[EMarie59]

Well, funny how things can change...
What happened was Nick was absolutely wonderful when he first came out. I gave him treats, he seemed absolutely fine, I even got a little lick on my hand.
About 15-20minutes later while sitting at their table that was set up, I went to bend over to grab the toy I had brought for Nick. All of the sudden, I sensed something. I looked up and Nick was only about 4 inches away from my face. I looked at him thinking "Something is very wrong with his expression, it just changed", and with that he was snarling and showing all his teeth and acting like he was about to lunge at me.
I jumped back and Amanda yanked him towards her. Well,. needless to say, there is no way I could take him now. I was shocked at how fast this guy turned.
I don't know if it is because I was bending down towards his new toy I gave him, if it was beacuse I was looking at him and he felt challenged, I am not sure. However, it scared me enough that I said I was going to have to pass. That was so out of the blue and no warning nor reason.
So, after me sitting there and crying a bit because I felt so sad for him, and disappointed, they asked me if I wanted to see Sonny. Sonny had been with Nick at the abuser's home too. At first I said no and that I would leave a donation and just go back home, but after sitting there for a bit, I told them to go ahead and bring him out.
TOTALLY different dog. Full of energy, and kissy kissy on my face. After being there with him a while and walking him outside, I knew that him and I would end up being great pals.
He was not neutered, so while I was waiting for my hotel room to become available, I called the vet out by my home for an appointment to get him fixed (next Thursday morning 1st avail) rabies, and also to get him micro-chipped. I asked the women there how he was in regards to other animals, etc. So they brought out one of their docile ones, and he was absolutely fine wanting to play. This guy needs obedience classes FAST as well as a bath! P.U!
Weird how 2 dogs at the same abusive house have 2 totally different temperaments. So now, we are sitting in the hotel room. He had sniffed around for a few minutes and is now laying at my feet and is totally calm. I will be posting pics as he doesn't look PB to me but GS and Corgi? Amanda from the shelter said that his owner said he was a PB and from some top hard to get lines from Europe. She rolled her eyes when she told me that. She agreed with what I thought. He looks like a Shepherd and Corgi mix.
I will take pics and post later, but for right now my boy is going to have dinner I brought for him and me some pizza that was delivered

 

[onyx'girl]

I'm sorry Nick didn't work out...I hope someone will step up and help him.
Congrats on saying yes to Sonny! I look forward to pics!

 

[gsdraven]

Congrats on your new addition!

I'm glad you spent some time with Nick and went with what you felt was best even if it was hard to do.

A Shepherd/Corgi mix would be very interesting. Is he tall? Can't wait to see pictures.

 

[JustMeLeslie]

Congrats on Sonny. It just was not meant to be with Nick. You have to go with your instincts and if you were frightened of him then he was not the dog for you. Good luck with Sonny and I can't wait to see his pics!

 

[Emoore]

Good for you for being able to take a step back and change your mind. Sounds like Sonny will be a great dog for you. Please keep us posted!

 

[Stosh]

I'm glad Sonny picked you! Sorry it didn't work out with Nick but it sounds as though he needs a different setting than you could give him. I agree with Emoore- a lot of people would have taken him out of guilt with false hopes and it wouldn't have been the best for either one of you.

 

[Wilhoit]

Since Sonny went through the same abusive situation and has such a good disposition, it sounds like he is probably a very sound dog. Sounds like adopting him is going to be very fortunate for both of you. Congratulations!!! I think you were very, very wise not to try to rehab Nick. Some dogs are not mentally sound to begin with (JMO), and, just possibly, that might be the case with Nick. You are giving Sonny a really excellent home, and he sounds like he is so deserving of one. He could easily have ended up with just a mediocre home if you hadn't adopted him. Can't wait for pics!

