Help me figure out the breed of my dog please! I rescued Kody from a shelter in March of 2007 and his paperwork said he was about 1 year old and German Shepherd mix. Since then, people have told me he looks like he has some Husky, Malinois, or Chow (because of the spots on his tongue) mixed in. Many people say that he can't be purebred German Shepherd because he is too small.
He is 60 lbs with light-medium brown eyes, soft fur, and a straight tail. He has a white undercoat and sheds a ton. He is super smart, protective, very friendly, not overly energetic, somewhat vocal but doesn't bark too much, very sweet and playful.
I'd love to hear any thoughts about his breed. I am just so curious, but I don't have the money to do a dna test. Kody is my best friend and I love him more than I can even explain. =)
This picture (from Jan 2008) and is the best profile shot I have of Kody, but keep in mind that my boyfriend is standing behind him (boyfriend = 6'1") and Kody's back legs are bent (usually his back is straight across, not slanted downward).
He is in a German Sheppard, show stance; ready to herd. How beautiful! I would say a little Alaskan Malamute, but all shepard in attitude and heart. They are the greatest dogs. Robyn
A stunning dog! Just gorgeous and looks all german shepard to me. One of his ancestors could be a white german shepard? He is loved and a beaut. Later when you can afford it and want to know for sure, he can be dna tested.
@hedera: an Alsatian IS a German Shepherd. That name was invented during WWII to avoid calling them "German" - q.v. Salisbury Steak, Freedom Fries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Shepherd_Dog#Name (also note the solid black shepherd in the pic @wikipedia)
megan. i couldnt tell you what breed he might be. but i have ally my mix breed and before her i had glory a mixed breed. i also loved them both more than explanation can allow. you have a lovely dog there.
i agree, he is a german shep. mix, he definetly looks it alot, but i dont think i would say fullblooded,"He has a white undercoat and sheds a ton. He is super smart, protective, very friendly, not overly energetic, somewhat vocal but doesn't bark too much, very sweet and playful" these all describe a german perfectly,he is definently not chow, people try to say that black spots are signs of chow blood but that is totally wrong they are just birthmarks, infact my purebreed,papered, german shep has dark spots all over his tounge.it is not unusual.i'm not to sure about the husky either,i think their characteristics tend to dominate,and he doesnt look it to me, maybe malinois.he is so very beautiful though.goodluck with your quest sorry i couldn't be more helpful.
Your pic made me laugh. It looks like your dog's taking a leak!
That aside, he's a good looking dog; definitely a LOT of german shep in him, probably about 3/4. There may also be some Belgian Malinois in there. They look very similar to a Shep but are a bit more on the lean/thinner side than most Sheps.
The dog really doesn't look like a Chow. Black spots are nothing more than a birthmark. Without seeing a few full standing photos; it's hard to say more. Your dog may also simply show much more of some genes than others. For example, when most breeds mix with a Dobi; they RARELY look like the Dobi at all...unless you look for close signs like a narrower head than you'd otherwise expect or more agile.
You might want to look at his diet if he isn't energetic. He should be getting a good hour of brisk exercise or more everyday.
Looks like an Alsation (German Shepherd type dog - just smaller - I think!) it could possibly have some lab in it. Regardless, hes a beauty....and obviously well loved!
I cannot tell you what breed he is but I used to have a dog that very much like him. The dog I had had a curved tail and a very thick neck. He was all red, however. He was also very territorial and protective. I am sure he was a mutt but he was the smartest dog I ever owned. It is hard to believe but I taught him to "talk"....just one sentence and it was "I want some" when I was feeding him a treat. I cried for a year after he was gone, never had been so close to a dog before and haven't been since. He did have a bad fault, however. If he got off his leash, he was gone and only came back home when he was ready. For that reason, I had to give him away.
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