How do I contact the shelter about Harry?

Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. Tierheim Hamburg handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Harry on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.

Can I adopt Harry if I live in another country?

Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — Tierheim Hamburg will tell you what they need (EU pet passport, rabies titer, transport coordination) and whether they handle transport themselves or refer you to a partner. Plan for an extra €100–€350 in transport costs depending on distance.

Is Harry already vetted, vaccinated, and chipped?

Most dogs on TailHarbor leave their shelter with sterilization, current vaccinations, microchip ID, and an EU pet passport included in the adoption fee. The vet status on this page reflects what the shelter has reported — ask them directly if you need details on specific vaccines, recent bloodwork, or chronic conditions.

What happens if Harry isn't the right fit?

Every reputable rescue accepts an animal back if the adoption genuinely doesn't work — that's part of the standard contract. Talk it through with Tierheim Hamburg early rather than rehoming privately; they know Harry and can place them more successfully than a second-hand listing can.

Why does the description sometimes read awkwardly?

TailHarbor translates shelter descriptions into English from the source language (DE). Translation is imperfect — names of streets, donors, and shelter-specific terms occasionally slip through unidiomatically. For the cleanest read, click the source link to see the shelter's original page.

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Available

Harry

German Shepherd · Male · Adult · 8 years

- friendly with familiar people - be cautious with strangers - not suitable for children - not suitable for cats or other small animals - only as a single dog - dog experience necessary - muzzle recommended - good basic obedience - walks on leash - reacts strongly to movement triggers Harry came to us as a last resort, as his previous owner could no longer care for him. The beginning with Harry was very difficult. He reacted strongly to movement triggers and every attempt to leash him and the stimuli of the environment overwhelmed him, leading to attacks and aggressive behavior. Through intensive training, Harry has now become much more relaxed in many situations. He enjoys cuddle sessions and small training sessions with his familiar animal caretakers - and he now also has several regular walk companions who take wonderful excursions with him. Harry is characteristically a typical German Shepherd: very loyal to his person, but needs this person as an anchor to navigate daily life with the many environmental stimuli. Harry has good basic obedience and a willingness to cooperate, but currently lacks the necessary control in highly stimulating situations (especially during dog encounters without enough space). Ideally, Harry would have a home with a lot of peace, structure, and a confident person to look to without too much stress and noise around. Life in the animal shelter stresses Harry immensely - and unfortunately, he reacts to stress with stereotypical spinning and tail-biting. During one such episode, Harry unfortunately injured himself so badly that his tail had to be amputated. Through further measures, such as moving locations and changing the daily routine, we have managed to address some of the issues. However, only a home with his people will ultimately help Harry. Until we find a family for Harry, we are happy to welcome compassionate people who can take on a sponsorship for him. Privacy policy: For the video, data from YouTube servers are loaded and may include personal data transmission. Walks well on a leash.

