Are you thinking about adding a new pup to your family? While you’re probably excited about getting your dog a new sibling, you might worry about how your pooch will react to your “gift”. By learning about how both breeds react to other dogs, you can make sure that your dogs start on the right foot. So congratulations on taking the first right step.
With a calm and friendly temperament, German Shepherd Husky Mixes often do well with other dogs. They are gentle, adaptable, and get along well with new siblings. Although they may be standoffish towards other dogs at first, they warm up to them and become friends soon enough.
In this article, you will learn how the German Shepherd Husky Mix interacts with other dogs. We will also explore the ways to help your Gerberian Shepsky get along with other dogs.
The German Shepherd Husky Mix temperament
The German Shepherd Husky Mix has an extraordinary temperament. Like a chill best friend, this dog is affectionate and goofy, yet brave and loyal. This mix has a calm and loving temperament, owed to a brilliant combo of traits gotten from both parents. Although feared for its formidable appearance, the German Shepherd Husky Mix is pleasant and fun to live with.
German Shepherd Husky Mixes are quite adventurous. They are seasoned escape artists who can often get lost while exploring. They are also high-energy dogs who need constant physical stimulation. Without this, they become bored and unhappy.
These hybrids’ independent nature can make them a tad bit difficult to train. However, they are motivated to please their owners and this attribute improves their trainability.
Want to discover more amazing facts about the German Shepherd Husky Mix? Check out this video:
Are Gerberian Shepskies friendly with other dogs?
Generally, well-socialized German Shepherd Husky Mixes do well with other dogs. They relate very well in multi-dog households and are not aggressive toward their siblings. However, when it comes to unfamiliar dogs, they are often aloof and prefer to keep their distance.
These dogs are protective of their families and may view a strange dog as a threat. They are often cautious of bigger dogs and will stop during walks to assess other dogs. However, this dog breed is not aggressive, it is simply curious and will walk away with redirection.
It is rare to have these dogs attack other dogs in the park. They are playful dogs who make friends easily. However, they have a high prey drive and this can cause them to chase smaller dogs.
Are German Shepherd Husky Mixes good with small breed dogs?
With proper socialization, the German Shepherd Husky Mix can get along well with small breed dogs. This crossbreed is a friendly family dog and gets acquainted with other pets in the home with time.
As a dog owner, you should make sure to supervise these dogs when they are with unfamiliar small dogs. Large dogs like the German Shepherd Husky Mix often forget their size during playtime and can cause injury to small dogs. Also, some German Shepherd Husky Mixes might chase small dogs due to their high prey drive.
Due to their energetic nature, these dogs can tire out their small friends during playtime. However, some small dogs like the Shiba Inu, Beagle, Dachshund, and Cocker Spaniel are just as athletic and active as the large dog breeds. (Source: Vet Street)
Are German Shepherd Husky Mixes good with large breed dogs?
Once socialized, German Shepherd Husky Mixes do not have any trouble getting along with large dog breeds. They are best matched with large breed dogs that can withstand their rigorous play sessions.
In the case of a confrontation, well-trained Gerberian Shepskies are obedient and will listen to caution from their owners. With adequate socialization, your crossbreed will do better at interacting with other dog breeds whether small or large.
Why are German Shepherd Husky Mixes good family pets?
German Shepherd Husky Mixes are loyal, loving, and affectionate. They are also fun-loving and have goofy personalities. These dogs love kids and are gentle with them. Their amazing temperaments make them devoted and protective companions.
Is the German Shepherd Mix good:d for your family? Watch this video to find out
Are German Shepherd Husky Mixes good with cats?
German Shepherd Husky Mixes may or may not do well with cats and other animals. Their interaction with other animals depends on the level of socialization, the temperament of both animals, and the meeting circumstance.
A major reason why Gerberian Shepskies don’t get along with cats is their high prey drive- an instinctive drive that makes them see smaller animals as game and chase them.
In other cases, Gerberian Huskies can learn to co-habit with cats. However, such dogs will need to be socialized with cats early. In any case, you should never leave this breed unsupervised with cats or smaller household pets.
What owners have to say about German Shepherd Husky Mix and other dogs.
