The German Shepherd Lab Mix is a combination of the two best dog breeds in the world! Did you know that the Labrador is the number one family dog in America and the U.K? Labs are loving, caring, goofy, playful, loyal, so no wonder why they are so beloved!
German Shepherds are the second-best family dog in America! The German Shepherd is loyal, protective, playful, & robust.
Now the German Shepherd and Labrador have been interbred, creating the German Shepherd Lab Mix! This mix combines all the things people love about the two breeds into one. This article will give you a little back history of both species, and then we will add the two breeds together.
The Labrador Retriever
- Weight – 50 – 80 pounds
- Height – 22 – 24 inches tall
- Lifespan – 10 – 14 years
- Major Health Concerns – Cold tail, Bloat, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Hip Dysplasia, Retinal Atrophy & Obesity
- Grooming – 4x weekly during shedding season 2x weekly during the non-shedding season
- Fur or Hair – Fur
- Colors – Black, tan, white, yellow, & chocolate
- Eye Color – Brown
- Exercise – They need long walks (or runs) plus playtime in the yard several times a day
- Training – Labrador is very easy to train and very eager to be trained
- Socialization – Positive exposure to other people and dogs daily for best socialization
- Temperament – Playful, loyal, even-tempered, outgoing, agile, trusting, gentle & smart
- Good in an apartment? – No
The Labrador Retriever is an agreeable and friendly companion that remains a popular choice for families. Labs are highly social and love all people, children, and animals alike, which explains their widespread popularity.
Labrador Personality and Temperament
- Loving
- Loyal
- Caring
- Easy to train
- Easy going
- Very intelligent
- Happy
- Playful
Pick your favorite term, the Labrador Retriever, Labrador, or just Lab. Whatever you call the breed, it is traditional a waterdog from Newfoundland, Canada. The Lab was used to catch waterfowl and is considered a fisherman’s best friend.
In the early 1800s, the Labrador Retriever began its long streak of being known as America’s favorite dog breed.
In addition, some English nobles learned of the dog and imported the breed to England, creating an offshoot called the English Labrador. We have an article about the English Lab VS the American Lab.
The German Shepherd
- Weight – 49 – 88 pounds
- Height – 22 – 26 inches
- Lifespan – 10 – 12 years
- Health Issues – Hip Dysplasia, Bloat, Diabetes, Cataracts, Epilepsy, Degenerative Disc Disease
- Grooming – Brush Weekly
- Colors – Black, sable, red & black, black & silver, black & gold
- Eye Color – Brown
- Exercise – A half-hour of running, playing, walking, or fetching daily
- Training – Use positive reinforcement in training
- Socialization – Take he/she everywhere you go
- Temperament – Loyal, alert, curious, obedient, smart, watchful, courageous, & confident
- Good in an apartment? – No, the German Shepherd needs a house, and a yard to play around in
As the name implies, the German Shepherd comes from Germany, and they were initially bred for herding and protection.
The German Shepherd was soon used in the military and police work in Germany. Their intelligence and loyalty make them a natural at herding and protecting, so they excelled at the job. And, you’ll still find them holding those jobs down expertly!
They are fast, agile, loyal, intelligent, and can even be goofy around the family! Once trained, they will not balk at any command given and will follow it to the letter.
The Lab Shepherd Mix
- Weight – 55 – 90 pounds
- Height – 24 – 26 inches
- Lifespan – 10 – 12 years
- Health Issues – Hip Dysplasia, Bloat, Diabetes, Cataracts, Epilepsy, Degenerative Disc Disease
- Grooming – Brush Weekly
- Colors – Black, sable, red & black, black & silver, black & gold
- Eye Color – Brown
- Exercise – A half-hour of running, playing, walking, or fetching on a daily basis
- Training – 30 min daily
- Socialization – Take he/she everywhere you go
- Temperament – Loyal, alert, curious, obedient, smart, watchful, courageous, & confident
- Good in an apartment? – No, the German Shepherd Lab Mix needs a house, and a yard to play around in
The Lab Shepherd Mix has different names like Sheprador, German Shepherd Lab Mix, or the Labrador Shepherd; this dog is beautiful.
They are friendly, family-oriented dogs that can serve double duty as excellent watchdogs, herder, and even fetching.
The personality of the Shepador is:
- playful
- loving
- loyal
- smart
- obedient
When you decide to get a puppy, the puppy will not necessarily have the same coat or personality as his parents or siblings. For example, a puppy’s attitude could take after the Lab; he could be happy, energetic, happy to play with a stranger. But his coat and body shape could look like a German Shepherd’s.
