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Dogs Available for Adoption |
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Donations Needed!
How to Adopt a Dog from GSRSV/Adoption
Fees
What's New on the GSRSV Website?
Dogs Available for Adoption through GSRSV
Dogs Available for Adoption from Other Area Rescue Groups and Individuals
Dogs Available for Adoption at Northern California Animal Shelters
Dogs Available for Adoption through Owner Placement
How to Place a Dog through GSRSV
In
Memoriam
Is a German Shepherd the Right Breed for You?
Other German Shepherd Rescue Web Sites &
Resources
The following dogs are
available for adoption from the GSRSV rescue facility, foster caretakers, and owners working with GSRSV. For further information
about these dogs, please call Brian Foran at 916-655-3125
or e-mail him at bab43@msn.com.
(Note: dogs that were recently adopted will be moved to the very
bottom of this page.) For information about the adoption process and
fees, please see How to
Adopt a Dog from GSRSV/Adoption Fees.
What is a "Program Dog?" This page was last modified May 10, 2013.
Some dogs' descriptions state that "GSRSV has evaluated (name)
and is placing (him, her) as one of its program dogs." This
means that the dog is still in the custody of its guardian,
but that GSRSV is placing the dog through its adoption program. The same
adoption process and adoption fee apply to these dogs as to those in
GSRSV's custody, and the same 2-week money-back guarantee and
lifetime take-back policy also apply. 
This
picture appears next to dogs that have proven themselves to be
cat-friendly. 
The flag appears above the pictures of
dogs that GSRSV is placing for military families who are
forced to find new homes for their dogs due to deployments.
Please show your support for our service men and women by adopting or
fostering their dogs!
Note: The dogs on this page--other than those added within one week--are listed alphabetically, rather than in chronological order. I list the dogs this way because too many people overlook the dogs that have been listed for awhile, thinking (erroneously) that there must be something wrong with a dog that hasn't been adopted after a few months.
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"Lucy"
is a beautiful 1½-yo spayed female Belgian Sheepdog (NOT Belgian
Malinois!) who is sweet, playful, and energetic. (See http://bscarescue.com/about-the-belgian-sheepdog/
for info about the Belgian Sheepdog.) Lucy is very friendly with
people, as the breed is known for. She is almost certainly fine with
children, but might be a bit too energetic for toddlers. Lucy gets
along great with other dogs. She loves to play and to herd--which of
course comes natural to her breed--but is not overbearing with the
herding. I don't know how Lucy is with cats, so per my policy, I will
only place Lucy in a home without cats. Lucy weighs between
65-70 lbs, but could use an additional 5-10 lbs. Lucy's fur is long
and silky, and requires regular brushing to keep debris such as
foxtails from setting in and mats from forming.
Lucy has likely not had any formal training, but she is very smart and learns quickly. She was an outdoor dog most, if not all, of her life, yet made the adjustment to being an inside/outside dog w/ just a few accidents. She occasionally gets up on the counter (which is easy for her, given how long she is), but a quick "No!" and she's right down. Lucy is very calm inside the house, contrary to her high-energy output when outside. Lucy would make a good jogging partner, as she loves to run. Lucy's former owner surrendered her to the Sacramento County shelter, reportedly because s/he was moving. From the info provided in the surrendered animal questionnaire, it was clear that the owner(s) did not have a strong connection w/ Lucy. Every time I pet Lucy, she seems surprised at the attention I'm giving her! Yet I do not see any signs of abuse, either, in Lucy's past. GSRSV rescued Lucy from the Sac County shelter pm 5-2-13. Lucy's adoption fee is $250. Posted 5-8-13 |
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"Mia"
is an approx 2¾-yo spayed female GSD who is SUPER sweet and well-behaved. Mia
loves everyone she meets, and though she will likely display some
protective behavior once she's in a "regular" home, Mia is
mostly about love. She will be great with kids of all ages. Mia is
great with other dogs, and is submissive to assertive dogs. As sweet
as Mia is, she is definitely NOT good with cats and other small
"prey" animals. Mia is a small GSD, and weighs about 60 lbs.
