Dogs Available through Owner Placement

Sometimes unforeseen circumstances force German Shepherd owners to seek a new home for their dog(s). This page serves to link such individuals with potential new owners--and to help prevent the tragedy of owners surrendering their pets to a shelter.

GSRSV is not involved in the adoption process of dogs listed on this page. Individuals interested in adopting a dog listed below should contact the owner directly at the phone number or e-mail listed. Because GSRSV is has not evaluated the dogs listed here, I cannot take responsibility for their temperament or health.

If you are an owner interested in listing your German Shepherd Dog(s) here, please see How to Place a Dog Through GSRSV.

This picture indicates that a dog has proven itself to be OK with cats.

Last updated 09/23/2023

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"Bones" is an approx 80-lb, 1½-yo neutered male GSD who is smart, obedient and dedicated. Bones is friendly with everyone he meets, both inside the house and beyond. He has interacted with children ages 8-14 and done great with them.

Bones has not had the opportunity to meet many dogs since his caretaker (Cindy) took him in back in April of this year. For the most part, he gets along fine w/ Cindy’s large male GSD, but there have been altercations between the two of them (more on that later). Cindy’s daughter took Bones for a walk with her male dog and they did OK but Bones did growl at the other dog. However, Bone’s was not neutered at the time and he has mellowed since then.

Bones appears to be OK w/ cats. Cindy has four cats in the front yard and when she lets Bones run free he will see the cats and wants to check them out, but if she calls his name he will stop and come back like he isn’t interested.

Bones is housetrained, but Cindy keeps him outside when she’s gone for any length of time. Bones sleeps in the pantry with access to outside. Bones likes to chew on objects left lying around so Cindy always has lots of toys and chew sticks available for him. He is still in the puppy chewing stage.

Bones walks well on leash without distractions. He does get excited and pulls on the leash hen he sees another dog, but his reaction appears to be friendly.

Bones enjoys riding in a car and is a polite passenger.

Bones loves chew toys and running after balls.

Cindy found Bones in Citrus Heights back in April on the side of a road. He was very thin and so weak he could hardly stand up. Cindy nursed him back to health and had him neutered & vaccinated. She was planning to keep Bones but she already has a male GSD and he sometimes gets jealous of Bones around her. The two dogs have fought on several occasions and though Cindy has tried to get them to coexist, it’s just too risky and stressful. Thus, she’s now seeking a new home for Bones.

Bones is located in Carmichael. His adoption fee is $100, per GSRSV’s policy.

Please contact Cindy Miller at 916-261-3422 or cmiller6601@gmail.com.

Posted 9-5-23

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"Lina" is an approx 60-lb, 2½-yo spayed female GSD who is loyal, playful and protective. Lina is healthy and up-to-date on distemper/parvo and rabies vaccinations (expire Aug 2024).

Lina is somewhat of a “Velcro” dog and frequently lies at the feet of her person or very near to her. She is very active and will thrive with a person who enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and swimming. However, Lina is uncomfortable around large groups of people.

Lina is quite wary of strangers coming into the house, particularly men. She takes a few hours to warm up to women and days for men. When away from the house, Lina does not like strangers approaching her to pet her and will potentially bite, especially if she is on leash and does not have her person present in the immediate vicinity to redirect her. If her person is next to her directing her behavior she is obedient and will lie down and listen but needs a lot of attention in those situations until she relaxes.

Lina’s current person (Mary) has not observed her around young children.

Lina gets along well with other dogs in neutral environments such as a dog park. If there aren’t too many dogs present she will socialize and play with dogs who are receptive to her. She is friends with a female Yellow Lab and they like to run around and play ball together. Mary has not observed Lina around really small dogs.

Lina is also good with cats! Currently, she lives with a cat and she wants to play with him but the feeling is not mutual. They are allowed to be alone together in the house unsupervised for hours. The cat bosses Lina around and she accepts that. In her previous family she lived with a cat and they got along well.

Lina is housetrained and well-behaved in the house. She is allowed to free roam the house when Mary is gone. Lina knows she’s not allowed upstairs or on the sofa and she obeys those rules. She has multiple dog beds throughout the house. Lina sleeps in a crate with the door closed at night. She is terrified of fireworks.

