Adopt

My name is Charlie!

Posted over 3 years ago | Updated 1 year ago

Adoption fee: $200

This helps German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley with pet care costs.

My basic info

Breed
German Shepherd Dog
Color
Black - with Brown, Red, Golden, Orange or Chestnut
Age
11 years 2 months old, Adult
Size
Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg) (when grown)
Weight
80 lbs (current)
Sex
Male
Pet ID

My details

Checkmark in teal circle Good with kids
Checkmark in teal circle Good with dogs
Alert icon Not good with cats
Checkmark in teal circle Purebred
Checkmark in teal circle Shots current
Checkmark in teal circle Spayed / Neutered
Checkmark in teal circle Housetrained

My story

Here's what the humans have to say about me:

"Charlie" is an approx 80-lb, 8-yo neutered male GSD who is super-affectionate, incredibly loyal and easy-going.

Charlie is friendly with everyone he meets (not a great watchdog) and great with young children. He recently lived with a family with two young boys (7 & 10-yrs old) and he was great with them. He takes treats gently from hand but sometimes forgets that he's not a little lap dog. Charlie loves to snuggle in bed!

Charlie is good with medium & large dogs, but NOT good w/ small dogs. He's also not good w/ high-energy dogs--he wants to run after them and "correct" them.

Because Charlie has exhibited a prey drive towards small dogs he's almost certainly NOT good with cats.

Charlie is completely housetrained and can be left inside for hours without issue. However, if you have lever-style door "knobs", be sure the lever is locked because Charlie is smart enough to open a door with such levers.

Charlie knows a few basic commands such as sit and lie down. He pulls very strong on leash initially, so needs a person strong enough to handle him and who is willing to work with him in this area.

Charlie hasn't shown much affinity for toys since he's been with me but the other day he picked up a ball and trotted off with it, so maybe there's a playful pup hidden in Charlie.

Charlie is in great health. He has a straight back, sound hips and fluid mobility. His ear tips have permanent scarring from fly strike (due to unsanitary conditions outdoors).

A family in North Highlands raised Charlie from a pup. However, both his people became ill and were no longer able to provide him with exercise or much attention. I received a request in May from their daughter to rehome him. I went to meet Charlie on May 19, 2021, and he literally begged me to take him with me--so I did!

A family with boys ages 10 & 7 yrs and a small female Terrier mix adopted Charlie on June 13.Charlie did fantastic in most regards, especially with the boys. However, he would often harass the little dog and his people never trusted him enough to leave him alone with her.

Charlie also did not do well with small dogs in their neighborhood. On one occasion he got out and bit a little dog—not bad enough for vet attention, but it put his people on notice.

In late August, Charlie opened the front door (which has a lever-style door “knob”) and set his sites on a little dog whose people were walking it across the street. This time, Charlie did enough damage to send the dog to the vet. (The dog was OK, but it cost Charlie’s people about $2K in vet bills.) After this incident, Charlie’s people sadly realized they could no longer keep him due to his strong prey drive so they returned him to me on Aug 16.

Since I took Charlie back, he’s been once again perfect w/ all of the GSRSV dogs. So, a home w/ another large dog is certainly an option for him--just no small dogs or cats.

Charlie's adoption fee is $160.
Rescue

Contact info

Pet ID
Contact
Brian Foran
Address
P.O. Box 652, Pleasant Grove, CA 95668
Donation
GSRSV became a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization in March 2013. All donations to GSRSV are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Since February 2001, Brian Foran has funded GSRSV primarily on his own. Donations have played--and continue to play--a huge part in keeping GSRSV afloat, as adoption fees are a drop-in-the-bucket compared with the costs of running a large rescue program.
To make a monetary donation, please go to the donation page on GSRSV's Website: www.gsrsv.org/DonationsNeeded.htm. Thanks for your support!

Their adoption process

Additional adoption info

1. View my dogs available for adoption, either on this Website or on our own Website (www.gsrsv.org). I also list German Shepherds and German Shepherd mixes for other rescue groups and inviduals on my Website.

2. Contact Brian Foran at 916-655-3125 or bab43@msn.com to discuss the particular dog(s) that you're interested in.

3. Complete my adoption questionnaire. It is a downloadable Microsoft Word file on the page of my Website titled "How to Adopt a Dog through GSRSV." If possible, return the questionnaire via e-mail.

4. Go see the dog you're interested in--at my rescue facility, at the home of the dog's foster caretaker, or at the home of the dog's owner.

5. If you decide to adopt a dog, I will have you sign my adoption contract and pay the appropriate adoption fee, which varies between $300 to $100, depending on the age of the dog and whether it is a purebred GSD or not. This fee includes spaying or neutering, rabies and distemper/parvo vaccinations, heartworm check, and a 6-month supply of heartworm preventative. The adoption contract is on the same page of my Website as is the adoption questionnaire.

Adoption application

Go meet their pets

Because I am an independent rescuer caring for many dogs, I am presently unable to conduct regular adoption or "meet & greet" events.

I only arrange for people to meet the dogs that I have available for adoption after I have discussed the dog and have received an adoption questionnaire from them.

More about this rescue

Adopt a Pet SILVER Certified Partner badge
German Shepherd Rescue of Sacramento Valley (GSRSV) is an organization dedicated to finding good homes for German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) at risk of being placed in shelters, or who are already in shelters and possibly facing euthanasia. GSRSV is an independent rescue organization operated by one individual: Brian Foran. Though countless volunteers and benefactors have supported--and continue to support--GSRSV, I run and primarily fund the program, as I have since February 2001.

Other pets at this rescue