Pet Rock Enjoyed by All!

by: Kathy VZ

My deepest thanks and appreciation to all the GSRNE Volunteers who came out to work our Pet Rock 2025 booth!

Our four-legged volunteers: Hannah #632, Thunder #646, Juno #690, and GSRNE Ambassador Cash.

Our two-legged volunteers: Mike and Kate M, Loueen and Larry L, Jim U, Sarah N, Banita B, Jody F, Anne A, Maria Z, Karen M, Tom D, Diane G, Hans L, and Karen VZ.

The day was stunningly beautiful and unseasonably warm, hitting well over 80 degrees. Our group unloaded two vehicles worth of supplies and merchandise and had our booth/tent ready to go by noon. 

Our four-legged ambassadors were obviously the highlight for everyone. Quite frankly, they were the biggest draw of the day and so well-mannered while greeting people and critters alike.

Some of the more unique animals that visited us included a macaw, bearded lizard and a ball python. Many dogs (and a few cats) of all breeds and sizes came dressed in their Sunday best wearing bow ties, hats, wings and frilly dresses and pants.

Throughout the day, we were given the incredible opportunity to raise awareness about our rescue and to advocate for our beloved breed, German Shepherd Dogs. We got to hear stories from fairgoers about their own dogs, many of them GSDs. As a group, we volunteers, new and "seasoned,” enjoyed spending time together. As our rescue is spread out throughout New England, we don't often get an opportunity to do that. We also are very thankful for the GSRNE volunteers visiting the fair who stopped by to support us! We enjoyed seeing you.

At 5 p.m., our group packed it all up again in record time, about 30 minutes. (I promise storage volunteers, we did it neatly!). We were all exhausted, but I believe a good time was had by all.

Event totals included $469 in merchandise and $36 in donations for a total of $505! This is a wonderful amount that will go directly to support our dogs in foster. Thank you!!

Crafting for a Cause "Fun"draiser

by: Lauralee D.

On Sunday, Oct. 26, some GSRNE members and friends gathered at the Taunton Elks Lodge for our first “Fun”draiser. Crafting For a Cause, led by Lauren Delaney of Creative Touches. We had a great day creating some really fun signs! And the best part -- a portion from the sale of each one was donated back to us by Lauren. 

A small sales table featured some wonderful donated treats – from Carol’s delicious breads, Mary’s chocolate chip cookies and gingerbread whoopie pies, Carol L’s yummy bourbon balls to Diane’s cranberry squares. Because of some local laws, we were unable to sell lunch items. Thanks to Peter A. for donating pizza from a local restaurant, which many attendees graciously donated to enjoy. Maria O’s donations of chips & salty snacks rounded out our lunch menu!! Please forgive me if I left out any names!! We also had some cool new GSRNE engraved pocket notebook with a pen that were super hot, along with mugs, tumblers and cards. All to help our dogs.

Once Lauren was all set up, we started picking out the signs we would create. There was an abundance of subjects and sayings from which to choose. Honestly, I changed my choice five times! They were all sooo good!! I just couldn’t make up my mind, as was the case with many of us!  Some choices included: Living the Scrub Life, Making Memories one Campsite at a Time, Merry Christmas Gnomies, and Live Love Christmas, just to name a few!! 

It was great gathering members, family and friends, and telling them about our rescue and all the good works GSRNE does. Kathy V. brought Daphne, who charmed everyone with her sweet disposition. She was an Amazing Ambassador for us, sweetly greeting everyone, allowing pats and enjoying treats. Lol! Even our littlest guest Logan (3 months old) laughed with all the ladies googling over him!!

We also had a raffle table with generously donated items that everyone had a chance to win. There were Halloween scratch tickets, a Bath & Body Works/Disney Villains collection set, a Halloween dog toy basket as well as other Halloween-themed toys & door prizes. 

A Big Thank You to Lauren for her generous donation to GSRNE! And thank you to everyone who donated food, raffle items & door prizes!! A special thank you to our bartender, Mariann, who was so kind to donate her tips to GSRNE.

The committee thanks everyone who came out to support this very first event! We hope to have others like it throughout New England near where our members and adopters live. Please reach out if you want to help us put together one near you!!