Mia is well-behaved in the house, and has never been destructive since I've had her. She doesn't really know any formal commands, but is smart and will learn quickly. I have not had many occasions to have Mia on leash, so I can't say just how she behaves when on leash. However, she's not a hyper dog and I think she'll do very well on leash. Mia will make a great family dog. GSRSV rescued Mia back in February 2012 from the Glenn County shelter in Willows. Mia was very pregnant, and it was too late (from an ethical perspective) to have her spayed. Mia gave birth to four pups, including "Scout" (on left) who is still available for adoption! Mia was an awesome mom, and really looked after and played with her pups. Mia's adoption fee is $250. Posted 5-5-13 |
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"Delilah"
is a beautiful 4-yo (as of February 2013) spayed female GSD who is
very sweet and devoted. Delilah is friendly with everyone and
especially loves kids. (She presently lives with three children, ages
10, 7 & 2.) Delilah gets along great with other dogs, and has a
submissive demeanor towards them. She is NOT good with cats. Delilah
is good size for a female GSD, and appears to weigh at least 70 lbs.
Delilah loves to go on walks; she pulls somewhat at first on leash, but calms down as she goes along. (Her owner walks her w/ a Gentle Leader.) She also loves to go for car rides, and travels well in the car. She appears to like water, as she loved splashing in a shallow pond at GSRSV's facility, but she does not like sprinklers. Delilah's not much of a ball dog, but loves to chase reflections and flashlight beams. She also likes chasing squirrels in the back yard. She is very afraid of fireworks, and will hide in the closet if inside. Delilah is very needy of human companionship. She is fine if left alone inside for several hours, and is fine when outside with her people. However, when she is left outside by herself for even a short time will immediately jump the fence to seek company. She will then go right up the to the first person who welcomes her. Sometimes, she'll simply circle around to the front of the house and wait on the porch until she's let in. In any event, Delilah can not be left outside alone, so will need a home in which she is kept inside when her person is gone. Delilah's owner purchased her from a breeder as a young pup in 2009. Her owner is in the Army and his wife is a full-time nurse. They no longer have the time to devote to Delilah that they used to, and feel that Delilah would be happier in a home in which she receives more attention and gets to go on more adventures. GSRSV has evaluated Delilah and is placing her as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is seeking a new home for Delilah through its adoption program while her owner continues to care for her. Delilah's adoption fee is $250. Posted 4-14-13 |
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"Gelda"
is an approx 5-6 yo spayed female GSD mix who is mellow and
affectionate. Gelda is friendly with strangers and loves to be held
and petted. She is somewhat sensitive about being handled around her
hips, so she would do best in a home without children under the age of
10. Gelda was fine w/ the numerous dogs at GSRSV’s rescue facility,
but is very reactive towards other dogs when on leash. She also reacts
strongly towards cats, squirrels, and pretty much any other animal.
“No cats” is a given for Gelda’s next home. Gelda is short and
stocky, and weighs about 70 lbs. She has a soft, plush coat. Gelda is quiet in the house and has great manners as long as you set the rules. She is a fast learner, and within three days at her foster home she was respecting the invisible boundaries established for her. She obeys a few commands, and being food motivated can likely learn many more commands with a treat incentive. Gelda walks well on a leash, and promptly responds to “stop” and “heel” –except when she sees another dog or other animal. Gelda
likes to play fetch, tug-of-war, and chew on squeaky toys. She is very
content just hanging around with her person once she’s gone for a
walk. Gelda is somewhat unsteady in her back end, but that doesn’t
slow her down on her walks around the hilly streets of GSRSV
rescued Gelda from the small shelter in rural Posted 4-21-13 |
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"Gloria"
is a 7-yr old spayed female GSD mix with
personality-plus and a real love for life and adventure. Gloria loves
everyone she meets, even though she may have been a little abused as
she does duck her head when I reach out quickly to pet her. I have
yet to see Gloria around children, but to me, it's a foregone
conclusion that she's good w/ kids--she just has that type of
temperament. She has been great with the other dogs at GSRSV's
facility. I don't know how Gloria is with cats, so I prefer to place
her in a home without them. Gloria weighs about 60 lbs.
