It’s hard to believe, but there is a new breed formed by crossing the German Shepherd and the world’s smallest dog breeds, the Chihuahua. Maybe it’s just a fast passing fashion trend or maybe it’s the beginning of a new breed originated, but German Shepherd Chihuahua mix puppies leave no one indifferent.
The Origin of German Shepherd Chihuahua Mixes
A female German Shepherd and a male Chihuahua are usually not bred intentionally or naturally mate. Sometimes this happens by accident, but most often mixtures of German Shepherd mate and Chihuahuas are produced by artificial insemination.
Like any other designer dog breeds, it is not easy to trace the history and origin of this mixture of female german shepherd chihuahua mixes. There are no known documents about the first ever litter of this hybrid.
However, we can still discuss her parent breeds. Both German Shepherd and Chihuahuas have been around for centuries, and they are still quite popular as purebred dogs.
Judging by the name, German Shepherd appeared in Germany in 1895. They were mainly used for grazing sheep. They are brilliant, fiercely loyal, and quite athletic. Because of this, they are best known as working dogs or as part of the police and army.
On the other hand, Chihuahuas are known for their brave behavior and diminutive small size. These “purse dogs” are the national symbol of Mexico, and they are widely known as excellent crossbreed parents.
Both of these popular dog parent breeds are recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), but, unfortunately, this does not apply to the Chihuahua Shepherd mix.
German Shepherd Chihuahua Temperament
A German Shepherd Chihuahua has a very temperamental character. They took all the best qualities from two representatives of the parent breeds. From German Shepherd strength, nobility, power, and determination.
From purebred Chihuahua, love for small children, tolerance, dexterity, and voice. The voice of German Shepherd Chihuahua is very beautiful, it is remotely similar to the voice of a chihuahua, but it does not have such a characteristic squeak, it is more melodic and beautiful. They are vocal dogs.
Also, such German Shepherd Chihuahua will be good hunting dogs, but for this, they will have to be trained a little more than both German Shepherd, since this medium sized dog is characterized by excessive nervousness and overexcitation.
As for the family, this German Shepherd Chihuahua is very well suited for people with small children. This German Shepherd Chihuahua is very tolerant and active. It will be a great pleasure for her to play a few minutes with the children. They are excellent family dogs.
But the main thing is not to let the children hurt the small to medium dog, or harass her too much, otherwise the German Shepherd Chihuahua may bite.
How to Feed a German Chihuahua Mix?
The daily volume of high quality dog food of an adult German Shepherd Chihuahua is approximately 250-350 g (2-3% of the dog’s live weight), eats in 2 meals (125-150 g at a time). Give your German Shepherd Chihuahua food at the same time and remove everything that he did not have time to eat in 15 minutes.
- protein sources: meat (beef), sea fish (river fish is not allowed), poultry (chicken, turkey), sour milk (cottage cheese, kefir), eggs, cheese;
- carbohydrates: cereals (rice, oats, buckwheat), dried rye bread;
- fats: vegetable oils (sunflower, linseed, olive);
- vitamins and minerals: cereals, fruits, vegetables, multivitamins.
Also, do not forget about dry high quality dog food. It is better to select them with a specialist for the individual needs of the German Shepherd Chihuahua. But they should not be mixed with natural nutrition.
What you can’t feed a German Shepherd Chihuahua
Avoid these foods and ingredients:
- with potatoes, peas, beans, semolina,
- pasta, sweet white bread, pastries,
- grapes, citrus fruits, sorrel,
- fatty: pork, fried food (especially dogs with sick liver),
- sugar (especially chocolate), salt,
- smoked meats, spices, sausages,
- tubular bones (chicken legs).
How to Train a Dog Properly?
A German Shepherd Chihuahua needs good and constant obedience training. This is due both to the peculiarities of the animal’s behavior and to health factors.
You can train a German Shepherd Chihuahua from 2-3 months. During this period, the baby is quite capable of perceiving information.
Basic rules
- Classes should bring positive emotions, so they should be conducted in a good mood.
- Only one person should train a German Shepherd Chihuahua.
- Pronounce the command clearly. For training and encouragement, use different intonations.
- Make sure that the other pets is healthy and in the right shape.
- Do not repeat the command more than twice. If the German Shepherd Chihuahua refuses to obey, take a break, then try again.
