King Shepherd
Encyclopedia
The king shepherd is cross-bred dog developed in the 1990s using three different dog breeds.
(American and European German Shepherd dogs and Alaskan Malamute
s), additional American bred German Shepherd dogs and the Great Pyrenees. An official dog breed club was started in 1995.
is 10–11 years. King Shepherds are classified in the herding group
and have recognition by: ARBA
, AKSC, WWKC, ERBDC, SKC, and the APRI.
Description
The build of this dog is slightly muscular, long, and robust; the structure is solid. The head is in good proportion with the body and moderately wide between the eyes. The forehead is slightly rounded. The cheeks are not too full and moderately curved when viewed from the top. The thick, firm ears are medium sized and moderately wide at base. The eyes are medium sized and almond shaped. The shades of the eyes can be varying shades of brown ranging from golden brown to almost black. The chest is broad and deep. Thickly feathered, the tail reaches at least to the hocks and is slightly curved. Docked tails are inadmissible. Paws are round and short with a well closed arch. The pads are very hard. The nails are short, long, and dark colored. Dewclaws are usually removed. The King Shepherd comes with a wide range of colors: Sable, black saddle with tan, gold, cream, and tan or silver markings. Pale washed out colors are serious faults. The undercoat is little colored except in solid black dogs. White, blue, or liver colored dogs or a dog with a nose that is not black are not accepted in the show ring. Puppies change color until their final coat. There are two coat varieties - plush-haired and long-haired.Size
Their height is 64–74 cm (25–30 in) and their weight is 41–69 kg (90-150 lbs). They are bigger than most German Shepherds.Temperament
The King Shepherd is self-confident with a well-balanced personality and healthy nervous system. They should not exhibit any shyness or nervousness. They are extremely intelligent, easy to train and eager and faithful to please their owners. This breed makes a fine sheepherder and working dog. They are also a naturally courageous guard and watchdog, showing courage, strength, and hardiness in their role of protector. They make very nice companions and are friendly to other animals and children. A docile obedient breed with an easy gait and plenty of stamina.Care
King Shepherds are not recommended for apartment life. They do best with at least a large yard. The king shepherd loves strenuous activity, preferably combined with training of some sort, these dogs are very intelligent and crave a good challenge. King Shepherds need to be taken on a brisk, daily, long walk, jog, or a run alongside a bicycle. If under-exercised this breed can be restless, and destructive.Grooming
The King Shepherd's coat is highly weather-resistant. They should be brushed regularly. They should be bathed when needed.Origin
Two American dog breeders Shelly Watts-Cross, and David Turkheimer created this large breed from the Shiloh ShepherdShiloh Shepherd Dog
The Shiloh Shepherd is a rare breed of dog that is still under development. Developed in the 1970s, they are meant to resemble an older variety of German Shepherd...
(American and European German Shepherd dogs and Alaskan Malamute
Alaskan Malamute
The Alaskan Malamute is a generally large breed of domestic dog originally bred for use as a utilitarian dog and later an Alaskan sled dog. They are sometimes mistaken for a Siberian Husky, but in fact are quite different in many ways...
s), additional American bred German Shepherd dogs and the Great Pyrenees. An official dog breed club was started in 1995.
Other information
The King Shepherd's life expectancyLife expectancy
Life expectancy is the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age. It is denoted by ex, which means the average number of subsequent years of life for someone now aged x, according to a particular mortality experience...
is 10–11 years. King Shepherds are classified in the herding group
Herding Group
Herding Group is the name of a breed Group of dogs, used by kennel clubs to classify a defined collection of dog breeds. It does not refer to one particular type of dog. How the Herding Group is defined varies among kennel clubs, and different kennel clubs may not include the same breeds in their...
and have recognition by: ARBA
American Rare Breed Association
The American Rare Breed Association or ARBA is a national dog association of the United States, based in Cheltenham, Prince George's County, Maryland. The club was formed to register, show, educate and promote the breeding of uncommon dog breeds...
, AKSC, WWKC, ERBDC, SKC, and the APRI.