Luna is a German Shepherd Dog who came to our branch on the 24th July 2024 – unfortunately, her previous owner had too many dogs to cope with, and she was neglected and very underweight at first.
She’s around 3 years old, and can get quite frightened around other dogs, so needs to be the only dog in a home and will need patience and redirection on walks. She does also need training to manage certain behaviours, so will be best with a breed-experienced owner who is able to confidently reassure her.
Luna truly is a magnificent dog, she has been through a lot of hardship but there is a wonderful temperament under all the fear, she absolutely loves humans and just needs some TLC.
Here are some common traits of GSDs that you may spot in Luna’s behaviour:
- GSDs are very loyal and affectionate, especially with close family members. GSDs can be very protective, and may suffer from separation anxiety when family members are away, so it may be better if her new owner can be present a large majority of the time.
- GSDs are often very intelligent – but this comes at a price: their stubbornness! An ideal owner would have breed experience or have thoroughly researched the ins and outs of owning a GSD breed – training is paramount, especially in Luna’s case.
- GSDs are usually very athletic and active, so ensure you are able to provide Luna with plenty of walks, a large garden to run around in, and lots of playtime to stimulate her properly. We’d recommend some extracurriculars – like agility, tracking or herding (did you know this breed was originally bred for herding sheep?) to keep Luna on her paws!
- Positive reinforcement is often the best way to train a GSD – reward good behaviour verbally or with treats and tell them ‘no’ to any bad behaviours.
