German Shepherd mixed with a Hound, more commonly known as a Basset Shepherd, is another family dog on our list. Like any other German shepherd mixes, this dog breed again is a great family dog and a perfect watcher.
You will get attracted to the charm and innocence of this cute dog breed. Apart from this, a Shepherd Basset is recognized by the American Kennel Club. As per a survey of American Kennel Club, it is a famous pet breed whereas, its parent breed, German Shepherd, is the second most common dog breed in the entire USA.
If you are interested to know more about this wonderful dog breed, then we have come up with an entire discussion over a Shepherd Basset, which you wanted to know. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the characteristics of the German Shepherd Hound Mix. How to buy one, what to feed them, how to train and groom them properly. What types of diseases are common in this breed and are they good guard dogs? You will learn everything about Shepherd Basset in this ultimate guide.
Written By Sergey Uhanov – Certified Veterinarian.
Sergey Uhanov is a certified veterinarian for dogs over 10 years, breeding 3 dogs. He loves dogs and has his own pet clinic in Israel. He likes to help other people with their dogs by sharing his experience and knowledge.
What Needs To Be Considered For Grooming And Care?
Not just a hound German Shepherd mix a fantastic family dog, but it has quite a pretty, colorful, and thick overcoat. And grooming their coat also becomes crucial in such a situation; otherwise, it will start losing its shine and ultimately become matte.
As the hairs of a German shepherd basset hound dog range from long to short, they shed a lot, especially in the spring or summer seasons. Thus, brushing a Basset hound German shepherd mix hair regularly becomes the need. Apart from this, brushing will also massage their skin, retain the natural oil in their skin, and retain their hairs’ shine.
They must also bathe them at least twice a week to keep their hair soft silky, and shiny. Use dog shampoo before bathing them and then condition their strands. You can then dry its hair with a hairdryer; as they have a long coat, it will take them a lot of time to naturally dry their strands.
Apart from this, check your Basset hound German shepherd dog’s skin while washing them, as, behind its fluffy coat, it may be having some skin rashes, eczema, or other skin diseases. And head to the veteran as soon as possible if you find something wrong with your dog’s skin.
How Old Does Basset Hound German Shepherd Mix Get On Average?
As a basset shepherd is a mixed breed of a German Shepherd and a basset hound, it has a better average life span, ranging from around 12 to 14 years.
With a better daily routine and healthier lifestyle, you can increase the average lifespan of your basset shepherd as well. Feed him with healthy food, and take him for a walk and proper exercising sessions, visit veterans daily to keep track of the health of your dog. All this will give it a better and healthy lifestyle.
Size, Weight, Typical Colors Of Basset Shepherd
German shepherd hound basset mix dog breed has a small to medium height, varying from around 12 to 20 inches. Males are comparatively larger, while females have a smaller size as usual. Some hound mixes like the golden retriever German shepherd mix can have a height ever larger than 20 inches.
The basset hound German Shepherd mix, similar to a German shepherd mixed with lab, has a weight ranging around 50 to 70 pounds because of their small to medium size. Moreover, their value depends on the food and training you are providing to your dog.
Among color coats, as they are a mix of hounds like Basset hound and German Shepherd, they have a double-layered coat similar to the German Shepherd, with a thin undercoat and a fluffy, hairy overcoat. Because of their double coat, they can survive even in the extreme cold making these dogs agile. But yeah, you will also need to groom these dogs accordingly.
You can find the coat of their color varying from basic black and tan to white, blue, red, brown, pale, and a combination of all of these colors. Some of the dogs can have beautiful patterns with the color combination as well.
How Much Does Basset Hound German Shepherd Mix Eat On Average Daily?
Basset hound mix German shepherd breed needs a high-quality protein-rich diet, containing 18% to 22% of protein. You can also give them fruits, grains, vegetables, and other natural food items for nutrients.
Ensure that the food you are giving to a basset hound German shepherd mix breed has the right amount of fats, proteins, vitamins, fibers, and minerals in it for his excellent health.
The important thing that a dog requires is none other than protein for building muscles, hairs, new skin, nails, and cells, which will keep your dog healthy. Protein is essential for the all-around growth and development of a German Shepherd Basset hound mix breed.
The amount of protein that a puppy Basset shepherd needs is at least 22% protein. While the amount of protein that an adult Basset Shepherd requires is 18% protein minimum.
