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"Roscoe" is a  handsome, 75-lb neutered 1½-yo male GSD who is friendly, playful and eager to please. Roscoe is friendly with everyone he meets. He's yet to be around young children that we know of, but should be just fine with them. He does still "mouth" a bit when he wants attention, but he also takes treats gently from hand--important with little ones around. Roscoe loves to snuggle and either sleeps on his foster mom's bed or on his dog bed.

Roscoe is great with other dogs and loves to play with his two foster siblings (a female & male GSD) and is good w/ the little male dog he lives with as well. Click here for a video of Roscoe playing tug w/ the female GSD.

Roscoe is also good with the three indoor cats that he lives with. He is curious about them but does not chase them.

Roscoe is fully housetrained and alerts his people when he needs to go outside to relieve himself. He is non-destructive inside and can be trusted inside without human supervision (he does have his canine companions, though).

Roscoe obeys several basic commands, though he can be stubborn at times. He is still learning not to pull when on leash; the harness he wears helps give his people better control.

Roscoe loves squeaky toys and going on walks.

GSRSV rescued Roscoe from the Manteca Animal Shelter on 11-29-18. He was neutered the same day, then went straight to his current foster home.

Roscoe is located in South Sacramento. His adoption fee is $260.

Posted 12-10-18

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(Chiquita when she was a pup)

"Chiquita" is an 11-mos old (born 1-2-18), approx 70-lb spayed female GSD  mix who is sweet, playful and very smart. Chiquita is immediately friendly with most strangers, but is initially apprehensive with some strangers who come into her house. Chiquita has made friends with every child she's ever met and takes treats gently from hand. She's a large, high-energy dog but is smart and sensitive so will likely tone it down around little tykes. 

Chiquita loves other dogs and just wants to play, play, play with them--whether it be at a dog park or in her own yard. Chiquita did fantastic with the other dogs at GSRSV's rescue ranch--click here for the video. Chiquita is submissive and likes to be chased but does like to play rough so would do best with another young, large, playful dog who is ready to rock 'n roll! A mellow or senior dog would not be a good match for her.

Chiquita has chased every cat she's ever seen, so we are seeking a home without cats for her.

Chiquita is housetrained and has been since she was two months old. She will sit next to the door or whine when she needs to go outside. Her owner has left her inside for up to three hours and the only thing Chiquita has chewed is her toys and her bones. She also waits patiently when left in the car for short periods.

Though friendly with people, Chiquita has already shown the makings of a good watchdog--if she sleeps outside of the bedroom, she will respond to any noise she hears outside by running through the house barking. It's a job she enjoys!

Chiquita responds well to numerous commands, and received "Level One" obedience training at Petco. She is a bundle of energy on walks and pulls hard in excitement when she sees other dogs, so she does need work on leash.

Chiquita likes to play tug, chase sticks and balls (especially into lakes or creeks), fetch, and to wrestle. She loves to swim and can play for hours with water coming out of hoses or sprinklers.

Chiquita's owner Lara obtained Chiquita through Craigslist in March 2018  from an individual whose GSD "accidentally" had puppies. She didn't feel good about the puppies' environment so took one home, intending to foster her until she could find her a permanent home. Lara was unable to find a home for Chiquita on her own, so reached out to GSRSV.

I was personally blown away by what a great temperament Chiquita has. She was friendly and outgoing with me from the get-go, and amazing with my dogs. Chiquita is a gem and will make whoever adopts her very happy. Prospective adopters with a canine playmate for Chiquita will be given special consideration!

GSRSV has evaluated Chiquita and is placing her as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Chiquita through its adoption program while her owner continues to care for her.

Chiquita is located in Chico. Her adoption fee is $260.

Posted 12-8-18

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Athena is very friendly with people, including strangers. She is great with children and was fine with a 5-yr old child hugging her.

Athena is good with medium and large dogs, and is good buddies with the male GSD she lives with. She was great w/ the several GSDs she met at GSRSV's rescue ranch. (Click here for a video of Athena with those dogs.)  However, Athena is NOT good with small dogs; she will go after them like they are rabbits.

Athena is also not good with cats or livestock.

Athena is housetrained, but spends most of her time outside with her male GSD friend. She has received some basic obedience training and responds to basic commands in German. When it's time for walks, Athena does pull strongly at first, but settles down quickly. She is excitable and will jump up on you out of affection if you're not firm with her.

