~3.5 years old. Good with older considerate kids and dogs. Cats TBD. Needs a companion animal.Axel formerly known as KoKo was a much neglected yard dog". One his prior owners spent very little time with and fed him the cheapest of foods. He didn't know the inside of a house and we were told he would do well inside. We were also told he didn't like baths. WOW ALL this was wrong! He loves being inside and never had NOT one accident!! He loves it so much he wants to now stay in the air conditioning. (Who can blame him)! Axel also did VERY well for his "dude day" at PetSmart! He was a champ! Axel is VERY large super long legs and a lovely sable coat that was hidden beneath years of neglect. Once groomed he shined! And who would have thought there was beautiful sleek fur under it all. He now exhibits confidence and all the qualities one would not have expected out of a yard dog but definitely the qualities of the German Shepherd breed. His temperament is purely amazing. All he wants is to be played with and loved. He currently has a shitzu for a stepsister and they get along great. We did find out on a wellness exam that he has a dysplastic right hip. This is all too common in GSD's and large breed dogs. He is not experiencing ANY problems with it and it would not have been picked up on in the first place had the vet not been so very thorough. What the dysplastic hip means is that it may have the propensity to pop out of joint and over time cause some arthritis. Even though this may not seem like good news the fact that it was found out so early in his life means a much greater chance of positive things being done to help control it. So in essence it was a good thing that it was discovered. He will need to be on supplements (Glucosamine and fish oil or Cosequin) have moderate low impact exercise and be a good healthy weight. He should not be allowed to become overweight. If you want a jogging buddy then Axel will not be the dog for you. He can run and play like all sheppies do since the back and forth motion will strengthen several muscle groups. What has to be avoided is the constant high impact on his joints such as in catching Frisbees in mid air and being a running partner. So now that you have heard all about how AWESOME he is wouldn't he be a super catch for your family? Give him a try!"
