Our Wonderful Dogs
We find most of our dogs in local shelters and pounds where they have run out of time to be reclaimed or adopted, and are in danger of being euthanized. We will occasionally take in dogs from the legal owner (see Giving Us A Dog), but our primary purpose is to save dogs that have run out of time in kill shelters.
We look for purebred German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) who have a good temperament, are reasonably healthy, and would make a good family pet. Occasionally we take in a dog with special needs, but for the most part our dogs need only basic care, attention, training, and love to be adopted.
Spayed/Neutered
All of our dogs are spayed or neutered, as California state law mandates that dogs must be spayed or neutered before being adopted out by a rescue or shelter. See California Food & Agriculture Code Section 30503.
Please contact us about our adoptable dogs!
GCGSR is holding safe, social distancing, private
Meet & Greets
with potential adopters.
info@gcgsr.org or 877-268-0255.
Meeting Our Dogs
We are not a shelter, we have no facility. All of our dogs are in volunteer foster homes spread throughout the Modesto/Merced, Greater Sacramento, and South Lake Tahoe, and occasionally parts of the North and East SF Bay areas. The best way to see many of our dogs at once is to come to one of our regular monthly Adoption Days in Modesto, Rancho Cordova (Sacramento area) & Roseville. Not all dogs come to all Adoption Days, potential adopters may have to travel to meet a dog they are interested in.
Adoption Policies
A new online Adoption Questionnaire and Supplemental Puppy Questionnaire is now available on the Adoption Info page.
Please read our Adoption Policies and send in an Adoption Questionnaire before contacting us about an individual dog.
Puppies
Please read our special Requirements for Adopting a Puppy and note that we have an additional Puppy Questionnaire for puppies under 7 months old.
Foster-to-Adopt
We have a 30-day Foster-to-Adopt program that gives prospective adopters a month to foster the dog in their home before adopting. We want to know that the match is a good one! We actively encourage Foster-to-Adopt, and may require it with some dogs. Please read our Foster-to-Adopt Agreement if you're interested in our program.
Dogs currently in Foster-to-Adopt homes are considered Adoption Pending and are no longer available.
Living Creatures
Dogs are living, breathing, sentient creatures that each come with their own personality and set of characteristics, just like people. Because we rarely know the backgrounds of the dogs in our program, we can't make definitive statements about their health or temperaments. We can only provide information about our observations of the dog while it is in our program with our volunteers.
"German Shepherds have great instincts and fertile minds. Lots of activity and exercise will make them happy, but tracking, obedience and agility games—or any task-oriented activity—will make them even happier. A bored or neglected German Shepherd may resort to chewing furniture, digging up flowers and other mischief."
- Dogster.com
Special Needs & Senior Dogs
Most of our dogs are healthy and only require normal care. Sometimes we'll find that one of our dogs has special needs or ongoing medical issues, or is a very nice senior dog with some manageable health issues. Because these dogs will have ongoing, generally reasonable expenses, the adoption fee is reduced.
Senior dogs are 8-9 years old or more.
The Adoption Fee for a Special Needs or Senior Dog is $100.
Adult Dogs
Most of the dogs come into our program as adolescents or young adults between 1-2 years old. While they may have their adult size, German Shepherds are generally not fully mature until around 3 years old. This means young, adult-sized, dogs may still be very much puppies emotionally and mentally, and still need a lot of training and socialization.
The Adoption Fee for Adult Dogs is $300.
Still Looking?
Can't find a dog you've been looking at? Check our Adoption Pending page to see if the dog has gone to a new Foster-to-Adopt home, or our Recent Adoptions page to see if the dog has been adopted.
Didn't find exactly the dog you'd like to adopt? Check out the Owner Referral Dogs for other dogs that aren't in our program.
Courtesy Listings
Owner Referrals & Independent Rescuers
We will list spayed/neutered and vaccinated German Shepherd Dogs or mostly-GSDs for owners or other smaller rescuers who wish to rehome their own dogs on our Owner Referral Dogs page. These dogs are not in our program and we can make no assurances about the accuracy of the listings.