Athena loves to play fetch and is good about bringing the ball back. She also loves water and to swim.

Athena's owners Glenda & Todd purchased her from a private party in Chico about two years ago. Athena has been a valued member of their family, but they have always had to keep her separate from their little dogs. Recently, Athena was able to get to Glenda's Chihuahua and attacked it (fortunately, the wounds weren't bad). Fearing a similar incident, they've sought GSRSV's assistance in rehoming her.

GSRSV has evaluated Athena and is placing her as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Athena through its adoption program while her owners continue to care for her.

Athena is located in Oakdale. Her adoption fee is $210.

Posted 3-13-18

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Blaze is the more outgoing of the two and while Diamond takes a little longer to warm up to new people, she's every bit as sweet as Blaze. Both dogs love children and can be trusted with kids of any age. They both take treats very gently from hand.

Both Blaze & Diamond are easy-going around other dogs. Neither really seeks out other dogs to play with, as they've always had each other and were not socialized with other dogs until recently. Blaze & Diamond are quite bonded, and pretty much stay together all of the time. Blaze will bark at other dogs who approach his territory, Diamond not so much.

We're not sure how either Blaze & Diamond are with little dogs--it might well depend on whether or not they're together when they meet the little dog. Separate, I think they'd both be fine. Together, maybe not so fine.....

Neither Blaze nor Diamond are good with cats.

Both Blaze & Diamond are housetrained, but have never been left inside (either together or separately) when their owner Lily is gone. Lily keeps them outside when she's gone and allows them inside when she's home. The two dogs sleep in her bedroom.

Neither Blaze nor Diamond have received any formal obedience training, but are fairly well-behaved nonetheless. Blaze tends to jump up on people when he first meets them, so he'll need a little work in that area. Diamond walks easy on leash while Blaze tends to pull  a bit.

Neither Blaze nor Diamond have traveled much in a vehicle, so are initially timid of getting in. Once inside, they ride fine and enjoy the ride.

Both Blaze & Diamond like playing with toys--especially  tug-of-war with rope toys. Neither dog has been around a body of water that they could swim in.

Blaze & Diamond's owner Lily has had them since they were six weeks of age. She loves these dogs like they were her own children, but she recently had to move to a house with a much smaller yard and simply does not have the time to spend with Blaze & Diamond that she knows they deserve. Her uncle has convinced her to find a new home for the two dogs, as tough as it for her.

We would initially like to find a home for Blaze and Diamond together. If this does not come to fruition within a month or so (from the date this listing was posted), we'll then consider placing the two dogs separately.

GSRSV has evaluated Blaze & Diamond and is placing them as "Program Dogs." This means that GSRSV is placing Blaze & Diamond  through its adoption program while their owner continues to care for them.

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Owner Recently had Heart Bypass Surgery--
Can No Longer Properly Care for His GSD!

"Cooper" is a friendly, easy-going 9-yo (born 10-2-09) neutered male GSD with a great temperament. Cooper is about as chill a GSD as I've ever met--just tail wags and smiles. He didn't even object to me rubbing off the dirt from his belly with a towel before he left--something even some of my own dogs would squirm away from.

Cooper is good with people of all ages, and he especially enjoys playing with children.

Cooper is great with other dogs, as can be seen from the photos of him and the resident GSRSV dogs.  (Click here for a video.) Cooper has always been an only dog, but his owner Thomas clearly socialized him well. Though 9-yrs old, Cooper tried to engage Buddy in play!

Cooper is NOT good with cats.

Cooper is housetrained, but spends most of his time outdoors, including at night. In cold and rainy weather, Thomas brings him inside. It would be nice for Cooper to spend his golden years in the comforts of a house!

Cooper is well trained, but no obedience command star. He walks fine on leash, unless he sees a cat--then he's off to the races.

Cooper is in good health, with one caveat: he is seriously overweight--approx 25-30 lbs overweight in my opinion. (I'm guessing he weighs about 110 lbs.) He walks OK, but just the 30 minutes or so of walking around at GSRSV's rescue ranch wore him out. He is not able to jump into the back of Thomas' Chrysler Pacifica; he can get his front paws up, but then Thomas needs to lift him the rest of the way--no easy feat.

