Size
(when grown) Large 61-100 lbs (28-45 kg)
Details
Good with dogs,
Story
Meet Sulley 🖤
4-Year-Old German Shepherd | Male
Sulley shouldn’t still love humans.
After everything they failed to give him—food, water, shelter, safety, kindness—you would understand if he didn’t. But somehow, Sulley’s heart survived everything his body endured.
Sulley came from a life of severe neglect. The kind of neglect that nearly cost him his life.
He lived outside, starving and painfully thin, without reliable access to food or water. He survived by digging through trash for whatever he could find. He chewed on soda cans and beer bottles. His ribs and spine protruded from his body, much of his fur was gone, and his skin was painfully itchy.
Then someone saw him. A Good Samaritan recognized just how badly Sulley needed help and convinced his owner to surrender him, changing the course of his life forever.
When Sulley first arrived in rescue, he was understandably shut down. After spending so long simply trying to survive, he didn’t know what to make of a world where food appeared in a bowl, water was always available, and people wanted nothing from him except to help.
But it didn’t take long for that big German Shepherd heart to start showing through.
Today, Sulley is gaining weight, his coat is growing back, and his skin is healing. More importantly, he's discovering what it feels like to be safe—and his personality is beginning to shine.
Sulley nuzzles into his people for snuggles, loves playing with toys, looks forward to his walks, and happily spills himself across his mega-king-size dog bed like he's finally realized that comfort is something he's allowed to have. ❤️
He's also learning all the routines that come with being a beloved indoor dog. Sulley is doing very well with potty training. He's had only a handful of accidents in foster care, primarily from excitement or while his foster was still learning his schedule and cues. Now that they've figured each other out, he's doing great.
Sulley hasn't needed a crate in his foster home. Although he willingly entered one when he first arrived, his irritated skin made getting comfortable difficult, so his foster gave him his own room instead. He's respected that space beautifully and has not been destructive. He sleeps comfortably in his room and has shown that he can settle without needing to be crated.
He's also been working with a trainer and recently had a fantastic training session. Sulley is proving that he's ready to learn, and his trainer is even willing to continue working with him once he finds his forever family—giving his adopters an opportunity to continue building on the progress he's already made.
Despite everything he endured, Sulley remains incredibly sweet and people-oriented. He has done well with other dogs and has been non-reactive around cats, although he has not lived with cats in a home, so we would still recommend thoughtful introductions.
Sulley still has some physical healing and weight to gain, but when you look at him today, you see so much more than the neglect he survived. You see a resilient, affectionate German Shepherd who is discovering toys, walks, soft beds, full meals, training, companionship—and all the ordinary things that every dog should have known from the beginning.
Sulley has already learned what it means to survive.
Now we want him to learn what it means to belong.
He's looking for someone who will continue giving him consistency, patience, enrichment, and the security he's only recently discovered. Someone who will make sure he never wonders where his next meal is coming from. Someone who will give him a soft place to sleep, gentle hands to nuzzle into, and the time and guidance he needs to keep becoming the incredible dog we're already seeing.
Most of all, Sulley is waiting for the person who finally gets to tell him:
You're home. You never have to survive again. 🖤🐾
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If you’re interested in adopting, please apply online at mscrescue.org/adopt. Once approved, we’ll work with you to ensure it’s a great fit—and if it’s not, no worries! We’ll help you find the right match.
All of our dogs are adoption-ready and come:
•️ Spayed or neutered
•️ Heartworm tested
•️ Dewormed
•️ Up-to-date on prevention medications
•️ Up-to-date on age-appropriate vaccines
•️ Microchipped
•️ With a coupon for a free Simply Dub collar from Dubdog Designs
