This hybrid is a cross breed mix between its two parent breeds, the Siberian Husky and the German Shepherd, which is noted to be America’s favourite dog. The German Shepherd Husky, also known as the Gerberian Shepsky is an intelligent and very loyal furry friend that loves to play after it gets used to its environment.
There is very little known knowledge following the reason for this crossbreed and when and where it originated, but in order to discover more about this special pup, you can easily just take a look at its parents. While the personality and characteristics of this pup are normally formed based on the dominant parental gene, most Gerberian Shepskys have been known to be very hard and diligent workers, who equally shower their owners with lots of love and attention.
Behind its almost wolf-like appearance is a dog with a heart of gold, that not only loves and cares for its owners, but are known to protect them from any intruder or stranger approaching. German Shepherd Husky Mix dogs have also been used by the police as guard and watch dogs, because of their incredible work ethic and loyalty to their owner. These pups require lots of love, activity and a little more maintenance than their other doggie counterparts.
Parental Heritage
German Shepherd Huskies, as their name suggests, are a mix between the Siberian Husky and the famous and well loved German Shepherd. Both of these pups contain hard working attributes which they passed down to this cross-breed. The Siberian Husky was initially bred to pull sleds for their owners, which makes them great distance runners and even more productive workers. The German Shepherd on the other hand was a working dog that was originally used in Germany, before making its worldwide debut. Mixing both these different but very similar dogs produced one of the best and most popular dogs of the 21st century, the Gerberian Shepsky.
Both the German Shepherd and the Siberian Husky have independent qualities, but they are also great when getting along with children and other animals. This factor makes them an easy addition to any family. Both these pups require lots of action to keep them active during the day, because of their innate hard working ability, and should rarely if ever be confined to a cage or locked up.
German Shepherd Husky Mix Appearance & Lifespan
The Gerberian Shepsky is a wolf-like dog with a thick double coat of fur and triangular ears, inherited from its husky parents. On average, they generally weigh anywhere from about 45 – 88 pounds fully grown, and in height about 20 – 25 inches, making for a really big dog. Because of this they’re sure to turn heads when you walk them down the street. They come in a variety of colours such as tan, black, white, cream gray and even light brown. If you’re lucky, your pup may also come with piercing blue eyes, naturally inherited from its Siberian Husky side, but they also come with a wide range of eye colours. These eye colours are normally determined by the dominant genotype.
German Shepherd Huskies normally live a long and full life, with their average lifespan ranging in the tune of 10 – 13 years. This longevity is just a little below average for large breeds of dogs, but with proper care, grooming and annual veterinarian trips, your Shepsky will be with you and your family for many years to come.
Character & Personality
Inherently adopted from both their parents, the German Shepherd Husky mix contains character attributes such as diligence, being intelligent, playful, loyal and very protective of their owner. It should be noted however that the Shepsky will require a bit of socialization from a young age, in order to be more welcoming to strangers and other pets. After the socialization phase, they become chirpy and more accepting in new environments and around new people.
An overlooked ability of the shepsky is its ability to react to being spoken to and whistles. Most shepskys are friendly after socialization, inherited from their Siberian Husky genes, and absolutely clever and easily trainable, inherited from their German Shepherd side. They are easily trainable which means they learn tricks and verbal prompts very quickly, making them the ideal pet for a growing family.
Health Concerns
German Shepherd Huskies are normally relatively healthy, especially in comparison to a lot of other dogs and hybrid types, but because of their genetic makeup, they are susceptible to health issues faced by both the Siberian Husky and the German Shepherd. These issues include but are not limited to cancer, epilepsy and allergies.
- Cancer – Many persons are not very knowledgeable about the fact that cancer is as prevalent in dogs as it is in humans, meaning that the lifespan of your husky may be cut short if his health has not been top priority. In this case, prevention is key when it comes to your dog’s life, so regular checkups are necessary.
- Epilepsy – Perhaps the scariest thing that can happen to your husky is a case of epilepsy. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes loss of consciousness and uncontrolled seizures. While there are very little methods to prevent and control this attack, it’s important to be armed with knowledge about what to do if your husky has an epileptic attack.
- Allergies – German Shepherd Huskies are particularly prone to food, airborne and contact allergies. Food allergies normally occur based on your pup’s feed and can be easily eliminated by watching which foods he loves and what he does not care for. Airborne allergies can be contracted by certain inhalants such as pollen, while contact allergies occur when certain products are used on your pup.
Most of the health concerns listed above can be simply avoided or stopped in their tracks by paying attention to what your husky likes and how they behave. This will erase most of the health issues and concerns and allow your Gerberian Shepsky to live a long and full life.
Whether you love them for their wolf-like appearance or their loyal and friendly personality, these Huskies make the ideal pet for every family.
