German Shepherd Mastiff Dog Breed

The Mastiff Shepherd, as a mixed breed, is not an official member of any breed group. Neither does any info exist about these hybrids' specific origin; though a German Shepherd and Mastiff mix may have existed naturally for a long time, no breeders or breed clubs have been credited with this crossbreed's creation. These big, imposing dogs are best suited as guardians for people and property--and while they can be loyal, loving pets, Mastiff Shepherds will need owners willing to give them the training and socialization they need.

A few English Mastiff-German Shepherd mix facts: they're giant-sized, averaging 27 inches at the shoulders in height and 125 pounds in weight; they normally have short- to medium-length, double-layered coats that shed seasonally; and because of their size, they'll need to live in larger homes.

Some advantages and drawbacks to owning a German Shepherd x Mastiff:

The Mastiff Shepherd is a large dog--and along with breeds like the Saint Bernard and Great Pyrenees, is considered a "Gentle Giant." These big hybrids, while protective of and playful with family members, are usually pretty docile and calm (especially if they're more Mastiff-like).

Based on the Mastiff Shepherd's size alone, this is a dog that will do best living in a home, one that ideally has a large fenced yard to give the dog room to roam. Mastiff Shepherds don't normally have a high prey drive, so they usually won't run off to chase small animals like birds or squirrels--but a fenced yard is necessary to avoid confrontations with people and/or animals when they pass by. For the same reason, it's recommended that owners keep their Mastiff Shepherds leashed when in public. Indoors, these dogs are pretty chill, and will be fairly low-energy most of the time.

This isn't to say Mastiff Shepherds don't need exercise! They can become overweight easily if they're consistently overfed, so they'll need some outdoor exercise on a daily basis, both to keep the extra pounds off and to keep them in good physical condition.

Protective, calm, affectionate, alert, and sometimes stubborn, the German Shepherd-Mastiff mix temperament is one of confidence and patience. These hybrids are loyal and loving to their owners, but they'll usually be suspicious of strange people and animals. They'll get along great with kids, and can usually socialize well with other pets--but they may try to dominate other dogs (especially those of the same sex), so it's best if they're raised alongside any other household pets or children in the family. Overall, a Mastiff Shepherd will be a calm, well-behaved dog if it receives a lot of socialization and firm training by someone willing to act as the dog's "alpha"--and this training should start when the dog is still a puppy, if possible.

In regards to training: Mastiff Shepherds can take well to it, especially if they inherit the GSD's intelligence. On the other hand, they might be fairly stubborn like the Mastiff and require some repetition when learning tasks, tricks, and commands. As with any breed, firm, consistent, reward-based training methods are best.

Perhaps the best of the Mastiff Shepherd characteristics is these hybrids' watchdog skills. Mastiff Shepherds are confident, protective and alert, and won't hesitate to investigate unknown sights or sounds--and they're capable of neutralizing most potential threats!

The Mastiff Shepherd, due to hybrid vigor (in which a crossbred dog inherits the healthiest traits from its parent breeds), is pretty healthy. Still, giant-sized breeds are prone to more health issues than smaller dogs, including heart problems, gastric torsion (or bloat), and a short lifespan. A few of these hybrids may also suffer ailments like hip dysplasia and various allergies. Potential owners are advised to ask breeders for health screenings for the dog and/or its parents, or they can have their own veterinarians do the screenings.

Life expectancy for the Mastiff Shepherd is 7-10 years.