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.

Prior to rescue, Dorset and her babies (Meatball, Lamb Chop, Ribeye, Scrapple, and Confit) were about to find themselves homeless. From what we can tell, poor Dorset has not been treated very kindly in the past. Even though she's barely a year old, she's terrified of people. Luckily, she loves food, so foster mom's been working on helping her overcome her fear with tasty treats and tidbits, and she's slowly warming up and discovering that life is not so scary after all.

Dorset's puppies on the other hand could not be a more mellow, and happy-go-lucky little gang! Foster mom tells us that these babies are some of the sweetest puppies she has ever fostered! There are 4 boys and 1 girl. They are looking for individual homes to go into.

Meatball is ready to bring some puppy spunk to your life! Meatball will be your little shadow and loves his people as well as other dogs. Like your typical puppy, Meatball will have a crazy zoomies periods and then pass out. He loves playing with toys and chewing on his Nylabone, as well as your fingers (puppy teeth are no joke)! Meatball loves sleeping with his humans at night and is not the biggest fan of his kennel, as he prefers to be by your side all the time. Meatball will be a wonderful addition to any family looking for a loving, energetic dog.

The adoption fee for one of Dorset's puppies is $395 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 all herding breed and mix puppies, these babies will require excellent direct supervision. Their ideal homes will be an experienced households with good leadership skills and structure, and prior similar breed ownership. These babies are very young and will require the proper socialization, training, and guidance to become well-rounded adults. Like all puppies, they requires patience, positive reinforcement and redirection to channel their energy in appropriate ways. Like any of our dogs, they will make great additions to active homes that will provide the love, structure, activity and mental stimulation that their breed requires. 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.