Articles

Zoey

December 25, 2020 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

MEET ZOEY.

December 23rd. CalWEAR received a CODE RED message from Riverside County Animal Shelter in the evening for a “Weimaraner” who was mauled by the dogs she lived with. She was found by Animal Control alone and abandoned under a car after neighbors reported a dog fight and then howling and crying. When owners were confronted they said they could not get her medical care and that she would be ok. Due to visible wounds and emaciated condition of the dog, Animal Control told them to get care for her or surrender her.

So, really she ended up being seized by AC. Her name is Zoey, 7 years old and mauled by her brother. Zoey’s mother is a Weimaraner and father unknown. After Vet exam at shelter it was found that Zoey has a right front leg snapped in half, toes broken on left foot and multiple bite wounds, both new and OLD on her body. Shelter staff took immediate action to get her out and into care by a Rescue.

December 24th. CalWEAR Director Deb Thompson picked Zoey up early in the day and got her to an emergency vet. Her estimated bill is staggering. Initial exam shows leg should be amputated. Of course, it is Christmas, so we have to keep her stable until a surgeon becomes available on Monday! We NEED you! Her estimated charges just for this initial care with sedated wound care and bandage changes comes to a whopping $8,000!! Vet estimate attached. Zoey is worth it to us to try to save her. She may not be “grey” (we were surprised on pick up) but she is the sweetest most lovable dog ever. So much so that Animal Control Staff gathered to say goodbye and wish her well when we picked her up! She even gave transporter grateful tiny butterfly kisses while being rushed to ER.

So this is bottom line, if we can get help and save her life so far, WITHOUT THE SURGERY, her fee is $8,000. On Monday when we decide on which surgery to do, amputation or repair, it will escalate many more thousands of dollars. We know it is Covid and many are struggling, but if you can help with just a few dollars we know it will add up. Zoey is worth it. Isn’t she?

PayPal: donate@CalWEAR.org, or click here

Venmo: @CalWEAR

Zelle: 949-278-2981

Snail mail: CalWEAR, PO Box 49, Gorman, CA 93243

December 25th. Zoey may have had the misfortune of being owned by a monster who left her outside to die, but it’s Christmas, and #teamCalWEAR is one thousand percent committed to taking her in and getting her well.

– – –

An anonymous donor just came forward this morning to match dollar for dollar what we are able to raise for Zoey by tomorrow evening. This includes all donations we’ve received in the last 24 hours, so please consider that for every dollar you are able to donate, Zoey will get TWO.

– With love and gratitude, Team CalWEAR

Looking for a Puppy?!

May 19, 2020 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

Looking for a Weimaraner puppy?! 😊

Apparently, lots of folks are. CalWEAR currently has over 40 active applications on file from people who are specifically looking for “puppies.”
One inquiry recently said, “We’re looking for a puppy because we want to have a long time with the dog, but we don’t want to buy from a breeder so we’re wondering if you have any for adoption.”

Another email asked, “Can we get on the wait list for a puppy that is good with kids and other dogs?”

Sadly, no.

Rescue exists because people don’t want their dogs anymore. And they usually don’t want their dogs anymore because something about that dog just doesn’t work for them. Oftentimes, it’s because the dog isn’t good with kids, or isn’t good with other dogs in the house. And almost all of the time (like 99.99% of the time), by the time a family realizes their dog needs a new home, that dog is waaaaaaaay past puppyhood. For example, another email we recently received was, “Hi, my dog is 11, but she needs more time and attention than I have right now so she needs to find a new home.” 🤦🏻‍♀️

Folks, if you’re looking for a Weimaraner puppy through rescue, it WILL come with at least THREE of the following caveats:

– You will have been waiting for over a year
– It will not be purebred
– It will not be socialized
– It will have temperament issues
– It will have behavioral issues
– It will have medical needs
– It will have other special needs

In other words, the likelihood that a perfect little puppy will come along and be available through rescue is almost Z-E-R-O.

Please understand that rescue is just that. Rescue. We take in what other people throw away. Sometimes literally.

It’s incredibly noble to adopt a dog through rescue. Those of us who do, belong to an elite club of people who own Weimaraners despite their imperfections, and choose to love them anyway.

Rescues are not shiny and perfect. Our latest guy came from the shelter. He has lumps. He has bumps. Some tartar on his teeth. But underneath that gray suit of his is also a friendly soul. A grateful heart. And a cheerful spirit. Despite the fact that his family of nine years, just dumped him. (Update: Cullen has been adopted!!!)

If you’re looking for a Weimaraner puppy, PLEASE INQUIRE WITH REPUTABLE BREEDERS. 👍😊 We’ll make it easy for you: www.weimaranerbreeders.org.

DO NOT just cruise through PetFinder or Craigslist and buy the first puppy you see that’s available. (Because then you’ll be part of the problem down the road when you bring us your uncontrollable beast.)

Should you choose to adopt through rescue, know that you’re probably not going to get a puppy, but if you’re open to it, you may just luck into the best dog in the whole wide world.

– Kim/Team CalWEAR ❤️🐾

Susan Donnan Joyner

Oh Kim, you just made me cry…again. You so eloquently and succinctly captured the essence and the heart of rescue. One thing we as a family have discussed over our 8 years of rescue is how we miss knowing our rescues as puppies. BUT, the rewards of getting to know our “babies” as their personalities begin to show themselves FAR outweighs the puppy days. Thank you for always giving perspective and pushing the E in CalWEAR.

