This is Jasper he is a German Shepherd Cross and therefore makes it onto the restricted breed list here in Ireland.
Jasper was rescued along with his 3 sisters by Cara Rescue Dogs after been dumped and left for dead on the streets. Robyn and Aaron took Jasper and his his sister Nova in, fostering them from the age of 8 weeks old. Nova found her forever home quick enough but 8 months later and Jasper was still without his. It was at this moment in time Robyn and Aaron became failed foster parents, decided their lives weren’t complete without Jasper and adopted him themselves.
Jasper is now 18 months old and he really is a big softie! He seems acutely aware of his size and when greeting me (unlike my own dog) he didn’t attempt to jump out or bound at me with all of his energy but he calmly walked on over to me, nudged his head into my hand and sat there waiting for cuddles. Jasper really is incredibly smart and so well tuned in to his surroundings, he really doesn’t miss a trick, which in the studio, worked very well for him overindulging in a variety of treats but not so well when trying to get some snaps of the boy – he knew the quickest way to get the treats and he certainly used it to his advantage making us all work that bit harder on the bribery front.
Jasper definitely takes after both of his older fur siblings, Missy and Koby (the Akitas that were also part of this project). Jasper idolises his big sister Missy and it is clear to see why when it was Missy who took Jasper under her wing when he was a pup, treating him as one of her own and showing him the ropes. Missy helped to build Jasper’s confidence after his rough start in life. And, just like his older bro Koby, Jasper is very chilled, laid back and independent; happy enough doing things on his own and getting some much needed alone time. Jasper, Koby and Missy are the perfect fit together, each of them helping to bring out the best in each other’s personalities.
Due to having three restricted breeds, Robyn and Aaron have had their fair share of hurtful comments. They can’t go on a walk without getting funny looks or smart remarks and it really isn’t fair. If people knew about Jaspers past and how his older fur-siblings had helped shape him into being the gentle soul he is today, I’m sure they’d think twice before judging.
This is Jasper, he is a sensitive soul at heart who is so incredibly well-behaved and amazing around both other dogs and people. So please, if you see Jasper, Koby and Missy out and about why not make Robyn and Aaron’s day, go over to greet them all and give the dogs some attention or even just make a nice comment as you pass by – if I’ve learned anything from this project so far, it is that a simple kind remark really goes a long way. It’s not easy being an owner of a restricted breed.
#germanshepherd #therestrictedproject #dontbullymybreed#spreadthelove #pawsitivity