Lina is very obedient. She received eight weeks of weekly one-on-one training sessions with Consistent K9 after Mary adopted her in Feb 2023. Lina walks excellent on leash when there are no distractions. She typically walks in the heel position on Mary’s left side and understands when she is free to leave that position.

Lina can be somewhat distracted when she sees another dog or person while on a walk, depending on the circumstances. Sometimes she will focus on a dog but is easy to redirect, on rare occasions she becomes aggravated and will bark and lunge. Lina gets very spooked if a dog or human takes her by surprise. Lina’s off-leash recall is fairly good but can use some improvement.

Lina enjoys car rides and is a polite passenger.

Lina loves to play fetch, especially at a lake, and will play for an hour or more. She also likes to play tug-of-war. Lina will grab her toys and play by herself for a few minutes at a time.

Lina loves to swim and ride w/ Mary on her stand-up-paddleboard.

Mary adopted Lina from a private party in Feb 2023. She is now seeking a new home for her due to a recent divorce and change in her living situation.

Lina is located in Rocklin. Her adoption fee is $100, per GSRSV’s policy.

Please contact Mary Voinov at mary.voinov@gmail.com or 917-981-7806.

Posted 8-31-23

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"Betta" is a 6-yo spayed female GSD who is friendly, obedient and devoted. Betta is healthy and up-to-date on core vaccinations.

Betta is friendly with strangers both in the house and on walks. She is also great with children. She has interacted with the neighbor’s young kids and is very patient and tolerant with them.

Betta is fine with other dogs, including little dogs when properly introduced.

Betta did fine w/ a neighbor’s cat who she was introduced to. However, she has chased stray cats out of the back yard. Betta will likely do well w/ a dog-savvy house cat.

Betta is housetrained and exceptionally well-behaved. She was trained as a service dog for an elderly woman with limited mobility (who recently passed away). Betta would retrieve objects on command for the woman. Betta would typically stay outside in the yard when her person was gone for extended periods of time, and would sleep inside in her large wire crate.

Betta walks calmly on leash and is non-reactive towards other dogs or to people she sees when on walks.

Betta enjoys car rides and is a polite passenger.

Betta would make an exceptional companion to an elderly or disabled person but would also make a great dog for families with kids.

Betta was adopted at approx one year of age from a Sacramento-area shelter. Her person recently passed away and her daughter (Galya) has assumed responsibility for her. Galya is unable to take Betta into her home so will be keeping her at a friends’ house in Rio Linda as of Friday, July 7. However, her friends have only committed to keep Betta for two weeks. Further, they will be keeping her outside and will not be able to spend much time with her.

Betta is located in Rio Linda. Her adoption fee is $100, per GSRSV’s policy. Included in that fee will be a folding metal crate and a plastic crate, pillows, three bags of dry dog food and four boxes of canned dog food.

Please contact Galya Golosh at 916-835-7080 or galya.golosh@gmail.com.

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"Baghira" is an approx 6-yo intact female GSD who is loyal, protective and gentle. Baghira is healthy and up-to-date on core vaccinations. However, she is not spayed so having her spayed will be a requirement of adoption (see last paragraph).

Baghira is friendly with people both inside and outside of the house. She loves children and likes to cuddle with them. She formerly lived with children ages six & three yrs.

Baghira is friendly with other dogs as long as they are not confrontational with her. If another dog challenges her, however, she won’t back down. She is OK w/ small dogs.

Baghira is NOT good with cats.

Baghira is housetrained and can be left inside for extended periods of time without any problems.

Baghira tends to pull when being walked on leash. However, she is not particularly reactive towards other dogs she sees. She does NOT have good recall when off-leash.

Baghira likes to go for rides in the car but she does whine out of excitement.

Baghira’s person Sasha and her husband adopted her two years ago from a family who were moving out of state. Now, Sasha and her husband are divorcing and Sasha has had to rent a place that does not allow dogs Baghira’s size. Sasha is presently keeping Baghira at a friend’s house in Sacramento, but that arrangement ends Friday, July 7, at which point Sasha will have to keep Baghira at her vacant house in Reno and have friends & neighbors check in on her. (Sasha is now living in Sacramento.)

Baghira is presently located in Sacramento. There is no adoption fee but a $300 spay deposit will be required. Baghira’s adopter will have ninety days to get her spayed. Once Baghria’s adopter provides evidence of spaying to Sasha, she will refund the $300. This will all be in writing.