Lilly Plummer

Easier for us humans to fix or adjust than to expect our beloved dogs to make the change.

Granted, Weimaraners like to be next to their humans way more than other breeds.

The love they give us and the life they give us to me! Is the closest thing to Heaven. I died once. They brought me back and I was put in a coma for 8 days. First thing I said (my adult children told me) is where’s my boys?! Who has my boys?!

My son was with them and my two daughters would rotate between them and me. I insisted to come home because I knew that I was their whole world.

Guess who helped me get out of bed faster? They did!

Only a dog can give you that unconditional non stop love. Imagine how betrayed they would feel if I just didn’t like something they started doing and I’d dispose of them? Oh hell! Now I can’t stop crying. But you get my point.

Alyssa Hendricks

When my kids are grown and out of the house I’m for sure adopting a senior dog. I love my weim so much. And I know we have a few good years left and it’s been wonderful to raise her from a puppy but it breaks my heart to see lonely dogs like this.

Linda Miller

I would never buy another puppy!!! A rescue dog comes with some issues, but make the best family members ever!! They are so grateful for a safe, loving home they let you know every day. The age doesn’t matter at all!

Judythe Coffman

thanks for that excellent explanation. As we both know, weimaraners are not for everyone. The main reason I’m _very_ picky about who I sell a puppy to from the occasional litters I breed.

Dee Madsen

Thank you, Kim and CalWEAR. People in these times of quarantine want dogs–who have never been dog owners before. And they want a Weim puppy? I wonder if all these “emptied shelters” will be glutted with dumped dogs when the lockdowns come off. The Wall Street Journal had an article on this rush to adopt dogs. Some parents wanted a “companion” for their children. They don’t seem to understand a dog is forever.

Darlene Murphy

Please learn about the breed before adopting or buying. So may of these beauties are up for adoption because their owners had no idea what a Weimaraner is about. These are living, sensitive beings that deserve the same commitment we give to our other family members.

Joe Syracuse

Rescued my boy at 7 years old. He is now 13. He has been the best companion and friend. Old dogs are the best.

Kelly Edler

Beautifully stated! We’ve been fortunate to adopt our two at the age of three. Ours came with minimal baggage or issues, but both owner surrenders. They are now 9 & 13, lumpy, bumpy & sometimes grumpy! We will forever have rescue dogs. They need us!!

Angelique Crown

Such a well written post for all new adopters and those of us who work with rescues. Thanks for posting! Let me know if you need any help with Calwear. I’m in SoCal.

Debbie Greg Sanderson

Thank you for the reminder about puppies. One nice thing about using the rescue most of the dogs have been trailed by you guys so if a family needs a family friendly, does good with cats you can usually match one up. Thanks for all you do. We have a 2 yr old puppy that still CHEWS that would have been a problem for someone else but we put up with her. It would have been nice to place an order for a non-chewer!

Rebecca Platts Watkins

We just lost our boy, Duke (at 13.5 years old) who was from a rescue. We rescued him when he was 6. We purposely do not rescue puppies or even look for puppies. Duke was a full blood Weimy who was dropped off because of the velcro attribute. We loved him, non stop. Adult dogs can, and will, still learn if you work with them. Well worth it.

Rhonda Mohrbacher

Our family, the Mohrbacher’s have adopted 4 Weims from your family organization. People need to have experience to adopt a Weim. They are funny, beautiful and very entertaining. We are glad that you have such high standards for adoption, it’s necessary. We most recently adopted, 6 years ago our Ebby.

Dorothy Gale

I fostered 17 Weims in 3 years while I lived in TX and I’ve adopted 3 (my first 2 were bought pups). I would encourage looking into adopting as I keep in touch with adopters and they couldn’t be happier with their “second hand Weim”. Plus, I’ve never had to re-Sheetrock walls with any of my adopted Weims

Joy Holubek

Sure true. Jaxson came physically beautiful but quite a few mental issues well worth the effort of helping him overcome. He’s sacked out on the top of the couch pillows right now and is at peace until his favorite squirrel zips across the back fence and he smells it while dreaming and he flys out the dog door barking that deep very loud weim bark. Squirrel chasing is one of those quirks you gotta love about a weim

Dayna Dallas

Love love love this truth!!!!!! I’ve had the most amazing, perfect middle aged rescues!!!!! I would never recommend looking for a puppy!

Joanne Connelly-Meester

We rescued our first weim when he was about 2.5 years. He had been hit by a car in Kansas. His owners never came forward. Mile High Weim Rescue paid for his front leg amputation. He was terrified when he came to us. It was clearly apparent that he had been abused. Fast forward 7 years. He’s still somewhat skittish, but so much better, happy, and we love him dearly. Second Rescue weim was neglected. We got him at 8.5 years and he wasn’t supposed to make it long, but he made it to13 years. He was an inside marker. Probably the reason he was surrendered. We dealt with the issue and he did get better. He had 16 teeth removed, lost 20 much needed pounds, etc. Our third Rescue was 11.5 when we rescued him. His parents went on a mission to Taiwan. He has neither been abused nor neglected, and is now 12 and is wonderful also! Adopt the elders if you’re up to the challenge. You won’t regret it

Luci Rodgers

Our man-eater bites, occasionally. Reason- unknown. Trigger- Feeding time, Awake time, Rest time, Play time, Sleeping time, Any time. Now he doesn’t bite all the time just occasionally. It’s a man thing because he has not gone after me & no he is not “mine” but he will come and lean on me, take treats pretty as you please, throw his head in my lap flirting, climb all over my space, stop, come, sit, lay, & stay for me. He is perfectly house, yard, leash trained and yes he just occasionally bites the hands that feed him.

