Gunther was not a happy dog when he first came to PAWS. We believe that he probably hadn't been treated well by people but he soon learnt that we meant him no harm and he became calmer and more accessible.

Like many big dogs, and especially German Shepherds, Gunther finds shelter life very stressful; he is constantly on the move, pacing up and down, and as a result is losing weight - even with two feeds a day. It makes us so sad to see such a fine dog reduced to a mere shadow of what he should be. We are not sure how his feeding went wherever he was before PAWS, but he is currently fearful that his food is going to be stolen and so eats far too fast. Should the dog in the next pen even come close to the mesh, he warns him off.

Gunther is fine with people but, judging by his behaviour to date, we think he may be better off as the only dog in a home with no young children. He really needs people who have the time and patience for him. People who will be able to take him for long walks and keep him occupied. Whilst he is a friendly and quite cuddly dog, he is strong and big dog and therefore needs people confident in handling him.