Dogs Available for Adoption through Owner Placement

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San Francisco, CA

"Lulu" is an approx 65-lb, 2½-yo spayed female GSD mix who is loyal, affectionate and a little insecure. She is healthy and up-to-date on core vaccinations. Lulu loves to be handled by her people and literally melts when she’s petted. While she loves to play fetch, she is also just as content to lie underneath her people’s chairs for hours.

Overall, Lulu is friendly with strangers but needs to take things very slow with some people. With others, she is comfortable after one meeting. With proper introductions Lulu does quickly warm up.

Lulu is NOT comfortable with really young children. This is the reason her people are seeking a new home for her.

Lulu is fine with one or two dogs when off-leash on neutral ground. She is also good with small dogs. However, she gets overwhelmed by large groups of dogs, such as what she might encounter at a dog park.

Lulu has never been around cats, so it’s hard to say how she’d react to a cat in a house.

Lulu is completely housetrained and is left loose in the house when her people are gone for extended periods of time. She sleeps in her crate with the door closed at night.

Lulu has received formal obedience training and she obeys lots of commands. She’s excellent at “finding her place.” She sits, lays down, comes, and even *spins.*

Lulu walks fine on leash without any distractions. However, she does bark and pull towards some dogs who she sees when on walks. Lulu has received professional training which has helped reduce this behavior, and she is also on an inexpensive Rx medication to help in this regard. Lulu’s off-leash recall is pretty good but not perfect.

Lulu loves to go for car rides and is a very polite passenger. She loves to play fetch with balls and also loves to swim. She’s a real adventure dog!

Lulu’s people (Jo Ann & her husband Antonio) adopted her from the SF SPCA when she was just twelve weeks old. During the time they’ve had Lulu. Jo Ann had a baby and now that the baby is walking Lulu has become fearful of her. Jo Ann & Antonio have enlisted lots of professional assistance (most recently a child-dog behavioral specialist) in an effort to help Lulu overcome her anxiety around their baby, but it has only been partially successful.

Jo Ann & Antonio are very attached to Lulu. However, to ensure the safety of their baby and to provide Lulu with a less stressful environment, they have chosen to seek a new home for her.

Lulu is located in San Francisco. Please contact Jo Ann Laureano at 415-328-1171 or joannmariej@gmail.com

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Bakersfield, CA

"Aria" is a beautiful, approx 75-lb, 2½-yo spayed female GSD who is lovable, playful and smart. She is healthy and up-do-date on core vaccinations. Aria loves to be petted and brushed.

Aria alert-barks appropriately when strangers are introduced in the house, but once settled down she is very friendly. She is friendly with young children but has a tendency to jump on them out of exuberance. (Note from GSRSV: this is a habit that can be easily trained out of her.)

Aria has very limited experience with other dogs. However, she was very playful with a female Cane Corso who visited last year. Aria has not been around small dogs.

Aria is NOT good with cats; she chases away the ones who come into her yard.

Aria is housetrained and accustomed to a crate, though she is rarely confined to it. When inside, she is only allowed in the kitchen, but has access to the entire backyard via a dog door. She sleeps inside her crate at night.

Aria is quick to obey basic commands such as sit, stay, and come. (Click here for a short video.) She pulls very hard on the leash initially when taken for walks, but she settles down after a a few minutes. Her exuberance on leash is largely due to the fact that Aria’s primary caretaker (Judith) is unable to walk her regularly because Aria is simply too strong for her.

Aria loves to go for car rides and is a polite passenger. She sits in the back and looks out window.   

Aria loves to play fetch (click here for a short video) and to chew on a rubber Kong filled with treats. She is not a fan of water.

Aria’s people purchased her as a puppy. They are now seeking a new home for her because she is simply too strong and energetic for Judith to handle.

Aria needs a home with people committed to providing her the training that she needs and to exercise her regularly. And, of course, to love on her!

Aria is located in Bakersfield, CA. Her adoption fee is $100.

Please contact Judith Gonzalez at judangonzalez@gmail.com or
661-808-1732.

Posted 10-17-24

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"Combie" is an approx 75-lb, 14-mos old (born 6-5-23) recently neutered male American Blue Bay Shepherd who is very affectionate, smart and socially sophisticated. Combie is healthy, up-to-date on core vaccinations and microchipped. He does have some behavioral issues that will require special arrangements; more on this later.

Note: the American Blue Bay Shepherd is a breed currently in development to produce family dogs with a stunning lupine appearance. The only legitimate breeder of Blue Bay Shepherds is Southern Breeze Kennels in St Cloud, FL, from where Combie was purchased. See https://www.bluebayshepherds.com/home.html.

Combie is friendly with strangers, both inside the house and beyond. His family spent a ton of time socializing him when he was young; he loves going to dog-friendly breweries and wineries. He is great with the 10-yo girl he lives with and her friends; however, he has not been around younger children.

Combie has always done very well with other dogs. He has great social skills and typically presents submissive and playful behaviors. He is non-reactive to barking dogs or dogs displaying aggressiveness towards him. He has not been exposed to very small dogs, however. It should also be noted that Combie exhibits resource guarding tendencies for high value food-based items like bully sticks. 

Combie has not interacted with any cats, and appears to have a strong prey drive. So, a home without cats is strongly advised for Combie.