I can't emphasize how important for Cooper's longevity it will be for whoever adopts Cooper to work off his excess weight and build up his stamina. It will take diligence and discipline, as Cooper does like to eat!

Thomas raised Cooper from a little pup. He is only seeking a new home for Cooper because he had heart bypass surgery two weeks ago and does not have the strength now to properly exercise Cooper.

GSRSV has evaluated Cooper and is placing him as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Cooper through its adoption program while his owner continues to care for him.

Cooper is located in Lincoln. His adoption fee is $160.

Posted 6-15-18

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Grimm loves playing with other dogs, and it would be a shame if her were to go to a home where he didn't get to interact w/ another dog or dogs on a regular basis. Grimm does great at the local dog park, and was in heaven running around with the dogs at GSRSV's rescue ranch. (Click here for video.)

Grimm chases after cats, so he needs a home without cats.

Grimm is housetrained and was previously inside as well as outside, but is presently kept outside exclusively due to severe allergies of one of the house occupants.

Grimm hasn't received much training, so a basic obedience course would be a good first step. Grimm loves going for car rides and is a polite passenger.

Grimm loves water, whether it's biting the water stream from a hose or dunking his head in the water bucket (or the pond at GSRSV's rescue ranch). He likes to chase after balls, but is more into playing keep-away than returning them. 

Grimm's owner Katherine adopted him from the Sac County Shelter about a year ago. Katherine was living with her mother Lisa in North Sacramento but moved to Oregon and couldn't take Grimm with her. Lisa recently had a procedure performed on her back and is unable to handle Grimm on walks or even take him to the dog park. Lisa knows that Grimm is a really good dog and does not want to take him back to the Sac County shelter. So Lisa (with her daughter's approval) sought out GSRSV's assistance in finding a new, active home for Grimm.

GSRSV has evaluated Grimm and is placing him as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Grimm through its adoption program while his guardian (Lisa) continues to care for him.

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Jackson is great with other dogs but is young and pesters the 12-yo male German Shepherd he lives with. He was as easy-going and sociable with the dogs he met at GSRSV's rescue ranch as any dog I've ever evaluated (click here for video).

Jackson is not good with cats.

Jackson is housetrained and non-destructive inside. His owner Christie has kept him inside when she's gone for a couple hours with no problems, but leaves him outside when she's gone for longer durations.

Jackson walks well on leash but does get very stirred up when he sees other dogs. He rides fine in a vehicle and enjoys traveling. Jackson has not received any formal obedience training but does respond to simple commands such as "sit." He takes treats very gently, and is highly food-motivated. He likes to play fetch.

Jackson is in very good health but sometimes his rear legs splay out when he's getting up on a slippery surface such as a laminate floor. Christie said that he also splays sometimes when he's standing in the passenger section of her pick-up cab and she has to brake hard.

I'm not sure what's causing Jackson's legs to splay out, but I don't believe it's hip dysplasia (loose femur/hip joint). Jackson was able to put his front paws on my chest and hold himself up--something a dog with really bad hips would be unable to do. He was also able to jump into the pick-up truck cab unassisted. Further, Jackson's legs move in a nice linear fashion when he trots, as opposed to a somewhat circular motion for those dogs w/ hip dysplasia. Nonetheless, something with Jackson's leg muscles or bone structure causes his legs to splay out, which of course is not normal. Personally, I doubt that his condition will grow worse over time but I am only speculating.

Jackson was also born with a defective left eye, so is blind in that eye.

I really liked Jackson's temperament, and I think you will, too. He'll make a great dog for a family with or without another dog.

Christie adopted Jackson from the very overcrowded Stanislaus County shelter in Modesto about six months ago. She is now seeking a new home for Jackson because she works long night shifts and Jackson has become restless at night since she moved to her new place, pacing and barking at times--which wakes up her two daughters.

GSRSV has evaluated Jackson and is placing him as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Jackson  through its adoption program while his owner continues to care for him.

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"Jasper" is a loveable, playful, energetic 2-yo neutered male Malamute/German Shepherd. He weighs approx 80-85 lbs, and is still on the thin side (which is the healthy side). Jasper is a big goofball--he just wants to have fun! He is friendly with everyone he meets, but it does take him awhile to warm up to strangers. Jasper is great with her owner's teenage grandkids but he might be too rough & clumsy for small kids, as he does tend to affectionately jump up on people.

