Saved from the streets--GSD or GSD+?

[RowdyDogs]

I think it's funny that so many people mention the poorly-bred or American pet lines, because it totally confirms my belief. The full story of my find is...I was out with my dogs near a popular hiking canyon. It was 7 AM or thereabouts, mid-week and not a holiday. Generally the area was deserted so I would take my 3 blue heelers out for a hike off-leash. It's a pretty popular and well-known canyon though, busy on weekends (relatively). So I'm out there and from a vantage point I could see a car speeding out super fast on the canyon road. Traffic at all would be unusual at that time/day, but it was going really fast and I was really suspicious so I was watching. Then I saw a little golden-brown speck running all-out a couple of minutes behind. My heelers went nuts barking, the speck changed direction and ran to us. It was Hector. He immediately attacked my favorite dog (no one was injured, I broke it up in a way that Hector had a chance to bite me and he refrained).

So anyway, we spent 4-6 weeks looking for an owner just in case, but no success. He had no collar, no chip, was intact (I neutered him about 4 months after I found him), no training (not even house trained), not socialized and afraid of literally everything...

My thought was that he was probably an impulse buy from a pet store as a pup, or otherwise short-sighted purchase. So, not well-bred. Then he got too big and too rambunctious and they disposed of him in the desert. I think he's fantastic, super easy to train and just a nice dog, but within a couple of months of me owning him I did have 3 smashed teeth and a broken finger due to playful injuries from him so...

I'll ge some more pics of his head tonight, I agree that it's the big thing that makes him not look purebred (though I think it's gorgeous ). I just can't imagine what else is in him.

Part of what confuses me too is that a few really knowledgeable working dog trainers we've met through our SAR training think he's from working German lines. I'm not sure if they say that because of the context (we are on a SAR team, so he has working potential though we're early in our training) or because he really looks like that.

edit: Also, thank you for all the kudos for saving him but I really don't deserve them. I was very happy with my 3 heelers (actually I was happy with 1, then I got 2 others by accident...) but Hector kind of decided for himself that he was staying. I find most of the best rescue dogs do something like that.

[PatchonGSD]

Your boy reminds me of this guy build-wise (who didnt make it out, btw, so thanks again for saving your boy)

Pet Pardons on Facebook | Facebook

[Bear GSD]

He is great looking for sure and it's great that you are actually working SAR with him. I guess the two of you did your own search and rescue with eachother!

[Gharrissc]

He looks like he is pure to me. Either way he's very handsome and seems to be enjoying life with you!

[Stevenzachsmom]

Originally Posted by Bear GSD

He is great looking for sure and it's great that you are actually working SAR with him. I guess the two of you did your own search and rescue with eachother!

I LOVE that sentiment!

[FlyAway]

He's very handsome. I'm glad you were there at the right time to save him.

[RowdyDogs]

Originally Posted by PatchonGSD

Your boy reminds me of this guy build-wise (who didnt make it out, btw, so thanks again for saving your boy)

Pet Pardons on Facebook | Facebook

He does look a lot like that boy, just a bit more reddish and I think a bit lighter-boned. It's such a shame that boy didn't make it out. I was recently trying to find a rental house with Hector and it was appalling how many homes denied be based on his breed alone--despite that I have another "not dangerous"-breed of dog who has a documented bite history (it was ruled justified, but still...), they'd accept the dog who'd bit someone but wasn't "dangerous" but not Hector who is the gentlest beast I've met. Didn't seem right, and suddenly it made sense how many older, well-behaved GSDs wind up in shelters.

Originally Posted by Bear GSD

I guess the two of you did your own search and rescue with eachother!

I love this idea too, because we really did. I can't really describe how true this is because I think that might get inappropriately personal, but Hector saved my life as much as I saved his. SAR is amazing, and I'll be involved even if he washes out, but worst case I'll be doing dog sport with him, possibly get another SAR dog (might wait a bit; regardless I'll be involved with my team as field support), but have an absolutely amazing companion/sport dog in Hector--and with the amount of backpacking/marathon training/etc. I do, he'll keep plenty busy. I love doing SAR with him, but his impact on my life reaches far beyond that. I don't care if he ever saves another life; he's had plenty of impact on mine.

[lorihd@comcast.net]

nice looking dog, id say 98% gsd, (the head is a little off)

[Jax08]

So they just dumped him...in a desert...to die. I"m so glad you were there.

[msvette2u]

I can't tell, his head seems "off" to me, too but can't put my finger on it. I thought "chow" first thing though (and often my first impression ends up being better than later guesses, at least in our rescue!)

About dew claws...just about every dog breed can have them. We have a purebred Dachshund with rear dew claws so big they are actual toes with toenails and all.
When a vet is spaying or neutering, if the dew claw is just attached with flesh, they will often snip it off and glue it shut or bandage it or whatever.
If it's bone, they leave it.

The front dew claws should always be there, and some folks remove them at birth up to a week or 10 days. If removed later than birth-10 days, it's an actual amputation.
I find most our dogs are able to use their 'thumbs' anyway, and wouldn't remove them.
I have one dog who has his removed and he seems to wince when I rub that area.