German Shepherds Forum banner

I’ve given up on trying to rescue a GSD

16K views 104 replies 54 participants last post by  Stevenzachsmom 
#1 ·
For over a year now I have surfed the Web trying to find a male GSD or even a nice Mix to adopt. In that time…I have had three attempts that ended disappointly and one somewhat bizarre experience. I also talked to a memebr here about rehoming their K-9 but my girlfriend over ruled it because of the distance involved...in case it didn't work out.

Recently, I reached out to a expert for some insight and never received a response. That was…as the saying goes the straw that broke the camels back since I wanted to privately discuss what had happened and ask was it all normal in the rescue world or was it me.

As soon as I get caught up on my bills (which should be in a couple of month), I'm going to buy another GSD or Mal.

Any feed back on this appericated.
 
#29 ·
Dont give up! If your serious about adopting a rescue, there are plenty on here that would be eager to help. I found my girl and I don't know what I would do without her, no she wasn't the perfect dog for me at the time but I don't regret it at all... I mean look at her :)

 
#30 ·
It can feel like you will never get one but don't give up. After being approved for a dog, the rescue keeped blowing me off, busy and all. The dog I wanted to get was at paid boarding. Instead while waiting my great two yr old girl came along from a trainer who knew me personally and also ran a rescue. I got a great dog, but I did hope that the rescue got that other boy a home soon. They are out there don;t give up
 
#32 ·
I hate to say this, but it seems like you might need to hear it: There are a fair amount of flaky people in the dog rescue biz.

Many of them are very good-hearted and sweet people, but they overextend themselves and are disorganized and, well, not always as good-headed as they are good-hearted. I hate to put down people who love dogs and want to help them, but it has been my experience that some of them shoot themselves and the dogs in the feet by not being smart about how much any one person can take on.

And then there are the control freaks. These people love dogs, I think, but what they REALLY love is being in charge of making decisions. I am all for having some strict standards about who gets a dog in need of a home, but I'm not talking about rescue folks who have reasonable expectations. I'm talking about those people who don't want to let any dog go to a person who doesn't care for a dog EXACTLY like they do. And there isn't just one way to do right by a dog, in some cases. A smaller dog may not need a fenced yard. There is not just ONE kind of dog food that is good for a dog. That sort of thing. There are rescue people out there who are extremely narrow-minded and controlling when it comes to re-homing a dog and the criteria they use to pass judgement can be pretty off-the-wall.

All that being said, there are a ton of great people working to rescue dogs, too. You just have to find one of them. It's kind of like dating, lol. You are going to have some bad experiences before Ms. Right Rescue comes along. ;)

A rescue volunteer said to me once that dogs can put up with a lot of things as long as they are loved. I agree with that. In a perfect world every dog would get enough exercise, top notch food, and would get everything he needs 24/7. But this isn't a perfect world and, just like people, dogs need a family that loves them first off. Once a dog has that, you work on the rest.

So if you have love to give a rescue dog, don't give up because you've encountered some flaky people! There are some great rescue folks out there. Keep trying! I had an experience like your's but finally got my GSD mix Peanut . . .14 years ago. Fourteen years with a gem of a dog. It was totally worth the hassle of negotiating the rescue world!
 
#33 ·
Thanks for the bump everyone !

The good news...I finally got Elly May fixed, after putting it off and putting it off.(now I won;t have to rush if I find the right guy)

I got it done by the local Humane Society for free (but I made a donation). While there I asked the young lady if they ever get GSDs. She told me from time to time and I had to go to the actual 'Pound' and fill out a request card. I went there and found out thee head Animal Guy in the County was my neighbor and we ended up having a nice chat.

So...I'm going to give it another try.
 
#64 ·
Thanks for the bump everyone !

The good news...I finally got Elly May fixed, after putting it off and putting it off.(now I won;t have to rush if I find the right guy)

I got it done by the local Humane Society for free (but I made a donation). While there I asked the young lady if they ever get GSDs. She told me from time to time and I had to go to the actual 'Pound' and fill out a request card. I went there and found out thee head Animal Guy in the County was my neighbor and we ended up having a nice chat.

So...I'm going to give it another try.
Maybe now that your female is spayed, you might have a better shot at being approved? From what I understand, a lot of rescues won't adopt to a home with an intact dog.
 
#34 ·
For over a year now I have surfed the Web trying to find a male GSD or even a nice Mix to adopt. In that time…I have had three attempts that ended disappointly and one somewhat bizarre experience. I also talked to a memebr here about rehoming their K-9 but my girlfriend over ruled it because of the distance involved...in case it didn't work out.

Recently, I reached out to a expert for some insight and never received a response. That was…as the saying goes the straw that broke the camels back since I wanted to privately discuss what had happened and ask was it all normal in the rescue world or was it me.

