Brilliant Bruce is a GSD who came to our branch on the 24th July 2024, from a multi-dog household where he had been left in the garden and neglected.
He was extremely underweight when he first came to us, and has now been placed in a foster home as he found the kennel environment very overstimulating.
He’s around 3 years old, and is a Malinois mix – he hasn’t had much training as of yet and is uncertain around other dogs, so will need to be the only pet in a household.
Bruce loves human company, even children, and has a very friendly and kind nature towards people. His current fosterers say that he is a great dog, and is very good on his Halti-Lead, not even pulling!
Here are some common traits of GSDs that you may spot in Bruce:
- GSDs are very loyal and affectionate, especially with close family members!
- GSDs are often very intelligent – but this comes at a price: their stubbornness! An ideal owner would have breed experience or have thoroughly researched the ins and outs of owning a GSD breed – training is paramount, especially in Bruce’s case.
- GSDs are usually very athletic and active, so ensure you are able to provide Bruce with plenty of walks, a large garden to run around in, and lots of playtime to stimulate him properly. We’d recommend some extracurriculars – like agility, tracking or herding (did you know this breed was originally bred for herding sheep?) to keep Bruce on his toes!
- Positive reinforcement is often the best way to train a GSD – reward good behaviour verbally or with treats and tell them ‘no’ to any bad behaviours.
