Foster Spotlight: Janet Saxon!

Any foster pup that lands in Janet Saxon’s home is one LUCKY pup! They are in for a whole lot of love and fun with her and her spirited pack. We are honored to introduce you to Janet, a foster mom who has volunteered to help GSPs in need time and time again!

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

I think I may have been a GSP in my past life – I have many similar personality traits to a GSP, including high energy, social, love to be with {my} people, and having only an on and off button, nothing in between. At times, however, I also like to be a bit aloof and independent, just like my sweet Alaskan Husky.

Skijoring!

Fur fun, I am an active cyclist, skier, and most importantly in my dogs eyes, a skijorer. One reason I own GSPs (and my Alaskan Husky), is because of their enthusiasm and drive when it comes to this winter sport. “Skijoring (ski-jur-ing) is a Norwegian word that means “ski-driving” – that is, a cross-country skier utilizing a dog, or dogs for assistance. The cross-country skier provides power with skis and poles, and the dog adds additional power by running and pulling. The skier wears a skijoring harness, the dog wears a sled dog harness, and the two are connected by a length of rope. There are no reins or other signalling devices to control the dog: The dog must be motivated by its own desire to run, and respond to the owner’s voice for direction.”

Every winter, we participate in many skijor events throughout Colorado, which are held in conjunction with Dog Sled races. The dogs absolutely LOVE this sport, and they will yap and yap with excitement as we approach the start line, and for the first 50 yards or so after the start due to pure joy! In the summer months, we also train and compete with a bike and a scooter – since as you know, GSPs need to run, year round!!!

We also get to run on trails together, hike, and swim too!

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

My family (the dogs only) consists of:

Augie

Augie is an Alaskan Husky “flunkie” from an Iditarod kennel outside of Steamboat. Augie, aka Augie Doggie, or Augster – is my sweet, sweet girl, the oldest at 9, and definitely the silent leader of the pack – all the others learn from her and have the utmost respect for her. She and I have a very special, one of a kind connection/bond that is soo important to the both of us. Her little pointy nose still gets her into trouble, and she is still full of spunk!

Barclay is GSP cross from a fellow dog musher that has hunting GSPs and dog sled GSPs.  Barclay, aka Barclay James Harvest, or Boo, is 6-years-old, and used to be a little stinker…  now she is an angel – amazing what younger dogs can do to change this impression!

Barclay

Leroy is a GSP/Hound mix, who was my second foster with MHGSPR, and my first “foster failure” (he is certainly NOT the failure!) Leroy, aka Lover Boy Leroy, or Budd, is about 4 – and going on 2! He was the first male dog I have ever owned, and he certainly has the goofiest personality of them all – and I love that about him!

Leroy

And finally Pete, a GSP (a true bird hunter in has past life for sure), who I am fostering now. Pete, aka Pete since I do not want to confuse him with any other name just now, is about 4-years-old, has been part of our family for about a month now. He is a very sweet boy, wants so bad to please, and just wants to be with me 100% of the time.

Pete

When, why and how did you first get involved with MHGSPR?

One day I called MHGSPR completely out of the blue. I had 2 dogs at the time, one of them a GSP, and thought maybe I was ready for a third, and was interested in anther GSP. I thought the best way to test this crazy idea of having 3 dogs would be to also help by fostering at the same time. I spoke with Judy, and immediately knew I wanted to help out this wonderful organization. We met at my house, she saw the dog hair covered rugs, dog hair/dust bunnies in the corners of the hardwoods, dog beds all over the house, dog toys littered on the floor, doggie door to the back yard, and blankets and covers and dogs spread out on all of the furniture – and I think I passed the foster test!

Leroy, Barclay, Pete and Augie

How many dogs have you fostered?

