What is the best environment for Siberian Husky and German Shepherd Dog Mixes? Here is advice from the ThriftyFun community.
Answers:
Desert Is Not The Best Climate For These Dogs
We live in the desert and had Siberian Husky & Black Lab mix. He was always so hot. He'd dig in the dirt to try to get cool. While he hated water, when he'd get really, really hot, he'd go stand in his huge water bucket we had, not lie down, but just stand in it. His digging in the soil was what ended his life as he contracted "Valley Fever", a respiratory disease. We had to put him down, almost 5 years ago, now. While he was a lot of joy to us, I'd not get that breed of dog again, while living here in the desert, I would if we lived in a cooler climate.
Huskies are very high energy dogs so if you're not a jogger or plan to do agility, anything to keep them constantly busy, I'd go with a different dog. Shepherds are very intelligent and need brain stimulation too. If you're laid back go with a golden retriever mix. They are very happy just hanging around. Of course that's depending on what they're mixed with. You can tell their disposition by interacting with them. And a shelter is full of great dogs just waiting for you!
By Vicki
Lots Of Play Time
Hello, we own the same breed of dog and I agree that they need lots of play time and are very smart.
By Leaky
Lots Of Room
As far as the best environment goes, I would have to say that you definitely need a fairly large, fenced in yard at the very least. We have an acre lot fenced in and Jackson seems to love it. He is able to really get up a lot of speed as he runs laps when he is playing with us. Also, Jackson loves to dig but its been a year now and he doesn't seem interested in digging to get out of the fence. He just digs for the sheer enjoyment of digging. I am constantly filling in holes that he may dig anywhere in the yard. He also really loves going to the local Dog Park and running with the other dogs there. This type of environment seems to keep him happy as we do not have the time or stamina to take him for long walks or exercise runs.
I have a 6 month old Husky/Shepard mix and she is 50 lbs. She is very energetic and lovable, she needs lot of attention stimulation and running room:) Plus she is a wonderful dog for my 2 year old son and she is very loving and protective of him (07/13/2005)
By kim
Advice From An Owner
I rescued a dog that I am told is German Shepherd and Husky. I typed German Shepherd/Husky mix into the search bar and was happily surprised that such a site existed. My dog is guessed to be 2 yrs old and she ways 65 pounds. Her coat is fluffy and very soft and her personality is sweet and playful. She is also a bit wild and hyper.
We live in the valley, too. Everything we have read has told us not to shave long haired breeds in the summer, so we haven't. She has a doggie door and comes in whenever she wants and always has fresh water available. Vally fever is a threat here to pets and humans, but it can be successfully treated with antifungal medication. I am sorry to hear about the dog above who got ill.
By Kim
Memories Of Lucy
I live in the Kansas City area. I've had dogs all my life of various mixes. Our last dog, Lucy, who we lost to stomach cancer, was absolutely the most loving, intelligent, and loyal dog we have ever owned. She was a German Shepherd/Husky mix. She was overweight at about 65 to 70 lbs. Size can vary and depends on many, many factors, the first being gender of course.
Our veterinarian told us when we bought Lucy that this mix is extremely intelligent and he was right. They can just about learn anything very quickly. I'd almost bet you could teach one to drive a car!
By KCKID
Kayla
Kayla is 15 months old and is a Gerberian Huskerd, as I like to call her. Kayla is a very sweet girl. Everyday she shows traits of each breed of dog. She is very loyal and protective like a shepherd and she LOVES to run, run, run like a husky!
Both breeds of dogs are bred to deal with colder types of climates, so warmer areas are ideally not the best setting for either or a mix of both. Huskies have up to 5 layers of fur and Shepherds can have up to 4! Imagine having 4 winter coats on during the hot months!
Also plenty of land is a a good thing, both dogs need tons of exercise and love to run long distances. I live in town, but there is a 5 acre dog park with lake access about 4 blocks away. Kayla just loves it there! She gets to play fetch, swim, plus have tons of social interaction with other dogs! Thats a GREAT thing!
As for separation anxiety, it's usually not common in huskies or shepherds. Really, they are usually just bored. Get your dog a Kong and just stuff that thing full of peanut butter, milkbones, cream cheese, whatever your pup really likes. I usually put a couple different treats in Kayla's Kong and she just LOVES it! This will keep your pup occupied for a while. If you are unsure what a Kong is, go to a pet supply store and just ask, they will know! Shepherds are especially smart dogs and need to be mentally stimulated as much as possible. Give your pup plenty of toys to play with, hide treats around the house for your pup to search for... give him/her something to do, give it time, and I bet you'll find that your dog doesn't really have separation anxiety, just needs something to keep the mind working.
