# I think we may have been lied to about our GSD...



## Hans_Mom (Feb 14, 2014)

So we got this sweet little 9 wks old boy recently from a litter of twelve puppies. The mother, a Blue Heeler, was on-site. The father, we were told, was a German Shepherd from across the street (I did not see him). I didn't have any reason to disbelieve the man, seeing as he was a good friend of ours, but I recently visted a relative who owns three GSD's and we were comparing our pup to his (two of his were mostly all black, with one looking like the "standard" GSD with the faded bicolor). I've done some googling and I'm thinking he may not be GSD at all, but instead, perhaps, Rottweiler? I know they have similar markings, but honestly I cannot tell at all... If anybody could take a look and give their input, it'd be greatly appreciated. I'd like to know what my little boy is! Thank you!!


Here is an album with several photos:
imgur: the simple image sharer


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## GSKnight (Oct 18, 2011)

He is 100% cute!!!


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## Hans_Mom (Feb 14, 2014)

Thank you, we sure think so too


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Could be black and tan with that marking. with a blue heeler mixed in who knows what it looks like. no reason to me to disbelieve its not half gsd


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Markings are more GSD than Rottie. I see no reason to disbelieve the GSD/Heeler cross.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I don't think there is any type of conspiracy regarding the sire to your pup. Your friend most likely, truly thinks the GSD is the father. A bitch can mate to several dogs during her heat cycle. If your friend allowed the bitch to wander the streets while she was in heat, who knows who the sire of your dog truly is.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Are there even any rotts in the area? Even if they know that the GSD bred with their heeler, there can be multiple sires to a litter if people aren't careful, which is obviously true in this case. When getting a mixed pup, it's always up in the air how they will look when grown. I would just enjoy him as he is.

ETA: posted at same time as Lilie!


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## Hans_Mom (Feb 14, 2014)

Thanks everybody for the quick reply. I never questioned him being GSD until my uncle pointed out that he "looks nothing like a GSD and everything like a rottweiler." This is what caused me to wonder if I had been lied to. Sounds like maybe my relative just wasn't sure what he was talking about! I feel a lot better! Thank you everyone!


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

I agree no matter what, what a cutie!

BTW- Please, PLEASE talk to your friend about having his dog spayed. Too many unwanted dogs in shelters.....as it is.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Hans_Mom said:


> Thanks everybody for the quick reply. I never questioned him being GSD until my uncle pointed out that he "looks nothing like a GSD and everything like a rottweiler." This is what caused me to wonder if I had been lied to. Sounds like maybe my relative just wasn't sure what he was talking about! I feel a lot better! Thank you everyone!


your uncle just doesn't know the coat variations of gsds.


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## ApselBear (Feb 10, 2014)

Oh yea, I definitely see the heeler in his head structure, but the coat shouts GSD. He's definitely a good looking dog.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

I'm a little confused about your question.

"our little GSD" 

he can't be -- the mother , who you saw , is on site and is identified as a Blue Heeler . A gsd has two gsd parents . 

the sire is possibly the male across the street , who may himself be a mixed breed and not a GSD . 

your dog is one handsome, healthy , looks to be socially confident dog without extremes or exaggerations in his sturdy balanced body. Those are good things . 

A gsd is not about colour or appearance . There are breed specific characteristics also. Wouldn't be fair nor right to expect the dog to deliver when the dog doesn't have these traits. 

If you want to know your dogs paternity , get a kit from DDC Veterinary Animal DNA Testing Services , then take the Q-tip that they provide and ask to get a cheek swab of the dog next door , or another potential sire and submit . They will tell you , just like on Maury Povich -- He is the sire of the pup (or not) .

GSD though , no .

If your friend got premium $$$ selling the dog as a GSD -- that is wrong .


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## Hans_Mom (Feb 14, 2014)

I guess my question was more, "is it possible we have a rottweiler mix instead of the GSD mix we were told?" Whenever we introduce him, he is introduced as a GSD/Blue Heeler mix. In the title I did not include the blue heeler to save character space. However, my intent was not to try and pass him off as one. Instead I was hoping I could get some input from experienced GSD owners whether or not his markings look to be GSD or not, and I think the general consensus has been yes... or at least possibly yes. We love him either way... But, when you say "GSD - no," do you mean you do not see any GSD in him?


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

Having just had some playtime with a rottie.. The markings are VERY similar. That being said I haven't seen all the GSD colors in the world so I could be very wrong. 

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## ApselBear (Feb 10, 2014)

Hans_Mom said:


> I guess my question was more, "is it possible we have a rottweiler mix instead of the GSD mix we were told?" Whenever we introduce him, he is introduced as a GSD/Blue Heeler mix. In the title I did not include the blue heeler to save character space. However, my intent was not to try and pass him off as one. Instead I was hoping I could get some input from experienced GSD owners whether or not his markings look to be GSD or not, and I think the general consensus has been yes... or at least possibly yes. We love him either way... But, when you say "GSD - no," do you mean you do not see any GSD in him?