Macy Muciño Davis

Don’t get me wrong, I love my ruby girl… but she will be the last weim puppy I ever have ha it was a BIG commitment

Maricela Es El

And honestly, puppies are so much work! A dog that sleeps all night and goes potty outside are great benefits of the older dog.

Christy Heimlich

We adopted Nui from you guys 2 yrs ago. She had been abused. She is the biggest lover-she lays down and flips over for the everlasting belly rub. We love her, but she is still a royal pain at times. It’s a weim thing.

Terri Ann

Those puppies are coming! They’ll be about 6 to 8 months old and holy terrors.

Donnaah Rosemaree Sparkle

Weims don’t even calm down until 6 or 7. My current and 4th Weim is 13 and he came to me as an 8 week old. But I will only have older rescues going forward. This 9 yr old looks like a sweetie.

Amy Boring

So true. Puppies are a nightmare

I loooooove the middle aged and old ones.

Yolanda Kamehanaokala McPeck

That pretty much sums up most breed rescues. Thank you for sharing those wise words.

Top Fan

Julie McCombs

Rescue Weimaraners are the best! Especially the older ones!

Jeanette Reedy Solano

Very honest and well written!

Trina Pollard Currence

Love this!!! So very true in rescue

Evelyn K. Stephenson

Well said and thank you!

Harry Byrd

Old buds are the absolute BEST buds!!!

Aerin Adrian

All 3 of my amazing Weims were rescues- 3, 5, and 7 years old, and with the two younger ones, I was actually their 3rd home..and both of those boys were my heart and soul. I so look forward to when I was once again foster and own Weims. Life just isn’t the same without them

Debbie Asanuma

Love! Well said!

Ashley Williams

Oh that face! So sweet!

Heather J. Fyfe

Excellent post!

Karen LoVerso

I’m older and I’ve got 2 dogs 8yrs old raised them from puppies found in a box in a hot parking lot but I want to rescue one more dog an older senior citizen dog like me that I can give all my love too for the rest of its life a snuggle buddy like my others all dogs are wonderful beautiful the best friend you will ever have and the very best living being we were blessed with I wish I could adopt them all I pray more people feel that way adopt an older dog you will never regret it

Laura Lou

Awwww his face!!

Nicole Daum

…send this to John and Christine.

TRUTH

Amen!

Well said

This.

Admen sister

Rescue dogs are the best !

Sally Jo Hoaglund

Very, very nice information for the public!!

Dawn Sharp

I’ve had 2 puppies in 40 years of Weims. One was the hardest dog I ever owned, the other was the easiest (fate’s way of saying thanks for sticking with rock heads for 40 years?

). In between there were the most loving, dear sweet 2nd hand dogs that ever roamed the earth. I got some as young as 6 months and others as old as 12 years. I had the 12 year old longer than I had the 3 year old (the old man lived to 16, but the 3 year old died of pneumonia at 6 despite our best efforts).

Puppies can be fun, but they are HARD. They have no story except the one you make for them. They come expecting more from you because their hopes have never been shredded day after day by their puppy-coveting, non-dog ready, thoughtless, careless, cruel buyers (not owners).

But the 2nd hand dog, the “rescue.” The one that comes with baggage piled high. The one who still hopes that his human is going to be kind today. The one who still loves and protects that puppy-buyer when they dash that hope. Well, when that dog walks through the door of my house at…6 months, at 18 months, at 3 years, at 12 years…I have been blessed with a most generous and grateful companion. Oh, we butt heads. I yell some when legs are lifted and food is stolen…I am ONLY human. But it is always followed with correction and training and love and play. And they are SOOOO receptive. And they learn. The ones not so damaged that they just exist in sad relief in the corner, glad to not be targeted today. One of the saddest days of my life was the day my 12 year old rescue and I had a misunderstanding of protocol. I ended up with stitches from a bite and when I came home 2 hours after the incident, that poor old soul still believed he would be beat. 2 hours! No dog should think that way after 2 hours. He should be on to the next mischief. I have only once hated someone more than his former owners.

People who make excuses to pass up a dog with life experience are passing up the most loyal, grateful, passionate, loving companions of their lives. What a terrible shame. All we can do is what we do with the dogs that come through our doors to relief. We love them. We teach them. We practice patience with them. We illustrate with our actions what persistence is. Because we know how. Because we KNOW our dogs to the core of their broken bodies and hearts and we have practiced patience and persistence and love with them. We will work the same plan with the people who think they want puppies. And we will be there to guide them to their next rescue and when we fail, we will be there to save the heart they broke.