Congrats to Our Trick or Treat Raffle Winner!

by: GSRNE Staff

We are happy to announce that Maria Z. is the winner of this year's Trick or Treat raffle! The other winners are GSRNE's foster dogs, who will directly benefit from the many people that participated. 

A huge THANK YOU to all of you who bought tickets!

2026 Calendars Are Here!

by: GSRNE Staff

Get your 2026 calendar before they are all gone!

The perfect gift for anyone who loves the breed! Twelve months of beautiful images of our gorgeous GSRNE dogs.

Happy Thanksgiving to Our Incredible Volunteers and Members

by: GSRNE Staff

Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays. It's a time when we're reminded to count our blessings and are truly grateful for your friendship and support and the love you show for our dogs. We are so grateful for your hard work, dedication, and the positive impact you have on our rescue dogs. Thank you for your time, energy, and passion; you are the heart of our rescue. 

On behalf of all the dogs with forever homes and those still waiting, thank you for all you do. Your tireless efforts are a gift to our rescue. We hope your day is filled with many blessings, and much love spent with family and good friends.

Wishing you all a peaceful and joyful Thanksgiving!  

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

Crafting for a Cause: Snowman Tin Centerpiece

by: GSRNE Staff

This event is going to fill up fast! Knotty Totty’s Wood Flower Florist of Middleboro, MA is generously hosting a fundraiser for GSRNE.  Bring your own snacks/pizza etc., and come and join in on the fun with us and create this adorable and whimsical Snowman Tin Centerpiece. 

7 Tips to Build Strong Bonds With Your Dog

by: Animal Humane Society

Your dog is more than just a pet — they're a member of your family. And just like any meaningful relationship, the bond between you and your dog needs time, care, and patience to grow. 

Building a strong relationship with your dog leads to better communication, effective training, and more fun with your furry friend. Whether you’ve just adopted a new pup or want to strengthen your connection with your longtime companion, here are some tips to help you build a strong, lasting bond with your dog. 

Bonding Activities for Dogs in Multi-Dog Households

by: Wise Mind Canine

Can you think of a time when you felt a strong bond with someone? Hours spent talking, coffee runs, shared meals, bonfires, board games, growing up together, concerts, movie nights and more. All of these events and experiences shape relationships and take us from casual acquaintances to true friends. Makes sense right?

But when it comes to dogs, people forget that these same rules apply. Dogs form relationships in similar ways to us, just with a lot less choice over their friends and the experiences they can share. Meaning that the dogs we have chosen to share our homes with need our help forming positive relationships. We can accomplish that by providing access to activities that help them bond.

Here are some bonding activities for dogs that you can use to increase harmony in your multi-dog household. 

Adoptions From a Dog's Point of View

by: Joanna R.

We all know that the adoption process is a big transition for both adopter and adoptee. Forming a new bond doesn’t happen overnight. Many canine behaviorists and rescue organizations recommend the “3-3-3 rule” for new adopters: expect it to take three days for the dog to decompress from her previous environment, three weeks to learn new routines and understand the new environment, and three months to settle in and feel part of her new family. But for dogs who have experienced trauma or abuse it may take much longer – closer to 6 months – for a new bond between human and dog to be fully established. While the human adopter may be ready to embrace this new relationship from day one, let’s consider what this process looks like from the dog’s point of view. 

First of all, while the adopter knows theirs is going to be the dog’s forever home, the adoptee hasn’t got a clue. This could be just another temporary way station on a journey that has included abandonment or loss, shelters, fosters and rehoming. Given that trust and security are the foundation of any relationship, it doesn’t take a great leap of imagination to realize that your newly adopted dog may not be quite ready to dive into a new relationship with all fours. Especially when verbal reassurances are not possible, an adopted dog’s state of mind in the early weeks or even months in a new adopted home is likely one of confusion and uncertainty. “Are these my people?” “They seem nice but maybe I shouldn’t get too attached.” Dogs generally crave stability, routine and predictability. By definition, a newly adopted dog has been deprived of those things at some point in their life and possibly for much of it.

