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Hi, my name is Comet. I am approx. 1-2 yrs old, neutered (this coming week) and I have a natural tail…(ok, so somebody told me that!) Up until a few days ago, I lived outside under an abandoned house and every few days, a nice man came and put some food out for me and my sister, Cayla, so we wouldn’t starve. We got water from a nearby lake. I am not really sure how we got to the house, but I am glad we did because we were so afraid when the rain came. A wonderful lady came and put us in her truck. She told us we would never have to worry about being afraid or hungry again. I went to the vet for the first time, and got all of my shots (that was not fun!), but then the doctor told the nice lady that I had heartworms. It made her very sad. She said that I was such an adorable, 59 lb. little guy, and that when I gained some weight and got healthy, the rescue people would make the worms go away. The nice lady said I was a wiggle worm, and that when I learned how to be an inside dog, and how to walk on a leash (whatever that is), I would make someone an amazing companion. The nice lady also said that I should live with a family that has experience with dogs like me…Weimers. So, now I’m waiting to find out what this ‘living with a family’ is all about. I hope you hurry cause it sounds like fun!
(more pictures soon)

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Hello! My name is Ethan and I am a handsome, 3-4 yr old, neutered, male Weimaraner with a big heart! I was picked up as a stray and taken to a shelter, but nobody came to get me. I don’t know why…I guess my family didn’t love me. Amy, a rescue agent with Atlanta Weimaraner Club Rescue, saved my life. She took me to the vet so I could get my shots and get neutered, but then the vet said I had heartworms. I heard them talking and they said I would have to have treatment. I am not looking forward to that because they also said I would have to stay very quiet for 30 days. I just want to get well and have a new family that will love me. I really would be so thankful if someone would foster me while I go through treatment so I don’t have to stay in a kennel. I promise I’ll be a good boy. Amy told me she is going to make sure I have a new furever home soon. I hope she’s right because I am sad! (More on Ethan as we get to know him…his treatment will begin 1/30/12.)
From Ethan’s foster mom: I have not seen ANY behavioral issues with Ethan. His barking is now pretty much non-existent. His appetite is great. He’s putting on weight. I have seen ZERO issues with other dogs of almost all varieties (boys, girls, intact, not intact, dominant, submissive, etc.). He LOVES LOVES LOVES toys. We found out that he likes the word “toys” and he’ll typically go find a toy. He loves tennis balls. He doesn’t appear stressed at all in his crate.

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Our beloved Casey passed over the Rainbow Bridge on Wednesday, Dec. 7th. She was so lucky to have been in the most wonderful foster home for the final weeks of her life…she could not have asked for more love and the best of care. Thank you to Leann, David and Dale for showing Casey that life could be good. No more pain, sweet girl…just happy days with all of the other gray dogs that left before you. We will all see you on the other side. Rest in Peace, girl…you were so loved and will be greatly missed by all that had the pleasure of knowing you.

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Troy is a very handsome, neutered, housebroken 4 yr old Weim. His foster mom describes Troy as a “gentle giant.” and “83 pounds of pure love.”
Update from Troy’s foster mom:
Troy wants nothing more than to be with you and appreciates having his ears rubbed and his back scratched. He loves sitting with us on the sofa or hanging out in the yard. Troy also is a good running partner, but does better with a pinch collar as he tends to want to chase small furry things like rabbits or squirrels if he sees them while running. Troy would do best in a fenced yard, as he will bolt, getting far away very quickly if he escapes! He enjoys car rides and going to the dog park, although he is a dominant male and thinks he should be the “dog patrol” and will try to break up anything that looks like it might be a fight, even if it is just playful, so he must be watched and removed if there are aggressive dogs present. He does very well with our two Weims, and loves to wrestle and play. He is protective of the family and can demonstrate jealous behavior with other dogs, so it is important to continually reassure him. Troy is now getting used to his crate when we leave, but we have also left him out of the crate when we were gone for short periods and he seems content to sleep on the sofa. Troy can be a counter surfer, so he cannot be left with food unattended on counters or tables. He is very gentle and takes treats from your hand very nicely. Troy is okay with cats, but must be watched as he does love to chase our cat and could be too rough if we didn’t tell him “no” every time he attempts to chase the cat. Troy is equally friendly with large and small dogs and gets along well with other pets when they come to visit. Troy didn’t know any commands at first, but he is learning “sit” and “lie down.” He will jump at times, but understands “no” and will stop if commanded to do so. Troy is HW positive and is on a new protocol for treatment, which he is tolerating quite well. (Treatment takes approx. 6 months and AWCR provides all medications during this period.) He takes his medications well, although he has learned their taste and will eat around the pills in his dog food, so we now have to “camouflage” them a bit better to get him to swallow them. Troy has not been observed around small children, but we believe he will make an excellent addition to a caring family.

