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 07/21/2024

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"Kodah" is an approx 80-lb, 5-yo intact male GSD who is sweet, loyal and playful. Kodah is healthy, microchipped, and up-to-date on core vaccinations.

Kodah is wary of strangers who enter the house and will bark at them, but he has never bit anyone. He is fine with people when he is outside of the house. Koda is great with kids and lives with two toddlers.

Kodah is OK w/ female dogs but does not do well w/ male dogs. He is fine w/ small female dogs as well.

Kodah is great w/ cats. He has been around kittens and acted like a father figure towards them.

Kodah is well-behaved and received formal obedience training when he was one yr old. Kodah used to walk fine on leash [Is this correct?], but he has not been taken for a walk in approx two yrs so likely will need some refresher time.

Kodah is presently kept outside most of the time. He used to be allowed indoors and even slept in his person’s bed, but all that changed when she had her first baby—partly due to her former husband’s preferences and partly due to her baby having been attacked by a little dog at a daycare facility.

Kodah loves car rides and behaves calmly when the vehicle is moving.

Kodah loves fetching a Frisbee and chewing on stuffed animals. He also loves swimming in all kinds of water bodies.

Kodah’s person Albanita brought him home as a puppy. Kodah used to be her baby, but when she had her own babies (she has had two in the last two years), she no longer had time for him. (Albanita is a single mom.) She feels very guilty about not giving Kodah the attention that he deserves and so is seeking a new home for him where he will again be an active family member.

Kodah is located in Lincoln. There is no adoption fee for Kodah, but because he is not neutered, a $400 refundable neuter deposit is required for his adoption. Kodah’s adopter will have 90 days to have his neutered. Once proof of neutering is provided to Albanita, she will refund the $400 deposit. This will all be in writing.

Please contact Albanita Erebia at 916-903-8753 or albanita.erebia@gmail.com.

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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"Titan" is a 7-yo (born 3-15-17) neutered male GSD who is loving, playful and somewhat anxious. Titan is healthy and up-to-date on core vaccinations.

Titan is OK with strangers when properly introduced, but can be nippy when people he’s not familiar with move too quickly near him. He also gets overly-excited when young children are playing and yelling and can nip the children in those situations. Thus, a home without children under the age of 12 is in order for Titan.

Titan is a mixed bag with other dogs. He can be OK w/ new dogs if on neutral ground as he isn't dog-aggressive but he isn't a dog's dog, either. On walks, leashed, he won't lunge at other dogs but caution should be taken to not have them meet. He does NOT do well w/ small dogs. He may do well with another confident dog if properly introduced.

Titan might do OK with a dog-savvy cat. He currently lives with a cat who is not dog-friendly. The cat runs and Titan will chase. However, Titan has never hurt the cat and when in a controlled environment with the cat mostly exhibits curiosity. His cat interaction has been very limited and severely controlled.

Titan is housetrained and does well in a crate. His people let him have the run of the house when they are gone. Titan sleeps on a dog bed besides his people’s bed.

Titan has received considerable professional training throughout his life. He walks well on leash and obeys multiple commands. He has good recall except when distractions are present.

Titan has some anxiety-type behaviors, including chasing light reflections and fear of thunder. He enjoys car rides but paces and whines at times, especially at slower speeds. Also, he is extremely anxious if left alone in the car and will bark continuously and possibly try to get out.

Titan love to fetch balls, play tug-of-war, and search for toys or treats. He also loves to swim, especially when chasing after a ball.

Titan’s person Jeff adopted him when he was two months old. Though Titan & Jeff have a very close relationship, Titan does not do well with Jeff’s young children, especially when they are playing or if they accidentally hurt him (such as stepping on his tail). Because of this conflict, Jeff is now seeking a new home for Titan.

Titan is located in Foresthill, CA. His adoption fee is $100.

Please contact Jeff Sutton at 916-607-9034 or jeffro_19@hotmail.com.

Posted 6-21-24

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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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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 cat 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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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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"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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"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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