The newly adopted dog might be standoffish and reluctant to engage, misbehave (engaging in destructive behaviors) or have accidents in the house, despite having been previously fully housetrained. These behaviors can be due to stress, unfamiliarity and even to test his new people. Will they punish him? Abandon him? Can he trust them to treat him kindly? Can he trust them to be there tomorrow? The dog’s general demeanor might be cautious until that trust is built. 

Of course, there are those hearty and buoyant souls who are all in from the moment they meet their new people and who bond very quickly and easily. But even the most apparently easy-going dogs can be testing their new environment with over-exuberance or mischievousness during their transition period.

Just trying to see the situation from the adoptee’s point of view will help new adopters to be patient and to put in the extra time necessary to build trust. As any GSD owner knows, once built, there is no stronger bond to be had, human or canine.

In Their Howloween Finest

by: GSRNE Staff

Happy Tails: Pepper, GSRNE #590

by: Lucy M.

Pepper (GSRNE #590) is a GSD who chose her adopters, Chris and Marie, as much as they chose her. When they met at the foster home, Pepper at first barked and barked at them, but a little cheese and some ball-playing warmed her up to them. 

She came to the family a little bit like a problem child, though through no fault of hers or her former owners. Pepper was scared even of the sound of a cup being set down on a table. 

Through lots of training and consistency on the part of Chris and Marie, she now is a more relaxed and calmer dog. She can even hear a helicopter fly overhead without worry.  

They also got lots of support from GSRNE as they learned how to give Pepper a good life. Chris and Marie live on a small farm and a German shepherd dog is a welcome companion for them. There are just the two of them at home now and Pepper gets to live with the only two people in the world whom she really likes. She has a dog sibling also.  

Chris and Marie also worked with another rescue organization and found Casper, a rescue husky, who is the perfect canine companion to Pepper. Through several visits, they found a dog who doesn’t take any nonsense from Pepper and the two are best buddies, playing tug-of-war with a favorite alligator toy or just curled up together resting.

Pepper’s all-time favorite activity is playing with a ball anywhere or anytime—inside, outside, when Marie is cooking, etc. She will line the balls up and sit there and wait and wait to see if Chris and Marie will notice the balls and kick them so she can chase them. 

She is very smart. She is also a little mischievous. She picked Chris when they first met as her absolute favorite so now she has invented a game to play with him. Whenever she can, she will steal something of his, such as a slipper, then put on her “mischievous ears” (they are set back and somehow alert at the same time), and she is deliriously happy that she has something of Chris’ that she can give back to him.  

All in all, she is a sweet, sweet girl who found a great home with Chris and Marie.

Take Me Home: Shay Shay

by: GSRNE Staff

Shay Shay is a stunning 4-year-old black and red female. She is a sweet, gentle and petite girl who wants to be your perfect friend. She is an absolute love. A Velcro dog, she will bond tightly to her person or people, a trait many of us find endearing in the German Shepherd breed.

Shay Shay came to us after her owner died. Despite multiple attempts, the family was not able to rehome Shay Shay with her GSD housemate. Shay Shay was initially quite sad and timid when she came to us. She lived with an older couple and had little socialization outside her home; the separation from everything she knew, especially her 4-legged friend, turned her world upside down. It took some time for this girl to come out of her shell. Her demeanor began to change once we were able to get her into doggie daycare to build her confidence and enjoy the companionship of the other dogs. She absolutely loves it there. She is happiest around other animals and the people she knows best.

While still shy at first meeting, Shay Shay will thrive in a home that takes their time with her and lets her acclimate at her own pace. Once she knows you, she seeks out affection and a good game of fetch. She would do best in a home with a friendly male dog buddy to build her confidence. If you are looking to find a companion with nothing but love to give, please inquire about Shay Shay today.

Adoption News: Roman, GSRNE #725

by: GSRNE Staff

We are thrilled to announce the adoption of 2-year-old Roman. This stunning all black male with intensely bright eyes garnered a lot of attention on social media. As many of you may remember from our assistance plea, Roman came to us as a stray who was hit by a car. A police officer saw the car accident and was able to get Roman to the safety of an emergency vet. Thankfully Roman did not sustain any life-altering injuries and we thank all those involved for getting him the care he needed. 