Robbie Daly

I’ve had weims since 1979. I’ve had 6 weims. My first one was from a breeder. I’ve gotten 3 baby weims from rescue. It looks like they don’t have babies because they don’t have to advertise for them. They have applications on hand for babies so when they get a baby they already have people waiting. Like I said I got 3 babies and a 14 month old, a 2 year old…a total of 6. Rescues are the best way to go. The interesting thing about rescue. Rescues will do a home check to make sure you’re the right kind of home. A breeder will take your check and the dog is yours. No background check. I got a rescue from Missouri and they found someone in the weim family team .. to do a drive by to see where I lived and did I have a home that’s taken care of.

Mara Wildfeuer

I can’t love this enough.

Portrait of a Weimaraner

April 22, 2020 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

Happy 2nd gotcha day to Ms. Gracie. .

She has taught me so much and I absolutely adore my sleek lap panther.

If I had to liken her to a vehicle it would be a Ford Raptor: she has the agility, sensitivity, and speed of a race car but the brute size and force of a pickup truck. She can slip into the shadows to stalk a bird but will also clumsily ram her 85 pounds of mass into you when she’s feeling goofy. A sharp tone to your voice can get her to slink away to her kennel but she will be deaf to your screams while ripping your shoulder out of its socket if she sees a furry thing run out in front of her on a leash.

I can’t say that I’m surprised she was turned over to CalWEAR.Just like some folks simply can’t handle the expense, intensity, and subtle nuance of a high performance vehicle, Gracie is not the type of dog for everyone.

She will willfully disobey you and murder furry animals in front of your face. Her body will react violently to dog food with chicken and send you to the depths of your bank account’s limits to find a solution to heal her. She will have a minor bad experience with a situation and force you to recondition her to the same situation from scratch. She will simply open closed doors to get near you or to do what she wants (large sliding glass door; heavy front door; indoor bedroom door, only if it’s locked is it unopenable to this dog and even that’s up for debate). If you leave her alone too long, she will seek out something dear to your heart and eviscerate it in the middle of the house for you to see when you get home so that you may atone for your sin. The harder or more expensive to replace the better. She will wake you up by laying on top of your body and stretching her feet out into your face, then casually drag them across some tender piece of exposed flesh, and follow that up with some gentle preening. She will run off to a far corner of your parent’s property only to be found 10 minutes later casually loping back with a large coyote trailing behind.

I’m convinced she basically speaks English and can be trained in milliseconds. She can see a lizard on a wall from 50’ away, never forgets a face and LOVES her people (game over if you’re a man, she loves her men). She has been a fair, firm and patient teacher to our two foster dogs and I never worry about her being aggressive towards other dogs.

She epitomizes the #Weimaraner breed and she inspires and challenges my dog training and leadership skills and I love her for that. I’ve never been one for boring, easy or straightforward and she’s the perfect dog for me. Grace Jones the Weim

– Lisa/Team CalWEAR

State of the Rescue – April 2020

April 21, 2020 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

PRESIDENTIAL GREETINGS. 😊

Since January 1st, CalWEAR has adopted out 29 dogs. TWENTY-NINE!!! That’s nearly two every week! We are tremendously grateful for our adopters. 🥰 And for every dog that gets adopted, there are two more that we spend our resources on, but for a variety of reasons, they don’t get adopted (family changes their mind, dog went to another rescue, stray went home, long-term or indefinite foster care, hospice care, etc.). Add ‘em all up and that’s a lot of dogs we’re keeping track of! 📝

I am INCREDIBLY indebted to the @TeamCalWEAR village that makes up our network. This includes fellow transporters, fosters, sister rescues, and the Weimaraner community at large who drop a lot pennies in the bucket to help our cause. Without you, there is no us. So THANK YOU. ❤️

To those who have some down time and are looking for a Weimaraner to rescue and love on, now is a great time to get your application in. With shelters closed, we’re getting more and more phone calls to intake Weims and Weim mixes. Please also be patient with us. Our email and telephone traffic has been HIGHER in the last 30 days than they’ve been in the last three months, combined. 😳 Note: Incoming dogs are typically offered to families who are already on file, first. So get those apps in. 😉

WE NEED ALL THE FOSTER HOMES WE CAN GET RIGHT NOW. If we have to keep relying on our existing fosters, we fear greatly that we will burn them out, and no one wants to find a Weimie foster lying in the gutter. 😆

Lastly, with recent dogs like PHOENIX, HUNTER, GRETA, and KNOX (and probably a few more whose names are escaping me at the moment) requiring extra medical care, we are depleting our reserve by the minute. A few nickels or quarters to our Venmo account at @CalWEAR or PayPal account at donate@CalWEAR.org would be greatly appreciated. We’ll even dress up one of our foster dogs and make them do silly tricks if that will help sweeten the deal. Whatever it takes. 🙏🏼

Spread the love. Spread the cheer. And follow us on our brand new Instagram account at @TeamCalWEAR. 🥳

With love and gratitude,

– Kim/Lead Office Monkey ❤️

Public Statement Regarding Two Weimaraners

March 2, 2020 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

State of the Rescue – February 2020

February 26, 2020 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

DID YOU KNOW…

That for the first time in CalWEAR’s existence, we have more pre-qualified homes with solid applications on file, than we do Weimaraners in our care who need new homes?!?!?!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By the numbers, we currently have:

5 dogs available for adoption

1 dog looking for a long-term foster home (owner was in car accident and currently hospitalized)

12 other dogs we are watching and working on

Since November 27, 2019, we have also collected 48 applications from families looking for Weims. This number excludes those who have already adopted or no longer looking. Of those 48 families, 29 of them are specifically looking for a dog under the age of two.