The sister could have the shape and coat of a Labrador. But, she could have the temperament of a German Shepherd–protective, watchful, standoffish, playful, loving.
The Training Needs of the Shepador
Proper socialization is needed for the German Shepherd Lab mix. This starts as soon as you get your new fur baby!
Take her everywhere you go, plus invite family and friends over often. This socialization gets her thinking that she does not own you or the house/yard.
Also, take her to puppy classes to learn with other puppies her size; this hits two birds with one stone. It gets the dog to socialize and acclimated to new sights, sounds, smells, and new people. Plus, it gets her trained in obedience.
Proper socialization goes hand in hand with obedience! Don’t get fooled into thinking that since they are still babies that they can wait for five to six months before you start training them.
They are brilliant. Even at three months old, start with small, simple stuff and work your way up. If the puppy does something wrong, don’t be mean. Instead, be gentle and firm with the corrections. They don’t have any idea that what they just did was not ok.
Sometimes the males will try a power grab, so while an adolescent, make sure to show them who is the alpha (that’s you!). Otherwise, they will start controlling what you do, where you go, and who can come into the house.
How much Exercise Does the Labrador Shepherd Mix Need?
Let me start by saying that if you are a person who is gone at 8 am and back at 5 pm, and you want to sit at the tv after work, then this breed is not for you.
The German Shepherd Lab mix is an active dog in body and mind, so keep both of those traits at the top of your mind. This, however, is often far easier said than done.
For example, you could run them for 45 minutes. In the end, you may be tired and wanting to sit down and drink a tall bottle of water. But your dog may be saying, “That was just a warm-up right?”
So here’s an idea, try walking them briskly for 45 minutes to an hour once in the morning and again in the evening. Then, run them around the yard or park for a while until they are just as tired as you are.
Their ancestors were working dogs and were only happy when doing something! They are meant for activities like hunting, retrieving, and search and rescue, and those are, to name only a few things.
So, if they aren’t being kept busy, expect them to be digging up the garden, rooting through trash, or digging holes under the fence. Keep this in mind; inactivity is like hell for them; it just drives them crazy! Find them some toys to engage with while you’re gone!
Lack of exercise may result in the destruction of everything, deep depression, and sometimes medical issues. Again, if you are a busy person or just a person who loves to sit on the TV after work and on weekends, then a lower energy dog will be the right dog for you.
Socialization Needs Of the German Shepherd Labrador Mix
Your Labrador German Shepherd needs to be socialized from a young age, the best way to socialize your new puppy is to get them to be accustomed to loud noises, different people, other dogs and other animals, and trucks/cars.
You can also take your puppy to puppy classes where he/she can get excellent training, and get to meet puppies its own age.
A very important thing that you should not do, is take your puppy to the dog park, dog parks have diseases, and for an unvaccinated puppy.
It can be deadly, there is another reason why to not take your dog to the dog park, it can become rough and can scar your puppy for life.
Grooming Needs Of the Shepador
With the German Shepherd Lab Mix as your new family member, your second BFF will be the vacuum!
That’s right, Ladies and gentlemen; you’re going to be swimming in dog hair by the end of the week once the shedding season has started.
The Shepador sheds a lot! So brushing them every day during the shedding season, which is from spring to fall and fall to spring, will really help.
The Shepador Health Issues
- Bloating – Bloating happens when he has eaten and is then exercised this can make the stomach turn over and twist which can be very deadly if not immediately caught and fixed.
- Hip and Elbow Dysplasia
- Allergies
- Eye Diseases
Conclusion Of The German Shepherd Lab Mix
So, all in all, the Shepador gets five stars in my book! I hope I have answered some of your questions! Thank you for reading this article! If you have any questions, comments, or a German Shepherd Lab Mix dog, we would love to hear about it and see your photos. Just drop us an email!
Contributors To This Article!
The Shepador that I am about to introduce to you all is named Autumn. She is a shelter dog that is about 2-3 months old. She is still getting used to her new surroundings and has a few funny quirks that she is slowly overcoming!
Congrats to Cotezz Childers! For getting a shelter rescue!
Not what you are looking for?
If the German Shepherd Labrador Mix seems a little too calm for your taste, don’t worry! We have an article on The German Shepherd Rottweiler Mix. The Rottweiler Shepherd mix combines the incredible power of the Rottweiler and the German Shepherd into one body!
For those of you who have or are going to get a new puppy! We have several dog name article just for you.
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If you liked this article, then you will differently love these different Lab mix articles!
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