Description
Kópur is a 9-month-old, white, straight back German Shepherd puppy who is full of character, and always ready to work for a snack or two.
I'm unfortunately having to re-home my dog due to issues around his excitability, how that has affected my haemophilia (bleeding disorder), and advice from my doctor.
Kópur has had lots of training over the last 9 months but struggles to stay focused, and I believe he would be a good fit for somebody who was had a few dogs before, or somebody who has experience with the breed. He appears to have a preference for male handlers, as we have noticed him listening to men more than women.
He has a preference for soft plush toys, toys with bright colours, and toys with fur, but we haven't seen him go after teddy bears or pillows which is nice, as my partner has quite a lot and would have been devastated if he tore into them. He also enjoys a good game of tug of war, and he will attempt to walk you whilst you walk him by grabbing a hold of his lead. It might look like he's going in for the kill, but he just wants to play, and there's no aggression behind it. I've been able to stop this at times by giving him alternative outlets like a tennis ball or a ****************** toy, but it's not a perfect solution that works 100% of the time.
He is generally a well-behaved dog, and does play well with other dogs off leash in a park if they're also well-behaved dogs. He's always excited to see other people and animals, but it will affect his recall, as all of his focus goes from you to whoever it is that he's just seen.
He has been socialised around a lot of dogs, but cats tend to give him a wide berth due to his size, so we're unsure of how well he would get along with a house cat as German Shepherds are notoriously nippy dogs, and he does like to chase other animals (including sheep, which I accidentally found out after he channelled the spirit of Harry Houdini, slipped out of his harness, and jumped the fence into a field of sheep). I'm not totally certain if he would be fine with another dog being in the same house, but given that he makes friends easily, it's likely that it would be fine as long as the two can get space away from each other when needed.
He does, unfortunately, have a taste for the gourmet, and will attempt to eat his own poop, goose poop, the droppings of other dogs, and anything else that's on the ground that he shouldn't eat. We have mostly countered this by redirecting his attention and keeping him away from it as much as possible, but it's something you'll have to be vigilant with.
He rarely barks in the house, and doesn't react when neighbours knock on our boat. He's also fine in moving vehicles, as we regularly take the boat out of the marina and onto the canals and rivers. He has limited experience in a car or road vehicles, but he has been in a few cars and has been fine. He might whimper a little bit, but if somebody is there with him to reassure him, then he tends to do well.
When you come to pick him up, we can also give you his crate, bowls, toys, food, harness, lead, and his grooming items. He has a soft bed, but he tends to pop the zip and pull at the cushion, so it's something to watch for.
He is house-trained, and hasn't gone to the loo in our boat since he was about 12 weeks old, but given that he will be in a new home with new people, your results may vary.
On leash walking has been a struggle as he constantly wants to be about 10 feet ahead of you at all times and will sometimes pull hard on the lead, especially when he needs the loo. This has caused me to be pulled over on many occasions, leading to me ending up on crutches due to my bleeding disorder. Healthy people should have no long term issues other than a bit of embarrassment, but if nobody's around, getting back up and questioning your choices tends to rectify this. He is a powerful dog, even at this age, and as he gets older he's going to get stronger.
We may have set the price at £750, but we are open to offers as long as you are a good fit for him. It is important to us that we find a wonderful home for him to go to, and one where he's going to be able to live the best life.