- Do not lose your temper: do not get angry at the German Shepherd Chihuahua, do not use physical force. The best punishment for her is the strict voice of the owner.
- Develop a training program, gradually moving from simple commands to more complex ones.
- Repeat each learned command daily – this will help to consolidate the skill.
- Be sure to encourage your pet after completing the command.
Teach your German Shepherd Chihuahua simple commands to begin with.
Various special courses for German Chihuahua mixes can serve as an alternative.
General training course – OKD
Suitable for German Chihuahua mixes of all young age and parent breeds. During the course, the German Shepherd Chihuahua will learn elementary basic commands – “Sit!”, “Lie down!”, “Place!” etc.
Managed City dog – MCD
Ideal for German Shepherd Chihuahua who has behavioral problems. These include:
- unwillingness to walk on a leash;
- the desire to escape;
- the habit of picking up on the street;
- barking at passers-by, other German Shepherd Chihuahua, cars;
- fear of noise, etc.
German Shepherd Chihuahua Health Issues
Chihuahua mix, like many representatives of mixed dog breed, are often diagnosed with hip dysplasia (less often — elbow), and even young individuals suffer from this pathology.
Hip dysplasia is transmitted from the parent breeds of the German Shepherd. Also, hip and elbow dysplasia can be in rare cases in Chihuahuas.
The disease manifests itself in the fact that the femur is poorly fitted to the joint bag, which causes difficulties when walking and getting up, severe pain.
A simple, timely operation will save the Chihuahua mix from a require lots of suffering in old age, as this problem worsens with age. In addition, it is worth doing special exercises. See How to Make German Shepherd Back Legs Stronger for details.
As for eye diseases, among the common pathologies of the visual apparatus are clouding and dislocation of the lens, corneal dystrophy, and keratitis.
The prolapse of the appendages of the eye is often diagnosed as oncology and a healthy organ of vision is removed. You can also encounter demyelination — damage to the myelin sheath surrounding nerve fibers.
Frequently diagnosed diseases in German Shepherd Chihuahua
Male Chihuahua and German Shepherd have an innate tendency to the following diseases:
- pathology of intervertebral discs;
- cardiovascular disorders (more often in males);
- diseases of the pancreas;
- diabetes mellitus;
- hip dysplasia;
- violations of fungal etiology;
- intestinal obstruction.
Among the frequently diagnosed skin diseases are dermatitis, seborrhea, pyoderma, boils, erythematous pemphigus, and dermatitis.
Epilepsy, inflammation of bone tissue, allergies, and malignant neoplasms are not typical for Chihuahua mix.
Sometimes owners of male Chihuahua breeds and german shepherd chihuahua mix begin to experience difficulties in training, for example, the puppy mills barely manage to overcome obstacles, and go down and climb stairs.
This suggests that the animal has perianal fistulas with the addition of a secondary infection. Unfortunately, this pathology is not treated, and the best way to save a parent who parent breeds puppy mills from suffering is euthanasia.
Purebred dogs may suffer from allergic pathologies, which in the absence of treatment lead to the development of severe dermatitis, a lack of growth hormone.
It should be noted that black-colored sheepdogs are much more likely to get distemper. The disease is not treatable and leads to death.
Does GSD Chihuahua mix need vaccinations?
Vaccination is a great way to avoid many diseases and further problems with other dogs mix health. They need to be done according to a certain schedule:
- against hepatitis, parvovirus, and coronavirus enteritis, the puppy is vaccinated at the age of 1.5 months, after two weeks, according to the veterinarian’s prescription, repeated vaccination is carried out;
- against canine plague, the puppy and other dogs mix is vaccinated at three months, again after 6 months;
- against leptospirosis, vaccinated at 4 months;
- at 6 months, rabies is vaccinated and they repeat it every year.
The listed vaccinations must be done on schedule, otherwise, serious health problems cannot be avoided.
There are also a number of vaccinations that the owners do at will (vaccinations against microsporidia, trichophytic, and parainfluenza).
How long does the crossbreed live?
A Chihuahua mix lives about as long as ordinary dogs. With proper and good care, representatives can live up to 15-18 years.
By the way, interestingly, females of German Shepherd Chihuahua live longer than males.
Chihuahua parent usually live for 12 years, respectively, a mixture of chihuahuas live a little longer. Chihuahua parent lives less than German Shepherd parent.
How to Care for German Shepherd Mixed Breed?
