Adopting a German Shepherd in Glasgow: rescues, rules and costs

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every German Shepherd and German Shepherd cross listed with us within about 41 miles of Glasgow, with a link to the rescue that has each dog. None of the dog rescues we list is in the city, and German Shepherds are uncommon among them, so contact the two breed charities below as well.

German Shepherd Rescue Scotland sets out general conditions. Several catch city homes, so check them before you apply:

• Upstairs flats. It doesn't rehome to applicants in upstairs flats, citing problems with neighbours and with the dog's hips.
• No secure garden. It needs your own secure garden, which it defines as fully fenced with fencing and gates of 6 feet, and it doesn't rehome to shared gardens.
• Cats and young children. It does not rehome with cats, or to families with children under 10.
• Long days alone. No dog that would be left longer than 3 to 4 hours on a daily basis.
• Guarding and breeding. No dog used for guarding or bred from.

Neither Scottish breed charity publishes a fee amount on the pages we read, so ask when the volunteer calls. Budget for neutering as well: German Shepherd Rescue Scotland can't neuter before adoption, so you sign an agreement to have it done within 6 months, or as soon as feasible, and show evidence. Some dogs were already neutered by their previous owner.

Part of what you pay a breeder for is health-tested parents, and Blue Cross notes that a puppy from a health-screened litter costs more upfront. Either way, PDSA puts the cost of setting up a large dog at £560, first vaccinations and neutering included, and the running cost at £116 a month or more. A rescue adult seldom comes with health papers, but its rescue knows how it behaves day to day, and no breeder can tell you that about a puppy.

The hips, the elbows and the back legs are where UK breed sources focus. When you meet a dog, watch it walk and trot, and ask what a vet has already found.

• Hips and elbows. The bare minimum The Royal Kennel Club asks of German Shepherd breeders is hip and elbow scoring under the BVA/KC schemes, because "evidence indicates these conditions are a significant concern in the breed".
• Spine and eyes. Its best practice list goes further, with eye testing and a DNA test for degenerative myelopathy (DM), which affects the spinal cord.
• Hind legs and nerves. Show judges are told by The Royal Kennel Club's Breed Watch to watch for poor rear movement, incorrect hind conformation and a nervous temperament.

More than two hours of exercise a day and a large house with a large garden: that is how The Royal Kennel Club sizes up this large breed. Dogs Trust describes German Shepherds as typically high-energy, needing daily walks, room to explore and play, and training, and warns that their thick coats shed a lot.

German Shepherd Rescue Scotland is blunter still: "If you don't own a pair of walking boots then a German Shepherd is not the dog for you." It says the breed is very vocal and naturally protective of family and home, so think about the neighbours, that a bored German Shepherd can be very destructive, and that training classes and socialisation are a must. It also says many of the dogs handed in to it never had basic training, stimulation and the correct amount of exercise, and that some adopted dogs come back because the new owner hasn't attended training classes, so expect to put in the work.

No rescue sells a German Shepherd. You apply, the rescue picks a dog that suits your home, and you pay an adoption fee or donation. Rescue puppies are few, so keep an open mind about an adult dog.

Watch for adverts using rescue dogs' photos: German Shepherd Rescue Scotland says it does not place ads on Gumtree or anywhere else, and asks to be told about suspicious listings that use pictures of its dogs. If you buy, The Royal Kennel Club runs a "Find a puppy" service, and Dogs Trust suggests talking to your vet first. Ask the breeder for both parents' hip and elbow results. A "white German Shepherd" may be a White Swiss Shepherd Dog, which The Royal Kennel Club recognises as a separate breed. Police Scotland advises against paying for anything you haven't seen, and takes reports of online marketplace fraud.