Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Shiloh Shepherd Breed Overview
- History of the Shiloh Shepherd Breed. Where Shiloh Shepherds came from
- What the Shiloh Shepherd Looks Like
- What Colors do Shiloh Shepherds Have?
- How Long Shiloh Shepherds Live
- Health Problems in Shiloh Shepherds and How to Prevent Them
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Shiloh Shepherds
- Other Things to Know About Shiloh Shepherds
Shiloh Shepherd Breed Overview
The Shiloh Shepherd is a mixed-breed dog that was formed by interbreeding the German Shepherd Dog and the Alaskan Malamute.
The Shiloh Shepherd is a giant-sized dog.
The adult Shiloh Shepherd stands 26 to 30 inches .
The Shiloh Shepherd belongs to the Working Dogs group.
Dogs in the Working Dogs group, like the Shiloh Shepherd, were developed to assist humans in some capacity – including pulling sleds and carts, guarding flocks, guarding homes, and protecting their families.
Breeds in the Working Group are known for their imposing stature, strength, intelligence, and fearless.
Because of their size and strength, working dogs require a structured home life and firm, fair, consistent training by someone who can provide leadership without resorting to anger or physical force.
The fact that Shiloh Shepherds belong to the Working Dogs group is one of the reasons why Shiloh Shepherds have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the Shiloh Shepherd is generally described as:
- Companionable
- Gentle
- Loving
- Loyal
- Outgoing
- Trainable
History of the Shiloh Shepherd Breed. Where Shiloh Shepherds came from
The Shiloh Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, having only been developed in the 1970s.
However, the breed has already earned a reputation as a loyal and intelligent companion.
The Shiloh Shepherd was created by Tina Barber, who was inspired by the classic German Shepherd Dog.
However, she wanted to create a breed that was more gentle and trainable than the German Shepherd.
To achieve this, she crossed several different types of dogs, including the Anatolian Shepherd, the New Zealand Sheepdog, and the Alaskan Malamute.
The result was the Shiloh Shepherd: a robust and good-natured dog with all the best qualities of its parent breeds.
Today, the Shiloh Shepherd is prized as a family pet and companion animal, and it continues to earn accolades for its intelligence, loyalty, and trainability.
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What the Shiloh Shepherd Looks Like
The Shiloh Shepherd is a large and powerful dog, with a strong build and a dignified bearing.
The head is proportional to the body, with a wide muzzle and intelligent eyes.
The ears are medium-sized and erect, and the tail is long and thick.
The coat is thick and dense, with a thick ruff around the neck.
Shiloh Shepherds come in a variety of colors, including black, brown, and gray.
They are loyal and protective dogs, making them excellent companions for families.
With their regal bearing and noble nature, Shiloh Shepherds are truly impressive animals.
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What Colors do Shiloh Shepherds Have?
Shiloh Shepherds come in the following beautiful primary colors:
Shiloh Shepherds come in the following lovely secondary colors in addition to their primary colors:
How Long Shiloh Shepherds Live
The lifespan of the Shiloh Shepherd is typically from 9 to 14 years .
Shiloh Shepherds live long if they eat well, drink well, exercise well, and visit the veterinarian regularly.
Health Problems in Shiloh 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 Shiloh 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 Shiloh Shepherd puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Shiloh 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 Shiloh Shepherds for:
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Shiloh Shepherds here.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Shiloh 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 Shiloh Shepherd.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the Shiloh Shepherd:
- Flat-Coated Retriever (78 percent match with Shiloh Shepherd). Learn more about the Flat-Coated Retriever here.
- Labrador Retriever (79 percent match with Shiloh Shepherd). Learn more about the Labrador Retriever here.
Other Things to Know About Shiloh Shepherds
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the Shiloh Shepherd that you need to know about the Shiloh Shepherd breed: