Adoption & Foster Listings

Find the Perfect Pet

Welcome!

Finding the Perfect Hunting Pet Can Be Easy, But There are Lots to Consider!

Contact us and let us know what you would like to find in a dog. Don’t forget to mention the breed, type of hunting you enjoy, and the level of training experience the dog needs or any special needs or considerations.

Email Us With Any Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is the difference between adopting and fostering?

Adopting is permanent placement.

Fostering is temporarily housing and caring for a dog until they are placed. Fostering is a volunteer effort.

How much does adopting cost?

Their cost is relative to their experience and training, but at least as much as a new pup would cost to purchase. After evaluating the age, abilities, and potential as breeding stock, their adoption fee will be established accordingly. Each dog is different.

What does the adoption fee go towards?

The fee goes to support our efforts in rescuing, feeding, and rehoming these dogs and the expense of caring for them (including vet checkups and associated care) in the interim.

Will I need additional veterinary services?

Typically, no. All our dogs will have been screened by a vet for health clearances before entering the adoption program.

Just wanted to let you know how happy we are with Pepper! She is an incredible retriever with a solid point. I’ve owned close to 28 dogs in my life and I would put her in my top 5! Looking forward to hunting her. Thank you, Pat!

Terry Bristol / Spokane, Wa
Adopted: Pepper – German Shorthaired Pointer

Wanted you to know we are having a blast. We scored big time with Hank, he’s a well-adjusted house dog and couldn’t have asked for a better pet. Don’t need a leash on him as he obeys commands so well. When the time comes for bird hunting, I will have me one hell of a bird dog! It’s all there. We couldn’t be happier with Hank. Thank you, Pat!

Ron Richard / Enumclaw, WA
Adopted: Hank – Pudelpointer

Just got home, all wore out. Jag is absolutely amazing! He’s a bird-finding machine and I think an even better retriever. One bird flew a few hundred yards where we couldn’t see it and by the time we pulled the Garmin out, Jag was on his way back with the bird in his mouth. We can’t thank you enough Pat! Jag is amazing in every way!

Dale Christianson / Lake Stevens, WA
Adopted: Jag – English Pointer

I want to thank Pat from Gundogz Rescue for making a very hard thing for me to do as comfortable as it could have been. He had Annie evaluated to see what a good home needed to be like for her to be happy. And then he came out himself and watched her. He always let me know her progress and sent pictures often. He found her a great home and she looks very happy with her new person. 2 months later I received another update with pictures. I could see in the pictures that she still had her comfort bed I bought for her and her dog bowl, but she also seems to like his couch, too! I’m so happy she is getting spoiled. Pat thank you again.

Tami Windrick / Marysville, WA
Annie – Black Lab

After losing the family hunting dog unexpectedly a year ago, we could tell something was missing. Gundogz Rescue to the rescue! We’re a hunting dog family again thanks to Pat Nordquist and we are very thankful to be loving and training our GSP puppy. The first time we fetched him he showed a natural retrieve. Can’t wait for fall!

Jon Wiseman / North Bend, WA
Adopted: Bandit – German Shorthaired Pointer

I adopted a Pointer, “Guns and Noses Ace (Ace)” from Gundogz Rescue. I have been hunting Pointers since 1978. I already have a 4 ½ yo Pointer “Ranger” but saw Ace on the internet and had to inquire about him. I spoke with Pat Nordquist about Ace and had to do some research and due diligence to be sure I was getting a good dog. To my great pleasure, all my research indicated Ace was from really good hunting stock breeding. Pat let me watch Ace work birds as just a pup and I was impressed. I adopted Ace. He and my older Pointer get along famously. Gundogz Rescue is a great place to adopt a gundog. Pat Norquist knows gun dogs. He is all about getting to know the dogs he places AND the people he places the dogs with. He’s all about making a good match between gundog and new owner. Thanks to Pat Nordquist for helping me find Ace! Ranger thanks you too!

Dean Freitas
Adopted: Ace – English Pointer

Our family had been looking at getting a hunting dog and felt we had limited options due to living in Southern California and having a heart for animal adoption. When we came across the website, we honestly thought Gundogz Rescue was too good to be true. Pat was immediately responsive to our inquiry and took an interest in getting to know us before recommending Duke. Being a hunting family, we were excited to find an organization that specifically looks after gun dogs and re-homes them appropriately so they can keep doing what they love. Duke, like all the other dogs Pat rescues, had a story. Being 7 years old, we knew there was some concern about finding him a new forever home. Well, we scored with him! We instantly fell in love and he quickly found his place with us. We are so thankful for Pat and Duke’s foster family for keeping him company until he could come home. He’s a natural hunter, incredibly trained, and well adjusted. His confidence and flexibility continue to amaze us. We highly recommend the team at Gundogz Rescue and hope others can find their new hunting partners just like we found ours.

