Is the Miniature German Shepherd just a smaller version of the purebred German Shepherd?

Miniature German Shepherds are mixed-breed dogs, not MINI German Shepherds. It is possible to find a very small purebred German Shepherd dog, but it would be due to dwarfism.

In this purebred dog, pituitary dwarfism is caused by a rare genetic mutation. German Shepherd dogs are rarely dwarfed, and when it happens the puppy may be unkindly referred to as the runt.

The Miniature German Shepherd is the result of cross-breeding. The breed is a cross between a German Shepherd dog and another smaller purebred dog, such as a Collie, Border Collie, Poodle, or even a tiny Yorkshire Terrier or Corgi mix.

It’s known as a designer dog when two different dog breeds are intentionally mixed; this hybrid dog is sometimes called a “Mini GSD”.

Miniature German Shepherd Breed Overview-Temperament & Personality

A German Shepherd is one of the world’s most popular and recognizable dog breeds used in military and police work. Have you ever wished you could have the intelligence and beauty of a German Shepherd in a smaller package? 

Now you can thank the growing popularity of the miniature German Shepherd. 

In reality, this breed is not a full-bred German Shepherd. Usually, a female German Shepherd is bred with another smaller dog breed, such as a husky, poodle, or collie, to create a miniature German Shepherd. 

Here’s what you should know about adopting one of these feisty and athletic dogs — including what to expect in terms of temperament, health, and size. 

What Is a Miniature German Shepherd, Anyway?

German Shepherds have many appeals. They love to play, are loyal, and are easy to train. Many potential owners are put off by their size, however. A full-size German Shepherd needs a lot of room to play and run — something many people don’t have. 

That’s where the miniature German Shepherd comes in: all beauty, loyalty, and intelligence but in a smaller size. 

Before you search for miniature German Shepherd puppies, however, make sure you know what you’re getting. 

German Shepherds can’t be purebred miniatures.

A MINI German Shepherd is usually the result of crossbreeding a German Shepherd with a smaller dog breed. 

A German Shepherd’s dominant genes usually manifest themselves in his coat colors and patterns, as well as certain physical characteristics like his ears. It is for this reason that mini German Shepherds often resemble their purebred parents.

The type of small dog bred with the German Shepherd will impact miniature German Shepherds. 

What Does a Miniature German Shepherd Look Like?

If you’re thinking about adopting a miniature German Shepherd, you’re probably looking for a dog with a distinctive German Shepherd appearance but, well… smaller. 

Miniature German Shepherds generally look like that, but since they aren’t actually a real breed of dog, there are no standards for their appearance. Every litter will differ a lot and the pup’s appearance will depend on what the German Shepherd is crossed with. 

Typically, a miniature German Shepherd shares some of the physical characteristics and colors of a German Shepherd. This pup will have a double coat with a slightly wavy outer coat in tan and black or black and red. The bushy tail and large, erect ears of a German Shepherd can also be found on your mini German Shepherd. 

It is possible to have a pup that has some characteristics of a German Shepherd like its body type, ears, and face, but with a very different coat, including all white, black, or golden. 

Breeds mixed with German Shepherds will have different results. Common breeds used to produce miniature German Shepherd puppies include: 

Siberian Huskies (sometimes called Siberian Shepherds)

Poodles (Shepadoodles)

Collie (Shollie) 

Golden Retrievers (Golden Shepherds)

Corgies (Corman Shepherds)

Pugs (Shugs)The Yorkshire Terrier is one of the least common mixes but produces the smallest German Shepherds

It’s likely your new puppy won’t weigh more than 50 pounds when fully grown since small to medium-sized dogs are typically crossed with German Shepherds. With some crossbreeds, the maximum weight may be even lower. 

A miniature German Shepherd whose size is half of a purebred German Shepherd, which can grow up to 90 pounds and stand 26 inches tall.

German Shepherd-Corgi mixes can have the personality and sometimes even the coloring and face of German Shepherds with the distinct body type of Corgis: long and low with short legs and a weight of around 25 to 50 pounds. 

Mini German Shepherd Temperament and Personality

Depending on the pup’s parents, the appearance of a miniature German Shepherd can vary a lot. When it comes to your mini German Shepherd’s personality, however, they’ll probably lean more toward a purebred German Shepherd. 

German Shepherd miniatures make excellent support for family dogs and task dogs. They tend to be very intelligent, loyal dogs. These dogs inherit German Shepherd loyalty and excellent trainability. 