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Lacey is a 3 year old Weimaraner who is well adjusted, calm, and very loving. She is trustworthy in the house for many hours, but enjoys the outdoors with her foster Mom. She may not be a great mate for a small dog or young children, but gets along well with large dogs. Unfortunately, she came to us heart worm positive, so will require responsible medication (pills) administration. She bonded very quickly to this family and is guaranteed to lower your blood pressure during petting sessions due to her velvet coat!

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Chance is a 2.5 year old, gorgeous male Weim that came to rescue from a N. GA shelter where he was picked up as a stray. Chance is heartworm positive and is beginning treatment which will take apprpox. six months to complete. Chance will need a forever family willing to take him to obedience classes and give him lots and lots of exercise. We are still getting to know Chance’s personality….here is an update from his new foster mom:
Chance likes to nibble/mouth (softly) when he gets excited and he also barks when he gets excited. Otherwise, he’s very calm and quiet and he is still super sweet. He’s got the doggie door all figured out now. He is very smart and someone obviously put some work into obedience with him at some point. He will do great with other dogs, although he doesn’t really play with the others very much (he follows me around mostly). Since he does like to nibble/mouth, he probably shouldn’t be in a home with young children. And he does jump some and could very easily knock a small kid over. He’s a big sweetie, though. Chance needs a home with NO cats.

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My name is Paisley and I want to tell you about myself. I am a 12-18 month gray female weimaraner (a little on the smaller side) and was a stray in Perry, GA before the Atlanta Weimaraner Club Rescue brought me here. In spite of all that I’ve been through I am super sweet, happy-go-lucky, gentle, and submissive. Unlike others in my breed I am more laid back and relaxed. If you adopt me, you will find out how much I love to cuddle and be with you all the time; but if you are busy, I am happy to hang out on my bed with a bone. I am housebroken and crate trained. In my foster home I live with two weims and two cats. We have a lot of fun together and we all get along well. I love to go for walks and will let you walk me, instead of me walking you. When we go out to play my favorite game is fetch and I love to wrestle with my friends at the dog park. I promise to behave when you take me for rides in the car and to come when you call me. You should know that I would really love a home where I can cuddle on the couch or in bed with you.
Unfortunately, I am heartworm positive and will need to go through treatment. However, other than that, I’m fully vaccinated, spayed, microchipped and healthy!

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Monty is a 1-1/2 year old purebred silver grey Weimaraner with a full (natural) tail–thus name, as in “Full Monty.” He is a very sweet, low-key boy who loves everyone he meets. He’s not afraid of men and he gets along well with other dogs–small or large. He is house trained and uses the doggie door. Monty is not a barker and is fine left alone. He sleeps through the night, rides well in the car, and enjoys playtime with his foster brothers. Monty will make a wonderful companion. Unfortunately, Monty is heartworm positive, so he will need heartworm treatment. Monty is looking for a home that can keep him quiet for 30 days during his treatment, and that will love him forever.

