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Alaskan Shepherd

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Alaskan shepherd

Alaskan Shepherd is a cross breed between the Alaskan Malamute and the German Shepherd. These dogs have a wolf-like appearance similar to its parent, the Alaskan Malamute. Both breeds are thick coated, athletic looking and highly intelligent. So it should be well understood that the result of these breeds would also be amazing and highly talented.

Alaskan Shepherd content overview

History of Alaskan Shepherd

The Alaskan Shepherd was bred to be a working sled dog used for hauling heavy freight. In the year 2009 they gained recognition from the International Designer Canine Association. The name Alaskan Shepherd is a combination of the names of the dog’s parent breeds: the Alaskan Malamute & GSD.

The Alaskan Shepherd may have been breed since the early 1900s given the Alaskan Malamute and German Shepherd’s long history in the United States. Nevertheless, it is a scarce hybrid that is not recognized by the AKC.

Alaskan Shepherd has no more history. If you like to get information about Alaskan Shepherd history, you can also check its two pure breed history.

Alaskan Malamute

alaskan malamute

The Alaskan Malamute originally bred for their strength and endurance to haul heavy freight and later as a sled dog. They are similar to other arctic breeds and spitz breeds, such as the Greenland Dog, Canadian Eskimo Dog, the Siberian Husky, and the Samoyed. Alaskan Malamutes are still used as sled dogs for personal travel, hauling freight, or helping move light objects. The Malamute has been identified as a basal breed that predates modern breeds’ emergence in the 19th Century.

  • Height: 25 inches (male), 23 inches (female)
  • Weight: 85 pounds (male), 75 pounds (female)
  • Life Expectancy: 10-14 years
  • Group: Working Group

German Shepherd

german shepherd benefits

The German Shepherd descends from the family of German herding dogs that, until the late 19th century, varied in type from district to district. It’s a breed of medium to a large-sized working dog that originated in Germany. In the English language, the breed’s officially recognized name is German Shepherd Dog.

  • Height: 24-26 inches (male), 22-24 inches (female)
  • Weight: 65-90 pounds (male), 50-70 pounds (female)
  • Life Expectancy: 7-10 years
  • Group: Herding Group

Different names or Types

Other names

Recognized Names

Recognition

  • Dog Registry of America, Inc – DRA
  • International Designer Canine Registry® – IDCR

Appearance & Characteristics

They usually look like their parents as they have a very bold wolf-like appearance.

Breed basic characteristics

Origin United States Of America
Group Designer
Size:  Big
Lifespan:  10 to 13 years
Trainability:   Moderately Easy Training
Exercise Needs:  Daily walk or jog
Grooming:   High Maintenance
Barking:  Barks when necessary
Shedding: Shed heavily
Protective Ability: Good with Kids
Brushing:  Brushing weekly
Hypoallergenic Breed:  No
Space Requirements:  Gardens and yards
Compatibility With Other Pets:  Good
Average Puppy Price: ‎Average $800 – $1200 USD
Height 21 inches to 28 inches
Weight 64 to 130 pounds

Sound

Alaskan shepherds are not overly fond of their voices and are certainly not alert barkers, though they may howl from time to time. As with any dog, they can be discouraged from barking as frequently with proper training and exercise.

Behavior

Size, Proportion, Substance

Size: The Alaskan Shepherd has an average height of 21 to 28 inches with an average weight of 64 to 125 pounds.

Proportion:

Substance:
Serious Faults:

Head

The head is broad and deep, not coarse or clumsy, but in proportion to the dog’s size.

Skull:
Muzzle: The muzzle is bulky, only slight diminishing in width from root to nose. The muzzle is not pointed or long, yet not stubby.
Eyes: almond-shaped eyes
Ears: Ears are triangular and erect when alerted. The ears are of medium size but small in proportion to the head.
Teeth:
Serious Faults:

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck: The neck is strong and moderately arched. The chest is well developed.
Topline:
Body: The Alaskan Shepherd is a heavy-boned, well-muscled, athletic dog. The body is compactly built but not short coupled. The back is straight and gently sloping to the hips.

Forequarters

Shoulders: The shoulders are moderately sloping; forelegs heavily boned and muscled, straight to the patterns when viewed from the front.
Forelegs:
Front Feet:

Hindquarters

The legs stand and move true in line with the movement of the front legs, not too close or too wide.

Rear Legs: The rear legs are broad and heavily muscled through the thighs; stifles moderately bent; hock joints are moderately bent and well let down.
Hind Feet:
Tail:  It also has a fairly long and plumed tail and large arched paws with heavy padding.

