Bienne German Shepherd Dog Chicago, IL

Miss Bienne (Female, German Shepherd Dog, spayed, born November 2015) was severely neglected. For years, neighbors would request wellness checks on her, but her owners would stash her at other people’s houses to hide her from animal control during the check-ups. Finally, the owners agreed to relinquish Bienne to GSR. Her previous owners failed to take her to the vet or provide basic care, so when GSR stepped in to rescue her, she was in rough shape. Bienne was infested with fleas and ticks and had hair loss from flea dermatitis, ehrlichiosis from the tick bites, fractured teeth, skin tags, multiple parasites, ear infections, and a general state of weakness and malnourishment.

Thankfully, with a lot of special love and care from GSR and Bienne’s foster mom, Bienne is much better today. Her ailments are gone, her fur has grown back, and she’s thriving in her foster home. The x-rays from her surgery did reveal hip dysplasia, considered severe on her left side. She sits funny and prefers to lay down if not engaged in activity, but she doesn’t let it stop her one bit. She saw a specialist for an evaluation on her hips, and he indicated that surgery was not recommended and that her condition is best described as “quiet hips.” This means that she does anatomically have hip dysplasia but the issue doesn’t seem to bother her (it went “quiet” after it developed). As a result, she will always need to maintain a lean and healthy weight to avoid undue pressure on her hips, and she’ll need to continue to take joint supplements on an ongoing basis (est. $30/month over-the-counter). She still has two fractured teeth that, again, don’t seem to bother her, so they should continue to be monitored for changes. Bienne is up-to-date with her heartworm and flea/tick preventatives.

Bienne is house-trained and crate-trained. She has mild separation anxiety- nothing destructive, but she will howl at first when left in her crate alone with no one home. She loves being around her people, and is very affectionate with them as well. Hence, she would prefer a home where her people are home a lot of the time. Bienne walks gently on a leash and rides very well in the car. She knows basic commands and is a professional at the doggie self-wash.


She is not recommended for a home with cats. She has displayed good behavior around other neighborhood dogs, so with a proper introduction, she should be good with other dogs. Very small children are not recommended, but older children should be fine. She has great house manners and is well-socialized.

Bienne is a very respectful work-from-home companion, typically napping away the afternoon. She loves her squeaky toys, playing catch in the backyard, and tummy rubs. Due to her hips, she would not be recommended as a jogging or agility partner, but she is more than capable of going on walks and engaging in general play. She would prefer a living situation without a ton of frequent stairs just in case her hips give her trouble later in life.

Bienne is a sweet, affectionate, and calm shepherd that has come such a long way from her neglected past. If you are looking for companionship with a gentle adult dog, please inquire about Miss Bienne. She so deserves that forever home that will spoil her.