Being a mix dog, almost any colors can happen, but I'll give you the basics of the breed colors. Shepherds are usually black, brown, reddish, and creme, only recently has white become an acceptable purebred color for shepherds. Only because there is an all white breed of shepherd was it not accepted before, thinking the dog could be a cross of the 2 shepherds. Huskies can be almost any color as well, generally white and grey, but they can also be red, black, brown... all of one color or a mix. Usually both dogs have a crownish type marking along the head and eyes and also have a lighter color on the belly/chest area. But like I said, being a mix, any coloring is possible. Also, Huskies tend to have a soft fur, whereas Shepherds usually have a more coarse hair. There are other ways to help determine the mix of your dog, like the husky curved tail and lighter eyes (not always blue, especially with a mix dog, this may not be prominent), shepherds have HUGE ears and low butts. Also Personality; Huskies main concerns generally tend to be RUNNING and a shepherd tends to be very loyal. Both breed are talkers and like to almost hold a conversation with you, its almost creepy.
As for the the pup that doesn't like to eat. First, obviously, take the dog to the vet and make sure it isn't an underlying health issue (beginning stages of worms, parvo is common in puppies.. easily treatable if caught early). But also keep in mind that Huskies are bred as sled dogs. Imagine how much food 10 dogs would eat in a week. That would be extremely heavy on a sled! Huskies were bred to not eat a lot. I had a purebred Siberian Husky in the past and she ate on her own once every 2-3 days. Huskies tend to have a slower metabolism so they keep this food longer. If you don't think thats what it is, id try switching foods until you find something your pup really likes. Don;t do it a lot as switching up food frequently can cause stomach issues. It could just be your pup doesn't like the food it has. If you think thats still not it, feed your dog extra treats that it does like. It is okay to feed your dog human food in small amounts, as long as you don't do it while you are eating. Make it seem as if the food you are giving the dog is for the dog, and not a shared food, or the dog will beg when you try to eat. Also, if you check your local grocery store in the meat section, sometimes they have extras they sell for cheap for dogs.
Don't be afraid to give your dog special treats! But make your pup work for them, do tricks, they're not free! CAUTION! CAUTION! CAUTION! There are a few foods you never-ever want to feed your dog. NEVER feed your dog peppers, onions or garlic! There is something in these foods that causes blood disease in dogs. NEVER feed your dog sugars or chocolates. Their digestive system is not made to handle food like that, and will cause the dog to become violently ill and a possibility of death. Also, keep the dairy intake very low. Its not necessarily bad for the dog, but over a long time of not having dairy, dogs, like people, become lactose intolerant and they will get the puppy squirts from it. Thats not pretty! A lot of dogs LOVE fruit. Kayla just loves melon and grapes! any fruit is okay for the dog. Peanut butter is a very common favorites amongst dogs. Keep in mind, these are just snacks and treats, don't use people food as your main diet for a dog.
Sorry so very long, but hopefully I was able to answer a few questions! Thanx!
This is my little boy, Dakota. I rescued him when he was about 1 1/2. He's 3 now and pretty much the best dog ever, though I may be biased. He loves to cuddle and, even after his 3+ daily walks, he runs around the house like a crazy dog.
I just wanted to post a pic of our beauty we rescued from our local humaine society. Her name is Jewel and she is a holy terror, but we love her to bits!
This is our big boy Rex. He was abandoned in a cardboard box at two months of age so he came with some issues. With no mother to teach him his manners he thought he could do what ever he wanted like mouthing and counter surfing. It's been a challenging year but he's coming along. He has separation anxiety as well and I could write a book about all the stuff he's eaten. My yard looks like a golf course there's so many holes dug. He needs a ton of exercise. We run him an hour a day but that's still not enough.
He is very smart though and learns things quickly (when he wants to) and responds very well to hand commands. I would love to see him on an acreage where he would have room to run. I don't think he'd have as many issues if he could get rid of some of his energy. I know it's selfish to keep him in town but I can't part with him. He's big and he's bad but we love him.
