Genie and her family - Axel, Jackie, Gyspie, Sally, and Birdie - are victims of cruelty and neglect. All six dogs were living in horrific conditions. Chained in shower stalls, living in filth, abused, and starved, they endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of their owner. When word of their situation spread to local authorities, all 6 dogs were confiscated and charges were brought against their owner. Recognizing that these dogs would need significant support, a plea went out to see if they could be moved to the safety of a rescue. MAGSR answered that plea and immediately began working with local groups and animal services to get all six dogs the resources needed (medically and socially) to begin to move forward.  

Genie is a young, energetic, intelligent girl. She is looking for an active household that will provide her with the clear structure and routine that all shepherds need. Consistency and leadership are essential to developing stable and confident adult shepherds. This is particularly true in Genie's case as she will try to control the situation if she feels her handler cannot. As a result, Genie will be most successful in a household with a calm, confident, and experienced handler. Coming from a situation with little opportunity for affection or interaction with the world around her, Genie is learning about the smells, sounds, and sites around her. She can be a little timid at first; however, patience and confidence go a long way with her. As is true of all young dogs, Genie will need daily exercise for both her mind and her body. This will help her develop the ability to handle new people and situations in a calm and composed manner, as well as help her develop a healthy mindset. Continued socialization is also critical for Genie as she has spent her first year with limited interactions. Providing Genie with opportunities to interact with other people and other animals in a controlled manner will help her develop essential skills that could not be established while chained up. Training will be an essential piece of this process, as it will not only help Genie learn to develop a healthy bond with her family, but it will also help her develop the skills needed to be a good canine citizen. Fortunately, Genie has already learned many of her basic commands. Further practice will help her develop the stability needed to meet with success. With some heavier GSD specific traits, such as herding and guarding of property, Genie is a young girl who is looking for a safe and loving family. It is important that her new family understands the needs of the breed. If Genie sounds like the right match for your household, ask to meet her today. 

Update: Genie has been with us for several months and is doing very well. Her horrible beginning thankfully has become mostly a distant memory. She gets comfortable with new people and dogs at her own pace and you just have to go slow and be patient. The good news is that once Genie bonds to a person or dog, it is true love for her. Genie has become very bonded to us. We give her lots of love and affection and she returns it tenfold. Like most dogs, she does best with plenty of exercise.

We take her on several long walks every day and she plays with our dog regularly. Genie can be reactive to strange dogs and people while on walks in our neighborhood. She has an instinctive need to protect the people she loves, even though they don’t need it. It seems to be fear-driven in part as she sometimes barks at strange noises or movements. When a stressor can be anticipated such as a strange dog walking toward us, it is best to shorten the leash, step off the sidewalk, have her sit and gently tell her “it’s okay.” This puts her focus on the handler and helps calm her down.

Genie generally does very well on the leash, but she may pull and bark if she sees a dog, person or squirrel. With slow introductions she has recently done okay with house guests. Again, she has to be allowed to get to know new people at her own pace and she does best if they are sitting and don’t reach for her. She can be hesitant to get in the bathtub, but we have worked with her and she is doing much better. She does occasionally jump out, but I have definitely seen worse dogs.

Beware: Genie is a persistent sock thief, clean or dirty LOL. She is very smart and will test boundaries. For example, if given the opportunity, she will jump up on the counter and try to take food. We have been consistent in correcting this behavior and she rarely attempts it with us anymore. She knows the word “no” and quickly responds by stopping the behavior.

She plays great with our 2 year old male dog and 7 year old son (who is very experienced with dogs; see video). We are able to touch her bones and toys and pet her anywhere when she is playing or eating. Genie does not exhibit any resource or food guarding behaviors whatsoever. She loves all of us and is very affectionate and generous with her kisses. She will gladly roll over for a nice belly rub. She loves to curl up on the couch for a good snuggle. Genie is a great eater. She lets us clean her ears and Dremel her nails without any problems. She also loves to be brushed. All in all, she has made great strides with us and is a beautiful, wonderful dog. If Genie sounds like the right match for your household, ask to meet her today!