Would Cross-Breeding A German Shepherd and A Dalmatian Be A Good Option?

You love the odor-free Dalmatian but you also love the highly intelligent German Shepherd.

You love the strong look of a GSD but you also prefer the friendly face of a Dalmatian. What would you do then? Should you just find a German Shepmatian?

A German Shepmatian is a cross-breed between a GSD and a Dalmatian.

It will surely give you a highly intelligent, very active, and protective German Shepmatian, however, remember that this breed has high risks of developing certain medical conditions that are common among the two breeds such as hip dysplasia and skin infection.

Getting to Know the Dalmatian Breed

Remember that 101 Dalmatians movie? IMDb described it as a movie where the villain plotted to steal Dalmatian puppies to use their fur in making an extravagant coat.

The movie made the Dalmatian breed a household name.

Dogumentary TV described Dalmatians as delightful dogs with eye-catching spots of black – the most distinctive coat in the dog world.

It is a medium to large size dog and was originally used to guard horses. To date, Dals are considered as one of the most reliable watchdogs to have.

These unique black spots slowly appear as Dals grow. The spots can be scattered, in one place or just all over their bodies. They even have spots inside their mouths. Dals also comes with a strong body from their muscular muscles.

According to AKC, one thing that you should consider if you will get a Dal is their weak urinary tract. Dals have a high risk of developing bladder stone problems.

Getting to Know the German Shepherd Breed

Information from AKC says that the German Shepherd breed was named by Captain Max von Stephanitz – a popular breeder of his time. He owned the first registered GSD whose name was Horan.

A handsome dog, the GSD is known for its great looks, agility, and bravery. GSDs are also a favorite among moviemakers as proven by Max, My Dog Tulip, Won Ton Ton, and Rusty’s Birthday among others.

The unique trait of German Shepherds is their soft heart. Aside from being brave, this breed of dog is known for taking a risk when saving the life of its owner. They are also intelligent and easy to train.

German Shepmatian – the German Shepherd Dalmatian Mix

The Happy Puppy site described a German Shepmatian as a big dog. According to its website, it is a dog that can weigh up to 95 pounds. You can enjoy your German Shepmatian’s company for up to 13 years.

For its positive traits, a German Shepmatian is expected to show protective and guarding instincts.

It inherits its protective instinct from its German Shepherd parent and the guarding instinct from its Dalmatian parent.

Is There a Demand for a German Shepmatian?

Having a Dalmatian and a German Shepherd breed is not a wise choice according to a Quora member. The Quora member explained that both breeds have serious medical issues.

The German Shepherd is known for having bad hips and back problems while Dalmatians are known for having skin and gall bladder problems.

This probably explains why there is not much demand for a German Shepmatian in the market today. Even breeders are not attempting to produce one.

Your options? You can either get a purebred Dalmatian, a purebred German Shepherd or find a popular mix of breeds from these two.

What to Expect from a German Shepmatian?

If you will breed a GSD and a Dalmatian together, you should be aware of the following factors according to the All Shepherd website.

Coat

GSDs have thick and medium-length coat while Dalmatians have a short and smooth coat. Combine them and you can expect a dog with medium to short hair. Both breeds are heavy shedders.

Sweeping and vacuuming might become a part of your daily task once you got a German Shepmatian.

Color

GSDs are mostly available in tan, black, sable or a combination of these colors. Dalmatians come with white skin covered with black spots.

If the GSD gene is stronger, you might not see any dark spots on your German Shepmatian.

Size

GSDs and Dals are medium to large dogs. You can expect the German Shepmatian to be a medium to large dog that can weigh up to 90 pounds.

GSDs can grow up to 26 inches while Dals can grow up to 244 inches. You can have a German Shepmatian that can grow as tall as 26 inches.

Temperament

The German Shepherd and Dalmatian have the same traits such as being loyal, alert, and intelligent. Both breeds are also highly trainable.

