TX Foster family needed for a soldier's pet!

[Pug]

***ON HOLD -- WE MAY HAVE FOUND A HOST FAMILY***

Got a young soldier in need of a foster family for his 2-year old German Shepherd while he finishes up his training. He is a US Army 1st LT. and heads out to IOBC, Airborne and Ranger school in mid-August.

The 'pup' (about 80lbs. of loving pure-bred AKC-registered GS) is male (not neutered), an indoor pet, completely house-broken, crate trained, and family-safe. He is up-to-date on all vaccines, will come with meds, food, toys, crate, collar and leash (regarding that leash -- only a stout, Texas male should even think about attempting to walk him – all others will need their own saddle).

***All expenses -- food, any vet visits, meds, grooming supplies and related care needs during the foster care -- will be paid.***

A foster family is needed as his family cannot keep the pet for him (his mom was diagnosed last month with stage IV bi-lateral breast cancer and is under-going chemo in preparation for some pretty radical surgery and a lengthy recovery process).

If you or someone you know would be willing to commit to a 6-8 month foster-care for this loving mutt, let me know. I’ll get the soldier in touch with you (he lives in Carrolton and reports to Ft. Benning in late August).



PS: He's the horse on the recliner with the red Kong ball in his mouth...

***ON HOLD -- WE MAY HAVE FOUND A HOST FAMILY***

[bci21984]

pM sent

[E.Marquez]

PM sent to the family.. Im deployed so don't want to offer without checking in first..

[03Lightningrocks]

Gosh... I would love to have him but would not want to give him back. I have been looking for a good dog and wanted a larger breed such as a German Shepard or Rotty. He looks adorable. I'm single, no kids at home and have a 3000 square foot home with a nice back yard. Plenty of room for him. I am at the house more than away so he and I would develop a bond that might be hard to break. If your friend decides to give him up on a permenant basis, I would be real interested.

[TexasGal]

How does he get along with other dogs? I have two shepherds; a one year old 85 lb intact male, a three year old spayed female, and a 3 year old neutered golden retriever. They all get along quite well, but I would introduce a new dog slowly anyway. If they did not look like they were going to be best buds, I would have to keep him separated from whichever one he didn't like/viceversa. I am dog poor so I would absolutely not want to keep him, but I would not want him to have to be given up by his owner while serving either. I keep my dogs inside out of the heat except for play time in a 6ft chain link exercise area. They are kept in crates when we have to go somewhere and at night except for the one selected as "guard". I would rather someone took him who has no other dogs for him to contend with, but I would consider fostering him if no one else will. Shepherds lose their families too often as it is.

[03Lightningrocks]

............. Shepherds lose their families too often as it is.

Why is this? I have never owned a Shepard but have friends who do. They would die before giving them up.

[Dragonfighter]

............. Shepherds lose their families too often as it is.

Why is this? I have never owned a Shepard but have friends who do. They would die before giving them up.

I don't know either, I have known several and even the ones trained as guard or K-9 officers were brilliant and well behaved. We have a neighbor across the street who has one. Whenever we pull in the driveway he runs to the fence barking frantically, all you have to do is say, "Hi _____ " and he shuts up tail wagging...just glad to see you.

[Dave2]

If I had my own place, I'd keep him for as long as was needed. My roommate owns the house, though, and doesn't like dogs (or at least indoor dogs), and I don't think our fence could stand up to a stiff breeze, let alone a medium-sized dog jumping against it.

[ghostrider]

TexasGal wrote:............. Shepherds lose their families too often as it is.

Why is this? I have never owned a Shepard but have friends who do. They would die before giving them up.

I suspect because its a popular breed and there are people who get a puppy without fully understanding
the work and responsibilities of owning such a breed once its fully grown.

Just like there are some people who shouldn't have children, there are people who shouldn't have dogs.

[03Lightningrocks]

Just like there are some people who shouldn't have children, there are people who shouldn't have dogs.

Now that is truth! I never thought much of the folks who run out and get a puppy so they can leave him out in the back yard and ignore him after he becomes a dog.

[Pug]

Hey folks -- thank you for the responses and PMs. At least three folks have offered to help and I'm connecting them with Lt. Ray to explore the possible foster options. It looks like a solution will be found this week.

I will update this post when a home has been secured, or if it becomes apparent that we need to keep looking.

[paulhailes]

Hey folks -- thank you for the responses and PMs. At least three folks have offered to help and I'm connecting them with Lt. Ray to explore the possible foster options. It looks like a solution will be found this week.

I will update this post when a home has been secured, or if it becomes apparent that we need to keep looking.

Glad some people were able to step up and help, I asked my wife and she said we already had two dogs and our place isn't big enough for a third.

[TexasGal]

............. Shepherds lose their families too often as it is.

Why is this? I have never owned a Shepard but have friends who do. They would die before giving them up.

It's because:
1. Many insurance companies will not insure you if you own a shepherd, rottie, doberman, or pitt. Owners give up their dogs when they are faced with losing their insurance.
2. People think a shepherd is cool until they figure out the puppy mill version they got has an unstable temperament and wants to bite the wrong people.
3. Many people have lost their homes and are forced to give up their dogs because landlords will not allow a shepherd for reason #1 and #2.
4. Dog food has almost doubled in cost in the last 5 years and shepherds are active dogs with a healthy appetite. If you are out of work or things are really tight, your kids will be fed first.
5. There are two general versions of this breed. The show bred dogs and the working bred dogs. Both are generally friendly unless they feel their family or territory is threatened, but the working bred dogs are often so driven (prey drive, food drive, etc) that a pet home has no idea how to deal with them. They absolutely have to have a job or daily activity with training. Unfortunately, the buyer often has no idea what he is getting into. I have one of each and the difference is incredible. The working dogs bought as family pets often end up at the pound as incorrigible escape artists, biters, cat killers, etc.
6. It is truly amazing the numbers of people who own "guard" dogs and yet have no idea at all what makes them tick. The natural guard tendencies of shepherds is a bad combination with this kind of owner who will take it to the pound when it does something the owner should have known better than to put the dog at risk of doing.

I visited a German Shepherd rescue known as Camp Wolfgang a few years ago. They had 300 shepherds in need of homes. Most came from shelters that were going to put them down. Some were so aggressive they were far too dangerous to adopt out. These may have been dropouts from guard training done by idiots. Who knows. Some were old dogs whose familes were lost for any of the reasons above. It broke my heart to see them. Gorgeous dogs. The rescue was shut down a year or two ago and I fear what happened to most of those dogs. One rescue person I talked to said none of the other rescues had room for them or wanted them.

[Dave2]

I visited a German Shepherd rescue known as Camp Wolfgang a few years ago. They had 300 shepherds in need of homes. Most came from shelters that were going to put them down. Some were so aggressive they were far too dangerous to adopt out. These may have been dropouts from guard training done by idiots. Who knows. Some were old dogs whose familes were lost for any of the reasons above. It broke my heart to see them. Gorgeous dogs. The rescue was shut down a year or two ago and I fear what happened to most of those dogs. One rescue person I talked to said none of the other rescues had room for them or wanted them.

[E.Marquez]

Hey folks -- thank you for the responses and PMs. At least three folks have offered to help and I'm connecting them with Lt. Ray to explore the possible foster options. It looks like a solution will be found this week.

I will update this post when a home has been secured, or if it becomes apparent that we need to keep looking.

Happy to hear you may have a home, as I said in the PM... the offer stands for a visit to test tempers, and if it's smiles and play time, we would welcome a house guest.