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Opinions: Purebred German Shepherd or Mix?

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Opinions: Purebred German Shepherd or Mix?

Jessica

Posted : 2/10/2007 7:00:00 PM

These two are shelter pups that were picked up in the country as strays. They look very, very German Shepherd. However, while it's possible for them to be purebred, they do have a couple of distinctions that make me think they're mixed.

1. Their heads are not large compared to their bodies. They have a delicate skull structure.
2. Their ears, despite our best efforts, never stood. They like to flop sideways like airplane wings. While this is definitely something that happens with GSDs with weak ear leathers, it could also be an indication of another breed.
3. The black in their coats seem to have more sheen than a GSD's. GSDs tend to have less of a shiny black.
4. Both pups have fully-jointed hind dewclaws. Some breeds are more prone to this, but all the breeds I've heard about would have made them huge dogs, which they aren't.
5. The girl is coated, but this is also frequently seen in GSDs.
6. They're fairly small. Technically, they are within the breed standards, but their petite-ness may have something to do with another breed. At just over a year, they weigh about 55 lbs. (the girl) and 60-65 lbs. (the boy).

After seeing some pictures of GSD/Doberman mixes, I'm almost tempted to think that their delicate skulls could resemble dobies, but I'm really not sure. Any guesses?
Less than a year (10 weeks-4 mos.):

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/A1C75568-A27E-4964-BC57-50A80FBD8EBA/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/A1C75568-A27E-4964-BC57-50A80FBD8EBA/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/228DA23F-3E56-47B2-BA9D-DE404D1F00DB/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/228DA23F-3E56-47B2-BA9D-DE404D1F00DB/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/06C02A3B-3849-4236-885A-32CD2CB07EB7/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/06C02A3B-3849-4236-885A-32CD2CB07EB7/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/D49742B3-E202-4597-8D5A-536CC44161D5/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/D49742B3-E202-4597-8D5A-536CC44161D5/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/6D4B53B7-03D4-419C-AB13-A590797DC8B8/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/6D4B53B7-03D4-419C-AB13-A590797DC8B8/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/6A75BB3A-6436-4DF4-B06E-DEA095A38723/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/6A75BB3A-6436-4DF4-B06E-DEA095A38723/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/4E7C865E-825A-449D-88B5-7FD7AB393C75/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/4E7C865E-825A-449D-88B5-7FD7AB393C75/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/87BB780B-50E3-4818-B971-B5F8C8589766/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/87BB780B-50E3-4818-B971-B5F8C8589766/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/ADBED215-E559-4DBE-BFDE-0B845C008480/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/ADBED215-E559-4DBE-BFDE-0B845C008480/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/76BAECFD-2407-4332-884F-CE16B3225D88/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/76BAECFD-2407-4332-884F-CE16B3225D88/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/6FB0B310-F5A8-4362-899C-413CA2622B8C/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/6FB0B310-F5A8-4362-899C-413CA2622B8C/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/F0513F50-8038-4C86-AC88-F73FA8B61446/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/F0513F50-8038-4C86-AC88-F73FA8B61446/picture.JPG[/link]
[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/7FA0400E-F497-484B-B4CE-C47A40BC29DF/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/7FA0400E-F497-484B-B4CE-C47A40BC29DF/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/DDB21BB9-1E60-4319-BE3A-904718C81947/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/DDB21BB9-1E60-4319-BE3A-904718C81947/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/929DD1B6-2CE3-4CA3-AA2B-9CD0094977CF/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/929DD1B6-2CE3-4CA3-AA2B-9CD0094977CF/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/5B6BE2C4-118F-4CD6-A01E-9DD596E73355/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/5B6BE2C4-118F-4CD6-A01E-9DD596E73355/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/2925DFDA-56D2-4799-A9FA-95F176FDECBD/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/2925DFDA-56D2-4799-A9FA-95F176FDECBD/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/E7584A31-A094-44EE-AD4D-DFD7567037CF/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/E7584A31-A094-44EE-AD4D-DFD7567037CF/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/2DC3A7E2-734B-4388-8319-8AC9BB917D20/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/2DC3A7E2-734B-4388-8319-8AC9BB917D20/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/75E48985-CD2A-46F5-AD88-59699E47F213/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/75E48985-CD2A-46F5-AD88-59699E47F213/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/471FBE2A-9BEA-4B96-94E8-E18B2D976D11/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/471FBE2A-9BEA-4B96-94E8-E18B2D976D11/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/E5AEA069-524A-42E9-8F09-3A041EB55B60/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/E5AEA069-524A-42E9-8F09-3A041EB55B60/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/21544FA4-73A9-4DE7-8E12-EC9A4E6E7A90/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/21544FA4-73A9-4DE7-8E12-EC9A4E6E7A90/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/00D18E4B-A255-440D-90D7-5EFE27E30BEC/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/00D18E4B-A255-440D-90D7-5EFE27E30BEC/picture.JPG[/link]

