Skittle's companion, Ted the German Shepherd (adopted) can also be seen on our website.

Description:
Skittle is a great 7 year old Dobie/Shepherd mix with one floppy year and one upright ear, one brown eye and one blue eye! How cute is that! He and his pal Teddy have a sad story. (All rescued pets do, but we usually don't know them!). Their current owner worked at a kennel where they were being boarded, but as occasionally happens, their owner abandoned them and they were sentenced to die. Shannon couldn't bear the idea of them being killed so she adopted them into her life and home. Unfortunately her roomate was less understanding and eventually they had to part ways. Now a full-time student with a part-time job, she is forced to recognize that she is not providing them with the type of life that they so deserve and has come to the difficult decision of making them available for adoption to a loving new home. It is her hope that they will be adopted together but she is practical enough to recognize that they would adjust if such is not the case. "I hope with all my heart that someone else can provide for them what I cannot." She has provided some wonderful insights on them that I will share with you:

"They are both very brilliant dogs with even temperments and LOVE people, they follow me from room to room and get very upset when left alone. They get along with cats, though Teddy is not very good with other dogs. He won't attack them, but he gets very anxious and will growl and bark if they get too close to him. Skittle however gets along fine with other dogs. But aside from a high energy level sometimes and a refusal to stay off the furniture, they are very good dogs, know how to sit, lie down, stay, and come when called. They are intimidating looking dogs and will bark to alert you of intruders, so they are also no short of excellent as far as security. They have no history of aggression.
Skittle is a 70 lb doberman/german shepherd mix; He looks like a stocky dobie with one floppy ear and one upright ear. Teddy is a 51 lb german shepherd/collie mixture and looks like a small german shepherd. Both have one blue eye and one brown eye.
Both can be couch potatoes but also require an area to play. Usually this is my living room and hallway. They get very excited and start to play-fight excessively when company is over, and Skittle loves to run around at the dog park.
Both are very friendly. Teddy will bark if startled and if he sees people rough housing with each other, but he has never done more than whimper and gently take their arm in his mouth to try to stop the "attacker". The only time a person has been injured by either of them was when Skittle accidentally stepped on my friend's foot while he was wearing sandals. Otherwise both are very sweet.
Skittle is good with kids. Very young children make Teddy anxious. He often whimpers and tries to hide behind me when he sees them. They have gotten on fine with children that are about 10 years old. Skittle has been approached by large groups of children at the dog park and been perfectly well behaved. Teddy does not like other dogs besides Skittle. Skittle loves all dogs. Both get along with cats and Skittle even used to help me "raise" a baby kitten I was fostering at one time. It was very touching to see such a big, fierce-looking male dog cuddling up with a tiny baby kitten.
Both are house trained and will not make in the house unless left alone without access to an alternate bathroom facility for many hours.
Teddy is a very loving and people-oriented dog. He is often known to "burrow" under anyone who shows him attention and rub against them almost like a cat would. He is a bit jumpy and will bark at sudden sounds, but is quite submissive and wants nothing more than to please you. Just the sound of his name will have his tail thumping against the ground. Skittle is very easygoing and loves to give kisses. Despite his age he looks and acts like a big puppy, especially when playing with other dogs. He is the stereotypical "gentle giant". He loves to lie on soft couches and will hold a pillow under his front paws and lay his head on top of it like a human would. They love to play with each other as well as people. They love stuffed animals, fetch, and play wrestling. They also love to run and explore.
An ideal home would be a home with more than one person, maybe a family with older children. A back yard to play in would be ideal. They'd need to be kept around people, not outside. If they could be adopted together it would be great, but they'd adjust if adopted separately. If they must be placed in an apartment, it would be ok as long as they had room enough to play inside and got to go out on long walks at least three times per day.
I really love these dogs and would like to find them a loving new home. "

What say you?


***How much do you know about Dobermans? According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, this is a breed of relatively recent origin. It was developed in Germany in the 1860's, presumably by crossing among German Pinschers with Rottweilers, Beauceron, Pinschers, Greyhounds and English Greyhound to create the sleek and highly intelligent Doberman Pinscher. The creator of this mixture was a German tax collector named Louis Dobermann. Dobermann had to travel frequently through bandit-infested areas, and decided to "construct" a watchdog and bodyguard capable of handling any situation that might arise. Bearing the name of its originator (shortened by one n), the Doberman was first presented at a dog show in 1876. It was immediately a big success.
Although the Doberman has the reputation of being a very aggressive dog, this is just not the case. For example, Dobes make great therapy dogs. They are sweet and gentle with nursing-home patients - tippy-toeing over IV tubing and walking at the resident's speed (which can be very slow), while at the same time will fiercely defend his master if it becomes necessary. These dogs are like big, protective babies. Doberman Pinschers have many talents including tracking, watchdogging, guarding, police work, military work, search & rescue, therapy work, competitive obedience and schutzhund.
The Doberman Pinscher is intense and energetic with tremendous strength and stamina. Versatile, highly intelligent and very easy to train. Determined, fearless and assertive, but not vicious. Noble, loyal and affectionate with the family, it likes to be physically close to the family members. Devoted and watchful, this is a very people oriented breed. The Doberman needs an owner who is willing and able to discipline the dog without being afraid of him. All family members should learn to handle the dog properly, as Dobermans can be pushy if allowed to have their own way too much.
The Doberman has been bred to work with man, and he needs this interaction often. They must be with family, and not abandoned to the backyard. They have a life expectancy of around 13 years.