Are you interested in owning a German Shepherd Newfoundland Mix? You will find everything you need to know before taking your pup home in this article.
The Newfoundland German Shepherd cross, also known as a Newfie Shepherd or New Shep is a designer dog that is bred precisely for the enviable personalities of both parents. And since dog breeders produced the hybrid intentionally, the Newfie Shepherd has more predictable traits.
Today we will dive into the tiniest details to understand this mixed dog breed better, looking at their characteristics, appearance, lifespan, nutritional needs, training, among others. With this info, you will know what to expect from your German Shepherd Newfoundland mix puppy.
Table of Contents
History of Breed
No one really knows when the crossbreed between a German Shepherd and the Newfoundland was first conducted. This makes it hard to even understand why the breeders came up with the idea in the first place. However, the crossbreed between these purebreds is possible and produces an excellent pup.
Parents
To understand the Newfie Shepherd better, you need to learn a little about their parents, looking at their origin, popularity, size, weight, temperaments, health issues, and more.
The German Shepherd dog (GSD) – This dog breed originated in Germany in the late 1800s through the breeding of the smartest, alert, and most obedient local dog breeds. Their keen sense of smell, speed, intelligence, and might made them excellent herders for the flock. They also protected them from predators.
The German Shepherds popularity rose in the wake of WW1 in Germany, and this spread globally. Since they are easy to train, loyal, and brave, this makes them ideal as service dogs as well as companions. They were first registered by the AKC in 1908.
Male GSDs stand 24 to 26 inches tall with a weight of between 66 and 88 pounds, while female GSDs stand 22 to 24 inches tall with a weight of 49 to 71 pounds. They have a lifespan of 9 to 13 years.
The breed is prone to a range of medical conditions like bloat, arthritis, hip dysplasia, and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Others include generative myelopathy and bloat due to the large size and deep chest.
The Newfoundland – The Newfoundland was first recorded in 1780. The breed we now know today, however, originated from dogs brought from the island of Newfoundland to England in the early 1800s. The breed is said to have developed from the black ‘bear’ dogs with a history that dates to the Vikings’ era.
Like the GSD, Newfoundland was a working dog breed. They were used to haul woods from the forest and to pull nets for fishermen. They are intelligent with a sweet disposition and kid-friendly with a desire to please. They are also easy to train with patience and were first registered by the AKC in 1886.
Male Newfoundland stands 28 inches tall with a weight of 130 to 150 pounds, while females stand 26 inches tall with a weight of 100 to 120 pounds. Their life expectancy is between 8 and 10 years.
The breed is prone to a variety of health issues like cataracts, Addison’s disease, epilepsy, hip/elbow dysplasia, subvalvular aortic stenosis, bloat, among others.
Characteristics, Temperament, and Standards
Although the New Shep has a stubborn streak like the parents, it is highly intelligent which makes it easily trainable. You should know that this mixed breed tends to grow larger than its parents. As such, they are somewhat superb watchdogs because of their large size and protective nature. However, they are friendly to strangers as well and get along with other pets at home.
Appearance
As mentioned earlier, the Newfoundland x German Shepherd mix may grow bigger than both parents, especially in the first generation breed. They can be as heavy as 200 pounds. A male Newfie stands between 25 and 28 inches tall and weighs 120 to 150 pounds while females stand 23 to 26 inches tall and weigh 80 to 120 pounds.
Both the German Shepherd and the Newfoundland have a thick, soft undercoat and a course, short or medium-length outer coat. The same goes for their mixed offspring.
When it comes to colors, Newfie Shepherds come in blue, red, silver, black, brown, cream, and sable.
Nutrition and Dietary Needs
As you can see, the New Shep is a large dog crossbreed which means you must feed them a diet that is specifically designed for large dog breeds. You should feed them approx. 3 cups of premium kibble are divided into several small meals throughout the day.
Training and Exercise
The Newfie Shepherd is very intelligent although a bit stubborn but is easily trainable, a trait they inherit from both parents. They are suitable for active families with kids. Make sure you engage your Newfoundland German Shepherd mix in games and puzzle toys for mental stimulation.
This, however, depends on the traits your puppy inherits. So, you will either have an active pup with moderate energy levels or a high-energy active one. When it comes to exercise, you should give your Newfie Shep a 60-minutes walk on a daily basis.
If you have a large backyard, it provides the most suitable environment for your doggie friend.
Health Concerns
Typically, the Newfie GSD mix is a healthy crossbreed. However, they are prone to some health issues they inherit from both parents. Their large and weighty size, for instance, makes them susceptible to joint and bone problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia.
Should they inherit the floppy ears trait from their Newfoundland parent, maintain proper hygiene by cleaning them regularly and keeping them dry to prevent ear infections.
Life Expectancy
Your Newfie Shepherd boasts a life expectancy of between 9 and 14 years. If your pup, however, inherits the German Shepherd parent’s smaller size, they tend to be healthier and live longer.
Grooming Needs
As we saw above, the coat is the most common trait in both the German Shepherd and Newfoundland. They have an outer water-repellent layer and an insulating inner layer. The Newfie Shep adopts this coat that sheds moderately and is easy to groom by brushing thoroughly several times a week.
Grooming only becomes tougher during the shedding season, twice a year when the German Shepherd parent sheds tremendously. You can bath your Newfie Shep seldom like after 6 to 8 weeks. Maintain regular toothbrushing. Should your mix take after the Newfoundland parent, they are likely to drool so maintain oral hygiene as well.
Cost and Maintenance
A Newfie Shep pup has a price tag of between $500 and $1500. When it comes to maintenance, the GSD parent has significantly high monthly expenses and so are Newfoundlands. This means that your Newfie Shep will have higher-than-average care costs due to their grooming needs, big appetites, and health issues.
Where to Adopt or Buy
As mentioned earlier, the crossbreed between a German Shepherd and Newfoundland is rare to find, especially because they are more valuable as purebreds and the Newfie is hard to find. You can, however, check with rescue centers for the specific breed or reliable sites like Adopt a Pet.
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