Jasper is great with other dogs--at least large dogs. (We don't know how he is with small dogs.) He lives with a male Giant Schnauzer who he plays with constantly. Jasper was initially timid of the dogs at GSRSV's rescue ranch, but once he overcame his initial fear he had a great time cavorting with the others. (Click here for a video.) Jasper is respectful of dogs who don't want to play with him.

We don't know how Jasper is with cats, so we will only consider a home without cats for him.

Jasper is fully housetrained but not to the point where his owner (Kate) is confident enough to keep him inside when she's gone for extended periods of time. Jasper does like to dig outside, so for those of you whose pristine lawn is a high priority--keep looking! When Kate is home, Jasper is inside and non-destructive--except when playing w/ the Giant Schnauzer! Jasper sleeps in the house uncrated.

Jasper has not received any formal obedience training, but is responsive to some basic commands. Jasper's biggest behavioral issue is that he jumps up on people once he's comfortable with them; he'll need some training in this area. Jasper walks surprisingly well on leash for such a large, exuberant dog. He is a little unsure about getting into a vehicle, but is a calm passenger once inside.

Jasper enjoys chewing on hard rubber toys like Kongs--especially when there is a treat like peanut butter inside.

Kate adopted Jasper from the Sacramento Front Street Shelter on September 21. In the shelter, Jasper was nice and calm. Once she had him home, Jasper's inner puppy surfaced--more than Kate bargained for! In addition to being "too much dog" for Kate, Jasper poses a serious safety risk for Kate's elderly mother who lives with her. Rather than returning Jasper to the Front Street Shelter, Kate sought out GSRSV to assist her in rehoming Jasper. Kate really loves this dog--and I can see why!

Jasper is best suited for a young person or couple who spends a lot of time outdoors and is willing to invest time working with Jasper to smooth out his rough edges.

GSRSV has evaluated Jasper and is placing him as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Jasper through its adoption program while his owner continues to care for him.

Kelsey is generally fine with other large dogs; she lives with her littermate brother and an 18-mos old male Golden Retriever, both who she plays with constantly (and very rough). She also plays with the neighbor's male GSD. Kelsey has not been around small dogs to date. At GSRSV's rescue ranch Kelsey was fairly timid of the other dogs. Eventually she built confidence to the point she was no longer afraid of the other dogs but she never did interact with any of them. (Click here for a video.) Kelsey has not been around many other dogs other than those that she lives with, which would explain her insecurity around the GSRSV dogs.

Kelsey has never been around cats, so we'll only consider a home without cats for her.

Kelsey is housetrained but her owners don't fully trust her inside when they are gone so keep her crated if she's not outside. They also keep Kelsey in a crate at night. Kelsey is non-destructive inside when her owners are home with her. Kelsey has only received one formal obedience training session but does obey basic commands such as "sit", "lie down", and "go to your bed."

Kelsey walks fairly well on leash though she does like to stop frequently to check out smells along the way. She is non-reactive towards other dogs when on leash unless the other dog barks at her.

Kelsey likes to play tug-of-war and splash in a kiddy pool when it's hot. Again, she loves to play rough with her canine housemates and to run after them or be chased. She likes going for car rides and travels well.

Kelsey's owners purchased her and her brother from a breeder when she was 16 weeks of age. Though she's been a good dog for them, her rough play with her brother has escalated as she's grown older (not surprising) and caused one of her owners concern that she might hurt her brother or their Golden Retriever. I seriously doubt this would ever happen, but her owners have never had GSDs before so aren't used to their highly vocal, physical style of play. Because of the one owner's concern, she and her husband are seeking a new home for Kelsey.

GSRSV has evaluated Kelsey and is placing her as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Kelsey through its adoption program while her owners continue to care for her.

Posted 11-14-18

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Adoption Pending!

"Leise" (pronounced "Lieza") is a 6-7 yo spayed female GSD who is very sweet and exceptionally mellow. Leise is friendly with strangers and will certainly be good with children given how easy-going she is. "Leise" is German for silent or gentle, an apt name for such a mild-mannered dog.

