweet dog and we are very happy to have him”. 

One Month Update

“Hi Teri,

Benny has settled right into his new life with us. It feels like he's been a part of the family forever, it's hard to believe it has only been a month! 

Benny is a mellow boy for a GSP, and is able to settle in and calm himself down even with new visitors in the house and people eating food in the same room - very different from our late GSP!  We don't have a true yard (just a patio) so we are creative in getting him adequate exercise paired with the mental stimulation he needs.  We've done hiking, runs, and lots of time at parks on a long lead. Rather than treating walks as exercise, we keep walks short and use it as training time, keeping his attention on us, and working on loose leash walking. We are still working on his recall before he will be ready for off leash, but we are excited to take him to the beach and off leash trails when he is ready. 

Benny went on his first camping trip and loved it! Benny is very excited when he sees other dogs, so we are very cautious about introducing him to new dogs in case they may not be up for his level of excitement - this is something we will continue working on over time. We are so happy to have Benny in our lives and are excited to continue training and learning more about him.

“Benny has been great! He is a such good fit. Thank you for placing him with us”!