Next crucial element that your dog need is fat. You can get fat from protein, which also gives energy to a Basset hound German Shepherd. It will develop body cells, muscles, tissues, and nerves.
While a puppy basset Shepherd requires at least 8% fat on the one hand, on the other adult, it needs 5 % fat at least. Calories are crucial in the growing days of your German shepherd basset hound mix breed.
On the other hand, a pregnant dog requires more calories than another lazy dog or “couch dog.”
What Are The Common Diseases Of Basset Shepherd?
Being a part of designer breeds, a Basset Shepherd has a better immune system and is lesser prone to suffer from any disease. Yet they are prone to more number of conditions. It is one of the healthiest breeds ever. However, a German Shepherd Basset hound can still suffer from health issues like hip and elbow dysplasia, eye problems, heart problems, pancreatic diseases bloating, and even cancer.
To avoid a maximum of health issues, it is necessary to feed your basset Shepherd with the best food quality. Also, take this mixed breed to the veteran for regular check-ups as well.
Is Basset Shepherd A Good Guard Dog?
Not just basset German Shepherds a right family pet, they are a great guard as well. These lovable dogs are very obedient and devotional towards their master.
It is a sturdy and active dog breed that can easily scare off any intruder. You only need to give proper command and obedience training to your dog breed. As a puppy, you only need to train them right and teach them how to distinguish an intruder from a friend so that they can quickly determine an intruder or any suspicious activity going on.
These dogs have inherited their good skills from German Shepherd, while on the other hand, the confidence and bravery in them are inherited from Basset Hound.
They are very attentive even in their sleep and can determine the slightest noise. The bite of these dogs can be very dangerous because of their sharp teeth. They also have a loud bark, with which it can quickly warn the family members about any suspicious activity going on.
Thus, we can say that hound basset shepherds, similar to the german shepherd mix with a lab, are pretty good guard dogs as well.
Is Basset Shepherd Rather Stubborn Or Easy To Handle And Train?
A Basset Shepherd is the mix of a hound dog and a German shepherd dog. Because of its parent breeds, it is a loyal and obedient dog, which shows devotion towards its master.
But on the same side, to control its aggression and temperament, proper training from its puppyhood is crucial. While training it, initially, you may find it a little stubborn. But with little strictness and formal obedience training, it will become easier to train it.
Under its training and socialization training, which is the core training every domestic dog should take, you can also train him to be obedient. Apart from this, focus on teaching your basset shepherd puppy the commands to make them a great family dog.
Also, don’t forget their physical training as well. Ensure your German Shepherd basset hound a regular exercise session and took them to walk to keep them fit and active.
Because they have some characteristics of German Shepherd, they are great learners and grasp everything quickly. So, it will become easier for you to train basset shepherd dogs right after you control their temperament.
All-in-all, we can say that a Basset German Shepherd is not that hard to handle or train if he has a calm temperament and friendly nature.
Is Basset Shepherd An Excellent Family Dog?
No doubt, the Basset German shepherd is one of the best family dogs one can raise. A Basset German Shepherd is a calm, patient, and lovable dog breed, which is very obedient and can give up its family life.
Once you bring him home and start loving him, Basset Shepherd will get sentimentally attached to you and become a family member. It can help you in the small household works, like looking after your kids. He can be a perfect nanny, even if you have schooling kids or toddlers.
Imagine a situation, where, in the morning, you prepare your tea, come to the balcony, and ask your Basset Shepherd to bring a newspaper. You can also ask your German Shepherd basset to get mails. So, in multiple ways, a Hound Basset Shepherd dog can help you in your day-to-day life.
This dog breed is pretty friendly will get along with strangers as well. As they are very playful and charming, basset hound German shepherd can attract anyone towards them. Even if you feel low, talking with this dog or spending time with him, watching its playfulness will be sufficient to cheer you up.
Conclusion
Now that you know almost everything about a basset Shepherd breed, if you are still assessing whether this is the right breed for you or not, then there are a few more points you can consider before making a decision.
If you are looking for a perfect family dog, or a good night watch, or even a companion for your kids, then consider this breed as the best choice. Almost all dog breeds have temperament problems. You are not going to find it in this breed.
But, all the dog breeds require time from their owners. Whether it is their grooming time or exercising sessions, they want your presence. So if you don’t have time for them, then it is not the right breed for you.
But if you can provide him enough of the time he needs, it is one of the best family dog breeds one can raise.