Please contact Sasha Mccreery at 916-799-1877 or sashamccreery@gmail.com.

Posted 7-5-23

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"Tahoe" is a 90-lb, 1½-yo intact male GSD/Belgian Malinois who is active, friendly and loveable. Tahoe is healthy and received his “puppy shots” and initial rabies vaccination, but is due for his distemper/parvo and rabies boosters.

Tahoe is fine with visitors to the home as long as his people are present. He has not been socialized with people off of the property. He is good with young children, having spent considerable time with grandchildren aged three to twelve years of age.

Tahoe is good with other dogs, including little dogs. His person takes him to a dog park every week.

Tahoe is NOT good with cats.

Tahoe has been an outdoor dog his entire life, but surely would like to become an indoor/outdoor dog. He is presently kept in a (size?) kennel most of the time.

Tahoe received basic training at Petsmart when he was a puppy. He walks well on a leash but does not have good off-leash recall.

Tahoe enjoys riding in a vehicle and is a good passenger.

Tahoe enjoys chewing on his rubber Kong toy.

Tahoe’s people purchased him from a breeder in Lodi when he was two months old. They are now seeking a new home for him because they are no longer able to provide him with the attention he needs.

There is no adoption fee for Tahoe. However, because he has yet to be neutered, a $300 neuter deposit will be required of Tahoe’s adopter. The adopter will have 90 days to have Tahoe neutered, upon which Tahoe’s people will refund the $300 deposit. This will all be in writing.

Tahoe is located in Rio Linda.

Please contact Juan Flores at (916) 501-0602 or floresjuanandres61@gmail.com.

Posted 6-11-23

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NOTE: Bella’s person Darrell is blind, so Bella has limited exposure to such things as walking on leash and meeting other dogs (other than the female she lives with).

"Bella" is an approx 55-lb, 3-yo spayed female GSD mix who is loving, energetic and friendly. Bella is in good health and is current on core vaccinations.

Bella is friendly with strangers and is eager to meet new people. She loves being the center of attention. She has not been around children since she was adopted a year ago.

Bella has had some altercations with the other female dog she lives with (a Vietnamese Ridgeback), but might do OK with a male dog.

Bella lives with a cats and does fine with her.

Bella is housetrained and sleeps inside on Darrell’s bed. She stays inside when Darrell is gone for more than an hour.

Bella enjoys car rides and is a polite passenger.

Bella likes to play fetch with all kinds of balls.

Darrell adopted Bella from the Elk Grove shelter about a year ago. He is now seeking a new home for her because Bella and his other female dog do not get along.

Bella is located in Sacramento. Her adoption fee is $50.

Please contact Darrell Nations at (916) 284-1114 or darrellnations2@gmail.com.

Posted 4-23-23

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Simi Valley, CA (Ventura County)

"Maggie" is a 50-lb, approx 2-yo spayed female GSD mix who is energetic, smart & curious. She is healthy, up-to-date on vaccinations and microchipped.

Maggie is friendly with strangers in the house when properly introduced and OK with them outside of the house. She is patient and tolerant with the four-yr old boy she lives with.

Maggie got along fine with the little dog she lived with in her previous home. However, she’s quite reactive towards other dogs that she sees on walks. One time she slipped her harness and went after another dog; however, she did not attack the dog—there was just a lot of posturing and vocalization. Maggie likely just needs more socialization with other dogs.

The only cat that Maggie has encountered in her present home was on a walk—she seemed like she really wanted to go after the cat. So, a home without cats is best for Maggie.

Maggie is housetrained; however, her people keep her crated when they are away from the house. Maggie also sleeps inside her crate.

Maggie walks pretty good on leash.and is getting better with time. When returning to the house from a walk she will sit and stay when her person goes inside and she waits for the command to come in. Her off-leash recall is pretty good, too—at least in the back yard.

Maggie’s previous person said she did really good in the car, though her present people have yet to take her anywhere in a vehicle.

Maggie enjoys playing tug-of-war with her rope toys and running after her squeaky ball. She also likes to play with the water from a hose.

Maggie’s people adopted her from a friend of a friend who had adopted her from the LA County shelter in Lancaster around September 2022. The adopter lives in a condominium without any yard and decided that it wasn’t fair to keep Maggie in the condo.