As soon as I get caught up on my bills (which should be in a couple of month), I'm going to buy another GSD or Mal.


Any feed back on this appericated.
I understand. I myself have contacted a rescue recently and have not gotten any response. The GSD seemed like she would have been a good match for me and I am so disappointed that no one followed up on it. I'm starting to think that I would be more successful and would have less heartbreak if I just opted to buy from a breeder.
 
#41 · (Edited)
My foray into rescue ended similarly. Multi-breed rescue had a nice GSD. The multi-breed rescue listed the dog on another rescue's site (located via Petfinder.com) that was local to me. I didn't understand the dog wasn't local when I wrote to the local rescue, who politely forwarded my request to the multi-breed rescue. On vacation with down time, I filled out the 6 page application for the local rescue. They wanted pictures of the house, etc., so I uploaded that stuff. They wanted utility bills (copies), but I didn't have those with me on vacation. The multi-breed rescue person wrote me to say I'd need to fill out an application and send it back. Without realizing I was dealing with two completely different outfits and two different applications, I sent the completed application for the other outfit (same basic info), and the link to the uploaded pictures. I explained in the email what we were looking to do (get two dogs, types/ages/genders, in our particular house, etc.). I said in my email that I was using the other application, but to let me know if more/different info was needed. What happened? Nothing. Not a word. Misdirected email, perhaps? Who knows. For safety, I sent another email to both outfits with my cell number, in case they wanted to chat. I'd sent the emails to both outfits (thinking they were related) - no response/acknowledgement from either one.

So, once back from vacation, we found a 1.5 y/o black/sable male needing a rehome on CL, and we found a nice 9 y/o male pitbull at the humane society and our mission is accomplished within 2 weeks with both dogs very happily sleeping on their separate LL Bean ortho beds after their 2 hour walk in the woods. Happy? I think they are. Speaking for the humans, we are.

Are we dicey folk? No. Solid 6 figure income, work from home (so always here) and 16 year homeowner in affluent bedroom community of Seattle, solid record of dog ownership and training going back to 1985, solid vet references going back to 1996 with 4 dogs, plus fosters, all set forth on the application. Possible holdups (though just guessing, since no response)? Our 2/3 mostly wooded acre yard isn't fully fenced (so the deer can move through), and I couldn't come up with 5 non-relative character references to talk about what terrific dog owners we are (we're dog people, not people people). I also answered their query re: professional dog training with "I train my dogs, unless there's a problem beyond my experience, at which time I'd use a pro." When they asked me when I'd put a dog down, or rehome it, I answered truthfully that it depends on the circumstances, and I listed hypothetical examples and what we would do (have done). Again, I don't know what killed it with the rescue, since they didn't respond. Their GSD is still listed as available, however. I hope he's as happy as our new dogs seem to be, and that his fosterer likes having him around. I hope there are enough fosterers for the GSDs to come.

I'm sure most rescue folk are fine, but I've heard about some psychos who won't let a dog go without the secret code words only they understand. They're kind of hoarders, imo, who look for reasons to kill an adoption, starting with their application. What kind of bugs me is that the local shelters seldom have decent GSDs because the rescues rush in and suck them out of the system. Sure, they're not killed, but they're not available for a reasonable adoption through a reasonable process.

We came home with our pitbull the same day we went to see him. Poor little dude was in the shelter since early November. The volunteers loved him - one even sponsored his adoption fee (which we paid forward) - they used him as the greeter dog to assess incoming dogs for aggression. They knew the dog, and they accurately sized us up with a 1 page application and a 1/2 hour meet/greet and chat. Yay Kitsap Humane Society! Job well done. You moved a dog nobody wanted (he's 9 and kind of scary looking, and stayed in the back of his kennel, unless outside) to a good forever home, and opened a kennel for his replacement. That's the way it's supposed to work, imo. Small world - our vet is the same one who saw the pitbull last March for some dermo issue, so the pitbull even gets continuity of medical care with his chosen provider.

Would a rescue operation have enabled this happy outcome? Or found a way to prevent it?

Best of luck to the latest disappointed would-be adopter.
 
#35 ·
you can always try Craigslist > Cities , and the local newspaper it took me 2 years to find my female gsd, i had a huge list of what i was looking for, and i visited numerous breeders, shelters, etc... the key is patience, you cant rush into it and you have to take your time, no matter how much time it takes. if you rush you will get a dog that might not work for you, or one that has issues you dont want to handle. i just dont understand why people have to rush to get a dog, everyone wants one yesterday, yet once the person gets the dog its usually not going to work. just take your time, visit shelters, go on craigslist, expand your search a little further, and if the gf says no due to distance, get rid of the gf. no one should shoot down your chances just because the drive might be too far.. what else would they shoot you down on?.. if you see a dog and its the right fit then go for it, no matter where it is. just take your time , like i said,it took me 2 years to find my dog. and the wait was well worth it.
 