Leise is fine with other dogs. She doesn't really interact much, but is completely non-aggressive. She lives inside with two Labradoodles (one male, one female) and gets along well with both of them. When I evaluated Leise at GSRSV's rescue ranch, she was perfectly comfortable around the rowdy, boisterous dogs--maintaining her calm demeanor the entire time. (Click here for video.)

We haven't observed Leise around cats, but it's quite possible she'll be OK with them. I'll consider a home with cats for Leise.

Leise is housetrained and non-destructive inside. Her caregivers routinely leave her free inside with their two other dogs when they're gone for 3-4 hrs with no problems.

Leise is great on leash--she does not pull and is non-reactive towards other dogs. She is good off-leash as well; her caregiver routinely has her in front of his garage in the morning without her running off. Leise also rides well in a vehicle.

Leise has quite the unusual story. The daughter of Leise's caregiver (Travis) found her in Antelope on July 10. Travis brought her to a vet where she was scanned for a microchip, but none was found. The vet staff recognized the dog; she had been brought in about two weeks prior by another person who had found her running loose! That person left her at the vet hospital for Sac County Animal Control to pick up. Hearing this story, Travis brought Leise to the Sac County shelter hoping that they could match her with her owner. However, without a microchip or ID tag, they were unable to identify the owner. So, Travis held on to Leise in hopes of finding her owner through online notices--which never happened. Thus, Travis sought GSRSV's assistance in finding Leise a permanent home.

Leise has clearly given birth to puppies previously--likely as recent as this year, and probably more than once. My hunch is that Leise was used for breeding and though not abused, didn't receive much attention.

GSRSV has evaluated Leise and is placing her as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Leise through its adoption program while her caregiver continues to care for her.

Posted 7-29-18; updated 10-8-18

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Rio is great with other dogs, as he demonstrated at GSRSV's rescue ranch. (Click here for a video.) He's actually on the timid side, so would be fine paired with either a submissive or dominant dog.

Rio has never been around cats, but he's a gentle soul. My gut feeling is that he would be OK w/ a cat, so I will consider a home w/ a cat or cats that have been around big dogs before.

Rio's owners have kept him as an outdoor dog his entire life with them so they can't say with certainty whether or not Rio is housetrained. However, dogs Rio's age generally learn house manners quickly. 

Outdoors, Rio does like to dig , but his past behavior is not a fair assessment because he hasn't been provided with enough exercise and interaction with his owners to keep him from getting bored and into trouble.

Rio received some initial training as a 3-mos old pup at Petco. The training lasted for about 3 months but his owners didn't put in enough time with his follow-up training at home. They found it difficult to control him on walks, to make him not jump on them and other people, and not to scratch the screens outside their house windows. (Clearly he wanted to be inside with them!) So, they gave up on training him at home and on his walks too soon.

Rio pulls rather strongly on leash, so he needs a person who is both strong and willing to work with him on his leash skills. Rio rides fine in a vehicle and enjoys going for rides.

Rio loves to play fetch with tennis balls or Frisbees. He also loves all things water, and took right to the pond at GSRSV's rescue ranch. (Click here for video of Rio fetching a tennis ball in the pond.)

Rio's owners purchased him as a very young puppy (approx 4-5 wks old). Though Rio's male owner Edwin has spent lots of time playing with and walking Rio, his wife and daughter are unable to handle Rio's size and energy. Recently, Rio's owners had their backyard redone and don't spend enough time with him to keep him from ruining the new  landscaping. Therefore, they have decided to put him up for adoption.

GSRSV has evaluated Rio and is placing him as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Rio through its adoption program while his owners continue to care for him.

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Sparky does great with other dogs and is a regular visitor to the local dog park, where he seeks the dogs who like to play and chase. He was easy-going w/ the dogs he met at GSRSV's rescue ranch right from the start. (Click here for a video of Sparky romping around w/ the other dogs.)

Sparky is NOT good with cats.

Sparky is housetrained but his people keep him outdoors primarily; they let him inside when they're home, but generally not for very long. Sparky sleeps outside for the most part, but his owner admits Sparky would prefer to be inside on his bed if he let him.

Sparky is well-behaved and apparently received basic obedience training in his former home. He responds to the commands "sit, stay, shake, lie down and come."  Sparky loves to go for walks; he does pull somewhat on the leash but he's still learning to walk "nice." Sparky is not overly-reactive towards other dogs he sees on walks.