Maggie’s present people (George & his wife) have come to realize that they don’t have the time to give Maggie the consistency and training she deserves. Their son is about to undergo his third open-heart surgery, and that, too, has played a part in their decision to rehome Maggie.

Maggie is located in Simi Valley (Ventura County), but George is willing to transport her a great distance for the right home. Maggie’s adoption fee is $100, per GSRSV’s insistence.

Please contact George Bancroft at 818-357-8403 or george.w.bancroft@gmail.com

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Antelope, CA

"Bear" is an 80-lb, 22-mos old neutered male GSD mix who is energetic, intelligent, and protective. Bear is in good health and up-to-date on core vaccinations.

Bear Is generally friendly with people. He’ll initially bark at people he is introduced to In the house, then settles down and is approachable. When meeting people out on walks, sometimes he welcomes attention and sometimes he barks or growls. Bear has yet to be introduced to young children.

Bear DOES NOT DO WELL with other dogs. On neutral ground, such as a dog park, Bear barks, lunges and growls at other dogs. He is especially reactive towards other dogs when on leash.

Bear is also NOT GOOD with cats. In fact, that is the very reason he is up for adoption.

Bear Is housetrained and has very good manners inside. To keep him separate from their cats, his people do crate him when they are gone for about two hours or less. Otherwise, they keep the cats in a room upstairs and let Bear have free reign of the downstairs floor and access to outside via a dog door.

Bear has received formal obedience training from two trainers. He walks very well on leash, except when he sees other dogs or cats. Bear loves to ride in a vehicle and is a polite passenger for the most part. He does like to sit in the passenger seat, but if occupied will eventually defer to the existing passenger.

Bear loves to play “find It”, fetch, and to solve food puzzles. His favorite toys include tennis balls, a flirt pole, squeaky toys and socks.

Bear’s people adopted Bear from the Sacramento SPCA back in June 2022. Though they love Bear, they have been unable to socialize him with their cats—even with the assistance of two professional trainers. Since the cats were there first, they’ve decided to seek a new home for Bear.

Bear is located in Antelope, CA. His adoption fee is $100.

Please contact Sabrina Cruz at either 916-365-3171 or sabrinac2222@gmail.com

Posted 2-3-23

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Mather, CA
(near Rancho Cordova)

"Sky" is a 55-lb, nearly 16-month old (born 10-5-2021) intact female GSD/Belgian Malinois who is family-friendly, very protective and intelligent. Sky was DNA-tested and the results showed she is 50/50 GSD and Belgian Malinois. Sky is healthy and current on core vaccinations.

Sky is somewhat cautious with people she meets at the house with a proper introduction, but is generally friendly. She does jump up on people in her excitement. When encountering people out on a walk, certain body movements can trigger an aggressive response from her.

Sky is friendly with children, but due to her tendency to jump on people, a home without small children is recommended. (The jumping behavior is fairly easy to curb.)

Sky is guarded towards other dogs when she first meets them. If they are friendly, she is OK with them, but initially cautious. If they act aggressively towards her, she reacts in kind. When Sky plays, she likes to play rough, so a home with NO SMALL DOGS is in order.

Sky is not good with cats, so a home with NO CATS is in order.

Sky has been kept as an outdoor dog since she was a puppy, for a couple of reasons. First, a family member has allergies towards Sky. Second, she urinates when she gets excited—a habit her person has been unable to remedy.

Sky sleeps in the garage or outside (which she has access to via a dog door).

Sky walks OK on leash, but is very reactive towards other dogs that she sees on walks, lunging and barking at them. So, she’ll need work in this area. She has fairly good recall off-leash.

Sky rides very well in a vehicle.

Sky likes to play fetch and enjoys swimming.

Sky was abandoned at the worksite of the father of his person (Boris) when she was only two months old. The father took her home. Now, Boris is seeking a new home for Sky because he is moving into an apartment and his father is unable to keep Sky due to his health.

There is no adoption fee for Sky. However, because she has yet to be spayed, a refundable $300 spay deposit will be required of Sky’s adopter(s). The adopter will be allowed ninety days to have Sky spayed. Once proof of altering is provided, the $300 deposit will be refunded. This will all be in writing.

Sky is located in Mather, near Rancho Cordova.

Please contact Boris Sarmiento at 916-996-6085 or attentionboris@gmail.com.

