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For further information on any of our rescue dogs please email us But before you do, PLEASE read our adoption procedures under How to Adopt Thank you for your cooperation.
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Thunder is a great dog. He is unsettled
and currently unsure of his present situation. He is looking for direction
from those around him. He can be a little mouthy in play, but is easily
correctable and wanting to please. Thunder is missing the one thing that
is very important to a German Shepherd, and that is a strong one on one
bond. Most GSDs thrive on this, and unfortunately, it is just not possible
in a shelter situation to give him that.
Even though he is not yet neutered, he tested fine with one of our males. He also has a male friend at the shelter that he does great with and goes for walks with him and the volunteers. He can be a little barky at other dogs when he is unsure, but again, is easily correctable. We're told that cats are an absolute no, as Thunder did display some behaviors that have put him in a "feline free" zone only. Thunder has moderate prey drive, meaning he would likely chase moving objects such as bikes, skateboards, cars, squirrels, etc. Not uncommon in a German Shepherd at all, and in some circles, is even preferable! Thunder would do great in a home that understands dog behavior, is able to be a calm and firm leader. He does well with direction and consistency. He does test people at times, and this is normal behavior for a 3 year old GSD in an uncertain environment. He's trying to find out what and where his limits are and what new rules he has. We're told he keeps a clean kennel, which is often a sign he is house trained.
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Thunder's owner found himself in some trouble, and when the police came, Thunder tried to protect his home and his owner. No serious damage was done, but Thunder's person was arrested and Thunder found himself at the pound. The person who Thunder committed himself to, is out free again, but no longer has an interest in the dog who tried to protect him. Thunder is just another of a long list of disposable dogs in today's society. The shelter called us and asked us to come down and meet Thunder, as he is confused and having a hard time adjusting to shelter life. As you can see from the pictures, Thunder's owner did not take very good care of this boy. He came in with sores all over his body, which was likely due to some sort of allergy or stress that was left unattended. The shelter has shaved down those spots, and is treating him, which is why he looks bald in some spots. Past neglect shows in Thunder's coat, as it is rough and wiry and feels like sandpaper. He needs a good grooming, and we have the shelter's permission to take him out this week and have that done. He will return to the shelter until we have a foster space open for him.
Thunder has not had a great life up until now, and he certainly deserves one. He has waited long enough for his chance to shine. If you have room in your heart for Thunder, please email us for an application.
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April 17th 2008 Foster found! Thank you Anne! And thank you to Lesley and Angel for getting this boy groomed up so handsome! Stay tuned for future news about this boy! May 12th ~ update: Thunder has been with me for two weeks now. He has taught me to keep my counters completely clear of food (he is a committed counter surfer!). I guess hunger is a worry to a dog who has been neglected in the past. He sneaks down during the night to check and see if I have forgotten to put something away.
He arrived very stressed and spent
many days panting, scratching and chewing at himself. His coat was
a mess and he was very thin. As he settled in, the panting
subsided greatly and the scratching also subsided. It still recurs
when he is stressed as when I took him down for another bath (he smelled
awful- but I had to wait for his stitches from his neutering to heal).
Anyway he behaved very well at the groomer and even let them scrub his
rear and tail.
Thunder likes to try things on for
size - he howls when I leave the house, but stops as soon as my car is
in motion. He tries to boss other dogs around, but backs off as
soon as they grump back at him.
I'm delighted to say that he has
started to play with the toys around; it appeared that the only play he
knew was mouth games. That is being stopped and he is now
self correcting most of the time.
Thanks to help from my friend,
Jennie, he is starting to walk well on leash. I have not let him off
leash yet as he still is not attentive enough to trust that he will
return when called. We're working on recall and 'leave it' commands so I
can be confident when he is around small dogs. He is very quiet -
doesn't bark at the cats and dog next door.
Next on his agenda is a vet check and
tests for allergies (his scratching and chewing). He is thriving
on his raw diet and his coat is already looking and feeling
softer.
May 21st Thunder came to us after a lifetime of neglect. He came to us with numerous physical ailments, and we tried our best to fix everything that could be fixed. Thunder enjoyed life in his foster home - lots of training, walks, naps, and love. Thunder's socialization skills were heavily lacking and he had difficulty adapting. As he settled in, he became more and more unpredictable in his behavior, ultimately - that "happy-ever-after" was not to be for Thunder as he became unsafe to live in this world. Although his stay with us was brief, we feel that we accomplished our mission, which was to make his life better than it was before.; To give him a chance. To let him know love, acceptance and peace. Run free Thunder. Special thanks to Anne for giving Thunder that one in a million chance. Our hearts go out to you today.
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Special thanks to all Thunder's sponsors:
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We are a registered non-profit Charity as of April 1st 2005
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