Sparky loves car rides and jumps right in. He likes to run after a ball, but is not much into bringing it back. Sparky does not appear to have been around swimming holes before, as he was cautious of the pond at GSRSV's rescue ranch--though it appeared like he wanted to go in.

Sparky's people adopted him from the Stanislaus County Shelter in Modesto on March 31, 2018. Though Sparky has been a great dog for his family, they were not allowed to have dogs at their rental property and a neighbor (also a tenant of the same landlord) complained. The landlord has since told them to find another home for Sparky.

GSRSV has evaluated Sparky and is placing him as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Sparky through its adoption program while his owners continue to care for him. (We're not sure how much time their landlord is going to give them, though.)

Sparky is located in Modesto. His adoption fee is $210.

Posted 6-3-18

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Vader is great with large and medium-size dogs, but not so good with small dogs. He used to be a regular visitor to the dog park, but took to chasing the smaller dogs so his owner quit taking him. Vader lives with a female Husky/Jack Russell Terrier who he gets along well with. Vader did great with the other dogs at GSRSV's rescue ranch, and kept trying to get one dog to chase him. Click here for a video of Vader with the GSRSV dogs.

Vader is not good with cats.

Vader is housetrained and is inside most of the time. His owner keeps Vader and her other dog in her house when she's gone without worry of any mischief.

Vader walks fairly well on leash, but his owner primarily exercises him by running him alongside her bicycle, which he does well. Vader is a strong, energetic dog and loves to run. Vader also loves to splash in kiddie pools and took fairly quickly to the pond at the rescue ranch. Vader also likes to play fetch and is good about returning the ball. 

Vader's owner adopted him from the Sac City Shelter in August 2016. She is seeking a new home for Vader primarily because she works extra-long shifts, leaving precious little time to spend with Vader at home. Also, she has some physical limitations that make handling a dog of Vader's size and strength a challenge.

GSRSV has evaluated Vader and is placing him as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Vader through its adoption program while his owner continues to care for him.

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OK with Cats!
"Zoe" is a loveable, energetic, 60 lb 5-yo spayed female Terrier/GSD mix with lots of personality. Zoe is friendly with strangers, but is also a good watchdog. (She barks at people who enter the home, but does not approach them aggressively.) Zoe is fine with children, but nervous around toddlers, so no kids under 4 yrs for Zoe.

Zoe is great with other dogs for the most part, but can be somewhat bossy with alpha female dogs, so it's best that Zoe be paired with a male dog. She is presently living with a male Pit Bull mix that she plays with constantly--and plays hard! Zoe is good with small dogs and spent a good amount of time in the same house as a small dog who she let boss her around. Zoe is good at the dog park.

Contrary to Zoe's previous Web profile, she is OK with cats! She was in a foster home with cats for three weeks early 2016 while she was recovering from knee surgery, and her foster caretaker at the time often had Zoe around her cats without a problem. Now, Zoe is back at her regular foster home, where Zoe does fine around the two resident cats when they are inside. Once the cats go outside, it’s a different story: Zoe will corner them and bark at them, though that is the extent of her harassment. Regina, Zoe's foster caretaker, thinks she would do fine with a dog savvy indoor cat. Though Zoe might be somewhat annoying to a cat, she has given us no reason to believe that she'd hurt one.

On the other hand, Zoe does has a very strong prey drive and loves to chase after squirrels, birds, and other outdoor critters. 

Zoe is great in the house and exhibits no separation anxiety when left alone. (She was previously an only dog in an apartment, in which she was left for several hours each day by herself.) She is fine on leash, but does pull hard when she sees a cat or squirrel.

Zoe is a quick learner and obeys numerous commands. She is even trained to relieve herself on command! She has good recall off-leash, unless she's spotted a small critter to chase. 

Zoe loves to play fetch w/ a ball or Frisbee and to play chase in an open field. More than anything, she loves to swim and to snap at the water stream from a hose. (Click here for a video of Zoe swimming in the pond at GSRSV's rescue ranch.) 

GSRSV originally rescued Zoe in April 2012 from a woman who could no longer keep her due to a forced move from her home. Zoe was adopted by a young couple in Nov 2013. The couple had to return Zoe in Nov 2015 due to a death in the family and a subsequent move into the house of one of the parents. 

Zoe is presently in a foster home in East Sacramento. Her adoption fee is $175, which includes a microchip.