Posted 1-26-23

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Sacramento, CA

"Skye" is a 1½-yo intact female GSD/Husky mix who is loving, playful and energetic. Skye is healthy and received her distemper/parvo (DHPP) vaccinations as a puppy. She is due for her DHPP booster and also needs an initial rabies vaccination.

Skye is shy and a little uneasy with strangers at first, but easily warms up with lots of petting and love. She is great with young children, having grown up with a (now) 5 -yr old boy

Skye is great with other dogs. She loves the dog park and loves chasing or running from other dogs. Skye has encountered small dogs at the dog park and has done well with them, too.

Skye is NOT good with cats.

Skye is housetrained, but her person (Yvette) does keep her in a crate when she’s gone from the house. Skye also sleeps in a crate at night.

Skye received basic obedience training when she was a puppy. She obeys basic commands such as sit, lay, roll over, place, speak, etc. Yvette usually walks her with a no-pull harness such as an “Easy Walk.” Without it, she pulls a lot—especially when she sees other dogs (she wants to play with them). Skye would benefit from more leash training as well as off-leash training.

Skye enjoys car rides and is a good passenger.

Skye likes to play “Find It,” where Yvette and her kids hide treats in another room for her to sniff out and find. She also likes to run outdoors, play tug of war, and play fetch—although she doesn’t always bring the ball or toy back. Her favorite toy is her squishy octopus that sounds like crinkling plastic bags.

Skye likes to play with water but has yet to be brought to a place she can swim.

Yvette purchased Skye from a private party when she was seven weeks old. She is now seeking a new home for her because she no longer have the time or finances to properly care for her. Yvette is a single mother who has recently had to get a second job. Between working two jobs and bringing her two boys to sports activities, she has not been able to give Skye much time or attention. Additionally, she has a family member living with her who is allergic to dog dander.

There is no adoption fee for Skye. However, because she has yet to be spayed, a $300 spay deposit will be required. Skye’s adopter will have 90 days to have her spayed. Once the adopter provides evidence of Skye’s spay surgery, Yvette will refund the full $300 deposit. This will all be in writing.

Skye is located in Sacramento.

Please contact Yvette Vuittonet at (916) 805-1523 or vuittonetyv@gmail.com.

Posted 12-9-22

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Carmichael, CA

"Odin" is an approx 5-yo intact male GSD who is very affectionate, playful and energetic. Odinis healthy and current on his distemper/parvo vaccination but the status of his rabies vaccination.is unknown.

Odin is a real people-dog and wants to love on everyone he meets. It’s unknown how Odin is with young children, but his temperament suggests that he’d be great with them.

Odin is very good with other dogs. He lives with his brother from the same litter, and even though they are both intact males, they get along well. It’s unknown how Odin is with little dogs, though.

Odin has not been around cats, so only homes WITHOUT CATS will be considered.

Odin has primarily been kept outside since the time he was a puppy. However, he sleeps inside during inclement weather and does not have any accidents.

Odin has not had any formal training, but obeys some basic commands, including “wait” before he is allowed to eat his food. Odin has not been walked on leash by his present caregiver so she’s unable to say how he does on leash.

Odin loves to go for rides in a car, though he does drool sometimes. He likes to play fetch and wade in water (not full-on swim).

Odin and his brother Apollo were left at the home of their caretaker (Angie) by her boyfriend a year ago when they went their separate ways. Angie is now seeking a new home for the dogs because she works three jobs and does not have time to give them the attention and exercise they need.

Odin is located in Carmichael. There is no adoption fee for him, but a $300 refundable neuter deposit is required (per GSRSV’s policy) from the adopter to ensure that Odin is neutered within 90 days of adoption. Once the adopter provides proof of neutering, then Angie will refund the $300. This will all be in writing.

Please contact Angie Pantis at 916-514-1753 or glitterbomb02@yahoo.com.

Posted 11-8-22

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Carmichael, CA

"Apollo" is an approx 5-yo intact male GSD who is playful, energetic and friendly. Apollo is healthy and current on his distemper/parvo vaccination but the status of his rabies vaccination.is unknown.

Apollo is initially reserved with new people, but very friendly once he gets to know you. It’s unknown how Apollo is with young children, but his temperament suggests that he’d be fine with them.

