About Gus

We took Gus in as a board-and-train for our good friend Jess to put some IGP foundations on him. Gus has a pedigree we truly admire — filled with some of our favorite dogs including Dina vom Eisernen Kreuz, Gero z Berounské bašty, Xerxes Manepo Ideal, and Bolle Ja Na Ka.

Gus has extreme food drive, he’ll happily work for even low-value kibble, which has made teaching tracking an absolute breeze. He’s currently learning article indication off the track and picking it up quickly.

In obedience, Gus is flashy and eager to please. We’re still in the luring stage and have begun fading the lure; he tries hard to be quick and correct. We’re also focusing on hind-end awareness to polish his precision.

His main weakness is his low toy drive, he’s not particularly motivated by balls, tugs, or rags. Because of that, Gus may not be the best fit for someone pursuing high-level IGP work. However, he has so many strengths that make him an excellent candidate for sports like nose work, tracking, search and rescue, agility, or competitive obedience.

Gus is also a wonderful companion dog. He’s fully house-trained, stands nicely for grooming (bathing, brushing, and nail care), and travels well as long as he doesn’t have a full meal before the ride. He bonds deeply with his handler and can be a bit slow to warm up to new people; true to his German Shepherd nature, he’s a little aloof until he gets the vibe.

He’s been exposed to a variety of public environments, does well on leash, and ignores both people and dogs while offering great engagement. We’ve started taking him to pet-friendly stores and will soon be visiting breweries to practice settling calmly. He’s also proven to be an excellent hiking partner.

Gus is currently being e-collar conditioned and is doing great working on a long line.

We’d love to see Gus in a home that allows him to shine in the areas he excels at. If Gus sounds like your kind of dog, we’d love to set up a meeting!