Success Stories

Harvey & Stuart

These are our four beautiful children; Julia, Aidan, Harvey & Stuart. Harvey and Stuart were welcomed into our home on April 10th, 2010. They are our 2nd and 3rd Weimaraners and our first rescue dogs. These loveable siblings have completed our home and compliment our family so well! Dyana at Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue went above and beyond to assist us in adopting the boys for which we are so very grateful! The transition has been seamless in every way. The boys have adapted very well to our home and environment as well as to our 7 and 11 year old children. They are so well mannered that we were surprised to hear that our home is their first true home. Harvey & Stuart were completely housetrained and socialized when they joined our family which made the adjustment period VERY easy! AND, they’ve yet to be caught with a shoe in their mouth because they are way smarter than that….they went for the steak instead! The boys love their brother and sister so much that each and every day their tails wag and they bark like crazy when they hear the school bus pull up in front of our home in anticipation of the kid’s arrivals. And at night when we settle down to relax for the evening in the living room, the boys are right there with us arguing over the dog bed knowing full well they both fit on it! We wouldn’t believe it if we hadn’t seen it with our own eyes, but they both like to ‘fluff’ the oversized pillow before laying down on it. They are such characters and we love them to pieces. It really leaves me in awe that these two dogs could have been given up on, when they had so much life and love left in them. We’re elated that they are sharing both with us!
Thank you TWR for doing what you do!

Blue

I have had two Weimaraners: one I raised from a puppy & the other I adopted when she was 7 years old. Max, my first, was 6 weeks old when I got him back in 1982; he was a great dog, smart, fun and full of life. He lived for fifteen years. A couple years later I adopted Kacey because her owners could no longer keep her…she was a wonderful and loving dog. I had to put her down last July because she had just gotten old and there was nothing left to do. I started thinking about a puppy earlier this year and had looked at the Rush kennels when the news report came out about them being a puppy mill and the cruelty issues. Then I started thinking about adopting a rescue dog. I went to the Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue website and fell in love with Blue. I started the adoption process that week and the folks TWR were great to work with. Blue is adjusting well in his new home, where he is getting lots of love. He has already shown us how smart he is by unlocking his crate and waiting on us to come home from dinner while lying on the sofa. He has also taken over my recliner and thinks he is King of the Castle. The only problem he has is he does not want to be left alone and we are working on that. I could not ask for a better companion. My girlfriend along with all my friends and family are spoiling him rotten as well.
Thank you TWR, Dyana and Kathi for allowing me to adopt Blue. He is one of a kind.
Colbert

Lola

My husband and I love Weimaraners for many reasons including their playfulness, their willingness to please, and their unparalleled beauty. For our active family, an adult dog was the only choice. So, we contacted Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue as well as a couple of other rescue organizations in the quad-state area, but at the time, there seemed to be a shortage of available female rescues for adoption. We stumbled upon a female Weim held at a high-kill shelter in Western North Carolina, and we called the shelter and were horrified that this little girl had about one day left ‘til euthanasia. Since we live in South Carolina’s Lowcountry we needed a quick solution. Tarheel Weim Rescue worked with Cashiers Humane Society to quickly get this girl out of harm’s way. We adopted her, and we couldn’t be happier. She is a 3-4 year old with a sweet disposition, a cute, playful nature, and a tail that only stops wagging when she's sleeping. She loves children and adults alike, and she has become fast friends with our German Shepard dog, Jude. Unlike Jude, she’s a great “early warning system” as she alerts us whenever someone is approaching the door, yet she is always gracious with service people and other strangers after we welcome them in. We are so grateful to the folks at Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue and Cashiers Humane Society for all the work they did to bring Lola to us. To think that Lola was almost euthanized is incomprehensible. I can’t imagine that we’ll ever own another breed or get a Weim from any other source than a rescue organization. It’s the best way we can think of to support the breed we love so much.
Adam and Lisa

Eddie

Eddie is our 4th weimaraner. We fell hard in love with the weimaraner breed over 20 years ago. They are so beautiful, energetic, youthful, active, sweet, loyal, fun, and smart. Eddie fits the mold. Our first dog Winston was from puppy. Our next two dogs, Remi and Durango, were adopted from wonderful owners who had greatly loved and cared for their dogs. We still keep in touch with the owners! Eddie is our first true rescue dog. It was a bit scary not knowing anything about his background except that he was found in a crate in a barn. We were very concerned about his health at first, especially after losing Durango so suddenly on Easter day. But Eddie has since gained 10 pounds, has a beautiful shiny coat and is extremely energetic and playful. December 7th will be Eddie’s 2nd birthday. I brought him home on June 7th and was told that he was around 1 ½ years old. So we declared Eddie’s birthday to be the same day as my husband’s birthday! We are very grateful for Eddie. We feel that God brought Eddie into our lives because Durango was taken so quickly from us. It was almost like Durango had to pass on in order to rescue Eddie. We feel so blessed to have Eddie and so does Eddie. He loves our walks, long hikes, picnics and doggy park adventures. We were so proud of him when he graduated from Companion Dog Training School. There is one thing different about Eddie. He does very creative things like bopping the automatic feeder hard enough to get all of the food out. We even found the feeder turned completely upside down! I have tried 2 different ways to mount the feeder to the wall but Eddie has outsmarted me both times. So, when rescuing a Weimararner, one has to ask yourself “Are you smarter than a Weimaraner?” When my husband calls me up at work, I say “Oh no, what has Eddie done now?” And he will reply “Eddie has outsmarted you again.” Then I have to confess by saying “I may be a quality manager but I am not smarter than a Weimaraner!” Thank you Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue for finding our Eddie. He is a great dog. He is our “wonder dog”. – June and Jim

