# We're looking for an older dog (2+ years)...



## Thompsons01 (Dec 12, 2015)

Hi all, 

We're new to this forum, but not to GSD's. We lost Kaiser, our 9 1/2 year old male last summer. We'd love to get another shepherd but we know we can't devote the necessary time to a puppy. Therefore, we are looking for an older dog, with some obedience training, that we can add to our family.

If you think finding a puppy is difficult, try to find an adult dog! 

We have no other pets, 2 teenage children and my husband is self-employed, so our new dog will be his constant companion. He works outside a lot and wants another dog that he can trust to stay with him and follow simple commands.

If you or anyone you know is looking to "retire" an older GSD, can you please contact us. 

Thank you for any assistance you can offer,
Michelle

PS This is a WONDERFUL site full of sooo much great information!


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Hi Thompson Family and Welcome!:welcome:

Can you tell us what state you are in and what type of "activity level" you'd like in a GSD? 
What activities you do as a family that would include the dog? Interested in a sport such as agility or obedience competition? Price range? Etc.
This info will help people make suggestions for you.

Have you looked at any GSD Rescues?

Good luck in your search!
Moms


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## RZZNSTR (Jan 24, 2015)

Welcome to the forum!


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Welcome! This list may help:
RESCUE LISTINGS BY STATE - The American German Shepherd Rescue Association, Inc.

If you have a good breed rescue near you, I would recommend submitting an app and getting approved, then asking them to help you find the perfect dog, even if they don't have it right now. 

We do that all the time for good adopters--we have so many good dogs to choose from in shelters, I love it when I can go with an adopter in mind when I evaluate dogs to pull for rescue. There have been a lot of dogs we adopted out without ever advertising as "available" because we already had great applicants waiting for the dog, and it was a perfect match.

Even if you are in a northern area that rarely has GSDs in shelters or rescue, if you work with a good breed rescue, they might be able to transport in a dog just for you, from an area where there are more dogs in need. Otherwise, if you are willing to travel, look at California, and all of the Gulf Coast states--there are tons and tons of young adult GSDs looking for homes in those regions, and many are simply adolescents who got "too big" and became "too much dog" for inexperienced puppy buyers.


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## Vega-gurl (Sep 1, 2014)

I'm not sure what area you are in, but Adopt a pet. com is amazing way to check out rescues and local shelters, they even do nationwide searches if you are looking for a certain breed. I think it is a much better general search site then petfinder. If you are in the PNW region of the US ( I know we have international folks, so I don't want to assume your local) you can check out the PNW german shepherd rescue. 
Northwest German Shepherd Rescue

This site also has the adoption board, where members post listing and info on available dogs they have found on the 'net, so checking that out might help. 

Good Luck! And WELCOME!
:greet:


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## Thompsons01 (Dec 12, 2015)

Hi Momto2GSDs;

Thank you for your response. We are located in Massachusetts, but New England is small enough that we can travel to CT, MA, RI, NH, VT or Southern Maine for a dog.

We are looking for a family companion, no interest in showing or competing. We are still going back and forth on the pros/cons of getting an older dog/puppy. 

We remember the nightly trips outside in the dead of winter with Kaiser, born December 1st and although it was awful at the time, we look back at it as one of those things you laugh about as they get older.

We have looked at several rescue websites and think they are a great concept, unfortunately, many sites advertise as a "rescue" and then you find out they are shipping your dog to you from say "Any State USA", and come to find out, you've just "rescued" a dog from a puppy mill, which helps to sustain the puppy mills. WE ARE VERY SCARED TO MAKE THAT MISTAKE!

Our other concern with rescue, is that you don't necessarily know what you're getting as far as past traumas and temperament, or the reason the dogs are in a rescue situation to begin with. As we have a 16 year old daughter with special needs, we need to be able to trust our new dog explicitly. We had that trust with Kaiser, as we raised them together. 

I'm sorry to be so long-winded. My husband would say "No you're not!". But I'm hoping that the more info we share, the better chances we have of finding the right breeder/dog for us.

Ideally, we'll find a Black/Tan GSD. We had a male before, but had lots of land and were out in the country where we didn't have much traffic, either cars or people. We have less land now and aren't sure if a female would be more of a home body and less territorial than a male, as we have lots of foot traffic and dogs going by the house on a daily basis. This is something more for us to consider as well. 



Momto2GSDs said:


> Hi Thompson Family and Welcome!:welcome:
> 
> Can you tell us what state you are in and what type of "activity level" you'd like in a GSD?
> What activities you do as a family that would include the dog? Interested in a sport such as agility or obedience competition? Price range? Etc.
> ...


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## Thompsons01 (Dec 12, 2015)

Thank you all for the welcomes and suggested adoption and rescue sights. I will continue to check back with our local rescue sites. Please see my response to "Mom" above, which explains some of our reluctance regarding adoption and rescue. I'm not sure how to post to everyone in general, I'm trying this option, and will see if that's what I accomplish.

Again, thank you for your feedback and do keep us in mind. We're open to suggestions and willing to wait for the right dog or puppy that's near to home and comes from a locally known breeder with a good reputation. 

Oh, and to answer "Mom's" other questions, we are willing to spend around $1500 +/-. Please feel free to ask anything else you think would help point us in the right direction. Your website is a wealth of information.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Marsha Seck has a very well bred but NOT highly driven female nearly 2 years old ....black and tan....she is in Nebraska....She was here last spring for a week, and had this girl with her, plus a friend of mine here has a full sibling to Gin from an earlier litter.

Home

Gin does therapy dog work, and is a nice tempered dog.

Lee


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

it's unfortunate that you've run into puppy mill supporting "rescues". I have never heard of such a thing and have adopted from, volunteered for and have had networking relationships with more than 5 different GSD rescues here in california. it can't hurt to also do as mags suggested and get an application on file - that is if you're open to it. rescues are not all this or all that.... out of 4 I've gotten some sort of background info on all but 1....and all 4 have been what you see is what you get as far as temperament, no surprises, and I'd trust them all with children, elderly and special needs individuals. the key is finding an experienced, breed specific rescue that can properly evaluate the dogs.

one of my males was an owner surrender, purchased as a puppy, raised with one or more cats and kids under the age of 10. he was given up at 10 months during a divorce. he had some basic obedience and was in good health and excellent condition.

it happens


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## mnm (Jan 9, 2006)

I know you can not PM yet as a new member, so feel free to contact me by email: [email protected]


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