Ty and Candy B. / Greater Los Angeles Area
Adopted: Duke – German Shorthaired Pointer

Early this Summer we made the heartbreaking decision to part with our 4-year-old GSP. Bred as a field dog he had been living with a pack of other hunting dogs when we adopted him as a one-year-old. He had never lived in a house and had received very little training. While we have always had dogs we had never owned a highly bred field dog like this and did not know what we were getting into. We are outdoor people and love to hike but we are not hunters. Dutch adapted readily to our home and large fenced yard. We spent a lot of time training him but it was clear from the start that he needed far more freedom than we were able to provide living as we do in the city of Portland. He also needed a ‘job’, namely to hunt as he was bred to do.
We had become very bonded to Dutch and he to us. We could not conceive of letting him go unless we knew that he would be in the right environment where he could live his best life. A friend told me about Pat and Gundogz Rescue. After talking with Pat at length I knew that this was the way to start the process of finding the right placement for Dutch. Pat took him into his home, loved him and trained him, and then found a home for him where he could be part of a family and a hunting partner for them. Throughout the 4 months that he was with Pat we received constant photos and descriptions of Dutch’s training and well-being. It was so reassuring to know how happy and active he was.
We miss Dutch very much but we know that this was the right thing to do. We will be forever grateful to Pat and his wonderful organization for all they have done for Dutch and for us.

Susan Franklin / Portland, OR
Dutch – German Shorthaired Pointer

Pat – I wanted to take a minute to say thank you! Working with you and your organization has been a great pleasure. You took the time to learn our needs and wants and recommended the perfect dog for us – Dutch. He is a wonderful addition to our family and I’m sure he will be a great partner in the field. Your description of his traits and training was spot on. We are looking forward to several great years with our new family member and hunting partner. Thanks again.

Matt Shaner
Adopted: Dutch – German Shorthaired Pointer

Thank you to Pat and the entire Gundogz Rescue organization for handling a difficult situation with care and class. From the beginning I felt like we were kept close to the process by hearing great stories through phone calls, photos, and videos; no question this helped me achieve some closure and even brought me a lot of joy along the way. It was obvious that Conan received EXCELLENT care, training, and love throughout his months of fostering and we couldn’t be more excited for the young couple in Oregon to have him in their family.

Jack Frazier
Conan – German Shorthaired Pointer

Pat, thank you for bringing Conan into our lives! The work you are doing is truly special. You, Jerry, and Jo are wonderful people and we cannot express our gratitude enough. We will be in touch at every turn and landmark. Natasha and I will be seeking out a NAVHDA chapter near us to strengthen our bond with Conan and hone his abilities.

Johnathan Van Roekel & Natasha E. Horsfall / Lakeview, OR
Adopted: Conan – German Shorthaired Pointer

I would like to say thank you for selecting me to have Maddox as my companion, friend, and hunting partner. I know it’s called Gundogz rescue, but in all reality he saved me. I am excited and looking forward to this coming fall when I can put his talents on display. I leave work excited to come home and work with him, he knows our routine, 1st fieldwork, then water work then back to fieldwork, and to finish it off playtime. He loves chasing down a frisbee and jumping in the air to grab it. Where I go he goes, when I’m not at work he is by me at all times, we just hang out together, when I sit down to eat he comes and lays behind me, never begs for food, just wants to be by my side. Jerry did an excellent job with him as a foster parent. His personality is so attractive that everyone that meets him, and I mean everyone just adores him, it took my wife just a couple of days to get completely attached, it’s funny when we are training and I say no he runs to her if she is around J. He is extremely intelligent, he picks up on new commands fast, he looks at me and seems to know what I want, his swimming ability is something to watch, if I throw 2 dummies out he tries to get both, working on bringing 1st one then go get 2nd one. Thank you, Maddox is amazing, I feel like he took 10 years off my life, I feel young again and want to play with him.

Jim M. Kohls / Humboldt, TN
Adopted: Maddox – Chesapeake Bay Retriever

We are so happy we found Gundogz rescue and be part of a wonderful foster program. Pat’s love of dogs and knowledge and training of dogs shows in everything he does. Pat helps us every step of the way and is always available with his time and energy to make sure that every dog he takes into his program is successfully placed into a forever home where the dog will thrive. We wanted to foster dogs after losing our beloved Labrador retrievers. We had the pleasure of fostering a Chesapeake Bay Retriever for several months. During the time we were fostering Maddox, he thrived and now that Maddox is placed in his final home, we are proud we did a good job in providing a safe haven for such a wonderful dog. We have such positive memories of Maddox, we can’t wait to meet our next new friend and welcome him/her into our home! If you are thinking about fostering a dog, please know that you will get so much more out of it than you give.