Less than a year (6-8 mos.):

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/3CA12E72-AC07-402D-8170-A280A4D05A73/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/3CA12E72-AC07-402D-8170-A280A4D05A73/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/9FBAC254-9490-436A-B16F-D601573C93B0/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/9FBAC254-9490-436A-B16F-D601573C93B0/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/58BFBA68-EAF2-4C95-B3C4-327F6EAA0804/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/58BFBA68-EAF2-4C95-B3C4-327F6EAA0804/picture.JPG[/link]

At a year old:

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/3EE8224C-2FEB-4AC5-A12F-BACAB04A877C/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/3EE8224C-2FEB-4AC5-A12F-BACAB04A877C/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/40C39D4F-D8D8-4C54-BD13-DB01F28AAF35/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/40C39D4F-D8D8-4C54-BD13-DB01F28AAF35/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/41BA35EE-CCE5-4902-8C47-4E3D846C7E03/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/41BA35EE-CCE5-4902-8C47-4E3D846C7E03/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/2BB0DA24-EF38-4703-80E7-18DB9C2D869E/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/2BB0DA24-EF38-4703-80E7-18DB9C2D869E/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/2F38768F-D5AD-4A00-9125-13C467973877/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/2F38768F-D5AD-4A00-9125-13C467973877/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/54C0B1DF-6A25-4BF8-80DC-AE44B6230487/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/54C0B1DF-6A25-4BF8-80DC-AE44B6230487/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/CFAD5FF8-C554-4470-9C68-FEEAE1E32E64/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/CFAD5FF8-C554-4470-9C68-FEEAE1E32E64/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/F4C6BA1B-9D2D-4023-BF0B-E9FA3B9D688F/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/F4C6BA1B-9D2D-4023-BF0B-E9FA3B9D688F/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/C20D5F43-DCC3-499F-9CCA-D87A7427018A/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/C20D5F43-DCC3-499F-9CCA-D87A7427018A/picture.JPG[/link]
[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/38CD9E6B-59DA-4408-A38B-9A738713658A/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/38CD9E6B-59DA-4408-A38B-9A738713658A/picture.JPG[/link]

[linkhttp://www.fototime.com/E85D4646-8A99-4E80-91B7-BD7ADD1DD206/picture.JPG]http://www.fototime.com/E85D4646-8A99-4E80-91B7-BD7ADD1DD206/picture.JPG[/link]

Any ideas? I alternate between thinking they're purebred GSD and thinking they could be some mix, but I'm stumped on what the mix could be. Keep in mind that their ears never did stand permanently, so they are not erect anymore. Their ears flop to the side like in their earlier puppy pictures (10 weeks - 6 mos.).

Edit: I don't know why the links didn't work earlier. I've removed the brackets that seemed to be causing the problem, so they should work now.

Raja19

Posted : 2/10/2007 7:51:25 PM

The website will not let you look at them unless you are a member, I even signed up and still I can not see any photo's.

C K

Posted : 2/10/2007 8:12:10 PM

For some reason, the link didn't extend all the way through the addy. You have to highlight the entire line, including the things in the brackets and paste it in the address bar.

They look like Shepherds to me. There's no way to be sure whether a dog is purebred or not. Someone who knows more about the breed might come along and point out a completely obvious reason they aren't purebred, but there's really no way to confirm that they are unless you have their papers.

Posted : 2/10/2007 8:47:30 PM

I'd guess that they were shepherd mixes, but that's just me... I really don't know!

mtoon

Posted : 2/11/2007 7:03:41 AM

the fluffy one reminds me of a chow mix...if anybody has any ideas on the jointed hind dew claws, please speak up, as snoopy's is the same way! his paws are huge and he is bigger than all his littermates...what breed could contribute to this?

micksmom

Posted : 2/11/2007 8:48:10 AM

They look like GSD mixes to me, too. Beautiful dogs, and I'd say mostly GSD Looking at the female, I'm wondering if there's some Australian Shepherd in them.

jones

Posted : 2/11/2007 3:03:50 PM

I agree with the above... especially as an adult, the female does resemble an Aussie-GSD cross more than a coated GSD. The male favors the GSD side a bit more.