Darla Is Adopted!
Darla, now known as Darbee had a very rough start in life. Her original owner purchased her from a breeder and surrendered her to us at just 3 months old. Darla had Parvo!! Puppies with Parvo generally do not have a good outcome. Greg was determined that this puppy was going to live! There were many days Greg felt this puppy would not make it, but with proper medication and treatment, Greg nursed this little pup back to health in his own home!! Miracles do happen!! Darbee is a fighter and she was certainly fighting to stay alive, and what a life she is living now!!!
Tom and his wife Karen applied to the rescue searching for a mountain biking companion for Tom and a dog they can train from a pup. Tom and Karen already had 3 dogs in the household, but none that could keep up with Tom’s active lifestyle!! Since they were both retired, they figured, why not get a pup to train?? We introduced them to Darla, now Darbee, and the rest is history……
“It all began a year ago when I was looking for a mountain bike companion. After searching the internet for months, I happened to be browsing on You Tube when California GSP Rescue highlighted a 6- month-old female GSP named Darla.
I immediately contacted GSP Rescue, filled out an application and sent pictures of my past Irish Setter and our many adventures. I had a phone interview with Mariann. We made an appointment and drove to Beaumont with our 3 other dogs. We came home with a fourth, Darla who is an excellent traveler in the car.
We changed Darla’s name to Darbee and felt an immediate connection. She quickly settled in and was delighted to harass the two small poodles, and wear out the Golden Retriever and my daughter’s black lab.
I quickly started working with her on recall, trail hikes and eventually mountain bike riding.
When biking, she runs 15-20 yards in front of me. She has learned commands as to stop and wait and turn left or right if the trail splits. She runs 12 to 15 miles a day traveling at speeds of 12 to 20 mph. She has encountered deer, coyotes, horses, donkeys, squirrels and of course birds. She has been snake trained and so far she has not encountered any rattlers.
She is one delightful bundle of immense energy and anxious to please. She was pretty much house broken and only had one mistake inside. She is happy, excited, and curious from 7am to 7pm. After 7pm she settles down and wants to snuggle on the couch with us.
She is very protective of our property. The only issue we have with her is barking at anyone that passes as though they are intruders. We have been working on that. On our adventures we don't encounter crowds of people.
She is a sensitive and very loving dog who looks forward to her daily outings. We are so grateful to Mariann and Greg for allowing Darbee aka Darla to become a member of our family. We love her”.