Jerry and Teresa Arendt
Fostered: Maddox – Chesapeake Bay Retriever

As the breed warden for a small breed club, I received word that one of our club’s dogs had been surrendered to Pat. I contacted him immediately to offer a network of connections to help get the dog placed into an appropriate home. Pat worked with me through the entire process and with full transparency. In the end, the dog ended up back with the breeder (on the other side of the country!), which was the best possible outcome for all involved. Throughout the whole experience of working with Pat, it was clear that his top priority was to put the dog’s needs first. He truly operates Gun Dogz Rescue from his heart. It’s unfortunate when a dog has to be surrendered, but working with Pat gave me confidence that the dog was going to come out of the experience in a much better situation. Thank you so much for all that you do!

Jennifer Wapenski

Thank you for all the help you gave Millie and me. I know she is in great hands and will be well taken care of. You have assisted me in ways you’ll never ever know! I can’t wait to see Millie flourish and become the bird dog she was always meant to be. I hope her new owner/family loves her as much as we did!

Alyssa R. / Fayetteville, GA

Millie – German Shorthaired Pointer

We are in the third week of having her and what a dog, the fit couldn’t have been any better. The reports that you gave us during your evaluation of her training, abilities, and mannerisms are right on the mark. Now I understand the advantage of your system of evaluating a dog before putting them out for adoption. Tikka surely doesn’t know or act as she is 12 years old and we wouldn’t believe it either if we didn’t have her pedigree showing her birth date. The wife has not had or been around a dog that acts as she does when in the house, car, or truck, not a problem one, wife is tickled. Other than maybe for Tikka’s stamina, which she shows no lack of, the wife and I at 76+ are both a little short of stamina ourselves, I’m sure she will hold her own this fall when hunting with those young pups, owners, and their dogs that we hunt with. They’re already impressed. The only thing worse than an old hunting dog who doesn’t have a hunter to hunt with is an old hunter who wants to hunt but doesn’t have a dog to hunt with. Our first real hunting partner lived to be 19, our last hunting partner, I put down this last December, lived to be 17. So began the quest for Tikka. Please feel free to give our contact information to anyone that might have questions or reservations about adopting an older hunting dog, we would be glad to share our experiences with them.

Doug and Karlene Carter / Utah
Adopted: Tikka – English Pointer

Thanks again for all you did for Hank! My youngest still misses him a lot, but I keep telling him he’s doing what he was created to do . . . hunt!

*Our family had a lab that was getting quite old and we knew we didn’t have a lot of years left with her. Our vet recommended getting another dog to help ease the pain when her time was over, so we got Hank, a Pudelpointer. He was the sweetest thing, but so much energy! We had over 2 fenced acres and thought that would be perfect for him, but quickly realized he needed more. We were given the opportunity to move, but couldn’t take Hank. A huge blessing for Hank, we found Pat with Gundogz Rescue. He took Hank for us and made him into what he was created to be, a bird dog! We didn’t realize that Hank needed to work and just running around the yard was not making him happy. Pat kept in contact with me the whole time and let me know when he was officially adopted. Pictures, phone calls, updates . . . through the pain of giving up our dog, our family experienced a blessing! Hank
is now in a wonderful home where he hunts! We couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out! Thank you, Pat!

Sarah Foster
Hank – Pudelpointer

Last year we found ourselves hunting with an old dog who could no longer run all day and a year-old puppy who was not yet fully trained, and we realized we needed another dog. We wondered if there might be an adult dog somewhere out there that was looking for a home, a dog that might fit in-between our two dogs. The question was how to find her. After lots of emails and conversations with other Birddog folks, we finally stumbled onto Gundogz Rescue. During the multiple calls we had with Pat, it was clear that he was intensely focused on ensuring that the dogs that go through his program must go to homes that understand the specific needs of bird dogs. He suggested that Sally might be a good fit for us. It turns out, she is! She hunts, points, and retrieves, and then she comes into the house and is happy to curl up on her dog bed, or on someone’s lap. I imagine it must have been extremely difficult for her previous owners to part ways with her, so I want them to know that she’s now in a home where she will hunt chukar all fall, she will train on our homing pigeons frequently, she will be a house-pet, and she has a new family who all absolutely adore her.

Nick and Jen K. / Junction City, OR
Adopted: Sally – English Pointer

I started the wonderful journey that is hunting with a well-trained pointing dog in 1994. Over that time I have gone through the heartache of losing your best four-legged friends many times. Recommendations from other “dog people” carry a lot of influence on me, especially those that I admire and trust. A few years ago my wife developed Alzheimer’s disease and as it progressed I realized that I was no longer a young man that could take care of an ailing wife and do justice to my lab and three young English Pointers. I reached out to a good friend, Mel Luek, to whom I had re-homed one of my pointers previously. She told me to get in touch with Pat Nordquist at Gundogzrescue.com. I talked with Pat and he convinced me that he is so much more into his dogs and the dogs he rescues than I ever was. He is retired and he lives for his dogs. His organization is very particular with whom he fosters the dogs initially and who will receive these “rescue” dogs. Pat and his organization are big into NAVHDA. They evaluate the potential rescue to determine where they are in their training. They go to extremes to match future parents up with the right family. If the family doesn’t pass their scrutiny then “no dice”. They look for the perfect fit.