His name is Danny Boy

When he first came to us Danny Boy wouldn’t even go outside by himself. We had to stay outside with him. He loved to mouth and chew and jump up on people. Gradually he improved his behavior. Not that he’s perfect, but he now chews on his toys and rarely puts his teeth on us. After living with Danny Boy for about ten months, we took him to The Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue Fun Day - where the principal activity was a fun hunt. Danny Boy impatiently waited his turn to search the field for quail. When he finally got out there, he proved to be an amazingly talented hunter. He found a quail, pointed and waited without moving a muscle while my husband flushed the bird. The quail flew off into the woods. Danny followed and soon returned with the live bird held gently in his mouth. He dropped it at my husband’s feet! This hunting skill proved to be genuine when we came to a training day two weeks later. Danny Boy found and pointed at least four quail each time he went out. He just seemed to know exactly what to do without ever having hunted at all! His latest accomplishment, three weeks after his first introduction to hunting, is to have earned his first two legs toward a Junior Hunter ranking. Danny Boy has definitely found his calling. He found and pointed six quail his first day and earned the highest score of all the Junior Hunter dogs. We are so proud of him, but most of all he has become a wonderful addition to our family. We are truly thankful to our friends, Charlene and Don, who fostered him and talked us into taking a look at him. It was love at first sight because he is beautiful. It has been great to see Danny Boy make big improvements in almost everything. And he is only nineteen months old!
Jan

Ms Lucy (FKA Lily) & Her Brother, Gilbert

     We got Gilbert [Lee], a blue eyed grey/tan male Weim, in the spring of 2008 as a puppy. He was going to be my therapy animal as I re-habbed from some physical problems. About 11 months ago the over exuberant puppy caused me to fall and break my back. To make matters worse shortly thereafter Gilbert charged a motorcycle – knocking the Marine off the bike, knocking the bike over and ripping his own right front brachial plexus nerve out by the root. Months of therapy and prayer did not solve the problem and Gilbert finally lost his right front leg. The good news is Gilbert doesn’t seem to know any better & seems just as strong and fast now as then at 85 pounds. His high energy helped us decide to adopt a rescue Weim, Lily.
     We now call her Ms Lucy or Lucille – as in”… Lucy you’ve got some splain’ to do…” Lucy is a permanent addition and it was a quick adjustment for her and Gilbert. Gilbert is the Alpha dog but Ms Lucy stands her ground. They love to run together, cuddle together and sleep together.  My wife sometimes calls them “Aid and Abet.” It seems that Lucy is the brains of the operation [being the older more experienced woman] and poor Gilbert is simply used for his brawn in their escapades. The two of them have so far unrolled an empty dog food bag – filleted it and licked it clean of every crumb with nary a scrap of paper of mess. Additional “crimes:” opening garbage sacks, learning how to lock the bedroom door, learning how to open the bedroom door with the handle/lever, two Weim noses wedging open the slider, chasing, catching and partially eating Geckos [great fun], counter surfing and getting at the whole doggie treat container, snatching one of my prized muffins and the latest, opening and partially eating the “friendship bread” starter mix.
     We are not sure what will come next but we love them dearly. They make us laugh. The graceful, almost shy Lucy and the boisterous young Gilbert are quite a loving pair, who would just as soon cuddle with you [we don’t need heating pads or electric blankets] as run after squirrels.
     John and Ms. Betty

Cinder

     After moving to North Carolina from Michigan in 2005, my husband and I adopted 8-week old Busa and fell in love immediately! A few years later, after fencing in our yard, we decided she needed a playmate. However, the first Weim we brought home on a trial run attacked Busa. Even though we felt strongly about adopting a rescue, we decided maybe a puppy would be the way to go.
     I happened to be browsing Pet Finder one Friday in May, and saw Cinder’s picture. I thought she was so precious with her pink collar and I inquired about her and filled out the adoption application. Her foster mom called me the very next day and we spoke for quite a while about Cinder.  She invited us out to visit to bring Busa to see if the two were compatible, and they were! We were in love immediately. Cinder was so sweet and playful; full of energy and still very much a puppy at seven months. We came back to get her the next day, and she has settled into our lives perfectly.
     She and Busa play nonstop and love to snuggle; they are the best of friends. Cinder is well-behaved, walks great on a leash, can sit and shake, and has grown quite a bit since we’ve had her. Her favorite activities include chasing after birds, howling-yes howling-at people walking by and "stealing" our clothes to lay on (she doesn't chew them; we think she likes them because they smell like us).
     We are so thankful for Cinder in our lives, and for the opportunity to support such an amazing organization that is near and dear to our hearts. Thank you!
     Jennifer

Gabby

Our family feels so blessed to have Gabby in our lives. She is so active and keeps us all motivated.

We spent a lot of time boating this summer with the girls and the dogs. I wanted to send you a few pictures of Gabby. 

She loves swimming! She swims with our daughters, jogs with me, boats with the family, chases balls with my daughter's field hockey team, and loves to snuggle with our chocolate lab, Ajax. He and Gabby are inseparable and I can't imagine our lives without her.

Thank you so much for bringing her into our lives.

Wendy

Bella

We were lucky to rescue Bella a year ago and she has improved greatly during this past year. She has gained weight and is in perfect shape. When she is out she gets a lot of attention. People are taken back by her cute tiny body and her sweetness. Her coat has also improved greatly, she is so soft and beautiful! Many times you will see her with her nails painted pink - a real girly girl.

Bella enjoys running on the trail in back of our home and through the field with her new brother (or she may think of him as her son) Twizzler. She has shown off her hunting skills many times by capturing a huge owl and other birds.

