My First Pyr

Volunteer Rebekah Manning

Stella with her dad

When people find out that I foster for a breed specific rescue for a not very popular dog breed there are always questions about why, and how I found out about them. Unlike most fosters for GPRS I didn’t stumble onto a post asking for volunteers, or know someone who was already involved in the rescue. I grew up on a sustainable farm in central New Mexico tucked into a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides. It’s not uncommon to spot rattlesnakes, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, and even the occasional bear. My parents were worried about my safety in the fields and so they actually found a working pyrenees puppy who needed a new home, and she became my own guardian. Tia came to us when I was a few months old as a 4 month old ball of fluff. She connected easily with us and our other two dogs. She followed me everywhere, slept at the foot of my bed, and followed us to the fields and barn everyday learning to watch over her charge and alert if anything was out of place. By the time I was a toddler my mother would send me to the fields with Tia, and knew I would be safe. Tia was a masterful escape artist, often attempting and succeeding with climbing over, digging under, and running through fences. Try as we might there was no keeping her secured in a yard unless she was patient and dutifully by my side. When I was 8 I was stung by a bee. Tia dutifully stood over me as I was gasping for breath barking to notify anybody who could hear that something was wrong. She saved my life that day. Tia lived to be 15, succumbing to a kidney infection that would not go away despite multiple rounds of treatment with antibiotics and steroids.

Two years ago when my husband and I bought our first house one of the first things we did was put up a tall secure fence. We started fostering for GPRS not long after that. We have since had 11 fosters, and one foster fail. Stella, our pyrmanent resident pyr in the photo at the beginning of this post reminds me a lot of Tia, especially in the goofy way she cuddles on the couch and often herself tries to escape the fence. My husband and I don’t live in the country, and are far away from most dangerous wildlife, but Stella still performs the duty of a normal pyr carefully watching over our newborn son, and often alerting when there is something wrong. I hope when my son looks back on his childhood that he holds his furry companion in his memory with the fondness and love that I have for Tia.

We have many dogs in need, if you would like to volunteer for Great Pyrenees Rescue Society visit our website here.

March Adoptions!

Zach and Zane

Happy Easter and what a beautiful morning!!  I thought I would share a photo of the first Pyr puppies that I fostered for GPRS - Zach and Zane with their cute bunny ears - and give a big THANK YOU to everyone on this beautiful morning for a WONDERFUL MARCH, with 35 adoptions!  

Several "long-timers" were also adopted this last month, making it extra special for Vida, Berg, and Pablo!   All of our fosters & volunteers make such a huge difference in the lives of these dogs, so we just want everyone to know how much we appreciate everything - big and small - that is done every day!

A BIG PYR-PAW of CONGRATULATIONS goes out to the following Pyrs for finding their forever homes in March:  Newton, Bailey, Sasha, Edgar, Pattison, Woodrow (S), Bling, Berg, Hugo, Oxford, Alicia, Carrie, Vida, Goldie, Milo, Paula Deen, Lily, Nadya, Gina (S), Norris, Nell, Chewy, Mickey, Barnie, Sammy, Jackie, Olinda, Bernie, Pablo, Ladybelle, Goober, Grace, Sonora (S), Little John, and Genevieve!

Juliette

Vida

Berg

Pablo

February Adoptions!

March is here and we are ready for spring!!  Here in Texas, we are having lots of rain and warm days.  The green grass is growing-and I am so excited to see the wildflowers blooming!!  We had a FANTASTIC February with 30 adoptions this last month!

We are SO THANKFUL to all our volunteers!  We had a lot of new screeners & fosters & online helpers that have been added in the last month or so-you are all so greatly appreciated and it makes a huge difference in the number of adoptions & lives saved!