The most important thing when caring for a shepherd puppy is to watch his eyes.
If the eyes are red, and watery, or pus is released from them, then it is necessary to consult a veterinarian and follow all the recommendations prescribed by them.
Other dogs mix procedures should be performed:
- Brushing pet’s teeth every three months with a special toothpaste or powder.
- Special bones made of leather will help to fix the teeth;
- Cleaning the ears once a month with cotton swabs and a special tool that is sold in vet.
- If inflammation is detected, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian.
- Bathing no more than 2-3 times a month only if necessary.
Caring for puppies is not difficult at all, it is important to observe basic hygiene basics.
From infancy, it is necessary to accustom the other dog mix to the fact that she will periodically brush her teeth.
If you do everything right, then in adulthood the pet will tolerate this procedure calmly.
For teeth cleaning, you need to purchase:
- a special brush for dogs;
- a special toothpaste.
You need to brush his teeth once a month and at a time when this German Shepherds dog breed is calm.
The best time is after an active walk when the intelligent dog breed is tired and does not resist. It is necessary to brush his teeth once every 1-2 months.
Cutting the claws of an inexperienced dog breed can cause a lot of trouble, since sheepdogs have black claws and are not translucent, it is not visible where the void ends and the living tissue begins.
The best option would be to take the German Shepherd breed to a professional for cutting claws.
How to bathe German Shepherd mixes?
It is necessary to bathe the chihuahua German shepherd mix breed as it becomes dirty, preferably no more than 1-2 times a month, otherwise, the shampoo washes protective substances from its coat, which threatens diseases.
If your German Shepherd Chihuahuas mate gets slightly dirty after a walk, then it can be rinsed with warm water, it is not necessary to use detergents. To stay on topic, check out a dedicated post on How Often Should You Bathe a German Shepherd.
It is best to bathe in the bathroom with a shower.
First, the coat needs to be wetted, then apply shampoo, lather and rinse thoroughly, then treat with the parent dogs conditioner.
What about grooming German Shepherd mixes?
The German Chihuahua mix has medium-length wool, it does not need grooming too often. It is better to give the German shepherd chihuahua mix to grooming in special institutions, but if you decide to do it yourself, then follow the following steps: Thorough combing of the animal’s fur. Everything that gets in the way is removed: tangles, dirt, old hairs, etc.
- A haircut. Choose the one that will suit the most in your opinion. Since this breed does not have much popularity, it does not have such standards.
- Hygienic treatment of eyes, ears, and teeth.
- Cutting claws. Often it is this point that causes difficulties.
- Water treatments. Washing the German shepherd chihuahua mix is performed with the help of special shampoos, I do not use human cosmetics. (you can take shampoo for both German Shepherd and Chihuahuas, there is no difference)
Thorough drying. At home, they use a towel and a hairdryer, and in the cabin a compressor.
How Much Does It Cost to Keep Such a Dog?
The price for the puppy itself on an average starts from $ 345 and can reach $ 1500. It takes around $50-100 a month to buy food and goodies:
| Shopping List | Cost |
| Bowls for food and water | 10-30 dollars |
| Bed | 30-180 dollars |
| Toys | 20-40 dollars |
| Grooming | 30-160 dollars |
| Vitamins and pills | 50-200 dollars |
| Devices for the care | 50-300 dollars |
| Various vaccinations | 100-500 dollars |
| Leashes and collars | 15-100 dollars |
| Microchip | 40-60 dollars |
| Total | 345-1570 dollars |
If you calculate everything, then the average check comes out at 550 + dollars only in the first month of the dog’s life. Further, this amount will be less, it may be about $ 100, it all depends on what month you need to do vaccinations and examinations.
Where Can I Get Such a Smaller Dogs?
The German Shepherd Chihuahua mix is not very popular, it is very problematic to find it.
Currently, no well-known reputable breeder specializes in the production of mixtures of German Shepherd Chihuahua mix, only their German Shepherd parents and Chihuahua parents.
However, if you want to become the owner of a German Shepherd Chihuahua mix, we have listed several places where you can find it. You may be lucky to find the breeder of the parent breed and get information about the mixed breed dogs.
Where to buy puppies of a German Shepherd Chihuahua mix
Ridgewood Kennels – This nursery has been offering German Shepherd Chihuahua mix for sale for over 40 years with a lifetime written warranty. You might want to check their website from time to time to see German Shepherd Chihuahua mix is available.
