Fort Collins, CO- 4 year old female needs new home

sashadog · 10-28-2011, 11:02 AM

My heart is breaking as I'm writing this as this is something I never thought we'd have to do but I feel it's our last option.
We adopted Sasha, a 3 1/2 year old GSD from a private family about 2 years ago. She has grown into an incredible dog and has come so far from when we first adopted her. Unfortunately, as she has matured, Sasha and our Cattle dog X, Scarlett, have become less and less tolerant of each other. The most recent fight last week resulted in Scarlett getting pretty beat up. This is not a situation that we can manage any longer and feel finding Sasha a new home would be best for everyone involved. The tension in our house is not fair to either dog.
Our main roadblock comes in the fact that she was diagnosed with low grade fibrosarcoma in her rear knee about a year ago. We had the tumor removed and she's been left with a limp in her rear leg. Although her prognosis is good according to the vet, people hear "cancer" and run and I can't say I blame them.

Other than her issues with our one female, she is wonderful! She is very obedient and she earned her Canine Good Citizen last year. She loves people and kids and other than an initial "stranger alert" bark at the door, has never shown aggression towards people. She can be leash reactive with anxious dogs but is easily snapped out of it and is good with other dogs after polite introductions. She cannot live with cats though, as her prey drive is very high.

We are currently looking for a wonderful home for this sweet girl and are willing to travel if it means a great future for her. I am also open to any suggestions about how we can work with this! Thank you all for your help!

Shaina · 10-28-2011, 11:07 AM

I will pass on the word for you, I live in Boulder...

Hope you find a resolution soon.

sashadog · 10-28-2011, 11:11 AM

Thank you.... Although we are going to make sure she goes to a wonderful home and not just pass her off to the first person wanting a pretty dog, this is a hard thing to drag on. Just looking at her makes me want to cry.

And I forgot to mention in my original post that she is spayed and also UTD on her vaccines.

dazedtrucker · 10-28-2011, 12:53 PM

My son lives there, I will tell him about her. Maybe he knows someone. I know he would love to have a Shepherd again, but the apt. complex he is in has a ban on them.
Good luck, sorry you have to deal with this

msvette2u · 10-28-2011, 01:03 PM

Female-female aggression is fairly common...I'd advise keeping them completely separated until you can sort it all out or rehome her.
Get a couple nice gates and use them, and crate/rotate (one's crated or put away while the other's out, and vise versa).

sashadog · 10-28-2011, 01:31 PM

msvette2u: I know that now and have gotten chastised by several of the rescues that I've contacted, not that I didn't deserve it

I guess I assumed since they got along during our pre-adoption visits and my cattle dog and border collie (females) are buddies that it would be ok but now I'm eating my words. I feel terrible for putting them in this situation. I should have thought more with my head rather than falling in love with Sasha and thinking I could make it work.

We're using the crate/rotate system right now unless we're out with them on leash and supervised. We have gotten lax in the past thinking they had sorted it out and it resulted in even worse fights. Learned that lesson the hard way...

And thank you guys for your help, the more people who hear about her the better. Someone will find a spot in their heart for her

Stevenzachsmom · 10-28-2011, 02:45 PM

Don't beat yourself up. It isn't your fault that they don't get along. Some females do get along very well. Others don't. I'm sorry it didn't work out for your girls. You are doing the right thing for Sasha and Scarlett - even though it is such a hard thing for you.

Sasha is a beautiful girl and sounds very sweet. I'm sure you will be able to find her a wonderful, loving home.

Best of luck,
Jan

sashadog · 10-29-2011, 12:28 PM

Thank you for the encouragement. It's comforting to be reassured that this is the right decision and we aren't being selfish owners. I hate to live my life with doggie regrets!

Anja1Blue · 10-30-2011, 10:05 AM

Beautiful girl! Which rescues have you contacted? Best are Front Range (south of Denver) and GS Rescue of Central Colorado (located between Fairplay and Buena Vista.)
____________________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 - waiting at the Bridge

sashadog · 10-30-2011, 02:54 PM

I have contacted Front Range German Shepherd Rescue and they said that they couldn't take any more dogs at this time. They then referred me to an all breed rescue in Denver who also couldn't take her. I have also gotten in touch with German Shepherd Rescue of the Rockies and they have posted her on their site for me. I'm pretty sure that I submitted a surrender application to Central Colorado but I haven't heard back from them yet. I'll probably email them in a few days if I don't hear soon.