I am on my fourth foster, or third, in case the failure does not count? My first foster was an absolute dream, and she went to the most amazing family. My second, was an absolute lover boy – who now is MY lover boy Leroy. The third was an absolute sweetheart – a pocket pointer – who went to another amazing family with lots and lots of room to run, which is what she loved to do!  My fourth is Mr. Pete – an adorable, lap loving boy that is actually a bit mellower than the others. He is with me now, head on my lap as I write this. The most awesome part – I periodically hear from all of the adopters as to how their new family members are doing, and I love that!

Why do you continue to foster and devote so much time to MHGSPR?

How could I stop – all the dogs that need some love and attention and a family? They are always welcome. Four dogs for me is and can be a lot, but I can’t turn a poor pup away. They are much better off in a foster family environment, and we can be certain that they are placed in good/great homes that understand the needs of GSPs.

What’s a funny or most memorable moment from fostering? (you can share more than 1!)

Pete

My first foster that was happily adopted out was a learning experience for me. I planned to bring Miss Katie down to her new home, spend some time with her and the new family, and then make a quiet exit. I had fostered this sweet girl for a couple of months – and she was going to a marvelous home. So I felt VERY good about that. We spent about an hour “acclimating” her to her new home, checking out the vast amount of land for her to run in, meeting her new doggie brother, and sister cat, and her new very loving people – her family. All was good – wonderful. We were all sitting on the floor, and after about an hour, with Miss Katie curled up in her new dad’s lap, I reluctantly got up to leave. I tried to be quiet, thinking that Miss Katie was also going to get up and follow me to the door – only to see that she had absolutely no intent of coming with me. She knew she had found her new home and her new family, and she was not budging – she had a new mission in her life, and oh boy, does she live a wonderful life indeed. It was certainly a bittersweet departure…

Another foster situation was not as endearing when someone wanted to potentially adopt one of my foster dogs, and I did not think it was a good fit. I kind of lost it and started to weep with sadness. I did not know what to do — so Judy stepped in, thank goodness! It just was not a good dog/person fit, and it made me very sad to think about the future for this pup. Needless to say – he found a much better fit shortly thereafter, and he was very happily adopted.

Janet, Barclay and Leroy

And finally… for now… one foster taught me, and my other dogs, what a true howling dog pack sounds like. An ambulance drove by, sirens blaring, and Leroy started to howl, head high, nose in air – at the high pitched siren. Within seconds, all 4 dogs began to howl – I was soo impressed, and giggling, and got to witness how much fun my other dogs were having with their new found talent!! It still happens to this day…

Why German Shorthaired Pointers?

OH MY! They are active, energetic, focused, love to run, are wonderful lap dogs, love to cuddle, have wonderful personalities, and the list goes on.

Most importantly, GSPs and GSP crosses are the dog of choice for Skijor competitors in Norway, where the sport pretty much originated. They make them bigger over there — but they are still GSPs!

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

Leroy, Augie and Barclay

I try to be stealth… and sneak away. When it works, it is great – but it makes me sad, then happy, then sad, but ultimately happy.

Also, knowing that I will get updates on their new life, and knowing that this new family is a good fit for them – I am soo soo happy to make this transition. It is not always easy, but it is certainly worth it. I try to take some alone time with them before they leave me, and talk to them about their new and exciting life to come, and also let them know that they have made a big difference in my life as well.

Even if the foster pup has challenges, or is a handful, or is ornery — there is still a void when they leave me – which really surprised me, but again, made me very happy.

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

I like to give back to the community and to many organizations in different ways – from monetary donations, to donations of time, to sitting on non-profit boards, and to fostering dogs. I must say that fostering dogs is by far the best and most fun, and sometime most challenging but “feel good” volunteering that I do! We are saving these precious lives, and being in a foster family environment is soo much better for these pups than being in a shelter or on the street – we get to bring them into our family.

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

Give it a try – there are soo many dogs out there that need us… and if you are not sure you are ready for your own dog, or an additional dog, this is truly a wonderful way to test this out. Everyone benefits! You will not be sorry…

Barclay, Leroy and Augie