My first rescue adoption! Is he part Dutchie?

[JerryLeeK9]

Hello all, new member here!

I have wanted a GSD since I was a kid and finally am in the position to own one and applied to 3 local rescues in my region. Although I was set on a GSD, I could not resist the AMAZING temperament and character that I found in this guy so I rescued 2 y.o. "Jerry Lee" on Saturday. I acquired him from MAGSR in Maryland. I was very surprised how easy going he was, paying no mind to other dogs at the kennel and only interest in getting treats (strong food drive!!) and getting pet by everyone he could. He's a big, affectionate leaner and very strong so you need to lean back or you will fall haha. He's about a meduim height in terms of a GSD but seems he may be a bit bigger than many Dutchies I've seen. One thing that stuck out is that he is obviously very intelligent. Its almost like you can just see it in his eyes, like he knows exactly what is going on at all times and is very confident. Not shy but not timid either. He is heartworm positive and I have no problem spoiling him and being by his side during the recovery. I'm excited to say the least!

My question is... is he part Dutch? Mostly Dutch? Any GSD at all?

My logic and research says DS/GSD mix because he is obviously brindle but has a black back/saddle. He has also gone from 52lbs as a stray to 70lbs in 6 weeks and will end up being 75ish we think because of his muscular build and big ol' head. Please give me your opinion, I know nobody can be sure.

[johninny]

WELCOME AND THANKS FOR THE RESCUE OF A DOG THAT WILL NEED SO MUCH CARE AND ATTENTION. but how NOBLE he is!! the last photo of his SIT at attention is so great. your description of his personality makes him sound so great also. i think you are both very lucky.

your guess is as good as mine: GSD - maybe with a bit of DS in him. his weight in the low 70s would be typical for a DS male [ but really does not tell us much ], but unlike some others here i lack the expertise for further analysis based on the current visuals. in the end, if he has any DS and it manifests itself meaningfully, it could be body structure [ deep greyhound-like chest and extremely tucked and lean behind ribs, etc ], in style/manner of movement that is agile, and in his emotional/intellectual make-up. the latter starts with observation [ and mental processing ] of EVERYTHING, which in some degree you suggested.

good luck with his recovery to the best of health. i am sure he will be a great companion and awesome dog.

[Flying Dutchman]

Thank you for rescuing and he is a handsome dude. I definitely see GSD but not really any DS. A stacked photo would help though. Brindle is found in many breeds so it's more likely that he's mixed with something other than DS. It sounds like you definitely got a great dog, DS mix or not.

[johninny]

an email just came into me in the last couple hours from the shelter that rescued him from near death.
he is obviously such a great dog; what are people thinking when they abandon dogs like this? at least it seems he did not go through truly huge trauma til the very end [in the pound] - and from your photos seems no less for it.
whatever his mix, he seems like he could be a truly remarkable dog; i would treat him with all the care and respect that DSs demand/require and would think that doing so would pay huge dividends.

[JerryLeeK9]

Thanks for weighing in and for all the kind words. I'm so excited to give Jerry Lee the life he deserves. I would have never guessed in a million years that this dog has seen any trauma whatsoever but then again, he may be the way he is solely because of his rough experiences. In my opinion it shows immense character and strength and I bet he is going to be quite the companion.

After a lot more research and opinions from many DS and GS owners I think the popular vote is just that, DS/GS. GS seems like a definite from the head, ears, neck and black saddle. The brindle can come from many, many breeds but none of which seem to mix with a shepherd and result in what Jerry Lee looks like. I was able to find a few DS/GS mixes and sure enough, look very similar to him. They were even brindle with a black saddle. He has a strong chest and is very lean behind the ribs, just like a DS but too lean for a GS. The tail is a ringer for a DS as well. Maybe I'll spend the $79 for a mouth swab and let Jerry Lee know what he is one day haha.

Regardless, none of this matters other than to settle my curiosity when people ask me (and I'm sure I'll get a lot of "what kind of dog is he?", because he's quite the sharp canine if I do say so myself.) I plan on spending all my time with him to ensure he gets the attention to utilize all of his intelligence, mental strength and overall and potential. I'm a lucky guy to have found him.

[Dutchringgirl]

He truly is magnificent and I am sure he is so happy he found you !

I would actually lean to yes that the brindle is from a DS since his body shape is very shepherdy, but it looks mostly GSD.

