December 29, 2009
What would the size, temperament and possible health issues be of a Chinese Shar Pei / German Shepherd mix be?
I am looking to adopt a 4 year old Male Chinese Shar Pei / German Shepherd mix from an animal shelter. The dog is beautiful, but I have some concerns about what the dog may be like.
I already have a 2 year old German Shepherd and am looking to get her a friend. I want to make sure they would have a good chance at getting along.
I also know of bad problems with both breeds with hip dysplasia at an older age. This would not be accelerated by the mix would it?
Any and all info would be greatly appreciated, thanks is advance!
Despite popular belief dogs that have been crossed with similar breeds that share similar health concerns can result in unhealthily pups. So its entirely possible for a mix to get heredity diseases, espeically if the parents weren't genetically tested. Its very possible that the dog really isn't mixed with either breeds- some shelters take a guess at what the breed mixes are- they only way they are 100% sure if they came from a puppy mill and seen/take the parents,siblings,etc or if they are surrendered by owners, people that breed them,etc. Other then that most of the mixes are just educated guesses.
I've never heard of a Sharpei getting HD, my ex uncle used to have them. I'm no expert on the breed though, I do know that some do have heredity skin problems among other things. German shepherds are prone to HD.
No one can really tell you what temperament, size and possible health issues to expect as its a mix. I can guess that the size won't grow no more since he's 4 and most dogs stop growing after 2 years(1 for small breeds, 2 for most big breeds) so I think its safe to assume he won't grow any more then that.
Usually its breeds that are crossed that share no similar health concerns are more likely not to get an heredity disease but it can still happen and as far as I know they don't share any major health diseases- I'm not 100% sure though, you would have to look up both breeds to see if they share any. I only know a little about them since my ex uncle had them.
I do know that some shelters will let you bring your dog to see if both dogs get along- actually some encourage this so there's not a problem and the adopted dog don't have to be taken back if a problem arises after the adoption.
Some shelters do evaluate the dog's behavioral and temperament- they should know most on the dog- if it was surrendered, pick up a stray,etc. They might even tell you if you can expect anything health related- if they had a sibling that turned up with something,etc. I would just talk to the shelter people to find out more, as none of us really can say what to expect as we don't know him and its a mix which can be unpredictable when it comes to health ,size and temperament. My mother in law as a couple mixes and they are in their teens, no health problems yet and she even had them tested for hip/elbow to see what their scores were..to know to expect a problem later on and so far nothing.
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Comments on What would the size, temperament and possible health issues be of a Chinese Shar Pei / German Shepherd mix be? »
There is NO way to predict anything in a mutt….
Fact: At four years old he is full grown.
Fact: Temperament will more than likely already be in place, and won't be changed much at all (expect maybe through conditioning and training.)
Shar Pei tend to do best as only dog in the household (unless under the hands of an experienced handler/owner) but with a mix you never know - could be just fine. Hence the introduction PRIOR to adoption:
If you want to know how the dogs will get along, introduce them at the shelter prior to adoption. See what happens. Give them time on lead and off lead together, longer than a few minutes. If possible return more than once to see how they react to extended time together.
Spend time with the dog on your own as well - does the animal seem tense? Does he seek out human interaction? Does he explore? Is he friendly? Playful? Fearful of certain sounds or sights? How is he on a leash, with general handling of ears/paws/etc?
You generally want a dog who is curious of his surroundings and willing to leave your side, but also willing to be by you and seek out interaction. You do not want a dog that mouths when you handle him (though that can be worked with). Any children involved? Gotta be child tested then, as well.
As far as genetic conditions - this dog will always be prone to those. BOTH breeds have their own sets of issues and any or all could pop up at any time - especially since it's highly likely that the parent dogs where poor quality.
Same goes with ANY mixed breed dog. Want a genetically sound animal, get one from a reputable show dog breeder who genetic tests.
The shelter staff should be able to point out any issues if they've had any with the dog. Ask about temperament testing. Ask if they've ever had trouble handling him, or if he's had trouble with the food bowl (food aggression.)
References :
Owned by Mutt
Despite popular belief dogs that have been crossed with similar breeds that share similar health concerns can result in unhealthily pups. So its entirely possible for a mix to get heredity diseases, espeically if the parents weren't genetically tested. Its very possible that the dog really isn't mixed with either breeds- some shelters take a guess at what the breed mixes are- they only way they are 100% sure if they came from a puppy mill and seen/take the parents,siblings,etc or if they are surrendered by owners, people that breed them,etc. Other then that most of the mixes are just educated guesses.
I've never heard of a Sharpei getting HD, my ex uncle used to have them. I'm no expert on the breed though, I do know that some do have heredity skin problems among other things. German shepherds are prone to HD.
No one can really tell you what temperament, size and possible health issues to expect as its a mix. I can guess that the size won't grow no more since he's 4 and most dogs stop growing after 2 years(1 for small breeds, 2 for most big breeds) so I think its safe to assume he won't grow any more then that.
Usually its breeds that are crossed that share no similar health concerns are more likely not to get an heredity disease but it can still happen and as far as I know they don't share any major health diseases- I'm not 100% sure though, you would have to look up both breeds to see if they share any. I only know a little about them since my ex uncle had them.
I do know that some shelters will let you bring your dog to see if both dogs get along- actually some encourage this so there's not a problem and the adopted dog don't have to be taken back if a problem arises after the adoption.
Some shelters do evaluate the dog's behavioral and temperament- they should know most on the dog- if it was surrendered, pick up a stray,etc. They might even tell you if you can expect anything health related- if they had a sibling that turned up with something,etc. I would just talk to the shelter people to find out more, as none of us really can say what to expect as we don't know him and its a mix which can be unpredictable when it comes to health ,size and temperament. My mother in law as a couple mixes and they are in their teens, no health problems yet and she even had them tested for hip/elbow to see what their scores were..to know to expect a problem later on and so far nothing.
References :
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