SF Bay Area: Project Save Ariel!
EDIT: We did it! Ariel hasn’t been adopted yet, but she’s been picked up by a rescue organization and she’s safe and secure! I’ll get the details on what rescue and update the links and whatnot here when possible. 🙂
I have some excellent news for anyone in the San Francisco Bay Area looking for a German Shepherd to foster or adopt: I found one for you!
I recently house sat and trained for a client who was fostering a lovely GSD girl through the Oakland shelter. I just found out that the shelter has her slated for euthanasia because she’s been there so long (from what I can tell). She needs a foster or a home fast.
Meet Ariel. (So named because she loves water!)
Ariel is a four year old German Shepherd, a nice medium size at around 50 lbs, and no known health issues. But of course, I care more about her behavior and mental state. 😉
She’d do best with someone active; someone who likes to hike, go running or biking, or otherwise just gets out and goes. She has a lot of energy, and is up for anything you want to do!
She’s good with dogs on and off leash, though she can be a little much with some dogs.
She rides well in the car, can entertain herself, and loves snuggles.
She would do best with someone who had a little dog experience, or generally a guiding hand. When I got there she was highly barrier reactive even with dogs she knew, but the first day I used a broom to very gently nudge her away from the door, and just that brought the intensity way down. After that I used a squirt bottle (just water), and by day three she was no longer barrier aggressive whether it was the fence, window, or crate.
This kid learns fast.
Ironically (but as usually happens), after I squirted her she adored me even more. She was already super friendly and sweet, but she started actively looking for ways to please me and learning my own likes and dislikes without being told. She became very tuned in.
One of the dogs at the house was tired of her antics, so I instituted a “no playing in the house” rule and enforced it with a squirt bottle to stop it and rewards when they she was calm. Although she occasionally forgot herself and started trying to initiate play, it wasn’t difficult to get her to stop, and she was clearly trying to remember.
She trains super fast. I’m sure she’d love a job, but she doesn’t need one. Same with agility, nosework, obedience, etc. This is a fun dog.
We don’t know how she’d do with kids (her own energy would likely feed off them), and we do know she’s snapped at a couple of men unexpectedly, even though she liked them.
All in all, she’s a fantastic, fun, loving dog, and I do believe her men issue can be worked on. (I’ll offer a free 2-hour zoom session to anyone who’s up for it.)
Spread the word! Let’s save this enthusiastic, sweet girl!
The Deets
Name: Ariel
Age: 4
Her shelter page: https://www.oaklandanimalservices.org/adopt/animal/?animalId=20549180
Jenna’s take (as opposed to the shelter’s):
Want more info? Reach out to the Oakland Shelter through her shelter page, or contact me. But the BEST method is to reach out to the Oakland Shelter! This baby is slated to be euthanized, and she’s really a great dog.
Jenna
