King German Shepherds comes into the category of the most massive dogs ever. It is a well-known saying that ‘dogs are man’s best friend.’ And this saying is true in almost all contexts.
You can’t find pets more loyal than dogs. And King Shepherds are following this saying too. A well-known breed, king shepherds, has a very calm temperament. Also, they are very friendly and can get along with kids well.
If you want a workaholic independent pet, then you must consider German Shepherds. Whether you want your newspaper at your table or your mails from the mailbox, a King shepherd can do this all very quickly.
If reading this makes you excited about King Shepherds, then let me know you, my friend, this is not it. There’s a lot you should know about a King Shepherd. We have tried to cover almost everything about King Shepherd in the points below.
In this article, you will learn everything about King Shepherds. What is their average lifespan, how to groom them and take care of them properly? What to feed them and what types of diseases are common in this dog breed. What size and weight are they typically and how you can get them to exercise. We also discuss their breeding history and how to buy one. In a nutshell, this is the ultimate King Shepherd dog 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’s the character of this mix like?
As King Shepherds are a mix of two almost similar dog breeds; thus, it has nearly identical characteristics as a German Shepherd and a Shiloh Shepherd.
They are very loyal and protective. They are also compassionate and become quite close to their master if you treat them with love and kindness.
It is larger than a German Shepherd and thus more powerful than that as well. But at the same time, they are the most adorable and charming dogs as well.
They believe more in loving, and because of their friendly nature, no need to worry about raising your kids with king shepherds. Instead, it will become the perfect play-time partner of your kid as well.
How often and how long do you have to go out waking Shepherd King Shepherd?
Kings Shepherds are workaholic dogs, and thus they require proper training and constant walks. Also, they need space to play and exercise as well. Try to make a habit of your king Shepherd to go on a walk right from their childhood.
A full-grown adult king shepherd needs a long walk twice a day. Thus, it is never going to make to sit free. It is also going to help you stay fit and fine.
Is King Shepherd an excellent family dog?
No doubt, the German King Shepherd is one of the most incredible family dogs one can own. Not just it has a confident and loving nature; it gets along with kids as well. They are loyal to their master and can even give up their life for them. Thus, we can say that they will get along with your family members well.
A well-known fact is that training is the most crucial part of any dog. An ill-trained dog can be harmful, not only for strangers but for your family members too.
King shepherd being smart, grasps everything its trainer teaches him very quickly. Thus, you are never going to complain about the bad behavior of a well-trained King Shepherd.
Another thing about them is their conservative nature. They are really quick, intelligent, and observant, even when they are sleeping. Thus, they can serve you as a good guard too.
With all these factors, nobody can debate the fact that King Shepherd is one of the best family dogs one can own. They can adjust themselves in a family with kids as well as in a family with oldies. Even if you live alone, they can be your perfect companion.
Is King Shepherd rather stubborn or easy to handle and train?
Similar to their parent breeds, King shepherd puppies can be quite stubborn. But yeah, you can train them according to you.
King shepherd will initially try to overpower you, showing their stubbornness, but you just need to instruct them for once, strictly, not to repeat the same in the future. Once you have overpowered them, they will start acting as per your requirement.
It will become relatively easy to train them. Try to keep their training more on their temperament and physical build. You might need to spend a lot of time preparing them with patience and consistency. But you will be glad to see the result of hard work as soon as they grow up.
Is King Shepherd a good guard dog?
Nobody can deny the fact that King German Shepherds are good guard dogs. They have very keen eyesight, and they are pretty quick and attentive, making them suitable as a good watchdog.
Being very smart and intelligent, if you train them well, will develop a good understanding of when to attack precisely. Being very loud, they start barking as soon as they sense something suspicious going on. They can be protective when it comes to their master and can even hurt the invader harshly.
So, yes, King Shepherd is the best watchdog ever. It is the reason why they serve in the army and police as well. Also, with their excellent smell sense, they are raised for drug searching.
What are the common diseases of King Shepherds?
Almost all the designer hybrids have similar common health problems, including Von Willebrand’s Disease, Gastric Dilation Volvulus (GDV), and hip dysplasia.
