Gunther Is Adopted!
Gunther, an 18 month old stunning black and white roan male German Shorthaired Pointer arrived from a remote shelter, carrying a hush of uncertainty in his eyes. At first, he lingered on the edges, a little shy, as if waiting for the world to reveal its intentions. But it didn’t take long for his spirit to surface. He curled up quietly in his crate, silent and watchful, never uttering a bark or whimper. In no time, he was weaving gentle connections—with other dogs, with children.
The truth is, Gunther was the kind of dog people imagine when they dream of a companion— sweet, smart, affectionate, social, house-trained, and always eager to please. Like so many young German Shorthaired Pointers, he thrived on daily adventure and mental challenge. But once his spirit has stretched and run, he transformed into the most loyal, gentle friend you could hope to find.
All that was left was to find a person willing to let him be part of their world.
When Corey and Colleen first reached out to California GSP Rescue, they were looking to adopt a young dog, ideally under four years old, who could become their adventure buddy.
They had never owned a German Shorthaired Pointer before, but they had done their homework. They understood that GSP’s are often described as “Velcro dogs” dogs who want to be right by your side, and they loved that idea.
They also understood that GSP’s are active dogs.
Fortunately, an active lifestyle was already second nature to Corey and Colleen.
Walks, runs, beach days, hikes, parks, adventures, and hitting the trails were all part of their normal routine. They weren't looking for a dog to simply sit at home and watch the world go by. They wanted a dog who could go through life with them. An adventure buddy. A companion who would happily jump in the car, hit the trails, explore new places, and then come home and curl up beside them.
We introduced Corey and Colleen to two dogs we felt could be a good match for their lifestyle and level of activity.
They spent time getting to know each dog, seeing their personalities, and thinking about which one would be the best fit for their family.
And then they met Gunther.
Sometimes, everything just clicks.
Gunther was the one.
The dog they could picture beside them on their walks.
The dog they could imagine running with, hiking with, exploring with, and taking along on all of life's adventures.
We couldn't be happier for Gunther.
And we're incredibly grateful to Corey and Colleen for opening their hearts and home to a GSP and embracing everything that comes with having one of these wonderful, active, affectionate Velcro dogs.
Here's to a lifetime of trails, beaches, hikes, adventures, muddy paws, car rides, and memories.
Gunther, now known as Miller found his people. And sometimes, when it's the right match, you just know.
Congratulations, Miller, Corey, and Colleen!
Your adventures together are just beginning, and we are excited to share what Miller has been up to!
First Day
“He was incredible in the car, napped the whole way back and is settling into the house nicely before we head to dog beach!
We had the best time at dog beach! He is such a silly boy and was playing well with other dogs. His prey drive is definitely quite high - he was going crazy for the squirrels near the beach. Now we’re all showered and snuggling in bed he warmed up quickly to us.
Good morning!
This is Gunther’s (renaming him Miller!) 24 hour check in. He has seamlessly integrated into his new home. First stop after exploring his new home was the pet store where he picked out some treats and toys. Then he had a great beach day on a long line, excitedly playing with others as well as splashing around in the water. Then after a good bath and a big meal he settled in for some cuddling in bed with us. Had a great walk this morning with a bit of squirrel watching and training before some backyard exploration and fetching. A pretty great 24 hours!
Best,
Corey and Colleen”
As an informal update, Gunther (now Miller) is continuing to settle in at our house wonderfully. He woke up with the zoomies this morning excited to go on his walk and play in the park. He is also becoming increasingly more interested in toys. I’m working from home this whole week to get him settled and he is proving to be the best cuddle bug. Miller is thriving. We couldn’t be more happy to have him in our family.
One Week Update
“Colleen and I can’t believe we’ve only had Miller for a week. It really feels like he’s been in our family a lot longer.
The past week has been filled with lots of NEW for Miller - learning our home and the neighborhood, meeting our friends and their dogs, discovering the joy of toys and bones, and finding which of the neighborhood squirrels he has the best chance of catching. Miller is blossoming into the best boy already. He has proven to be the perfect mix of spunky and sweet.
We’ve taken Miller on long walks and runs, to dog beach, and most notably, he’s taken a special liking to running alongside the bike. While adopting Miller has been resoundingly positive, we are facing some challenges with separation anxiety. We hope this means he’s just too happy here. But in all seriousness, today we will be working to leave the house for small periods of time to better adjust him and accompany our absence with a high value lick toy as well as a camera/treat dispenser to monitor him. We feel incredibly blessed to have Miller in our lives and are looking forward to new adventures together”.
One Month Update
“Hi Teri and Greg,
Wow one month has flown by! Miller has been fully integrated into our family and friends lives. We’re writing this coming home from his first backpacking trip. We think it was likely one of the best days of his life so far with ample hiking, sniffing, happy grass rubbing, stream splashing and plenty of attention!
Over the past month we have been consistently working on training and have had one session with a professional trainer who was impressed by his demeanor and intelligence. The biggest thing we’re working on is getting him more comfortable with being on his own. We got him an extra large crate and have been working on leaving him for small periods of time which has been going pretty well. We’re hopeful that with time he will be comfortable for a few hours by himself. We’re also working on being better with leash pulling which hasn’t had as much success. Any other tips would be appreciated!
The rest of his days have been filled with beach days, dog play dates, bike rides, walks/runs, backyard zoomies, a long day hike and now a backpacking trip! Miller has proven to be the perfect adventure companion and an even better snuggler. He really is a sweet boy and cuddle bug. Every day he seems to be showing more of wonderfully weird personality. Everyone who meets him is shocked such a good handsome boy was at a rescue. We’ve even given the California GSP rescue contact information out to a number of people that were interested after meeting him!
All in all our first month with Miller has been so special and we feel so lucky to have him come into our lives. We’re looking forward to an increasing amount of adventures, cuddles and playtime with our forever boy!
The gallery below has some photos and videos from the past month.
Corey, Colleen and Miller”
