New guy, Max

I went with Clay to the shelter today to pick up that new shepherd.  It turns out that his name is Max and he knows it.  Clay came along to handle the dog because I wasn't sure that I could if he decided to pull.

We got there early before he had even been out of his run.  The run was clean, no poop or pee, and that's the first thing he did when he got outside.

Apparently he was brought to the shelter by a woman who found him and had him for just a couple weeks.  She brought him in when he didn't get along with her new boyfriend.  If you're half as jaded and cynical as I am you'll be having the same doubts I am about her "finding" the dog just a couple weeks ago.  He's already neutered.  She came to visit the dog after dumping him.  The dog apparently greeted her like a long lost friend.  The stories told by dog dumpers are rarely more than half truths.  I'm guessing that the only part of the story that was true was that the dog didn't like the new boyfriend.  That part rings true.  It could have been shepherd jealousy, protectiveness, or just good judgment.  I'm sure she will regret it when the boyfriend is gone in a matter of weeks or months, but that's her loss. 

He  hopped into a crate in the car without too much urging and he rode home peacefully.  I brought him home on a temporary basis to see how he is with other dogs.  I just put him in a kennel adjacent to the dog yard today so everyone could get acquainted.  We will try him with other dogs soon, maybe tomorrow.

He's a friendly dog.  He likes to play ball.  He had taken to chasing his tail at the shelter, probably due to boredom.  I hope that hasn't become a habit.

Lots of pics because he's a great looking dog and it was hard to choose among them.