Rikah
Reference Number: 36574
Background: Stray
Breed: German Shepherd
Gender: Female
DOB: 20/10/2024
Size: Medium-Large
Weight: 23kgs
Desexed: Yes
Adoption Fee: $401
Requirements:
Experienced owners
Breed experience
Must meet all family members in the home
Kids (8yrs+)
Dog selective
Must meet all dogs in the home
Commands I know:
Sit
Drop
Come
Meet Rikah,
Looking for a dog who will make you laugh every single day and possibly knock over a few things in the process? Meet Rikah – our goofy, loveable, slightly clumsy German Shepherd who believes personal space is a myth made up by humans.
She’s best suited to experienced owners (bonus points if you speak fluent Shepherd), and she’ll absolutely thrive in a busy, noisy, fun-filled household. If there’s action happening, Rikah will be in the middle of it – whether you invited her or not. Walks? Best thing ever. Playtime? Even better. Meeting new people? LIFE-CHANGING. Honestly, even just sitting by herself is wildly exciting for Rikah.
She’s smart, confident, curious, and her head tilts could win awards (scroll down – you’ll see). She’ll happily play on her own, but she’s equally happy to “help” with whatever you’re doing – and by help, we mean watch very closely, supervise too closely, and maybe accidentally sit on you.
If you want a dog who lives life with unfiltered enthusiasm and questionable spatial awareness, Rikah is your girl.
Ideal Home: Rikah is fine to live in either a standalone home or on a farm/acerage, with a medium to large yard and high, secure fencing.
Family: Rikah is open to meet kids from 8 years and up. Reason for this is simply because Rikah is a bouncy girl who has never heard of personal space and she may accidently knock smaller kiddies over during play time.
Rikah is fine to live with people who work full-time hours as she shows no signs of separation anxiety. She is independent and able to spend time in the yard on her own, but would also love to be inside with her new family too. She is a smart girl and she loves her routine.
Furry Friends: Rikah is dog selective and what we mean by that is that other dogs may be selective of her. When meeting another dog in her assessment she was a little unsure at first and gave off some weird vibes, but as the assessment continued she loosens up and wanted to interact but she didn't really know how to. We have been doing socialisation training with her and she has been doing really well, so we feel with more training she would be able to make friends in no time!
Rikah probably won't be suitable to live with cats/pocket pets.
Training & Development: Rikah would benefit from post-adoption training such as training at home to cover basic commands/obedience. Group classes should also be considered so that she can learn how to interact with other dogs - she wants to make friends but doesn't know how. Because she likes to work, enlisting a pro-trainer could also be beneficial so that Rikah can be put to work and ramp up her training - this isn't for behaviour though, this is just because she is a smart girl who loves to learn new things.
Rikah will jump on you - she loves to say hello, give you a cuddle and plant a kiss on your cheek or chin. However, she is learning not to jump up at all.
With additional training and time to settle into a new routine Rikah could be the type of dog that you could take to a dog friendly café or social setting.
Rikah is still learning her name, but she knows commands such as sit, drop and come. She is a smart girl and is very trainable.
Rikah is food motivated too - she loves working for food and she is always gentle when taking them from you. So, having treats on you during training to mark good behaviour would be an excellent idea as he is very responsive to them.
We always recommend post-adoption training whether it be at home or with a professional. Training doesn’t have to be a chore – it can be a fun experience for you both, it doesn’t have to take long & is a great way for you to bond with your new pal.
Play: Rikah has high-range energy needs & would benefit from exercise, play, or walks from 60mins+ a day to keep her healthy and content. Rikah likes to play with toys. She will play will all toys but can get bored - however if you were to play with her and the toy together then she will continue to play without getting bored. She also likes to go for walks, socialise with other dogs and enjoys personal play with her handlers and of course, she loves cuddles!
Rikah walks well on lead with minimal pulling - she will pull when there are things happening around her though. She is fine to be walked on either a harness or martingale.
Staff Comments: Rikah is a typical, young, life loving girl. she is smart and wants to learn and work but can get distracted easily. She wants lots of cuddles and love and will press her whole body against you as you pat her. She's clumsy and but funny and we adore her!
The 3-3-3 Rule of Adopting a Dog
Post Adoption Life: With all animals it’s important to understand that going into a new environment with new people may not be as seamless as we want it to be. It’s important to know that these animals have unknown histories - most are left in the shelter by their owners. The information we have is from observing the animal’s behaviours & reactions to certain stimuli whilst in our care. Adopted animals can take up to 3 months to properly decompress from post-shelter life & a lot of behaviours & quirks may surface during this time. All that we ask is that their new owners have an open mind & are patient.