She loves the doggie bar, doggie park, and K-9 Camp.

It's great to see how she has progressed this past year. There came a time when we said that she has finally adopted us!

We are so happy and thankful to Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue for finding Bella to be our match!

Good luck to everyone searching.

Danielle

Dakota Rae 

From the first time we saw Miss Dakota Rae, we fell in love with her. Her personality came through even on the internet!! On our arrival home, Dakota took to her new surroundings like she was meant to be there. We thought she might have some separation anxiety from her original family, but she moved in without seeming to miss a beat. Dakota is a joy to have in our family, and after twenty years since our last dogs, we are very blessed to have her in our lives. We didn't realize the hole in our hearts was so deep, and she will also play a role in helping with rehab for our youngest son who is recovering from a major car accident.

She loves her daily walks and loves meeting other kids. On Saturday mornings we go to Mt. Trashmore and she loves seeing the other doggies, but ESPECIALLY likes meeting the occasional other Weims and Weim owners that show up! We also got to see a dock diving exhibition...we think she'd be a great dock diving dog. We'll find out soon if that is her cup of tea or not. She definitely has the speed for it!!

Thank you TWR for assisting us in finding Dakota. We especially wish to thank her original family...for taking such great care of her and for allowing us to adopt her. She is awesome and behaves like she has always been with us. We couldn't have asked for a better rescue.

Ken and Yvonne

Mischa 

All is well! From March 'til May she's gained over ten pounds, eyes clear, coat shiny, great attitude, and is most loving and lovable!  She was present with every cut and split of fifteen cords of wood, so we'll be warm, and many neighbors too, come winter in the mountains.

Thanks for the notes and mail of support and encouragement. Mischa has her own personality - sock stealer and food consumer par excellence (if you let her.) She loves her home in the mountains and is a great companion and friend!

Blessings to all, Dick (and Mischa, too)

Tahti 

Isn't she beautiful? She's a dog with such sense and good manners and so many endearing idiosyncrasies. When she sits with me and wags her tail, she checks to see what that swishing sound is against the carpet behind her. She's not an especially early riser. Her blanket is the top one on my bed - it's blue. She looks adorable with her big yawn peering out from under her blanket. It's the same blanket she and my little granddaughter sit under while the three of us read books. Cricket climbs up on my bed and wants ahti and "blue covers."

Tahti never rushes a doorway, always waiting until the door is fully opened. She never takes anything off the dinner table or counter, though I did once turn around to find her standing on the counter to look out the window. Her intelligence comes through when she's caught in a mischief. She only needs corrected once, and it only takes a stern word.

She's still a puppy and has her moments, but she's an absolute love and a wonderful companion. I am truly blessed to have her and can't thank you enough.

Jo 

Nellie 

Well, it's been about two years now, and Nellie is truly our daughter. When we adopted her, you met Jasper, our baby boy, who at the time, was only two. Sadly, we had to put him down after he went into acute renal failure. Nellie knew immediately, and took it badly. We figured the best way to honor his memory, and cheer her up, would be to adopt another shepherd. Now, Reilley is a part of our family, and he is really wearing her out. I'll send some pictures of them together, if I can ever get them to slow down!

Christopher 

Max 

Things are going great. He is very attached to me...maybe a little too attached :) He really doesn't like it when I leave, tries to hold me in by my clothes.

He loves going to the dog park and playing ball, he could do this all day as long as it isn't raining. If it's raining he just wants to get back in the car and go home.

He is great on and off the leash and he listens very well most of the time. When he runs with me he runs so close that I trip over him at least three times.

We had a pretty big snow last week and I took him out in it. Once we got to an open area I let him off the leash and he ran back towards the house. He stopped, picked something up and ran back to me....my glove....I had dropped it without knowing! I might sign up for a tracking class with him, I think he would do well. He is funny. As soon as the sun goes down he gets into his chair and is out until morning.

Shannon 

Sam (I-Am)

Here's the latest on our boy, Sam -  full of the devil! When he came to us he was a little squirt - never thought he would be a big boy, but at this young age he weighs in at about 85 pounds - all muscle! He is our irrepressible, smart, mischievous, obedient, loving, smart, energetic, affectionate, did I say SMART? wonderful guy and we adore him! We have an older rescue Weimaraner named Reilly who was diagnosed with prostate cancer the end of last September. He is still with us and thriving under our diligent care. I believe he knows that he must stay around just a little bit longer to teach Sam how to be a good Weimaraner. He is patient and ever the stalwart teacher - and Sam "knows" he must be respectful of him. Watching them in the woods with Sam bounding after Reilly takes your breath away and reminds you of how little time we have with these wonderful animals. They offer us unconditional love and we are in their debt because of it. Sam has not come quietly into our lives - he bounded in full force with wagging tail and open heart. I only hope he knows how much we love him back...

Note:  We are so sorry to report that Sam's mentor and friend, Reilly, crossed the Rainbow Bridge on April 2, 2009.  He will be greatly missed.

Smo-kee

We have found this dog to be incredible, better than I would have thought coming from a "rescue." We needed a few weeks to get settled into my life style, once that was over, I don't know how I had lived as long as I did without him in my life. We started with short walks, now we are up to 3.2 miles each and every day, rain or snow. Up the side of the mountain, with apple in hand for the two draft horses up the road. He has learned to walk beside me without pulling the lead.

He fetches to my hand anything thrown. He sits at my feet waiting for me to do something, and if I don't do anything but watch TV, he sits and waits until I move and he follows me anywhere and every where. Smo-kee goes with me everywhere, he loves riding in the car. Smo-kee is learning to walk on the treadmill, and is learning to put his toys away when told to. I love this Dog, his unconditional love for me is overwhelming and welcomed... Thank you for doing what you do, I only wish I could save all the rescue dogs.