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Cole is a lovable, laid-back and good-natured handsome male Weimaraner who is approximately 6 years old. Cole knows some basic commands (sit, stay, shake, down, etc.), is fairly obedient on a leash and enjoys giving affection and receiving belly rubs. Like most Weims, he occasionally helps himself to a snack off your table or countertop if you are not paying attention or tempting him too much with something really yummie. Cole is house-trained and will go to the door when he needs to relieve himself. You can tell that there is still “puppy” in him and he wants to play. And oh, Cole loves to play with his toys as well as chew on his antler bone. Otherwise, most of the time you’ll find him curled up & napping on a doggie bed or at the foot of your recliner. His foster family has a rescued female Weim that he enjoys sharing his time with for now until he finds the right family to call his forever home. Cole is an excellent car rider and will make a great companion or addition to someone’s home. Cole has completed hw treatment and is ready for his new forever home!

Hello Friends!  Here we are again, and – as promised – another installment from Words of the Weim! 

Hopefully everyone had a great holiday weekend and was able to brush off the mustard and sand to get back to your daily routines!  The “Rescue” actually enjoyed a fairly quiet weekend… which in “rescue-eze” means that we didn’t have any “rush” pick ups from shelters or emergency – “I’ve had the dog for 8 years and now he’s gotta go… this weekend!”… so, all in all, a good weekend all around!  Of course, we always have a few folks working behind the scenes to keep things moving…

Debbie Rodgers, Rescue Hero and AWCR Secretary, spent the weekend coordinating with Susan Daly, one of our Rescue Heroes in Savannah who helped us pull Sky from Effingham County Animal Shelter.  We know the folks at Effingham Co. fairly well since it’s an area that is known for puppy mills and irresponsible breeding.  We’ve gotten several of our rescue weimies from them in the past.  The good news is that the Shelter Director has a soft spot for weims and will actually help us keep them out of the shelter by bringing them into a home at night so that their time in the shelter is minimized – while we work to transport them up to Atlanta.  Ella our sweet, little blue girl came from Effingham Co…

We also brought “Hank” from Spaulding County into our program… “Hank”, who’s real name is Lucius, is a really popular guy!  We had been working with the shelter since last week to let them know that we will be able to take him. During that time, we also received lots of emails from our fine members and rescue groups across the State of Georgia and the Southeast alerting us to him.  It does “take a village” and Lucius is a lucky boy!  Rescue Hero and AWCR member, Vickie Clute picked him up from the shelter on Wednesday afternoon!   Thanks, Vickie!  Check out our website this weekend and we should have Lucius posted!

Update on Elliott!  When we pull a weim from a shelter beyond metro Atlanta, we usually try to find out as much as possible before they arrive… neutered or spayed, heartworm status, age, etc….  So, in following our normal procedure, we asked that Elliott be heartworm tested prior to his trip to the ATL so that we an best determine where to vet and foster him.  They let us know that he was a “slight” heartworm positive after performing a SNAP test - which to us at AWCR means that he’s heartworm positive and we’ll treat him the same way regardless of intensity.  Well, imagine our surprise when we had him retested at our local vet – twice… including a definitive blood test – he was NEGATIVE!   On Thursday, he went home with Greg Crump for foster-to-adopt and is one his way to his very own happy ending!

The Hales sent us an update on Greta (f.k.a. Coco) and tell us that she’s definitely learning from her brother, Fritz, and has learned to be an indoor dog quite nicely!  Check it out! Thank you for giving Coco a home that she loves and deserves!

A few of us have been chatting about famous people who owned weims… President Dwight Eisenhower  had a weim named Heidi in the White House!   

Even Grace Kelly had a weimaraner that she received as a wedding gift from her brother Jack!

A big “shout out” and thank you to Steve Doan (Walker’s dad)  for taking the helm of our weim listings on the website!  He’s just one of the folks who – behind the scenes – help to make it all happen!

