German Shepherd dogs, as well as the other herding breeds that we have in rescue, are highly active, energetic, working breeds. They require considerable vetting, exercise, socialization, training, leadership and mental stimuli in order to be well-adjusted, well-balanced, and well-mannered dogs. Even if you exercise and play with your dog daily in your fenced yard, you MUST still take your dog out on daily walks and outings in order to work on his/her leash skills, manners, and social skills. These breeds make great additions to active families who will pamper them, but who will also work with them, as they are smart dogs who need leadership, structure, plenty of activity and mental stimulation. 

If you are new to German Shepherds (and other herding breeds), please research the breed to make sure this is the dog for you. We ask that you consider the time and financial commitment that your German Shepherd (or other herding breed) dog will require before applying for one. Please review the section on our website (www.heartlandgsrescue.org) "Is a HUGS Dog Right for You?" for additional information.

We went to pull an urgent GSD from the shelter, and saw poor Winter there: sweet, gorgeous, and also out of time. Winter was picked up as a stray, with her coat shaved in some places, and no one came for her. As if that wasn't sad enough, she appeared to be mid-to-late term pregnant. One of our fabulous foster couples who greatly loves both GSDs and Huskies, agreed to foster Winter so that we could rescue her. A month after she arrived in her foster home, Winter gave birth to 5 adorable puppies: Brownie, Cookie, Krispie, Pie, and Pudding. Winter's puppies have all found great homes. Now it's Winter's turn to find a wonderful forever home of her own!

Winter is an approximately 2 year old Siberian Husky. Winter is joyful, plays with unbridled enthusiasm, and can pretty much get any dog to play with her! Because Winter loves being around other dogs so much, we would strongly prefer that there be a playful dog buddy in her forever home. She enjoys rolling around in the snow, chasing her ball, avoiding air vents, barking at the vacuum, and playing tug. She is well behaved as long as she knows when to expect her meals! If her meal is too late, she will take matters into her own hands and search the counters- blueberry muffins are her favorite. She rarely jumps on people and is very tender-hearted. Her appreciation for any affection shown to her is obvious. She can be a little weary when being introduced to new things, but quickly learns to trust as long as you show her there's nothing to be afraid of. When she first came to rescue she was afraid to enter the house, walk through doorways, walk on hard floors, walk up and down stairs, and eat out of a metal bowl. In a short 3 months she has completely come out of her shell (with the help of her foster dog siblings, all of a similar size) and doesn't struggle in those areas anymore. Her favorite thing is her toy box and will dig around in it to find just the right toy to suit her current mood. She loves her humans and follows them closely... Sometimes too closely. You'll need to get used to walking around her because she doesn't always understand to move to the side. She walks well on leash especially considering her young age and Husky breed! She is one of the most photogenic pups you will find. Her face is very expressive and every picture of her deserves a worthy caption!

Winter's adoption fee is $350, all of which goes back into offsetting our high-cost vetting expenses and rescuing more dogs.  Adoption fees include spay/neuter, current on age-appropriate vaccinations, fecal, deworming, flea/tick and heartworm preventative, heartworm tested if old enough (treated if positive), and microchipped. Please visit http://heartlandgsrescue.rescuegroups.org/info/adoption for more information about our adoption process and requirements, and to apply.