A Complete Guide to the Shepapoo Dog Breed
The Shepapoo Breed Overview
The Shepapoo puppy is a mixed breed between the German Shepherd and Poodle dog. These dogs are super friendly animals. They go by many names, including German Doodle, Shep-a-Poo, Shepdoodle, and Sherdoodle. In this article, we’ll refer to them mostly as a Shepapoo puppies. Everyone who adopts a Shepapoo loves their pup for their wild personalities and playful attitudes. This article will help you decide if this breed is right for you and provide you with all the information you need to maintain a great relationship with a Shepapoo puppy.
History
Like many hybrid breeds, the Poodle mix Shepapoo breed likely was created naturally. However, the US started mixing the German Shepherd and Poodle breeds on purpose in the 1960s. German Shepherds were always used as police and military dogs, and Poodles were hunting dogs, so they were highly intelligent and easily trainable. This hybrid breed made for a great military dog, but they made for an even better family dog. This hybrid started getting rescued by all types of families, and they continued to rise in popularity.
Size
The Shepapoo puppy is a medium to large-sized dog. This large dog is born from a German Shepherd and Poodle, and Poodles come in three different sizes. Depending on the size of the Poodle’s parents, this hybrid could be considerably smaller than its largest counterpart. The Poodle parents can be a Toy Poodle, Miniature Poodle, or Standard Poodle. This means the Shepapoo hybrid can stand anywhere between 22-28 inches tall. These big dogs aren’t great in apartments because of their size, but if you’re an apartment dweller determined to get a Shepapoo, you should know you can have one in an apartment as long as you give them plenty of exercise. As long as these dogs get enough exercise, they’re sure to be happy no matter where they reside. This mixed breed dog is not a little puppy, and they make for very endearing dogs.
Temperament
The Shepapoo breed is the best dog for a companion pet that can double as a watchdog. The reason this breed is so popular is for its temperament and personality. These dogs are super intelligent and loyal. This breed is great at working with families. They make for an excellent companion dog. They’re courageous and athletic, making them perfect fits for outdoorsy types. These animals need owners who like to stay busy and are great at training lessons. Even though the breed’s parents are working dogs, this breed loves to work and play. They’re super affectionate dogs who want to run around in the backyard just as much as they want to cuddle on a couch during nighttime.
These dogs don’t do well when they’re left alone for long periods, so it’s best to ensure someone can always stay home with them. They also love the company of other dogs and can be trained to live with cats. These dogs will thrive in a multi-pet household and get along with all types of dogs. If you have a charming little dog at home and are looking to rescue a Shepapoo Poodle mix, you’ll find this breed will make a great addition to your family.
Intelligence
As stated earlier, this Poodle mix is super intelligent, and their smarts are one of their best traits. The Shepapoo would make for a great service dog as long as they have great trainers. You should always stick to positive reinforcement if you choose to train your pup instead of hiring a trainer. Dogs learn much faster when owners stick to positive reinforcement methods. It’s also important to ensure you stay consistent and don’t overtrain your dog, or they can get bored of it. Two or three short training periods a day can be a great way to introduce them to love training.
Shedding
Shepapoo dogs can have hypoallergenic fur if they take after their Poodle parent breed. It means that only Poodle-type fur is truly hypoallergenic and sheds very little. This fur can come in a variety of different colors and textures. The Shepapoo has gray, black, brown, fawn, or white fur. Their fur is usually long with a regular density. While not all Shepapoo puppies will be hypoallergenic, they’ll likely be light to moderate shedders because of their parent breeds. No matter what, brushing your dog once or twice a week is a great way to keep up with any shedding habits they have.
Shepapoo Dog Health
The Shepapoo puppy, like all breeds, has a few health conditions that’re at risk. This breed has an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years, and even though they’re at risk of a few minor health conditions, most dogs will live long lives. These pets might develop minor joint or skin issues or mental health issues like stress and anxiety. It is easy to treat them for these minor issues, and pet parents shouldn’t get too distressed.
Common Psychological Health Conditions
Stress
Many dogs experience stress due to their surroundings, and the Shepapoo puppy is no different. These dogs can face stress because of a variety of reasons. Most commonly, animals face stress due to noise or environments. When Shepapoo puppies aren’t socialized correctly, they’re likely to experience stress due to interactions with new people, places, or things. If your Shepapoo puppy freaks out when they see another animal, they probably aren’t socialized well. Animals that experience stress symptoms when meeting new people or in strange places like big parks or large crowds are poorly socialized. Other times, animals experience stress when they hear loud noises they can’t understand. The most common causes of these noises are sirens, fireworks, and thunderstorms. If you’re Sheapapoo puppy freaks out when it’s thundering outdoors, they likely suffer from noise-inducing stress.
