What to Look for in a Quality German Shepherd Rescue

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German Shepherds have always been a very popular breed of dog and are always very recognizable. This large breed has been used in al types of work fields due to their intelligence, their loyalty, and their protective instincts. They are often used in the military for various jobs, and in the Police forces in the K-9 units. They also make great service dogs, and many people find them to be amazing pets. With so many dogs needing homes, dog shelters all over the country encourage people to rescue these dogs and adopt as opposed to buying. There are all kinds of dog rescues throughout the country – rescues that are geared to one particular breed, and those who rescue all types. If you are considering adopting a German Shepherd, you can find great German Shepherd dogs at German Shepherd rescues, where the staff are very knowledgeable, not only about the breed, but about each individual German Shepherd in their rescue, and they can help pair yo up with the best one for your lifestyle and family. If you are not very familiar with German Shepherd rescues but interested in contacting one near you, here is what to look for in a quality German Shepherd rescue.

1. Is it well-maintained

When you pull up to a dog rescue, you want to be sure that it looks neat, clean and well-kept. First appearances say a lot about how they run their whole operation. The whole property and inside where the dogs are kept should be clean and well maintained. Any rescue that does not take care of the building and premises may not be taking well care of the area where the dogs live, either. You want to take note as to how clean the animals’ pens are, and that they seem to have what they need, a clean area, fresh water and nice place to lay.

2. Are they knowledgeable about the breed

If the staff aren’t familiar with the German Shepherd breed, you may not want to adopt a dog from them. Any rescue that specializes in a particular breed, should know all about it and be able to answer any of your questions. You want to feel like you know as much as you can about the type of dog you’re wanting to adopt so that you can be sure it is the right breed for you. Ask lots of questions to see if they can provide you with the answers, or if they don’t seem to know as much about the breed as they should.

3. Should be able to provide you with good information about the individual dogs

Not all dogs brought in to a rescue come with full stories on their lives. The rescues try to do a good job with getting as much information on every dog’s background, their health, and other information that will benefit, not only them, but those interested in adopting them. A quality German Shepherd rescue should be able to provide you with adequate information to let you know if the dog would be a good fit for you. Even if they don’t know all of the dog’s history, they can tell you what type of dog it has been while staying at the rescue, along with all the health treatments, personality and temperament that it displays while staying there. If they can’t, this is probably not a quality German Shepherd rescue, and you may want to move along.

4. How do they treat the dogs while you’re there?

If your rescue staff doesn’t seem to have good handling or connection with the dogs, or seem to mistreat them when handling them, they may not be a good rescue. Staff at a rescue should have enough experience in German Shepherd dogs, and know how to handle even difficult dogs. They should never be mistreated, even when the staff member is frustrated. If you notice any of the staff displaying these types of issues, you probably should reconsider and find another rescue. Mistreatment can create issues with any dog, and you don’t want to take home a mistreated German Shepherd who can create a bad situation in a home environment.

5. What are their policies for adopting

A quality rescue will go over everything you need to know about their adoption policies. You should be clear on what all the costs involved, go to. You will want to know how they handle situations involving rescue dogs who just don’t seem to work out once they’re taking to their new home. You definitely don’t want to leave and find out later, that you cannot bring the dog back if you need to, if you assumed you could. You also don’t want to get caught having to shell out more money for the animal’s care after you leave, that you thought had been taken care of at the rescue. Details of their policies should be given to you at the time of your visit so you can ask questions and make sure you and the rescue are on the same page with the organization’s policies.

6. Should be able to give you lots of tips about life with your new Shepherd

When you leave a rescue, or anywhere, with a new pet, it can be a bit scary and intimidating. You’re wondering if you made the right decision, and you’re hoping that you and the dog will form a good, solid, loving bond. You want him to be trained under you, as the new pack leader, and you want to be sure that you give him the best care when you get him home. A quality rescue should be able to provide you all kinds of tips for caring for your new companion, and they should be able to put your mind at ease so that you feel confident when you leave with your new furry friend. A quality rescue should never push a dog on anyone, even if they know it wouldn’t be a good fit, just to get the dog on his way to a new home.

Adopting a dog from a rescue is an exciting time. You are giving a lost and unfortunate dog a whole new life, and a forever home. There are many good, quality German Shepherd rescues around the country and if you aren’t happy with, or can’t find any near you, it may even be worth the travel, to visit one out of your area just to be sure you get the best German Shepherd for you and your family. You can find a lot of good information and names of German Shepherd rescues when you research them online.