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.

Trooper is an adorable 7 month-old girl puppy who was rescued from a reservation in SD. Reservation dogs lead a very hard life, with no shelter, little food, and no vet care. Many of them die young due to accidents, deprivation, and/or sickness amont other causes. Trooper is a very lucky girl that she made it into rescue and we are so glad that we were able to help her!

Trooper was found laying in the snow, on the side of the road, on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in SD. A kind school-teacher found her freezing, on the side of the road, and took her in to the reservation vet. We were on our way to pick up some other pups from the Reservation, and we were told that they had found another Shepherd puppy in need of rescue! A tiny "pocket" one, who turned out to be Trooper! As you can see, Trooper is no Shepherd :). She's a tiny, adorable mix, who has an old, unfixable injury from a previous broken knee that healed poorly on its own, on her left back leg. And and least 6 BB gun bullets on another leg. This is sadly not uncommon among stray reservation dogs. 

While Trooper may not be a Shepherd, she was clearly in much need of rescue. In addition to her old leg injury she was also suffering from mange and malnutrition. We added her to our transport, and the rest is history! Tiny Trooper has been thriving in her loving foster home, gaining weight, and her mange is all gone. Her shiny silver coat is starting to look great. And although she walks with a limp and her injured leg gets "caught" a bit sometimes (she will stretch it, when this happens), she does use it quite a bit, and our vet believes she is in no pain, so we chose not to amputate it at this time. In fact, she is quite fast running around in the yard, playing with the other dogs!

Trooper is a great girl, shy with strangers at first, but she warms up fast and she is very loving and cuddly. She is great with other dogs, cats, people (including kids). And she is a perfect, tiny portable size, and very moderate energy. She enjoys her walks, and playing outside, yet she is also content to relax and cuddle with her humans on the couch. Trooper is currently working on her potty-training and she does leak a bit when she gets excited/scared.

Like all puppies, Trooper will need training, consistency, boundaries, and lots of activity and socialization, in order to become a well-balanced, well-behaved dog.