In short, if you are looking for a young dog, PLEASE BE PATIENT.

And consider adopting an older dog, like…

DIESEL!!!! Diesel is # 262 on our books. He’s nine years old. Turned over by his owner for being too obnoxious and too smart for his own good. I mean… look at that face!!!! That’s the glare of boy who knows how to pull cheese out of the dairy drawer that’s inside the refrigerator. No joke.

But seriously, if you’re looking for a young dog, we’d love to help you. Just hang in there with us and know that we’ll call you as soon as we have a dog that fits your search criteria, and those who have submitted their applications before yours, have been taken care of.

In the meantime, thank you for supporting rescue!!!

With love and gratitude,

– Team CalWEAR

State of the Rescue – November 2019

November 26, 2019 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

HELP!!!!

In addition to the dogs we have posted on our website, the following newbies need adoptive homes:

REYNA. A four month old female Blue Weimaraner puppy. Busted out of the Corona shelter.

LOKI. A four month old male Gray Weimaraner puppy. Has medical needs. Currently in Rialto and we will likely start a fundraiser for him to see what’s wrong and how we can help him.

BONITA. A seven year old female Gray Weimaraner at the shelter. Currently has a lot of interest so hopefully she gets adopted if she’s not reunited with her family.

MELO, ETTY, and DREAMY. Three Senior female Weimaraners whose owner became ill and is now unable to care for them. This is an URGENT situation. A big thank you to those who have already offered to help.

LUCAS. A one year old male Gray Weimaraner. Found in Anaheim and currently located in Tustin.

PORTER. A three year old male Weimaraner. Owner has deployment papers but can attest to how lovely he is!!!

——————-

CalWEAR Admins will have bios of each dog up on the website within the next few days. In the meantime, please message us directly if you are able to help transport and/or foster.

Thank you!!!!

– With love and gratitude, Team CalWEAR

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Responsible Breeding

July 12, 2019 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

Let’s talk about RESPONSIBLE breeding.

But first, a little bit of history.

CalWEAR was founded by Weimaraner breeders. Yep, we’re “BREEDERS.” We intentionally produce Weimaraners for ourselves and the community of purebred dog enthusiasts.

When you’re a breeder, and you’re involved in your community, it’s just a matter of time before someone calls and says, “Hey, my neighbor has a gray dog who needs a new home,” or “Hey, my uncle is moving and he can’t take his dog with him.” The statement is always followed by, “Can you help?”

Of course.

CalWEAR was formally founded in August 2014 because of the INCESSANT influx of Weimaraners who needed new homes. As breeders, we care a LOT about Weimaraners, whether we bred them or not, and we wanted to help. Our 501c3 public charity was granted after a year of paperwork and phone calls with the IRS.

Many needy Weimaraners have and continue to come from breeders who “couldn’t take them back.” We’re thankful that these families have either Friends for Pets or CalWEAR to turn to so we can help get these kiddos into other homes who are waiting for them. [Autumn 2019 Update: Friends for Pets is no longer in business.]

So, back to breeding.

We don’t doubt that ALL Weimaraner breeders produce puppies because they love Weimaraners. But there’s a responsible way to do it, and an irresponsible way to do it.

Breeding is so much more than producing puppies and finding homes. It’s researching pedigrees, intentionally breeding away from health issues, being there the moment that puppy is born, and being there the moment that dog crosses the bridge. Breeders are the ones who bring new lives into the world. That comes with a lifelong commitment to be there for that dog. Thorough and proper screening of prospective homes ensures that the puppy will have a great place to live for the rest of his life… but in the unfortunate case that the dog needs a new home, it is the BREEDER’S responsibility to take care of that dog.

Period.

It is also a BREEDER’S responsibility to educate their puppy buyers on properly raising and training a Weimaraner puppy. And be there for the FAMILIES when they need help.

We hope that if you’re a BREEDER, and a rescue organization has been called upon to intervene on a dog you’ve produced, that you allocate future earnings from puppy sales to donate back to rescue. No amount is too small. And it will help dogs like the ones YOU’VE PRODUCED, but couldn’t be there to help when they needed it the most.

We truly hope that someday, CalWEAR will go out of business because Weimaraners no longer need rescue. In a perfect world, those that need new homes will go back to their breeders, and those breeders will have a strong community behind them to get them into a new home.

Until then, we’re here. Ready to help a Weimaraner, or two, find their next home.

As for DUKE and DAISY, they were both adopted, together, today. From now on, they’ll always have us to come back to, should their current situation doesn’t work out. Even if they’re old. And gray(er).

– Team CalWEAR

Ann Cheney Haslup

This is such fantastic news to hear about Duke and Daisy finding a forever home together. It would have been so sad to have them separated, as I’m a Mom of a bonded pair that are three months apart and I don’t know how they would live without the other.

Linda Hartheimer

This!

Barbara Sadowy Bailey

Also do fund raising for your truck that keeps on breaking. You guys need a new van!!!!

