Welcome! Serious about adopting? We're in Ramona, let's meet!

Riley

4 years old

Female

German Shepherd

She is going to the be the dog of a lifetime for some lucky owner!

Riley was also taken in the same time as the other German Shepherd girls. However, she has a bit of a different backstory--although she is only 4, she has spent most of her life--since she was picked up as a stray at 1 1/2 years old--at an animal shelter.

Riley is a sweet, sweet, sweet girl who adores people. She honestly hasn't met anyone she doesn't like, even rolling over on her belly when she first met a group of veterinary students! She has no fear of vets or vet students, and greets them all as old friends. Did we tell you she's sweet? She is getting much better around cats; although in the beginning, she definitely wanted to chase them all, she is now content to smell them (at least the ones she knows). She gets along with some small dogs. She gets along great with male and female dogs, and is in love with our resident male German Shepherd. Honestly, the longer she is here, the better she is with the other animals.

Riley walks nicely on leash, is crate trained and happily goes in her cate and stays as long as you want her to. She rides quietly in her crate in a car, never complaining. Although we can't say for sure she is house broken, she hasn't had an accident inside with us so far, and with a lot of supervision. Her housebreaking shouldn't be hard, since she's already crate trained so well. For a gal that has had little to no formal training, she's super smart and catches on quickly--if you've ever trained dogs before (and yes, we have, tons of them!), you'll really appreciate the brains of this darling gal!

Riley is a professional escape artist when outside, and probably why she landed at both the shelter and then the rescue. She can climb a 6-foot fence with ease. She is also skilled at tearing up chain link (in this case, chain link was only used for the top of the run). Since the fence has been repaired, she has not managed to get out. As a result of her chosen hobby, she has scars on her feet and a couple of missing toenails. Doesn't affect her walking or movement at all. So far, her escapist tendencies only show when our neighbors start shooting for extended periods; otherwise, she is content in her run.

Riley is big and active! She came to us weighing a measly 58 pounds--she now weighs 90 pounds, with room to grow! She loves to walk, but would need a home willing to take the time to build up her strength for long hikes or strolling on concrete. She's very quiet, only alerting to things outside the norm for her environment (and cats, ha!). Although a fenced yard is required, she won't be able to be loose in an open yard without supervision.

Although she has her issues, she's a beautiful girl with a ton of brains and ability. If you think Riley might be the girl for you, please give us a call! She is definitely going a diamond in the rough, and again, is going to be the dog of a lifetime for some lucky owner! In Ramona; adoption contract and fee apply.

RAVEN--Pending Adoption!

Raven

Raven, shown with a friend (white dog not for adoption).

Raven

German Shepherd/Lab mix

9 years old

spayed

up-to-date on all vaccinations

Her owner rescued her as a young dog, but sadly the owner died. She was kept in an outdoor kennel, but was given vet care, training sessions, and long walks.

We love this girl, and wish we had a magic wand so that everyone out there can feel her love! Super smart, very happy girl, willing to please. She walks nicely on leash and knows sit. Not a barker. Not a chewer, although she loves her toys.

Raven is a big, chunky gal with a lot of energy and a lot of brains to go with it! She looks like a typical Labrador with a German Shepherd's ears and nose. She is mostly black, with a few white hairs. She has a dense coat that doesn't shed a lot.

She is quiet in a car when taking long trips. She is crate trained and happily sleeps through the night in her crate. We do not know for sure if she is housebroken, but there is a good chance she is, as she waits until she is outside in the mornings to do her business.

She is picky about her dog friends, but doesn't go after other dogs when she is on leash--she much prefers to listen to her handler. She probably doesn't need to be the only dog in the home, especially if introductions to other dogs take place slowly and with a lot of common sense. Likes most people--men, women, older dog-smart kids. She did great with a group of veterinary students here on a field trip, as well as their instructor, all dressed in vet scrubs, and didn't even mind the long physical exam!

Any potential home MUST have a secure, fenced yard. However, we don't intend for her to be left in a yard all day with nothing to do. She loves walks, and looking for someone to interact with her and take her on walks, even if just around her own neighborhood. She is very well behaved on leash; curious about what is happening, but she doesn't drag you over to investigate. She ignores horses and other livestock. However, she has killed a couple of ground squirrels that made the mistake of getting in her run!

Although she most likely wouldn't be happy in an apartment, she would be a great dog for subdivision, neighborhood or ranch. She is not a livestock guardian, not a herding dog, and not a personal protection dog.

We're well aware that Raven isn't a young puppy, however, her presence and energy level are not that of an old, aging dog. She's full of life, and eager to find her very own person to share it with. She is a happy dog, looking for someone who shares who shares her love of food, naps, and easy walks! Please don't write her off because of her age. She has no known health problems at this time.

In Ramona. Adoption contract and fee apply. Please call if you are serious, as we would really like to see our gal thrive in a home of her own!

BECKY

Becky

9 year old

female, spayed

German Shepherd

Everyone who meets this wonderful older gal falls in love with her!

Becky is an older gal with a kind soul! She is very gentle, whether she's taking treats, going for walks, or generally dealing with people. She's picky about her dog friends, however, she hasn't met a person she doesn't like. She's rather be with someone than eat most days!

She came to us with vet records and diagnosed arthritis in her hips/back legs and neck. She was also given a thorough going-over by a group of veterinary students. She cooperated with everything except the Bordatella, which is given nasally. She sometimes has a back leg shake, but we've only seen this just a few times, often when something new or different is happening (when meeting a new dog, or a person she's not sure about). Update: the last time we saw the shaky back leg was when she met someone months ago--we have not seen her do it since. She doesn't appear to be in pain, and can run and play like a puppy when she wants to show off!

UPDATE: She was seen by our veterinarian at the beginning of November 2020, and he says she has great mobility for a dog her age! She may also be older than we were told. Her back leg shake has never returned. She is getting a bit senile, but still is a total love.

We were told she was on a special diet for her coat, although we weren't sure about the specifics--so far, a lamb and rice dog food is working wonders. Her jet black coat was quite thin when we got her, and thickened out over the winter months. Now that it's hot again, her coat appears to be reddish, but that is just the dead coat shedding out--we can't wait to see her with her normal black gloss! It's obvious she was an outside dog, with fly bite scars on the tips of her ears and callouses on her elbows. She now loves her thick dog bed, and sleeps quietly in a crate when inside. Although she wanted to eat the cats when she first arrived, she seems content to ignore them now. She gets along with the other shepherds here, as well as most of the other dogs.

She's had a good amount of basic dog training in her past, and she shows it. She's a real sweetheart!

Ramona Adopt-A-Purr