There’s never enough time to be with the ones you love. We’ve learned to cherish every moment we have with them.

Bob and I have been a German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) family since 1994. All eight of our adoptees have been ‘rescues’ with little or nothing known about their history. We’re never sure what kind of personality we’ll be dealing with when we adopt a new friend. But we enjoy the challenge of working with them daily and blending them within the pack.

We’ve learned to relay on the evaluations of the GSP rescue groups and accept that the dogs they recommend will be a good mix with our pack. We tend to adopt older dogs who are hard to place because we’re older and their activity level fits with ours. GSPs are typically high-energy dogs even in their golden years but we keep them busy on the ranch barking at the cats, horses, goats, squirrels, and chickens — not to mention the night time raccoons, opossums, and frogs. Although no one stays out all night.

One lady that came to us, Maggie, had been a brood bitch who could no longer have pups so her previous owners turned her in to GSP rescue. What a heart breaker, after all those years of using her, they threw her away.

Maggie was a perfect fit for our existing pack. She moved into our hearts fast and forever from day one. A quick study, she learned our daily routine within a week and she got along well with the other three dogs and cats were a non-issue for her.

Everyone is crate trained; we make sure that only good things happen to them in their crates. We feed them in their crates so there are no ‘food issues’.

After about six months I took her in for a routine exam only to find out that she had cancer and her organs were shutting down. There was no cure and nothing we could do to help her. Putting her down was the only option and the decision had to be made then and there.

That was a black day that shocked all of us.

I still think of her and long for more belly-rubbing time. She and I would curl up on the couch every evening after dinner and I would rub her belly until it was bed time. I’m not sure what kind of life she had before but I do know that she was well loved while she was with us.

Over the years we’ve learned to fill our aching hearts by bringing in another rescue as soon as our grieving souls will let us. This time it took about four months before were ready to fill her empty crate.

Maggie will always be loved and appreciated for what she offered our family.