There are a ton of different symptoms a stressed dog might show depending on how they experience their stress. If your dog only has minor stress, it will show more minor symptoms. Minor symptoms of stress are barking or whining. Some dogs might pace a lot or refuse to lay down, and some dogs will stand very close to their owners when stressed, and they may even lean on them for support. Dogs with more intense stress symptoms might pant a lot or start shaking. Often these dogs experience extreme stress due to unfamiliarity with their surroundings. While it can be sad to see your pet experiencing stress, it isn’t hard to help them deal with their issues. Pet parents can help their Shepapoo puppies overcome stress by providing calming supplements. They can give their dog something like zen treats or an area called a safe space so their pet can retreat to it to calm down during stressful events.
Anxiety
Many pups suffer from anxiety, which can be caused for many reasons. The most common causes of anxiety are separation anxiety and trauma-induced anxiety. A Poodle mix dog breed is also likely to struggle with anxiety. The Toy Poodle, Miniature Poodle, and Standard Poodle all struggle with separation anxiety. This dog breed doesn’t qualify as a small dog or a little dog, and they still get sad and scared when left alone for too long. Most dogs suffer from separation anxiety at some point. But animals rescued from shelters are much more likely to suffer from this anxiety. Animals rescued from shelters are likely to suffer from all types of anxiety because it’s more likely these animals have experienced traumas at some point. Shelter animals have often experienced abuse, neglect, homelessness, or abandonment, so they can take a little longer to adapt to new families or homes.
Shepapoo puppies that experience anxiety might have severe symptoms, or they may have mild ones. In dogs, mild anxiety symptoms can appear as excessive barking, pacing, drooling, panting, or restlessness. Some dogs will cry or whine and try to hide under tables or behind their owners. Sometimes animals with anxiety will have more severe symptoms that involve panic urinating, or defecating. Some animals shake a lot and will try to escape their home. The most common sign of separation anxiety is when a dog destroys their home in its owner’s absence. There are tons of signs dogs with anxiety will show, but there are also plenty of ways to treat them. Owners can provide their dogs with safe spaces, calming treats, dog CBD, or counterconditioning methods. Everything except counterconditioning training will allow your dog to feel a temporary relief from their anxiety. Counterconditioning is a long and hard training process that teaches a dog to react differently to things that used to scare them. This process requires a professional trainer and takes a long time, but when successful, the results are long-lasting and should be permanent.
Calming Dog Products
There are tons of products owners can give their dogs that suffer from anxiety or stress. A lot of owners build their dog’s safe spaces that can help them have a place to relax in times of stress. A safe space is an area or room dedicated to the dog full of things that provide them with a calming environment. This area can include your dog’s cage, a bed, a tent, or anything that encourages your Shepapoo puppy to feel safe and relaxed. Mostly these areas are full of things designed by the pet owners that they know their dog likes. Typically owners will add in their pup’s favorite food and fresh water, and some might even add special things like aromatherapy or music therapy. Things like classical music have been researched to help dogs calm down. It’s a good idea to include a calming bed, some zen treats, and your dog’s favorite toys at the bare minimum. But owners can do far more than that if they wish to.
Common Physical Health Conditions
Elbow Dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia is a common issue many dogs face that’s caused by their elbow joint being misaligned. When dogs are born, their elbow joint is comprised of three different bones, and they must come together perfectly at the joint to work without fail or pain. However, many dogs’ elbow joints are just the slightest bit misaligned, which leads to health issues much later in life. Elbow dysplasia is typically a very mild health condition that only causes side effects when dogs are in their twilight years.
Typically dogs with this condition will experience some discomfort during regular movements. They might have trouble running or jumping. Sometimes a Shepapoo puppy will lift one of its legs while running and appear to hop to avoid using the joint that’s causing pain. When dogs have this condition, pain and swollen joints are usually their only symptoms, and they can be remedied pretty easily. Many pet owners will give dogs with elbow dysplasia a soft place to rest their joints, like a soft bed or a spot on the couch. It’s vital to their health that you provide your dog with regular exercise so they can use their joint and prevent it from locking up. When dogs with elbow dysplasia don’t exercise enough, their joints will lock up, and they can get sore from small movements like standing up or going to the bathroom. But the same can happen if dogs get too much activity. It’s very important owners give their pets the right amount of exercise and pair it with plenty of relaxation and joint supplements or pain medicines.
Hip Dysplasia
Another common health issue your Shepapoo puppy might struggle with is hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia occurs in a similar way to elbow dysplasia. Your dog’s hip joint should align in a manner that it functions as a ball-in-socket joint, and it should slide as your pup moves so it has a smooth motion that causes no pain. But when dogs are born with hip dysplasia, their joint isn’t aligned correctly, and they can struggle as their joint rubs off themselves, causing pain and inflammation.
Sometimes dogs with this condition might limp or yelp when someone pets them on their hip joint. Some dogs cry when they lay down or stand up, and some might refuse to jump up or run. Occasionally dogs will compensate for the weight on their front legs because their back legs hurt too much. When they do this, your shoulder muscles get larger as their hind legs shrink a bit. Similarly to elbow dysplasia, you have to ensure you provide plenty of exercise to your pet so their joints don’t stiffen up but don’t provide too much exercise, or you can accidentally overwork their joints. You can provide a soft bed, joint supplements, or dog CBD to help your pet deal with pain and arthritis associated with their hip dysplasia.
