Quick Links: Table of Contents
- King Shepherd Breed Overview
- History of the King Shepherd Breed. Where King Shepherds came from
- What the King Shepherd Looks Like
- How Much is the King Shepherd Puppy?
- What Colors do King Shepherds Have?
- How Long King Shepherds Live
- Health Problems in King Shepherds and How to Prevent Them
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to King Shepherds
- Other Things to Know About King Shepherds
King Shepherd Breed Overview
The King Shepherd is a giant-sized dog.
The adult King Shepherd stands 25 to 31 inches .
The King Shepherd belongs to the Hybrid Dogs group.
Dogs in the Hybrid Dogs group, like the King Shepherd, are the offspring of 2 or more known, but different, dog breeds.
The fact that King Shepherds belong to the Hybrid Dogs group is one of the reasons why King Shepherds have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the King Shepherd is generally described as:
- Calm
- Energetic
- Friendly
- Loving
- Loyal
- Sweet
- Tolerant
- Trainable
History of the King Shepherd Breed. Where King Shepherds came from
This regal canine is a new breed of dog from the United States that is still in its infancy.
Shelley Watts-Cross and David Turkheimer began working on this engaging canine in the early 1990s, using German Shepherds from both America and Europe, as well as Shiloh Shepherds, an emerging breed, and Alaskan Malamutes and Great Pyrenees dogs.
Their goal was to create a dog with the working ability and protective instincts of a German Shepherd, but larger, with fewer health issues, and with a friendlier demeanor.
They have been successful thus far, establishing the official King Shepherd club in 1995.
They have not yet released this dog because it is a rare breed that is still in development.
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What the King Shepherd Looks Like
These are large canines with strong bones and deep chests, standing over two feet tall at the shoulder and weighing well over a hundred pounds.
They have a rectangular outline with a long, straight or slightly curved tail that is typically carried low.
They are well-muscled and slightly longer than they are tall.
They have a large, well-defined skull with a square shape that narrows toward the eyes, as well as a well-balanced square muzzle with a strong underjaw.
The King Shepherd`s almond-shaped eyes are dark brown and have a keen but composed expression.
Their large, triangular ears are carried erect and open to the front, and their nose is large and black.
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How Much is the King Shepherd Puppy?
The average price of a King Shepherd puppy is $2500. The price of a King Shepherd puppy ranges from $2500 to $3000.
A lot of factors determine the price of the King Shepherd. These factors include what health records the King Shepherd puppy has, the lineage of the King Shepherd puppy, the US state the breeder is located in, etc.
To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a puppy King Shepherd based on the many factors that determine the price of the King Shepherd puppy, check out our calculator that lets you estimate how much you should expect to pay for the King Shepherd puppy based on what you want in the puppy.
When looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of the King Shepherd breed, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.
You may also consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. Adoption costs are very low compared to the price of a puppy.
What Colors do King Shepherds Have?
King Shepherds come in the following beautiful primary colors:
King Shepherds come in the following lovely secondary colors in addition to their primary colors:
How Long King Shepherds Live
The lifespan of the King Shepherd is typically from 10 to 11 years .
King Shepherds live long if they eat well, drink well, exercise well, and visit the veterinarian regularly.
Health Problems in King Shepherds and How to Prevent Them
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
The King Shepherd is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.
From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.
Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
If you want a King Shepherd puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your King Shepherd breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen King Shepherds for:
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for King Shepherds here.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to King Shepherds
If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the King Shepherd.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the King Shepherd:
- Chinook (75 percent match with King Shepherd). Learn more about the Chinook here.
- Shiloh Shepherd (75 percent match with King Shepherd). Learn more about the Shiloh Shepherd here.
Other Things to Know About King Shepherds
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the King Shepherd that you need to know about the King Shepherd breed: