Gerdy's Rescues & Adoptions

A Dog's Tale - News from Scout

One of Gerdy's most memorable early rescues was a three-month old German Shepherd pup, who went on to be named Scout and who now lives in Nova Scotia, with a couple he refers to as "Hon Hair" and "Hon No Hair", an elderly Shepherd called Brina, an independent cat, and a daughter studying to be a chef.

Scout sent Gerdy letters to let her know what he'd been up to. Enjoy!

Letter #1 - I have a HOME!

Hi Gerdy, I've learned my name is going to be Scout. It's hard to know for sure. They call me “boy,” “baby,” “handsome,” and “Oh, look at him now”. They smile a lot which makes up for my new two / four legged buddies. They don't smile at me at all! I licked the cat's nose, and I can run under the big dog's belly. If the big dog barks, I bark too, cause we're a team. I was so hungry this morning, I forgot which bowl was mine and even though the big dog was still eating her food, I stuck my head in her dish and helped her clean her bowl. She didn't mind a bit. I might do this again!

	The humans at my new home call each other 'Hon'. One has hair on her head but he doesn't. I guess one name works for them both, so keep it simple. I've got a new bed, but I prefer the chesterfield, the lazy boy and lying between Hair and No Hair's feet. I also help No Hair with his studying. I keep his feet warm and I found a really cool hiding spot inside the closet where he keeps all his electronic training boards and manuals.

I'm learning that “no” means I have to stop whatever it is that I'm doing and when I do, I get lots of praise. No Hair wakes up really early and I take him and the big dog for a walk around the block. Then I play with them in the back yard. I let him throw sticks and I bring them back to him. I chase the big dog until she lies down. I chased my tail, but couldn't catch it. I also saw the squirrel come down the tree and scared him back up again. Yesterday, 'No Hair Hon' took me down to the canoe and we just sat in it. He said we'll do this a lot so I can get used to getting in and out of it. Then next summer, when I'm bigger, and I've gone through my obedience training, he's going to get me my own life jacket and then we'll put the canoe in the water. He won't let me go in the water now, but there are these loud quackee things floating around staring at me and I'm very tempted to check them out. I showed 'Hon' with hair that I'm not afraid of the blow dryer, or the dishwasher, or the vacuum cleaner. She said I'm a very brave boy. I really like her slippers but she keeps taking them away and giving me one of my new toys. I've been very busy smelling everything. There is plenty to smell. It takes a long time to go for a walk because I want to make sure I don't miss any of the smells. There are two dogs on our walk around the block. One REALLY big guy, and I bark back really loud so he knows I'm taking charge of the 'Hon's' safety. There's a real little guy that, at first, I thought might be a cat or something. I just kinda sat down and tilted my head and studied him. I start doggie classes tomorrow night. They run for nine weeks and there will be other guys there my age. This is gonna be fun. It's at a church hall, and they have four levels I can go for. I'm smart, so, this will be a breeze. No Hair Hon is getting me a bigger cage. Hair Hon let me nap on her lap while she watched TV last night. I helped her relax really good. It was tough work, so I took a nap too. They're going to take my picture. Maybe they'll reward me with those treats they give to the big dog. I know where they keep them now. The big dog goes to the pantry and hits her nose on the door and, WOW, the human's respond very well. She's done a good job training them. Love and Licks to All, Your Boy 'Scout'

Letter #2 - Fitting In

Hi Gerdy,

Things I've learned:

The cat can jump really high, and then climb even higher.
I must not chase the cat so fast I can't get stopped, cause it hurts when I run into furniture.
Even one little piece of loose threading can lead to the entire shredding of a door mat (if I'm left alone long enough).
The earth outside on the ground is fair game but the earth in the plant pots in the house is not.
Grass is meant for doing your 'business' - not rugs.
It's ok to chew toys but not hands, feet....aw ...most anything attached to humans.
Very quietly, if I stretch, I can reach up and grab the towels and facecloths in my teeth from the towel racks in the bathrooms.
Birds fly. Also ducks. And leaves, when it's windy.

Things I've taught Hair and No Hair:

To empty the wastebaskets often.
Keep the doors to the bathrooms closed.
Just about everything is edible.
To put my water dish away by 7 PM .
I play hard but I sleep better when I do.
Not to sleep in --- hee hee hee.
I will do anything for food.
Grapes are not a food, but are fun to spit out and step on, and generally play with.
If I curl up for my nap real close, I can keep their feet warm.
I will attack the broom. Sweeping should be done when I am outdoors.
Never leave anything on the stairs to take up 'on the next trip' because I will take it ....somewhere they won't find it anytime soon.
I love my new family very much, their socks, their sneakers, their laces, their slippers.

