All About German Shepherd Rescue Dogs

People give up their German Shepherds for a variety of reasons. The German Shepherd is a large breed, and some owners who move to smaller quarters feel that it would be unfair to move the dog to a confined area. Other owners, through circumstances beyond their control, may move from owning their own home to renting an apartment in a building with restrictions on the size of dog permitted. Other owners grow ill or die, and there is no one among their friends or family members willing to take on the care of a German Shepherd. nnDog problems occur when a German Shepherd dog\'s behavior changes unexpectedly, for no apparent reason. Owners are often perplexed by the changes in their dog\'s personality, and they try obedience training and other solutions before they finally surrender their dogs to a German Shepherd rescue organization. Fortunately, German Shepherd rescue organizations can usually match any dog to a new home with an owner who wants to offer a dog a second chance at a happy, fulfilling human relationship.nnAnyone who wants to adopt a German Shepherd rescue dog should consider the decision seriously and at length. A commitment to a dog should last the dog\'s entire lifetime. German Shepherds are large, powerful dogs, weighing 55 to 65 lbs. It is essential that such a strong dog be properly trained, for the safety of the dog and the people around it. nnObedience training for German Shepherd puppies should begin at an early age, ideally at eight to ten weeks. With a rescue dog, however, one can never be sure what kind of training the dog has had, and owners of rescue German Shepherds should be prepared to go through obedience training with their dogs, to review and reinforce what the German Shepherd learned from its prior owner or to introduce the dog to the authority it craves. nnConfidence is the hallmark of the German Shepherd\'s personality, but the German Shepherd longs for a leader. The owner of a rescue dog should provide the dog with enough exercise to fulfill the dog\'s need for vigorous movement and with enough discipline to establish the owner as the leader of the pack.nnIf you are interested in adopting a rescue dog, contact a German Shepherd rescue organization near you. Most organizations will require that you be at least 21 years old and that you have the permission and consent of all adults in your household. nnProspective German Shepherd rescue dog owners must provide proof of home ownership or written permission from the homeowner where the dog will live, as well as written permission from all other adults in the household. German Shepherd rescue dogs enjoy the companionship of other dogs, but any other dogs in the household must have current vaccinations and be temperamentally disposed to living with an additional dog.nnIf your application for adoption is approved, you will be matched with a rescue dog for a temporary trial period, called a foster period. If this foster period goes well, you and your adopted dog will be permanently matched.