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.

Cally is a sweet and adorably sassy 4 month-old puppy. Cally and siblings had a pretty rough start to life prior to rescue. They were part of a larger litter that was dumped at a kill shelter. These babies were very unsocialized and they were terrified at the shelter. At the time, that we rescued Cally and siblings (Ellen, Boomer, and Kara), they were 3 months old, sick with Parvo, and they spent a month fighting this terrible disease and recovering (unfortunately, a male puppy in the group did not make it). Despite their young age, it was apparent that they had not had too many, if any, positive human interactions before being rescued. They are now all fully recovered, happy, learning to love and be loved, and growing like weeds! And they are ready to find forever homes where they can continue to grow and blossom! From the moment that these sweethearts arrived, Cally has been (by far) the most outgoing, cuddly, friendliest pup out of the group, followed by sweet Boomer. 

Cally is a tiny bit shy at first, and prefers that people allow her to initiate introductions at her own pace. Once she is comfortable, you will see her tail happily wagging and you will receive sweet puppy kisses from her! Cally adores other dogs and cats and loves to play with them, and then nap with them after playtime. She does well with young and older dogs of various sizes. She enjoys chew toys and snuggling with her foster mom. She does great on car rides and has mastered the sit command. She is working on potty-training and leash-training. She is a very sweet girl and wonderful companion with so much love to give! When she arrived, Cally suffered a small episode of growing pains and required a few weeks of crate rest and pain meds. She seems to have outgrown those. She has now resumed normal activity and is doing well. 

While adorable, high-energy breed puppies require lots of patience, positive reinforcement and redirection to channel their energy in appropriate ways. Like all puppies, Cally will need training, consistency, boundaries, and lots of activity and socialization, in order to become a well-balanced, well-behaved dog.

Cally's adoption fee is $395, all of which goes back into offseting 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. Learn more about the adoption process and requirements, and apply at: http://heartlandgsrescue.rescuegroups.org/info/adoption.