Apollo is very good with other dogs. He lives with his brother from the same litter, and even though they are both intact males, they get along well. It’s unknown how Apollo is with little dogs, though.

Apollo has not been around cats, so only homes WITHOUT CATS will be considered.

Apollo has primarily been kept outside since the time he was a puppy. However, he sleeps inside during inclement weather and does not have any accidents.

Apollo has not had any formal training, but obeys some basic commands, including “wait” before he is allowed to eat his food. Apollo has not been walked on leash by his present caregiver so she’s unable to say how he does on leash.

Apollo loves to go for rides in a car. He loves to play fetch with just about any object, but especially hard rubber balls. He also loves to swim. There is a swimming pool at Apollo’s home and he is in the water nearly every day.

Apollo and his brother Odin were left at the home of their caretaker (Angie) by her boyfriend a year ago when they went their separate ways. Angie is now seeking a new home for the dogs because she works three jobs and does not have time to give them the attention and exercise they need.

Apollo is located in Carmichael. There is no adoption fee for him, but a $300 refundable neuter deposit is required (per GSRSV’s policy) from the adopter to ensure that Apollo is neutered within 90 days of adoption. Once the adopter provides proof of neutering, then Angie will refund the $300. This will all be in writing.

Please contact Angie Pantis at 916-514-1753 or glitterbomb02@yahoo.com.

Posted 11-8-22

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Oroville, CA

"Sergeant" is a 71-lb, 7-yo intact male GSD who is loyal, gentle and affectionate. Sergeant is friendly with people, but is initially wary of strangers in the house, barking appropriately. Outside the house he is much more comfortable with strangers. Sergeant is great with children and has been around kids of all ages since he was young.

Sergeant is good with other dogs, though not particularly playful. He has been to dog parks and though wary at first, soon interacts fine with the other dogs.

Sergeant is NOT good with cats.

Sergeant is fully housetrained and is left inside uncrated when his person (Isa) is gone for more than an hour. He sleeps inside either in the living room or in Isa’s bedroom.

Isa has provided Sergeant with basic obedience training since he was young. He walks perfectly on a leash and is non-reactive when he sees other dogs. Sergeant’s recall when off leash is good, but not perfect.

Sergeant enjoys going for car rides and is a perfectly-behaved passenger. He likes to stick his head out the window to take in the fresh ai!.

Sergeant is not much for playing with toys. However, he loves to run and to swim!

Isa took in Sergeant six years ago from a family whose home flooded during the breach of the Oroville Dam spillway. She is now seeking a new home for Sergeant because of a directive from the management of the apartment she lives in. Sergeant has got out of her apartment on more than one occasion by opening the door lever and has also caused damage to the door frame in his attempts to get out. Isa has tried keeping him in a wire crate, but he broke out of that. The apartment management has given Isa’s mother (who she lives with) until October 12 to find a new home for Sergeant.

There is no adoption fee for Sergeant, but because he is not neutered a $300 refundable neuter deposit will be required, per GSRSV’s insistence. Once Sergeant is neutered, the deposit will be refunded. The adopter will be given 90 days to have Sergeant neutered. This will all be in writing.

Sergeant is located in Oroville, CA. Please contact Isa Marroquin at 530-693–7151 or kmarroquin978@gmail.com.

Posted 9-21-22

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"Artemis" (nicknamed "Moo") is an 85-lb, 7-yo female GSD who is sweet, shy and affectionate. Moo is in good health and fully vaccinated. She is not spayed, so whoever adopts Moo will need to have that done. (See the next-to-last paragraph below for more info).

Moo is very friendly with people. She does not require any special introduction to strangers inside the house and is friendly with people out on walks. She is also great with young children.

Moo is presently fearful of other dogs and displays defensive aggression towards them. This behavior is the result of her being attacked by another dog on a walk only about a month ago. Prior to the attack, Moo was fine with other dogs and lived several years with a male GSD mix who she was very bonded with.

Moo is NOT good with cats.

Moo is housetrained and has been an inside dog her entire life. She is good when left inside for extended periods. However, the attack incident somehow created separation anxiety symptoms for Moo that are now being controlled w/ an anti-depressant called trazadone. Prior to the onset of the trazadone, Moo had been chewing at her hind quarters, crying, and pacing excessively. With the medication she is good for extended periods of time with zero issues.