Gloria is very energetic and excitable, yet she settles down quickly and then is extremely well behaved. When she is excited, she jumps straight up in the air at least two feet off the ground and sometimes higher! It's really amazing to see. Gloria is perfectly behaved in the house. She clearly received extensive training in the past as she immediately responds to basic commands and has excellent recall off-leash. Gloria loves to go for car rides, and is a perfect front-seat rider; she'll either just sit and observe the sites going by, or will lie down curled up. Gloria also loves to swim. She's a natural outdoorsy dog, who would love to be a companion for an active, outdoorsy person or family. Gloria was brought to the Shasta County shelter as a stray on 9-7-11. GSRSV rescued her on 10-10-11, the same day she was scheduled to be euthanized. Upon meeting Gloria, you will see the incredible irony in the thin line that separates dogs like Gloria--who are so full of life--from death. Gloria's adoption fee is $200. Posted 10-15-11 |
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"Hank"
is a 4-yo (as
of Oct '12) male GSD with tons of energy . Hank is aloof with
strangers, but not at all aggressive. He has been raised with children
and is good with them. Hank has not been socialized with dogs other
than the three he lives with, but he did surprisingly well with the
several dogs he met at GSRSV's facility. In fact, he was quite happy
to be running around with a bunch of his own kind. He
has never been around cats, so I'll only consider a home w/out cats
for him. Hank is a medium-sized GSD, and probably weighs between 70-75
lbs.
Hank obeys some basic commands, but could use with a formal training program because of his high energy level. He pulls hard on a leash at the beginning of walks, but settles down after a few minutes. He is well-behaved in the house, but other than at night, is kept outdoors primarily. He likes to go for car rides and is a good traveler. Hank's owner purchased him from a breeding kennel in Montana (Sapphire Shepherds, http://www.sapphireshepherds.com) when he was a young pup. He is soon moving to a much smaller house than he presently has, and one of the neighbors there is not pet-friendly. He has two other German Shepherds, and is downsizing to one. GSRSV has evaluated Hank and is placing him as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is seeking a new home for Hank through its adoption program while his owner continues to care for him. Hank's adoption fee is $225. Posted 12-13-12 |
 Click for larger image.  Click for larger image.  Click for larger image.  Click for larger image. |
 "Kumo"
(top two pictures) is a regal, 8-yr old neutered male GSD who is very
friendly and well-mannered. "Sonja"
(pronounced "Sahn-ja) is a 7-yr old spayed female longcoat GSD
who is playful and very energetic. Both dogs are AKC-registered, and
from the same breeding kennel: Zwinger
vom Valkyre in Roseville. Both Kumo and Sonja have been with the
same owner since puppies, and are very bonded to each other. For that
reason, we are only seeking a home for Kumo and Sonja together.
Kumo is very friendly with people and is good with kids, having grown up with a few (the youngest being 8 yrs old when he was a puppy). However, he is probably a bit too energetic and physical for really young kids. Kumo is not good with other dogs. Ironically, he is OK with cats, having been raised with one. Kumo received some formal obedience training when he was young, but none since. He still pulls on leash during walks, but nothing a strong person or a gentle leader muzzle harness couldn't bring under control. He was fine in the house when he was younger, but he and Sonja have been kept as outdoor dogs only for several years now. Sonja, though friendly, is less interested in interacting with people than Kumo, at least at first. She's much more interested in playing with Kumo. Like Kumo, Sonja is very reactive towards other dogs. She used to chase the cat that she was raised with, but only in fun and never hurt it. Sonja never did receive any formal obedience training. She pulls very hard on leash. She's a very high-energy dog who really needs a lot of exercise or a job to do. She loves to play fetch! Sonja was never quite trustworthy in the house (i.e., counters were fair game), and having been kept outside for years hasn't helped matters. However, with consistent training and perhaps Kumo to set a positive example, Sonja surely can become a well-behaved inside dog. Kumo & Sonja's owner, Kim, lost her husband Mike to cancer four years ago. I get the impression that Kumo and Sonja were really Mike's dogs, though Kim obviously cares for them a great deal. Since Mike passed away, Kumo and Sonja have been receiving less and less exercise and attention. They are presently confined to a good-size dog run on the side of the house. About the only exercise they receive is playing with each other, which fortunately is so intense that both dogs are in good shape. In fairness to Kumo and Sonja, when I met them it was one of the rare times they were allowed outside of the dog run. They were ecstatic, and just wanted to run and "fence fight" with the yappy little dogs next door. I'm sure that even Sonja would show a more mellow side if she was receiving more human contact. Fortunately, Kim has acknowledged that she can no longer provide the necessary interaction with Kumo and Sonja, and has sought GSRSV's assistance in finding them a new home. Again, at least for now, we are only considering those who will adopt Kumo and Sonja together. GSRSV has evaluated Kumo & Sonja and is placing them as "Program Dogs." This means that GSRSV is seeking a new home for Kumo & Sonja through its adoption program while their caretaker continues to care for them. Kumo and Sonja's adoption fee is $350. 8-13-11 |
