Bowa Is Adopted!

Bowa, a beautiful 4 year old liver roan female German Shorthaired Pointer was surrendered to us when her owners were moving out of the country, and could not take her with them. Bowa became an immediate volunteer favorite. A great dog, very sweet, and was great with all of the dogs she met. She lived with another dog and small children, so we knew she would be a good fit for a family with children and other dogs.

We had a couple of challenges. We were told by Bowa’s previous owners that Bowa had an accident when she was a puppy, which they believe left her with a head tic. She wasn’t at all bothered by it, and she wasn’t in any discomfort. Our vet Dr. Kang didn’t see anything concerning that would affect her long term, and cleared her for adoption. Other than that, she was a normal 4 year old GSP!

Bowa needed some training on walks and runs as she gets excited, and was a strong puller. She hadn’t had alot of training, but she was very smart, listened well, and knew some basic commands. At 4 years old, she had a ton of energy, so we were looking for someone who was active that could provide her with the daily exercise and stimulation to keep her happy, along with continued training to expand on her commands.

Mary and Bill applied to adopt a dog 3 years old or older. They had another dog, Bear, a 12 year old Lab who they had since he was around 3 years old who was slowing down, and wasn’t up to the long hikes any longer.

While they had never owned a GSP, they had done their research, and were looking for a good hiking family dog that would do well with other dogs and their young grandchildren, and wanted to provide a home for a rescued GSP.

They came out to meet Bowa, and were quickly introduced to what an active GSP was all about. They decided to take on the challenge, and decided to adopt her. It was a rocky start, but with a good trainer, patience and perseverance, they did not give up, and it paid off! Bowa who is now known as Magoo is doing great!

First day update

Hi Teri,

Well she's sound asleep at the moment after another wild day of hiking, dog park, family visits. We hiked 7 miles. She still has lots of energy. 

One week update

Hi Teri,

Meanwhile, on the leash... still a nightmare.  After three miles, she does ease up a bit. The trainer helped a bit, but she is a hunter. The trainer has tried a bunch of different collars. The woman down the street has a GSP puppy and recommended a martingale collar. (haven't tried it yet).

Two week update

We changed her name to Magoo, and she is doing better every day.  No more accidents, and slowly walking better on the leash. 

She is doing great with Bear. Bear just goes along with whatever Magoo wants.  She does well at the dog park and comes to me as I walk around to practice her coming back to me when we are walking. This training has helped at the beach, where she runs around like crazy, then comes back in and checks in with me.  At home, she's become comfortable so much so that I have to tell her to get off the couch.  She is fyi, very good with other dogs.

When we are in the front yard, she is a protector and barks at passersby.  Smooth transition.  Hahaha. Not exactly, but we are all learning to live our messy, complicated, high-energy lives. 

Took Magoo to the beach.  Coming here is her favorite activity. Still afraid of waves . She’s very good at running around and then coming back to me. We’re having fun. 

One Month Update

What can I say — I love this dog. 

Oh yes, it was rocky in the beginning because I was concerned about her health issues, but after a few weeks none of it mattered. What mattered was that she and I were, and are, happy.

She is an outdoor girl, like me, and we’ve fallen into an easy rhythm of long walks and trips to the beach. She moves with this quiet confidence now, like she knows she belongs. And she does.

Magoo has brought both calm and excitement into my life. She makes each day feel a little more grounded. She’s affectionate without being too needy. Yes, she follows me around the house, but she also likes to protect the backyard.  

Watching her settle in, grow more comfortable, and show more of her personality has been one of the most rewarding parts of this experience.  Thank you.  Attached is this morning's picture from our local beach.

Best wishes,

Mary