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What Breed Do You Think?

2K views 25 replies 13 participants last post by  llombardo 
#1 ·

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#4 ·
The puppy looks like a black German Shepherd.
 
#5 ·
Do you think she is pure bred or mixed? I have my own thoughts on this , but I'm just curious what other people think .
 
#8 ·

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#11 ·
One of the reasons why many shelters (and even some rescues) will attach a "mix" label to dogs that look purebred is because they don't want to open themselves up to litigation if someone adopted a dog that had been labeled a purebred, then later found out it wasn't.

It is CYA, just in case.
Sheilah
 
#20 ·
Was just going to say this. I know a few people that have rescued dogs and very upset the dogs were labeled as purebred but later found out they weren't or a white marking appeared or they didnt grow to a standard height or built of the breed. So, many rescues around here just started adding the word mix to the label.
 
#15 ·
You know this makes me wonder...I got my male from the same shelter. He was older and listed as a GSD, so I wonder if they had paperwork from original owner(he was an owner surrender). They didn't offer me any paperwork so I wonder if they ever do. I might call them and ask, I would love to know where mine came from.
 
#14 ·
I understand what everyone here is saying, but depending on the dog in question it could be a really rude awakening for some people. It's really risky for shelters to do, because some of these dogs that they are saying are mixed to cover their butts are on breed restriction lists for housing, insurance ,etc. it opens these dogs up to being brought back to the shelter:( as soon as I seen this one I told her I think you got a pure bred GSD and went on to explain what most GSDs need and I don't think it sunk in. They are not very social people and they are older laid back people, I have stressed the socializing part. Not with all dogs but with their daughters dogs. I suggested the park and walks go get the pup used to stuff, etc. I am praying that this pup is on the calmer side. They were talking about how well she was doing the first five days, keep in mind she was just spayed too. I told the daughter, let me know what they think in a month:D
 
#18 ·
I can see how a shelter would think lab/GSD especially if they expect a GSD to be black/tan and have not seen many all black. It could be you will have to wait till it is older to see how it develops. I don't think shelters are very good at guessing what mixes dogs are.

I had a shelter dog I adopted at 3 months old, all white. They had it labeled as a Shepherd/Lab mix and as a puppy that is pretty much what it looked like. Later in life she looked like an all white lab. I did a DNA test (I know they are not the most reliable) and it came back as 50% Swiss White Shepherd and 50% Golden Pei which is a cross of a Golden retriever and a Shar Pei.
 
#22 ·
Updated picture of puppy in question. I'm still not sure I see any lab in there, but I could be wrong:)

 
#24 ·
If it looks like a German Shepherd,
And it walks like a German Shepherd,
And it swims like a German Shepherd,
And it quacks like a German Shepherd,
It's a German Shepherd.


Does it swim like a German Shepherd?
 
#25 ·
I have a black female GSD. Before her ears came up, 95% of the people who saw her thought she was a lab mix. Even when she's walking down the street with an obvious black and red GSD!

True story - one dog I pulled from a shelter had mix added onto his paperwork. They gave me his original intake form from when he was turned in - it was all the same handwriting and same pen. On the top where it said breed - GSD then 'mix' added on in a different pen and different writing.

Forget the pen and handwriting, how many people who have a shepherd mix would write GSD instead of shepherd or g shep or shephard?
 
#26 ·
The dogs owner had a bad experience with GSD's in the past . She is more accepting of the fact that she probably has a pure bred GSD. When her daughter tells people GSD/lab, I mumbled under my breath..lab my butt:D
 
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