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Max

Mixed Breed · Male · Puppy · 4 months

Max and his brother Moritz are two of our trouble cases, whose tragic fate stands for so many dogs in Romania. Can we together rewrite their story? The two were born as puppies to a cautious, timid female dog on the streets of Romania. One of their littermates died, and they repeatedly experienced being chased away. Their mother taught them early on to avoid people, which they quickly internalized. When they were finally captured, so that their mother could be spayed and this life could be spared for future generations of puppies, they naturally remained very shy. They are now about half a year old and have grown into cheerful, playful young dogs with each other. They also get along well with other dogs. However, they never completely lost their shyness towards people. They are not fearfully dogs, they happily run around in our presence, but show little interest in us. Occasionally, they are curious, come closer and look. However, if we change our position, they find us immediately scary and make this loudly known. The local animal protectors who know them and care for them daily can touch them, which gives us great hope that the two can also settle into a home and gain trust in their family. What the two need is a home separately from each other, ideally next to a confident first dog, who shows them that humans are really nice creatures. They need time and patience, experienced people without big demands, who want to slowly show them that it's worth joining us. How long this process will take, we don't know. We assume that they will always have problems with new people, but they can and want to learn that humans are not the scary bipeds they have always thought they were. The two belong in a quiet household without children, with a well-fenced garden, where they can slowly and at their own pace, but with gentle insistence, learn to explore the world with their people. They have experienced so much in their young lives and we very much wish for them that their story is not already written now and that they do not have a future in the shelter waiting for them.

DE·Show original

Max und sein Bruder Moritz sind zwei unserer Sorgenkinder, deren tragisches Schicksal stellvertretend für so viele Hunde in Rumäniens steht. Können wir gemeinsam ihre Geschichte neu schreiben? Die beiden wurden als Welpen einer vorsichtigen, ängstlichen Hündin in den Straßen Rumäniens geboren. Eins ihrer Geschwisterchen starb und sie machten immer wieder die Erfahrung, davongejagt zu werden. Ihre Mutter brachte ihnen früh bei, dass sie die Menschen meiden sollten und dies verinnerlichten sie schnell. Als sie endlich eingefangen werden konnten, damit ihre Mutter kastriert und dieses Leben weiteren Generationen von Welpen erspart werden konnten, zeigten sie sich verständlicherweise weiterhin sehr scheu. Mittlerweile sind sie ca. ein halbes Jahr alt und untereinander zu fröhlichen, verspielten Junghunden herangewachsen. Auch mit anderen Hunden verstehen sie sich gut. Die Scheu vor Menschen konnten sie jedoch nie ganz ablegen. Sie sind keine Angsthunde, tollen auch in unserer Anwesenheit fröhlich umher, zeigen aber kaum Interesse an uns. Gelegentlich sind sie neugierig, kommen näher heran und schauen. Ändern wir jedoch unsere Position, finden sie uns direkt wieder gruselig und tun dies lautstark kund. Die Tierschützerinnen vor Ort, die sie kennen und täglich betreuen, können sie anfassen, was uns große Hoffnung macht, dass die beiden sich auch in einem Zuhause einleben und in ihrer Familie Vertrauen fassen können. Was die beiden benötigen, ist ein Zuhause getrennt voneinander, idealerweise an der Seite eines souveränen Ersthundes, der ihnen zeigt, dass Menschen wirklich nette Geschöpfe sind. Sie benötigen Zeit und Geduld, erfahrene Menschen ohne große Ansprüche, die ihnen sehr langsam zeigen möchten, dass es sich lohnt, sich uns anzuschließen. Wie lange dieser Prozess dauern wird, wissen wir nicht. Wir vermuten, dass sie mit neuen Menschen immer Probleme haben werden, aber durchaus lernen können und wollen, dass Menschen nicht die gruseligen Zweibeiner sind, für die sie sie immer gehalten haben. Die beiden gehören in einen ruhigen Haushalt ohne Kinder, mit einem gut eingezäunten Garten, in dem sie langsam und in ihrem Tempo, aber mit sanftem Nachdruck lernen können, die Welt mit ihren Menschen zu erkunden. Sie haben so viel erlebt in ihren jungen Leben und wir wünschen uns sehr für sie, dass ihre Geschichte nicht jetzt schon geschrieben ist und sie nicht eine Zukunft im Shelter erwartet.

Size
Medium
Age
Puppy · 4 months
Location
🇩🇪Hemer
Shelter
Friends for Life Germany e.V.
Living with Max
  • Neutered
  • Good with kids
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Cared for by Friends for Life Germany e.V. · HemerLearn about Mixed Breed

Listed 1 month ago

Bringing Max home

What you'll need for Max 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.

    View on Amazon
    €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 Max

What life with Max looks like

Max is a medium-sized puppy/kitten mixed breed dog waiting at Friends for Life Germany e.V. in Hemer.

Puppies need routine, gentle socialization, and roughly two short outings a day for the first year. The first six months are the formative window — house-training, leash work, and quiet exposure to traffic, other dogs, and unfamiliar people happen now or not at all. Expect early-morning wake-ups and a few months of chewing.

🇩🇪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.

Hemer, Germany browse more dogs in Germany.

Frequently asked

Adopting Max, answered.

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