German Shepherd dogs, as well as the other herding breeds that we have in rescue, are highly active, energetic, working breeds. They require considerable vetting, exercise, socialization, training, leadership and mental stimuli in order to be well-adjusted, well-balanced, and well-mannered dogs. Even if you exercise and play with your dog daily in your fenced yard, you MUST still take your dog out on daily walks and outings in order to work on his/her leash skills, manners, and social skills. These breeds make great additions to active families who will pamper them, but who will also work with them, as they are smart dogs who need leadership, structure, plenty of activity and mental stimulation. 

If you are new to German Shepherds (and other herding breeds), please research the breed to make sure this is the dog for you. We ask that you consider the time and financial commitment that your German Shepherd (or other herding breed) dog will require before applying for one. Please review the section on our website (www.heartlandgsrescue.org) "Is a HUGS Dog Right for You?" for additional information.

Hope is a sweet, shy, gorgeous girl. Prior to rescue, Hope was heavily pregnant and extremely scared at the shelter. The shelter was not able to adopt her out due to her condition (and fearfulness) and she would have been euthanized. Luckily, we were able to get her out before it was too late and she was able to have her puppies safely and comfortably in a loving foster home. From what we can tell, Hope must have been kept outdoors most of her life and must have had few, if any, positive human interactions before being rescued. Yet, Hope is incredibly sweet. While scared, she was grateful and relieved to get to safety, and to have someone care for her and her babies. Hope and all of her thirteen puppies all thrived in their foster homes, and all puppies have been adopted.

Hope is a very sweet girl young who is a little shy in new situations and around new people, but she warms up with proper introductions. She gets along well with other dogs, and loves to play with the household dog. She does well with cats too (in fact, she enjoys cuddling up with kitties too). Hope loves other dogs and feels more confident with a dog buddy that she can watch for cues, learn from, and play with. Because of that, we would really like for her to have another dog in her adoptive home. Hope is doing great in her foster home. She is now potty-trained. She doesn't love the crate, but is learning to be in it for short periods of time. Hope would love a home with a loving, patient human who is around for a lot of the day to continue helping her adjust and blossom. 

The adoption fee for Hope is $325, all of which goes back into offseting our high-cost vetting expenses and rescuing more dogs.  We are a 100% volunteer-run rescue group and rely on adoption fees and donations to continue saving lives. Adoption fees include spay/neuter, current on age-appropriate vaccinations, fecal, deworming, flea/tick and heartworm preventative, heartworm tested if old enough (and treated if positive), and microchipped. 

Please visit http://heartlandgsrescue.rescuegroups.org/info/adoption for more information about our adoption process and requirements, and to apply. Like any of our dogs,  Hope would make a great addition to an active home that will provide the love, structure, good leadership, activity and mental stimulation that her breed needs. Because of that, Hope’s ideal owners will have prior GSD, or other herding breed experience. Even if you exercise and play with your dog daily in your fenced yard, please remember that you MUST still take your dog out on daily walks and outings, in order to provide sufficient stimulation, ward off boredom, and work on leash skills, and manners.