Coat

The Alaskan Shepherd has a thick, coarse outer coat and soft, dense undercoat.

Winter Coat:
Summer Coat:

Shedding: 

Color and Markings

The Alaskan Shepherd can also come in various colors common to its parent breeds and typically have black markings on the muzzle and forehead. The breed’s coat is very dense. It is thick, straight, and medium in length.

Coat Color and Markings

The Alaskan Shepherd coat can be wolf grey or shades of grey, gold, red and liver.

Gait

Personality and Temperament

Personality

The Alaskan Shepherd is a friendly and affectionate dog that needs plenty of attention. They are smart animals that require a lot of activity, mental stimulation, and coat maintenance to stay happy and healthy. They closely observe people they find suspicious or strange and pass out a warning before attacking.

Temperament

This German Shepherd-Alaskan Malamute mix is affectionate and amicable, also being highly attached to their family. This alert breed is highly protective towards its family, forming ideal watchdogs, a quality that they may have inherited from the German Shepherd.

Activity Requirements

Alaskan Shepherds come from two hearty working animals, so it’s no surprise that this breed is both high energy and high endurance. They love being outdoors and will eagerly engage in strenuous hikes, runs, and
romps outside in large, open spaces. This breed also prefers to live in rural or suburban environments where it has a
yard and/or ample outdoor space to run around in.

Behavioral Traits

Alaskan shepherds are extremely family-oriented, and they are good pets. They are protectors of the family, and they stay cautious always. These dogs do not bark unnecessarily but howl or growl. They also keep their eyes on suspicious-looking people and give warnings before attacking or jumping.

Trainability

These dogs are very easy to train with positive reinforcement, and the best part about them is that they can be prepared for carrying out different activities. These smart-natured, headstrong dogs sometimes go on to act independently, in a stubborn way, not willing to listen to the master. They should be given proper socialization and obedience training since their puppy days to help them interact well with other pets and unfamiliar people. Use positive training methods rather than being harsh and rough.

Health & problems

Health

Alaskan Shepherd can have some health issues like chondrodysplasia, i.e., other body parts not functioning correctly. They may get infected by cartilaginous exostosis, which is a disorder of the bone because of excessive formation of calcium.

Alaskan Shepherd Diet Plan

Diet Plan for 6-month puppy: – You need to feed your Alaskan Shepherd puppy 3 times a day between 8 to 12 weeks.

Diet Plan for 6-12 month puppy: –  feed should be 3/4 cups per day. Add protein-rich food to your Alaskan Shepherd dog’s diet, such as eggs, liver, lean meat, red meat bones, boiled green vegetables, bananas etc.

Diet Plan for 1-8 Years puppy: –  Diet includes lean meat, eggs, fruits, boiled vegetables, etc. The Amount of feed should be half cups.

The Alaskan Shepherd is also an active breed to respond well to an active or working breed formula. It would help if you still were careful about overfeeding, however, to prevent obesity.

There many ways to maintain your dog’s physical well-being, and one of those ways is the quality of food you serve it. If you have any suggestions regarding the Alaskan Shepherd’s diet plan, you can leave your comment in the comment box. Your opinion and feedback are precious to us.

Living conditions

Alaskan Shepherd is big dogs and hence not suitable for apartment living as they require ample space to run and exercise. Since Alaskan Shepherd is sled dogs and used to snow, they do not fare well in humid and hot conditions. A house with a big garden or yard will be suitable for Alaskan Shepherd as they are active dogs and need space to run and play.

How to take care of Alaskan Shepherd?

Exercise

Alaskan Shepherd needs regular exercises. They are primarily recommended for people who like to walk, jog and play. They are one of the most friendly, intelligent, affectionate and loving companions. Being highly independent, they have to be nurtured with mental and physical exercise regimes that suit their overall growth.

Grooming & Bruising

Alaskan Shepherds have medium length and extremely dense double coats that shed heavily, especially during seasonal changes. Brushing weekly with a pin or slicker, as well as using a de-shedder, can help reduce seasonal shedding and keep the coat neat and polished.

Dental Health Check-up

Proper dental health care is important for every dog; similarly, it is very important for the Alaskan Shepherd. Brush your pet’s teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week. You get special toothpaste and toothbrush for the puppy, and your vet can guide you on how to use them. If you don’t attend to your pet’s teeth, he can experience tartar build-up. It can lead to gum disease and tooth loss. Not only that, bad teeth can affect other parts of the body too.

