Need advice on what age to adopt/rescue

[Looking4Lucious]

Hi, my name is Joe. My girlfriend and I are getting ready to move in together. We have both decided that we would like to adopt or rescue a Shepherd. We are wondering what is the best age to adopt or rescue. I don't want a dog that is too old, she doesn't want one that is too young. We both want a dog we can teach a new name to, earn the respect and loyalty that comes from a Shepherd, have the friendly demeanor but still have the guard dog image they exhibit. From your experience, what is the best time to adopt/rescue/or purchase?? We want a male if that helps. Any thoughts, tips, or suggestions are much appreciated.

[Samba]

I don't know exactly what it the best age to adopt. Both of my GSD rescues were about 14 to 18 months old. They both did great. We got the Border Collie at 3 years old. She is now 15 years old. She acclimated just fine and has been a super dog.

[Myamom]

I don't think there is a best age...it's really what you are up for...preference...your situation...etc. I've adopted at all stages. My first GSD, Mya, I adopted at age 5.....and it was just such an easy age...no housebreaking, chewing, etc...she was settled and calm. Ava..we adopted at 8 weeks...adorable age...fun...and ALOT of work...we had to go through housebreaking, chewing and destruction...lol. And we now have Cheyenne...a senior...who is just so sweet and appreciative of a warm bed and a pat on the head...so easy...we really don't even know she's here. Each age brings it's pro's and con's. The most important thing is to contact a reputable rescue...talk to them about what you want in a dog, what your situation is, etc. They will work with you closely to find the appropriate match. Rescues have their dogs in foster homes...so they can tell you all about the dog. Good luck!

I will say...all acclimated very well!

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by Looking4Lucious

We both want a dog we can teach a new name to, earn the respect and loyalty that comes from a Shepherd, have the friendly demeanor but still have the guard dog image they exhibit.

All of those can be had at any age, with the the exception of guard dog image, which isn't exactly present yet in snuggly-wuggly little puppies. I've seen dogs learn new names and bond tightly with new adoptive owners as old as 10. If this is your first GSD, I'd strongly suggest getting one older than 2 or 3. I've seen lots of first-time adopters who thought they understood the time commitment involved in training, exercising, and socializing a young dog, only to have them return the dog when they found they had bitten off more than they could chew.

[Rerun]

Just please be aware that adopting an adult shepherd does NOT mean you are getting a dog that is already housetrained, obedience trained, or easier to handle. Different dogs will fit into different situations differently.

If you are adopting from a reputable rescue that operates out of foster homes, the chances are good that your future adult shepherd will have at least some basic training and house manners. However, if you adopt an adult GSD out of a shelter you have no idea what you may be adopting. A lot of people portray adults as easier, but this is not always the case. There are times you simply end up with a very overgrown puppy and now you need to be able to deal with all the puppy antics present in a 70/80 lb plus body.

I am not trying to discourage you from adopting an adult shepherd (I've done it and love it), but I do wish people would be more upfront with potential adopters that just because a dog is 2, 3, 4 years old...does not mean they don't come with all the same training requirements that a pup does. And depending on what kind of training or socialization your adult has had, it may actually be more work than a pup. Adult dogs are typically better behaved than pups when they have had training and time put into them by someone else. If the original owner left the dog on a tie out or in a backyard for 4 years, that dog has missed crucial socialization skills as a pup, won't be housetrained or trained not to chew, and likely won't have any obedience training.

[LaRen616]

I just adopted a 1.5 year old male German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix and he is great! He is a fast learner, he has a great attention span, he is potty trained, he is well behaved, he gets along with my cats and my dog. I didn't have to deal with any of the puppy behaviors or issues.

If you dont want to go through the puppy stage then I would suggest getting a dog over 1 year old.

[gsdraven]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I am not trying to discourage you from adopting an adult shepherd (I've done it and love it), but I do wish people would be more upfront with potential adopters that just because a dog is 2, 3, 4 years old...does not mean they don't come with all the same training requirements that a pup does. And depending on what kind of training or socialization your adult has had, it may actually be more work than a pup. Adult dogs are typically better behaved than pups when they have had training and time put into them by someone else. If the original owner left the dog on a tie out or in a backyard for 4 years, that dog has missed crucial socialization skills as a pup, won't be housetrained or trained not to chew, and likely won't have any obedience training.

This a great point. Adopting an adult from a reputable rescue will likely mean that they are easier than a puppy but the average adopter is not prepared to adopt an adult GSD right from the shelter. You wouldn't believe how many of our adopters get a dog from the shelter and think he should know every command the owner comes up with, be perfectly behaved and protective of the house as soon as they come home.

I would however defintely recommend a 2 year plus old dog from a rescue who has had the dog in foster care for 30 or more days. A 2 yr old dog will be pretty much matured and so you know the true temperament and because they were in a foster home for at least a month, the foster parent would have taught the dog at least basic obedience as well as being house broken, vetted and they should be able to tell you all about the dog's personality.

It isn't a guarantee that things won't show up later but it as close to knowing the dog you are adopting that you are going to get. If the foster home hasn't done these things and can't tell you all about the dog, then find one that can.

[RebelGSD]

To people who are not willing to provide basic training, such as housebreaking, house manners, basic obedience, I would not recommend adopting any dog. The fact that a dog spent 30 days in a foster home, obeys the foster parent and does not have accidents at that home with their schedule is not a guarantee that the dog will carry over the training into a new home and a new person, especially with inexperienced dog owners. As it is often the case in life, what you invest into adog with time, effort, training and bonding is what you get out of it.
As to adopting adults versus puppies, sometimes adults do act like large puppies, however, in most cases they have a much better attention span and different drives and are easier to train. Speaking from experience with many fosters.

[Runswithdogs]

We adopted Regen at 13 months old, and she hadn't had much training so it was a lot like training a 65 pound puppy! I think it's a great age, though next time we might adopt a 2 or 3 year old that has been fostered long enough to have an idea of issues/challenges.

[KZoppa]

i've had all ages. As mentioned previously there is always the chance that the dog will listen fine to the foster parent and be housetrained on their schedule but under new rules and in a different house, it can all go out the window. at 2 most dogs are mature enough to be able to focus better during training. older dogs can still have the get up and go of younger dogs but be wiser and more mature and laid back. Any age is great really. Decide what you're looking at in terms of the dog ( not so much age!) and good rescues will work closely with you to find a match that works best for you and the dog. good luck!