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"Maya" is a super-sweet, gentle-giant 5-yr old spayed female GSD mix. Maya is friendly with strangers (more comfortable w/ women), but also a good watchdog on her home turf. She is great with children, and was protective (though not overly so) of the 7-yr old and a 9-yr old kids she formerly lived with. She is fine with other dogs, though when off-leash she approaches other dogs in a very dominant way. She is NOT good with cats, small dogs or livestock. Maya is a big dog, weighs approx 90 lbs. Maya is very obedient and responds well to commands. She is a great companion on jogs and hikes. She is good on leash and will not pull or make any fuss when seeing other dogs. Even when off leash, she will not run far and comes when called. Though Maya has a lot of energy on walks and hikes, she is really clam and loving in a home environment. She loves to cuddle and receive all the attention she can get. Maya is also surprisingly good in cars; she waits calmly and quietly if you leave to run short errands. Maya formerly had separation anxiety when left alone, but her foster caretakers have worked wonders with this behavior. Now, they can leave Maya alone (w/ access to outside via a dog door) for as much as 12 hrs w/ out her getting upset. Maya's former owners adopted her from the Sac SPCA in November 2009. Maya had separation anxiety from the outset, but her owners helped her grow comfortable for the time that they were typically away from home. However, changes to their work schedules forced them to leave Maya alone for 10-12 hrs/day. Consequently, her owners were forced to seek a new home for Maya, and in mid-May began boarding her at GSRSV's facility while I sought her a new home. GSRSV brought Maya to a foster home in North Sacramento on 8-21-11, where she is doing great. Maya's adoption fee is $200. Posted 3-6-11; updated 2-28-12 |
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Available for
Adoption in "Reggie" is an adorable, 1-yo neutered male GSD/Australian Shepherd w/ a wonderful temperament. Reggie is always happy, and is fairly mellow for his age. He loves people, and will be great w/ kids. (He takes treats very gently.) Reggie has "family dog" written all over him! He is very playful w/ other dogs, and will be good w/ small dogs as he plays gently. Unfortunately, Reggie was NOT good with the one cat that he was introduced to, so I will only consider a home for him that does not have cats. He weighs about 60 lbs. Reggie is housetrained and almost completely non-destructive in the house. He occasionally starts to chew on something, but a quick "no" immediately deters him from chewing. He is good on leash and has very good recall off-leash--especially for such a young dog. Reggie was scheduled to be adopted from the Sac County shelter on March 18, but when he was neutered that day, his heartworm test came up positive. (For a good overview on heartworm, see http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2096&aid=743.) Because he tested positive for heartworm, the people who were going to adopt Reggie backed out, and he was then listed for "rescue only." GSRSV rescued Reggie on 3-28-13. At such a young age, Reggie's heartworm condition is in the very early stages, and he is not showing symptoms of any kind. GSRSV plans to have Reggie treated for his heartworm as soon as my vet receives the "Immiticide" heartworm-killing drug that she's ordered. (Immiticide is in short supply, and must be ordered from Europe.) Following his heartworm treatment, Reggie will be kept relatively calm (ie, no rigorous off-leash activity) at his foster home in Davis for one month. After Reggie's one-month "downtime", he'll be all set to go to his new home, with no activity restrictions. I have had eleven dogs treated for heartworm over the years, and all of them did just fine following the treatment. One dog (a purebred GSD) even lived to be almost 17 years old! Though dogs treated for heartworm might be sore from the injections, there is rarely any adverse reaction to the heartworm-killing agent. Reggie's adoption fee is $300. (Normally, the adoption fee for a 1-yo GSD-mix is $225, but I am raising Reggie's adoption fee to cover the expense of his heartworm treatment.) Posted 4-10-13; updated 5-10 |
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"Reina"
is a nearly 8-yr old (in Jan '13) spayed female GSD who is very sweet
and mellow. Reina is very friendly with everyone she meets, and is
exceptionally good with children (she grew up with a then-3 yo girl).