Gastric Dilatation Volvulus, also known as bloat, in which the dog feels a sense of twisting, stretching, or rotation in its stomach. It gives intense pain to King Shepherd and occurs due to gas in the stomach.
This bread is also affected by hip dysplasia, in which all the joints become very painful. It occurs due to the improper shape and structure of the dog’s hip. These health problems’ symptoms are laziness, uneven gait, refusal to jump or climbing loss of muscle, etc.
King Shepherds also suffer from GDV. This health problem’s symptoms include aching of the back, swelling of the abdomen, general discomfort, and many more.
Apart from this, some other health problems a King Shepherd can suffer from like bladder stone, urinary infection, thyroid, cataract, and other eye issues, skin rashes and allergies, pancreatic disorder, and even cancer.
Keep a keen eye on their diet and behavior. Take them to the doctor for a regular check-up.
How much does King Shepherds eat on average daily?
As a king shepherd is an enormous giant dog, his food requirements are also high comparatively. A full-grown adult King Shepherds requires an average of four cups of food every day.
A king Shepherd puppy requires food at least 3 to 4 times a day, as in their childhood, they need proper nutrition for all-round growth and energy.
Their training starts right from their childhood, and while training, it is crucial to provide them protein-rich food that will give them strength and help them gain the required weight.
As soon as King Shepherd grows, you can decrease their feeding iteration to twice a day. You can also consult with your veteran regarding the amount of food your king shepherd wants daily.
You can also check the weight and height chart for a king shepherd, which will guide you about how much food your dog needs dep, ending on his weight and height.
A portion of high-quality dry food is the best thing for this type of dog. You can mix dry with wet food for more protein, and you can also feed him a whole raw diet.
Supply him quality food with high protein and carbohydrates. You can also consult a vet for what to feed your dog, or you can continue your regular diet for your King Shepherd.
Size, weight, typical colors of King Shepherd
King German shepherd is a big, long, and sturdy dog. Their weight and height reflect their strength and powerful muscles.
Male King Shepherds can weigh around 90 pounds to 150 pounds, while the female’s weight ranges from 75 pounds to 100 pounds. The heaviest King shepherd till the day touches 150 pounds of weight.
Both males and females have a height ranging from 25 to 29 inches, where the lower one is the threshold for the female while the upper one is for males.
Their weight and height are similar to a big German Shepherd, one of these mixed breed’s parents.
They have a large, box-like head and brown eyes that make them adorable. Also, they have triangular ears and an oval black nose, increasing their charm.
Their furs coat color can be tan, sable, brown, rusty red, silver, white or black. These coats are solid in color or have black saddles on them.
How old does King Shepherd get on average?
On average, king Shepherds has an average life span of 11 years. Although, they have a shorter life span as compared to their parent breed.
That is, German Shepherds have an average life span of 13 years. But in their life span of just 11 years, they can serve you with loyalty.
What’s the breeding history, and where does this mix come from?
When we look for designer dog breeds in the market, there are not many you can consider. In the name of designer dogs, many dogs have originated accidentally.
But in the case of King Shepherd, it is quite clear. They are unique and specially designed dog breeds. King shepherds were a result of cross-breeding of German Shepherd and Shiloh Shepherd.
Two American breeders Shelley watts-cross and David Turkheimer developed this dog breed with a specific goal set in their mind.
Both the breeder Shelley watts-cross and David Turkheimer has a mind set-up to get a German Shepherd designer breed by cross-breeding him with Shiloh Shepherd.
Shiloh shepherd is also a mixed breed developed by mixing German Shepherd and Alaskan Malamutes. Thus, King shepherd is only just one-third Shiloh shepherd while two-third German Shepherd.
After their experiment, we get to know about a perfect mixed breed, which is less prone to disease and has a higher immunity power than both of its parents. Because of their best characteristics, it is quite a rare breed.
This breed has the best quality of both its parent breeds. It was not easy to develop an entirely new dog breed with positive attributes, but all King Shepherd’s masters nowadays think they have been blessed with one of the most versatile dogs ever.