Posted 12-7-15; updated 7-11-16

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Zoe is great with other dogs--including small dogs--and so far has been on the submissive side. She presently lives w/ a 1-yo female Rottweiler and two Chihuahuas, all who she gets along with fine. Zoe was somewhat timid of the boisterous dogs at GSRSV's rescue ranch, but clearly wanted to interact with them and displayed no aggression. (Click here for a video.)

Zoe has not been around cats so we will only consider a home without cats for her.

Zoe is housetrained and comfortable in a crate. She is non-destructive inside when supervised, but her owners do keep her outside when they are gone because she is still a youngster and does like to chew on things. (She loves tearing up toys.)

Zoe is good on leash. She typically walks with a harness on. Her owners have taken her camping and hiking, but they keep her on leash when she's with their Rottweiler as the two dogs might well take off together if off-leash. Zoe enjoys going for rides in a car and is a calm passenger.

Zoe's owners purchased her off Craigslist when she was just four months old. The children of a family in Stockton had brought her home w/out their parent's consent, and the parents said "no way." Zoe's owners wanted a companion for their Rottweiler, but realized afterwards that they just don't have enough time to train and provide stimulation for such a young, active dog as Zoe. They rehomed Zoe twice, but both times Zoe came back. The first adopter returned Zoe because they discovered she has separation anxiety when left all alone (i.e. without even another dog for company). The second adopter returned Zoe because he had sought to train Zoe as his physical impairment service dog, but Zoe was more interested in playing with his kids!

Zoe needs to have a home with another dog for company or people who can be with her nearly all the time--at least until she grows older and builds her confidence to be on her own without anxiety.

GSRSV has evaluated Zoe and is placing her as a "Program Dog." This means that GSRSV is placing Zoe through its adoption program while her owners continue to care for her.

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"Zorro" is a 4-yr old (born 10-11-14) neutered male Malamute or Siberian Husky/GSD who is very outgoing, friendly and playful. Zorro loves human attention but is very aloof when first meeting a person. Once he knows you, he's your best bud. Zorrodoes very well with the 8-yr old girl he lives with, who says he's a "great, fun dog." Zorro has also been around a 2-yo boy, and was very respectful of him. Though Zorro can get mouthy and physical when he gets excited, he also loves cuddles and kisses!

Zorro gets along well with the two large female dogs he lives with and rough houses with one of them constantly. (Click here for a video.) Zorro spent over a year at GSRSV's rescue ranch, and was always good w/ the other dogs there.

We do not know how Zorro is with cats, so will only consider a home without cats for him.

Zorro responds well to basic commands and correction. He is eager to please and lives for praise, so he's highly trainable. However, he does have the some of the stubbornness and lack of focus of Malamutes and Huskies. He is very vocal and barks/howls when excited, concerned, or just feels like talking; this is also typical of the Nordic breeds. 

Zorro is quite playful and athletic, and will do best in a home in which he receives lots of exercise and training reinforcement.

GSRSV took Zorro in on Jan 31, 2016, from a family who adopted Zorro from some friends of theirs but couldn't keep him due to his mouthiness. (Zorro was still quite the puppy at that time.)

Zorro is in a foster home in Oakdale. His adoption fee is $210.

Posted 4-28-18; updated 10-6-18; updated 11-25-18

Adopted Dec 2!

"Buddy" is a 3½-yo neutered male GSD mix who is well-tempered, affectionate and playful. Buddy is friendly with everyone he meets. He loves attention and to receive belly rubs. He likes being around kids and is gentle with young children, as shown in the 2nd picture from top at left.

Buddy is good with other dogs. He presently lives with two male GSDs (Thor & Roscoe) who he gets along with great. Buddy likes to emulate what Thor and Roscoe do. If they get up and go outside he will follow. When he is with them on their routine romps at the creek he will not run off to the water until one of the others does. (Click here for a video.)

Buddy is not good with cats.

Buddy is housetrained and exceptionally well-behaved inside. He has been inside for up to 12 hours with no accidents!

Buddy walks well on leash and has good recall off-leash. He is very good in crowds and around strangers.

Buddy rides well in a car and gets very excited when it comes time for a trip. He enjoys splashing in water, but I never saw him swim when he was at GSRSV's rescue ranch.

