Details

 
   
     
Name:Davey      Adopted
Age: 9 year(s)
male, neutered
View Photos

Adoption Process

Our adoption process is designed to help you and the right dog find each other. Our goal is to place each dog into a permanent, safe, and loving home.

To adopt a German Shepherd Dog from us, you must:

1. Live in Northern California.
2. Complete an Adoption Questionnaire, either online, or by mail. If you do not own your home, you must also have your landlord complete the Landlord Permission Agreement.
3. Be interviewed by an adoption counselor.  
4. Allow a home visit by an adoption counselor.
5. Be approved for adoption.
6. Choose, and be chosen by, the right dog.
7. With our approval, sign our Adoption Agreement, and pay the associated fee.

After we receive your online Adoption Questionnaire, we will call you to begin the adoption process. We encourage potential adopters to come to one or more Adoption Days, because that is the best way to meet several German Shepherds and to find your new companion. If you attend an Adoption Day and choose a dog, you may be able to adopt the same day, if all adoption requirements are met.

If you cannot come to any Adoption Day, we can still assist you, this may take longer because the people who will help you are volunteers who usually have jobs, and scheduling meetings with dogs can be complex because our dogs live in many homes and kennels.

 

Davey's Story:

Adopted!

Congratulations to Davey and his new family!!


Hello all you GSD lovers. My name is Davey and I’m a gorgeous cream and black, special needs, 9 year old, 70 pound gentleman.

Before I begin, you need to know, nothing makes me happier than being with my people; 24/7 human companionship is my dream! At first everyone thought I was just clingy, but there is a good reason I have to be near you.

When my foster parents took me in, I was apprehensive and confused so they started taking me to new places. Yippee for me, because I absolutely love riding in the car and going for walks. Field trips with my new family to places where I could meet lots of humans was a ton of fun. To test my reaction to loud noises, they took me to very busy places and even around fireworks. Guess what, none of this phased me!

As I got more comfortable at my new home, my playful side emerged! My foster parents had so much fun watching me empty the doggie toy box to find that perfect tug or plush toy. I would even put on a zoomie show for them every now and again. Side note - I act young for my age and can still keep up on long walks and hikes!

Back to why I need to be near you. My foster parents, who both work from home but on different levels of the house, found it odd that I would trek up and down the stairs several times a day to make sure both were still around. Suspicious that I might have a hearing problem, GSRNC took me to Davis where the vets figured out I was completely deaf, and probably had been since birth.

Since the diagnosis, my fosters are working with more visual cues and hand signals rather than verbal ones. I’m doing well with basic commands and know sit, down and come. I enjoy practicing because they give me lots of treats!!!

Davey has been diagnosed with hemophilia, a genetic blood disorder involving a deficiency of the clotting factor necessary to stop bleeding. He leads a completely normal dog life, running, playing, and exploring. But if he were seriously injured or required surgery, he will need prompt access to appropriate care and his treatment will probably require transfusion of blood product containing clotting factors

A note from Davey:
In my opinion, being deaf and diagnosed with hemophilia is really not a huge disability. I am an otherwise normal dog who loves my people, enjoys sunning myself or taking leisurely walks in the woods around my backyard where I can watch for and sniff all the interesting things. I will play solo with my toys with hopes of enticing someone to come over and join in my fun. I have great sight so will alarm bark if it’s warranted. At night, I like to spend evenings lying on the couch snuggled next to my people.

I have so much life to live and love to give. Because it is important for me to be near my people, the ideal home is one where my new family will allow me to be with them most of the time. If you will snuggle and dote over me, continue working on hand signal commands, and take me for walks and hikes, I promise to love you with all my heart and soul.


Davey is a level 3 dog looking to share his golden years with a loving family. He is in our SOS (Save Old Shepherd) program which means GSRNC will sponsor many of his needs for life.

Photos


      

Important Note About Dog Descriptions

Please remember that the descriptions of dogs (of Dogs Available) have been written by GSRNC volunteers and are usually based only upon our observation of the dog since the time it was rescued. While we try to provide dog descriptions that are fair and accurate, the nature of our work involves contact with dogs whose background and history are unknown to us. GSRNC cannot warrant or guarantee any dog's future behavior. For example, if we say that a rescue dog gets along with children, cats, or other dogs, this statement is usually based upon the fact that one of our volunteers has observed the dog interacting with his or her own children or pets. While this information may be helpful, we cannot be certain of how a dog will do with the children or pets in your home. If you are considering adopting, we encourage you to come to one of our Adoption Days and meet our rescue dogs. Ultimately, only you can decide whether one of our dogs is right for you.

Explanation of the Dog Levels

1 – "Fireplace dog"
Couch potato, super easy, low energy and no issues. This level of dog would do well in any home regardless of owner experience. (We rarely come across this level of dog.)

2 – “Easy Large Breed Companion Dog”
Low to moderate energy, needs some exercise but it is not a daily requirement. This dog will do well in most homes. The dog gets along with most other dogs, gets along with most other people and have been successfully been around children. The dog has no real behavioral issues that need to be managed or dealt with on a daily basis. This dog is an easy family dog.  

3 –“Standard Large Breed Dog”
Moderate energy, needs daily exercise of some sort to thrive and stay happy. This dog will do well in many types of homes, but some situations will not work for this dog. This dog may not get along with some types of dogs. This dog may be reactive to some other dogs while on leash. It may have too much energy to be around small children while unattended, and may have some behavioral issues that will require formal training or daily monitoring for the dog to successfully live happily in a family. These issues are normally minor such as fence climbing, prey drive, minor separation anxiety, nervousness in crowds, or other minor behavioral traits. A Potential Adopter for a level 3 dog must have prior, recent large breed dog experience and be able to demonstrate the ability to successfully deal with the level 3 dog that they wish to adopt.  

4 – “Experienced Ownership Required”
Moderate, high or very high energy/drive. Needs an experienced owner familiar with working breed behavior to provide direct leadership and proper management. Level 4 dogs typically have a challenging behavior, but are good dogs. These dogs might be dog-reactive with most other dogs or dog-aggressive, may have to be an only animal in the home, maybe have moderate separation anxiety.  The dog normally needs daily physical and mental stimulation, etc. This level of dog is not an average pet. (We try to limit the number of level 4 dogs in our program.) A Potential Adopter for a level 4 dog must be able to demonstrate the experience and ability to safely manage and care for a level 4 dog.  

5 – “Competitive or Working Dog”
This is a dog that has an intense focus to ‘work’. It could be a dog that provides Search and Rescue services, could be a competitive Flyball or Agility dog, or has other working abilities. These dogs can be strong, pushy, dominant, and/or have extreme energy/drive. They need a professional handler or an owner who has the experience to provide a demonstrated commitment to the dog’s ‘working ability’. A Potential Adopter for a level 5 dog must be able to demonstrate the experience and ability to safely manage and care for a level 5 dog.