Combie is fully housetrained and respectful of the rules, most notably staying out of the kitchen and off furniture. His people leave him in his exercise pen indoors when they are gone for more than an hour. He sleeps on the living room floor at night.

Combie has received considerable formal obedience training, both as a puppy and more recently. He walks well on leash (his people use a Gentle Leader) and is non-reactive towards other dogs. His off-leash recall could use improvement, however.

Combie enjoys riding in a vehicle and is a calm passenger. He has been in car rides as long as 5 hours. He enjoys playing tug-of-war with a rope toy and loves to be chased around. Combie also likes to swim.

Overall, Combie is a medium energy dog who is happy with two 20-30 minute walks a day and some tug-of-war and running around at home.

Now, for Combie’s behavioral issue: When Combie was six months old, there was a fire in his house in the middle of the night. Fortunately, the fire was extinguished fairly quickly. During the ordeal, he was trapped in his crate. Over the next several weeks he started exhibiting fearfulness and aggression after dark that became progressively worse.

Combie’s people sought the assistance of a professional pet behaviorist for his nighttime fear behavior and it helped tremendously. It took several months, but now evenings are once again peaceful at home.

Unfortunately, there is still a major issue that the behavior reconditioning has not helped with much: If he is awoken in the middle of the night (someone getting up and turning on the lights for example) he freaks out aggressively and will bite.

Combie cannot be crated and has a fear of confinement at nighttime. He can be put in a pen or kennel enclosure during the day but not for bedtime. The ideal living situation for Combie is sleeping outdoors, in the garage, or some other place separated from humans for safety. He doesn’t do well being alone and would like to have other dogs near him overnight.

Combie is located in Meadow Vista, CA. His adoption fee is $100.

Please contact Shawn Severinsen at 408-781-4218 or shawnsev@protonmail.com.
 

Posted 8-5-24

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Please contact Leena Jaibhave at 916-836-9468 or leena.jaibhave@gmail.com.

Posted 7-28-24
 

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Posted 7-15-24

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"Cali" is a 60-lb, 1.5-yo spayed female GSD mix who is loving, energetic and protective. She likes to cuddle! Cali is healthy and up-to-date on core vaccinations. 

Cali is friendly with everyone she meets, both inside the house and beyond. She is good with young children.

Cali is fine with other dogs as long as they are not aggressive towards her. She is gentle with small dogs.  

It is not known how Cali is with cats. 

Cali is housetrained and sleeps inside. Her people keep her outside when they are away from the house. 

Cali is a smart dog and walks well on a leash. She does pull eagerly towards other dogs who she sees on walks, but in a friendly manner. 

Cali enjoys going for car rides. She is active inside the vehicle at the beginning of the ride but settles down quickly. 

Cali is very playful. She enjoys playing fetch and chewing on rubber balls and bones. 

Cali’s person (Natalie) adopted her from a family member back in March 2023. The family member purchased her from a breeder but lives in a small apartment and did not feel it was the right place to have an eventually-large dog.

Though Cali has been a valued family member, Natalie’s daughter has developed severe allergies to her. So, Natalie is now seeking a new home for Cali.

Cali is located in Sacramento. Her adoption fee is $100. Please contact Natalie Rozenblum at 646-400-1841 or natalieroz415@gmail.com.

Posted 7-12-24

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URGENT! Staying in temp home; needs new home by Sept 30!

"Brick" is a 7-yo, 103-lb neutered male GSD who is loving, protective and goofy. Brick is healthy and up-to-date on core vaccinations. He has a docked tail; it is unknown why or when his tail was docked.

Brick is friendly with most people but doesn’t care for men who are loud & assertive. He responds to these men by barking menacingly, but has never attempted to bite anyone. He’s also protective of his person in general, and will bark at strangers who approach her when he’s near.

It’s not known how Brick is with young children, but he’s very large and could potentially knock down a small child so it’s best that he go to a home with no young children.

Brick is friendly with other dogs and somewhat on the submissive side; he can get overwhelmed at dog parks. Brick is very good with little dogs; he lives with two Chihuahua mixes.

Brick is fine with the two resident cats, but he does want to chase other cats he sees in the neighborhood.

Brick is fully housetrained and he stays inside without any problem when his person is gone for several hours. Brick sleeps inside at night. He has a fear of fireworks; his person gives him a mild sedative which helps him cope w/ the noise.

Brick walks well on leash and is non-reactive towards other dogs he sees when on walks—unless the other dog barks at him. Brick also has good off-leash recall.

Brick loves going for rides in a vehicle and is a polite passenger.

Playing fetch is Brick’s favorite game. He also loves his stuffed animals. Brick seems to like water, too.

Brick’s person Tracy took him in two years ago after he was left behind in a warehouse when his owner moved away. Tracy is now having to rehome Brick because she’s moving to San Jose to be closer to her daughter and the place she’s renting does not allow dogs Brick’s size. A friend of Tracy's is temporarily fostering Brick, but can only keep him until Sept 30!

Brick is located in Sacramento. His adoption fee is $100.

Please contact Tracy Smith at 408-515-7510 or smithgirls17@gmail.com.

Posted 6-23-24; updated 7-12-24

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Posted 6-21-24

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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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Posted 4-23-23

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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.

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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Posted 1-24-22
 

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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