Talia is a small, approx. 50 lb., female German Shepherd rescued from a hoarding case in Georgia and has been in foster homes for about 2 months, most recently in St. Augustine for the last 6 weeks. She currently lives with another female shepherd, 2 small dogs, and 2 cats, and has progressed a great deal in these last few weeks, still having a great deal more to master. Talia is a very intelligent girl who will be a very devoted companion for someone who can offer her unconditional love, lots of attention, patience, and the time to help her continue her learning about how to live in a home and be out in the community without being fearful. She needs a lot of praise and positive reinforcement, with clear boundaries regarding acceptable behavior. Talia has shown no aggression toward people or other animals, except for some minimal guarding of her crate with other dogs, but she responds well to correction and learns quickly. Her challenges lie in how to function in a normal environment without being afraid or trying to escape from whatever frightens her. Before coming into the rescue and foster care, the only home she ever knew was in an open pen with other shepherds with little to no human contact; she was the victim of neglect and abuse, whose only value was in breeding. Due to this, Talia sees the world very differently from typically developing dogs and needs a lot of time and space to be reassured that the world can be a good place. Safety and security are her biggest needs, along with love, attention, and ongoing training.
Talia is crate trained and finds security there, but she now spends the majority of her day outside the crate. She can walk on leash but needs ongoing practice as she learns to trust the world in which she lives. Currently she is walked on-leash only in or out of the yard, and she is beginning to enjoy some portions of her walks in the neighborhood while still displaying a good deal of anxiety overall while out. Talia will pull if frightened, which can occur at any time, but she is walked with a pinch collar which has helped to reduce this tendency, which needs to continue to be used until she is very reliable on leash. She will now allow her collars and leash to be put on outside of her crate, working on learning to sit at these times, and can approach and go through the door calmly. Talia needs consistency and routine in all areas, including feeding, regular daily walks, and behavioral training as she is ready. She allows herself to be bathed and handled very well; she is anxious to please but has no idea what is expected of a typical dog in a normal environment. Talia needs a home that provides predictability in all areas of her life, while slowly being introduced to new experiences to add to her repertoire. For these reasons, Talia needs a calm home with no small children and adult(s) who will be committed to the time and effort of ongoing exposure and training.
Her adoption fee is $250.
Dec 27, 2015 10:41 AM
