Dog's Up for Adoption News & Entertainment
Active German Shepherd Returned to Shelter That Saved Him as Pup, Now He Needs New Home
Gabrielle LaFrank
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As much as every dog rescuer would love to see shelters emptied, the reality is that many dogs like Titan have difficult time finding their perfect home. Sometimes, this can be due to medical issues or behavior concerns, but this German Shepherd has just had unfortunate luck. Not only do size and breed restrictions limit potential adopters’ options, but Titan’s high energy has proven to be more than some people can handle. That’s not his fault!
On the contrary, Titan has shown immense resilience and patience while growing up with Lending Paws a Hand dog rescue in Lillington, North Carolina. The Shepherd was found as a stray at around ten weeks old, and had suffered wounds to his legs and paws.. After medical treatment and decompression time in his foster home, he became a happy-go-lucky pup who quickly captured the interest of an adopter.
So Close Yet So Far
Unfortunately, this adoption placement was not permanent. Titan was brought back to Lending Paws a Hand in early 2024 when his adopter realized they could not handle such a high-energy working dog. Although it would have been helpful for the adopter to do more initial research, they did the right thing by bringing Titan back to the rescue, where he could find his perfect match.
One of the biggest challenges Titan’s first adopter faced was the puppy’s inappropriate chewing. This can be expected of any puppy to some degree, but it’s important to find methods of interrupting and redirecting that behavior.
Since returning to the rescue, this young dog has spent time resting, decompressing, and learning how to feel like himself again. When he first came back to the home where he was fostered as a puppy, he spent several days doing nothing but sleep. After that reset, though, he knew it was time for his new lease on life.
Flourishing in Foster
As Titan’s friends at Lending Paws a Hand have witnessed, this big boy is thriving in his foster home. He’s practicing crate training, which keeps him from getting into trouble while left alone for a while, and he hasn’t displayed any of the inappropriate behaviors that were a problem during his brief adoption. So what changed?
Titan’s foster has a deep understanding of his individual needs as well as his breed’s needs. They provide the 85-pound dog with plenty of puzzle toys, daily walks, and playtime outside, as well as plenty of chew toys to gnaw on. But what Titan’s foster loves the most about him is his easygoing attitude on a leash and in the home.
“My favorite thing about Titan is how good he is on walks. He’s such a big, beautiful GSD. I also love how resilient he is. I was a little worried that he would need to be crated and rotated with my other dogs, which isn’t a “bad” thing, and I would certainly do it to ensure everyone’s safety. Thankfully, after slowly working with him over a weeks time, I’ve been able to integrate him back into my house and my “pack” of three personal dogs and he’s doing great!”
Titan may be doing great in his foster home, but he’s still looking for a forever home. He’ll need a place with a fenced-in yard. He could do well with another easygoing large-breed dog, but it would be best for him not to be around smaller dogs, cats, or little kids because of his size! Of course, Titan’s owner will need to commit to obedience training, crate training, and lots of physical activity.
If anyone is interested in adopting Titan, an application can be filled out at lpah.org/adoption. Due to Lending Paws a Hand being a smaller rescue, they typically only accept applications from VA, SC, and NC.
