German Shepherd Rescue

[Southern Gardener]

I've recently rescued yet another dog - I call him Sam since his previous owner didn't bother to name him.

Sam has been chained to a tree the 4 years of his life. His diet consisted of anything they bothered to throw him. I've had him vaccinated and he tested positive for heartworms. He is on Hartgard now and will be for 4-6 months and will get retested. He is unaltered.

Sam is a very sweet dog and shows no aggression with my other dogs. He loves children but doesn't really like cats. This dog desperately wants love and attention.

I contacted every GSD rescue in my surrounding area and no one will take him. Every shelter I've contacted is full! I also have him posted on a GSD forum and our local Humane Society Website. If you or anyone you know is interested in helping this sweet dog please let me know. This dog deserves a great home!

Thanks.
Joanm

 

[DTchickens]

beauty, heres a little bump..

 

[warcard]

Have you posted in the "other pets" area?

 

[Southern Gardener]

thanks DT -

Anybody? This pup needs a home! I'm willing to transport!

 

[MamaDragon]

Tell us Everything you Know or suspect about Sam. Maybe, once people hear more of his story, someone will be better able to decide he's a good fit for their family.

How, by chance, did you happen to end up with Sam? Why did his previous owner decide to get rid of him? Were they using him for "junk-yard guard dog" type of thing, or a family pet they no longer wanted?

Can you tell me more about the "doesn't really like cats"? does he chase them, kill them, or just annoyed by them.

What kind are your other dogs? large, medium, small? I've got two chihuahuas, and any other dog must get along with them.

My last GSD (also a rescue) would KILL any other animal, small dogs, cats, chickens, etc. The only other dogs she tolerated was her own mate and pups.

How well does Sam get along with your chickens? any other livestock you might have?

What's his reactions to strangers? easy-going? defensive? attack postures?

I don't have a fenced yard, and most GSD's don't do well on a tie-out long-term. You said he was chained out. How long was the chain? 10 feet? 25 feet? 50 feet? Did it make him skittish? or agressive?

Is he house broke? or an Outside Only dog.

How long have YOU had him.... a few days, weeks, a couple months?

Do you know if he was AKC? from pure bloodlines? a cross of some kind?

Last of all, Where in Louisiana are you?

sign me,
A Fellow GSD lover!

He's georgous, BTW

I had to put my GSD down last year, because she bit a stranger walking up to my house. She had never had a problem with other people before. But here, no matter the size or breed of the dog, once they have bitten someone, family, friend or stranger, you (the owner) must confine the dog in a LOCKED RUN AT ALL TIMES, or put the dog down. It's currently a County Ordinance, and soon to be a state-wide law.

 

[Southern Gardener]

Here is the history of Sam:

Sam was owned by a man that lived behind the retail store I'd worked for three years ago. He was chained to a tree on a five foot chain that was padlocked to his collar. I'd visit him everyday (as did all the employees) through the chain link fence. We all brought food and treats for him because the owner didn't feed him daily and when he did it was chicken and rib bones.

The employees and I called animal control on him several times - one time because his collar was so tight his neck was bloody and raw. (He most likely will always have the scar) Animal control just loosened the collar and said they couldn't seize the dog because it had water (sometimes) and shelter. (what a freaking bunch of BS) Sam lived in dirt when the weather was dry and mud when it rained. He was not a typical young dog – he was downtrodden, unresponsive and lethargic and very thin – especially in summer when the temps would reach 99 degrees. This man would beat Sam when he turned over his water bowl and he’d get mad and threaten to burn our building down if we kept bothering his dog. This man also had a female GS that had puppies - he had kept one - also chained, and the puppy hung itself trying to climb the fence. We don't know what happened to the female GS.

I used to leave work crying and ticked off - I didn't know what else to do. Anyway, I started working full time for the same company but working at the corporate office and not the store. I kept up with Sam through the employees.

Last year my sister started working at the same retail store -same story - she'd come home crying and ticked too - we even plotted stealing the dog.

Last month one of our employees called me and said the man had a stroke and his wife put him in a “home” (I was elated – I hoped he would die a slow painful death and rot in hell) Anyway the next day my sis and two other employees approached his wife and asked if she was willing to give the dog up. She said “no, and stop feeding and petting him.” I told them to back off and give her time – I knew she didn’t want the dog. It paid off.

Three weeks ago I got a call from one of the employees and she told me she had Sam! The woman said she’d give up the dog for one hundred dollars – she was probably low on booze and cigarettes…

Sam has been at my house for three weeks now and he is totally transformed! My sister spends a lot of time with him because she works at home – Here are our observations:

1. When I posted “he doesn’t really like cats” his first encounter with the cat was growling but now it has escalated to lunging at the back glass door – I’m sure he would kill her. So, no cats please.

2. He is great with my female chocolate lab Riley (my other rescue, aka Daisy in another post) Riley is six months old, full of energy and pesters the hell out of him – he has growled a couple of times but has never attacked her or “put her in her place” like my cocker does. He just lets her jump all over him and he’s very patient with her.

My cocker-mix is also a female, but Mollie does not like any dog pestering her – she has growled and snapped at him, but he didn’t respond to her.

My sister’s dog is a neutered male – we were leery about that at first but Sam shows no signs of aggression towards him either, but we also don’t leave him alone with Sam because Murray is 16 years old and very frail. (Sam is only interested in marking everywhere the other dogs do) He’s scheduled to be neutered next Tuesday so hopefully this will subside a little. All three of our dogs are medium sized dogs.

3. Chickens – My chickens stay in the coop and run – When we first got him, he would lunge at the run (but only when we were at the coop) and yep, I’m sure he’d kill them, but has never tried to break into the coop.

4. Strangers – yes he does bark at strangers and anyone that comes up to the fence. Some of my neighbors have come over to see him and he was fine with adults and children and he loves my mom … Also, on his very first visit to my vet he did try to bite and they had to muzzle him – my vet said it was due to two things: he was out of his element and scared, and an inexperienced tech that had him in a headlock. He was fine on the second visit.

5. Sam does not come in the house due to the cat and he is not neutered yet – I want him to go to a home that will want him inside, (I don’t believe in “outside dogs only”) and the new owner must be willing to train him. He is very affectionate and will lay at your feet for a belly rub. If you sit on the floor he climbs in your lap and demands to be loved on.

Sam is a purebred shepherd, but is the result of poor breeding.

If you or someone you know would be willing to put their heart and soul into this dog, I KNOW he will return the love tenfold. Sam will need to go to someone that is willing to put him in obedience training, be patient and loving. He will also need a fenced yard and not EVER is he to be put on a chain or “tie-out” again.

We’d really like Sam to go to someone that is close enough (4 to 6 hours drive) to us that we can interview in person and visit the home.

Thanks for reading.

Here are more pics.

 

[Picky Chicky]

We got our Sara from the Virginia GSR group... they might be able to help by posting her picture, etc?

Good luck - Sam is beautiful!

 

[mirime]

oh he's so handsome ! I wished I lived closer!

 

[Southern Gardener]

Quote:
He's posted on several sites.

 

[MamaDragon]

Sorry you feel the only point of view that has any validity is your own.

I won't be bothering you further.