Ric

Pierce

I have to say that Pierce has lived up to the "Love Bug" nickname. He is such a charismatic and loving boy!

He has put on a few pounds and is so strong and happy. When he takes me for our daily walk (he leads me well!), so many people will stop and say what a handsome and well behaved dog he is. He is a great workout plan!!

He is in heaven with the children in the neighborhood, and my family just adores him. They make special trips just to see him.

He is so intelligent and he learns things so quickly. He can sit for hours chewing on his squirrel or chipmunk toys and be content. He has found a wonderful home and I have found the best four legged pal in the world!

Thank you so much to Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue, especially to Suzan and her family, for rescuing my best buddy! He has brought so much joy and love into my life that I don't think I will ever know how to thank you all enough!

Jamie & your Love Bug Pierce

Mr. Darcy

Please meet Mr. Darcy, tall, dark, handsome, and (almost) a perfect gentleman. Just a few weeks ago, January 3, 2009, we picked up Mr. Darcy, then known as Mike, from the Dog Club in Wilmington where he had been fostered and lovingly cared for since August. It took him just a few days to settle in and to realize that this was really 'it'.

Since then, we have been watching in amazement how his personality is coming out and shines a cheerful light on all who are in contact with him. He is everything one can ever hope for in a dog and is willing to put up with in a Weimaraner. Smart, gentle, loving, exuberant, funny. He is also inventive when it comes to making things into toys. He has a gift for interior design and has already indicated that some of our pillows really did not fit well and were better removed. He is one of the big boys and has a remarkable reach when getting up on his legs. Since he puts anything into his mouth that will fit there, we had to make certain adjustments, particularly in the kitchen. Wouldn't it be nice to have more space on top of the refrigerator?

We have a personal training business and train our clients at our home studio. Of course, it is important that we lead by example, and we are proud to announce that Mr. Darcy has already learned to balance on a half ball known as Bosu. We are grateful to the Weimaraner Rescue for being there for him when he needed urgent help. We are looking forward to many happy years with Mr. Darcy and can't wait for the first Weim event with the club.

Rufus and Karin with Mr. Darcy

Smoke

After losing our last Weimaraner to old age, we decided a rescue situation would be ideal for our next one. Smoke, a young male blue Weim, was listed on Petfinder.com by the Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue Group. His age was ideal to still be able to obedience train and to settle into a new home, his forever home. He has adjusted well to his new home, including a big brother Doberman. He finished obedience school and did well, although sometimes the stubborn Weim mood prevails!

Adopting a Weimaraner is wonderful, but the best part came when he adopted us, and the bond became apparent 3 weeks or so after we brought him home.

Laura

Gracie

Gracie’s really a wonderful dog - a distinct transformation from the shy, but loveable dog she was on the first day we met last July. She's gained a lot of confidence and independence, but we're still very attached to one another. Our trainer recommended that we work toward our Good Canine Citizen Certification. And while we have a bit of work to do, it's a great goal and she makes me so proud. It's almost funny what she'll do for a treat during our training sessions. We're also working on hand signals and a few new verbal commands. Santa treated her very well - she must have been a good dog this year. She was so funny - like a young child, not knowing which toy to play with first and instead plays with them all. She had us laughing hysterically for a good twenty minutes - I was wishing we had video rolling.

She's just the light of my life and always brings a smile to my face. Yesterday was her second birthday and she received special birthday calls from my family and lots of hugs. She had a great birthday dinner and a nice long walk - even a quick trip to PetSmart (which was her first) for a little extra stimulation. We frequent the dog park regularly and it's amazing to watch her body language change - she's just so happy and it's evident in her movements. We'll have a vet appointment in January to x-ray her hips to see how much involvement she should have in my jogging routine, something I think she'd definitely enjoy. She also seems to have quite a good nose - it makes think she would enjoy field work. Thank you for helping Gracie and me find each other. I'm so lucky to have her in my life.

Susan

JoJo

Two weeks after Zeke, our Weimaraner, died at the age of 14, my partner, Brad, despite not wanting to see Weims, found a picture posted by an Asheville pharmacist and dog rescuer who had retrieved "Roman" from the Asheville NC animal shelter that afternoon. Casual emails with her and with Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue indicated that Roman was to be adopted by a couple in South Carolina, but needed someone to house him for the weekend in the Raleigh area on his way south. With both of us still very much in grief, Brad hesitantly asked me if I thought we could handle it? Certainly we could DO IT, but could we emotionally HANDLE IT? My intuition told me that having a 2-year-old in the house--temporarily, of course--might be just what we needed to lighten our spirits, to nudge us out of our grief. What a wonderful, crazy energy Weims add to a house! After discussions marked more by silence than words, we decided to do our good deed. I drove to Greensboro on a Thursday afternoon and picked Roman up. I almost cried when I saw him: he was emaciated and had the skittish demeanor of a dog who has seen too much change. Eager to please, and desperately needing love, he inched his way from the backseat forward into the passenger seat and then, carefully, rested his heavy head on my lap as I drove home to Chapel Hill. Although I wasn't ready to admit it, I suppose I knew at that moment I couldn't let him go. Some special bond formed the moment he looked up at me with those pleading eyes. Later that night, Brad and Roman watched TV on the sofa: I wasn't the only one in love. I also wasn't the only one unable to profess my love.

