Come visit us at our location in Sanford directly behind the Paw Park Dog Park

Wow -- that's all I could say when I first saw Zach.  He is a beautiful German Shepherd, but very shy.  He was found as a stray by a wonderful Orlando police officer.  Can you image this handsome guy as a stray?  Since he is so shy, he'll do best in a quite home where he can feel secure.  Zach needs a handler with a strong personality who will act as the alpha.  He also needs to be in a home with no dogs, cats, or young children.

 

Like many dogs in the South, Zach is heartworm positive.  Don't let this scare you!  You can read about the condition on our webpage "Heartworms In Dogs."  We are treating him with monthly heartworm preventive, our preferred method.  It is less harsh and doesn't require the pet be kept quiet for months.

 

Foster Update:  Zach adores my husband and follows my 19 year old son like a shadow.  They play together a lot and we have not experienced any aggression issues at all.  Even when my husband was disciplining him for grabbing the cat... still no aggression.  I think Zach has been feral long enough to think he is his own boss and when he doesn't have a firm alpha he thinks he can be that wild dog that does what only he wants to do.  However, he is very obedient and very food-driven, so we believe he would do very well in training.

 

Foster Update 8/5/10: We have had a great night.  He seems happy with the house and with me.  He did test the waters (jumping on the couch and the bed and refusing to sit) so we had to establish who the alpha is and what the rules of the house are.  He has been okay since.  We took a great walk in the neighborhood for some mental leash work and he did great.  I bought him some toys and treats and he is fast asleep on the floor now.  I am very excited to see how he does! 

 

***According to dogbreedinfo.com, in April 1899, Capt. Max von Stephanitz registered a dog named Horan as the first Deutsche Schäferhunde, which means German Shepherd Dog in English. Known for their tremendous loyalty and courage, they are calmly confident, but not hostile. This breed needs his people and should not be left isolated for long periods of time. They only bark when it is necessary. Serious and almost human in his intelligence, they have a high learning ability. The breed is so intelligent and learns so readily that it has been used as a sheepdog, guard dog, in police work, as a guide for the blind, in search and rescue service, and in the military. The German Shepherd also excels in many other dog activities including schutzhund, tracking, obedience, agility, flyball, and ring sport. His fine nose can sniff out drugs and intruders, and can alert handlers to the presence of underground mines in time to avoid detonation, or gas leaks in a pipes buried 15 feet underground. A quick daily brushing is best unless hair in the house is not a problem. They should be bathed rarely, only once or twice a year to avoid skin oil depletion. Shepherds have a life expectancy around 13 years.