Reina is great with other dogs, and currently lives with three others.
She has never been around cats, so I'll only consider a home w/out
cats for her. Reina is a large dog to begin with, but is about 20 lbs
overweight at present--she probably weighs over 100 lbs. It will be
very important for whoever adopts Reina to exercise her regularly and
to put her on a reduced calorie diet to help her lose some of her
unnecessary weight.
Reina's owner has kept her outside for the most part her entire life, but she is housetrained and sleeps inside at night. There's no doubt that Reina will welcome a new home in which she's allowed to be inside whenever her people are home. Reina is well-trained and obeys basic obedience commands fairly promptly. She walks well on a leash, and is a good auto traveler. Reina's owner purchased her from a breeding kennel in Montana (Sapphire Shepherds, http://www.sapphireshepherds.com) when she was a young pup. He is soon moving to a much smaller house than he presently has, and one of the neighbors there is not pet-friendly. He has two other German Shepherds, and is downsizing to one. GSRSV has evaluated Reina and is placing her as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is seeking a new home for Reina through its adoption program while her owner continues to care for her. Reina's adoption fee is $175. Posted 12-13-12 |
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"Scout" is a 1-yo (as of March 3) spayed female GSD/Yellow Lab mix who is a very sweet and loving dog. Scout is generally outgoing towards guests in her home, but is still shy and reserved at times. She is great with the 9 & 12-yo boys she lives with, as well as their friends. She welcomes belly rubs and likes to gently mouth-play when prompted. Scout is great with other dogs, and likes to play hard with the 1½-yo female Lab mix that she lives with. Scout has a strong prey drive, and loves to chase the squirrels and birds in her foster home's backyard. She also shows an interest in chasing cats while on walks, so per my policy, I will only place her in a home without cats. Scout is medium-sized as GSDs go, and weighs about 60 lbs. Her mother, "Mia", is a petite purebred GSD. Scout has always been somewhat shy, but since she went to a foster home on February 1, she's been coming out of her shell and gaining confidence with each day. The best example of Scout's emotional development is her leash behavior. When I first brought her to her foster home, she had never been on a leash and was terrified of it. Now, Scout is GREAT on leash, does not pull at all, and in fact she's usually a few steps behind. Scout is a quick learner: she already knows sit, give me your paw, up, and has almost mastered stay.
Scout is house trained, takes treats gently and has no food aggression. She likes sleeping on the
bed or the couches. Scout's foster caretakers have given her great
freedoms in their home so as to avoid reprimands, which would have
delayed her confidence-building. However, now Scout can handle a sharp
"No!" without slinking away. Scout's adoption fee is $225. Posted 3-22-13 |
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"Waffles"
is an 8-yr old neutered male Boxer/GSD who is super sweet and
exceptionally well-behaved. He is friendly with everyone and probably
not a very good watch dog. He'd be great with kids, for sure. He's
fine with other dogs, but would also be OK as an only dog. He's also
great with cats. Waffles is a medium-sized dog; he weighed about 50
lbs at the time of this posting but I'm helping him get closer to his
optimal weight of about 60 lbs. He's in good shape for
an 8-yr old dog, but does have some arthritis, which is usually
noticeable only when he gets up. He's on an OTC joint health support,
which is very effective and inexpensive.
Waffles is great in the house and really is a "comfort pup", usually seeking a cozy spot like an easy chair to curl up in. He is a very affectionate dog and loves to be coddled. Waffles loves to go for walks and car rides. Waffle's former owner had to find him a new home when she moved to Hawaii last year. Unfortunately, the people who adopted Waffles ended up surrendering him to the Placer County Shelter in Auburn, claiming that they found him as a stray. Fortunately, Waffle's microchip was still registered in his former owner's name and the shelter contacted her--who then contacted GSRSV. (I actually found a home for her other dog last year.) I picked up Waffles from the shelter on Jan. 18, and have had him here at my place since then. Waffle's adoption fee is $150. Posted 2-21-12 |
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 "Zoe"
is a 2-yr old spayed female Boxer/GSD mix who is playful and
energetic. Zoe is affectionate and loyal with her own person. She's
somewhat timid of strangers--particularly men--but has become much
better since we took her in. She showed no fear of me (a man)
whatsoever when I watched her for a week while her foster caretaker
was on vacation. We don't know just yet how Zoe is with young children,
but she does take treats gently from hand--a must for the little ones.