Because the couple in SC were on vacation, the "weekend housing" turned into a week, then two. In the meantime we went about healing him as best we knew how: took him to a good vet for a check-up, prepared homemade rice and chicken food for his sensitive stomach, gave him plenty of exercise to toughen up his baby-soft pads. Our GSP, Zoe, took to him quickly, his playing the pawn to her queen (their relationship is still so and they get along famously). The second weekend we took him to the beach: Roman was still destined for SC, though. Brad was adamant he couldn't handle the commitment so soon after Zeke's death. Not to mention that neither of us even knew if keeping him--short of kidnapping!--was even an option. But Roman continued to work his emotional magic, and Brad, conflicted, gave me the go-ahead: "I can't tell you no if this is what you really want to do." It was. I called Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue and they agreed.

Two years later, Roman--renamed JoJo for a reason neither of us remembers--couldn't be happier. He roams our two-acre wooded lot like the Weim he is, hunting, finding cool places to nap, protects us with his barked warnings. He loves the outdoors, but, as with every weim I've ever known, is also quite content to spend hours on the couch with his owners and a squeaky toy or bone. Wherever we are is where he wants to be. After five starter families, he is truly home. Although the first two years of his life were a struggle, I like to think he hit the jackpot on his sixth. We're as much in love with him as he is with us. And that's the way it should be.

Gilliam and Brad

Conrad

Conrad has finished several "classes" at the Rocky Mount PetSmart with trainer Sybil Howard. The hope is for him to mature enough to go through Good Citizen's training. LOL He has a few things to work on before he is ready to take that step.

He is a typical Weim.....curious about everything. Loves to steal the gum from my purse which I now hide in the closet when I get in from work. Wants to eat the cat but will settle for a quick rummage through the kitchen garbage. And of course, he loves the water. He is, as you well know, not picky about the type of water he enjoys. It can be a pristine lake or simple commode water. It all makes him happy.

He is very large at 120 pounds...I think he is a bit lardish but the Vet assures us he is fine. We are working with the trainer on some agility exercises. It has been a little difficult because of his size to find equipment he can pass through. LOl He doesn't mind the tight fit. If there is a treat at the other end....he will chew through the equipment if need be.

He is wonderful. The smartest dog we have ever known. Everything in the house has a bolt or a lock because Conrad knows how to open all doors, gates and the kitchen window. His only tools are his nose and his huge paws. The Vet has to lock his cage when he is visiting or he escapes and wanders about the clinic until spotted by a Vet assistant.

Thank you for all you do to help find these wonderful animals find a loving home. Thank you for the opportunity to experience this breed for myself. My husband had Weims as a child and has loved them ever since. I now understand why Scott is so loyal to the breed.

Sheri

Maxx

First we added the extra X to Maxx’s name, just to be different from all the other dogs named Max, and then issued his full name for formal events: “Maxxwell Silver Hammer Head Smart-Moore.” I think there was a bonding on the first day Maxx and I met. I was sitting on the steps of his foster parents’ deck and Maxx came up and laid his head in my lap. A week later he was stuck to me like glue (or maybe me stuck to him...it was hard to tell.) He has been with us for over two years now, and it has all been positive. We had the normal pet adjustments where he seemed to be a little reserved for the first week or so. One of his jobs was to make sure I did my walks in the afternoon, and after miles of walks combined with a stellar performance at obedience school, he accepted us and has been the best dog I have ever had.

He learned the invisible fence process faster than I thought possible, and unlike any dog I have had will keep an eye on you when you are walking in the woods off leash. On weekends we meet a group of other dog owners in a local State Park and let the dogs run, play, and swim off leash. I have never seen him be anything but good with the other dogs, and even during those play times he returns to make sure I am not getting into any trouble. He likes to lie by our feet with one paw touching our foot to make sure we don’t get away. Sometimes he will just plop down on both feet, which is nice in winter as he is always warm. He is not a barker. I think I have only heard him bark two or three times in the years we have had him. He will sit and watch strangers while the Jack Russell barks and invites them in. I personally like this reserved watch and warn position, even though I know if someone broke in Maxx would lead the perp straight to the cookie jar!

George and Beth

Blair

We were looking for a young Weim, and we adopted Blair, found as a stray in Asheville, NC. It was a perfect match! Blair is great, very energetic and loves her people, plus gets along great with our dachshund terrier mix. Blair loved sitting on our back porch in Salisbury waiting for the birds and squirrels to come into the yard and then chase them all back out again. We have now moved to Asheville, where Blair was originally found, and have been taking her to a large dog park on the French Broad River. She is slowly learning to play with the other dogs, and she really loves swimming in the river!

Thank you so much for helping bring us together!

Matt and Anna

Stella

Hard to believe that Stella (formerly known as Paris) has been with us for over 2 years – she turns 4 in October. She is slowly growing up – but still has her moments of pure puppy enthusiasm – great fun! Here she is on vacation in the mountains – both the pond and the duck watching were a big hit.

Thanks Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue for bringing our Stella to us – she is a joy – a very good dog, funny personality, plus a key part of our family.

Bill & Angela

Mickey

Mickey was transported to his new home in a private plane. We have NEVER sent off one of our Rescue Weimies in such style!!!! His new owner writes:

I just don't know what to say. Mickey is the most loving, kind, friendly, social dog. Kathy and I and Mickey bonded in just 48hrs (He jumped into our bed the first night and snores loudly!)

He plays with my four year old grand son and is just so sweet. He has gone on many walks with me and loves our fenced in back yard he runs like a deer--sooooo fast!

We love him and are lucky you allowed Kathy & me to adopt him.

