Tribute To Cooper

Our hearts were broken on March 2nd when we had to say goodbye to our beloved Cooper. He had reached the point where he could barely walk, fell down often and simply could not do the things he wanted to do. We had to carry him up and down the stairs each night and morning. It is always a very difficult decision to make, but we had to decide whether we were keeping him alive for us or him and it was clear his quality of life had deteriorated significantly. We had once asked a trainer when it was clear that it was time and he said when a dog loses its dignity. It was gut wrenching to watch when he started to lose his.

We were so fortunate to adopt Cooper in 2010. I happened to spot him at the Bear Creek Dog Park with his foster mom Annie Scholze one summer day. She said he was due to be adopted the next day but a few days later we saw that he was still listed on your website. We discovered that the man who was going to adopt him had to have back surgery and felt unable to care for him, so we immediately put in an adoption request. A few days later my wife Cindy and son Eric met Cooper at the dog park with Annie and shortly thereafter, we were overjoyed when he became part of our family.

The first time Cindy and I took him to the park he brought us a bird in his mouth. We thought perhaps it was a thank you gift. Curiously, he never showed an interest in birds again, and we had no plans to hunt him. We simply wanted him to be a family dog and what a family dog he became. He immediately jumped up on our bed the first night and burrowed under the covers and did so each night thereafter until near the very end when he could no longer make the jump and no longer seemed interested in trying. It was a beautiful sight to watch him run and gracefully jump each time we brought him to the park, and it was painful to watch when he could no longer do so.

The records say his birthday was in February, 2006, but we suspect he was older than that. We were told he was found running loose outside Elizabeth and we think the “birthdate” was likely the day he was then brought to the vet. So, while we celebrated his 16th birthday last month, it is probable that he was older, perhaps by at least several months or longer. We were so lucky to have him so long, and so sad we did not have him longer.

On his last day, I took him in a wagon to the park where we first met, where he laid peacefully in the sun for nearly two hours. After a final meal of two hamburgers, French fries and some ice cream, Cindy and I took turns curling up with him on the couch. We then made the heart-wrenching trip to the vet’s office where we said our final goodbyes as we tearfully held him in our arms.

Our little boy is gone. We loved him dearly and miss him terribly. We will undoubtedly have other dogs, but there will never be another Cooper, or as we called him, “Super Duper Cooper”. We don’t know if there is such a thing as the Rainbow Bridge, or simply something dog owners wishfully hope that there is. But if there is, we await the day when our little boy will run to greet us again. Until then, God speed Cooper. We’ll never forget you and will miss you forever.

Remembering Jake~

Sameer Oza and his wonderful family adopted Jake from Mile High GSP Rescue in 2013 when Jake was around 3 years old. They all doted on him as one of their own children and the girls adored him. Jake was such an exceptional dog to a very special family who took him on exploring adventures almost every day of his life. Such a happy and very lucky GSP.

Jake came into our life in 2013, just as we bought a cabin in the Colorado mountains. We adopted him from Mile High GSP rescue as an adult. Thank you Judy and Caleb! We don’t know much about his life before us except that he was found on the side of a road in Kansas with pneumonia in both lungs. He weighed 45 pounds (his weight later was 64 pounds). Caleb at Mile High GSP nurtured him back to health and also did some strict obedience training with him. He would stay to heel even when there was a deer running in front of him. We had a similar experience with a mama bear and her 3 cubs in Chautauqua.

Jake’s breed – the GSP – German shorthaired pointer or Kurzhaar is bred to be a multipurpose hunting dog. For anyone who has not known a bird dog, Rick Bass’ book “Colter: The True Story of the Best Dog I Ever Had” is worth a read.

He was a good looking dog, we got at least a couple of compliments about our “handsome and well behaved” companion daily.

I started getting serious about photography right around the time we adopted Jake. He was an awesome (nude) model. Since that day I photographed “landscapes and nudes!” You can see some of the work below, he makes it beautiful!

Jake wanted at least 2 runs a day and if we could squeeze in a third one, he was in heaven. When in the house, he needed to be close – usually snuggled up against one of us.

GSPs are supposed to be “bird-dogs” and Jake did the bird-dog thing but he enjoyed fishing in the Crystal river much more.