#36 · (Edited)
you can always try Craigslist > Cities , and the local newspaper it took me 2 years to find my female gsd, i had a huge list of what i was looking for, and i visited numerous breeders, shelters, etc... the key is patience, you cant rush into it and you have to take your time, no matter how much time it takes. if you rush you will get a dog that might not work for you, or one that has issues you dont want to handle. i just dont understand why people have to rush to get a dog, everyone wants one yesterday, yet once the person gets the dog its usually not going to work. just take your time, visit shelters, go on craigslist, expand your search a little further, and if the gf says no due to distance, get rid of the gf. no one should shoot down your chances just because the drive might be too far.. what else would they shoot you down on?.. if you see a dog and its the right fit then go for it, no matter where it is. just take your time , like i said,it took me 2 years to find my dog. and the wait was well worth it.
Yes, I have seen GSDs on craiglist and could buy one tomorrow from a breeder and pay top dollar for one. But the ones that I have sought out do not appear to have the breed's best interest in mind and I will not encourage this. I am going through rescues because I want to be screened for a GSD that is suited to me and my lifestyle. And I know that the rescues take the time to get to know their dogs and are knowledgeable about their traits. Even though shelters are a good place to find a GSD, and as good-hearted as the shelter workers are, they, unfortunately cannot spend the time thoroughly getting to know each particular animal that comes in or take the time to socialize it before placing it into a home.
I have been looking in my area as well as out of my immediate area, because I also realize that finding the right dog is important, which leads me to a question: If I find a dog that is in another state, do they sometimes transport them to the area, or at least allow you to adopt the animal if you are willing to pick it up? It if seems like a dumb question, I apologize, but I saw a thread on transporting them somewhere on the forum.
Besides all of this, thank you for the encouragement.
 
#42 ·
Trotter: same experience/situation here from economic background, living situation to filling out a number of apps with back up docs and references for rescue organizations. Much more intense than a number of job interviews I've been on. You are not alone. I ended up going the breeder route.

OP: hope you find (or found) your buddy!
 
#44 ·
I'm sure most rescue folk are fine, but I've heard about some psychos who won't let a dog go without the secret code words only they understand. They're kind of hoarders, imo, who look for reasons to kill an adoption, starting with their application.
What a nice bash-the-rescue thread this has become.
Wonder what would happen if we rescuers started threads about our pet peeves about potential adopters...Hm...
 
#45 ·
My dog howls in the backyard all night long. Bring it in dumb***
My dog has no manners. Teach it some dumb***

and one I've seen in on here a lot lately.

My puppy bites... :eek: duh its a puppy. Give it a chew toy!

Actually I think it would make a pretty interesting thread. It might be helpful for potential adopters to know what not to say! :)
 
#46 ·
How about when the adopters two biggest problems with her past dogs were "one dug holes in the yard and the other chewed the siding off the house". Tells me one thing. Bored dogs, probably left outside all day long (to do such destruction). Nope, she didn't get the dog she wanted from us, as it would have died or been stolen sitting outside all day.
 
#47 ·
actually about 15 years ago you could have heard the "chewed siding off" from me.. :eek: What you wouldn't know was that my Akita was afraid to be outside alone and did it in the 2 min it took for me to run in the house and pee. :) After losing the siding and all the sunscreens we learned to leave the door open if we ran inside for anything.
 
#50 ·
Let's not yet again rehash the age old rescue debate.

There are good rescues and bad rescues. There are good adopters and bad adopters. There are good breeders and bad breeders. Fortunately, there are also enough dogs and ways of obtaining dogs that everyone will find what works for them.
 
#55 ·
Let's not yet again rehash the age old rescue debate.

There are good rescues and bad rescues. There are good adopters and bad adopters. There are good breeders and bad breeders. Fortunately, there are also enough dogs and ways of obtaining dogs that everyone will find what works for them.
Sorry! Didn't realize it is an ongoing hot topic...my bad...Got it! :)
 
#51 ·
I actually sometimes find the sense of entitlement in prospective adopters baffling with my fosters -- I had at least 8 people who emailed and said they wanted the last pup I fostered because he was stinkin' adorable. Several sent emails to me like this one: "I saw him online. I want him. I can pick him up tonight after 7 PM. Text me your address." Uh, no.