DE·Show original

- freundlich mit Bezugsmenschen - Vorsicht mit Fremden - nicht zu Kindern - nicht zu Katzen oder anderen Kleintieren - nur als Einzelhund - Hundeerfahrung notwendig - Maulkorb empfohlen - Grundgehorsam vorhanden - läuft leinenführig - reagiert stark auf Bewegungsreize Harry kam als Sicherstellung zu uns, da sich sein früherer Halter nicht mehr um ihn kümmern konnte. Der Anfang mit Harry war sehr schwer. Er reagierte stark auf Bewegungsreize und jedes Anleinen und die Reize der Umgebung überforderten ihn und führten zu Attacken und aggressivem Verhalten. Durch intensives Training ist Harry mittlerweile in vielen Situationen deutlich entspannter geworden. Er genießt Kuscheleinheiten und kleine Trainings mit seinen Bezugstierpflegerinnen - und er hat mittlerweile auch mehrere Gassigehende, die tolle Ausflüge mit ihm unternehmen. Harry ist charakterlich ein typischer Schäferhund: Seinem Menschen gegenüber sehr loyal, braucht er diesen jedoch auch als Anker, um im Alltag mit den vielen Umweltreizen klarzukommen. Harry hat einen guten Grundgehorsam und Kooperationswillen, lediglich bei zu starker Reizlage (insbesondere bei Hundebegegnungen ohne ausreichend Platz) fehlt ihm aktuell noch die nötige Beherrschung. Idealerweise gibt es für Harry ein Zuhause mit viel Ruhe, Struktur und einem souveränen Menschen, an dem er sich orientieren kann, ohne zu viel Stress und Lärm drumherum. Das Leben im Tierheim stresst Harry enorm - und leider reagiert er mit stereotypem Drehen und Schwanzbeißen auf Stress. Bei einem solchen Anfall hat sich Harry leider selbst so ungünstig verletzt, dass seine Rute anschließend kupiert werden musste. Durch weitere Maßnahmen, wie Ortswechsel und Veränderung der Tagesstruktur konnten wir hier erste Probleme lösen. Auf Dauer hilft Harry jedoch nur ein eigenes Zuhause mit seinen Menschen! Bis wir eine Familie für Harry gefunden haben, freuen wir uns über tierliebe Menschen, die eine Patenschaft für ihn übernehmen.

Size

Large

Age

Adult · 8 years

Location

🇩🇪Hamburg

Shelter

Tierheim Hamburg

Living with Harry

✕Good with dogs
✕Good with cats
✕Good with kids
✕Has special needs

Cared for by Tierheim Hamburg · Hamburg Learn about German Shepherd →

More dogs in Hamburg →More dogs in Germany →

Listed 3 months ago

Bringing Harry home

What you'll need for Harry in week one.

Hand-picked · prices indicative

§ Affiliate links · TailHarbor earns a small commission, no extra cost to you.

About Harry

What life with Harry looks like

Harry is a large adult german shepherd dog waiting at Tierheim Hamburg in Hamburg.

An adult dog fits most household rhythms once the first couple of weeks of adjustment pass. A larger dog like this one needs daily off-leash time when possible — a fenced yard or regular access to safe walking trails. Plan a "decompression fortnight" — quiet routine, no visitors, no off-leash adventures — to let them settle.

Note from the shelter: Requires muzzle recommendation, stress-induced stereotypic behavior, tail was amputated due to self-injury, needs quiet environment with minimal stimulation

🇩🇪Adopting from Germany

German rescues typically require an in-person home visit (Vorkontrolle) or detailed video home check before approving adoption. Animals leave the shelter sterilized, microchipped, and with a valid EU pet passport. Adoption fees usually fall between €250 and €450, covering veterinary preparation.

Hamburg, Germany — browse more dogs in Germany.

Frequently asked

Adopting Harry, answered.

How do I contact the shelter about Harry?: Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. Tierheim Hamburg handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Harry on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.
Can I adopt Harry if I live in another country?: Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — Tierheim Hamburg will tell you what they need (EU pet passport, rabies titer, transport coordination) and whether they handle transport themselves or refer you to a partner. Plan for an extra €100–€350 in transport costs depending on distance.
Is Harry already vetted, vaccinated, and chipped?: Most dogs on TailHarbor leave their shelter with sterilization, current vaccinations, microchip ID, and an EU pet passport included in the adoption fee. The vet status on this page reflects what the shelter has reported — ask them directly if you need details on specific vaccines, recent bloodwork, or chronic conditions.
What happens if Harry isn't the right fit?: Every reputable rescue accepts an animal back if the adoption genuinely doesn't work — that's part of the standard contract. Talk it through with Tierheim Hamburg early rather than rehoming privately; they know Harry and can place them more successfully than a second-hand listing can.
Why does the description sometimes read awkwardly?: TailHarbor translates shelter descriptions into English from the source language (DE). Translation is imperfect — names of streets, donors, and shelter-specific terms occasionally slip through unidiomatically. For the cleanest read, click the source link to see the shelter's original page.