Greenfield Puppies – Since 2001, Greenfield has been giving German shepherd chihuahua mix and other dog to loving homes. In their list, there is a German Shepherd Chihuahua mix. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to find the German Shepherd Chihuahua mix you’re looking for.
Keystone Puppies – Many German Chihuahua mixes are available on this advertising site. They also have transparent medical records and health guarantees.
In addition to buying from a breeder, a good option is to rescue or adopt a German Chihuahua mix. This can save you money, plus you can give the German Chihuahua mixes puppy another chance at a better life.
This chihuahua German shepherd mix breed dog may be rare in rescue homes, but if you find it in a shelter, you can make sure it has passed a medical examination and rehabilitation before it is allowed to move to a new home.
Shelters where to get a German Chihuahua mix
Here are a few animal shelters where you can rescue a chihuahua mixed and a chihuahua German shepherd mix breed:
- Rescue and Transportation of Chihuahuas – Since 1996 they have been responsible for placing thousands of Chihuahua and German Shepherd dogs in loving homes. They also raise awareness and inform the public about animal cruelty, abandonment, and neglect. You might want to check them out to see if they have a mix of Chihuahua German shepherd mix dog and Chihuahua in stock.
- German Shepherd Rescue and Adoption (GSRA) – In North Carolina, this community saves countless lives and helps find loving families to save them. They may be designed for chihuahua German Shepherd mix, but they are also designed for mixed breeds. Visit their website for more details.
- Enchantment Chihuahua Rescue, LTD is a non–profit organization dedicated to providing safe homes and medical care to Chihuahuas and chihuahua German shepherd mix breeds. Their adoption program is promising and you can browse their website for a Chihuahua German Shepherd mixed breeds.
In addition to the places and tips mentioned above, you can read our guides on the best ways to rescue a chihuahua German Shepherd mix.
Pros And Cons of a Mixed Dog
Positive:
- such an animal can be attributed to small dogs. Its size is suitable for families who live in an apartment;
- this breed is very kind and tolerant of children;
- requires less care than a German Shepherd;
- well-trained in various complex and simple commands. Among dogs of this small size, some of the most intelligent and hardworking intelligent dog;
- lower price;
- unique.
Cons:
- more characteristic than German Shepherds;
- it is impossible to perform at exhibitions;
- it is difficult to find such a breed;
- there may be problems with flights since this breed is rarely issued documents. Passport registration will take much longer than for other dog;
- diseases of the hip joints.
If you like small chihuahua German shepherd mix hybrids or dwarf breeds, check out these posts:
Chapter FAQ
How big will a German Chihuahua mix get?
Companion dogs can weigh from 8 to 60 pounds and reach 7-45 inches at the withers. Like most dogs, male german shepherd will be larger than female chihuahua.
These active dog can make great apartment small dogs, just like their chihuahua parents, but in this case, make sure you do a require lots of exercise.
What would a Chihuahua and a chihuahua german shepherd mix called?
As such, these other animals do not have such a whole name. Someone calls them Chihuahua companion german shepherd dog, someone a chihuahua shepherd mix.
The most common name of the chihuahua shepherd mix. This name was given to the hybrids by the American Kennel Club.
This relatively new mixed breed is not singled out as an independent breed.
What is a Chihuahua German Shepherd mix look like?
Parent dogs have an average height if the genes of the German have become predominant. The ears are erect, the muzzle is elongated, and the limbs are high.
The smaller hybrid dog is hardy, has pronounced guard qualities, and a brave heart. He can live in an apartment where he feels quite comfortable.
Obedient, intelligent, sociable, loves to play with children.
They look more like Chihuahuas, but not German Shepherds.
From German Shepherds, hybrid breed often have only coloring, but it is paler, also in many cases, hybrids have eye color from German Shepherds, since brown is the dominant eye color.
Can a Chihuahua have German Shepherd puppies?
From the half German Shepherd and a Chihuahua, crossbreeds are sold, there can be no characteristic features inherent in only one breed in the majority.
Therefore, a Chihuahua cannot give birth to a purebred German Shepherd.
Conclusion
Hybrid dogs are very intelligent, beautiful, and noble animals. They will become a good friend to you. It is important to remember that a healthy dog is a happy hybrid dog. Carefully monitor your pet so that he does not need anything.
Pet owners, we hope that our article was useful for you.