Sebaceous Adenitis
This mild skin condition called sebaceous adenitis often happens in Poodles, meaning a Poodle can pass this condition on to their Shepapoo puppy. When dogs experience this condition, they change their coat, skin texture, and quality significantly. Often their hair changes in consistency and color once it’s damaged. Usually, dogs only experience mild conditions of this and may have crusty skin or intermittent bacterial or yeast-related issues. Even though dogs can lose some fur and get crusty skin, the symptoms of this condition are mostly cosmetic and don’t cause any physical health repercussions. Most often, dogs can have their cosmetic issues treated by eating more vitamin A, primrose oil, or essential fatty acids. Owners can purchase skin vitamin supplements, synthetic retinoids, and medications at local pet stores.
Oral Health
A dog’s oral health is incredibly important since it can affect their daily lives. Poor oral health can also lead to issues like heart disease or respiratory disease if their teeth aren’t cared for properly. Dog teeth easily accumulate plaque, tartar, and bacteria when their teeth don’t get brushed often. Their teeth need to be brushed pretty often to keep up with their dental health, or they risk developing dental disease. Many dogs in the US have dental diseases, and the first stage of this condition is swollen gums. To avoid your dog developing dental disease, brush its teeth multiple times a week. You should only ever use dog-safe products on your pet. Human toothbrushes are too stiff for their sensitive gums, and human toothpaste is toxic as many products in them can be poisonous to dogs.
If you can’t find the time to brush your Shepapoo puppy’s teeth three times a week, try to do it once a week minimum, and give your pet oral health treats once a day. Oral health treats won’t replace the effectiveness of a toothbrush and toothpaste, but they’re far better than nothing.
Shepapoo Dog Breed’s Needs
Exercise
Shepapoo puppies need tons of exercise. This breed is made from two highly active and skilled dog breeds. Both the German Shepherd and Poodle breeds have been working dogs throughout history. These dogs are very intelligent and active creatures and need plenty of physical activity to stay healthy. Dog owners must give their Shepapoo puppies at least 90 minutes of vigorous physical activity daily. They can go on a hike or a long walk with their pup to ensure they get plenty of exercises.
Many owners forget that dogs need plenty of mental activity too. Mentally active dogs like the Shepapoo hybrid are going to get bored without enough mental stimulation. This boredom can lead to bad behaviors like destructive habits or not listening to commands. Bored pets can also become depressed. To help your Shepapoo puppy achieve their best life, aim to give them at least twenty minutes of mental activity throughout the day. You can do this by providing puzzle toys or partaking in enrichment activities with them. Some enrichment activities allow owners to get all their dog’s physical and mental activity in at once.
Nutrition
A dog’s nutrition is super important in helping them maintain healthy habits. Dogs often eat as much as possible, and the Poodle breed is guilty of this poor habit. Over 50% of adult pet dogs in the US are obese because of overfeeding and a lack of exercise. It’s very important to feed your pet the proper amount of food and give them plenty of exercise. Obesity in dogs can lead to a ton of health issues and may even shorten their lifespan. So be sure you feed your dog the proper amount of food. A dog’s daily treats shouldn’t take up more than 10% of its daily calorie count. If you can’t figure out how much food your dog should get, ask your vet for help. Shepapoo puppies have such a wide variance in their size that, depending on their size, they could need a different amount of food daily.
Grooming
Dogs with Poodle-like fur often experience matting, tangling, or knots in their fur. Because they have such soft and sensitive fur, it’s important to brush them regularly. The more similar to a Poodle’s fur your Shepapoo puppy’s fur is, the more upkeep will require. Brush your Shepapoo multiple times a week to keep their fur nice, and schedule regular grooming appointments to help.
Top Product Picks for The Shepapoo
It can be very exciting to bring home your Shepapoo puppy for the first time. However, moving is a very stressful time for most dogs. Shepapoo puppies can experience even more sense of stress and anxiety during a move than they might normally. To help your dog feel as safe as possible, you should include a few things to ensure they feel safe. Make sure you have a bowl of dog food and water ready for your new pet before they even walk through the door. This way, as soon as your pet gets home, they can see that this new place will provide everything they need. It’s also a good idea to have a dog bed and cage ready, so your pet has a place to rest that’s just theirs. Some dogs get very scared around new homes and environments, so providing comfort is a great way to calm them down.
You’ll need necessities like a harness, leash, and collar. You might want to wait to buy a harness until you have your dog to know the best size for them. But there are a few other items that can also be worth purchasing. Dog owners should look into buying doggy waste bags and treats. Giving your pet treats when new to your home is a great way to help them de-stress. If you plan to take your dog on many car rides or walks, a doggy seat belt will help keep them safe and portable food and water bowls are great ways to give them all the water and nutrition they need on walks.
Overall, you need to help your dog adjust to your new home by letting them come to you and giving them plenty of space and verbal praise. Your dog will see that they’re in a loving home in no time. Shepapoo puppies are very affectionate, so it won’t take long for them to warm up and become your new best friend.
