Great Pyrenees German Shepherd Hybrid Cross Mix Dog Breed Guide
Do you often think of adopting the perfect family hybrid dog? If you would love to welcome the ideal family comrade and farm pet into your home, then the Great Pyrenees German Shepherd Mix is the right dog for you.
Otherwise known as the Germanees or Shepnees, this hybrid is both a large and exciting breed. The species is a product of two both protective and intelligent dogs.
Owning a Shepnee cross is like blending two of the most watchful dogs on the planet into one fiercely defensive character in your home.
The mix demonstrates loyalty, a sweet affection, a charming personality, watchfulness, fierceness when needed, and intelligence. Other breeders and people generally refer to these hybrids with their nicknames, including the Sheppy and Germanees.
Sheppies typically descend from a large dog breed. Their huge sizes make them overall home defenders and protectors. You shouldn’t worry at all if you own a mature Shepnees because the crossbreed will do everything to guard your kin fiercely.
The Germanees need strict caregivers who can guide them relentlessly and train them consistently from their early life. Averagely, the pup requires sixty minutes of intense training each day.
These hybrids will also thrive when assigned to active families that own large abodes with ready access to spacious and properly fenced backyards.
Space, training, and exercise are among the most critical factors to consider before adopting Sheppies. However, we still have a lot more to take you through on the Great Pyrenees crossbreeds if you always aspire to raise this exciting and active hybrid.
We can start by digging into their parents’ past to know a thing or two concerning their ancestry.
The Hybrid’s Parents
Crossbreeds usually inherit their parents’ genes. Sometimes one parent’s traits overpower the other – in such instances, the offspring will most likely take after the most potent genes.
During crossbreeding, breeders first consider the parents’ general traits and the hybrid’s possible appearance and personality. We indicated some of the parents’ common characteristics you would find in the crossbreed, the breeds’ purpose, and some info about their pasts.
German Shepherd
German Shepherds are recognized worldwide for their patrol services and vital protection in homes. The AKC ranks GSDs as the second most famous dog species in North America.
German farmers used Shepherds to protect sheep from coyotes in German farms. Farmers nurtured Shepherds to grow into loyal, friendly, protective, intelligent, strong, and brave companions.
As time passed, people quickly realized that the dog made a better protector and companion at home than as a hunting dog. So, the GSDs’ domestication and multiplied breeding spiraled after that.
Shepherds will always display their protectiveness and valiance regardless of whether they serve as family pets or not – the breeds still retain their herding instincts.
Expect an adult German Shepherd to weigh approximately fifty to ninety pounds, and stand as tall as twenty-six inches when measured from the paws to shoulders.
Most German Shepherds are typically medium-sized or large dogs. Many dog enthusiasts worldwide love German Shepherds and prefer their mixes. The species also ranks as the most commonly used designer dog for many crossbreeds.
The Great Pyrenees
Very few people fully know or comprehend the this pooch. It ranked sixty-sixth in the latest global popularity rankings in the United States.
However, when it comes to traits, the Great Pyrenees outmatches its popularity. The dog is a steady watcher and can keep vigilant for any interlopers.
Besides, Pyrenees dogs provide excellent family protection during danger and can’t allow anything to happen to their loved ones under their watch.
The large dog, originally from Europe, used to herd sheep, just like GSDs and could scare away or bravely fight the wolves that threatened to steal sheep.
When chilling with the family, the Great Pyrenees is a relaxed dog. Despite his beastly demeanor, the dog exhibits a sweetness and gentleness that makes them favored family pets.
A mature Great Pyrenees measures averagely twenty-five to thirty-two inches high and weighs eighty-five pounds going upwards. Some dogs even weigh more than a hundred and fifty pounds.
Amongst all the canine species, the Great Pyrenees sports the fluffiest and thickest coats. Brace yourself for lots of rolling fur on floorboards and sofas and some drool, too, from your big buddy.
Many breeders currently mix the Great Pyrenees with other species to produce superior hybrids, such as the Pyrador, because of the dog’s mild temper and large size.
Shepnees
If you plan to own a Germanees hybrid, it’s critical that you first appreciate and love both the German Shepherd and Great Pyrenees because the mix will undoubtedly inherit either both parents’ traits or predominantly one’s personalities.
This guide reviews the attributes, and physical traits caregivers should expect from the Shepnees mix and the best way to raise the hybrid pup into a healthy, happy, interactive, and protective dog.
Temperament
The Germanees exhibit bravery and will defend their homes and families without deliberation. Anyone who would fancy a large and brave dog takes care of their home should undoubtedly pick the Sheppy.
