https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-JwFsVX/i-MzWzwhD/A

Date Adopted: March 22, 2017

Age at adoption: 4 yrs old

We don’t know what name he was used to for the first four years of his life, but the shelter named him “Ziegel” after finding him on their doorstep one morning in October.  After the required waiting period, GSRNE was contacted and asked to give this boy another chance at having a good life.

In his foster home, Ziegel has adjusted well to having a predictable schedule that includes a walk in the morning, crate time while his foster parents go to work, a long walk after they get home from work and playtime in the yard after that walk, playing fetch with a tennis ball or a stick.  After a rest period, he eats his supper and then just wants to be with his people until bedtime.

If it’s going to be a long work day, Ziegel gets to enjoy the day at daycare, where he plays with other dogs and gets to run and wrestle.  He’s tired when he gets home and content to snooze before supper.  On walks in the neighborhood, he does nicely on a prong collar but is not comfortable when seeing other dogs out on walks; he needs to be reminded to stay next to his person and continue walking.

When he’s along for a ride in the car, he rides in the back seat and will sometimes rest his head on the driver’s shoulder or lick his or her ear.  When he’s especially happy, like when they get home from work, he vocalizes his pleasure in low, rolling yodels.

Ziegel needed to learn some manners when we met him; he would jump up for attention and could be mouthy, and he didn’t know, at all, how to walk on a leash. His foster parents have worked with him on all these issues, and he has come a long way.  He’s still anxious around loud machinery, like vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers, but he’s gradually becoming desensitized.   He’s not comfortable if people walk up to him or reach for him, so it’s best to be pro-active and have visitors seated and ignoring him before introductions.

If you have some experience with German Shepherds and would enjoy continuing the training and activities he is used to, please ask us about meeting Ziegel.