German Shepherd /Lab Mix?

wingnut4772

Someone is giving away free puppies that are German Shepherd/Yellow Lab mixes. I have always wanted a Shepherd but I am open to a mutt. Is this a good combo? The price is right.
The pics are a little shaky because they were taken with the iPhone and those little buggers would not sit still.

shawn474

A lab and shepherd mix is a fine mutt!!!!! They are adorable as hell. My folks have owned a lab shepherd mix (or so that was what the seller said they were - I guess one can never be positive unless the parents are on the premises). It was a great dog; extremely playful, loyal and sweet with the kids. Great disposition and an absolute lap dog.

Shawn

wingnut4772

shawn474 wrote: »

A lab and shepherd mix is a fine mutt!!!!! They are adorable as hell. My folks have owned a lab shepherd mix (or so that was what the seller said they were - I guess one can never be positive unless the parents are on the premises). It was a great dog; extremely playful, loyal and sweet with the kids. Great disposition and an absolute lap dog.

Shawn

Thanks. The one I am looking at for me is the sleepy fellow. The others are taken. He was active but I was there a while and didn't take a pic until it was naptime. He's a big fellow. I wonder if he will like the water?

The Mom was on site and the Dad is up the street. He dug a hole to get under the fence!

pearsall001

A pure bred shepherd is an excellent breed as is a pure bred lab. A combo of both would be awesome. The little buggers are going to be big (probably around 100lb, lighter for the females). You'll have many years of love & affection ahead of you if you grab one of those guys!!!! Just do it Darla!!!

wingnut4772

pearsall001 wrote: »

A pure bred shepherd is an excellent breed as is a pure bred lab. A combo of both would be awesome. The little buggers are going to be big (probably around 100lb, lighter for the females). You'll have many years of love & affection ahead of you if you grab one of those guys!!!! Just do it Darla!!!

I already have 2 Rat terriers but together they only equal one dog. LOL I hope they'll get along. The puppy is only 5 weeks old so I have to wait a couple more weeks. I wonder what to name him? Hmmm Maybe I'll start a thread for that .

markmarc

I had a German Shepherd/Greyhound mix for 13 years. A terrific pet that my wife and I still miss after 3 years. Don't walk, run and get one of the mix you mentioned.

SKsolutions

I had a Shepard/Lab mutt. He was a real character, smart, protective, yet good with kids and people. Tough bugger too. He knew who we liked, and who we didn't, and the 'bad' people were always greeted with full set of bared teeth and a growl. He was nuts, but the good kind.

Ricardo

You know you want to name him Kuro.

exalted512

wingnut4772 wrote: »

I wonder if he will like the water?

If its half lab, youll have more trouble keeping them out of the water!
-Cody

wingnut4772

Ricardo wrote: »

You know you want to name him Kuro.

Good one! LOL

Polkersince85

My dog Tybee is a Lab/Shepard mix. Good as he can be. Loves cookies. Plays with the cat and kids. If you are not suppose to be in the yard, the shepard comes out with 110 lbs of teeth coming at you.

megasat16

I named my St. Bernard "Cujo". He is a pretty cool dog regardless of the name.

mrbigbluelight

Mutts can make the best pets; seem to have better tempermants than pure-breds (not as high strung) and the mixing of genes helps eliminate some of the problems purebreds have.
I think pure German Shepherds are prone to hip problems, so having a mixed German/Lab might give you the best of both worlds.

..... although you might wind up with a dog that wants to swim up the Atlantic to invade Newfoundland.


..... the main thing is .... they don't look like hamsters.

obieone

Unconditional Love, plain & simple.

ben62670

Mutts are great. Two fine breeds. I am surprised that nobody with experience with the Lab breed has noted that Lab pups like to dig and chew. Shoes, furniture, and the cotton lining out of panties. You will need to cage the puppy while you are gone. It is not torture. They actually feel safe in a cage. I prefer the ones that are plastic with a wire front door. Also larger breeds will take you for a walk. A choke chain is recommended. Learn to teach. I see way to many idiots with large dogs getting dragged all over the place. I also see too many people with choke chains where the dog is just choking and pulling all the time. A sharp pull and a verbal correction is in order. I know you are a sweet heart so this type of training may not be your cup of tea. I despise seeing how many people go goo goo for labs, and then later the dog is a chained up barker, or is at the pound. If you are willing to do the work then great. It's when people think that they are going to get this great friendly dog that needs no training is when things go wrong for the dog and the owner.