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Recipe: Siberian Husky/German Shepherd Dog Mix (08/20/2009)
What is the best environment for Siberian Husky and German Shepherd Dog Mixes? Here is advice from the ThriftyFun community.
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Recipe: Siberian Husky/German Shepherd Dog Mix
Archived on 08/20/2009
What is the best environment for Siberian Husky and German Shepherd Dog mixes? Here is advice from the
ThriftyFun community.
Answers:
Desert Is Not The Best Climate For These Dogs
We live in the desert and had Siberian Husky & Black Lab mix. He was always so hot. He'd dig in the dirt to
try to get cool. While he hated water, when he'd get really, really hot, he'd go stand in his huge water
bucket we had, not lie down, but just stand in it. His digging in the soil was what ended his life as he
contracted "Valley Fever", a respiratory disease. We had to put him down, almost 5 years ago, now. While he
was a lot of joy to us, I'd not get that breed of dog again, while living here in the desert, I would if we
lived in a cooler climate.
Huskies are very high energy dogs so if you're not a jogger or plan to do agility, anything to keep them
constantly busy, I'd go with a different dog. Shepherds are very intelligent and need brain stimulation too.
If you're laid back go with a golden retriever mix. They are very happy just hanging around. Of course that's
depending on what they're mixed with. You can tell their disposition by interacting with them. And a shelter
is full of great dogs just waiting for you.
By Vicki
Lots Of Room
As far as the best environment goes, I would have to say that you definitely need a fairly large, fenced in
yard at the very least. We have an acre lot fenced in and Jackson seems to love it. He is able to really get
up a lot of speed as he runs laps when he is playing with us. Also, Jackson loves to dig, but its been a year
now and he doesn't seem interested in digging to get out of the fence. He just digs for the sheer enjoyment
of digging. I am constantly filling in holes that he may dig anywhere in the yard. He also really loves going
to the local Dog Park and running with the other dogs there. This type of environment seems to keep him happy
as we do not have the time or stamina to take him for long walks or exercise runs.
Just thought I'd add my guy Ziggy to the list. He is a WGSDxAlaskan Husky and will be one next month. He is a
wonderful dog and family member, but the training is constant (that Husky mind set can drive you crazy
sometimes). If anyone thinks this type of dog is for them, please remember that they are a "very high" energy
dog, no couch potato people allowed. We mountain bike, jog, and do the dog park thing all the time. But if
you're willing to take the time and energy this cross breed can be the best. I swear he thinks he's human by
the non stop talking, it's like a two way conversation sometimes. He makes us laugh all the time. Hope you
enjoy his picture as much as I have all yours.
Tracey in Canada (01/28/2008)
By Tracey
RE: Siberian Husky/German Shepherd Dog Mix
We are guessing that our youngest member of our family is a German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix. I grew up
with Huskies and my husband and I had one for nearly 12 years. We have never owned a German Shepherd, but
know they are excellent dogs. She is a wonderful dog, terrific with kids, cats, and other dogs. She is very
intelligent and learns things very quickly. The only minus we are experiencing is the fur blowout - a
Shepherd characteristic (I think my Huskies did it too). We could build a new dog with the amount of fur we
brush out daily. (02/22/2008)
I live in Buffalo, so we have some pretty good winters. Sparky loves the winter time, I swear he would sit
out in the snow all day if I let him. He is not too happy in the summer heat, it gets really hot and humid
around here and he is not too happy. (05/15/2008)
By Kelly
RE: Siberian Husky/German Shepherd Dog Mix
Our "Tiger", half husky, half german shepherd, is now 5 months old. We "rescued" him from a flea market and
have all fallen in love with him. He loves to eat, run, run, run, dig holes, and play with anything and
everything. He's super smart and so loving. We live in the mountains of western NC which is the perfect
climate for him-and he has the run of an entire mountain-doggy heaven. (10/09/2008)
By Debbie Foxx
RE: Siberian Husky/German Shepherd Dog Mix
Here's our pup Bentley. He's 3 months in this picture but is now 6 months. He's definitely gotten bigger and
filled out quite a bit since this pic. He's a wonderful addition to the family. Although our 2 cats are
still trying to get used to him. He loves to run and play in the park (and try to chase squirrels) and needs
lots of attention and activity.
These dogs definitely need to be doing something almost all the time or they get very bored very easily.
