first of all thank you to everybody for there advice, i didnt put the whole story up due to i didnt think it was necessary. ALL I WANTED TO KNOW IS IF ANYBODY KNEW ANYBODY OR AN ORGINIZATION THAT COULD TAKE THIS BOY OUT OF THE SHELTER.  This shelter is not a kill shelter and they as well as us are still avtively trying to find him a new home. TexasBelle dont be a know-it-all. And just remember to everybody that thinks they can fix him, put the shoe on your foot and give it a try, he is at the Stevens-Swan Humane society in Utica NY, and he is listed on the Utica NY craigslist.

Thank you for everything, he is a good boy and can make a greatdog.

welljust so you know we have a rescue lab that WE trained so oviously your last comment was just ignorant thus proving my point, this is the last comment i will leave

thank you to everybody

Hopefully part of the problem isn't the misrepresentation of this dog being part "hound".  All of my GSPs -- absolutely purebred -- howl at sirens, train whistles, and when I put on my shoes before a "walk about".  GSPs will howl much like a coonhound, some more than others.  The pictures look purebred although pictures aren't always accurate.

I find this a very sad e-mail chain to read and agree that this is the wrong dog in the wrong place with the wrong home, even if only a foster -- and we all feel the frustration from that.  Hopefully Maxx won't pay the ultimate price here and his forever home will be found.

Dave

Truth be told, you can't save everydog everytime that is a fact of life, sorry it happens to be a GSP, we loved him very much and if it wasnt us it would have been somebody as the shelter doesnt tell you anything, only lies and things that make him sound good. it is terrible it happened this way but this is the cycle of life. and he does have hound in him, its in the paperwork for him by original owner

he only has had to names nd only listened to one MAX.  His anxieties are no more so than other dogs barking howling, and rarely claw at the door all over in about thirty seconds then he is fine.  we are trying to find him a good home and when somebody has asked about him we have told th whole and honest truth about him to them

Ellegirl,

I realize that Dan has unsubbed but is the shelter that they returned him to a no-kill shelter?  Did the shelter indicate that he's safe, at least for now?

Deb Orpen

Deb --

From one of Dan's posts directly:

"This shelter is not a kill shelter and they as well as us are still avtively trying to find him a new home"

I hope they do.

I want to say I am sorry on behalf of my husband.  I went to work last night and came home to see some of the terrible things he had written, obviously out of frustration.  To clear a few things up, the humane society only told us that he chewed on door knobs and that was why his teeth were worn down, other then that they never said he was returned from bolting and that he was a pure bred gsp.  It is apparent that he has hound in him.  He howls. I never met a gsp howl, unless it is my dad teach the girls to "whine/howl" for dinner.  I think there was a lack of communication all around and I am terribly sorry for not giving the whole story when I thought I did.  I miss Max, but I came on this site not to be put down, but thought maybe, since we share a general love of animals, you could help me find him a suitable home.  I have left the information numerous time where to find him and the number and I hope someone can call.  He's a lot of work, and I have never fostered a dog before.  I was way in over my head.  I also want to apologize to TexasBelle, who has given us tons of very useful information that I have used.  I am so sorry my husband would say something so immature.  I think this forum got way to personal and everyone lost site of the most important thing, finding Max a home.  I hope we can still accomplish that.

Dayle (aka the wife)

First I want to apologize to all for dan's behavior.  I was truly dissapointed when I came home from work yeaterday to read the nasty personal stuff that had been written to some of the members, that were only trying to help.  I have been a member for about oh, five years now but rarely post.  I enjoy reading the forum and have learned quite a bit in the past five years.  My rule is don't say anything on a forum that you wouldn't say to the person's face.  I wanted dan to join and ask questions because I can come off as a "know-it-all" at times, so I wanted him to get other opinions.  It's just you get so passionate about training you think everyone else is too.  One of the comments was OMG you sound just like texasbelle, which to me was a huge compliment.

Some of you may know I am a member of therapy dogs of vermont.  One of the perks of being on the board, a tester and evaluator is you get to meet experts on dog behavior.  I also met a woman in my very first obedience class who worked for a rottie rescue.  I know the work and dedication that goes into rescue and god bless you all because it is hard work!

My assessment of max - he is trainable.  He is highly food motivated and with time and lots of patience I think this dog can turn around.  He does need an owner that has experience with training dogs or at the very least getting into an obedience class. Another big plus is he loves his crate, it is his safe place.  He is great with people, kids(over 6 only because he is a big lug and will mow them down not meaning to),he is also great with other dogs.  I had him out with the check cord in my backyard and worked on his recall. He seemed to be getting it slowly. Once he gets the recall I would personally put a shock collar on him to reinforce the command if needed.  He will howl (definitly has some kind of hound in him)when you leave but will stop shortly after.  This poor guy is confused he needs a permanent home that understands his needs.  He had been in the shelter for six months and also when the kids contacted the gsp rescue they already knew about him.  That's all I know about that.  If I'd have to take a guess it is not a kill shelter, but not sure.

Last I heard he was adopted once again but he bolted from the new owners.  My daughter got a call from the person that found him, the shelter had given this gentlemen her number even though new owners adopted him.  She filled him in on max/harry and gave him numbers to call, hope he was reunited with his new owners.  I wonder why he keeps bolting? is he looking for his origional owner? catches a scent and just goes after it? I remember when I visited my daughter he would always sit by the door, if he wasn't at the front door he was at the back door.  I pray he eventually settles in and never feels the need to bolt ever again.