German Sheprador

Characteristics

Health & Longevity

Average Life Span: 10-12 years
The German Sheprador is a hybrid breed of the Labrador Retriever and the German Shepherd. This breed is considered to be relatively healthy, but has a few different health concerns that you need to be aware of.

Some of those medical conditions include OCD, bloat, heart problems, epilepsy, skin problems, joint dysplasia, cold tail, and ear infections.

OCD is a condition that typically causes lameness and weakness in one of the limbs of your pup. This condition is often seen in the shoulder, but it can also affect other areas such as the elbow, the thigh, and the knee.

Bloat can be fatal when it is not taken care of in a timely manner and is a serious condition. Bloat occurs when there is too much air trapped within your pet’s stomach. This trapped air causes the stomach to expand and will place pressure on the surrounding organs, which causes blood flow troubles among other things.

Heart problems can arise in any breed of dog, so you need to pay attention to your German Sheprador and alert your vet to any problems that you may think exist. Some heart problems to look out for include rapid or slow heart beats and heart disease.

Your German Sheprador may have seizures or epilepsy. Typically, you will not notice this condition until your pup is at least two years of age, but it can happen at any time. Seizures need to be managed correctly to prevent their frequency and the risk of your pup injuring himself.

Skin problems are another thing to keep an eye out for. There are different types of conditions, but the most commonly seen one is sensitive skin or skin allergies. You will find that your pup’s skin is inflamed, hot, or red when an allergy is present.

Joint dysplasia can occur in your pup’s hip or elbow joint and is commonly found in older dogs. This condition is painful and happens when your pup’s joint is deformed or does not properly fit into the socket. Senior dogs will likely have trouble getting up and down when they have joint dysplasia.

Cold tail is a condition that commonly occurs in Labrador Retrievers and may be present in your German Sheprador. This condition causes the tail to become flaccid and not work correctly. Many people refer to this condition as dead tail.

Lastly, ear infections may appear in your German Sheprador. These can be stopped with the proper preventative care. You should clean your pup’s ears once per week to remove any buildup of dirt and wax. If you notice that your puppy does have an ear infection, he or she will need to go to the veterinarian to receive antibiotics.

The German Sheprador’s life expectancy is 10 to 12 years.

Temperament & Train-ability

The German Sheprador is said to be a breed that is cautious, affectionate, even-tempered, and well-mannered. You will find that your German Sheprador likes to protect your family, but this does not mean that he or she is aggressive by any means. They are weary of strangers and will approach with caution.

This breed is wonderful with children and other pets. In fact, the German Sheprador is known to take a submissive approach to other pets and children in the home.

You will find that your pup is considered even-tempered and well-mannered within your home, so you do not have to worry about him or her becoming too mischievous or curious. In addition, your pup is loyal to his or her family and will work hard to please you.

This breed is active outdoors and needs space to run around, but not so much active inside, especially when he or she receives enough stimulation. You should allow your pup to run around in the yard and also walk him or her once to twice per day.

The German Sheprador is considered smart and intelligent, which makes training this pup easy and simple. You will find that your pup listens to your commands and performs when you want him or her to. Training is not considered hard at all, but you should remain calm and praise him or her.

Grooming

The German Sheprador has moderate grooming needs and sheds quite a bit, especially as the winter season leaves. To help combat the shedding, you should brush your pup’s coat once or twice per day to remove loose hairs.

You only need to bathe your pup when he or she needs. It is recommended that you choose a high quality dog shampoo that works for sensitive skin that will not strip the oils from her skin.

In addition to the occasional bath, you will need to clean your pup’s ears once per week and trim his or her nails once per month or as needed to prevent them growing too long.

Diet

Your growing pup will eat anywhere between three cups and four cups of food per day. You want to choose a high quality brand that does not use a bunch of fillers or chemicals.

The best food to get your German Sheprador will take his or her size into consideration and meet his or her nutritional needs and activity level.
 

Find A German Sheprador Breeder

German Sheprador Puppies For Sale

Adopt A German Sheprador

Cost

A German Sheprador puppy will cost you anywhere between $200 and $600. You may be able to locate this breed in a local shelter or at a local rescue. If you do, you can expect to pay anywhere between $100 and $300 for the adoption fee.

Paws ‘N’ Pups Ranking

Paws ‘N’ Pups ranks every breed out of 4 with 1 being easiest to integrate into your life and 4 being the toughest – The lower the ranking the better.

Ranking takes into account a few basic factors including cost, skill level needed, high vs low maintenance and how critical regular training is to success. The German Sheprador is a healthy and hardy breed that makes a wonderful watch dog and an even better family dog. You will find that this breed protects you and is loyal to you every step of the way. This breed trains easily and would make a great addition to your home. This breed ranks a 1.

 

German Shepherd

Labrador Retriever

Golden Retriever

Belgian Malinois