With their medium size and energetic yet loyal personality, miniature German Shepherds are often well suited to: 

1. Apartment living

2. Rural living

3. Hiking and running companion

4. Living with kids

5. Emotional support animal

Just remember the less desirable personality traits of the other dog breed may be dominant. 

German Shepherd Miniature Buying Tips

Miniature German Shepherd mixes are becoming increasingly popular. In addition to making it easier to find a mini German Shepherd puppy, it also increases the risk of dealing with a breeder who uses poor practices, such as breeding German Shepherds with known health problems. 

In addition to the breeder’s fee, the price of a miniature German Shepherd depends on the type of dog the mom was bred with. As a general rule, you should expect to pay around $1,000 for a mini German Shepherd puppy. 

Be sure to ask a lot of questions before working with a breeder! Don’t be afraid to ask about: 

1. The puppies’ parents should be available for you to meet

2. Puppies’ heredity is influenced by how many breeds they have

3. Whether there are known temperament issues

4. Health problems displayed by the puppies or their parents

5. Breeders should provide a health guarantee and a veterinarian’s approval before selling their animals

How many litters the mother has had

You should walk away from the breeder if he or she is not able to answer these questions. A trustworthy dog breeder should be happy to provide plenty of information about the DNA line and health of the puppies. 

You may also be able to adopt an older German Shepherd mix from a rescue or local animal shelter. Although you won’t know the pup’s genetics, you will be giving a home to a pup in need that you know will suit your needs.

Do Miniature German Shepherds Have Health Problems?

Purebred German Shepherds are at risk of a variety of health problems, many genetic. 

Since miniature German Shepherds aren’t purebreds, they may be spared from diseases that can affect their purebred mothers – but that’s not a guarantee. As a general rule, purebred dogs are far more likely to suffer from certain disorders than mixed breeds. 

German Shepherds are prone to developing a variety of conditions, including some that are common in small dogs. It’s an idea to watch for the following conditions that require treatment. 

Hip & Elbow Dysplasia

German Shepherds often suffer from elbow and hip dysplasia. Dysplasia occurs when the joint is malformed and unstable. It is possible for these abnormalities to occur in the socket, ball, or both. Premature osteoarthritis and laxity of the joints can result from either of these conditions. Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia occur in approximately 20% of German Shepherds. 

In addition to being a costly treatment, hip or elbow dysplasia can be moderate to severe. A dog with dysplasia may benefit from anti-inflammatory medications, a special diet, and a heated bed. It may be necessary to undergo hip replacement surgery in some cases.

Bloat (Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus)

If a dog with GDV eats too much too quickly and doesn’t get enough exercise, he can develop bloat due to gas buildup in the stomach. Gas pressure can actually make it difficult for the dog to breathe, resulting in shock. As a rapidly progressing and potentially life-threatening condition, GDV is not to be taken lightly. 

German Shepherds often have their food elevated which may contribute to this problem, even though it may be recommended to help with other issues like hip dysplasia. 

Hemophilia

Quite a few German Shepherds are affecte by hemophilia, which is inherite from their parents. It’s believed that most German Shepherds with hemophilia type A in most parts of the world, including the United States, are descended from a single male from Germany. This male was a prolific sire.

A dog with hemophilia cannot clot their blood properly. Bruises from even the smallest cuts or bumps can be life-threatening. There is a greater risk of hemophilia in German Shepherds than in any other breed. As long as they aren’t injure or exercised too intensely, dogs with hemophilia can live full, normal lives.

Perianal Fistula

There is a common condition in German Shepherds that causes openings around the anus to drain. Your pup may have bloody stool, diarrhea, difficulty defecating, or like at the anal area if they are affecte. You may notice foul odors around their bedding. 

There is a possibility that this condition is cause by the German Shepherd’s low tail carriage and food allergies or inflammatory bowel disease. The problem can be controlle by changing your pup’s diet.

Megaesophageal

In this congenital condition, the esophagus, which carries food to the stomach, becomes weak or limp, preventing food from passing through the digestive system. Symptoms of megaesophagus in German Shepherds include regurgitation of food or vomiting after starting solid food. They tend to be smaller than other pups in the litter and may look malnourished. 

Megaesophageal can’t be cured but managed, usually with a liquid diet for life and elevated feeding. 