What needs to be considered for grooming and care?
All the dogs need grooming regularly. If you don’t have enough time to groom a King Shepherd, it is not the ideal breed. As they have long hair and long body, they require a lot of grooming sessions.
Brushing their hair is a crucial step while grooming dogs. Not just it improve the overall blood circulation, but it will enhance their overall look.
After brushing, you can bathe them with the dog shampoo and conditioner to maintain the dog’s hairs’ shine and gloss. While nothing, check for any bumps, skin rashes, and lumps on your dog’s skin to ensure they do not suffer from some allergies.
Then dry their hairs with a blow dryer, as it will take ages to dry them naturally. You can also trim their hair if needed.
After grooming, you will find your little partner fresh and more adorable than ever.
Are there any rescue groups for King Shepherd?
Yes, there are various rescue groups for these German Shepherd king dogs. It is a recognized dog breed via the American King Shepherd Club. Other rescue group like the Eastern rare breed dogs club, the State Kennel club, Worldwide Kennel Club, American Kennel Club.
Not just these rescue groups take care of the abandoned King Shepherds dogs. They also train them, feed them, and shelter them. They all are non-profitable groups that can help people adopt various street dogs to provide them with better living conditions.
You can adopt a King Shepherd dog from a rescue group and that too at a very affordable price. They will help find the dog breed you want to adopt, and they will make it available at a significantly lower cost compared to a dog breeder.
But there are a few things that you might need to take care of before taking any pet to your home. Ask the rescue group to take the dog’s temperament test to get a hint of the dog’s training.
Don’t prefer to take an ill-tempered dog back home, as it can even hurt you and your family members. Also, take them to the veteran first to ensure that the dog is not suffering from any chronic disease, as ultimately, you have to take care of him once you adopt him.
What does King Shepherd eat?
This dog is specifically greedy when it comes to delicious lavish food. It loves eating pork, beef, chicken, and even duck meat. It can’t resist itself if it has meat around him. Cheese is their weakness.
Apart from this, they also eat green leafy vegetables, carrots, potatoes, cereals, fruits, and all those things we eat daily. All these healthy foods are very crucial to fulfill the need for protein and other nutrients in their body.
Just remember one thing, don’t give them extra-sugary or extra spicy food. Also, make sure that you have a proper diet plan for your King shepherd.
The excess of any food item is not suitable for their health. They might face health problems like gastrointestinal issues if they eat something hard to digest.
Try to feed dogs with dog food mainly. The dry dog food is good with all the nutrients dogs might require. Thus, it alone is sufficient to fulfill their nutrient need.
Where can one buy a dog of King Shepherds?
There are various ways you can buy a King Shepherd, some of which includes:
Facebook Groups
There are different Facebook groups from where you can find the perfect dog breed you want. They keep posting advertisements for dog breeds.
You can contact them and can bring the dog breed home. If you are adopting one, you will find the dog at a slightly lesser price comparatively, but there is no guarantee about the dog’s behavior. Thus, do check their temperament and health before bringing it home.
Local Breeder
You can find some local dog breeders online or offline. Although breeders sell the dog at a slightly higher price, you will get a solely trained pet, no need to worry about their temperament and health issues.
Rescue Groups
Rescue groups are non-profitable organizations that find abandoned dogs, take care of them, and train them. They are also open to the adoption of any dog breed they have.
And you will find the dog breed at a very reasonable price as well. Again, check for the temperament and health issues of the dog before bringing him home.
Online Websites
Some of the dog breeders sell their dogs online as well. You can search for websites like petworlds.com to get a perfectly trained dog breed. While purchasing a dog online, you will get a better offer price-wise.
Conclusion
In the end, there are two-three questions that you can ask yourself before considering bringing a King Shepherd to your home.
Do you have a large space or a backyard? Are you going to give him plenty of your time, for their training, grooming, and regular walks? Are you looking for a good watcher and a sturdy protective friend?
If the answer to all these questions comes in a yes, then King Shepherd is the perfect pet for you as these are the thresholds that can help you decide whether you will be able to take care of a King Shepherd after purchasing or adopting it.