Frederick

Ryleigh

When I originally sought out Ryleigh, I was looking for a companion for my wife, and a good outside dog fit for service as a guardian. Naturally, things have not turned out quite as planned...Ryleigh now spends more time indoors than out, and is quite the clever little moocher. We (and the neighbors) also discovered her propensity towards kleptomania early on, but I'm sure she just thinks she is bringing home a gift for her "mama"!

Needless to say, Ryleigh is one happy camper here in the country, and particularly enjoys our pond where she swims regularly. She has turned out to be the smartest Weim I have ever owned, and is eager to please. We both love her very much, and I think our German Shepherd "Rocky" loves her too, now that he has gotten used to sleeping in her dog house instead of his (she moved him out the very first day).

Thanks ever so much for pairing us up with Ryleigh, and as soon as we have room for another pet we'll certainly be in touch.

Mike

Tara & Lexie

We came to TWR the weekend after Thanksgiving 2007 after losing our beloved 6 year old female Pearl to Mast Cell cancer. You were very patient with our persistent calls and e-mails, and eventually called us to travel to a kill shelter north of Charlotte and rescue Tara on what was to have been her last day, the week before Christmas. We are thankful that nobody else was available to go and get her and that we decided to keep her for our own. We cannot imagine life without this 10-year old girl.

Our incessant love of Weims, and the realization that our 4 year old rescue Male Staffordshire Terrier could not suffer the loss of another beloved big ears in the near future, prompted us to seek your services again in January after we found 3 year old Lexie on your website. After a brief visit with the previous owners, it became apparent that her chewing issues were from lack of exercise. Her previous chewing habits have never occurred since we brought her home with us, and she has progressed into our morning alarm clock when she begins whining for us to get up and begin her day with a run.

When she came to us she was shy of men and not very affectionate, but now she is a docile lady that paws your arm when you stop petting her. In this picture from January 2008, you will see that (Tara in the foreground and Lexie never too far away) are tired from one of their daily runs. Their lives are radically different, with daily runs, swims, sun-bathing sessions, trips to Lake Michigan, and the mountains of Virginia…we can only hope we are as large a blessing to each of them as they are to us. Thanks for allowing us to work with your organization. We may be in touch soon to assist with fostering additional Weims.

The Bates Family

Bogart

We came down to Raleigh, NC area to pick up Bogart (previously known as Gibson) in March. He has been a wonderful addition to our family. Our older greyhound tolerated him at first, but now he seems to have given the older boy more spring in his step.

Bogart still has bright dreamy eyes. They look baby blue in the sunlight and bluish-green inside. He is a loving dog. He is the hit of the dog park. He loves to run and play.

Our neighbors comment frequently on how surprised they are that our dogs don't bark. Then just when we were being proud of that, a new neighbor moved in with a grill that has a red color on it, Bogart growls and barks at it!?!? It is good that he is protecting us from the killer grill.

He is a counter surfer, I'm not sure we'll ever break him of that. We are just being trained to never leave anything in his reach. He graduated his first doggie training class as you can see in the picture. He loved the tunnel and plays agility dog in our house by going behind the couches and finding ways to crawl under tables to get out. He did train very easily except for loose lead walking. That we are still working on.

Thank you so much for our first Weim, we couldn't have asked for a better fit in our family.

Karla, Herb, Dino and Bogart

Sam

Here's our new boy! Has he grown, or what? He's the best boy - smart, funny and wants to please! He is doing excellent with crate training/housebreaking and he knows, even when he's sleeping, that you've left the room!

He loves being close to people and has learned to sit already! His big brothers are trying to get used to his exuberance and actually let him go through open doors first! HA!

I cannot tell you how much he has stolen our hearts - what a character! And as I know his "puppy days" are far from being over, and there will be surprises and chewed things and accidents in the house, I am ready, willing, and able to handle whatever comes our way if Sam is here with us. He's part of our family now and we love him unconditionally.

Thank you, Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue for this opportunity to have Sam in our lives. He is a gift, he is a joy! We'll be sending more updates along the journey...

Warm regards,
Judy & Don

Riley

"Riley truly lives "The Life of Riley" with his adoptive family in Silver City, New Mexico during the school year, and at the family farm on the coast of South Carolina during the summer. About his many travels and adventures, his family wrote: Riley was surprised to find that he could not walk on lily pads as the spider he chased out of the boat was able to do. I wish I had a picture of him coming up with a lily pad on his head...eyes wide with surprise! Also, I wish I had a video of him diving for his Frisbee that went in the water one day...he kept swimming out to it and his paw would push it under as he paddled...he would then dive underwater to get it. Riley would not leave until he retrieved that Frisbee.

The first place I took Riley was the dog park when we returned to Silver City. The only three dogs there when we arrived were all Weims. Riley thought he had gone to heaven. We have met six Weims altogether since returning to Silver City. Riley continues to enjoy his frisbee, although he was upset when a psychotic Beagle tore one to pieces with the owner giving us only a shoulder shrug. We now leave the dog park if the beagle arrives. As I write, Riley has climbed from under my desk at work to let me know he needs to go out.

Here is a picture of him in all the snow we had several months ago. He is sporting his new winter line of dog clothes..."Riley Wear"...LOL! He is checking out the snowman that was made from all the shoveling I did.

Thank you again for introducing us to the best dog we have ever had!

Oliver

Oliver is SUCH a special boy and we love him dearly!!!! I guess God intended for him to be with us after being listed on your site for so long with no interest from anyone. He has found his forever home and he really loves living with us. He is so smart and loyal and just such a joy to have in our home!!! We can not even imagine not having him as part of our family! After coming to our home his entire personality changed and he is the most well-behaved dog in our home.....LOL. He has full run of our house with our female weim and our jack russell.....he is not a counter surfer.........I can take him out off-leash and he is VERY obedient. He still has to have a blanket to drag around the house and he is sooooo cute with it!