Fortunately, we are very active and run him daily. He loves the water and absolutely loves running and
rolling through the snow. He's very social and really enjoys playing with other dogs. It's important to
socialize your dogs right away. He's very mischievous and he's chewed up many of our belongings, but that's
our fault for not keeping an eye on him at all times. Training is a work-in-process and can prove to be
challenging, but we'll get him turned around soon.
"Biggest piece of advice": Be prepared to take this dog on long walks/runs a minimum of 6 days a week,
rain or shine (and especially snow). These dogs will bounce off the walls if they don't get the right
activity. Enjoy. (12/06/2008)
By Bentley
RE: Siberian Husky/German Shepherd Dog Mix
I would share this picture of my darling dog we call Wolfy. He is a Husky/German Shepherd mix although most
people when they see him think he is a German Shepherd. He love's his walks and when he is let off his lead
he will always find a puddle to mess about in, ha ha. He is brilliant with our 3 year old in fact he is just
a star in most ways apart from nicking food off the top's if we leave anything out, ha ha. Wolfy is only 9 months
old so always ready to play. I am so pleased to have him in our lives as he brings a lot of sunshine
Tracey (12/08/2008)
By Tracey
RE: Siberian Husky/German Shepherd Dog Mix
This is Forest. He loves to run, play with sticks, and rocks. He is the ultimate Frisbee dog. We have a cabin
on the bay and he loves to go swimming (as you can see) He is very very smart and listens well when you talk
to him. He is very loving and is always there for you to greet you with a hug when you come home. He loves to
cuddle and kiss and is just the greatest dog in the world. Couldn't ask for more. (02/04/2009)
By Ashley
RE: Siberian Husky/German Shepherd Dog Mix
This is in response to the mom who was wondering about mixing this breed with small dogs. I have a shih-tzu
who is almost 4 and I adopted a husky/shepherd mix named Scout last year. They are great together. They are
the best of friends. Scout also plays with my mom's 2 shih-tzus and a lot of my friends' small dogs and he
plays with small dogs at his doggie daycare. He is the sweetest, smartest, happiest, and gentlest dog I have
ever met. It might be worth letting your cavalier King Charles meet the mix you want to adopt to see if they
will get along. (02/16/2009)
By Michele
RE: Siberian Husky/German Shepherd Dog Mix
Dakota is a 1 year old female German Shepherd/Siberian Husky Mix. Her father is a show dog (Siberian) and
her mother (shepherd) is a retired patrol dog. Dakota is well trained and a wonderful member of our family.
Dakota is well socialized with other dogs and she loves children. German Sheppard/Siberian Husky make
wonderful family pets and are very protective of their home and family. (02/26/2009)
By Michele
RE: Siberian Husky/German Shepherd Dog Mix
This is our son's dog, Cowboy, he is staying with us for awhile. He is really a great dog. Seems to know
and do what you want him to do. He has a playful attitude and when he starts the chase. Our other dogs can't
ever catch him. He runs likes a gazelle and can jump over just about anything going full speed. He is a very
sweet dog and wants to be around us all the time! He doesn't bark and never has. He "talks" a lot.
(06/27/2009)
I live in Michigan, and that seems to be a good environment for my Shusky/Shepsky (can't resist joining the
name, they are such a popular mix, maybe we can start the designer dog craze for this mix).
Koda is 8 years old, can be playful, but is also pretty mellow. She was more excitable when she was under
5. She's completely a house dog, and is the smartest, best dog I have ever owned, or even seen. She learns
new things in minutes. The only issues she has, is she is low thyroid, so she takes thyroid pills every day,
and she has allergies, so she's on Claritin every day. Only I would have a dog with the same allergies as me. The whole owner/dog look-alike turned into health-alike.
Her mom was a purebred husky that showed up at our house as a stray (yes, we know she was pure), and
almost 9 weeks later had puppies. The vet, and kennel have told us that she has shep in her, and I think it's
pretty obvious in her looks. We kept her, and found a home for the rest of the pups (for free) and a home for
the mom, since she killed my cat in the first 3 weeks that she was at the house. (07/17/2009)
Rokko is our 2 year old husky/German shepherd mix. We live in PA and it's great for him because he loves to
run and hike in the woods and fields. He has been such a good dog. Very smart and great with people. He does
shed a lot and needs a lot of play and exercise. Our baby loves to run and run. (07/21/2009)
