Can anyone tell me about the disposition of a Labrador/German Shepherd mix? Are they high energy or low key? Do they feel comfortable outside on their own? Are they good for a family with two teenagers and working parents (one of whom works at home)? We live in the city with a fenced yard but not with huge space and we've seen a shelter dog we like, but we want to make a good decision for all of us! Thank you!
By lane brown from NC
I've never had one but his is MY opinion only. Labs are great family dogs and Shepards are too. Although with the Shepard, he will be a bit more protective of the family. I've never met a mean Shepard but they do protect. I think the balance would work well together. Is it a pup or an adult? It would be a loyal pet if raised properly as with all dogs. Labs and Shepards both shed a lot so think of your house. If left in the back yard. Labs can be diggers.
I love both breeds. Labs are goofy as pups and have very high energy and need to be ran a lot or they will be escape artists for sure. German Shepherds usually have a high prey drive and are very protective of their family. You have to obedience train them and let the dog know the pack structure in the family. I have a great site that I go to to learn about shepherds: leerburg.com
I have found that beagles and smaller breeds are less active, and easier to get their exercise needs met. But after all is said and done, it is which dog you fall in love with. I have heard that chow mixes require a lot of pack order training and such.
Greyhounds lay around all the time but they can run a mile before you can get started if they are ever out. People who have them seem to think they are the best dog that was ever put on the earth by God.
I couldn't live without my furbabies. Here is a pic of my dears, or at least some of them. Bless you for rescuing a life. Robyn
That's a nice mix. Labs love water, and German sheps are protective and intelligent. That dog would require a good exercise routine or it might look for things to do on it's own. They respond best to love and kindness and will do anything if affection (and a low fat treat) is the reward. Sheps like to follow you everywhere you go (I mean everywhere).
Congratulations, that's a lovely mix. Labs are just big boofy creatures, and Shepherds are gentle, loving and protective. Just be careful that the Pup (if that's what it is) doesn't get teased at all. Not good for any dog, but Shepherds can become either timid or aggressive if they're teased. You are going to have a delightful dog from this mix. Prepare to be licked to the point of death.
Great Choice - great mix. We live on a farm and have had two of these adopted from a shelter. They are loyal and very playful; easily trained inside or out. Ours came and went within the house and the outside as they pleased.
Wonderful choice! I had a Black Lab for 13 years and she was the kindest sweetest baby ever. She had 13 pups when she was very young and we kept one of them, The daddy was a German Shepherd. He lived until he was 12 yrs old. He was a very protective guy to my family but he was also very gently and loving. He loved the water and was forever swimming in the river. My opinion is don't worry. Its all about how you raise and care for your animals. Best of luck! They are beautiful
My family had a Shepard, Max, that looked like a purebred, but wasn't. His mom was pure Shep and the dad a good fence jumper. That is all we knew, ha ha. He was a wonderful dog, and very intelligent. We were not very good at training him, but he was still very well behaved, because he was so smart. We lived on a farm, and so he got all the exercise that he needed on his own. He still liked to go for walks with me or the kids, and seemed to understand the spoken word, although I am sure it really was body language and tone, as I talked to him the same way I talked to the kids.
We owned a purebred Shep prior to Max, and she was very nice too, but not as gentle as Max. They both understood that our babies were "babies" and treated them gently. They were also tolerant of all the pet cats we had on the farm, although they would chase them if the cats would run. If they didn't, the dogs quit. I think you will be happy with this dog, but remember a big dog needs lots of exercise. Max could run a mile at top speed with the same amount of energy that you or I would use to walk a block.
Me again. Max lived mostly outside. He had a strawbale house in the winter, and also went into my husband's workshop when it was very cold. Here, very cold means -40 F in winter, so for the sort of weather you would have, your dog should be fine with a nice dog house in the yard. However, I think that if you are going to have a dog, it needs to be with you for company.