Speaking of our website, if you’re following us on Facebook or our website, you see that we have several listings with a   next to it.  This is our way of identifying a heartworm positive dog.  What does “heartworm positive” mean?  Well, in addition to the official definition from the American Heartworm Society (AHS), those of us in rescue realize that it means several other things, as well… First, it means that we will have to treat for heartworm disease – which can be very costly once xrays, bloodwork and immiticide injections are factored in, and can often cost more than $500, which is actually a discount on retail pricing at  our vets!  In 2009-2010, a signficant amount of our funds have been spent treating heartworm disease in our rescue dogs.  Second, it means that we will need to find a foster home that is generously willing to care for a weimie through treatment – which consists of 2 intramuscular injections of Immiticide and 30 days of “rest”.  During this time, we continue giving Heartgard (Ivermectin) – which kills off the “babies” and sterlizes the adult worms.  The injections kill the adults and “dissolve” the remains in the blood stream (that’s my “layman’s”  explanation… check out the AHS site above for more “official” information!).  Some rescues, due to cost, choose to treat with longterm Heartgard usage – which, while taking care of the babies and sterilization, it promotes a “natural” death of the adults – which depending on the severity of infestatoin may be a risk to the overall heart health of the dog.  AWCR is committed to the health and well-being of our rescue weimies, and we feel that immiticide injection treatment is the best course of treatment for our dogs!  Thank you to our the Nastasi Family, Allison Family and others who are helping to take car of our heartworm positive weimies! 

If you are interested in financially sponsoring  or fostering a heartworm positive dog, please send us an email at rescue@atlantalovesweims.org! 

Have you had a chance to meet Remy?  Remy is a 7 year old weim that came to us from North Carolina after her owner passed away while awaiting for a liver transplant and she was left to his mother – who was not in a position to take care of an active 7 year weimie!  Unfortunately, her “grandmother” was unaware of Remy’s health concerns, so after thorough examination and tests, we have determined that Remy has a severe case of pancreatitis and is diabetic!  We are continuting to treat her pancreatitis while we work with Dr. Ashley Alford at The Village Vets of Decatur to regulate her blood sugar through twice daily insulin injections.  Thank goodness, Colleen Bittinger – AWCR Rescue Hero and foster mom – who is a nurse, diligently tracks her progress by doing at-home tests for blood glucose and ketones in her urine.  We’ve already completed 2 glucose curves to determine insulin dosage – each involving an overnight stay… Additionally, while we are able to purchase Humulin NPH (insulin) at a regular pharmacy – as well as, needles, keto strips and glucose strips – Remy is racking up quite a bill at the vet and the pharmacy!  On a bright note, despite her health, Remy is a really sweet weim with a lot of energy for 7 years old!  Infact, the better she feels, the younger she looks and acts!  If you are interested in financially sponsoring Remy or adopting her, please send us an email at rescue@atlantalovesweims.org.

Did you know that your vet can prescribe medication to be filled at a “people” pharmacy?  While there are medications that are specific to people and pets, some medications can be prescribed for either!  The Publix Free Antibiotics program provides up to a 14 day supply of antibiotics FREE of charge – even for dogs!  Kroger, Walmart, Target and others offer discounted generics for $4!  Next time your vet prescribes a medication, bring a list and ask if it can be filled at a “people” pharmacy!  It will save you money and make for easier refills (if prescribed) since regular pharmacies are available, in some cases, 24 hours/day!

Hey!  Did you sign up for the Pet Safety Day: A CPR & First Aid Training Event at Loving Hands Animal Clinic on July 17th?  We’ll be holding an adoption day at the event and soliciting donations, so stop by and see us!  If you are interested in attending the Training event, please RSVP to Loving Hands Animal Clinic 770-667-9022.  Hurry!  Space is limited! 

I guess that’s all for now!  I will leave you with the following thoughts… When people ask “how” or “why” I got so involved with rescuing weims…. I tell them that I really don’t know… It just feels right… Ultimately it doesn’t matter how much time or resources that you focus on rescuing weims… it just matters that you did and we truly appreciate all of you that support AWCR!