Lost Dogs
Nothing is more heartbreaking than losing a beloved companion. We will post your missing dog for you on our Lost Dogs page!
GCGSR Dog Rating Levels
Please note there are no universal Rating Levels for dogs; this is how we rate OUR dogs. Other groups may use different rating levels for their dogs.
All German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) share certain traits, that's what makes them a German Shepherd. These dogs generally mature into serious individuals and tend to be more discriminating about their circle of friends. Most are not "dogpark" dogs as adults.
ALL German Shepherds:
- Are intelligent, energetic, powerful, alert, bossy, noisy and mouthy (like to use their teeth)
- Are protective, possessive and territorial, and usually won’t let strangers walk in the door
- Are control freaks with strong herding drive (instincts), and usually have strong prey drive
- Shed all year long, and will shed twice as heavily in the spring and fall
- Need ongoing socialization, structure, leadership, exercise, training and affection
- Need to be made a part of the family, and are not good as outside-only dogs
- Need a purpose in life, or will find their own amusements by barking, chewing, digging and escaping
The Dog Rating Levels are based on the GSD’s inherent drives, confidence, attitude and personality. The higher the Rating Level, the more confident and demanding the dog is, and the more of everything the dog will require. Young dogs under 2 years old will probably mature up a Level. Don’t mistake a smaller size for an easier dog!
Note: Any dog can exhibit atypical behavior under stressful conditions.
- Very submissive, born followers not interested in taking a leadership role. Willing to go along and get along, and try to avoid trouble. Sweet, soft, mellow or timid, can easily be overwhelmed.
- Usually Low to Moderate Energy. May need socializing, housebreaking, house manners. Suitable for senior or sedentary households, will enjoy occasional walks, trips in the car, or light play sessions.
- If needs are not met, can become clingy, needy, fearful or overly-submissive. Can submissively urinate, can develop Separation Anxiety.
- This level is rare for this breed.
Level 2 – Moderate & Adaptable
- Balanced mix of confidence and submissiveness. Middle of the road dogs, fairly eager to please. Will occasionally test leadership abilities, but really don’t want to be the leader.
- Usually Moderate Energy, can range from Low to High, which can be satisfied with daily walks and play or training time. Need some basic obedience lessons, then may need occasional refresher courses.
- If needs are not met, can be insecure leaders and can become overly protective, possessive, and territorial. Can develop Separation Anxiety.
- This level fits the widest variety of households.
Level 3 – Confident & Challenging
- Confident with very little submissiveness, the standard breed temperament. Assertive and pushy, will challenge leadership status. Independent problem-solvers that will try to out-think their owners.
- Usually Moderate to High Energy. Need a job, with physical and mental exercise regularly for life.
- If needs are not met, can take over household in a hot second. Can become destructive or escapists.
- This is the most common level in rescue.
Level 4 – Competitive & Intense
- Very confident, very pushy, extremely competitive, adrenaline junkies. Usually ball, toy or prey obsessed. Very high drive and high focus, will often scream, whine and nip in frustration to DO SOMETHING, NOW!
- Very High Energy, always in high gear. Need several hours of physical and mental challenge every day, live to outwit, outplay and outlast everyone else. Never slow down, never wear out, never shut up.
- If needs are not met, can become obsessive and very destructive.
- Ideal for working K9 dogs or for competitive dog sports such as agility, flyball, herding and Schutzhund.
- Supremely confident, have high energy, high focus, and high fight drive. Love to fight, and willing to back everything up with their teeth. Serious dogs who measure everyone for weakness. True tough guys, will never give up and will go down fighting.
- Very High Energy. Needs highly structured life with a full-time job. Not suitable for the family home.
- If needs are not met, can bite and become dominantly aggressive.
- We will never knowingly bring this dog into rescue.