I'm guessing maybe you got the doggie already? Well I'm pretty sure your happy with him or her because I have one also (: even though at first when she was a puppy we had some issues with her i think she is the most wonderful, smartest girl ever & shes so beautiful & loving (:
I have a one year old yellow lab+german shepherd. I couldn't be happier. Although he can be quite hyper, house training and basic tricks were learned quickly. He does need a lot of exercise, fetch seems to be the easiest cure as well as daily walks. He is great with new people although he can be quite territorial with other animals. Socializing is a must, they need dog friends! This will make them quieter and more considerate to other dog owners passing by. I 100% guarantee satisfaction if you are seeking a friend.
Chewing can be a problem but again regular exercise and discipline will cure this. They also seem to get separation anxiety much like the shepherd, just make sure your mutt is use to your schedule. They do not like unpredictability! Just remember the tri-training; love, discipline and exercise and you will have the best friend you can ask for. I wish I had a picture lol, this is the best looking and behaved dog I've ever owned.
My shep/labrador is the most wonderful dog in the world. His name is romeo and sometimes he doesn't know if he should protect or play, but he is always full of love. Great choice.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My puppy is 15 weeks old. He is half Yorkie and half Toy Schnauzer. He will not poop on his pee pad. He will hold it for a long time after we feed him. Also when my kids try to pet him he tries to play bite them. He will not let them pet him and he is always following me. I am a first time dog owner. We have had him for four weeks and are not sure what to do. Please help :)
By Janelle
I have a 4 year old male dachshund and when I brought him home as a young pup I was trying, without success using the pads. A technician at my vets office said the best way to house break a dog was from the moment you bring them home after feeding, after playing, after sleeping, etc. pick him/her up take outside on the grass and say "potty". After awhile they get the connection.
I have always heard that dachshunds were hard to housebreak but housebreaking mine was very easy. I'd think training one to use the pad and then trying to get them to potty outside would seem like retraining a new habit. That's just my opinion.
Use the search bar to search for 'housebreaking a puppy', 'biting puppy',etc. & you'll find lots of good advice from Thrifty Fun readers. We just watched ours really well. As soon as she showed signs she was getting ready to go, we picked her up & rushed her outside to her yard, put her down & told her to 'got potty', if she did, we really praised her.
If she had an accident in the house & we caught her right away, we'd tell her no & take her out anyway - you could do the same thing with the pee pad. This could take several attempts until he figures out what you are wanting from him & does it on his own.
As for play biting the kids & not letting them pet him - biting them is the way a puppy would play with it's litter mates, he just needs to learn not to do it to humans. Teach your kids that when they try to play with him & he starts to bite, firmly & in a loud voice say "no bite!" as they pick him up & put him away from them, they can also yell "ouch!" to let him know it hurts. They will need to do this every time he bites, not just when they don't want him to.
If he still doesn't stop, tell them to get up & stop trying to play with him for a bit, then try again. If he keeps going after them, they can hold him down gently on his side & say "no bite!" or put him in his kennel if you're using one.They may need to do this over & over until he learns that biting is a no-no & if he won't stop, nobody will play with him. Also, he needs some toys he can bite & chew on, when they tell him no & push him away, they can give him his toy instead.
When you say he won't let them pet him, I'll bet that when they try, he's turning around & biting at them - this would probably mean he's taking their attempt to pet him as an invitation to play - see above advice.
If he lets you pet him but not the kids, it's a power thing - he sees them as 'litter mates' (other puppies), instead of dominant. They will have to assert their dominance so he sees they a re not his equal, but are instead his 'pack leader'.
Your puppy is like a little kid & just needs to learn the rules & some manners - & like all kids, he's going to forget sometimes & have to be reminded.The breeds of your puppy tend to be what some call "high strung" & stubborn, they have a lot of energy & are determined to have their way - so it may take a lot of work to get him to pay attention to you & behave. Just be patient.
Our dog is half corgi & half Queensland heeler - she was a very energetic puppy but also very smart. Didn't take her too long to learn the rules, but she had to mature enough to realize she benefited from following them & now she's a really neat little dog. The heeler side of her wanted to 'herd' the kids, so whenever they were running & playing, she'd chase them & nip at their ankles. It took forever to train her to "no bite" in this circumstance because it's such an instinct. But she did eventually learn to overcome it when she figured out they wouldn't play with her because she hurt them, she still herds them (& the grandkids), but she doesn't nip their heels.
