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Adopt Ivy

Pit Bull Terrier · Female · Adult · 5 years

Ivy has narrowly escaped death several times. Here we see an example of a dog that, unfortunately, was not given the optimal conditions for a fulfilling dog's life. At six weeks old, she was illegally imported from Bulgaria to Germany, and until her sixth month of life, she had to spend her time chained up in the dirt in a garden. Initially, she only knew one thing: to attack every human. There were endless attacks because she could only rely on herself. There was no one else she could trust. She became a victim of social and emotional neglect at a very formative and important age. Whoever now breaks through her "protective armor" is rewarded with unconditional trust. She enjoys being close to "her person" and has developed into a reliable companion who also watches out for her handler during dog encounters. Even when meeting cats, she shows appropriate behavior. In encounters with small, barking dogs, it can happen that she reacts somewhat overwhelmed, but this behavior can be managed well. She shows a clear aversion to being touched or quickly approached by strangers. She often spends her breaks with the entire team and behaves passively, meaning she switches off, relaxes, and pays little attention to her surroundings. However, Ivy also exhibits pronounced food aggression, except toward her closest primary caregiver. Status and relationships are generally the magic words for her. In direct contact with other dogs, she is absolutely incompatible; this is due to her genetics. Due to an ear margin necrosis, Ivy's ear tips had to be docked. Ivy is classified as dangerous in some federal states due to her breed. This means that she must wear a muzzle and in some municipalities, a higher dog tax applies.

Read original (de)

Ivy hat schon einige Male knapp dem Tod entrinnen können. Hier sehen wir ein Beispiel für einen Hund, dem leider nicht die optimalen Voraussetzungen für ein erfülltes Hundeleben geboten wurden. Mit sechs Wochen wurde sie von Bulgarien nach Deutschland illegal importiert, und bis zu ihrem sechsten Lebensmonat musste sie in einem Garten im Dreck an einer Kette verbringen.Zu Anfang kannte sie nur eines: Angriff auf jeden Menschen. Es gab nur Attacken ohne Ende. Denn verlassen, konnte sie sich nur auf sich selbst. Es gab niemanden sonst, auf den sie sich verlassen konnte. Sie ist in einem sehr prägenden und wichtigen Alter Opfer einer sozialen und emotionalen Verwahrlosung geworden.Wer jetzt durch ihren „Schutzpanzer“ durchkommt, dem schenkt sie bedingungsloses Vertrauen. Sie genießt die Nähe zu „ihrem Menschen“ und hat sich zu einer zuverlässigen Begleiterin entwickelt, die auch bei Hundebegegnungen gut auf ihren Hundeführer achtet. Selbst bei Begegnungen mit Katzen zeigt sie ein angemessenes Verhalten.Bei Begegnungen mit kleinen, pöbelnden Hunden kann es durchaus vorkommen, dass sie etwas überfordert reagiert. Allerdings lässt sich dieses Verhalten gut managen.Sie zeigt eine deutliche Abneigung gegen Berührungen oder eine schnelle Annäherung durch fremde Personen. Sie verbringt die Pausen häufiger mit dem gesamten Team und verhält sich dabei passiv, d.h. sie schaltet ab, entspannt sich und nimmt wenig Notiz von ihrer Umgebung.Ivy zeigt allerdings auch eine ausgeprägte Futteraggression, außer gegenüber ihrer engsten Bezugsperson. Status und Beziehung sind bei ihr generell die Zauberworte. Im direkten Kontakt mit Hunden ist sie absolut unverträglich, hier kommt die Genetik durch. Aufgrund einer Ohrrandnekrose mussten Ivys Ohrspitzen kupiert werden. Ivy ist aufgrund ihrer Rasse in einigen Bundesländern als gefährlich eingestuft. Das bedeutet, sie muss einen Maulkorb tragen und in manchen Gemeinden fällt eine erhöhte Hundesteuer an. Als zukünftiger Halter sollten Sie best

Size
Age
Adult · 5 years
Location
🇩🇪Ludwigshafen/Rheim
Shelter
Tierheim Ludwigshafen
Living with Ivy
  • Spayed
  • Good with dogs
  • Good with cats
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Cared for by Tierheim Ludwigshafen · Ludwigshafen/RheimLearn about Pit Bull Terrier

Listed 6 days ago

Bringing Ivy home

What you'll need for Ivy in week one.

Hand-picked · prices indicative

  1. 01
    Required by most shelters

    Trixie Transport Box

    Sturdy plastic carrier — what most shelters require for pickup.

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    €35–45
  2. 02
    Editor's pick

    Folding Wire Crate

    First-week safe space. Shelter dogs settle faster with a crate.

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    €50–80
  3. 03
    Legal · EU

    Car Seatbelt Tether

    Legally required in most EU countries for transporting dogs.

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    €8–12
  4. 04

    Adaptil Calming Spray

    Dog-specific pheromone diffuser. Worth it for the trip home.

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    €18–25
  5. 05

    Orthopaedic Dog Bed

    Worth the upgrade — rescues often have joint issues from kennels.

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    €30–60
  6. 06
    Safer than a collar

    Padded Y-Front Harness

    Escape-proof for spooky rescues. Safer than a collar in week one.

    View on Amazon
    €20–35

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About Ivy

What life with Ivy looks like

Ivy is a adult pit bull terrier dog waiting at Tierheim Ludwigshafen in Ludwigshafen/Rheim.

An adult dog fits most household rhythms once the first couple of weeks of adjustment pass. Two reasonable walks a day plus play time is usually enough. Plan a "decompression fortnight" — quiet routine, no visitors, no off-leash adventures — to let them settle.

🇩🇪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.

Ludwigshafen/Rheim, Germany browse more dogs in Germany.

Frequently asked

Adopting Ivy, answered.

How do I contact the shelter about Ivy?
Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. Tierheim Ludwigshafen handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Ivy on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.
Can I adopt Ivy if I live in another country?
Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — Tierheim Ludwigshafen 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 Ivy 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 Ivy 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 Ludwigshafen early rather than rehoming privately; they know Ivy 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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Adopt Ivy — 5yo Pit Bull Terrier in Ludwigshafen/Rheim | TailHarbor