One of the first things you should know about Shepherd mix dogs themselves are that they originally came from three different regions of Germany. Cross breading among these three dogs occurred in the 1800s among long-haired, short-haired, and wire-haired Shepherd dogs. Today Shepherd dogs are crossbred with many other types of dogs.
One of the most interesting things you should know about Shepherd mix dogs are that crossbreeding eliminates many of the diseases its offspring would otherwise have. Mixed Shepherd dogs may sometimes have hip dysplasia, for example, which commonly affects many mixed Shepherd dogs. Crossbreeding often takes care of this. There are exceptions, such as when both Shepherd parent dogs share a common disease that has a higher chance of passing onto its offspring.
Some good things you should know about Shepherd mix dogs are that they mix well with many other dogs. If you overlook the size differences, Great Danes mix well with German Shepherds. They create a very attractive dog because both dogs have complementary qualities; they are both very active and affectionate. A Collie, Labrador, and Golden Retriever mix well with a Shepherd as well. Their offspring tend to have a milder temperament and are also friendlier to their owners.
Here are some more important things you should know about Shepherd mix. Not all of them may mix the way you would want them to. For example, if you’re looking for a family dog, it may not be in your best interests to crossbreed a Shepherd with a Akitas, Chow Chow, Rottweiler, or Doberman pinscher. All these mentioned breeds of dogs are great as guard dogs. However, when mixed with the Shepherd, it can result in the creation of a breed of overly aggressive and domineering dogs. There are other instances where crossbreeding may prove to be non-beneficial to you. One of the worst known instances of Shepherd interbreeding occurs with the Alaskan Malamute, because of the latter dog’s extreme aggression.
Here are some final things you should know about Shepherd mix dogs. Police dogs are rarely ever mixed Shepherd dogs. Most police dogs trained for either guard duty or searches are purebred. Nonetheless, mixed Shepherd dogs make great companions in most cases, and it is not unheard of that many mixed breed Shepherds outlive purebred Shepherds. It is also interesting to note that most of the crossbreeding that occurs between Shepherd dogs actually occurs because the ancestries of many of these dogs are unknown.
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Source by Juan Valks