His favorite walks were in Chautauqua, Dry Creek and the trails in Marble. But really, he was happy to walk anywhere, anytime. In the 7 years that we had him, there was only one hike where we truly tired him out – the walk to the Crystal Mill in Marble (and to be fair, it was very hot that day). The hike is 8 miles, but as usual he probably ran three times that.

He was a brave soul. He was attacked by another dog once while he was standing at heel next to me. A chunk of his front shoulder and part of his lip came undone. It was Memorial day and we took him to the emergency vet but they released him because they were too busy and he was “stable”. They told us to come back that evening. My friend, Bryan who is a heart surgeon came and sewed him up with some local anesthetic for pain control. Another time I was hiking with a friend and his 2 GSPs and Jake tore a nail. We could not stop the arterial bleeding from his nail with pressure and I had to rip out his nail in the field in order to apply pressure directly to the artery – he did not even yelp! There were multiple occasions where he let me take out thorns and brambles from his paws. And yes, he let me scale his teeth monthly.

He was very adaptable. About 2 years ago he had a localized cancer in his front paw and one of his toes needed to be amputated. We thought it would slow him down but it hardly made a dent in his mad rushes through the forest.

Some nicknames for Jake – “Triple Toe”, “Devil Dog”, “Jakie baby”, “Hoover”.

Jake had significant separation anxiety. He could NOT stay in a kennel, the one time we put him there the kennel had to sedate him. Since that day, whenever we took our trips, Jake would stay home with a dogsitter/housesitter or sometimes with Caleb or with Bryan his “vet”.

We did not have to vacuum the kitchen after cooking – Jake took care of that. One time after his toe surgery he had the “cone of shame” and he still continued with his kitchen vacuuming duties. He did not get any other human food besides that but he compensated for it in the end. In the last 6 weeks of his life he subsisted on homemade pita bread with peanut butter and generous doses of ice-cream.

Jake could nap whenever he wanted. However, even if he was sleeping on the 4 hour drive to Marble, as soon as we made the last turn into Marble off the highway, he would be on high alert. He did this even on his last trip to Marble. In addition to walking and fishing in Marble, he loved harassing the beavers and the ducks in the back yard.

Like all other dogs we have had before him, Jake taught us to stay in the moment and to extract the maximum meaning out of life.

He was diagnosed with inoperable bone cancer in April 2020. The day we brought him home from the orthopedic surgeon he was in so much pain despite medications that we made the call to the vet to come home and euthanize him the following day. But the next morning he made a 180 degree recovery and hopped around on 3 legs. He wanted to start going on walks and did walks up to 3-4 miles. Yes, he would be exhausted after that but he still wanted to go out twice a day. COVID-19 gave the kids and us a chance to spend more time with him during his last days.

He fought death for 6 more weeks. And then on June 30 he told us it was time…

Near this spot
are deposited the remains of one
who possessed Beauty without Vanity,
Strength without Insolence,
Courage without Ferocity,
and all the Virtues of Man without his Vices.

-Epitaph to a dog – Lord Byron

Tribute to Bonnie~

Bonnie came to us from KS on February 21st. She had lived on the streets with a woman who had no home of her own until an angel took them in temporarily and, eventually, arranged for Bonnie to come to us. Here in Colorado, foster mom Corinna Peters welcomed Bonnie (in her bright pink coat), so excited to have a buddy for her own GSP Odin, a trained hunter.

On Bonnie’s second day, Corinna took her out with Odin and discovered she was a natural hunter. Bonnie and Odin hunted well together, honoring each other’s points almost immediately. And they loved playing and snuggling together, too. Within a few days, Corinna decided to adopt Bonnie, “the sweetest girl.” Three days later, however, Bonnie’s health suddenly and quickly deteriorated.

We had discovered right after she arrived that Bonnie had a previously undetected kidney issue. Although her blood work showed very high kidney levels, her clinical signs were non-existent but we put her on meds and an appropriate food to keep the disease at bay. New blood work two weeks later, however, revealed that her kidney levels were off the charts, much higher than the original results that had alerted us to her kidney disease. Two vets told us that her condition was dire, that even with emergency, in-hospital treatment, her quality of life would be very compromised. The thought of losing Bonnie after only one month of getting to know her, taking her on hunting adventures, and loving her was hard to imagine. Sadly, exactly one month after welcoming Bonnie into her home, Corinna, with our support, let Bonnie go to end her pain.

