Fun German Shepherd Pitbull Mix Facts For Kids

Looking to read more about one of the more unique crossbreed dogs? Then you must read about one of the rarer mixed dogs that go by the name of the German shepherd pitbull mix. They are also known by other names such as the German pit, the shepherd pit, and the German sheppit. As it is quite clear from their name, this breed is a cross between the German shepherd and the American pit bull terrier. This designer breed may have existed naturally, but it was introduced to the mainstream market by breeders between the 1990s and the early 2000s. As they are not purebred, this crossbreed has not been recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). However, the Dog Registry of America (DRA) has given the status of recognition to this breed.

Sadly, German pits are becoming rarer and rarer to find as not many breeders breed them. One of their parents, the pitbull, is banned in many places across North America and Europe. As a result, you do not get many breeders who keep them. But contrary to popular belief, German pits are lovely and loyal pets who are not aggressive if they receive proper training from their owners. So, read on more about this dog and maybe you'll be encouraged to get one!

For more information on animals, take a look at the miki dog and the jack chi.

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What type of animal is a German Shepherd Pitbull mix?

The German shepherd pitbull mix breed is a mixed breed dog that is the result of crossbreeding between the dog breed of the German shepherds and the American pitbull terrier dog breed. Like any other dog, the scientific name of the German shepherd pit bull mix is Canis lupus familiaris.

What class of animal does a German Shepherd Pitbull mix belong to?

The German shepherd pit bull mix belongs to the class of Mammalia, just like all dog breeds.

How many German Shepherd Pitbull mixes are there in the world?

Due to the shepherd pit being a mixed breed dog that is only found with breeders, the exact number of German pits cannot be estimated. However, this breed may be declining in population due to the ban of the American pitbull terrier in many places across the United States of America and Canada. Restrictions on the breeding of the American pitbull terrier have also been placed in the United Kingdom as pitbulls are generally considered to have very aggressive behavior.

Where does a German Shepherd Pitbull mix live?

Like all mixed dog breeds, the German sheppit is found usually living in spacious homes around the world. They are not found to be occurring in the wild.

What is a German Shepherd Pitbull mix's habitat?

This mix breed is a highly energetic breed owing to the genes of its German shepherd dog parent and American pitbull terrier parent. The pitbull German shepherd mix is not really suitable for living the apartment life which restricts its behavior. The German sheppit needs a big house, especially one with a big backyard, that gives them the space to run around. Farms in the countryside would also be a great setting for these pitbull German shepherd mixes. It is very important for them to have a large space or else they will show bouts of destructive and naughty behavior due to the pent-up energy inside them.

Who does German Shepherd Pitbull mix live with?

The German shepherd pitbull mixes live in with their human owners in their homes. They have the misfortune of being called a very aggressive dog due to their lineage, but the shepherd pit is a lovely and affectionate dog when trained properly. This mixed breed also adapts quite well to living with the other pets in the house. But, there are chances that the German pit will try to dominate the other pets or dogs as it wants to become the natural leader of the pack. This high-energy breed of dogs can survive alone for some time but loves to be around people and to take part in activities. However, one must exercise caution against leaving the German pit behind for longer durations of time as they might experience severe separation anxiety that can lead to destructive behaviors like barking excessively, chewing, and ruining of properties.

How long does a German Shepherd Pitbull mix live?

The German shepherd dogs and the American pitbull terriers, which are the parent breeds of the shepherd pit have average lifespans of nine to 13 years. The shepherd pit in this case has an average lifespan that varies anywhere between 10 years to 14 years. It should be noted that the longevity of the dog might be severely reduced due to certain health concerns that can be genetic. However, due to these dogs being a mixed breed, they have something called the hybrid vigor where chances of them getting a few hereditary problems are significantly lowered.

How do they reproduce?

The average litter size of these dogs consists of five to 10 puppies. The German Shepherd's litter size is around four to nine pups while the litter size of the Pitbull is around 5-10 puppies. Thus, it is quite evident that the Pit German mix puppies have a litter size that is similar to the Pitbull.

In the case of breeding, the German pit has habits that are similar to any other dog. Both the males and the females become mature enough to mate around the age of two years. The females go through the heat cycle every six months and males breed with them at that time.

What is their conservation status?

As these dogs haven't been listed on the International Union For Conservation Of Nature Red List (IUCN Red List), we do not really know much about the conservation status of these dogs. However, there are certain concerns regarding their population. Due to the fact that the pitbull is either banned or restricted to be considered as a domesticated dog, it can be incredibly difficult to find breeders who breed this dog. Due to this, the German pit might be difficult to find in many places resulting in a decline in the population.

What do German Shepherd Pitbull mixes look like?

This dog has appearances that are more pronounced towards the pit bull side of the heritage. However, like most dogs that are mixed breed, you will never know what they actually look like until they are born. Generally, a dog of this breed will have a face that resembles more of its pitbull parent than its German shepherd parent. They have a short muzzle accompanied by a broad face. Usually, these dogs have bent flappy ears but exceptions do occur. There are instances of the German pit having a narrower face and more erect ears like its German shepherd parent.

In terms of the fur coat, this dog will very rarely take after its pitbull parents. This mixed dog has a coat that resembles the German shepherd's coat. They have medium to long coats and are known to be shedders. These dogs might have a shorter coat length only if it takes after their other parent. The color of the coat varies due to the variations in the coat color of its parents, especially the pitbulls. These dogs usually come in various colors but the most common ones are brown, white, black, fawn, tan, and grey.

