German Australian Shepherd Dog Breed

German Australian Shepherds descend from two parent breeds that are both still regarded highly as working dogs; Aussies are work-oriented herding dogs, search/rescue, and therapy dogs while Germans are steadfast canines employed in military, police and protection roles. The best match for this breed is an experienced, active owner or family that has a home with a fenced yard; above all else you must be a firm, consistent leader and be willing and HAPPY to give them at least an hour of exercise per day. Consider the following info before deciding if this breed is right for you:

PROS

• A true family dog, amazing protective playmate for kids
• Very good with other pets
• Beyond smart and hard-working
• Perfect exercise partner, excels at virtually anything
• Loving, affectionate and loyal
• Courageous protector and watchdog
• Not a noisy dog
• Not needy, can spend reasonable amounts of time alond
• Fairly low maintenance grooming
• Excels at training with an experienced owner

CONS

• Very high energy, requires at least an hour exercise each day
• Destructive nuisance if left under-stimulated (mentally and physically)
• Not a good size or energy level for apartments, fenced yard is ideal to have
• Probably reserved towards strangers including guests
• Not hypoallergenic, sheds considerably
• Best for an experienced owner

Here's a not-so-odd mixture that's pretty straight forward in looks and may even be mistaken for a purebred. They are usually large sized dogs that a muscular and proportionate with large heads topped with ears that stand erect. Their double coats are thick and usually short to medium length; often the hair is straight but it can sometimes be wavy. Typical colors to see in the coats (usually multicolored) include: black, tan, red, liver, sable, silver, white, cream, blue, grey, and merle. Some German Australian Shepherds will have dark masks and muzzles, markings or patches of various colors.

This hybrid comes from one parent that is smart and hard working and another parent that is...surprise, smart and hardworking! They are extremely trainable but also very confident, so you must be firm and display yourself in the pack leader position; treats and praise go a long way for all dogs. It's likely your German-Australian can be anything-- companion, rescue dog, police dog..the list goes on and on. On the downside, they are very high energy so combined with high smarts, they're a LOT to handle for a first timer-- you must, must, MUST have time, patience and desire to train them well.

German Shepherd and Australian Shepherd crosses are true family dogs. They know their place as part of the family and are confident that they fit there. They will be alert and loyal, watching over and courageously protecting you if need be-- Shepherd mixes are often trained for protection. They may tend to be stand offish or unresponsive to strangers but they will be keeping an eye on them. A well socialized GAS does surprisingly well with other pets. They are affectionate and loving with children and are truly an A+ playmate and protector.

This cross breed is a big commitment when it comes to exercise. They descend from two high energy, working dogs that need to spend a great deal of time outside and are, therefore, best matched with an active owner or family. An hour minimum of daily exercise is recommended in the form of long walks, runs, jogs, hikes, bikes, trips to the dog park, games with toys and romps in the yard. They are likely to excel in any sport and are great exercise buddies. On the other hand, those that don't get enough will be a large, destructive nightmare...or very depressed-- so don't get one if you aren't active!

German Shepherd x Australian Shepherd crosses have a much larger gene pool than the purebred parent breeds and, as such, should be pretty healthy (especially 1st gen crosses). Choosing an expert breeder that offers health guarantees is also a big factor as are routine vet visits. German Shepherds live from 9-13 years, Australian Shepherds 13-15 so you can expect your German-Australian to live anywhere along this range-- probably closer to the latter.

Check out the breed pages for both parents to get an idea of what conditions your new pet may inherit. Both the German and Australian are pretty hardy dogs but a few examples of such conditions include:

• Vision problems
• Hip Dysplasia
• Elbow Dysplasia
• Arthristis
• Degenerative Myelopathy (disease of spinal cord)
• Von Willebrands Disease (blood clotting)
• Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency