Adopt a German Shepherd Dog / Golden Retriever / Mixed (long coat)

WILLOW ~2 years old.  Good with older considerate children and large male dogs.  Apartment appropriate.  Cats TBD.  Not good with small dogs, not good with female dogs.

GSRA adopts to residents of VA, NC, and SC only

Willow is a very special kind of girl. She is not your typical sheppie, in fact, she is not your typical dog! Willow likes attention on her terms. She is more of an observer, as opposed to an active participant in the daily runnings of the home. She is nimble and quick, curious and funny and most of the time quiet as can be. Oh my gosh!!!!!!!! I think I worked it out!!!! Willow is actually a CAT!!!!!!!

Willow came to us with her baby Tess from a shelter in eastern NC. At the shelter Willow was TERRIFIED. She couldn't even move she was so scared. All she cared about was her baby Tess. When we first brought them in to rescue, we moved Willow and Tess to a foster home together. However, after observing how dependent Willow was on Tess, and how protective she was of her baby, we decided it was best for both dogs if they were separated and learned to live independent of one another. Tess, the baby, took to this new arrangement easily. Willow, on the other hand, was pretty much devastated! We quickly learned that Willow was an exceptionally sensitive dog who needed to acclimate to life without her baby very, very slowly.

Willow has been with us a week now and is only just now starting to reveal her true personality. She is very smart (like all sheppies are!) and also quite opinionated (like all GIRL sheppies are!!). Unlike most sheppies though, Willow is quite aloof, even with those she knows and trusts. She will happily lie under the couch (she's just a wee little thing of maybe 50lbs) observing the goings on in the room rather than be up under your feet. She is a quick study on the dog hierarchy in a place and has already tried (gently) to climb a few rungs up the pack ladder; a subtle head over the neck of one dog, a gentle butt nudge to move another out of her way. She knows who the alpha dog is and she watches his every move...from a distance. With us humans, Willow is as sweet as sweet can be - but you have to move slowly. She startles very easily and will dart away if you try to coral her. It's better if you encourage her to follow you by using treats. For example, Willow is not a big fan of the crate! In previous homes she has resisted going in one and will work diligently to break out of one! Here we entice her to go in the crate by herself by throwing in some pieces of pepperoni (did I mention that she is VERY food motivated???). Once in, she settles nicely and will stay in the crate without issue for up to 8 hrs ( a few zip toe reinforcements are needed at first to assure her she doesn't need to try breaking out). We haven't tried seeing what she would do if left alone uncrated. My guess is, as long as there is no food left out she would probably be fine.

To begin with, Willow was terrified on leash. Even the slightest tug would turn her into a statue She is much better now but a gentle hand is still needed to get her walking comfortably. Leash walking is just another example of how Willow can't be "forced" into doing anything. She needs the most patient of approaches in order to feel at ease doing what you require of her. For someone like me, who is perpetually running behind, Willow has been a great dog to get to have around. No more rushing out the door at the very last minute!!! I have to plan ahead so that I have enough time to gently coax her into the crate, make sure she has sometime to chew on (other than the dog bed!!), secure her in with zip ties and THEN leave the house. Yes, Willow takes a little more time to manage than most dogs but boy oh boy is she worth it!!

Once Willow trusts you, she loves getting love from you. She likes being patted (especially on her butt) and she seems to like getting kisses. She doesn't kiss herself, but she wags her tail enthusiastically so you know she likes the attention you are giving her. She is a very quiet and peaceful little girl. She doesn't get on the furniture (unless it is to look out the window to see what the other dogs are barking about), she doesn't bark (though she will howl when she hears sirens), she doesn't play with the other dogs but she will lie next to them when everyone is napping on the floor in front of the open fire. She can be a little noisy when she first goes into her crate but she quietens down pretty quickly. All in all, Willow is an extremely easy, gentle and peaceful house guest.

Willow will do best in a home that is quiet and laid back. She does not like chaos or lots of noise. She will need humans who are able to take the time to get to know her little quirks and who are patient enough to help her through the initial period of adjustment. If you are looking for a dog who likes to go on adventures, who will happily sit at an outdoor cafe, or who enjoys riding in the car - Willow isn't the girl for you. In contrast, if you are a homebody who likes spending quiet time reading, watching TV, maybe hanging out in the garden, and you don't have a very dynamic household then Willow would be a wonderful addition. Willow does great with all dogs her size or larger, but she would much prefer it be just her and perhaps one other male dog. In as much as Willow appears to be a shy, shrinking violet, she DOES have definite opinions about how things ought to be. Do not mistake her shyness for weakness. She is a very smart girl sheppie and will try to get what she wants, even if she does it rather quietly.

If you are looking for a truly special companion who is not your run of the mill GSDs, then consider Willow - the cat in sheppie clothing!