How cute are they?

Both the German shepherd and the American pitbull terrier are not dogs that are known for their cuteness. On the contrary, they are seen as guard dogs that have a tendency to get aggressive if required. However, this mixed dog with its short muzzle suffers from the bad reputation of its parents. The dogs of this crossbreed are quite friendly and charming when they receive the proper training early on in their lives. Coming from perhaps the two most intelligent and smart dog breeds, the German sheppits are full of energy and give off wonderful positive vibes that can change the moods of the people around them. They may also make you laugh with their energy-filled shenanigans. Thus, there is every reason to find this dog breed cute and adorable.

How do they communicate?

The German pit has tendencies that border towards aggression, excessive barking, digging, and destructive behavior that all stem from the fact that the dog has pent-up energy inside it.  Normally, this breed of dog communicates like any other dog breed with a mixture of barks, growls, and paw gestures. The dog might show its displeasure if it doesn't get its daily exercise or if it is left alone for too long. But, once the energy levels have gone down, this dog breed will have no issues cuddling up next to you and gesturing to you to pet it. Also, owners must communicate to the dog early on in the training who the alpha in their setting is, as this breed of dog has a tendency to put itself as the leader of any setting.

How big is a German Shepherd Pitbull Mix?

German Pits are considered to be medium-sized. The females of this breed are usually smaller than the males. Female German Pits are measured to be around 17-24 in (43-61 cm) in height. Males are slightly taller with a height range that runs between 18-26 in (45.7-66 cm) at the shoulders. This is almost more than half of the height of an average donkey which is measured to be between 43-57 in (109-144.7 cm).

How fast can a German Shepherd Pitbull mix run?

Both the parents of the German Pits are known to be exceptionally fast runners. The American pitbull terriers are known as fast runners who average a top speed between 25-30 mph (40.2-48.3 kph). On the other hand, the German Shepherd dogs are thought to be very fast runners with their average top speed measured to be around 30 mph (48.3 kph). Thus, it can be easily concluded that the German Pits are naturally born fast runners owing to their parents' running and guard dog genes.

How much does a German Shepherd Pitbull mix weigh?

For the German Shepherd Pitbull mix, full-grown dogs of this breed can be quite heavy. Usually, the German Pits have weighed around 30-90 lb (14-40 kg). Male German Shepherd Pitbulls are larger than the females, who are known to weigh between 30- 70 lb (14-31.7kg), while the males have been observed to have an average weight that ranges between 40-90 lb (18-40 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

Like all other dogs, the German pit doesn't have a special name for its male and female counterparts other than the conventional names of a dog for a male dog and bitch for a female dog.

What would you call a baby German Shepherd Pitbull Mix?

A baby German pit would simply be called a puppy.

What do they eat?

Being medium to large-sized dogs, the Shepherd Pits have to be given appropriate amounts of calories to sustain them. It is advised that these dogs be given around 900 to 2100 calories for the females with 1200-2700 calories for the males. One can serve them raw or homemade food. Junk food should be avoided as these dogs have a tendency to become obese. Also, vegetables and fruits can be given. The food must be nutritious and a proper vet-approved diet should be followed at all times. They need a lot of proteins and healthy fats, ground bones, and vegetables which are packed with essential vitamins and minerals for optimum health and performance.

Are they hypoallergenic?

Although dogs have a propensity to shed often during extremely hot climate, they tend to shed moderately on an average and thus are not considered hypoallergenic.

Would they make a good pet?

These dogs are known for their lovable and loyal nature. They are very loyal to their humans. There is a misconception of terming them as aggressive and violent but that can be easily subsided with proper training and socialization. They are great with children too, but due to their size, they can hurt toddlers without meaning to. So, adult supervision is a must if the dog is interacting with smaller children. They make excellent pets also because they are a very good breed of guard dog and are quite intelligent and easy to train.

Did you know...

Like many other dogs, the German shepherd pit has many health problems. The most common ones are hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, skin irritation, and allergies.

Skin irritation is caused by their longish fur coat. They must be brushed a minimum of three times per week and their nails must be trimmed frequently. Ear debris and oral health is also a problem for the shepherd pits. Delicate care must be taken to clear out the debris and the dirt from the ears and owners should brush their teeth daily if possible because this breed is quite susceptible to dental health problems.

How much does a German Shepherd Pitbull mix cost?

A German Shepherd Pitbull mix puppy can cost anywhere between $400- 1200. However, these German Shepherd Pitbull mix puppies are quite rare to be found due to many breeders not keeping them as the Pit Bull is restricted in many places.

How to train a German Shepherd Pitbull mix

The parents of the shepherd pit are intelligent canines that respond very well to training. Thus, it should come as no surprise that their offspring are easy to train too. The German shepherd pitbull mix's temperament can be easily trained too with the promotion of positive reinforcement where the dog is learning through rewards and not punishment. However, one should be careful with the rewards as you do not want your dog to be overweight. It is important to start training them early. Being the energetic dog that it is, you must take your shepherd pit out for exercise and playtime every day. It is recommended that one must take their shepherd pits for training sessions that last a minimum of 90 minutes. One must also factor in health concerns like hip dysplasia when taking their best friend out for exercise.

Socialization also plays an important role in training these high-energy canines. This practice helps the dog to be much friendlier with the other pets in the family and with strangers.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including black German shepherds and American springer spaniels.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one of our German shepherd pitbull coloring pages.