Moo loves walks and has very good leash manners. She does bark when she sees other dogs but is not overly-reactive. She also has excellent off-leash recall.

Moo gets really excited while on car rides and is fairly anxious and vocal when traveling.

Moo loves small plush toys, water hoses, fetch with balls, hide and seek, and she loves finding hidden toys as well.

Moo likes water she can walk into, such as the lake shore or a kiddie pool; however, she does not like deep water.

Moo’s people (Joel and his wife) have had her since she was a little pup. They are now seeking a new home for her because Joel’s wife has developed an autoimmune disorder and goes into anaphylaxis when near pet dander. Joel’s wife has since moved out of the house until they can find Moo a new home. .

Moo is located in Sacramento. There is no adoption fee for her, but, per GSRSV’s insistence, whoever adopts Moo must pay Joel a $300 refundable spay deposit. The adopter will be given 90 days to have Moo spayed. Once the adopter provides evidence that Moo has been spayed, Joel will refund the $300 deposit. This will all be in writing.

Please contact Joel Siegel at 707-389-5161or joelsiegel94@gmail.com.

Posted 9-12-22

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"Atlas" is an approx 21-month old, 100-lb neutered male GSD who is loveable, excitable and protective. Atlas doesn’t realize his own size and strength and can be very jumpy and mouthy when he’s excited—which has led to a few unintentional “mouth scrapes” which have drawn blood. For this reason, Atlas’ people now keep him muzzled when he’s not in their bedroom.

Atlas has not been very well socialized with strangers and consistently barks at people who are invited into the house until he can be settled down. He needs training in this area.

Atlas is OK w/ his people’s children, but he often gets too rambunctious with them, leading to scrapes from his claws or teeth; he simply overwhelms them. He barks at other children who come into the house so his people need to keep him kenneled during those times. We feel that a home with children no younger than 10 yrs old is appropriate for Atlas.

Atlas lives with a 12-yo female GSD and a 6-yo female Husky and he plays too rough for both of them. Atlas has done fine with other dogs at the dog park in the past, but after having a fight w/ a dog during his last visit his people no longer bring him there. Atlas would probably be fine with a large, playful female canine companion. Atlas has not been around really small dogs.

Atlas lives with four cats, and though he has not hurt any of them, he gets excited by them and wants to play—which they want no part of. A home with a cat or cats will be considered, as long as they are dog-savvy and used to a big dog.

Atlas is housetrained and sleeps inside on his dog bed, next to the parents’ bed. He is kept outside or in a crate when his people are gone for more than an hour.

Atlas has not received any formal obedience training and does not respond to many commands consistently. He would greatly benefit from a basic obedience training course.

Atlas walks fine on leash without distractions, but gets very agitated when he sees other dogs. Atlas’ people have a large backyard and have not walked Atlas for the past few months. Atlas has no experience walking off-leash.

Atlas enjoys riding in a car, but is very excitable when riding, pacing back and forth on the back seat and wanting his head out the window. He likes playing catch and chewing on squeaky toys. He loves playing in water.

Atlas’ family adopted him fifteen months ago from his previous person. They are now seeking a new home for Atlas because he is just too big and rambunctious for their kids and dogs and they aren’t equipped to provide him the training he needs. Atlas’ family is willing to pay for up to $500 worth of training when he is adopted!

In summary, Atlas is a loving, protective dog who needs a home with an experienced GSD person (or people) who can provide him with strong guidance, training, and lots of attention. Atlas is a little rough-hewn, but he is still young and has lots of potential.

Atlas is located in Sacramento. His adoption fee is $100, which his people will donate to GSRSV.

Please contact Monica Rothenbaum at 916-870-7714 or monicarothenbaum@gmail.com.

Posted 1-24-22

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Still Available as of 1-16-23!
"Boston" is a 2½-yo, approx 65-lb spayed female GSD/ Cattle Dog/Pitbull mix who is high-drive, loving, and fearful of strangers—at least when on leash. Boston is very affectionate with her own people and loves to snuggle.

Boston does fine with people when she is off leash, such as at dog parks. However, when on leash she will she will bark, lunge, and snap at those she feels nervous around. Boston is not comfortable around children so a home without kids is in order for her.

Boston loves playing with other dogs and has excellent dog social skills. (Click here for a short video of her playing w/ other dogs at the beach.) She goes to off-leash dog parks every day and has a great time! Boston’s ideal home would include another playful dog for her to interact with, but this is not a requirement for adoption.