Nonetheless, the defensiveness and loyalty traits come with their shares of responsibility. You’ll be required to train and socialize the puppies well to bring out their best attributes.
Whenever someone lurks or knocks at the gate, the Sheppy will woof to inform you of the person’s arrival. This hybrid will also doubt strangers who guest in the house, even with the master’s approval.
Thanks to their protective traits, Germanees keep a watchful eye over guests and ensure they don’t leave their sights or attempt anything fishy under their noses.
When amidst family company with zero strangers to heighten their watchful senses, Germanees will display a lot of fondness and interact more warmly with kin members.
Most of the time, the dog will choose to snuggle with family on the couches or sit beside you around the burning hearth. Besides, your cross will occasionally enjoy a nap and belly rubs when peacefully hanging out with family.
Sheppy hybrids that experience detachment anxiety inherit the trait from their German Shepherd progenitors. If the hybrid inherits more of his Pyrenee’s parent’s genes, he may not worry about separation – the Pyrenees are more independent.
All the same, we advise caregivers to acquire extra-large ‘safe-houses’ or crates that the dogs can consider their safest spaces. The safe-house especially comes in handy in families with younger children – the dog may once in a while need some peaceful time all to their selves.
Physical outlook and size
The Sheppy can either acquire equal physical attributes from both parents or overly resemble one parent than the other. It shouldn’t even come as a surprise when all the puppies in one litter look different from each other.
Nevertheless, all the hybrids will bear some familiar physical resemblances to their counterparts.
The dog is an overall muscular breed with a long and thick tail. The breed also features large ears on the sides or above the head, a more extended snout than the average Pyrenees, and potentially droopy dewlaps.
In terms of height, Sheppies will measure between twenty-four and thirty inches from their paws to the shoulders and weigh more than seventy pounds.
Considering the Pyrenees can weigh more than a hundred and fifty pounds, it would be best to anticipate and make necessary preparation for an extra-large dog with extra-large requirements.
The hybrid’s coats and colors
Usually, the Sheppy’s coat inherits its long-haired or short-haired nature from the Shepherd parent. Due to the thick and excessively long Pyrenees fur, you can expect a medium to a long-length jacket or precisely a not-so-short coat.
Both parents originated from areas with cold climatic conditions – this makes their double coats thicker and denser. The dogs shed their furs moderately through an entire year and experience complete sloughing during shedding periods.
Germanees who inherit their Pyrenees parents’ coats will sport waterproof and snow-resistant coats. A Sheppy can acquire the stereotypical rust and dark colorations of German Shepherds, the cream or pure white colors of Pyrenees, or a blend of the two.
Living surroundings and exercise
The Sheppy will require between forty-five and sixty minutes of practice every day. While the exercise shouldn’t necessarily amount to intense workout sessions, it would be best to observe the sixty-minute rule to keep the mind stimulated and their health at peak condition.
Neglecting exercise schedules can often cause behavioral problems in adulthood.
The Shepnees will also require a large space to roam freely and run. That’s why the dog would do well when allocated a family living in a big home with lots of extra outdoor ground.
GSDs and Pyrenees love the outdoor freshness, and therefore their hybrid won’t appreciate sleeping and dragging through indoor hallways all day.
The caring family should reinforce the fences and mend any patches on walls to prevent the Germanees from escaping. Although the crossbreed can get overly defensive of the family’s estate and protect it tooth and nail, he might still easily find a way out and disappear forever.
Your Shepnees can inherit Pyrenees’ hunting instincts and can sometimes desire to roam the forests and ridges like their ancestors.
Shepnees can blend well in families with younger kids. Just ensure you monitor their interaction because a large-sized dog can present various risks, especially with young kids.
If you socialize the cross immediately from puppyhood, the dog will perfectly fit in a home with other pets.
However, because of the breed’s parentage uncertainty, the mix may not calmly interact with other household pets – this is particularly a significant factor if you keep multiple pets in your home.
Training routines
Pup trainers and owners should socialize their dogs as of their puppyhood. If you delay the training commencement, you might easily end up with an overprotective pup who viciously defends the estate and family.
Besides, training delays can cause behavioral problems. We recommend exposing your puppies to different animals (in size and shape) and introducing them to unfamiliar persons, both within and outside the home.
Luckily, the Shepnees is extremely intelligent and can quickly understand and adjust to consistent coaching. Also, don’t forget to include positive teaching in your training. The hybrid will flourish on continuous appraisals from the caregiver.
