Lipan Creek German Shorthaired Pointers

Mr. Kyle joined our family August 25, 2010. We think he was born in 2005. He is a rescue from the local animal service center. As luck would have it, it was my week to volunteer answering rescue emails for Southeast German Shorthaired Rescue when I got the email about a terrified German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) needing rescue.



The shelter said this boy was urgent because he was too nervous to meet potential adopters. He was drooling uncontrollably, had a terrible eye infection and a bad cough. Without intervention, shelter staff would have to make the decision to put him to sleep.

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I went to the shelter to verify he was in fact a GSP and to see if he would qualify for rescue. The staff would not let me take him out of the kennel, so I asked if I could go in and sit with him. I opened the gate, shut it behind me, and just sat down. I sat there for what seemed an eternity. This boy, cowered down in the very back of the kennel, but eventually crawled over to take a sniff of me. Never making eye contact, I stuck my hand out to him and he gently put his chin in my palm. Yes, I burst into tears. I turned to him and said, "Buddy, I will be back for you as soon as I can." He looked at me with those swollen, infected eyes, as if understanding things were going to be okay. I immediately called Ashley and said, "Sweetie, this is bad - please put a divider in the kennel. This boy needs our help!"



When I picked up Kyle, I realized that it was my stepdad's, birthday! I arrived home; and boy, was it a shocker! Ashley thought I said I was bringing home a 4-to 5-month-old pup. I arrived with a full grown, 4- to 5-year old boy!! It took less than 3 hours for Ashley and me to become FOSTER FAILURES! In celebration of my dad's birthday, we named this sweet boy, Kyle, after Mr. W.C. Kile, III.



Kyle has overcome so many challenges from being neutered, house trained, leash trained, socialized (we are still working on this today), and getting over gun shyness, blinking birds and many other activities that most dogs and their owners take for granted.

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Kyle was accepted into the AKC's Purebred Alternative Listing program October 2010. The PAL registration allows Kyle to compete in designated AKC competitions, like hunting tests.  One of our proudest moments with Kyle came Spring 2012 when I entered him as a Jr. Hunter in an AKC Hunt Test. I had no idea what we would be in for, especially full contact with game and being near firing pop guns. We made it around the course with excellent finds, good manners, pop guns firing and tail held high! Kyle's scores were three 10's and an 8! I squealed in delight. This was such an amazing accomplishment for this shy guy.

 

During the 2013 field season, Mr. Kyle completed his Junior Hunter title! With each round of competition (legs), Kyle improved, and so did his scores. He even earned a PERFECT 10!  All the competitors, and judges cheered in delight when our new title was announced. Many said how wonderful it was to see, and be a part of this boy's transformation. 

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Kyle earned his Advanced Jr. Hunter Title in the Fall of 2015. All five legs accomplished with nearly perfect scores.  Kyle is enjoying his golden years and is letting all of the younger Lipan pups do the hard work. He gets to hunt up all of the birds the kiddos miss and chase them to his heart's content.



This boy is an absolute JOY, and a wonderful gray-faced senior dog these days!

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Kyle was diagnosed with a probable spleen tumor on August 23, 2018. Kyle lived a full and rich life with cancer until he lost the fire and light in his eyes. I knew the morning of August 16, 2019 it was time for sweet Kyle to go and run with the great ones who have left before him.  We are so grateful to have had him for 9 awesome and wonderful years. He is terribly missed.

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If you can open your heart and house to a rescue, please, please, please do so. ALL rescue organizations need foster homes for their rescues. Volunteers are needed to do all sorts of activities, like helping to answer emails and transporting rescue dogs from shelters to their foster homes AND sometimes to their forever home.  Please visit the German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America for a GSP rescue near you. If you are located in the southeast United States, please visit Southeast German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue to learn more about how you can be a part of helping a pet like Kyle!