[LyonsFamily]

He's gorgeous. He's got a big ol' head like Odin does and that little white patch. Odin's usually in the 70's, topping out at 72-74, but he's dropped down to 67 for the winter and because of his resent crate rest, so your boy doesn't sound too large. A standing stacked shot from the side would help tremendously with identification.

I'm seeing mainly GSD, but the brindle could be DS and depending on where you're located, it might be an even higher possibility. There are some BYBs breeding "Tiger Shepherds" that are 1/4-3/4 DS and the rest GSD. We saw a lot popping up in Chicago when I lived there and was more involved in rescue. I really don't see much besides shepherd in him, so even if the brindle was from another breed, there's probably very little in there and that would explain the personality.

[JerryLeeK9]

Hmm Tiger shepherd eh? Well, I live in Maryland but anything is possible. I'm starting to feel pretty strongly that he has DS in him. The way his ears fold back almost like wings of a jet and his streamline snout and forehead angles... not many brindle breeds have that. Plott hound has the snout but I'm just not seeing it.

I found these other pics with his ears folded back and relaxed that we took when we went to visit Saturday. I'm in love with how he looks, regardless of mix but 1/4-3/4 DS and the rest GSD sounds very accurate at this point. I just cant seem find other brindle breeds that mix in well with his look.

[LyonsFamily]

Here's a picture of a litter that the "breeder" calls Tiger Shepherds or sometimes Belgium Tiger Shepherds. They never had any adult pictures posted, so there's no knowing what they looked like growing up, but I'd guess like Jerry Lee.

You can see a little brindle is popping out underneath the saddle of some of the dogs, others look all GSD, some look almost all Dutch. There was a member on here that had a pup from there and lived over by my grandma, but they didn't stay past a few posts for some reason.

tiger shepherds.jpg (200.44 KiB) Viewed 4337 times

[JerryLeeK9]

Hey, look at that... certainly a possibility although not really possible to tell from that age. I must say that's what I think JL would look like as a puppy though. I didn't think the Belgium Shepherds ever have a brindle type coat, though... I may be wrong about that.

Maybe I'll do the $79 mouth swab one day just for fun. Technology these days... sheesh. I can't seem to find any info on anyone who purposely breeds DS/GS or any other type of "Tiger Shepherds" on the web. Thanks for the pic, though! Definitely a possibility.

[racingiron1]

Don't bother with the DNA test. None of them have a Dutch Shepherd distinction in their database, so you'll just get a bunch of confusing noise. Maybe in a few years they'll have the doggie genome better mapped out...

[JerryLeeK9]

Is that right? huh... no Dutchie data?!

I wonder what would happen if I submitted it? Would it come back all GSD if that were the only other breed or inconclusive?

[racingiron1]

You can search the archives here to see some results folks have gotten. It seems like you could get some strange results. The following thread has an example (that may or may not have been a DS-mix being tested):
http://www.dutchshepherdforum.com/viewt ... 64&p=28384

[Starlight Pilot]

Definitely has some GSD, likely half...in one picture it shows his head from the side very well...he has a lot of "stop" for a shepherd, so something was mixed in for sure.

[johninny]

re DNA test, if there is DS in a dog, it causes the tests to spew out gibberish. some time ago, i read a scientific explanation for why that is but only remember the end result. i think the case is you would get the GSD [?i think that part still works but not even sure of that?] ] but the rest would not even offer a hint of his background.

i look at Hopper's pics every day and have fallen completely in love with his personality. he is obviously enormously smart and clever and intuitive. what a find.

[Ben_jamin]

I'm no expert on conformation for much of anything but I know I see some GSD in there, that saddle is hard to miss, and the one standing pic from the face even looks a bit dobermanish. Of course I could be completely off base as well.

Either way, I think both of you are blessed to have found each other. Have fun, love him, and share pics.

[icvanstra]

Just from the pictures...I see a LOT of GSD.

[JerryLeeK9]

He certain has the vocabulary of a GSD. All kinds of funny groans and whines we he wants attention. Can't vouch for if DS sound similar which I assume they do somewhat...?

Anyway, he seems to be completely housebroken, crates well (although I can tell he's not thrilled to be in there) and takes direction really well. It a tough job making this guy stay in his crate for so long each day but I know its imparitive. He's just so good and I hate the sad face.. its killer. I can't wait to get these 8 weeks over with and get this guy psyched up for some playtime for the first time.

I'll put some more pics up soon...