Now for a big PYR PAW of CONGRATULATIONS to the following Pyrs that found their forever homes last month:  Marisole, Trudy, Nissa, Waly, Nanci, Maddox, Sweetie, Skylar, Brutus, Zeke, Tricia, Hank, Jane, Petunia, Nadeen, Anna, Leesa, Ophelia, TaraToo, Benjamin, Russell, Baby, Tim, Jonny, Lizette, China, Zola, Jaydon, Buck, and Einstein!

Juliette

January Adoptions!

Our first adoption month of the new year and here's Juliette:

WOW-It is already FEBRUARY!!  January just FLEW BY and we are moving steadily into 2018!  We had a GREAT START to the new year with 34 adoptions in January!  Unfortunately, the Pyrs in Texas are still flowing into the rescue like water-but our amazing team of volunteers, fosters and screeners are working SO HARD to rehabilitate and make a difference for as many as we can and we are just so thankful for every single one of our rescue members!  We could not do as much as we do without our amazing volunteers!!!

We want to give a BIG PYR PAW of congratulations to the following Pyrs that found their forever homes in January:  Charley, Divinity (S), Tori, Sadie, Harmony, Gigi, Cole, Cayman, Annette (S), Brazos, Griswold, Max, Nanny, Kris, Mark, Daphne, Rosalynn, Luanna, Miguel, Cleopatra, Dean, Shadow, Tito, Camille, Nora, Bandera (S), Daisy, Cameron, Brutus, Melissa, Russell, Rufus, Nevan, and Norton!!

If you would like to volunteer for Great Pyrenees Rescue Society click here and go to "How to Help" or if you are ready to adopt we have many great dogs, including puppies, awaiting their forever homes!  As Juliette mentioned, the rescue has quite of few dogs in foster waiting to be adopted and more homeless dogs coming in who need foster homes.

Bling relaxing in her foster home

Mark and Miguel 

Trudy feeling safe in her foster home

Transport News

Transport van

Well, the amazing Jeff Sweeney is about to embark on the first 2018 trip from Texas to Washington, dropping off Pyrs at strategic places along his way.  To the volunteers and families who are waiting for foster dogs or new family members, it is a very exciting time!  At the drop off locations Pyr lovers gather, some with leashes in hand, Pyrs and other dogs in their cars, and others with their human children.  For the volunteers it's a great opportunity to meet a dog we've heard about through Facebook or to get a quick hit of puppy breath.  It's extremely rewarding seeing a family meet their new family member in person for the first time and knowing the (sometimes wide-eyed Pyr) has a new loving home.

Jeff's route this trip

Most of our dogs come into rescue from kill shelters around the Central Texas, South Texas, and Greater Houston area.  We place them in foster homes in the Pacific NW and Texas while they are evaluated and rehabilitated until we find a permanent home for them.  We transport and adopt to Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, and other states near the Pacific NW and Texas.

We are an all volunteer, not-for-profit, rescue group dedicated the the rescue, rehabilitation, and re-homing of Great Pyrenees whose lives are in danger.  Check back and we will see pictures from some of the drop off locations and the First Hugs from Transport!

August Adoptions!

I hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend!  Here's Juliette with August adoptions:

Hi Everyone-it was a great summer, with everyone coming together to get 37 dogs adopted!  This is even with a Hurricane at the end, that was and still is-devastating for Texas!  I found a sweet poster that is a good reminder for why we do what we do, even when the times get rough-and I know that I am glad we have every single volunteer, foster, driver, screener and everything big and small that you do for the rescue.  We can't do anything without each and every one of you.

And with that, let's give a big PYR PAW of congratulations for the following dogs that found their forever homes in August, thanks to all of you:  Papoose, Hadleigh, Ugene, Everest, Britton, Destini, Xylon, Moose, Hayden, Ranger, Magdalen, Dakota, Yancy, Nadia, Moya, Tyler, Elijah, Gretel, Zena, Peony, Yara, Bryan, Michael, Melrose, Ashlynn, Perle, Quinby, Adelynn, Danielle, Erina, Melody, Lyle, Rover, Ximen, Avalynn, Jasmin and Yasmin!