If you will mix them, you will have a very focus German Shepmatian (from the herding experiences of a German Shepherds) and a great companion (from the coach companion experiences of Dalmatians).

Exercises and Physical Activities

Although they have a different purpose, German Shepherds and Dalmatians are both used as human partners. GSDs are very energetic while Dalmatians are very powerful and can run for miles.

A German Shepmatian means having a very active dog that will need physical activities regularly.

Diet

German Shepherd should be fed with a high-protein diet. Dalmatians have low-tolerance with the high-protein diet because of their unique urinary system.

You should watch what you fed your German Shepmatian because of this. Besides, Dalmatians gains weight easily and are at risk of becoming obese.

Medical Conditions

The German Shepherd and Dalmatians have the same medical conditions hence expect to see it on a German Shepmatian. Skin allergies and dysplasia are common to both breeds.

What Medical Conditions Are German Shepherd Dalmatian Mix At Risk of?

When breeding, the genetic factor is a big consideration. Breeding is being done in the hope to copy some good characteristics of a specific breed and pass it onto another breed.

Open Learn believes that if you will breed two dogs with the same traits, passing the said trait is higher. However, in some cases, negative characteristics care also passed on to the cross-breed pups.

In the case of a German Shepherd Dalmatian mix, their medical condition is one of the negative traits that each parent might pass on to their offspring such as:

• Congenital deafness is common in GSDs
• High risk of developing bladder stone
• Heart enlargement is common among large dogs
• Skin allergy
• Hip dysplasia
• High risk of developing obesity

With No Demand for German Shepherd Dalmatian Mix, What Are Your Options?

Because of the possible medical issues that a German Shepmatian can have, breeders, are not too excited about this breed. Allshepherd revealed that there is little or zero demand for this mix.

If you still prefer a cross-breed with GSD or Dalmatian as a parent, here are popular mix breeds to choose from.

1. Pitmation (Pitbull Dalmatian mix) – do you want a tiny cute Pitbull with dots on its body? Try looking for a Pitmation.

2. Goldmation (Golden Retriever Dalmatian mix) – most Goldmation has the face of a Golden Retriever with Dal’s body. However, don’t expect to see a body full of spots. You can find some spots on its legs based on the image of K9ofmine.

3. Dalmador (Labrador Dalmatian mix) – this is one of the most popular mixes out there for a Dal. These two dogs have common traits and body size too hence breeding them is easier than compared to other dog breeds.

4. Siberian Shepherd (Siberian Husky German Shepherd mix) – who doesn’t love Huskies especially their wild eyes? Combine its genes with the strong and powerful German Shepherd and you got one fine soldier to guard you and your home.

5. Shollie (Collie German Shepherd mix) – brave, easy to train, and a great companion – this is what a Shollie is. Expect it to have that thick and long hair that sheds every day.

6. Rottweiler Shepherd (Rottweiler German Shepherd mix) – in the image provided by K9ofmine, you will have a dog with a German Shepherd body and a face of a Rottweiler.

7. Get a Dalmatian – want a family pet that can accompany your kids while you are doing some stuff? Dalmatians are known for their “high guarding instinct” according to Wikipedia so you can do your things and your pet baby can watch out for your human baby now and then.

8. Get a German Shepherd – GSDs are considered as one of the best house dogs in the world according to PetsWorld because of its intelligence and calm nature. Just make sure to train it as early as possible to control its temperament.

Final Thoughts About the German Shepherd Dalmatian Mix

The German Shepherd Dalmatian mix is a good breed to have if you are looking to own a medium to large size cross-breed dog.

A German Shepmatian is a good-looking pet companion that you can bring wherever you go. It mirrors strength and power.

However, since both breeds are susceptible to common medical conditions, the chance to have a pup with aggravated hip dysplasia, gall bladder issue or skin problem should also be considered.

Plus, the diet of these two dogs is very different hence taking care of a German Shepmatian pup requires serious attention.