Tragically, Bonnie left us but Corinna and Odin gave this happy, playful, sweet little girl the very best month of her life. Thank you, Corinna, for your selfless love and your devotion to Bonnie. She was such a lucky little girl having you and Odin as her mom and brother and having the time of her life, finally, running and hunting through fields with the two of you.

Tribute to Rider

Anna and Brad Ahrens know better than most about going extra miles. Brad flew 1000 miles to scoop up a little GSP peanut, only 2 months old and drive him home to a safe and loving family and a life that this precious pup, his heart so compromised that it couldn’t be repaired, could have only dreamed about.
In Colorado RIDER got his name and his very own family: two brand new brothers, Jed and Casey (both Mile High GSP alums) and Brad and Anna who could hardly wait to show him what unconditional love feels like.

When they first learned about Rider, the vet had him cautioned them in detail. Rider had been born with a congenital heart condition, one that was not reparable, that would take the very best and continual vet care. This vet didn’t realize that he was talking with such an incredibly loving and selfless mama and papa. From the first day he was part of their family, they did everything for Rider, including having the most caring and skilled vet, Alex Robb, as well as a cardiologist and the advice of CSU specialists. Through all of his vet appointments and tender care, their only priority was to let Rider just be a dog, to have the best life any dog could hope for or possibly imagine for as long as he could be with them. And Rider exuberantly rode along for 9 months, having the most wonderful life imaginable with his adoring family: so much playtime and cuddling with Jed and Casey; so many outdoor adventures and camping; eating yummy homemade treats and dinners (crawfish!); picking through the treasure trove of Christmas toys; loving to play in water, wherever it was; snuggling with and kissing everyone who would sit down long enough but especially with his mama and papa. So many people fell in love with this little love-bug and he gave back so much joy and love in return.

The day before Rider passed he was camping with Anna, Brad, Jed and Casey at the foot of the Maroon Bells. What a weekend of adventure they had . . . Rider and his brothers just being dogs – happy, so full of spirit and fun – with their proud and delighted mama and papa. The next day, Sunday, June 23, precious Rider passed unexpectedly but very quickly at home in the arms of Brad and Anna with his GSP brothers Jed and Casey by his side. It was such a peaceful and loving transition, exactly the right passing for this sweet, hilarious, and thoroughly joyful little bean. Anna and Brad packed more adventure, happiness and love into his short life than what most dogs could ever hope for or ever experience.
This absolutely perfect little boy, Rider, is now flying through the fields, surely with his other older brother Truckin and continuing to fill the world with his eternally joyful spirit.

We are so honored to celebrate you, little Rider, especially on this day, July 7, that would have been your very first birthday. And we celebrate, too, your remarkable family, Anna, Brad, Jed and Casey, who showed you what it feels like to be so deeply loved.

Tribute to Murphy~ A message from Mom and Dad

Dear Murphy,

We remember the first time we saw you – it was the adoption add for Mile High GSPs. We read your bio, filled out the application, and could not stop talking about how much we hoped we would be the ones to adopt you. We knew there were so many families that wanted to bring you home, and we just hoped and prayed we would be the ones. The day finally came in mid-January when we got to meet you, and take you home. I remember how little you were. You were running around your foster mom’s yard, and she was scolding you for trying to chew the pinecones off of the trees. We got to take you home that day. I (Rachel) think I cried a little on the way home I was so happy.

You were loved and gave us all of your love from the minute we were able to call you family. You made yourself right at home. Bailey, although he always wanted to let you know that he was the older brother, loved you from the start. He was sharing all of his toys with you, except for a few bones, and you were shredding them all. We soon realized we needed to get tougher toys.

You always loved to chew. We found this out early on, when you chewed our couches. Luckily, they were old, hand-me-down couches, and you were kind enough to chew the interior padding, so it was not so noticeable. We remember coming home a few times to a couple of dogs hiding out in the bedroom with fluff all over the living room. We tried not to laugh when we were scolding you.

Then there were the times when you would set the alarm off jumping over the furniture while we were gone. We so wish we could have had a camera in the house to see what you and Bailey were up to while we were gone. You were such a wonderful mix of excitement, adventurousness, and being a big baby. Your fear of the vacuum never really went away.

