Foster Spotlight: Meet Gail and Gordie Wise!

Fosters Gail and Gordie Wise have been with us a long time, and have opened up their home to 33 (and counting!) foster pups for Mile High GSP Rescue. We are so grateful for them and wanted to introduce you to Gail and Gordie.

 To look into the eyes of a dog who has never known love, never experienced a kind word or gentle hand, never had enough to eat or a safe, soft place to lay their weary body and know YOU can make a difference in this dog’s life ~ THAT is why you foster.

Gail Wise

What kinds of things do you like to do for fun?

Camping, fishing, hiking, running the dogs and upland game hunting. Plus Gordie, our son, his wife, & their 9-year-old twins drag race at Bandimere so we’re never at a loss for activities involving family and/or our dogs.

Ace, Sassy and Bailey

How many dogs of your own do you have? Tell us about them and their personalities.

We’ve been owned by five GSPs beginning with Jazz who loved us for 11 years; Gypsy, our first rescue (tossed out on a country road and horribly emaciated) who passed away at 15, having been a beloved pet and amazing hunter.  Our 6-year-old “gentle giant” Ace is a stunning 29” at the shoulder, 77lbs, black/white boy who is an intense hunter and total snuggle-bug. Ace is fantastic with our fosters, while black and white 5-year-old Princess Bailey, hunter extraordinaire and ruler of all she surveys, makes certain the fosters know it’s “her house, her rules”.  Once they understand that, she’s their buddy. We recently added Hattie to the crew and at 3-months-old she’s still figuring out to not diplease the Princess.

When and why did you first start fostering?

On October 30th, 2011 I contacted Brandi, who ran the rescue then, about fostering because we love the breed and through Facebook I saw how many GSPs were in shelters needing to be saved. Foster homes were in short supply and there was a 10-month-old coming in the next day so we had our first foster!  Maddy was the perfect introduction to fostering and we’ve done all we can to help ever since.

Ringo, Andi and Izzy

How many dogs have you fostered?

Thirty-three in almost 3 years! Because Ace is SUCH a sweetie and after Bailey’s initial “seriously?” look, not to mention Gordie’s willingness to do the heavy lifting (i.e. feeding), we’re able to take three fosters at a time.  It works because we take them for long off-leash runs 7 days/week and make certain everyone gets enough love and attention.

Why do you continue to foster?

We LOVE the breed! We understand their energy level, exercise needs and how they want to be with their people.  Many GSPs are in shelters, dumped on roadsides, abandoned, neglected and abused. Without foster homes providing food, safety socialization, and love, helping them become less afraid, more confident and a part of the pack, they don’t stand a chance of being loved. Not everyone is cut out to have Shorthairs, hence so many being surrendered or dumped. Gordie and I love each foster as our own, working with them on manners, learning recall and socializing them not only with our crew but also the numerous dogs owned by our friends. When they go to their furever homes they’ve been properly socialized with both people (including kids, courtesy of our grandtwins) and lots of dogs of all ages.

What’s a funny or most memorable moment from fostering?

Watching a terrified-of-their-own-shadow, never-been-in-a-home scared foster become comfortable, confident and relaxed is SO rewarding. They learn to trust, to interact and blossom into the dogs they were meant to be. Our furniture has taken a big hit through the years! We’ve replaced numerous sofas and leather chairs and finally just went with the “minimalist” look!! Each time something has been “remodeled” it’s totally my fault ~ I failed to consider my audience and that many had never been in a home before. Worst/funniest one was a foster we’d had for several months and left home with two other dogs while we went hunting. Neighbor lad was going over several times/day to feed them, play with them, etc.  Next morning I had a text on my phone saying “I’m SO sorry” followed by two photos . . . it’s amazing how much stuffing is in a 3-cushion sofa! His 4-year-old son was knee deep in green stuff that covered our living room floor and spilled down the hall. I should’ve paid him to spend the night!

Sassy and Gordie

Why German Shorthaired Pointers?

Gordie hunted upland game for years but always with a friend’s dog. Jazz, our first GSP, was phenomenal, with a quirky personality we loved and always did things her own way. We were clueless on training a bird dog so we let her be in charge and it all worked out. Reading about the breed we decided GSPs were “it” for us. In addition to being superb hunters, Shorthairs are family-oriented, awesome with children and highly intelligent. Too much so at times as they’re forever WAY ahead of me!!

When one of your fosters gets adopted, how does it affect you and how do you say goodbye?

I cry happy tears for each foster getting their own family to love and cherish them as much as we have. Some sad tears fall as they begin their new lives, having been such a big part of ours. We never let our fosters go to just “good” homes. . . those who adopt our fosters must be FANTASTIC, AMAZING, FABULOUS families. Knowing they’re everything we’d want for our babies we kiss and hug them farewell and anticipate updates accompanied by photos of them leading the lives they deserve to live… (at which point tears fall once again).

What’s the best part of being part of the Mile High GSP Rescue foster team?

We’re exactly that ~ a team. A team in support of one another, who shares advice and insight, we pitch in where needed, we’re there when things get difficult. We work together to save each dog we’re made aware of who is in need. Each of us is in this for the dogs . . . saving them from death, abuse or neglect, taking them into our homes and making them part of our pack, to feel safe, secure and protected. Our mutual goal is to care for the wonderful dogs we know are in the broken, battered, terrified souls who come to us.

Mile High GSP Rescue Foster Spotlight Gail and Gordie Wise

If you could tell someone who was deciding whether or not to foster one thing about it, what would you tell them?

It’s the most heart-breaking, frustrating, exasperating, rewarding thing you will ever commit to doing.  The heartbreak and rewards are for the dogs. The anger, despair and inclination to go postal are directed at the “humans” who put these innocents in jeopardy of losing their very lives. To look into the eyes of a dog who has never known love, never experienced a kind word or gentle hand, never had enough to eat or a safe, soft place to lay their weary body and know YOU can make a difference in this dog’s life ~ THAT is why you foster.

Watching them blossom, the delight they take in lying in the sun in your yard, the pure joy on their faces when you snuggle them close, the unbridled enthusiasm as you load them up for a long run on the e-collar with their friends. These are the moments to cherish.  Destroyed sofas and formerly manicured yards become insignificant. What you will have is the memory of your foster dog getting in their new family’s car to begin their journey of belonging and being forever loved.

Gail with Jasmine and Rusty