Fireman32

My dog Buster is a lab/shepard and basset mix and is an awesome pup. Very laid back loves to play with other dogs. He is very shy with new people but warms up to them much faster. I think you will have a great dog. Here is a pic of Buster.

fatchowmein

Fantastic combo. I'm on my second Shep/Lab. Hard headed at times so discipline is key. The other key factor is socialization early and often because that playful pup can easily grow up to be extremely defensive with strangers. Crate training is a must. I no longer close the crate but he still uses it as his bed.

In the pic, he's the one on the right. This is an old photo. He's much larger now.

Enjoy!

BlueFox

One point. There is a reason the word “retriever” is part of the Lab’s breed name. I had a yellow lab, possibly a mutt, but I don’t know the parentage, as he was a hand-me-down pup, and I was his third, and final, owner within a few weeks.

Anyway, all he wanted to do was fetch tennis balls. It would get to the point I had to hide the balls so I could get some peace. His tennis ball memory was great. When he came inside he went straight to the place where he last had a tennis ball.

As others mentioned, he will do a lot of chewing in the puppy phase, and as a teenager he will try to become top dog, but once he realizes who is boss he will accept it. Maybe if the dog is neutered that phase will not occur, but I don’t know since the thought of neutering made me hurt.

ohskigod

Buster has a face that could get away with murder. adorable!

Shepard Lab mixes are usually awesome. 2 great breeds.

Matt34

exalted512 wrote: »

If its half lab, youll have more trouble keeping them out of the water!
-Cody

True...but every GSD I've had loved the water also.

lightman1

Darla. The one in the third picture is the one who wants to go home with you.
Russ

wingnut4772

lightman1 wrote: »

Darla. The one in the third picture is the one who wants to go home with you.
Russ

He's already spoken for.

lightman1

wingnut4772 wrote: »

He's already spoken for.

You missed a good companion.
Pic four seems kinda needy. Careful.

wingnut4772

lightman1 wrote: »

You missed a good companion.
Pic four seems kinda needy. Careful.

I picked pic number 2. He's a big boy and very sweet.:)

engtaz

Temperment good for both . Sheppards tend to have bad hips.

wingnut4772

engtaz wrote: »

Temperment good for both . Sheppards tend to have bad hips.

The hip thing I was worried about too. What should I look for?

shack

After owning several purebred dogs over the years, I will probably always look for a "mutt" from now on. Purebreds seem to always find a home (for the most part)...not always the case for the mixed breed dogs. Maybe it is just the luck of the draw, but my mixed breeds seem to live longer and seem to be smarter dogs. Maybe it really is natural selection at work.

BlueFox

Keiko wrote: »

I wouldn't mind having a big dog again. Had 2 Labs and an Akita-Siberian Husky mix before. All were great dogs. I get attached though and it's a heartbreaker when their time comes.

That sure is the truth. I had three big dogs over a 17 year period, and for a good part had all three at the same time. Then within 4 years they were gone.

But, it is getting time for another dog, though I have to admit it is nice to be able to walk barefoot at night in the backyard.

wingnut4772

BlueFox wrote: »

That sure is the truth. I had three big dogs over a 17 year period, and for a good part had all three at the same time. Then within 4 years they were gone.

But, it is getting time for another dog, though I have to admit it is nice to be able to walk barefoot at night in the backyard.

My little Rat Terriers are going on 10 and 11 years. They are awesome little companions. I dread to think of losing them.

My girl is a bit aggressive toward other dogs and I am a bit concerned about her. The puppy will be bigger than her though but I don't want her to influence him badly. My boy is a sweety. Do I really need another dog? I must be insane.

wingnut4772

Keiko wrote: »

The question is, do you want another dog?

Of course. LOL. I just think I am nuts though.

shack

wingnut4772 wrote:

Of course. LOL. I just think I am nuts though.

Sure you are...all of us here are nuts (in some way or another)...why else would we be here?