Things I'm grateful for:

Thanksgiving smells are wonderful and there are a lot of people. Some bring their dogs for me to play with, and they all make a fuss over me.
Walks in the rain.
Big dog licking my face after we return from our walk in the rain.
Games! Hide and go seek is one of my favourites. Fetch. Find the stick. All good games!
My toys.
The wind. Sometimes, I just sit outside on the deck, close my eyes and smell the air.
Treats!
Big dog is slow when she eats, and always leaves leftovers for me.
For all my care givers who've made me the confident, social, well-adjusted, loveable little 'boy' Scout I've become. Gosh, I'm adorable!
Did I mention I love puddles? You can walk in them. Drink in them. Just all around good fun!

	Love and Licks to All, Your Boy 'Scout'

Letter #3 - Happy Hallowe'en!

Hi Gerdy:

I had my first Hallowe'en......know what that is?

It's weird! Completely, totally weird! But Fun! We had pumpkins lit outside and orange lights on a table inside holding all these yummy treats.

There were candles all over the place, and Hair picked up Chinese Food on the way home from work. Don't know what that is but they sure liked it. (They don't share well!)

We had this weird tape playing on the radio outside. It screamed, and bells rang, and some wolf brothers howled. So I howled too! Took a while to understand it was just for fun.

I worked REALLY HARD that night. There were three dozen very 'strange' strangers coming to our home. I went to the door every time and checked out every one of them.

I did my part. I protected everyone. All those strange visitors got a treat but I didn't get mine until they all left.

The 'upside' is there was this one little 'bumble bee' who wanted her daddy to take me home with her and they both fussed a lot over me. She wanted to trade her treats for me. Again, it is the price one pays for being so adorable! I'm looking forward to Hallowe'en 2004.

The entire world is out there and I reallllly, realllly want to check it out. So I found that if I jumped and jumped at the gate door on the deck, the latch would spring open. But I only got to do it once . Then, he went to Home Hardware and now there are these new locks on the deck gate that all the jumping in the world won't budge.

When I first arrived from Montreal , I had this little blue cage and a nice soft blanket. It was my real special place. It had these great smells and just felt good.

Because I REALLY like to eat, I kinda grew....and grew.....so Hair and No Hair went shopping for a new collar (it's a great purple colour. You'd like it!) and a new cage. It worked fine, for a while.

But remember how I mentioned how much I like to eat. Well, I outgrew the darn thing.

Yep, I passed Level One with flying colours! I have 10 dogs in my Level Two group. I'm the only German Shepherd. There are only three puppies, and I am placed between a Great Dane and a Chocolate Lab.

One of the instructors said I was growing into my ears! I am so well behaved. You'd be really proud of me! I got a great start! Hair and I were outside tonight for almost an hour going over the exercises.

I get treats. It's fun. I'm learning the down command. Next week I'll learn how to heal. I'm not sure what No Hair is learning. He hasn't been rewarded with any treats yet.....too bad.

I need to go get a drink from my water bowl, not from the toilet bowl. The difference? One is ok. One is not. Also, Hair's housekeeping skills need work. She's getting better at emptying the wastebaskets but a little slow at putting the shoes in the closet.

We spent a lot of time together while she was on vacation for two weeks. I'm way more gentle with her when we play than I am with No Hair Hon.

She used to sneak me up on her lap on the chesterfield but now I'm too big so she sits on the floor with me and pats me and rubs my belly.

Time for a nap. I know what I'm going to dream about this weekend. I'm going in an elevator this weekend to Hair's office. They've promised to take Big Dog and me to Lewis Lake again. It's a great walk.

Love and Licks to All,

Your Boy 'Scout'

Letter #4 - Growing into my ears

Hi Gerdy,

You might not be able to tell from the photos but I'm really growing! No Hair and I went to the Vets on Nov. 13th and the doctor told me I weighed 41 lbs. He also said I was a healthy, confident little guy ... (obviously a good judge of dog character). We're going back tomorrow. I'm getting a Neuter. I haven't any idea what that is but will tell you more when I know more.

I've been keeping busy. In fact, I'm really very good at 'amusing' myself. Why, just a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd help No Hair out and fix my own supper. He had a couple of steaks on the kitchen counter thawing to go on the BBQ. Well! No need to cook mine! No Hair didn't see this 'act of independence' quite the way I did.

