Thunder (born Feb 2006) was originally in our program over a year ago when we rescued his mother (purebred German Shepherd) and her newborn litter from a shelter in Abilene. He was adopted out at three months and returned 8 month later, because he is "too shy". We are not sure of his "heritage" - as newborns pups we thought they might be boxers, then they kept getting bigger and some of the pups developed ridges - so we went with ridgeback. Now Thunder has the long legs of a Great Dane. Anyway - he's big and very handsome with a wonderful short coat.
We'll never know the whole story since the family did not return him themselves - they sent someone else to bring him back. While Thunder was a bit traumatized about his change in circumstances and overwhelmed by the number of dogs that greeted him at his foster home - within 24 hours he was playing and running with all the dogs. He especially liked playing with the females his age. Thunder is very affectionate and thinks he is a lap dog. He loves to curl up beside you on the couch and sleeps on the bed resting his head on his foster mom.
This big boy is pretty sensitive and does not like raised voices and now has an aversion to men. He responds well to positive reinforcement and affection and is quite intelligent. Thunder has a great big voice, which he will use when strangers approach. He can also be a little bossy with the younger pups. He loves his toys and playing ball.
The ideal situation for him would probably be with single woman or a single mom with older kids. Since he is such a big boy - over 80 lbs at one year - he would be too much dog for toddlers as he can be quite enthusiastic when greeting you or playing with his toys. We have found him to be a little bossy with the younger dogs, so a home with small dogs might not be a good idea - as Thunder is protective of his food. A dog he could run and wrestle with would be ideal and help rebuild his confidence.
Thunder is current on all his vaccinations, neutered, on heartworm prevention, housebroken, walks well on a leash and rides well in a car.
Pre-Adoption Application (Select all of the application below, copy and paste it into Notepad, MSWord, or directly into a your email response. WE CANNOT OPEN WORD PERFECT DOCUMENTS. Complete all information requested.? If using Notepad or MSWord, save the document and attach it to an email and submit to katerbug@mindspring.com )
AOL users - PLEASE NOTE: you may have to add our email address to your address book to receive our replies. Otherwise, you will be blocked from receiving our emails.
Thank you for your interest in adopting a rescued German Shepherd. The following is a pre-adoption application that all of our potential adopters must complete.
This completed survey assists in securing the best possible home for the animals in our care.
You must be a legal adult (18yrs or older) to submit an application. This is a legal document.
To speed the review process, please answer every question. Please do not delete questions, as this will delay the review process.
Thank you for taking the time to help us find the best GSD for your home as well as the best home for each GSD.
==================================================
COPY & PASTE THE FORMAT, FILL OUT, THEN EMAIL==================================================
German Shepherd Rescue - Pre-Adoption Application
Date:
Name:
Address (physical address of home. No PO Boxes):
City:
County (e.g. Collin, Dallas, Tarrant, etc):
State:
Zipcode:
How long have you lived at this address:
Home phone number:
Work phone number:
e-mail address:
Date of Birth:
Which GSD are you interested in?
Why do you feel this GSD would be best suited for your home?
Have you adopted an animal from a humane society/shelter?
If yes, When?
What kind of animal?
Have you ever taken an animal to a humane society/shelter?
If yes, Why and When?
What kind of animal?
Have you ever given away or sold an animal?
If yes, Why and When?
What kind of animal?
What type of animal are you looking for (companion, house pet, guard dog, gift)?
List all animals you have had in the last 10 yrs, and what has happened to them:
Do you currently own any pets? If yes, please list (LIST EACH ANIMAL SEPARATELY AND ANSWER EACH QUESTION FOR ALL PETS):
Type of Animal :
Breed / size:
# of years owned:
Age:
Male/Female:
Spayed/Neutered:
Current on vaccinations?
Current on heartworm preventative (dogs only)?
Inside/Outside:
Do you own your home?
If yes, is it a house, condo, duplex, mobile/court?
Do you rent?
If yes, is it an apt, house, condo, duplex, mobile/court?
Name of Landlord:
Building / Property Name:
Landlord's address:
Landlord's phone number:
What is the pet weight limit at the rental property?
Are there any "breed restrictions" at the rental property?
Are German Shepherds among the "restricted breeds"?
Will anyone be home during the day?
Who?
How many adults are in the home?
Are there minor age children living at or frequently visiting your home?
List the ages of those children and whether they live or visit your home :
Does anyone in your household have allergies to animals? What kinds of animals? (cats, dogs, etc)
Is this pet going to be inside, outside, or both?
Will the pet spend most of the time inside or outside?
Where will the pet sleep?
Do you have a yard?
Is it fenced?
What type of fencing do you have?
How tall?
Are there any weak spots in the fence?
If the yard is not fenced, what type of confinement do you plan to provide?
Will the pet be chained?
If you go on vacation, what will you do with your pet?
Are you planning to move?
Even if you are not currently planning on moving, what will happen to the pet if you ever move?
Are you familiar with the local animal control ordinances in the area in which you reside?
Are you aware of the cost involved in maintaining this pet for his/her lifetime? (approx 14 years)
Will this pet be on heartworm preventative?
If not, why not?
Name of Vet who has seen your former and current pets:
Name of Veterinarian clinic:
City / State:
Phone number:
If you are not currently a client, when were you last a client?
Name(s) of pets this vet has seen:
Have you ever owned German Shepherds?
Are you familiar with the behavior characteristics of the breed?
How much time will you spend per day with the pet?
By submitting this application, I hereby certify that the information on this application is true.
