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.

Titan is an adorable 11 month-old puppy who came from a reservation in SD. Titan has a charming personality and is such a lovable boy! Titan was diagnosed with hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD) at around 4 months old. HOD, which tends to affect large breed puppies, feels like painful growing pains and can cause fevers, especially during flare-ups. In the begining, Titan's activity had to be limited to prevent the recurrence of HOD flare ups. However, he has been doing very well lately with normal activity, and has not had any symptoms in months, so there's a good chance he might have outgrown it.

Titan is friendly, outgoing, and affectionate with people (including kids) and other dogs. He’s potty and crate-trained. He rides well in the car, and likes to ride shotgun whenever possible! Titan loves chew toys. He loves any place, as long as it’s next to you. He's as fearless as he is curious. He loves to be around the household dogs, and loves to play and cuddle with them. Titan would love to have a dog buddy in his forever home! He is very cuddly with his humans as well. His foster mom tells us that he is a real snuggle bug! "At night when he is tired and ready for sleep, he likes to crawl up on your lap to be held or lays on your legs. He thinks he is a baby." He is still a puppy, and he is working on not mouthing, and not jumping up when excited. He is a smart boy, who is eager to please, and very treat-motivated. He is a very lovable youngster.

Titan’s HOD, which we were told could potentially be an issue until he reaches 1.5-2 yo, is currently under very good control. He has been doing very well and has not had any flare ups in the last 5.5 months. He is no longer on limited activity and we think there's a pretty good chance he might have outgrown his HOD. If he started having symptoms again, he would need to resume limited activity for a while longer (temporarily, as he is expected to outgrow this soon, if he hasn't already).

Titan's adoption fee is $325, 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. Please visit http://heartlandgsrescue.rescuegroups.org/info/adoption for more information about our adoption process and requirements, and to apply.