Zeus Is Adopted!

Zeus has quite a story. We received several messages, emails and texts about a GSP in the shelter who had only two days left before the shelter was going to euthanize him.

While more concerned individuals continued to message the Rescue about Zeus, volunteers available the next day replied to messages, rallying together and coordinating transportation to save Zeus. With the clock ticking, every moment felt crucial. Driven by the possibility of Zeus being euthanized, the California GSP rescue team pressed forward with a plan, and saved Zeus. There were smiles, pets, and tears as Zeus left the shelter and was transported one step closer to his forever home.

Rodrigo and Myra had seen Zeus’ story, and applied right away to adopt him. They had a 3 year old GSP named Obi who they thought would benefit from a companion to play with, and wanted to provide Zeus a forever home. We set up an initial telephone call, which ended up in an appointment for them to bring Obi to meet Zeus. At the end of the day, Obi got a new brother, Zeus got a family and a home to call his own, and we couldn’t be happier.

We have received some updates from Rodrigo and Myra since adopting Zeus that we wanted to share with you!

“Our first night was surprisingly better than we expected. Zeus didn’t cry or try to get out his crate at night. We all were able to sleep through the night. Greg did give us good pointers that helped with managing both dogs as we adjust to one another. Once we got home we let them roam the house and yard freely. After a few minutes we placed them in their kennels for a few minutes before letting them out again. We repeated that routine throughout the day. They are still getting used to one another. We can tell Zeus is shy still, and hasn’t come out of his shell, but is slowly making progress. We love that he started to show affection to Obi and it is amazing. We just got back from a walk at the lake and fed them. I was able to take this week off from work to help Zeus adjust. We are excited for Zeus to be part of our family & are grateful for everything the rescue has done to help Zeus get a second chance!

Zeus is just amazing, and he is definitely getting out of his shell. He is 100% a Velcro dog compare to other dogs we have had. We have been working on his in house manners. He is an amazing counter surfer, walking on a leash has been a night and day difference, we take him to the beach to work on his recall on a long leash, best part he is more open and willing to play with Obi. It’s nice to see the GSP tendencies bloom, he will sniff and point more than before. We are really thankful to have the opportunity to give him love and receive it from him too.

We can’t believe how quickly time has passed—it’s already been six months since Zeus became part of our family. During this time, he has really opened up and shown us just how great his personality is. We’ve noticed the trust and confidence he has around us and Obi. Every time I ask Zeus if he’s ready for his walk, he barks and jumps in circles to get his excitement out before we put his leash on. The same happens at feeding time: when I ask who’s hungry, Zeus barks and sprints to where their food is stored, making sure we’re filling their bowls. Once he confirms, he sprints back to his kennel and waits patiently for the command to eat. We’ve set up two baby gates around the house to keep Obi and Zeus out of the kitchen and prevent them from going upstairs. Both understand the purpose of these gates, but they can easily conquer them at any moment. Obi paws at the gate to get it open, and Zeus hops over them without any struggle. Zeus’s prey drive has been kicking in, and he helps Obi dig up the gophers we have in the backyard. On walks, we’ve noticed that when his nose catches a scent, he goes into full hunter mode. During car rides, when we let him stick his head out, his nose goes into overdrive as he constantly sniffs to take in the new smells. On the way back home, if he’s tired, he cuddles up with Obi or rests his head on the center console. We’ve introduced Zeus to both my family and my wife’s family, and he gets along well with everyone. Both families have had the pleasure of taking care of him, and neither has reported anything negative, except for the amount of energy and attention they require. When we visit my parents, we take Zeus with us, and he does great around everyone, including the kids. When Zeus sleeps with us, we’ve noticed he likes to be as close as possible—he will push himself onto us to the point where we wake up near the edge of the bed. We’re extremely grateful to be part of his journey and are so happy to see him unfold into such a great family member”.

We are very grateful to Rodrigo and Myra for reaching out to us to inquire about Zeus after reading his story, and watching his video. Our hearts are full knowing how loved and cherished Zeus is, and now a part of a family who treasures him.

Below is a gallery of photos that give us a glimpse into the wonderful life that Zeus has now.