However, the Pyrenees parents exhibit some independence (stubbornness) characteristics. If your puppies inherit the trait, they will most likely be challenging to teach, particularly for beginners or inexperienced owners.
We advise caring families with independent crosses to enroll their puppies into obedience coaching classes to improve their overall reception to instructions.
With the Great Pyrenees German Shepherd cross, teachers must infuse discipline and the sense of a pack’s chain of command in their early life – this will make them better guard dogs.
Health
Sheppies are healthy hybrids that can live between seven to twelve years. Nonetheless, the Shepnees could still inherit major health problems of either progenitor. The main concerns to watch out for include:
- Dysplasia – the deformation of hip or elbow joints can affect almost all dog species, including Shepherds, Pyrenees, and Sheppies.
Prolonged dysplasia can cause paralysis and arthritis.
- Kneecap Luxation – the ball of the knee becomes dislodged from the femur cartilage.
The complication causes a lot of pain and discomfort to the dog.
- Bloat – the dog’s stomach can twirl and can cause a life-threatening situation.
To prevent bloat, caregivers should distribute the hybrid’s meals across different times of the day and avoid feeding the puppy immediately after or before exercise.
Nutrition
Your Shepnees can consume three to three and a half cups of food each day. Due to their large size, owners should feed the crossbreeds high-quality meals designed mainly for large breeds to cater to their unique and dynamic nutritional requirements.
It would also be best to include the recommended quality meals during the puppy’s development to regulate the fast bone augmentation and avoid dysplasia-related problems.
Because of the Pyrenees parent’s genes, the hybrid might love or prefer unhealthy meals.
However, as a caregiver, ensure you monitor your dog’s diets to prevent them from becoming overweight – obesity will undoubtedly cause more strain on the dog’s joints and spur other weight-associated health issues.
If you need any assistance on your Sheppy dog’s recommended nutrition, feel free to consult the local vet or check out the various approved nutritional guides for Germenees.
Grooming
Due to their double coats, the Shepnees will require frequent grooming – their coats are incredibly dense and hairy. Caregivers should expect lots of hairs and fur within the home, especially during peak shedding seasons.
Brushing the Shepnees once every day will keep the coats healthy and prevent the furs from tangling. We recommend owners to invest in pin brushes and undercoat de-shedding equipment to manage the sloughing effectively.
Sheppies are more hygienic than their parents and will only require bathing once every two to three months. Don’t forget to shop for recommended disinfects for serious shedders like the Shepnees.
You should also regularly check your dog’s ears and clean them three to four times a week to prevent bacteriological infections.
Acquiring a puppy from a breeder
Most established breeders sell Sheppy pups for approximately $1000. However, veteran breeders who only deal exclusively in Sheppy breeding can sell the puppies for higher prices. Others can charge as high as $3500 – the varying price depends on the parents’ breeds.
Because of the Sheppy’s novelty in the world of designer dogs, you may need to travel for longer distances before finding a trustworthy breeder who can guarantee healthy Sheppy puppies.
It would be best if you also did your research on breeders to determine their previous history with caregivers and reputability. It would help if you avoided breeders who are unwilling to show you their puppies, parents, or health documentation.
Raising the Germanees as a family pet
- In the event of danger, the Shepnees will protect their estates and family – they are protective pets.
- The hybrids care for their families and will cautiously monitor strangers or visitors in the home.
- Early obedience and socialization training will significantly help this breed during development.
- The dogs associate well with younger children when monitored.
- German Shepherd Pyrenees hybrids can relate calmly with other domestic pets if socialized from puppyhood.
- Their double coatings require regular de-shedding.
- These crossbreeds will need sixty minutes of daily outdoor practice.
- Big homes with spacious yards make the perfect living and exercise environments for the Shepnees.
Rescues
Committed breed rescues will offer you a better chance of adopting a Shepnees. The organizations usually provide detailed lists of approved rescue stations and the most convenient contact info. The organizations include:
- The Great Pyrenees Rescue Club of America
- The American German Shepherd Rescue Association
Conclusion
The German Shepherd Pyrenees cross is a large breed that needs lots of tough love, spacious training and playing grounds, and intense regular workout routines. Without frequent exercise, the hybrid may become too overprotective and develop physiological or social problems.
If you believe you and your home can fully cater to all the Sheppy’s needs, you can adopt the puppy from a breeder or rescue straightaway. However, not so fast; you still need to research your breeders and ensure they sell to you healthy and lively pups.
When properly nurtured, Sheppies grow into wonderful designer dogs. Besides protecting the entire family, the Shepnees will develop a particular fondness for kids and associate fine with other pets despite their sizeable nature.
