Personality:
- Loves to cuddle on the couch.
- Plays well solo, with people and other dogs.
- Enjoys bones the most, squeakers are a very close second, crinkle toys and ones he can shake and throw, honestly, he loves them all.
- Doesn’t completely understand fetch, but we’re getting there.
- Very curious about my 14-year-old cat, likes to follow the cat around and whimper when it is hissing at him.

Training:
- Very easy to train.
- Picks up on commands quickly.
- Small treats work during training.
- Already knows sit, come, down, bed and up; we are working on stay and lay down.
- He knows he cannot go through entrances first; he always waits until he is told he can come in. This is important as he is young but already very big, don’t want him plowing people over in doorways.
- Snapping fingers works to get his attention, to recall him so he is back on track.
- Has good recall but is always on a leash outside of the yard

Other:
- Does very well on the leash with a harness, has been picking on queues during walks very well, doesn’t pull but has a hard time deciding which side he walks on
- Kenneled during the day when I’m at work, does not destroy the bed or toys placed in the kennel with him, will cry & bark for a couple minutes but will just lay down and wait for you to come home.
- Potty Training is on-going. He gets distracted when there are bunnies in the yard, but we don’t go back to the house until business is finished. I have bells on the patio door; we are working on how he communicates his need to go potty. Once he has a way to tell us this need, he will be good to go.
- At night, I give him a couple of toys, shut the bedroom door and he will play for a little more night, but he very quickly is ready to snuggle and go to sleep. He’s never had an accident at night; he wakes me up with kisses when he has to go.
- He is not food aggressive, I can put my hand in the bowl, the food away, pet him, another dog can shove their head in his bowl, and he does not react. I always make him sit before putting the bowl down, he’s gotten so good that I don’t have to give the command, he’s already sitting when I turn around with the food.
- During the day he follows me around the house as any shepherd I’ve had does; he’s simply happy to be involved in whatever activity you are doing. If its time to relax on the couch, he will either play with his toys – which is sometimes more entertaining than anything on TV the way he throws his toys around and pounces on them or gets up close and tight for some snuggles and cuddles. I would say he is more of a couch potato that just wants love. When there is another dog in the house, he will play until the other dog stops or they’ve tired each other out. He listens well when told to stop if everyone is going a little hard and crazy.
- On the days I work, he always gets a good long walk in on the greenway and he’s still a couch potato if I’m exhausted – but will jump up to be ready for anything at any time.
- While mowing the lawn, he isn’t afraid of the mower, he just hangs out on the deck, sun-bathing or chewing on a bone.
- At 48-hrs he received his first bath, he was a little nervous with the new experience but coped very well with some gentle measurement that he’s okay and that he’s a good boy. We went to the Red Hydrant to use their baths, were shampooed & conditioned 4 times to work through all the mats he had and fell asleep during the 3 hours of blow drying.
- First time at the vet, he was nervous, peed a little once but didn’t bark, whine, growl or snap, just buried his head into my chest or arms and stayed very calm.
- Oscar warms up to women quickly, is cautious of men but not aggressive, will simply dodge their pets, walk away and or sit behind me for protection.
- I can touch all his paws, pull ticks off his neck and out of his ears without any problems. He is a very good dog; the easiest foster I have had in the ten years I have been doing this. Being calm, patient, giving positive reinforcement and loving reassurance is all he needs, and he will be the most loyal companion you have ever had.