Love & affection

Love and affection are useful for every dog. If you give your Alaskan Shepherd puppy love and affection, then the dog will love you back. Your Alaskan Shepherd will be a member of your family, So Give lots of love and affection to your cute puppy. Most importantly, spend time with your dog because that your dog needs love and affection.

Feed Healthy food

They are high energy dogs and play a lot; they need a proper and healthy diet to keep the pet fit. An Alaskan Shepherd needs about a cup of healthy meal per day that contains high-quality feed like meat, milk and dog food.

Feeding a healthy meal in the dog’s life is the most important. On this day, many healthy foods are available on the market so that you can choose any healthy food for your dog. Healthy food is the most important for dog health care. The young Alaskan shepherd dog is not a hearty eater as most breeds his size. He must often encourage meat juices or bacon grease mix in the food to entice him to eat.

The following items should never be feed to Alaskan Shepherd

  • Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor
  • Chocolate, coffee, or tea
  • Grapes or raisins
  • Moldy or spoiled food of any kind
  • Onions, chives, and garlic
  • Poultry bones
  • Salt & salty foods
  • Tomato leaves stem or unripe fruit
  • Yeast dough

Alaskan shepherd training

Crate Training

The crate is an important training tool for almost every dog, especially for families with young children. This training is important for any owner for trips to the vet, travelling, boarding, etc. Crate training your dog can be a painless process if you follow the steps in this guide and provide lifelong benefits to your dog.

Create your Alaskan shepherd when you are not home, or confine it to a small area where it will not cause damage if it has an accident. Keeping your Alaskan shepherd in a crate or restricted area lessens the chance of an accident because it won’t want to soil its sleeping spot.

Most owners wonder how long should a puppy be in a crate. See the table below to help you determine how long you can crate your dog based on their age.

Dog’s age Maximum time in a crate
8-10 weeks 30-60 minutes
11-14 weeks 1-3 hours
15-16 weeks 3-4 hours
17+ weeks 4-5 hours
Adult healthy dogs 8 hours

Behavioral training

Behavioral training is very important for any dog. All of us, dog owners, need to administer some dog behavior training at some point in time. Behavioral training is very helpful for taking care of the dog. If you want to train your puppy to Behavioral training, find out some common behavioral issues like breaking, aggression, food guarding, howling, mouthing and chewing, separation anxiety, etc. Stop these behavioral issues and train your dog easily.

Obedience training

Obedience training usually refers to a dog’s training, and the term is most commonly used in that context. It ranges from very basic training, such as teaching the dog to reliably respond to basic commands such as “sit,” “down,” “come,” and “stay,” to high-level competition. Training a dog in obedience can be an ongoing and lengthy process depending on the dog, methods used, and the skill and understanding of both the trainer and the handler.

Socialization

The Alaskan Shepherd is a dog you can get along with very well easily. Still, basic training, growth in a harmonious environment from an early age and constant socialization are essential. The first step in puppy socialization is learning simple but important habits. It is important to feel comfortable when held on a leash, when its master makes it a bath or when the master touches its food.

Alaskan Shepherd puppy price

Alaskan Shepherd puppy for sale

The average price of an Alaskan Shepherd puppy from a responsible, reputable and knowledgeable breeder ranges from $800.00 – $1200.00 per puppy.

Find a breeder

Things to consider adopting an Alaskan Shepherd

If you are a confident dog owner and are looking for an active, intelligent and protective dog to keep you company, then the Alaskan Shepherd temperament may suit you perfectly.

If you’re seriously considering adopting this dog, you should know.

  • Before you adopt an Alaskan shepherd, consider how much time your new family member will spend alone. Remember, a puppy requires constant attention.
  • Before you adopt a puppy, ask yourself if you can walk your dog several times throughout the day.
  • You also have the advantage of knowing that your dog is physically able to “hold it” for several hours at a stretch.
  • Ask anybody who has adopted an adult dog then adopts an adult dog.
  • If you’re unsure whether the new dog you’ve chosen is right for your family and lifestyle, consider fostering before committing.

Advantages of Alaskan Shepherd

  • Excellent family pet
  • Great working dog
  • Looks majestic

Disadvantages of Alaskan Shepherd

  • Grooming will need regular effort
  • Does not adapt well to hot temperature
  • Not for first-time owners

Alaskan Shepherd Photo gallery

Alaskan shepherd puppy

@tchiliak

Alaskan shepherd

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Alaskan Shepherd photo

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Also read: Top 10 benefits of having a Beagle

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