Zoe loves to play w/ other dogs, and is the best friend and playmate
with her present canine companion, a 1˝-yr old male Pit Bull mix. She
likely would not get along as well with a female dog, though. Zoe has
a strong prey drive--she loves to chase after squirrels and has shown
far too much interest in the cats in her foster home, so a home
without cats is a must for Zoe.
Zoe is very well behaved in the house and has shown no destructive behaviors. She sleeps in a crate at night and is comfortable in it. Zoe walks well on a leash (unless she sees a squirrel or a cat) and would make a great jogging partner. She obeys basic commands willingly. Zoe LOVES to bite the waterstream from a hose, as illustrated in the picture at left. She also LOVES to swim, and will take off like a motorboat given a chance. Zoe is a medium-sized dog, and probably weighs about 60 lbs. GSRSV took Zoe in on 4-20-12 from her female owner who had to move into her mother's house due to an abusive relationship. She could no longer keep Zoe at her mother's house due to a numbers limit. Zoe's been in a foster home in East Sacramento from that point on. Zoe's adoption fee is $175. Posted 5-7-12; updated 7-28-12 |
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Adopted 5-7-13! "Champ" is a regal, nearly 7-yo (in June) neutered male GSD who is loving and protective. Champ is friendly with strangers who come to visit, but is protective when on leash. Champ is great with kids, and has watched over his present owner's grandson since he was an infant. Champ is reactive towards strange dogs, having not been socialized with many other dogs. However, he lived for a few years w/ a female GSD who he got along great with. Champ has never been around cats, so per my policy, I will only consider a home w/out cats for him. Champ weighs about 80 lbs. Champ is very good on leash, and is a good jogging partner. He loves to play fetch and to play in the snow. He has good recall off-leash. Champ is fine left alone in the house for a couple of hours, but his owner crates him when she is gone for longer than two hours because Champ becomes anxious and will pace back and forth. He presently lives in an apartment without a yard, but would probably be fine left outside in a house w/ a yard or inside with a dog door providing access to a yard. Champ's owner raised him from the time he was 10 wks old. Both she and her son are very attached to Champ, but they are now having to move into an apartment that does not allow large dogs. The lease on their current apartment expires on May 31, so they must find a home for Champ by then or they will be forced to bring Champ to a shelter. GSRSV has evaluated Champ and is placing him as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is seeking a new home for Champ through its adoption program while his owner continues to care for him. Champ's adoption fee is $175. Posted 4-12-13 |
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Adopted 4-6-13! "Polar", a neutered 5½-yo male, is quite the unusual mix: Corgi and White GSD! Polar is also quite the character. He's timid of strangers, but is friendly once he gets to know you. He's very active, and loves to play with other dogs. He is a regular at the local dog park. Polar is also good with the cat in his home, and is even good with other people's cats. Though Polar is not very tall due to his Corgi build, he weighed a solid 47 lbs on the date of his evaluation. Polar is well behaved in the house, with one exception: he will try to get food off the counter when given the chance. In fact, Polar is quite food-oriented, though not aggressive about food. Polar obeys several basic commands, but is more responsive to his male human (Andy) than female human. Andy takes Polar for three walks/day, and feels that Polar would do best in a home in which he continues to receive lots of exercise to burn off that Corgi energy of his. A home with another dog--large or small--is most preferable. Polar's current owners adopted him as a 1-yo from a rescue in Southern California that is now defunct. The wife had a baby, and is concerned about Polar knocking the baby over with his high energy. Polar does not do well outside--he will bark incessantly to come in. GSRSV has evaluated Polar and is placing him as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is seeking a new home for Polar through its adoption program while his owners continue to care for him. Polar's adoption fee is $200. Posted 3-12-13 |