Dawn Sharp

May I add just a few details to your comments, please. About breeders educating their puppy buyers…it’s also about vetting those buyers. Be sure they not only have the knowledge you have given about training and Weim demeanor, but that they also are reasonably financially, physically, spatially and temperamentally prepared to manage a Weimaraner. You don’t have to sell a puppy to someone you think can’t handle it, simply expecting them to bring it back if it doesn’t work out. You don’t want a stressed puppy with a broken heart that you have to mend.

I find myself wanting to give examples here, and I will if anyone asks, but if you think about it, it isn’t too hard. A Weim owner doesn’t have to be rich or young or physically perfect to own a Weim, but you as a breeder have to evaluate if they can provide a safe, life-long, loving and sufficient home for your puppy.

Denise Fusco

Excellent post!! And congrats to Duke and Daisy on their new forever home

Michelle Elizabeth

Awesome. I got my first Weimarner from Judy Coffman a well known Weim breeder here is So Cal- my personal experience was amazing we stayed in contact the entire 15 years Grace was alive. There are some good ones out there. 2001-2016.

Kim Burnell

Thank you for the note! Judythe is an example of a reputable breeder. In fact, she’s CURRENTLY fostering Weims for CalWEAR. If it weren’t for Judy, we would have put up our “we’re full” sign months ago. Judy, thank you for being a breeder who supports and volunteers for rescue!!!!

Michelle Elizabeth

She is amazing… i met her at a Weimaraner festival in a park told her I would like to get a puppy and she said she was going to have a littler so I filled out the application and she even had someone drive down to Temecula do a home check on me, which was awesome I also volunteered for a rescue so I usually did the home checks but it felt good to know that she cared. I used to drive Grace up to her place every December so she could see her. When I emailed her and told her that Grace has passed she reached back out to me that she actually had another female Weimaraner that would be a great fit for me, however still not ready for a weim, Grace has some big paws to fill.

Dana Giese

Our first Weims came from a newspaper ad in 1988, then we met Judy and our next two were from her. She taught us so much about caring for Weimaraners! I drove her nuts; she’d always say the dogs had my number. So glad she’s helping CalWEAR!

Kristine Davison Morgan

B R A V O!!!

Nancy Quesenberry

So well said! Every Weimaraner I ever had the breeders were there for any reason. And required that I did not breed any of their pups. Thanks for reminding us the importance of being great breeders and owners. You all are the best

Thanks for all you do.

Debbie Greg Sanderson

OMG we’re so glad that they could stay together. Many thanks and prayers to that new owner for taking on 2 Weims raised together! Oh and BTW that statement about breeding responsible is so true. That dog you bred is yours for life

Jerad Souza

Weim rescues are the best!

Jennifer Benner Scovell

Terrific post! Congratulations to Duke and Daisy and their new family.

Sandi Ferguson

Awesome!! You ALL are true angels for Weims!!

Ellen Wildfeuer

You ROCK!

Lisa M. Pelton Woellhof

Love this

Stephanie Schuster

It shouldn’t matter if a Weimaraner is 5 months, or 5 years, OR 10 years old. The responsible breeders I know take their dogs back when the dogs are in need, and find wonderful homes for them, or keep them. It is not about a source of income. They breed with a specific purpose to improve the breed, and have a very personal interest in their lives – for their entire life. Our rescues are flooded because there are people with slick websites, but no intention of aiding one of their older dogs in need.

Mike Hummel

At what cost to those “responsible breeders” are the Weimaraner’s that they taking back being put at risk to themselves and to the Weimaraner’s currently in the breeders home already?

5 months ok I can agree with a breeder taking back their dogs while they are still PUPPIES. But to defame a breeders reputation in the community and in the industry is wrong. 5 years -shame on the owners. 5 months then I say shame on the breeder. At least at 5 months the puppies can still be integrated into the current pack at the breeders residence. Maybe one of these days you will be face with a decision on this level, where the lack of training on the buyers part gets thrown back on the breeders name. Instead of the buyer taking responsibility for their lack of training they throw it at the breeder and say you deal with it. That’s a load of horse crap. You know it good and well.Now everybody wants to go around and point fingers instead of pointing fingers at the purchaser of these two beautiful dogs. Maybe the shame needs to fall back on the buyer instead of any breeder after five years. Why don’t you people drop this whole thing because what’s taken place is a terrible thing obviously. And now these two beautiful dogs have a new home to be loved unconditionally. Again it’s not the breeders fault.

Michelle Mulkern

It’s not a breeder’s fault if a buyer’s circumstances change, but lack of fault doesn’t mean lack of responsibility. A good breeder recognizes that they are responsible for the lives they bring into this world, regardless of whether it belongs to a 10 month-old puppy or a 10 year-old senior. If a breeder isn’t prepared to make that level of commitment than they shouldn’t be breeding, and they absolutely deserve be called out by others in their community.

I am not a breeder, but I have been involved in all-breed rescue. I appreciate breeders who take care of their own.

Irina Åström

wonderful post. Loving our Cobain Blu

thank you for helping us find him and allowing us to give him a forever home.

Heather J. Fyfe

Love this post!

Vickie Whysong-Stolns

Thank you for your dedication to Weimaraner’s!!!

Audra Brown

Great advice! Families looking for puppies should ask breeders if they fully participate in rescue organizations dedicated to the breed.

So well said

Thank you for my love!!