Headquarters Update

Thanks so much for all the support while we waited for word from the Texas volunteers and GPRS director, Malise.  Luckily, Malise made it home safely from the transport trip and although they received plenty of rain the dogs at Spring are safe and sound!   Check back soon to find out who found their forever families in August!

Bob playing in the mud
Hurricane Harvey sent feet of rain onto the grounds of the GPRS headquarters. Thankfully, all of the volunteers and animals are safe. The dogs who were evacuated to emergency foster placements are back. And just look at how much fun Bob is having in the mud. #houstonstrong #hurricaneharvey #GPRS #AdoptDontShop
Posted by Great Pyrenees Rescue Society (GPRS) on Friday, September 1, 2017

Hurricane Harvey and Headquarters

GPRS Headquarters in Spring, Texas

Sorry folks, I've been away from the blog a bit navigating a new job.  Just one of a many reminders that the Great Pyrenees Rescue Society relies on volunteers and luckily we have a large number of super volunteers working tirelessly to save these dogs.

Volunteers do their good work around a profession, school, family, and other events, the most recent being hurricane Harvey.  If you weren't aware, the Great Pyrenees Rescue Society's headquarters is in Spring, Texas (see map of affected area).

Hurricane Harvey

Director Malise and her co-pilot Dick left headquarters on August 23rd to bring the monthly transport van load of foster and adopted Pyrenees to the Pacific NW.  During this the U.S. population was watching the news of Harvey while those in Texas and Louisiana were bracing for the Category 4 storm to hit landfall.  Reported to be the "first major hurricane to hit the mainland States since Hurricane Wilma struck Florida in 2005" (Reuters, August 26, 2017) those of us in the NW feared for the safety of our friends, volunteers, and their families and pets in Texas and Louisiana.  We sent money, prayed, hoped for a positive outcome and kept in touch with our Texas family via Facebook.  We watched on Facebook for updated posts of volunteers picked up dogs in danger and transported them to boarding and other temporary homes out of harms way.

If you would like to help, you can donate here.  If you have boats or raised vehicles and live near the affected areas and would like to help, please make a comment below.  Thank you.

Puppy Teaser!

Ziggy knows you love her!

It seems as if I just posted about puppies available for adoption...oh wait.  I did, just last month!  Well, if you were discussing a new puppy with your family and are still deciding, there are additional puppies that are waiting for their forever homes.  I will leave you with the pictures;  if you would like to know more about a puppy visit their bios here.   If you would like more information about adopting a puppy (or an adult dog), you can find instructions on filling out an adoption application here.

Once your application is received you will be assigned to a volunteer screener who will assist you with your inquiry.  If you are viewing this page you must know how wonderful Great Pyrenees dogs are...in addition, the Great Pyrenees community is amazingly supportive and involved in training, meet-ups, online Pyrenees groups, and much more!  And if you already have a Pyrenees, you know what they say?  Pyrenees are just like potato chips and you can't have just one!

I you would like more information on volunteering for the Great Pyrenees Rescue Society click here we have a variety of volunteer opportunities available.   Want to help but don't have time to volunteer?  GPRS also relies on individual donations and you can donate here.

Heidi, Higgins, and Hayden!

Pre Holiday Post

Well, it's almost that time again!

For those of us with furry family members that are afraid of fireworks, the July 4th celebration is a source of stress for pets and their families.  There are plenty of resources suggesting how to keep your pets safe during this holiday, but here are some taken from dog trainer Victoria Stilwell's blog Positively.

• Exercise your dog earlier in the day.
• Dogs should be kept inside with a human companion if possible.
• Make sure the dog has a "safe space" to retreat.  (Whitman was able to escape to his crate last night when the neighborhood started the pre celebration last night.)
• Keep the windows and curtains closed.
• Insure your dog has a microchip and that it is updated with the correct contact information and a properly fitting collar with updated ID tags.
• Use sound therapy such as music to relax your dog.

