Scraps - Cambridgeshire

Super Scraps

Scraps came to us some months ago from another region and so we do not know much of his early history. He was assessed at his home, and it is clear from this assessment, that he needed more than his owners could give him. Basically, they had neither the time nor the knowledge to look after a GSD. Their main issue was that he guarded the house and he had, in fact, once nipped a post man. Well, this should never have been allowed to happen. Guarding is a simple issue for an experienced owner. GSDs are guard dogs, who can become over enthusiastic. The cure for this is training and leadership from the owner OR placement of a physical barrier between the dog and visitor to the house. His owners stated that Scraps was 'triggered' by the doorbell. He is a GSD, what would anyone expect! And what could be easier than to shut him safely away, to protect him from his natural desire to protect his owners. Instead, they were concerned about this, which Scraps picked up on and just thought to himself that he should 'up his game'. Over-guarding is not an issue about which any experienced owner should have any qualms.

When he first came to our kennels, poor Scraps was a disturbed boy and was quite challenging with fear aggression. He has since settled in the hands of kindly professionals. If he can settle in kennels, how much more easily will he respond to a home environment? There has never been any occurrence of kennel guarding or aggression with kennel staff. Sadly, there was one incident with a prospective adopter, whose inexperience resulted in another bite. Again, poor Scraps was the victim of ignorance.

In many ways he is an easy boy. And, once settled in a calm household with consistent leadership, he will become more relaxed and blossom into the dog that he is capable of being. He is walked and played with regularly by volunteers who are not professional, and Scraps is charming with them. He walks well and has gone past a dog walker with multiple dogs, and he is unmoved by cats or chickens. He has many positive qualities, and this is not even to mention his stunning looks.

Scraps just needs a chance to live his best life. He is not potentially without guarding issues. I think this will be a fact of life for any new owner. But for anyone who is both conscientious and sensible and a firm leader, he will not prove to be a challenge. He needs tactful strong leadership, at first, but he will relax in the right home to be the dog that he is capable of being.

Are you the person who could develop his potential and give him the love and leadership that he has not known?