Being a progeny of the German Shepherd and the Labrador Retriever, the Labrashepherd, German Sheprador, or the Shepradors can inherit the personality trait of either of its parents, though we have seen some that would combine the two. However, generally, the pup is friendly, affectionate, outgoing, energetic, and loves to bond with family. We explore the traits and challenges inherent in the Sheprador dog breed and how to handle them if you happen to bring one home.
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History
There is a belief among experts that it is most likely that the Sheprador has been in existence for a very long time owing to accidental crossbreeding. However, the intentional breeding projects by designer breeders started during the 1990s when they began mixing labs with German Shepherds in North America.
Apart from being part of the rising trend for what is referred to as designer dogs, the calculated cross-breeding of the German Shepherd and the Labrador retriever was equally intended to serve other purposes. For one, it will help reduce health issues prevalent among purebreds and create a robust canine that will also incorporate the preferred traits of the two breeds.
The project resulted in a desirable designer breed that could be used as a watchdog and a fun family pet. Presently, Shepradors have earned the recognition of the International Designer Canine Registry and the Dog Registry of America. Also called the Labrashepherd and German Sheprador, a majority of the puppies of the German Shepherd Lab mix are first-generation cross-breeds; what this means is that they all have one parent of each pure-bred (pedigree). Thus, their coat colors and physical looks lack ‘standard’ appearance
Physical Appearance And Personality Traits
The coats of the German Sheprador often occur in a mix of their Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd parents’ coats and colors. Majorly, the Shepradors are realized in black, red, white, cream, grey, and blue coats which may be solid or come with a mixture of colors.
You can make an excellent family watchdog and companion out of your German Sheprador. The pupster is naturally protective and never fails to alert you whenever a stranger is in the vicinity. Strangers make the dog go aloof but once it becomes your friend, the Sheprador will count you like family.
Their pedigree consists of a couple of working breeds: while their Lab parents function as a guide and hunting dogs, the breed’s GS parent work as police, military, as well as guard dogs. Thus, the German Shepradors are working dogs that must be provided with something to do; this gives the dog a sense of purpose.
A trainable pup that thrives on positive reinforcement, Shepradors suffer from separation anxiety. Leaving them alone for long may well result in boredom frustration, and depression, and within a short while unpalatable behaviors will set in.
The pup is quite heavy, weighing as much as 88 pounds and measuring u to 26 inches in height.
Health
Being a descendant of both the Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd, the Sheprador is prone to the same health issues that are prevalent in the two breeds. While the majority are generally healthy, we have seen many that suffer from certain health issues including:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- digestive issues (diarrhea and bloat)
Temperament
Labs are known to be friendly, outgoing, affectionate, and active. They love interacting with people and are great with children. The GS is courageous, confident, smart, loyal as well as full of life. Both the Labs and GS are usually eager to please and also learn very fast. In particular, the GS needs to channel its natural intelligence into productive activities; otherwise, they try to prevent boredom by getting into mischief.
With that said, it is obvious that a German Shepherd Lab mix may likely display any of the parent’s traits or a combination. Whichever may be the case, early and proper socialization goes a long way in dog training.
Feeding
A German Sheprador should be fed the kind of diet formulated for larger breeds of dogs with very high energy levels. Since the pup is prone to overweight, pet parents should endeavor to guard against over-feeding; this can be achieved by feeding your pooch twice a day as against the free-feeding method. The amount of treats should be equally limited.
Like every other breed of canine, the dietary needs of a puppy differ from what an adult dog would normally eat, and at old age, the dog’s diet will still change to suit its changing body needs. If you are confused about what to feed your Sheprador enlist the help of your local vet.
Grooming
Are Shepradors hypoallergenic? The coat of the German Sheprador is medium-length and dense, thus caring for the pup is easy. Brushing can be done once a week but can be increased during the shedding season, and you can give the dog a bath once in a few months using a very mild shampoo. Excessive bathing is not recommended as it can dry up the dog’s natural body oil. They come equipped with a double coat that protects them from extreme weather.
Care and grooming for the German Sheprador do not just end with its body coat, the dog’s ears should be regularly checked and should be cleaned when dirty. The tap-tap sound on the ground when your pet walks means that its nails are overgrown; these should be trimmed when due.
Oral health is very important in the life of a German Sheprador as it keeps periodontal disease at bay. Daily brushing is recommended, however, if you cannot meet the daily schedule, once or twice a week can suffice. This helps in dislodging tartar build-ups; chew toys can also help.
Exercise And Training Requirements
Just like the two parent breeds, the German Sheprador is an active and intelligent pup that calls for an active life. In addition to needing daily exercise, a Sheprador also needs mental stimulation; the services of a dog trainer can be employed in that regard.
Come rain come shine, the daily exercise schedule of the breed must be up to two hours daily. You can take your canine friend for walks, play, run in the park, hiking, and many more.
When at home, the dog should be kept busy with some good mental stimulation games. In the absence of crucial physical and mental exercise, the Sheprador can go into depression, resort to destructive behaviors, or end up overweight.
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Do Shepradors Make A Good Family Pet?
Are Shepradors aggressive? The simple answer is no, though circumstances may determine eventually. A German Sheprador is apt as a family pet, especially in those homes that have children. Apart from the fact that the canine loves children, it enjoys all the commotion associated with kids. A Sheprador will happily follow children to their party and may even be convinced to put on a party hat. However, the pooch must undergo training and socialization must always start at an early stage.
It is not only about training the dog on how to behave in the company of kids, the children should be equally tutored on the dos and don’ts around a dog. For instance, they should understand that ear or tail pulling must be avoided. Kids should never approach a sleeping dog or the one that is eating and under no circumstance should they try to take the dog’s food away. Even with all this, the truth is that dogs should never be left unsupervised with kids no matter friendly you think the dog is.
German Shepradors that have been exposed to other household pets can cohabit with them, especially if you make efforts to socialize your pooch on how to interact with those other pets.