Alexis is a very nice, older female German Shepherd. Her lifelong owner passed away this past year, and she went to live with his daughter, whose beagles attacked her. She then went to live with her owner's former landlord, but one day when the landlord was rough-housing with her two-year-old, Alexis picked a fight with the landlord's 16-year-old. Because the situation was stressful for the dogs and the people, the landlord reluctantly surrendered Alexis to VGSR. Alexis is a well-behaved dog, who is very well house-trained. She does not chew or bark, buy she will ocasionally get into the trash if she is bored. She is fine roaming the house on her own but probably would not mind being in a crate. Most her time she is lounging around the house, and she will come to me to be petted and scratched. When laying on the floor she will roll over slightly to get her belly rubbed. She does have an element of the German Shepherd's characteristic aloofness, though. Alexis is a relatively low-energy dog, but she has the stamina to go on two-mile walks, even though she paces herself. She walks pretty well on leash but it is difficult to keep her going if she wants to stop and smell something interesting. She rides well in the car and likes to stick her head out the window at lower speeds. Alexis is the only female dog I have ever seen who will lift her leg and mark trees, bushes and other places on the ground. She does not mark in the house, thankfully. She always eagerly investigates other dogs' marks and will often mark in the same place. Alexis's former owners indicate that she gets along well with male but not female dogs. This is not readily apparent on neutral ground during walks and at adoption events, but she may behave differently toward other females in the home. (Since she is the only animal in my house, I cannot say for sure). She is polite with other dogs but will correct rambunctious behavior. She shows appropriate interest and curiosity about cats, sniffing and such, but she shows little interest in pursuing them. She becomes very alert and perks up when she sees squirrels, but she does not have the stamina to chase them too much. Alexis is protective of the house and will give a few barks if someone is at the door. She is very welcoming toward guests once they are in the door, though. Alexis is in excellent shape and looks very good for her age. She has some arthritis in her hips and back, but it is not severe enough to prevent her from climbing stairs or getting in the car. She may benefit from a regimen of Rimadyl to relieve some of her discomfort. Overall, she is in excellent health.
Other Pictures of Alexis (click to see larger version):