Shelly Bailey Gaona

Do you have any pups currently? We are in Calif looking for a full registration girl. Blue is first choice but love the silver too

Kristi Blackburn

Great news!

Melanie Modlin

They are beautiful and happy looking dogs.

Chelsea Lukes-Engels

I get so upset when I see some Joe Shmo wanting to breed their 1-2 year old weim because they are cute. Having no idea or care where those puppies end up because either way they make a few bucks

I feel Weimaraners have become a fad in the past few years because yes they are gorgeous dogs but people need to educate themselves first on the breed and if ask themselves if they can commit to the next 13-15 years giving that puppy I safe good home.

Shana Marie

Happy tails kids!

Jean Kusz

Amen!

Kelly Brenneman Hayward

So Wonderful!

Barbara Sadowy Bailey

Thank you. Please keep on educating. A weim is not for every home. I actually would be ready to write to all brand using them because they are beautiful. People should not get a weim without knowing what they are up to do.

Rani Hunter

You guys are awesome and Maggie is very glad you were there

Cristi Theriot

I hope everyone who reads this and loves it will donate 5dollars to rescue. 5 dollars can make a difference

A Long Day for Rescue

June 29, 2019 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

Today was a tough day.

For starters, it began at 2:30 AM MDT. I couldn’t sleep, and I knew I had a pickup scheduled for early in the morning, so I loaded the fosters and off we went.

The first drop-off was a success.

Then we picked up the WEIMBUS and turned in the rental car. (It’s alive, and the crunchy noise is gone!!!)

Then we hit traffic.

We finally arrived in Orange; just 15 minutes after our mailbox closed for the weekend, so the SEVEN BOXES OF DOG FOOD (THANK YOU #teamCalWEAR!!!!! ) that was donated to us will have to be picked up another time.

And then we had an incident at a local meetup park.

A CalWEAR dog who had been “fine with other dogs” lashed out at a foster’s personal dog, and put a hole in her cheek. She’ll be okay, and the owner was VERY understanding, but – It’s a reminder that in rescue, we need to stay on alert and ALWAYS have our guard up. Always. Always. Always.

Now is a good time to remind everyone that in rescue, we work only with what we know. Dogs come to us with checkered histories at best. Some of them can go five months, three weeks, and six days, with no incident. And then BOOM. Someone gets clawed up, chomped on, or worse.

There’s a reason why dogs end up in rescue, and most of the the time, we discover that reason through our relationships with each dog. Not because of what a previous owner disclosed.

Rescuing a dog is NOBLE. But it’s not for everyone. Please, proceed with caution. Understand there’s probably a reason why the dog isn’t with his family. The question is: are the known imperfections (anxiety, extreme fear, excessive tumors, etc.) something you’re able to overcome? Are you comfortable knowing there’s a part of the story you’ll never get to hear?

Thankfully, after the incident, we had two more successful foster placements (thank you Macy!), and then headed to Gavilan Hills, CA to…

MEET ZOEY.

Actually, that’s not her name.

Ten days ago, a starving young girl walked up to Julie’s driveway, and huddled behind the trash bin. Julie fed her and she stayed.

Knowing she belonged to SOMEONE, because why would a purebred Weimaraner just “show up” in a hidden neighborhood, Julie had her scanned for a microchip.

Name: Lola

DOB: 2/24/2017

Owner: XXXXXXXX

Phone: XXXXXXXX

The information was all there.

But here is how the listed owner answered the phone:

“Yeah, I had her. But I gave her away a year ago. No, I don’t know who I gave her to. No, I don’t want her back.”

?!?!?!!!!!!!!?!!!!!

So Julie called us.

And when we arrived, she told us about what a great dog Lola was. She’s housebroken. She’s crate trained. She’s easy going. She gets along with everyone. She’s grateful for food. She knows sit, down, wait, shake, and other paw. She’s not food possessive. She’s sweet. She’s velcro. She can leave anytime she wants, but she doesn’t.

We asked Julie to give her a new name. She didn’t respond to Lola anyway, and it’s not like the guy who named her cared about her.

So ZOEY thanked her temporary foster for giving her a safe place to stay, and then hopped in my car for her next journey.

Stay tuned… more tomorrow.

– Kim, exhausted bus driver

Bella Barely Makes it to CalWEAR

June 23, 2019 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

We almost missed pickup # 3 today due to a misunderstanding.

The WEIMBUS was running late this morning (due to LA trafffic, what else?! ) so we alerted BELLA’S owner that 10:30 am in San Clemente would be more like 11:30 am.

The response we got back was, “My daughter brought her up in her car but has already left.”

Well, crap!

We felt awful, because we knew this was an urgent situation and were already warned that if we couldn’t get Bella today, she’d be going to the shelter.

With a pretty full bus, we left a message asking what shelter Bella was being dropped off at so we could go get her. If we didn’t hear back, we decided that two pickups were good enough for a day’s work and headed back north towards LA.

Then the phone rang.

Bella’s owner clarified that he was sitting in the Carl’s Jr. parking lot with Bella. And they were still waiting for us. It turns out that the family was leaving for Arizona, today, and that since the father didn’t have room for Bella in his own vehicle, his daughter drove separately, dropped off the dog, and departed for AZ. Dad waited for us with his dog, her beds, and crate, on the asphalt.