Our adventures were endless, especially when we lived in Colorado. You travelled to Fort Collins, Breckenridge, Glenwood Springs, and Michigan. We took you and Bailey hiking whenever we could, whether a new trail, a long hike, or an afternoon trip to Red Rocks or Stratton open space. Every day we did something outside, whether walk, run, play fetch, go to the dog park, or go for a hike, rain, snow, or shine. Your question mark tail was always wagging. I remember the first time you learned how to swim at Stratton Open Space. I (Rachel) was talking to Anthony on the phone, he was training, and I was so used to you only going in up to your knees. I looked up and you were swimming! I was so happy I think I cried then too.

Every summer you got to take your trip to Michigan without fail. We have so many memories of you chasing Bailey on the beach in Lake Michigan, digging in the sand, and running like crazy in the woods in Lewiston. We would call and call for you, and you would zoom up right behind us. One of our favorite memories was when Bailey got stuck in a hole in the dock, and you jumped right over him and into the lake. We still laugh about that. Our Michigan adventures were never ending, like when you were swimming after baby ducklings near the beaver dam or you and Bailey got to spend the day on the pontoon boat and swimming in another lake. During the Holidays we all laughed when all four family dogs got to open all their presents for Christmas – I think you dogs got more presents than anyone. We knew you loved Michigan so much, for the adventures, the time with your dog friends Drake and Forrest, and all of the extra family cuddles you always got. Including all of those treats you got from Grandma Padalino.

When we moved to Georgia you were a southern dog. We remember taking you to Savannah and walking all over the parks and squares. You also got to go to Dahlonega and hike to some beautiful waterfalls.

And finally, we moved to Kentucky. Here we think you got to go home to Michigan about thirty times. No more holidays at the kennel, we got to spend as much time with you and Bailey as possible. The Lake Michigan beach, Lewiston woods, and grandparent’s homes became a regular trip.

We loved every ounce of you, Murphy. And all of your funny nicknames – Murph, Murph-a-lurf, Dumpy, Wiggly, and Muffler. There are so many memories, we don’t know if we can put them all on paper. You were always so photogenic, we are so, so thankful to have so many pictures of you. It was hard not to take pictures of you, you were so cute. There were the Halloween costumes, the winter sweaters, the cuddles in the blankets, and the summer bandanas. You always looked your best.

You were always on guard against unwanted squirrels or birds in the yard. Every home we had, you picked your spot near backyard window – patiently waiting for a “tree rat” (squirrel) or a bird to jump into the yard. When they did, you quickly alerted your brother Bailey, the house, and possibly the neighborhood. We would let you out and laugh as you would crouch under the fence with your butt in the air, or run laps around the yard after the intruders. In the morning, you would follow us around the house before work – making sure we completed all of our chores before heading out for the day. Then resting at the top of the stairs to guard until we came home.

There were all the times you were my (Rachel) running buddy. You would run right by my side, with your tail up, just taking it all in. You loved getting out on the those runs and seeing what was out there. And of course, chasing the squirrels. We always loved to let you indulge in your prey drive, we knew it was part of who you were. Squirrels, bunnies, and birds beware.

You were always such a lover. From day one you would crawl into our laps and try to lick our faces and we loved every cuddle with you. We laugh when we think of how you would burrow under the covers in the bed when we were sleeping and wake us up by licking our legs. When you were a puppy you would slip through spaces between the furniture when you borrowed a bone from Bailey without his permission, or hide under the bed when you set the alarm off. You were always by our side giving us love and letting us give you cuddles and hugs. We have never met a dog that was so good at hugs.

Your ball will always be a fun reminder of the dog that you were. You were obsessed with that orange chuck-it ball, you just were. We could have 5 orange chuck-it balls laying around the house, but if it wasn’t your exact ball, you didn’t want it. You always had that ball, whether you were sleeping, eating, or just hanging out. Our homework was always filled with lots of breaks, about every 5 minutes, to play fetch with that ball. At some point, we are pretty sure we became obsessed with that ball – always looking for it when you lost it under the couch. We knew you put it under the couch on purpose Murph!