We could not have found a better dog to fit into our home and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for finding him for us. He is now the perfect weight and FULL of energy and so healthy!

Kathy

Rainer

Hi! Just wanted to update you on Rainer. He is a 5 year old male weimaraner that was being fostered with Dyana at the Dog Club of Wilmington in July. He has settled in nicely with our 12 year old male cocker spaniel. They are couch potatoes together during the day. We recently went to visit our granddaughter in Warrenton, VA and Rainer bonded quite well with our daughter's dogs. She has a 12 year old male mini dachshund, a 4 year old female german shepherd, and a 3 year old siberian husky.

Everyone describes Rainer as "majestic". I think that fits. He is sweet, gentle, loving, rarely barks, never messes in the house, always lets us know when he wants out, jumps into the jacuzzi tub to be bathed, and loves to be brushed. If I didn't have to work, I'd want 3 more of him! He rides well in the car and where we go, he goes. We can't wait to take him on vacation to the oceanfront next summer! I bought him a "chaise lounge" bed that perfectly matches the color of his coat and if he didn't have his blue collar on, we wouldn't be able to see him on it!

The vet thinks he's gorgeous and he gave kisses to all the other dogs in the waiting room when we left. What else can I say? He's a keeper!

Thanks to all of you!
Gloria & Dom

Beamer

We adopted Beamer (previously Cooper) in August 2007. We already had a 6 month old female Weimaraner named Daisy and Beamer seemed like the perfect playmate for her. We drove down from Virginia Beach to meet him and knew right away that he was going to come home with us.

He and Daisy were fast friends immediately! For the first few weeks, he even preferred to sleep with her in her crate at night rather than in his own alone, and they love wresting, playing tug with their toys, and chasing each other around the yard. From the moment he walked into the house that first night, he seemed to know exactly which spots Daisy liked best – under my desk while I work, right on her bed (whether she’s already on it or not!), and her favorite kitchen rug. He even taught Daisy how to jump up on the couch and bed.

Beamer has grown so much and filled out quite a bit (he was a Parvo pup) and is a really happy guy. He’s gotten a lot more comfortable and confident since we brought him home - he will counter surf every chance he gets just to see what goodies he can find and he is always coming over to lean on us to ask for a good back scratch. He still loves to be with us and never lets us get too far from sight even at the park or beach.

He is such a sweet, mellow, and loving dog. He’s fit right in and found his place in our home and our hearts. We can’t imagine life without him!! Thank you!

Bailey

Hank

My husband Rob and I first heard about the Weimaraners that were rescued in Raleigh from a puppy mill in December of 2006. Our hearts went out to the poor souls that had such a rough and unfortunate past. But we were at capacity with our 3 Weims, one of which, Zack, we had just adopted from TWC in September of 2006. But in May of 2007 our boy, 11 yr old Zack, became very ill and we lost him in June. The loss was heartbreaking but after a short time and lots of tears later, we decided to start looking for a new family member.

I immediately began checking Petfinders and the first time I saw Hank, then called Buddy, my heart went out to him. I read the story of this shy, skittish boy; I saw his piece of ear that was missing and I knew he was the one. For a couple of weeks I corresponded with Hank's foster mom and became more convinced than ever that this was meant to be. And just 3 weeks after losing our beloved Zack, I loaded up the car with our two Weims, Avery & Wallace and we made the 3.5 hour trip to pick up Hank...

We’ve now had him 11 months and he continues to improve everyday. He is our shadow and just loves to snuggle. Once he learned he could sit on the couch, it fast became his favorite spot. And it doesn’t matter who is on it, he’ll plop right down on you if need be. We just love Hank and couldn’t imagine life without him. Hank and our newest rescue, Ellie, just love each other! They snuggle on their dogs beds together and thoroughly enjoy their days together at doggie daycare. We feel blessed to have Hank as apart of our family and truly appreciate him for the wonderful Weimaraner that he is.

Our thanks to Melissa and her family and Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue for taking such good care of him, while he waited for us.

Christi & Rob

Ruby

As you know, we lost our Weimaraner in November. We were both devastated and filled with sadness. I have lost dogs before and I know the only cure for that ache in your heart is another dog.

My husband and I contacted the Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue and we quickly received our new joy! Her name is Ruby, who was seven months old. She is a beautiful, obedient, smart and great natured dog!!! She is so much fun and we love her very much! We can't say enough about the Rescue. They were very helpful from the first phone call.

Thank you Don and Rebecca, Lisa and Rick and most of all Rosi and Ruby. We have been very blessed!

Sincerely,
John & Laure

Icey

Ice joined our family February 14,2007. We call her Icey. She was 7 years old and had been a breeder in a kennel. When she no longer was needed for producing puppies, she was given to the Weimareiner rescue. She was fostered for a while and given much love. It seemed that all she required was a family to love her and spend time with her.

Icey certainly hit the dog lottery when she came to live with us. She has learned to live with 3 house cats. One was a little kitten that was abandoned in the neighborhood so I took her in and Icey and I fed her with a bottle. Icey did the nurturing for the kitten. The kitten plays hide and seek with Icey. She also has an outside kitten who runs and jumps on her when she runs by. She will make a whining noise when she sees the kitten outside the fence. The kitten comes running when she hears Icey.

Icey has become very attached to my grandsons who stay with me while their parents work. My Mother also lives with us and requires my care. When Mom is having a really bad day, Icey walks over to her and lays her head on her chest and keeps close check. On the occasions that I have called an ambulance, Icey just will not leave her side until Mom is put in the ambulance.

