Details
 

Adoption Process

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

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

  1. Complete an Adoption Questionnaire, either online, or hard-copy (pdf format). If you do not own your home, you must have your landlord complete the Landlord Letter.
  2. Be interviewed by an adoption counselor.
  3. Choose, and be chosen by, the right dog.
  4. Live in one of the 14 Northern California counties we serve.
  5. Allow a home visit by an adoption counselor.
  6. With our approval, sign our Adoption Agree ment, and pay the associated fee.

If you come to an Adoption Day, the process of adopting can be completed in any order; otherwise you must complete an Adoption Questionnaire before we can assist you further. Normally, all our requirements must be met. Home visits may be waived in rare circumstances. We do not adopt to homes outside of Northern California.

After we receive your online Adoption Questionnaire, we will call you to begin the adoption process. Due to our home visit requirement, we only adopt to homes in Northern California. We encourage potential adopters to come to one or more Adoption Days because that is the best way to meet several German Shepherds and to find your new companion.

If you attend an Adoption Day and choose a dog, you may be able to adopt the same day, if all adoption requirements are met. The entire adoption process can be completed on the same day, or it may take longer.

If you can not come to any Adoption Day, we will try to assist you using email, the mail, and the telephone. This will probably take longer because the people who will help you are volunteers who usually have jobs, and scheduling meetings with dogs can be complex because our dogs live in many homes and kennels.

 

                

My Romeo
Post Date: 6/17/2017 6:15:52 PM

WE adopted Jack aka Romeo 2 years ago. Although we had other German Shepherds. Romeo has been unique and more true to form for a GS. The minute we picked him up from his foster home, he jumped in the car & said- lets go! He bonded with us immediately but I could tell that he was somewhat shut down as he was extremely passive with other dogs initially. He tried to jump in the truck of the car and would get very nervous if groceries were in the back seat with him & try to jump in the front. I knew love & exercise would be the answer. We hike, and hike, and hike. He soon was considered the "Life of the Party." His energy was boundless even for me who was committed to walking him heavily. So I found a doggie daycare so he could get his ya ya's out while I was working. This worked well for awhile but as he matured, I started getting other feedback that he was becoming "barrier aggressive" and starting to get rough with other dogs. He always played hard but I started to wonder if setting him up at doggie day care was not such a good idea because I never did that with the others and we had no problems. I became suspicious of what was happening when I wasn't around & if he was picking up bad habits. Of course, he acted like a complete angel with us so it was confusing until we had a run in with a Ridegback that was quite frightening & I literally had to break up a dog fight. It was not his fault. He was attacked but I did see the power of the breed and from that point forward I have been very awake. We started working with a trainer and my sweet loving teddy bear is back! He is not aggressive but he is VERY protective of me. We moved to a new house and I also learned that with his environment changing- he stepped up and started house guarding. Introductions are extremely important with German Shepherds as they are guard dogs!. People can't just walk in the house unexpected and unannounced- it doesn't work! I did have Shepherd mixes that this could happen but if you adopt a GS, you need to be mindful and responsible of this. Outside of the house- not a problem but if you come in his zone, he is a working dog and will check you out. I am happy to say the more you invest in your beloved furry one, the better it will be. They need guidance and direction and they are watching you and your energy for clues. I love this breed. So loving but sensitive. If you adopt, please give them time to adjust. Run them down as an exercised GS is more likely to be a behaved GS. I am forever grateful for my Romeo! He is a healer and a love bug!

Photos


Important Note About Dog Descriptions

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