I've had two rescue dogs. One was the most wonderful dog, my Wilhoit, a GSD. We did everything together, he was sweet and gentle, loved learning to do things with me, and was even a good guard (only when necessary). He passed recently of EPI and I'm still not up to introducing him in the Welcome or RIP section. The other rescue was assessed by two vets a few months after I was given her. They both gave her two separate temperament tests and concluded she was so dangerous she should be put down immediately. A rescue which specialized in her breed told me the same thing. It is JMO, but I think sometimes there are some dogs that it is better not to try to rehab. I think you did a great job in choosing such a promising rescue!

 

[JakodaCD OA]

I also commend you for going in with your eyes wide open, I'm so sorry it didn't work out with Nick But I am glad you are coming home with a new friend! I think I saw a pic of him on their website, just a head shot? he did look somewhat like corgi/gsd, either way, he needed a good home to, and I'm glad you took him..

Can't wait to see pics!

 

[WVGSD]

Update on Nick from WV shelter

Here is the link to Sonny's two shelter photos.

Petfinder Adoptable Dog | German Shepherd Dog | Fairmont, WV | SONNY

Shannon from WV
new mom to rescued GSD "Max"

 

[liv]

Oh, he is so cute!! He does look like someone put a corgi head on a GSD I'm glad you were able to get the right dog for you. Sounds like he is ready for some serious loving!

 

[Runswithdogs]

He is adorable! I think you did the right thing. I think fear-aggressive dogs do best with owners who have worked with such dogs before- it is an emotional and challenging process!

 

[EMarie59]

For crying out loud. I have taken 50 pics and this guy will not stand still long enough! LOL
It is on my phone, so it takes a sec for it to click. Well, by that time he has crossed the room and returned and they are all blurry. Plus, since I have given him nummy treats as rewards for coming to me, etc.,so his head keeps bobbing left and right like he is thinking "OOH! is the treat in the left one there? OH! She is now moving the other hand, maybe it is in that one!"
He is underweight. The best food that I could find out in WV by me was EVO. I like Orijen, but they do not carry it here. EVO is still qood.
I am also thinking maybe raw?..but that is another forum..
He was absolutely fine with me touching him while he was eating. I approached slowly so not to startle him, though it seems he isn't skittish. When I was still at the shelter he had no reaction when the one volunteer turned on the vacuum.
Granted, I could never do this with my Lab because of her hip replacement, but Sonny seems so eager to please, has great energy, maybe agility training in his future??

 

[katieliz]

good and wise, tho difficult i'm sure, decision!

 

[CassandGunnar]

Sorry things didn't work out the way you planned, but at least you don't have to go back home all by yourself.
Sonny is a lucky guy and it was great that you are giving him a great home. It sounds like you guys will be fast friends.

 

[EMarie59]

Since Sonny went through the same abusive situation and has such a good disposition, it sounds like he is probably a very sound dog. Sounds like adopting him is going to be very fortunate for both of you. Congratulations!!! I think you were very, very wise not to try to rehab Nick. Some dogs are not mentally sound to begin with (JMO), and, just possibly, that might be the case with Nick. You are giving Sonny a really excellent home, and he sounds like he is so deserving of one. He could easily have ended up with just a mediocre home if you hadn't adopted him. Can't wait for pics!

I've had two rescue dogs. One was the most wonderful dog, my Wilhoit, a GSD. We did everything together, he was sweet and gentle, loved learning to do things with me, and was even a good guard (only when necessary). He passed recently of EPI and I'm still not up to introducing him in the Welcome or RIP section. The other rescue was assessed by two vets a few months after I was given her. They both gave her two separate temperament tests and concluded she was so dangerous she should be put down immediately. A rescue which specialized in her breed told me the same thing. It is JMO, but I think sometimes there are some dogs that it is better not to try to rehab. I think you did a great job in choosing such a promising rescue!

I am so sorry for your loss!