We recently took Icey to the beach on vacation which she thoroughly enjoyed. She loved having all of the people on the beach coming up to her and petting her. She also goes with me to pick up my grandson at preschool 3 mornings a week and sometimes goes on the playground with the children. Icey has brought this family much joy.

Duma

Duma joined our family in August of 2006. A family member had owned a Weim several years ago, so I knew this was the breed I wanted. My partner (Buddy) and I moved into our home in August of ’06, so I began the process of adoption in June of that year.

Duma was rescued by a wonderful foster mother who found him wandering around, half-starved, in the Pisgah Mountains near Asheville. Because of her compassion and the generosity and care of a local vet, our boy was spared.

Duma was a joy from the start. Buddy was a little apprehensive about adopting a Weim, since I had regaled him with tales about how rambunctious and full of energy the breed was. Within a week, he was hooked and loved Duma as much as I did.

My daughter was a little dubious about how he would react to my granddaughter since he’s not used to children, but, as you can see, she didn’t have to worry.

Not only is Duma a valued member of our family, he’s my protector, my friend and companion. I don’t know how we’d manage without him.

Tatum

Our rescue pup Tatum (formerly Thyme) is doing fantastic!

She has grown like a weed - now weighs 50 pounds but appears to be all legs. She has been a lot of fun to watch grow. Her personality is completely different than our four year olds. She has taken charge. When she is not terrorizing her older brother she is a complete cuddle bug. There is not much in between - it's either wide open or curled up in your lap.

We love her to death and can't thank you and your organization enough for saving her and bringing us together.

Fletcher & Daisy

"It's going to be your dog," I told my boyfriend before he went to pick up Daisy from her foster home. I wanted a mutt and didn't know why he had to drive half way across North Carolina to pick up a dog he'd never met. Couldn't we just go down to the pound and pick out a cute puppy? Then I saw Daisy. Daisy became my running partner and our snuggle buddy. She made an appearance in our engagement photographs and regularly receives mail from grandma. She is the third member of our family and we couldn't imagine life without her.

That would be a nice happily ever after, but we decided that Daisy needed a friend. We hesitated for over a year until one day the Rescue Newsletter came in the mail with a photo and story of another rescue Weim whose mom had recently adopted a friend to keep the first dog company. We were searching on the Rescue website the next day for the right addition. Enter Chuck, who came to us within a week from the Rescue Club. We decided that Chuck was really Fletcher, but other than that we didn't really know what to do with him. Fletcher was tall, gangly, skinny, very smelly, and sick. He was super sweet and just wanted to sit on us.

Fletcher thought Daisy was the prettiest dog he'd ever seen but Daisy seemed confused as to why we brought a big goofy dog to live with us, especially when he didn't know not to pee inside, bite at other dogs, take things off the kitchen counter (especially kitchen knives, which he did!), and wail and screech every time he was left alone. Our neighbors asked whose dog we were pet sitting and why did he bark so much! Slowly but surely, my husband taught Fletcher most of the rules and he's enlisted the help of a local dog training club to hammer home the point that it's not acceptable to gobble up our food every time we turn our back. After the first few weeks ignoring him, Daisy has decided that it's actually pretty fun to play with Fletcher, especially on the rug they have decided is their wrestling ring.

The four of us are a funny family and I think we learn a lot about life every day from each other. Living in our house is louder and smellier now, but its so much better. We don't sleep as long or hard as we once did, but we laugh a ton more. Thanks for giving us Daisy and Fletcher!

Luke

We adopted Luke a bit over a month ago and it is amazing how quickly he has become a full-fledged member of our family. The first few days were an adventure of figuring out each other and I'll have to say that Luke did a remarkable job at this. He amazed us at his ability to fit in, to explore new things and places, to accept new people and animals and to remain happy and loving through it all. When I look back at his first day compared to how he is today I am so very impressed...if only people could adapt and learn so quickly! Luke has likely traveled around NC more in the past month than most NC humans, going from the far west of the state to the far east and exploring the best of both extremes. He's hiked the trails of NC, happily chasing falling acorns. He's run the beaches, happily chasing blowing seaweed. He's learned how to ride in a boat and, although he doesn't care for water very much, he's learned that when everyone else jumps off of the boat he'd better follow or he'll miss out on all the fun. He's learned to sit, come, down, heel, stay and touch.....at least when there are treats involved.

There were specific things that I worried about in adopting a rescued dog, things that I'm sure most people considering adoption worry about, such as would I miss the puppy fun, would he have problems bonding with a new family or would he have unrecoverable behavior traits that had forced his previous family to give him up. With Luke I can say none of these fears have been realized. He is only a bit over a year old and exhibits enough puppy behavior for anyone. He LOVES toys, he loves running and interactive playing. He immediately bonded with us. From the very first day, it was clear to me that I was his person and he was my dog.

I want to thank Tarheel Weimaraner Rescue for making this adoption possible...rescuing Weimaraner-less families!

Bailey

For all the world to Know: Bailey has adopted us (Boston Terriers Fred & Myrtle Jean, Barbara Jean, Baileys new mom, and me) and approves her new home here in the mountains of Rural NC where she runs and plays and swims and comes when called and makes friends when introduced. She's very defensive of "her" truck and strangers who are inquisitive about it (just like Gus was).

She eats very well. So much so that it's tough not to give in to her voracious appetite, but a limit on her intake is a must to keep her girlish figure!  Vet check says she's a perfect Weimie and we're very blessed to have her to complete our lives!

My heartfelt thanks to each and every one or making this all possible. You're Great people full of love and compassion!

Blessings to all,
Dick