GSRSV rescued Buddy from the Stanislaus County Shelter on March 3, 2017.

Buddy's adoption fee is $210. He is presently in a foster home in Elk Grove.

Posted 4-28-18; updated 5-4-18.

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Adopted Dec 2!

"Snoopy" is a 70-lb, 1-yo neutered male GSD mix who is happy, loveable and a little goofy. I'm not sure what Snoopy is mixed with, but maybe it's Panda Bear--he's awfully mellow for such a young dog! Snoopy is friendly with everyone and I don't expect him to be much of a watchdog--though he's still going to go through some developmental changes. I KNOW that Snoopy will be great with young children; he met two kids (ages & 10) and was literally melting in their arms.

Snoopy gets along fine with other dogs, but he does have a prey drive and doesn't seem to know what little dog is; therefore, I am seeking a home with no small dogs. (I'm confident that once he realized that little dogs are indeed dogs, he'd be fine with them.) Snoopy doesn't like playing rough like most purebred GSDs do but does enjoy canine companionship. He prefers to receive attention from humans more so than from other dogs, but will be fine with most any dog other than one that a really small one or one that wants to dominate him.

I have not seen Snoopy around cats, but since he went after a Chihuahua mix like it was a rabbit, I can't consider a home with cats for him.

Snoopy is housetrained, never had an accident in the house he's in, and so far has been completely non-destructive inside. He responds well to the "sit" and "lie down" commands, so apparently he's received some obedience training in his young life. He's been around other dogs ever since I rescued him, so I'm not sure how he'll do alone. If he ends up with a one-dog family, he'll likely require at least a few days adjusting.

Snoopy walks very well on leash and rides calmly in a vehicle. He apparently enjoys water, as he took to the pond at GSRSV's rescue ranch fairly quickly.

Snoopy gets his name from his long snout and the somewhat comical overbite in his muzzle. I'm not sure if his overbite originates from another canine breed (Collie?) but it does not affect his ability to eat normally.

GSRSV rescued Snoopy from the Stanislaus County Shelter on 6-23-18. He had been at the shelter since May 12; I imagine that he was a staff favorite at the shelter. Nonetheless, his time had run out and he was going to be euthanized so GSRSV appealed for donations to board Snoopy until he could be transferred to a no-kill shelter out of state. Three women came forward with donations to cover his boarding expense. (Thank you Danielle Blount, Diana Cheung and Alicia Navarro!) When I discovered what a sweet dog Snoopy is, I searched for and was able to find a foster home for him so that he wouldn't have to go back to a shelter.

Snoopy is located in Sacramento. His adoption fee is $210.

Posted 7-18-18; updated 8-5-18

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Adopted Nov 14!

"Ranger" is a 3-yo, approx 70-lb neutered male GSD who is active, playful and affectionate. Ranger is very friendly with people, both on neutral ground (even on leash) and at home. He is good with children but might not be a good match for kids under 5 as he's a little sensitive about having his ears and neck grabbed. (He does not snap, just whimpers.)

Ranger is great with other dogs and has played with many other dogs of all sizes and genders at his foster home. A home with another large or medium-sized dog for Ranger to play with would be ideal.

Ranger has observed outside cats and has not barked at or chased after them, but he has not come nose-to-nose with a cat since he's been in his foster home. Therefore, at this point, we will only consider a home without cats for Ranger.

Ranger is fully housetrained and non-destructive inside, though his foster caretaker does keep him crated when she's gone for more than an hour. She also keeps Ranger in the crate at night. Ranger has received considerable obedience training with his foster caretaker. He obeys the following commands: sit, down, stay, come, wait when given treats & food and drop when retrieving the ball.

Ranger is great on leash, staying close to his handler's side. He does get excited when he sees other dogs, but in a playful way and does not bark or get out of control. Ranger enjoys car rides and is a polite passenger.

Ranger enjoys playing fetch, hide & seek with his toys around the yard, and also enjoys solving dog puzzles.

Overall, Ranger is a great family dog, and would be great with a family that has an existing, playful dog.

GSRSV rescued Ranger from the Stanislaus County Shelter on June 8, 2018. He's been in a foster home in Manteca since then. Ranger's foster caretaker is an experienced dog handler who has taught Ranger many good skills.

Ranger's adoption fee is $260. He's located in Manteca.

Posted 8-22-18