Mias Human
New member
- Jan 7, 2026
- 7
- 4
Got my first taste of what a GSD can be back in 1994, adopted a GSD X BC from a vet on a whim. Katy, semi-feral, living on her own when the vet's office owner picked her up. She was a vicious piece of work according to the vet. He kept her in hopes of calming her down and having a farm dog. She didn't play well with ANYTHING. I was working at a friends farm at the time and was in and out of that vets office many times over the course of the week. Rabbits/cats/dogs, all going in for their annuals, I got bored and asked to go in the back and say hello to the other animals. Vet knew me, I knew the rules and I happened upon Katy's cage. She liked me, so I hopped into her enclosure with her and we were just hanging out when the vet popped in and he pretty well said "welp, you just got a dog". From that point on Katy was tractable and fine with anyone/anything. She chose me, I really didn't have any say in the matter. She lived to a ripe old 14, never bit anyone but was HELL on the local bird/squirrel/mouse/mole population.
Second foray into the GSD world was Banjo, a surrender at a vets office. Some kind of stress related wasting disorder. Could not keep food down, skinny as a rail. He was scheduled to be put down, I looked Banjo in the eye and I saw something, offered to pay for any and all tests if I could have a chance to help him. I put 20 pounds on him in a few weeks. Not a miracle, I just reduced stressors and let him be. Amazing dog, mind reader and a bruiser when it came time to defend his patch.
I lost my mind and got a Mal. Whoa what a ride that was, more dog than I knew what to do with. I had a blast, Peppy had a blast, but I knew that she would have been better served with a much more active and present caretaker. She lived to chase the Kong, life WAS the Kong. Violently affectionate.
Then came Allie, her rescue was at the behest of a friend. Someone got in over their head with a somewhat poorly bred female GSD, things looked grim for Allie's future. So I stepped in and offered an out for the owner. She turned out to be a well rounded and very very good farm dog. Excellent mouser and she kept the goats in check. Losing her 5 months ago hurt, alot. I held on too long and let her QoL slip further than I should have. Hindsight 20/20 and all that. Still, many many good memories of that girl banging around in my head.
Then Cable came along, picked him up from a local county rescue. Missing an eye (hence Cable from Marvel), embedded shotgun shot in some of his ribs and two legs with healed fractures, whoever set them did a fantastic job. He was rightfully suspicious and aloof for a few years. I cried like a child the day he came up, dropped his head in my lap and dozed off. Like seriously tears of joy that he found someone to trust. Lost him 4 years ago.
Then I found Sampson at a GSD based rescue in South Carolina. He was out of Mississippi, and had terrible fur and general grooming. Not terribly interested in me or anything but being fed and staying warm. Took him about a year before he sought my attention, two years in and he was GLUED to me. At any given time I knew I could drop my hand and a cold snout would be poking it shortly. I cannot count the number of times I fell asleep with a big handful of fur and my head cradled on the back of his neck. He rumbled softly right before he fell asleep and that would trigger my subconscious to slam me into sleep. Lost him about a month ago. That one gutted me.
Went 2 weeks sans a dog, which had never happened in my 50+ years. I always have a dog, most times it's two. Friend dragged me out of the house to go see a female working line that had gotten herself into trouble with chickens. I was sorta "meh" about being out of the house, still mourning and being a git in general. When Mia and I made eye contact, I was done. I saw "it" in her eyes and I guess she read me too. Immediate bond, it happens and I got lucky. She's gonna be a stunner. She looks like she should weight 60 pounds maybe. I scooped her up to show her some deer I could see from the kitchen window (above the sink) and holy hell she is dense. Her chest is HARD, just muscles fighting for space, her rear leg muscles bulge out, I grunted picking her up, she isn't 60 pounds...it's a good deal more. When I get home from work she jumps on the bed and she puts her paws on my shoulders and shoves me. I'm strong, farm life and sling steel at work. She moves me, as in I have to work hard to hold my position. She has eyes that rival the BC stare when I get attention. I am rather stoked to see what this girl and I can get up to over the next decade or so. 3 weeks in and she's absolutely stolen my heart.
Anyway, that's my hello.
Second foray into the GSD world was Banjo, a surrender at a vets office. Some kind of stress related wasting disorder. Could not keep food down, skinny as a rail. He was scheduled to be put down, I looked Banjo in the eye and I saw something, offered to pay for any and all tests if I could have a chance to help him. I put 20 pounds on him in a few weeks. Not a miracle, I just reduced stressors and let him be. Amazing dog, mind reader and a bruiser when it came time to defend his patch.
I lost my mind and got a Mal. Whoa what a ride that was, more dog than I knew what to do with. I had a blast, Peppy had a blast, but I knew that she would have been better served with a much more active and present caretaker. She lived to chase the Kong, life WAS the Kong. Violently affectionate.
Then came Allie, her rescue was at the behest of a friend. Someone got in over their head with a somewhat poorly bred female GSD, things looked grim for Allie's future. So I stepped in and offered an out for the owner. She turned out to be a well rounded and very very good farm dog. Excellent mouser and she kept the goats in check. Losing her 5 months ago hurt, alot. I held on too long and let her QoL slip further than I should have. Hindsight 20/20 and all that. Still, many many good memories of that girl banging around in my head.
Then Cable came along, picked him up from a local county rescue. Missing an eye (hence Cable from Marvel), embedded shotgun shot in some of his ribs and two legs with healed fractures, whoever set them did a fantastic job. He was rightfully suspicious and aloof for a few years. I cried like a child the day he came up, dropped his head in my lap and dozed off. Like seriously tears of joy that he found someone to trust. Lost him 4 years ago.
Then I found Sampson at a GSD based rescue in South Carolina. He was out of Mississippi, and had terrible fur and general grooming. Not terribly interested in me or anything but being fed and staying warm. Took him about a year before he sought my attention, two years in and he was GLUED to me. At any given time I knew I could drop my hand and a cold snout would be poking it shortly. I cannot count the number of times I fell asleep with a big handful of fur and my head cradled on the back of his neck. He rumbled softly right before he fell asleep and that would trigger my subconscious to slam me into sleep. Lost him about a month ago. That one gutted me.
Went 2 weeks sans a dog, which had never happened in my 50+ years. I always have a dog, most times it's two. Friend dragged me out of the house to go see a female working line that had gotten herself into trouble with chickens. I was sorta "meh" about being out of the house, still mourning and being a git in general. When Mia and I made eye contact, I was done. I saw "it" in her eyes and I guess she read me too. Immediate bond, it happens and I got lucky. She's gonna be a stunner. She looks like she should weight 60 pounds maybe. I scooped her up to show her some deer I could see from the kitchen window (above the sink) and holy hell she is dense. Her chest is HARD, just muscles fighting for space, her rear leg muscles bulge out, I grunted picking her up, she isn't 60 pounds...it's a good deal more. When I get home from work she jumps on the bed and she puts her paws on my shoulders and shoves me. I'm strong, farm life and sling steel at work. She moves me, as in I have to work hard to hold my position. She has eyes that rival the BC stare when I get attention. I am rather stoked to see what this girl and I can get up to over the next decade or so. 3 weeks in and she's absolutely stolen my heart.
Anyway, that's my hello.