Degenerative Myelopathy

It is a recessive genetic disease that affects German Shepherds in their middle age or as seniors. Paraplegia and weakness in the rear limbs can result from degenerative myelopathy. This condition can’t be treate and diagnose except through a postmortem exam. 

Power and Intelligence of Miniature German Shepherd

In general, Miniature GSDs have the same drive and stimulation requirements as full-sized GSDs. When trained, they are clever, alert, and work hard. Despite being relatively easy to train, this dog loves a challenge and a working purpose.

It is important that they are strong, resilient, and love a challenge that involves both mental and physical stimulation, otherwise, they may misbehave.

Socialization of Miniature German Shepherd

A German Shepherd crossbreed dog should be socialize early and taught discipline. A hybrid dog with two intelligent parents will be strong-wille and want to stay active and useful. If they are provided with enough exercise and action, they won’t want to live a sedentary lifestyle.

This mixed-breed dog will be friendly and approachable around children and other animals when trained and socialized.

The behavior of Miniature German Shepherd

This breed is strong-wille and needs to be traine early, as it can easily become destructive or bark if understimulated. This designer dog will delight children, but they should not be left alone with any German Shepherd mix and should be taught how to treat these dogs with respect; what to do around powerful dogs.

Do You Know How to Train a Mini German Shepherd Dog?

Because this dog is not a couch potato, it will need a job such as guarding, protecting, or herding. Mixed-breed dogs need boundaries set early on. It is best to train your dog gradually with positive reinforcement and rewards.

Since this breed is know to have a prey drive, it should not be negatively chastise during training. It is important to keep their inherited prey drive in mind when introducing them to smaller animals.

It is very likely that they will keep themselves busy all the time since they are very active. will be beneficial for them to be able to run around free of a leash if possible is necessary to train in obedience, discipline, agility, and socialization.

A dog trainer is essential if you don’t hire one yourself.

1) Develop your basic command words-The first step is to develop your basic command words – Find keywords such as Stop, Sit, Down, etc. And use them consistently with positive reinforcement and small treats to reward the pup. German Shepherd hybrids tend to be dominant and this needs to be controlle early on in training.

2) Crate – Get this puppy use to going into a crate gently. It will eventually use this as a nest and sleep there. In the beginning, you will have to lock the cage so it knows it must sleep there, and it’s useful to experience this if you need to transport it.

3) Potty training – There are products available, such as mats and odor sprays, to encourage puppies to return to the same spot each time. This is when potty training a newborn puppy. With your help, the puppy will eventually learn where to go and where not to go. Eventually, they will become creatures of habit and regulate their use and location.

4) Walking on a leash – To keep a very active puppy safe, he or she needs to be aware of traffic and voice commands.

Do You Know How to Care for a Miniature German Shepherd?

Exercise Needs

Considering the fact that this small hybrid dog is powerful, naturally active, and has great stamina, it will need a variety of exercises that provide both fun and challenges.

Feeding of Miniature German Shepherd

Feed like a small-sized dog. To prevent bloat, they should be fed twice a day and encouraged to eat slowly, possibly with a slow-feeding bowl.

Puppy diarrhea is cause by sudden changes in diet or dog food brands. So any change must be gradual. Mix some new food with the old and gradually increase the new brand if you’re changing brands.

 Grooming of Miniature German Shepherd

There is a thick double coat on this mixed-breed dog that sheds more than the average dog (unless the other parent is a low-shedding poodle breed) and needs regular brushing, at least twice a week.

Bathing

Despite their coat having natural oils, this dog should not be bathe too often because excessive washing strips these oils. It is possible to find dog shampoos that are formulate to clean the dog coat as well as protect it against fleas and insects.

Cleaning Teeth, Nails, and Ears

It is imperative to clean your dog’s teeth regularly to prevent plaque buildup. Chewing breaks down plaque, so use chewing toys for dogs, bare-bones, soft toothbrushes, and toothpaste. The nails grow quickly and should be trimme regularly, say once a month, and checked for infection-causing debris.

Positives and Negatives of Ownership of Miniature German Shepherd

Positives

1. Alert, protective and loyal

2. A small dog for any home

3. Intelligent and affectionate

4. A very energetic dog with high stamina

5. Easily trained

6. Gentle and loving temperament

7. Makes an excellent watchdog for a family

Negatives

1. When left alone, it is destructive, biting and chewing everything in sight

2. Aloof from strangers

3. Doesn’t suit every owner, needs activity and company

4. Can be stubborn

5. A big shedder

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