Other suggestions:

• Do not set off fireworks near or next to your dog.
• Try to desensitize your pet prior to the festivities using training tools.
• Use the radio or TV to try to help drown out the noise of the fireworks.
• See your vet for sedatives or other tranquilizers if needed.
• Visit your neighborhood pet store for natural calming aids.
• Act normally versus petting or reassuring your pet when he or she is nervous this will just reinforce the nervous behavior.
• Give your pet something else to do such as a stuffed kong or puzzle toy.

Whitman's safe space

July 5th is reported to be the busiest day for the Humane Society and other shelters as there are more dogs lost during the July 4th holiday due to fireworks.   The ASPCA also suggests there are other hazards for your pets such as alcohol, lighter fluid (for BBQs), and Tiki torch fluids typically present during holiday celebrations, so keeping these out of range for your pet is important!

So, as we are heading for this holiday, please remember our pets are not always as enthusiastic about fireworks!

What are your practices for keeping your dog safe during the 4th of July?

2018 Heartthrobs and Hounds Calendar

Oh boy, this is what was happening in Texas this past weekend!!

The photo shoot for the 2018 Heartthrobs and Hounds calendar was completed and we are going to start taking pre-orders for the calendars later this week (more details to come).  There are still $100 sponsorship spots available so if you have a business or would like to donate in memory of a pet, please let us know!

These calendars will be sold nationally (and maybe even internationally) so it would be great exposure.

The calendars will also soon be available for pre-order for $20 so keep watching for that!

Here is a promo photo from last years calendar.

Saralynn

Heartthrobs and Hounds promo photo from last year!

Love Letters from a Pyr Parent

Misha a few weeks new to our home

If anyone knows me they know me as Whitman's mom (that may become a "Foster Family to Adoptive Family" story all on it's own) or a volunteer who helps with the blog, but even before that I became a GPRS Pyr Parent.  I don't think most people know about my Misha as she was in rescue for less than a few days before she found me.

After losing my very first Pyr Nanook at the age of nine,  I felt a bit "robbed" that I didn't get to see her age beyond that.  So when I started looking for another Pyr, I was looking for seniors, eight or older.  On Petfinder I found a dog named "Jane" in Connecticut who needed a foster through the National Great Pyrenees Rescue (NGPR).  I didn't know the distinction between NGPR and Great Pyrenees Rescue Society (GPRS) at the time, but I filled out a volunteer application to foster as I had been fostering for another local rescue for years and was familiar with the process.  I received an email from a GPRS volunteer, Yi-Hsuan Wu, who indicated Jane was too ill to travel but there were quite a few younger male dogs in need of a foster/adoptive home.  Having my heart set on a senior, I politely declined and asked her to let me know if any older female dogs came into the rescue.

Foster homes urgently needed!

Max is hoping you'll consider fostering as there are currently about 13 Pyrenees in Texas that are in risk of not making it out of the shelter!  If you live in Texas or Washington state or the surrounding areas and are interesting in fostering please raise a paw and fill out an application here.

Some dogs will need only a few days and some a few weeks.  When you foster you will be matched to a dog that suits your home and family.  You will be given a foster contract to sign that states the dog remains the property of Great Pyrenees Rescue Society.  Altering, vaccinations (including rabies) and any medications your foster dog is on will be provided.  Your foster dog will live with you as part of your family until the dog finds a permanent home.  The rescue's volunteer community is incredibly supportive and willing to assist with any questions foster families may have about their foster dog.

What happens if you want to adopt your foster dog?  Contact GPRS as soon as possible so you can apply for the dog before anyone else can adopt it.  We'll remove the dog from the website, you complete the adoption contract, pay the adoption fee and your foster dog becomes a permanent part of your family!

Don't think you can foster?  Consider volunteering, there are many positions available check here.  If time is a barrier to volunteering and you want to help please consider donating here!

Our NW foster project