We have a lot of trees ...lot of wood. And wood is wood...right? Well, apparently not. Inside the house, I'm getting a good handle on what's off limits, including the stairs, the legs on chairs and tables, window sills, all wooden furniture.

I'm learning that the wood outside is 'pretty much up for grabs.' But again, there are exceptions. For example, the wood in the handle of the hammer, the wooden handle in the rake. I am not allowed to chew on these. Even more important, although No Hair put them down and wasn't even playing with them, I am still not allowed to take them away from where he was 'not playing with them'.

Then there was that weekend that Hair and No Hair decided to paint their bedroom. Much thought and planning was wasted on this, which could have been much better spent on throwing the ball or playing hide and seek with me. Anyhow, they use these wooden stir sticks for stirring the paint. Wooden! Right! Well, again it's one of those exceptions that a puppy is just somehow supposed to know is 'off limits'. OK, now I know. But I really don't care for the colours they picked out. Painting is just plain boring, guys!

OT the cat, (albeit she thinks she's some kind of 'Princess' or something!) and I have been coming to an agreement. I'll not eat all the food out of her dish before she gets to it, if she doesn't give me that 'look' that makes me just want to chase her up to the rafters in the house, which only gets me in trouble with Hair.

This weekend, Daughter Dear comes home for Christmas and I have been lectured to about behaving myself when it comes to OT, her pride and joy. What's with that? I behave!!

Christmas! I'm not too sure what that's all about. But so far, I don't care for it all that much. I've figured out there is a lot of paper involved, and ribbon and Hair gets kind of testy when I come over and just kind of check it out. I'm not 'allowed' to take the scissors or scotch tape or lick the paper. Then there's the tree. Wood, right? Apparently it's NOT. This is a 'Special Tree'. Another one of those exceptions!

I know this sounds like I might be whining a lot. But there is good news!

I got my second ribbon at obedience class...and I'll take my third level after Christmas. I love learning and pleasing and the REWARD treats are great!
I have even more toys and I share them with Big Dog.

I really like 'Snow'. Know what that is? It's white water, EVERYWHERE!!! No Hair throws Snow Balls and I chase them and I can eat them too

I have a new bed that No Hair moves over by the wood stove so I can dry out in front of the fire after we've worked hard shovelling the driveway.

I like going for walks but sometimes Big Dog just can't go as far as us so she comes back and keeps Hair company and I take No Hair the rest of the way. Last weekend, we went for our first walk out on a big frozen lake. It's been really cold here, and the lakes are all frozen over. It took awhile for me to get my ice legs, but then MAN was it ever fun. I am not allowed to go on my river behind my house because there is still open water, and, well, I'm just not ever allowed!

Even though the automatic car starter kind of scares me, I am also not allowed to bite the tires on the car. There's so much to remember! Over Christmas, I'll be in New Brunswick visiting family and their dogs. No Hair said that it will be alright, that they're good boys, too.

Well, I need to go have a nap. I take No Hair for a walk every evening and I get him up around 6AM most days. It's nearly time for his walk. I had no idea how much they needed me! I think I arrived just in time to save them from becoming 'couch potatoes.' Whatever that is!


	Love and Licks to All, Your Boy 'Scout'

Letter #5 - The Halifax Snow Storm

After 92 cm of snow in one day, we're getting more snow right now! We haven't lost our hydro which is a miracle! The wood stove in the living room has kept us cozy. Hair and No Hair shovelled and shovelled and shovelled and shovelled. This is hilarious. They throw a shovel full of snow and I chase after it. I also attack the shovel.... the scoop...the snow banks....and I am finally allowed to dig as many holes as my little heart desires! Brina just lays on the front deck and watches me with her look. I know what she's thinking -- “Go for it! Play yourself out! You'll be sooo tired! You'll want to sleep but at least you won't be bugging me!” HA, that's what she thinks.

Luv, Scout

Letter #6 - Protecting the family

Well Gerdy, I got adopted into a wonderful home when I was 4 months old due to Gerdy's Rescues taking me in when I needed help. Not long ago I returned the kindness shown to me in my chosen home. I grew up to become a big boy, very handsome, I'm told! And I am an indoor dog.

One day a teenage boy tried to break in my house, and I ran from window to window, barking and growling, until I attracted the attention of my "Dad" who was having a shower. He came downstairs in time to see the would-be burgler running away from our house. I scared him off!! My Mum and Dad are very proud of me for protecting our home and thank Gerdy for sending me to them. They got a great family dog and discovered I was a burgler's worst nightmare!

Love & Licks,

Scout