OTOH, I love the people he went to --they raced to return the adoption app because they'd lost out on a pup like him at another rescue by dawdling, to drive over an hour to meet him that same weekend, and also invited me to do the home check ASAP to introduce me to their other dog. We sat on their patio and had a nice visit watching the dogs play. It was lovely. They never assumed this pup would be theirs, but they wanted to show me why they could give him a great home. And they did.
 
#53 ·
I actually sometimes find the sense of entitlement in prospective adopters baffling with my fosters -- I had at least 8 people who emailed and said they wanted the last pup I fostered because he was stinkin' adorable. Several sent emails to me like this one: "I saw him online. I want him. I can pick him up tonight after 7 PM. Text me your address." Uh, no.
I know. The ones who figure if the dog doesn't go THERE to THEIR house, the poor thing's going to be in a hellhole compared to their place? Oookay...but guess what? We happen to pick the best home for that dog, and maybe yours was not it :shrug:
And the "call me, I want that dog". Circular file that one.

OTOH, I love the people he went to --they raced to return the adoption app because they'd lost out on a pup like him at another rescue by dawdling, to drive over an hour to meet him that same weekend, and also invited me to do the home check ASAP to introduce me to their other dog. We sat on their patio and had a nice visit watching the dogs play. It was lovely. They never assumed this pup would be theirs, but they wanted to show me why they could give him a great home. And they did.
We adopted out a dog who'd been here 8 months yesterday. She's a double-dapple born without eyes and deaf.
The husband actually teared up when they met her. She will be spoiled and coddled and cherished her entire days...in a good/dog appropriate way, too!! :D
 
#56 ·
My current foster is going to a GSD-experienced young man who works in food service. He's not wealthy. But you know what? When he met this dog, you could feel the ground shift beneath her.
Isn't that awesome? It's not about the pocketbook, it's about the heart :wub:
 
#59 ·
Do you live near a fairly large city? I live in a town of about 200,000 and I have seen pure bred GSDs, Malinois, Rots, Dobes, Afgans, go through our county shelter. Shelters do not have strict requirements about who adopts and you won't be subject to anyone's whims. I just watched the shelter website everyday without fail. After a couple months of watching, a nice 8 month old GSD popped up and I adopted him Next came a nice sheltie and I adopted him So during the adoptions and in-person visits I made friends with the personnel at the shelter. They called me when a GSD/Mal cross was brought in. Just takes a little time but the dogs at a kill shelter really need the homes more than rescues do.
 
#62 ·
I read a few of the pages here. If you are really interested in a Malinois, there are so many nice dogs in Malinois rescue. Yes, you have to fill out a very long form, and submit to a home inspection. They are very honest about the dogs' personalities, so no surprizes.

I made the mistake of going to the website. I am so saddened by these poor dogs.

Belgian Malinois Rescue - Malinois Rescues, North Central Region
 
#63 ·
Remember there is a difference between kill shelters and rescues. Rescues generally are pulling from kill shelters and putting dogs in foster care.
Shelters are under a time and space crunch and some euthanize for space.

I agree - temperament must be sound to get into a rescue, so you're unlikely to find fearful, bitey dogs in rescues. In shelters, it's more of a gamble, and the dog you see in the shelter will most likely not be the one you see in a home setting, which is why many folks prefer to get a dog from a rescue as opposed to a shelter - the temperament is being "tested" daily in a foster home setting.

In a shelter, they often do temperament tests and the ones who fail are put to sleep. If a dog attempts to bite shelter staff, they are often put to sleep, or sent to rescue if the bite attempt was felt to be situational, that is, if in a home setting where stress is lower, the dog wouldn't have attempted to bite.
 
#66 ·
Not yet reesegsd...I'm still looking but not real hard tho. Trying to pay some bills off.


LeoRose...Elly May not being fixed was only a issue in the really bizarre attempt that I had. I offered to make it a condition of the adoption but that wasn't good enough. The other attempts didn't get that far, that it was even a question.
 
#68 · (Edited)
Almost every county in the US has a shelter, dogs can adopted from these inexpensively and most of them have practically no requirements.

As far the bizarre experience is concerned, we face those in life all the time. We deal with them and move on. Or not.

As far as the rescue expert not responding to talk about the bizarre experience, it is their right. Maybe the person had too much going on to spend hours listening to someone's rant about a bizarre rescue experience. Maybe the person received 50 demands on their time on that day, and responded to those that were most pressing. Maybe the person was busy taking care of sick and healthy animals.

Let's say someone has a bizarre experience with a medical doctor. So the person leaves a message to another medical expert in the field wanting to discuss the bizarre experience with the other doctor. What do you think would happen? And it is ok to decide after these two experiences that the person will not see a doctor again. It is a choice. Or if it were a bizarre experience with a plumber? Or a bizarre experience with a contractor? Not many people are interested and enthusiastic about listening to bizarre experiences of others.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top