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Adopt Martina

Mixed Breed · Female

Martina is one and a half years old (as of 03/2026), and if you were to look up "free spirit" in the great encyclopedia of life, her picture would probably be right next to it. This strikingly beautiful, large female Mastin mix lives with our friends at "Mastines en la calle," and nothing is further from her mind than living in a kennel. Always on the move free-roaming, Martina organizes her own day. She comes for meals, occasionally collects a cuddle, but mostly she does what livestock guardian dogs have done for centuries: she guards the grounds, spending most of her time patrolling her territory and dozing alertly in the grass. Martina is not suited for families wanting a cuddly teddy bear that lounges on the couch. We certainly have specimens like that – please feel free to ask us if you're looking for a model that replaces a hot water bottle, duvet, and wood stove in winter (and a high-tech weighted blanket to boot) – but Martina will not be your future best friend. Our Martina needs space with a purpose. Ideally, she'd have a place where she can always decide for herself whether she wants to be indoors or outdoors. She will always be on watch – so if you can't live with a livestock guardian dog barking, you shouldn't choose Martina. On a farm with access to the house, on a large property, with neighbors who are glad to have a reliable sheriff in town, with people who will pet, feed, and love Martina while letting her do her job in peace – that's where we see this fantastic powerhouse. If you can imagine making Martina a job offer, showing her that it's still nice to swap the garden for a dog bed in the living room during winter and rain (although we can't guarantee Martina will want to learn that), if you yourself enjoy sitting in the grass, running your hands through soft, dense fur, if you want to gaze deeply relaxed at the sky with Martina, then we'd be absolutely delighted to hear from you soon!

Read original (de)

Martina ist eineinhalb Jahre alt (Stand 03/2026) und würde man im großen Lexikon des Lebens „Freigeist“ suchen, dann wäre wohl daneben ihr Bild zu sehen. Die bildhübsche und große Mastin-Mischlingsdame lebt bei unseren Freunden von „Mastines en la calle“, und nichts liegt ihr ferner, als ein Leben im Zwinger zu führen. Immer im Freilauf unterwegs, organisiert Martina ihren Tag selbst. Sie kommt zu den Mahlzeiten, holt sich auch hin und wieder eine Streicheleinheit ab, aber meist tut sie, was Herdenschutzhunde seit Jahrhunderten tun: Sie bewacht das Gelände und verbringt dabei die meiste Zeit mit dem Ablaufen ihres Territoriums und aufmerksamen Dösen im Gras. Martina ist nicht für Familien geeignet, die sich einen Kuschelteddy wünschen, der auf der Couch liegt. Solche Exemplare haben wir durchaus, Sie können uns gerne fragen, wenn Sie ein Modell suchen, das Ihnen im Winter Wärmflasche, Bettdecke und Holzofen ersetzt (und die hochmoderne Gewichtdecke gleich dazu) – aber Martina wird nicht Ihre zukünftige beste Freundin sein. Unsere Martina braucht Freiraum mit Aufgabe. Am liebsten hätte sie einen Platz, an dem sie immer selbst entscheiden kann, ob sie drin oder draußen sein möchte. Sie wird immer wachen – wer also nicht damit leben kann, dass ein Herdenschutzhund bellt, sollte sich auch nicht für Martina entscheiden. Auf einem Bauernhof mit Zugang zum Haus, auf einem großen Grundstück, mit Nachbarn, die sich freuen, dass ein zuverlässiger Sheriff in der Stadt ist, bei Menschen, die Martina streicheln, füttern, liebhaben und sie auch in Ruhe ihren Job machen lassen können – dort sehen wir dieses fantastische Kraftpaket. Wenn Sie sich vorstellen können, Martina ein Stellenangebot zu machen, Ihr zu zeigen, dass es aber trotzdem schön ist, im Winter und bei Regen den Garten mit einem Körbchen im Wohnzimmer zu tauschen (wobei wir nicht garantieren, dass Martina das lernen möchte), wenn Sie selbst gern im Gras sitzen und Ihre Hände durch weiches, dichtes Fell wandern lassen, wenn Sie tiefenentspannt mit Martina in den Himmel schauen wollen, dann freuen wir uns extrem, schon bald von Ihnen zu hören!

Size
Large
Age
Location
🇩🇪Gernsbach
Shelter
Tierschutzverein ARCA e.V.
Living with Martina
  • Good with kids
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Cared for by Tierschutzverein ARCA e.V. · GernsbachLearn about Mixed Breed

Listed 1 week ago

Bringing Martina home

What you'll need for Martina 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.

    View on Amazon
    €35–45
  2. 02
    Editor's pick

    Folding Wire Crate

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

    View on Amazon
    €50–80
  3. 03
    Legal · EU

    Car Seatbelt Tether

    Legally required in most EU countries for transporting dogs.

    View on Amazon
    €8–12
  4. 04

    Adaptil Calming Spray

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

    View on Amazon
    €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 Martina

What life with Martina looks like

Martina is a large adult mixed breed dog waiting at Tierschutzverein ARCA e.V. in Gernsbach.

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.

🇩🇪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.

Gernsbach, Germany browse more dogs in Germany.

Frequently asked

Adopting Martina, answered.

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