From Heather
“I have a purebred shepherd and my husky mix was very fatherly and very gentle with him till he was around six months lol and now they play pretty rough.” (Source: The Daily Bone)
From Ashley Bucato-Martinez
“I love how gentle he (Mochi the Shepsky) is with her (Gigi the Pomeranian). They fight and play like siblings. If she gets hurt and cries he runs to her and will cry with her.” (Source: Facebook)
From Brooke
“He growls at people when we take a walk and isn’t good around other dogs.” (Source: The Happy Puppy Site)
There is no one size fits all temperament for this dog breed. However, most owners report that their German Shepherd Husky Mixes do fine with other dogs.
Reasons, why your German Shepherd Husky Mix could dislike other dogs
Several reasons, could be responsible for this and they include:
Anxiety
Thus, on meeting other dogs for the first time, they may be anxious about what to expect. At other times, they can be aroused or over-excited on seeing a new dog and this may be expressed unpleasantly.
Unpleasant prior experiences
“There are many examples of cats and dogs having long-term memory in both studies and real-life events,” Dr. Jenna Sansolo, associate veterinarian at Ardsley Veterinary Associates (Source: PetMD)
Your German Shepherd Husky Mix can aggressively approach other dogs if he notices something about it that triggers an unpleasant prior experience.
Personality
Gerberian Shepskies without proper training can end up becoming confrontational. On acquiring such a personality, they tend to be unfriendly toward other dogs.
Protectiveness
The loyalty of the German Shepherd Husky Mix and the zeal with which they protect their owner is beautiful. You can see the protective nature of this crossbreed mostly when other dogs come too close to their owners or anyone in the family.
Dominance
Territoriality is a major concern in dogs especially if there’s a visiting dog. If you have a female dog in the house, your German Shepherd Husky Mix is likely to react in an unfriendly way on seeing another male dog.
It’s advisable to make sure your dogs are of the opposite sex if you must keep up to two dogs.
Injury/Illness
Regardless of the breed, an injured dog will be aggressive, especially at strangers and other dogs.
If you notice your German Shepherd Husky Mix behaving strangely towards other dogs, he might be in pain. Sometimes, this unfriendliness may be due to an illness.
Ways to help your German Shepherd Husky Mix get along with other dogs
Socialization
All dogs need to be properly socialized to interact well with family members, strangers, and other animals.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, socialization should begin during the sensitive period between 3 and 14 weeks of age.
Training
A well-trained dog is more tolerant, self-disciplined, and well-behaved in different situations. This enhances the mutual understanding between her and her parent and strengthens the positive relationship (Source: AMA Animal Rescue).
Training your dog is one good way to get the best of them. You can discover helpful guiding tips by watching this YouTube video:
Exercise
These hybrids are high-energy dogs. They need lots of physical stimulation. A German Shepherd Husky Mix with pent-up energy may channel his energy wrongly into aggression.
Visit a vet
Some diseases can cause reactive behavior. Common health issues seen in Gerberian Shepskies include hip or elbow dysplasia, eye conditions, hypothyroidism, etc. In response to pain and discomfort caused by these diseases, dogs may react unpleasantly to other dogs. (Source: Vet West)
Lots of love, time, and patience
Dog training is one thing that cannot be rushed. Just like humans, dogs learn through repetition. It often takes a couple of weeks or even months for a dog to learn a new concept. During this time, you should approach training sessions with patience and shower your pet with lots of love and positive affirmations.
Bottom line: Should you get a German Shepherd Husky Mix?
If you are active, outdoorsy, and adventurous, this hybrid dog is for you. There is never a dull moment with this dog! Now that you’ve decided to get another fur baby, take a look at this article to make sure your dogs get off on the right foot.
More on German Shepherd Husky Mix: A Designer Breed You Can’t Miss
- A Designer Breed: German Shepherd Husky Mix (Gerberian Shepsky)?
- How Big Do German Shepherd Husky Mix Puppies Get?
- How Smart Are German Shepherd Husky Mixes?
- Are German Shepherd Husky Mixes Easy to Train?
- Are German Shepherd Husky Mixes Good with Cats?
- How Cold is Too Cold for a German Shepherd Husky Mix?
- Can Shepskies Live Outside by Themselves?
- Can a Shepsky Live in an Apartment?
- What is the Lifespan of a German Shepherd Husky Mix?
- How Much Does a German Shepherd Husky Mix Cost?
You may also like:
