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.

Scarlett is a beautiful, sweet 1 year-old girl, who found herself in trouble at a crowded, high-kill shelter in Southern California right before the 4th of July. This is a very dangerous time for a dog to be in a shelter, as shelters fill extremely quickly due to the large amount of lost dogs (due to fireworks), and many animals end up being euthanized to make room. Thanks to our amazing friends at Miracle GSD Network, we were able to get Scarlett out safely before it was too late.   

Scarlett arrived super skinny, with an abrasion on her nose, and although she's sweet, and only a teen, it's easy to tell she's lived a life of hardship and neglect. She is incredibly lucky to have made it out of the shelter alive before the 4th of July, when so many dogs are killed to make room. Scarlett is very affectionate, fun and spirited, she behaves really well, and loves to play hide-go-seek with toys around the house. Her foster parents adore her and tell us she's just wonderful! She is sweet, super smart, and they are already planning training classes together. Scarlett's foster mom tells us that the grandkids love Scarlett too, and Scarlett loves the grandkids back (she also loves playing with the grandkids' Lab!). In fact, Scarlett will not be available for adoption. She is so sweet and fits in so well that her foster parents have decided to adopt her!

Scarlett's adoption fee is $350, all of which goes back into offsetting our high-cost vetting expenses and rescuing more dogs. Adoption fees include spay/neuter, current on age-appropriate vaccinations, fecal, deworming, flea/tick and heartworm preventative, heartworm tested if old enough (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.