We miss those cuddles, playing with the ball, dog walks, and long looks into those big brown eyes more than you can know. The last five months in caring for you while the DCM progressed were some of the hardest times of our lives. We are so proud of how strong you were during the time, with the meds, the vet visits, not feeling your best, and the limits on your activity. Every day, even when we could see that you weren’t feeling well, you gave us your love. You kept on loving the outdoors, loving your family, and loving that orange chuck-it ball. We are so thankful that we were able to spend the five months from your diagnosis to your passing living each day the way that we did. Hugs, cuddles, and kisses every morning and every night. We think you know how much we really, really loved you.

You turned five years old this September, and you family and dog friends made the trip to Kentucky to celebrate your life. Five years of Murphy! Your passing this October came to soon. We are relieved that we could be with you and love you until the end, and that in the end, you had peace and comfort. We love you so much Murphy.

Love you always Murphy.

Griffin

**URGENT** 8/7/18

Meet GRIFFIN! He has just come to us from Kansas and we need to place him in a foster home with no other dogs. As you can see he is very handsome at only 1-2 years old. He probably shouldn’t be with cats and children is an unknown. He is so playful, obedience trained and very affectionate but doesn’t do well with dominant dogs. He needs a foster home now so please PM us or call if you can help Griffin. We would love to tell you much more about this lovely boy. 720-373-7274

Letter to Lance~

Dear Lance,
They told me that they found you wandering on a highway in Texas in 2014. You must have been looking for a way home. Luckily you were picked up and brought to Mile High GSP Rescue in Colorado.
You did find your way home when you walked right into my heart the day that I first saw you. You were the sweetest boy and asked for nothing in return but love and kindness.

You were by my side during a very serious illness that I had. We both pulled through a few ordeals!

You did not stay long enough though. In the summer of 2017; the veterinary doctors told me that you have lymphoma. I was devastated to learn the news. I took you lovingly hopeful to every specialist that I could find to try to save you.

In March of 2018, we lost the battle and I had to let you go over the rainbow bridge. I am heartbroken but also thankful that we could at least have those 4 good years together with lots of love, walks and treats. It brings me peace to know you are laid to rest in the pet cemetery next to your sweetheart housemate GSP, Katie.

My love is with you, forever in my heart until we meet again. Your pet parent (Mom) Bonnie

PINTS 4 POINTERS ROUND 3

Come join us for our Pints 4 Pointers Round 3 Fundraiser.
There will be music, beer, and raffle tickets for great prizes. Bring the fur kids as well (of course they must get along with others 🙂
There will also be the return of the Kissing Booth!

Sunday, June 24 at 2 PM – 5 PM

Saint Patrick’s Brewing Company
2842 W Bowles Ave, Littleton, Colorado 80120

Here are a few pictures from last year….

Giving Tuesday~

Did you know we are a 100% Volunteer Run 501c3?

Please consider donating to MHGSP rescue on #GivingTuesday, NOVEMBER 28. On Tuesday, Facebook is waiving their transaction fees so ALL of your donation will go straight to helping the dogs we rescue. ALSO, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is matching all donations. We have a goal of raising $1000 on this one day, Tuesday, November 28.

Any donation small or large to help us get there is appreciated. We will be posting the link at 6am on Tuesday.

Pints For Pointers Round 2 – August 27th

Love GSPs, live music, beer, friends, fun and the return of the Kissing booth? We can promise all six things on August 27th!

August 27, 2017 from 2pm – 5pm!

St. Patrick’s Brewing Company
2842 W. Bowles Ave.
Littleton, CO 80120

Tickets will be sold at the door for $30. Included in the $30 ticket price:
– Music by Half Pint and the Growlers

– Mile High GSP Pints for Pointers 16oz commemorative pint glass

– 1 beer ticket good for 1 free pour provided by Saint Patrick’s Brewing Company

– 1 food ticket good at Skadi’s Food Truck

– 3 raffle tickets for items donated (gift cards, dog and GSP-specific items, etc.) and silent auction with some awesome items.

– Be sure to bring your non-aggressive dog!

– Face paintng, bean bag toss, ping pong, foosball for the kids

– Cash and credit cards will be accepted at the event.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email us at milehighgsp@gmail.com, or reach out to us through Facebook. Thank you for helping to support our rescue and save GSPs in need. We hope to see you there!