19/07/25 – Unfortunately Max began having trouble walking and went off his hind legs. The vet was called out but unfortunately nothing could be done and Max went to sleep peacefully. Rest easy lovely boy.
Max is an 11 years old white German Shepherd cross possibly Maremma or Pyrenean who came into Oldies Club care in May 2023 after being moved from place to place after the death of his owner. He is a rather large boy weighing in at 62kg at last check. We have ensured with the vet that he is not overweight and he is stocky.
He took a while to settle and at first was very frightened and a bit nervous-growly, but once settled his wonderful, affectionate nature came through. Unfortunately Max’s coat had not been well maintained which resulted in becoming heavy and full of matts. Naturally this was very uncomfortable for poor Max and he wasnt happy to be handled by a groomer. When a dog this size isnt happy we had to choose an alternative course as his coat had to come off. With agreement with the vet Max was knocked out and shaved down. This would allow his fosterers to keep on top of his fur’s grooming needs as it grew back. Thankfully the clipping didnt impact the texture of the hair and it has grown back nicely.
Max suffered quite badly with chronic ear infections and skin issues so was prescribed with ear drops and Apoquel to make him feel more comfortable. He has a number of cysts on his body but nothing needs to be done with these. Max was later diagnosed with irritable bowel disorder so was placed on special diet.
Initially Max was put up for rehoming but most likely due to his size and the costs involved with his medication and special food he didnt receive any suitable interest. Due to this Oldies Club made the decision to place him in our sponsor dog scheme which means he will remain at his lovely foster home where he is beginning to feel safe on a permanent basis, with the charity paying his vet & food bills for the rest of his lives.
Max loves a car journey but is very frightened of being crated, so travelling in the boot behind a dog guard or on the seat with a car harness is how he travels. Max loves walks, particularly when they involve water, such as a dip in a stream or pond. He needs to be kept away from livestock. He’s walked on a long lead.
Max is definitely not cat friendly. Normally he walks well on lead which meant his fosterer was not prepared for his reaction on seeing one which resulted in him pulling her over and dragging her towards the feline. Thankfully she saw the funny side of this and will be better prepared next time they happen to come across another cat.
Max is good with children and is friends with the fosterers’ grandchildren.
As well as being scared of the groomers Max is very frightened of the vets, but better if seen in the waiting room rather then the confines of a small consulting room. As he has suffered with ear problems for a long time he fears being hurt. His fosterers have gained his trust and can carefully clean his ears and also brush his long coat. This is where the treats come in handy as Max is very food motivated.
As noticeable in his photos Max adores toys especially soft ones.