After talking with Pat and Mel about my two pointers I was easily convinced that the best thing for them would be to let Pat find them new homes with younger families that hunt. My Sally is a Yellow English Pointer and a NASTRA champion. She now lives with a young family that hunts 40 days a year in Eastern Oregon. My Tessa is 7 but you wouldn’t know it. Both dogs were so sweet butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths, as the old English saying goes. Well, Tessa now belongs to Pat. She is a dream dog.

I would be happy to speak with anyone considering giving up their hunting dog. I don’t think you would be unhappy letting Pat help you and your pet.

Mike Moran / Bend, OR
Sally & Tessa – English Pointers

When I first learned about Millie in Georgia, I knew I would drop anything to drive down from Massachusetts to pick her up myself, and every minute and hour in the car with my new pup was more than worth it. My fiancé and I have wanted a dog since we have been together but we were never sure what dog would be the right fit. It was after the Springer Spaniel, Bella, that I had grown up with passed at just 10 that I knew I needed to have another bird dog. I got my start hunting as a young kid with some family friends’ English Setters, and the beauty of watching a pointer hunt has always stuck with me. So when my Bella passed away, I knew that I wanted to make training a pointer a part of my life. When I contacted Pat from Gundogz about finding a rescue dog, he mentioned this GSP named Millie. I was of course interested, but what was really interesting is that Millie was not only destined for a life of bird hunting, but she was also a service dog. This unique bit about Millie was not just interesting but fit perfectly into our lives as my fiancé is a social worker and would be able to bring Millie into the school where she works with students with special needs. After the 30+ hour journey to Georgia and back with my brother and meeting the prettiest pup I’d ever seen, I knew we made the right choice to bring Millie home. Our experience with Pat and Gundogz was exceptional. We not only found a companion but the absolute perfect fit for us and our future. Pat’s care for dogs is testified by the diligence that he puts towards making sure the pups have not only a good life but a life where they are successful and aided to reach their full potential. Today she is a hard worker, learning both the rules of the field and the rules of the house. As the fall quickly approaches Millie will be pointing birds and meeting kids, and taking an important seat by our sides at our wedding.

Zach Adams / MA
Adopted: Millie – German Shorthaired Pointer

We have a 9-year-old son with autism. We tragically lost our german shorthair puppy after an unknown illness and shortly before that lost our older dog. Our son had a very difficult time with these losses, however, he did not do well with some of the behaviors associated with the puppy phase. We looked to Gundogz Rescue to try to find a dog who was through the most difficult puppy phases but still playful enough to keep up with our active son. Our new family member Willie Nelson is easy-going, goofy, and very gentle. It is so much easier to have a slightly older dog who does not jump up on people but still has lots of energy to play. Willie Nelson\’s cheerful yet gentle demeanor is making it easy for our son to bond with him. They are already learning to play fetch together and cuddle on the couch. We so appreciate the ease of the adoption process and Gundogz Rescue finding us such a perfect fit.

Mike and Janell Lukes
Adopted: Willie Nelson – German Wirehaired Pointer

4 weeks ago Patrick told me about Cooper. He is a beautiful Golden Retriever with an unbelievably affectionate nature. I feel so lucky to be his person. Pat was a great help and comfort to me when over time, my beloved Springer Spaniel pup started having seizures. 5 months had gone by and I was still grieving for her. I contacted Pat to ask if he ever takes in dogs that are not good for hunt training. It just so happened he had just driven out to Oregon to pick up Cooper and left him with one of his foster homes for evaluation. It was a quick decision, but I totally trust Pat (and foster dad, Jerry) so I knew Cooper would be wonderful. And he is!! What a great dog! Thank you Pat for all the good work you do.

Mary Stahl
Adopted: Cooper – Golden Retriever

Greetings, Pat! We would like to thank you for the opportunity to take in “Benton” (a.k.a., Bentley)! He is a beautiful copper-mahogany labrador! Your adoption program is a true blessing to the hunting dog community! The logistics of connecting this fine specimen with us, from Washington state to Wisconsin seemed a bit daunting, but we got it done! He has been “as advertised!” Big, smart, and lovable! Our family (yes, including the dogs we already home,) are all more than satisfied with this guy. Thanks for your dedication to these animals and for placing Benton with us!

James Karow
Adopted: Bentley – Labrador Retriever