Sapphira Rue needs a caretaker or foster!
Won't you consider helping her get a new start?
About Sapphira Rue
Status: Adopted!
Species: Dog
Rescue ID: 2016-059
General Color: Black with Tan, Yellow or Fawn
Color: black and tan
Eye Color: Brown
Ear Type: Erect
Tail Type: Long
Current Size: 54 Pounds
Potential Size: 60 Pounds
Current Age: 8 Years 11 Months (best estimate)
Fence Required: Yes
Housetrained: Yes
Obedience Training Needed: Has Basic Training
Exercise Needs: High
Grooming Needs: Moderate
Shedding Amount: Moderate
Owner Experience Needed: Breed
Reaction to New People: Friendly
Sapphira Rue ~1 year old. Good with kids, dogs and cats.
GSRA adopts to residents of VA, NC, and SC only
Meet Sapphira Rue! 'Sapphira' from Sapphire, gem, beautiful and 'Rue' from the French word for street or in English regret. The name came about because she was found trying to cross a six lane road and someone must regret losing this beautiful dog. Sapphira is looking for her forever home preferably one where her owner works from home or can take her to work with them, at least in the beginning, until she accepts her new surroundings as being safe. She is very sweet, approx. 1 year old, likes to dig in the yard, swim, eat, run, swim, play with our other dogs, swim, go hiking, sleep, and be in the same room with her human. Oh and did I mention SWIM? She LOVES to swim. It's great to watch her light up when she hits the water. She is athletic, and energetic when you want to play or go hiking but calms down quickly especially inside of the house. She lays out like a rug while in the house only getting up to move when told. She is so calm that she acts more like a seven year old dog than a one year old shepherd making her an amazing indoor dog and companion, yet she still has the energy to keep up if you are an outdoor person that likes a dog to hike with. It's the best of both worlds that you get a young active dog that i s also mature and calm. She loves to run with other dogs but doesn't require it to be happy. She adjusts to what-ever your situation is with ease (with the exception of separation anxiety to be mentioned again later). She will follow you around the house if that's what you like but her fostermom prefers her to stay put so she does that too. She is very happy to lie at the feet of her human and sleeps most of the time while indoors and rarely pesters for a pet, but if you invite her for a pet she is more than happy to oblige and will crawl on your lap if you let her. She truly loves attention from anyone. She is attentive with good eye contact making her easy to train. She's currently crated if everyone leaves the house and sleeps in a dog bed in her foster mom's bedroom at night. She is loose in the house or free to hang in the back yard and eat sticks while her foster mom is at home. Foster mom takes short trips away from the house, leaving her loose in the ho use alone, to help build up Sapphira's "stay alone" confidence.
She was very timid and afraid of men when she first arrived and could not be scolded without thinking she was going to die. But during her time in the foster home she has learned to trust people again and that getting scolded is not so bad. So, she is no longer timid and has started greeting men with the same excitement as she does anyone else and actually loves her foster granddad. Her foster home does not have kids but she lights up when she meets children in the stores and on her walks downtown. Sapphira has learned that when I say "go hurry up and pee" that means to go hurry up and pee, and don't keep me waiting. In other words she can go on command better than your kids do, before getting in the car for a trip.
Sapphira also had high separation anxiety when she first arrived but has gotten much better during her time in her foster home. She still isn't quite ready to be left alone in the house without a human present but if you are the person who is willing to learn or already knows how to help a dog with separation anxiety, her foster mom feels confident that Sapphira can completely overcome it. Sapphira is not afraid of gun fire, or thunder which is a huge plus if you live in the south east. She has prey drive but lives in a house full of cats. As a precaution, the fostermom takes with all dogs and kittens, Sapphira is not left unattended with the small kittens. Just too tempting. Yet in her time at her foster home she has learned to ignore the adult cats and occasionally she tries to play with the kitten showing that she likes the one that is active but Sapphira's body language does not show aggression, just curiosity. She now leaves the squirrels alone in the back yard when to ld to "leave it". (Now I'm sure she chases them when I'm not in the yard with her.) But the voice command off leash in the yard is good so the fostermom feels confident that with training she will make a great pet to hike and go into public settings with. She is quiet but will bark if someone enters the property that she does not know, getting quiet again as soon as she is close enough to get pet. Sapphira is such a sweet loving dog and wants to be loved in return. With the right work to help her overcome the separation anxiety, she will make someone an amazing friend and companion.
More about Sapphira Rue
Good with Dogs, Good with Cats, Good with Kids, Good with Adults, Quiet, Requires a yard, Likes to swim, Affectionate, Eager To Please, Intelligent
For more information on our adoptable pet list please visit: Adoptable Pet List