Everyone else, thank you for your words, the congrats, etc.
I did leave the toy I bought for Nick and when I was leaving I saw through the office window him standing in his kennel holding it in his mouth with tail wagging. Ok..here come the tears again..
I sat there having to reprogram everything in my head. "Return the crate and get a smaller one" "Need a smaller collar" I ended up trading the one I brought for Nick with one they had there for Sonny.
I SO AGREE with everyone here stating about how it was better that I didn't take Nick. When I am hearing from a shelter there were tendencies, that I thought I could deal with. When I was told it was just how he acted when first meeting a stranger, I thought, "Okay, he must be just giving a warning." Yeah, ...I do not think so! I am so grateful that I had noticed a weird change in his expression and was already braced to go backwards off of my chair to get out of bite way. It was Cujo Pt 2.
Aside from all of that, I am already failing as a new dog owner!
I didn't even think about bringing plastic bags to pick up any dog poop when walking outside! I went to take Sonny for a walk after he ate and the moment we stepped out of the room, it hit me.
I went to the office and they obliged giving me about 8 bags. How much crap do they think comes out of a dog within a 12 hour time frame? LOL
After marking 12 trees 2x each, I finally gave up on him pooping and we came back to the room. So now of course I start getting paranoid everytime he stands up thinking he is going to poop.
This shelter by the way is overloaded with almost 80 dogs. They are understaffed, need donations, and even told me that they do not even have enough time in the day to feed the dogs twice.
I really felt badly for them, and there were so many beautiful dogs there! They were (I think?) joking with me saying I could get 2 for the price of 1. Yeah, no thanks. Maybe sometime down the road when Sonny has gone through obedience training, etc. Another plus I guess. Sonny loves other dogs, so getting one in the future is a strong possibility, versus where I thought Nick was going to probably be our only dog. Then maybe I can get a PB Shepherd that I have wanted?
I did donate $500.00 extra today to the shelter.
What is so sad is that it will only pay for one week of food there.
Way too many homeless animals.

 

[stacey_eight]

Sorry Nick wasn't the guy for you, but I'm so glad you listened to your gut. Congratulations on Sonny! I wish you many long walks and good times...

 

[arycrest]

CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH YOU & SONNY!!! Am looking forward to seeing pictures, blurry or not, and of course hearing all about him as you both adjust to life with each other!!!

I'm so very sorry it didn't work out for poor Nick, but am glad you found out there instead of finding out after you got home. I'm sure they'll find Nick a special needs home where someone experienced with that type of temperament can work with him. When I adopted my mutt, Bo, he was fine at the shelter (I took one of the Hooligans with me). BUT, after I got him home, within 48 hours, he attacked and bit every one of the Hooligans and mauled my arm. It took a lot of hard work on both his part and my part to get his nasty temperament under control, but thank goodness, it worked out in the end and he became a much loved member of my family.

 

[onyx'girl]

EMarie, the fact that you even took one dog out of the shelter should make you feel ok with leaving Nick. Thank you for making the generous donation as well, I'm sure it helped more than you know!

 

[EMarie59]

EMarie, the fact that you even took one dog out of the shelter should make you feel ok with leaving Nick. Thank you for making the generous donation as well, I'm sure it helped more than you know!

Awww Jane, you're so sweet
I do feel okay with my decision, I just feel badly for Nick. Just how he is REALLY narrows down the adopting field.
However, the staff now see what he is very capable of. The strangers he has met and growled a bit at and then was okay with were volunteers I guess.
Big whoop! I was picturing potential adopters when they told me that.
What was so bizarre was, he came up to me at first with no growling, hesitations, nothing. It was 20 minutes later.
My face may be getting more wrinkled and older looking these days, but I still want to keep it, thanks! lol

 

[DharmasMom]

Congratulations on adopting Sonny! He really is beautiful and I am sure you will give him all of the love he has never had! I can totally understand you not wanting to take Nick after that but at least you are able to give Sonny a loving home, he is no less deserving. And thank you for that generous donation to the shelter. Every bit helps and that was way more than just a bit..

I did leave the toy I bought for Nick and when I was leaving I saw through the office window him standing in his kennel holding it in his mouth with tail wagging. Ok..here come the tears again..

I'm not going to lie though, this did make me tear up. Poor Nick. He has been so mistreated. I really hope the right person can come along to help him get past his issues and his past and help him reach his potential and find a loving forever home.