Boston is not a fan of cats so a home WITHOUT CATS is in order.

Boston has received considerable training, both for helping with her fear of strangers as well as for general obedience. UC Davis Veterinary School’s “Behavioral Team” prescribed two medications to help Boston w/ her fear aggression: gabapentin (3 X day) and sertraline hydrochloride ("Zoloft"—once/day). The medications have been a helpful tool in Boston’s training, but her people feel pretty confident (and GSRSV agrees) that if she lived somewhere quieter and with enough land for exercise so she didn’t have to encounter strangers she could be tapered off of it. Boston still receives both medications; together they cost about $25/month.

Tug Dogs’ work with Boston has helped reduce her aggression towards strangers but has not eliminated the behavior. Boston is a high-drive dog who thrives on “work” and learning new skills; her people often use a toy as a reward for her completing a series of commands.

Boston walks great on leash in the absence of human or “critter” (cats, squirrels) distractions. Further, her reactions to people are much less pronounced once she’s had plenty of exercise.

Boston is fully housetrained but her people do keep her crated when they are gone (usually with a treat-stuffed toy for her to work on). She sleeps either on their bed or in her crate.

Boston has yet to try a game she doesn't like. Favorites include fetch (with balls, sticks, Frisbees, etc), tug, "find it," and she enjoys obedience training. Boston does well riding in the car, but she is very reactive towards people who come near the vehicle when it’s parked. Boston likes to wade in water but has not yet gone for a full swim.

Boston’s people (Lisa & Chelsea) adopted her at 7 wks old in May 2020 from a rescue in Chico. They live in Oakland—a busy, urban environment that leads too often to the encounters with strangers that set Boston off. They are now seeking a new home for her in a more rural, private outdoor space environment with active people who can continue to give Boston the off-leash training and play that she thrives on.

Boston is located in Elverta. Please contact Lisa or Chelsea at homeforboston@gmail.com or
510-499-7143.

Posted 11-17-21; updated 1-16-23

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"Reno" is a 55-60 lb, approx 2-yo spayed female GSD mix who is energetic, fearful/anxious and affectionate. She loves nothing more than a good belly rub! She's healthy and up-to-date on her vaccinations.

Reno is very shy with people she's never met before. When a visitor comes into the house, she will hide in another room and bark loudly. When out on walks, she will avoid people. Reno has not been around young children since she was adopted; given her timidness around adults, it’s hard to say how she’ll do with youngsters.

Reno appears to be good with other dogs. She has played regularly with a male Weimaraner at a sporting dog kennel where she is receiving both canine and human socialization and training.

Reno has a strong prey drive and is NOT good with cats.

Reno is housetrained and non-destructive in the house. She has never chewed up anything but her toys. Her people keep her in a crate when they are gone for more than an hour; she hates being by herself and cries for long periods when let alone. Her people also keep her crated at night to allow their cats a chance to roam the house freely.

Reno has received some obedience training and obeys commands such as “down” and “stay.” She is a fast learner and very treat-motivated, which has helped speed her training. She walks OK on leash, but can become a little too playful and start nipping at her handler’s heels. If she is startled by another dog she sometimes reaches a state of anxiety where she will bark at her handler in a seemingly aggressive manner.

Reno rides calmly in the car, but appears nervous while doing so.

Reno loves playing fetch and tug, as well as chewing on stuffed toys.

Reno has many behavioral issues that she needs help overcoming. She is fearful of not only new people but most new environments. She gets overly-excited in certain situations, such as when greeting her people in the morning; it’s as if she hasn’t seen them in ages and she becomes very mouthy. She demands attention and it can be difficult to bring her down when she is worked up.

Reno is definitely a "project dog", but she has many good traits which outshine her drawbacks. She is a loving dog who will continue to make progress in the right hands and reward her people with love and loyalty.

Reno's people adopted her from the municipal animal shelter in Joshua Tree (Southern California desert) in May 2021. Reno is a bit too large of a training project than they are capable of handling, and they also know Reno can't coexist with their cats.

Reno is located in Los Angeles. No rehoming fee is requested.

Please contact Emma Kemp at 323-536-6714 or emmakemp88@hotmail.com.

Posted 8-26-21; updated 8-30-21

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