The vet's office nicknamed him Roman, because he was found "roaming" the streets. The name stuck. Despite multiple attempts by the area ACO, no owner was located and there was suspicion that Roman may have been abandoned, a trend that is becoming all too common these days. It took a lot of coordination by our volunteers, but we were able to find a spot for Roman in our rescue.

We found Roman to be a bit aloof on initial introductions and it took time for him to feel comfortable around people. He "fell in love" with the resident female GSD and this began to unlock his super sweet personality. He had the underpinnings of a working dog personality with high drive and energy. This type of dog is not for the faint of heart and needs dedicated training and activity to thrive. We knew that he needed an owner or family that understood this type of German Shepherd. 

We could not have been more thrilled when a young couple with GSD experience applied to adopt. They also happened to have a friendly 7-year-old female pit bull who was missing her GSD housemate that had recently passed away. The meeting of the two dogs may have been what sealed the deal! They immediately took a liking to each other and the female even whined when leaving Roman. Roman took to the human couple right away as well, no aloofness noted. He told us he had found his people. Those who have been part of dog adoptions know this look; it is unmistakable and gives you goosebumps. 

We could not be happier to announce the adoption of Roman, GSRNE #725. Congratulations to Roman, his new four-legged sister Stevie, and his new two-legged family.  

Adoption News: Shadow, GSRNE #726

by: GSRNE Staff

Stunning Shadow has received a wonderful first birthday present, a furever family of his own! Shadow's original owner called us after losing his housing. 

He was living with Shadow at a campground, but due to dog size restrictions, Shadow spent the days in his owner's truck and weekends at a kennel. Still young at about 8 months old, his owner knew this was not fair to Shadow, so he called us to help rehome him.  

Our long-time training friend and evaluator met Shadow and told us that she found him to be "exceptionally awesome" and "would be fun to play with and train." 

He still had some puppyish manners, but he was clearly bright as he learned how to "down" during his behavioral evaluation!  

Shadow was immediately friendly with people, lived well with cats, and was playful with dogs in daycare. He scored a hat trick! All we needed was the right family for him. We received many inquiries about him because he IS "exceptionally awesome," but we also knew he needed a family that understood he was still young, had a lot of energy and required consistent training and socialization to maintain his awesomeness. 

Thankfully, as so often happens, the perfect family came along. It was love at first sight for all. The adopters' son even calls Shadow his "teenage little brother.”  

Congratulations, especially to Shadow, GSRNE #726.

Volunteer Spotlight: Donna J.

by: GSRNE Staff

First Name & Hometown, State:  Donna, Quincy, Mass.

How long have you been a GSRNE volunteer? For about 25 years

What do you do for GSRNE and what does the job entail?  Over the years, I’ve done a little bit of everything including fostering many seniors and disabled dogs, which added a lot of joy to my life. But since the beginning, my greatest passion continues to be photographing our foster dogs. My feeling is that a high-quality photo goes a long way in promoting these magnificent souls, showing off their beauty, intelligence, and endearing personalities.

Do you have a GSRNE dog?  Not at this time.

How did you get interested in GSRNE? Just after I lost my GSD, I read a newspaper article promoting GSRNE, its mission, and the need for volunteers. It just felt right.

What is it about the organization that interests you? Their profound loyalty and holistic approach for every dog that comes to this rescue, and that there is lots of room for personal growth as a GSRNE volunteer.

What would you say to prospective volunteers? With so many volunteer opportunities in GSRNE, it may take some time to find your niche, your people, and your unique contributions to the world of rescue. Added bonus – you may even fall in love with your next dog!

Don't Forget to Check Out GSRNE's Online Store!

by: GSRNE Staff

Beat the holiday rush! 

Shop the GSRNE online store and enjoy a stress-free season.

We have new GSRNE Christmas scented candles this year. Choose your own fragrance: Christmas Warmth, Cinnamon Vanilla, Apple Harvest, or if you prefer Unscented.Back by popular demand we restocked our Christmas cards adorned with gorgeous GSRNE dogs, and the cozy GSRNE Holiday Throw Blanket, and the whimsical GSRNE Holiday Mugs are back too. All perfect for gift giving!