“PLAYFUL” is the descriptive word for this young German Shepherd male- Hagen loves toys, especially his Jolly ball.  He’ll race after it in the fenced yard, bring it back, shake it, toss it in the air, and chase it again. If his foster Mom is busy shoveling a path or doing other outside chores, Hagen will entertain himself for a while….he makes her smile.

When we first met Hagen, he was existing in a shelter. He had been adopted out as a young puppy and literally dragged into the shelter and dumped when he was a year old. He was shy and fearful, wary of meeting strangers and had no training.  The shelter was full and if they couldn’t find help for Hagan and a few other dogs, they would have to start euthanizing animals.  They loved Hagan and called us to see if we could help. Our evaluators gave him time to warm up, were calm and low- key, gave him treats when he approached them and quickly recognized his need for a structured environment and confident leader.

Fortunately, we have foster parents who are calm, patient and experienced in providing all this.  Hagen bonded quickly with his foster Mom, but it took longer for him to become comfortable and trusting with his foster Dad and any visitors to the home.  Within a few months, however, Hagen had learned to look to his foster family members for direction and guidance when he’s uncertain about a new person or situation.

Hagen loves to go for walks and will ignore other people out walking, unless they stop to chat or want to meet him.  His first reaction is to bark and warn the person not to come closer; but he’s learned that new people might give him a piece of cookie, so this behavior has greatly improved.  His foster Mom carries these small treats and has worked with friends to teach Hagen that these encounters can be pleasant and rewarding.

There has also been a lot of progress in the training department!  Hagen now gets an “A” in his response to “Sit,” “Come,” and “Wait;” he’ll give up a toy or other item on command, and he walks nicely on a loose leash (he does still pull at first, when he’s all excited to be going for a walk).  He’ll need ongoing training to keep him on his toes, and he does need more work on doing a quick response to “Down” and on holding a “Stay.”  His prey drive is strong enough that we don’t advise having him live with a cat, gerbil, ferret or other small animal.  Another dog in the family, though, one who is confident and likes to play, would be good for Hagen, though he’d need a slow introduction to insure everything goes smoothly.

Recently, Hagen went to work with his foster mom. She told us she was only expecting one visitor and 5-6 stopped in. Although he did well meeting new people, it was a lot for him, but we are very encouraged!

He will ALWAYS need a structured life, with clear guidance as to what is expected of him in various situations….what to do when a visitor comes to the door, how to behave when someone stops to chat on the street, proper response to another dog, etc.  He needs to learn that he can look to you for leadership and rely on your instructions.  You, as the pack leader, would need to commit to never putting Hagen in a situation he could not handle, always have your eyes on him when you go out into the world together or invite someone into the home.  You would anticipate what he might interpret as a overwhelming situation and give him guidance before he felt the need to react on his own; you would become adept at reading his body language and giving immediate feedback.  As he comes to trust and view you as a leader, much of this behavior may change.

In return, you would have the love, trust and devotion of a close companion for life.  You would get to experience the joy of knowing he’s learning to trust in you and follow your lead, gaining confidence in exploring his environment, thanks to your support.  If you have the experience, commitment and interest, please ask us about applying to meet Hagen.

Interested in adopting this dog? Please check out our requirements for adoption page.