10-28-2011, 11:02 AM	#1 (permalink)
sashadog Master Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 570	Fort Collins, CO- 4 year old female needs new home My heart is breaking as I'm writing this as this is something I never thought we'd have to do but I feel it's our last option. We adopted Sasha, a 3 1/2 year old GSD from a private family about 2 years ago. She has grown into an incredible dog and has come so far from when we first adopted her. Unfortunately, as she has matured, Sasha and our Cattle dog X, Scarlett, have become less and less tolerant of each other. The most recent fight last week resulted in Scarlett getting pretty beat up. This is not a situation that we can manage any longer and feel finding Sasha a new home would be best for everyone involved. The tension in our house is not fair to either dog. Our main roadblock comes in the fact that she was diagnosed with low grade fibrosarcoma in her rear knee about a year ago. We had the tumor removed and she's been left with a limp in her rear leg. Although her prognosis is good according to the vet, people hear "cancer" and run and I can't say I blame them. Other than her issues with our one female, she is wonderful! She is very obedient and she earned her Canine Good Citizen last year. She loves people and kids and other than an initial "stranger alert" bark at the door, has never shown aggression towards people. She can be leash reactive with anxious dogs but is easily snapped out of it and is good with other dogs after polite introductions. She cannot live with cats though, as her prey drive is very high. We are currently looking for a wonderful home for this sweet girl and are willing to travel if it means a great future for her. I am also open to any suggestions about how we can work with this! Thank you all for your help! Attached Thumbnails

10-28-2011, 11:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
Shaina Master Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 753	I will pass on the word for you, I live in Boulder... Hope you find a resolution soon. __________________ "In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." - Edward Hoagland

10-28-2011, 12:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
dazedtrucker Master Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Topeka, KS Posts: 587	My son lives there, I will tell him about her. Maybe he knows someone. I know he would love to have a Shepherd again, but the apt. complex he is in has a ban on them. Good luck, sorry you have to deal with this __________________ I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. - Edward Everett Hale

10-28-2011, 11:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
sashadog Master Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 570	Thank you.... Although we are going to make sure she goes to a wonderful home and not just pass her off to the first person wanting a pretty dog, this is a hard thing to drag on. Just looking at her makes me want to cry. And I forgot to mention in my original post that she is spayed and also UTD on her vaccines.

10-28-2011, 01:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
msvette2u Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Beautiful Pacific NW Posts: 5,533	Female-female aggression is fairly common...I'd advise keeping them completely separated until you can sort it all out or rehome her. Get a couple nice gates and use them, and crate/rotate (one's crated or put away while the other's out, and vise versa).

10-28-2011, 01:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
sashadog Master Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 570	msvette2u: I know that now and have gotten chastised by several of the rescues that I've contacted, not that I didn't deserve it I guess I assumed since they got along during our pre-adoption visits and my cattle dog and border collie (females) are buddies that it would be ok but now I'm eating my words. I feel terrible for putting them in this situation. I should have thought more with my head rather than falling in love with Sasha and thinking I could make it work. We're using the crate/rotate system right now unless we're out with them on leash and supervised. We have gotten lax in the past thinking they had sorted it out and it resulted in even worse fights. Learned that lesson the hard way... And thank you guys for your help, the more people who hear about her the better. Someone will find a spot in their heart for her

10-28-2011, 02:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
Stevenzachsmom Knighted Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,494	Don't beat yourself up. It isn't your fault that they don't get along. Some females do get along very well. Others don't. I'm sorry it didn't work out for your girls. You are doing the right thing for Sasha and Scarlett - even though it is such a hard thing for you. Sasha is a beautiful girl and sounds very sweet. I'm sure you will be able to find her a wonderful, loving home. Best of luck, Jan

10-29-2011, 12:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
sashadog Master Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 570	Thank you for the encouragement. It's comforting to be reassured that this is the right decision and we aren't being selfish owners. I hate to live my life with doggie regrets!

10-30-2011, 10:05 AM	#9 (permalink)
Anja1Blue Knighted Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Denver Colorado USA Posts: 3,472	Beautiful girl! Which rescues have you contacted? Best are Front Range (south of Denver) and GS Rescue of Central Colorado (located between Fairplay and Buena Vista.) ____________________________________________ Susan Anja SchH3 GSD Conor GSD Blue BH WH T1 - waiting at the Bridge

10-30-2011, 02:54 PM	#10 (permalink)
sashadog Master Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 570	I have contacted Front Range German Shepherd Rescue and they said that they couldn't take any more dogs at this time. They then referred me to an all breed rescue in Denver who also couldn't take her. I have also gotten in touch with German Shepherd Rescue of the Rockies and they have posted her on their site for me. I'm pretty sure that I submitted a surrender application to Central Colorado but I haven't heard back from them yet. I'll probably email them in a few days if I don't hear soon.

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