Dutch Shepherd Forum

I'm fostering a 7.5 month old dog listed by the shelter as a DS/GSD mix. He had parvo at 2.5 months old. I don't know if that's why his back end is emaciated or if it's due to poor nutrition or possibly HD, but in any event, he's oddly proportioned with a large head, large paws and an underdeveloped hindquarters (as well as all his lower ribs sticking out). His back end is weak.

A trainer I know is going to be working with one of his littermates and we were trying to figure out if these dogs really have any DS in them or not. This guy is the friendliest dog I've ever cared for. If I leave him for a few minutes outside a store, I come out to find a crowd around him with everyone rubbing his belly and cooing at him. That does not strike me as very DS...

At times he looks very much DS, at others not at all. From the side I think his muzzle and build looks more like a great dane. But he'd be awfully small for a GSD/dane mix. (currently only about 54 lbs and 23").

He is NOT particularly athletic, but not sure if that's due to the weak hindquarters or not. He has leaped on to some higher furniture, but in such an ungraceful manner that it's hard to imagine he's DS!

Thoughts? Again, this is a foster dog, so not invested in the answer but am curious.

Really hard to tell at 7.5 months as he's still growing so will be oddly proportioned for a bit. But that head is excessive. Right now I would hazard mix (maybe GSD/Dane? Seems too oddly build for GSD/pit), less so on the DS spectrum as that build just seems less DS to me, but he may even out later. I have seen a few Corso/DS mixes and Press/DS mixes (known parentage on both mixes) that his build sort of reminds me of. Where was he picked up?

Are you thinking about strengthening the back end or waiting for more muscle development before trying?