We arrived just before 2:00 pm. Dad was grateful we showed up. Our hearts hurt for him because we could see the anguish in his face about leaving his girl. Dad has lost his job and sold his house. His entire life was packed up in his car, and after this, he was headed off to someplace temporary.

Sometimes, life doesn’t go as planned. We’re happy to take care of Bella and find her a WONDERFUL home. We also hope that her former family lands on their feet, and that someday they are able to pay it forward by rescuing another dog and providing her a home that her previous home couldn’t.

So, MEET BELLA. She’s four. She’s great with dogs and kids. And she’s with us tonight through no fault of her own.

The time is now 12:58 AM. We are finally wrapping up our day of driving all over the LA basin, Coastal Orange County, the High Desert, and then back to the LA basin. WE ARE EXHAUSTED.

– Over and out, Team CalWEAR

Florence

April 9, 2019 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

PICKUP # 3 LAST SUNDAY.

MEET FLORENCE. She’s beautiful, she’s kind, she’s smart, she’s gentle, and she’s loving. Whoever used her for breeding over and over and over again, and then dumped her at the Baldwin Park shelter when you were done with her, where she sat around for a week and picked up kennel cough…

YOU’RE NOT A VERY NICE PERSON.

Done with your girl? Just give us a call. We’ll come pick her up, no questions asked. You can even drop her off in one of our foster’s yards at midnight if you want to. Or drop her off with our vet for a spay and don’t come back to pick her up so we have to claim her. Tie her up in front of the grocery store and then send us an anonymous tip to get her. You can even pretend to be a hero. Whatever. Just please, DON’T DUMP HER AT THE SHELTER.

She was frightened. She was depressed. She had her head down staring into the wall when I came up to her door. Thankfully, she perked up when I offered her a salmon treat, and within 30 minutes, I had paid for her exit, signing away that yes, I understood she had been spayed, yes I understood it had been botched, yes I understood what a bleeding vulva was, and yes, I STILL WANT HER.

Florence is home with me now and settling in. But I have to keep her separated from my other girls because she’s recovering from kennel cough. And she’s still bleeding. But that’s okay. She’s on her way to recovery and in a few days she’ll be back to 100%.

And next week, we’re gonna hit the road again because this beautiful girl already has a family from the CalWEAR village who wants to meet her. We’ll go get a mani-pedi for the introduction date if time allows.

– Kim/Team CalWEAR

Meet 2019-164

April 8, 2019 // by Kim// Leave a Comment

PICKUP # 2 YESTERDAY.

Meet “2019-164.”

He’s a sixteen month old boy from “a breeder in Northern California” (don’t worry, it’s not any of the reputable ones) who was turned over with a note of “go ahead and euthanize him if you have to.”

Still just a puppy, our friends at Santa Barbara County Animal Services suspected this was too quick of a judgement, and took it upon themselves to give him a behavioral and temperament assessment.

Once it was determined that he’s “just a puppy,” they worked with CalWEAR to lock in a transport date, and at 5:45 AM yesterday morning, volunteer extraordinaire Patricia Sly-Feighner (please tag yourself because we don’t know how to tag you in!) drove him down to Los Angeles to catch the WEIMBUS.

When CalWEAR intakes a dog with a questionable track record, we go the extra mile to really get to know what we’ve got. Sometimes, we get a tough kiddo we really have to work with for a long time. Other times…

We find a little diamond that someone else overlooked.

We didn’t waste any time getting this boy into a quiet, calm environment. After some initial free time to check out his surroundings, a trainer was brought in for some rudimentary lessons.

Attentiveness, check. Eye contact, check. Responsiveness to light pressure, check. Ability to follow basic commands, check.

Introduction to another dog = Curious, tail wagging. WIN.

Responsive to handler correction for wanting to play too rough = check. WIN.

Taking treat from hand = Very gentle. WIN.

Introduction to (dog savvy) house cat = Curious, playful, responsive to handler correction for wanting to play too rough. WIN.

24 HOUR UPDATE = “THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS DOG.”

So here’s the message, CalWEAR friends and family!!!! PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE BUYING A WEIMARANER PUPPY.

1. Little gray puppies will grow into BIG GRAY dogs. They WILL knock a six year old child over, easy. Especially when no one teaches them that they’re not supposed to.

2. Puppies require a lot of time and training. It’s no different than a toddler. You get out of it what you put into it. Invest your energy and you will have an amazing lifetime partner. Skip the work and before you know it, you’ll have a big gray bull in a China shop… and his name will be Wreck-it Ralph.

3. If you ever decide it just ISN’T going to work, please consider reaching out to rescue. If CalWEAR was called first, we could have skipped over the whole shelter portion of his adventure, and got him into a home environment sooner. Thank GOODNESS there were angels in Santa Barbara who didn’t just blindly follow the recommended process of putting him down.

4. Euthanasia is a LAST RESORT and should only be considered in extreme situations and when all other options have been exhauasted.

5. Having problems with your current Weimaraner? Give us a call!!! In addition to rescue and re-homing, we HAVE been successful working with owners to troubleshoot behavioral problems and at the end of the series, the dog stays with the family and everyone’s happy. We call that a win-win.

As for this fella, we’ll take adoption inquiries in case his fosters don’t foster-fail with him first.