Good for you in choosing to adopt a Pug rather than buy a Pug puppy! You are not only saving a life, but also helping to put an end to the pet overpopulation problem in the world. And you usually get a better pet from a Pug rescue centre than from an untrained Pug puppy. Although there might be Pugs, a very popular breed, in your local animal rescue shelter you might prefer to go to a Pug rescue centre.

Photo: pugrescuenetwork.com

One of the advantages of a Pug rescue centre is that the volunteers and foster Pug parents take the time to get to know the dogs in their care as individuals. They can better help you get the Pug that best fits your temperament and lifestyle. They also will have worked on the Pug’s training and can help you with further training. They never put any Pugs up for adoption that have severe emotional or health problems (or at least, they shouldn’t.)

A legitimate Pug rescue group will never do or offer any of the following. They won’t offer puppies year round. They usually never have puppies at all! They also will never offer to ship the dog anywhere. You usually have to provide all transportation yourself. And they will have you fill out a long application form and then set up an interview with you rather than having you fill out an order form to be filled. Most importantly, a good Pug rescue centre will never have you pay all of the adoption fees before you meet the Pug.

You can find links to good Pug rescue centres from Petfinder.com or PugRescue.com. Both of these sites contain two of the most comprehensive lists of Pug breed rescues in America and Canada. Because dog rescues are made up of volunteers, there is no parent organization that governs them or makes them have to put up a website at all.

A good Pug rescue centre will grill you over closely with a ton of questions, background checks, home checks and application forms. They have the final say over who gets what Pug - you don’t. A good Pug rescue centre will also help you with any Pug information questions you have and can help you with training and advice long after you bring the dog home.

Be patient with Pug rescue centre people. They are usually not paid employees of any organization. They are volunteers who have opened up their home to taking in one or more abandoned Pugs, rehabilitating them and then letting them go again. Don’t rush them, and realize that you have to work around their schedules (not the other way around). The adoption process can often take months. In this way, you are reassured of getting a dog that will want to be part of your family.

Jenny Donaldson has published hundreds of articles about dogs, including several on Pug history. A Pug is an old breed that makes a great family pet.. Ensuring that the breed is the right one for your family can be accomplished by studying basic Pug information.

Shepherd dogs used to be the true working dogs during 18th and 19th centuries. In Germany, the shepherds used their dogs to guide their group of sheep or domestic animals. These dogs did not have any particular origin. For those dogs, the only necessity was their working ability, but not their looks.

Photo: arba.org

During late 19th century a movement initiated in the process of guiding sheep, which was led by Captain von Stephanitz with an idea to establish his organization, Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde for breeding dogs combining both talents and looks. In his breeding technique, although the primary emphasis was given on improving the working efficiency, Max von Stephanitz also put his effort to improve beauty of the German Shepherd.

History witnessed that the developmental journey of the German Shepherd was not always hassle-free. In fact, there were several ups and downs in the demand of shepherd dogs in earlier times. By that time, von Stephanitz shifted his idea into a new direction and trained the German Shepherd for the purpose of police service, where these dogs once again proved their robust efficiency. However, later in 19th century and early phases of the 20th century, the increasing number of dog shows made the breeder think about both the efficiency and appearance of the German Shepherd.

Continuous involvement of Captain von Stephanitz and the formation of Verein made the development of the modern German Shepherd possible. During the First World War the German Shepherd was discovered by the British people and they brought this dog to England under the name of the Alsatian. During that phase, all the breeding techniques and policies were regulated by Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde in Germany. In the post World War II phase, Germany was ruined totally, the same happened with different organizations including Verein. It is assumed that North American was acclaimed for the best the German Shepherd of that time.

Similar to any other great innovator of different times, von Stephenitz always put his effort on exploring and gathering new knowledge about breeding German Shepherd dogs with the help of his extensive experience and experimental aptitude. He relied on several different ideas that were used by the British at that time. It was in 1899 when von Stephanitz attended a dog show and bought Horand von Grafrath, who was known as the first registered German Shepherd studbook entry. Von Stephanitz was most impressed by the wide range of qualities of the breed.

The blend of dynamism and active movements kept Horand apart from the other breeds. He was an obedient, brave, defensive and energetic type of dog, which was mostly praised for his mental alertness. In addition, he was also visually appealing with his beautiful lines of the body. A perfect combination of stamina and beauty gave the German Shepherd great worldwide recognition. In recent times, imported German Shepherds are exclusively adorable for implausible sense of smell, loyalty, obedience, sound temperament and excellence in physical structure and working ability.

Jan Ryan has written hundreds of articles on all things canine, including dozens about German Shepherd Dogs. The German Shepherd has a great personality, which is better than most humans. New dog owners should know basic German Shepherd information before bringing home a German Shepherd rescue dog.