He's just saying he isn't pure GSD basically. Don't worry, the rest of us understand where you were going with your OP. As many have stated, he definitely shows plenty of signs of GSD, and the previous owner has no real reason to claim otherwise, so I'd say it's a pretty high chance that he is gsd heeler.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Since you KNOW what the mother was .. why not say heeler mix instead? At least you know that much is accurate!


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

He has those soft deep brown GSD puddle eyes lol he is cute !


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## Shaolin (Jun 16, 2012)

It looks like a Heeler/GSD mix. Depending on the colors of the GSD, you could have the tan chest. Bi color GSDs are pegged as GSD mixes in shelters a lot of times due to the fact they look like Rottie colors. My very first GSD was considered a GSD/Rottie mix due to the coloration, but he had the GSD personality, body structure, and all the other nuances that made me think he was a "pure" GSD over a mix.

Your pup is absolutely adorable, though! 

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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

I've a blue heeler X rott (or suspect since he's a rescue). He is annoyingly affectionate. 

It's hard to tell that young but looks to me like he can be either. And as someone said, the dad can be a mix himself. The heeler part I can't spot.


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## Nyx (Sep 25, 2012)

He is absolutely adorable.

My two GSD's looked VERY similar to him when they were little.


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## Mocha (Dec 3, 2013)

I would only be concerned if they told me he was purebred. 

It's so hard with mixes! I've seen some pretty convincing mixes that don't look anything like their parents !


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## LeoRose (Jan 10, 2013)

Cute little guy, that probably won't stay little for much longer. Unless it is important for you have a definitive answer of whether or not the sire IS the GSD across the street, I wouldn't worry about it. As for his markings, don't forget that blue ACDs usually have tan markings, similar to what your pup has. 

Oh, and make sure you work on bite inhibition. Heelers tend to be VERY nippy, since that's what they are bred to do.


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## ozzymama (Jan 17, 2005)

Looks like the puppy pics we were shown of my boy. Red and black GSD, yes, he's got the lab chubb and thyroid, but quite similar to your pup as a pup  Enjoy him and when he is old enough to display more than common developmental issues, ask somewhere where there are learned folks. This board is not a mixed dog friendly group for the most part, some members, but the wading through other stuff might scare you off. Do some reading here, educate yourself and ask questions privately of those members you trust and know what they speak, typically they are more than willing to answer newbie questions.


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## Loneforce (Feb 12, 2012)

It looks like he is going to be a fun dog. Enjoy him!


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

This is the OPs puppy:










This is a purebred Rottweiler puppy:











I'd say there's a VERY good chance the dog is more Rott than GSD (with the Heeler of course).


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

the mother is a Blue Heeler and the father is in question.
you have a mix. what difference does it make?



Hans_Mom said:


> So we got this sweet little 9 wks old boy recently from a litter of twelve puppies. >>>>> The mother, a Blue Heeler,<<<<<
> 
> was on-site.
> 
> ...


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> the mother is a Blue Heeler and the father is in question.
> you have a mix. what difference does it make?


Even in mixes those dogs will show traits of the original breeds that have gone into them. I find it helps me to know what to maybe look for health wise and such.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Except you don't actually know. So conjecture is pointless unless they were more careful with the female than it appears. As the pup grows, THEN it will probably become more apparent. Young pups can change so much as they mature, particularly mixes.


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## ApselBear (Feb 10, 2014)

Lauri & The Gang said:


> I'd say there's a VERY good chance the dog is more Rott than GSD (with the Heeler of course).


The bone structure is so far off from a rott, I fail to see how you can say it's a VERY good chance. There was a gsd across the street, and no mention of a rott in the neighborhood(I know dog's get around). The color patterns are just as similar to a mix of heeler and gsd as they are rott, but the structure is much more gsd than rott. 

Yes there may be a chance of rott instead of GSD, but there's nothing that rules out the GSD/heeler mix, the only breeds that were definitely present. 

As far as why this discussion might matter to the OP, there are several possible reasons.
The only reason that is really needed: Curiosity.
Another possible reason: Maybe the breeder guaranteed the gsd mix and the OP has some aversion to rotties.


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## Hans_Mom (Feb 14, 2014)

ApselBear said:


> The bone structure is so far off from a rott, I fail to see how you can say it's a VERY good chance. There was a gsd across the street, and no mention of a rott in the neighborhood(I know dog's get around). The color patterns are just as similar to a mix of heeler and gsd as they are rott, but the structure is much more gsd than rott.
> 
> Yes there may be a chance of rott instead of GSD, but there's nothing that rules out the GSD/heeler mix, the only breeds that were definitely present.
> 
> ...



I appreciate this answer. Also, I have no aversion to rotties, my family owned a rottie mix when I was young, and she was a great girl. You are correct - I am just overwhelmed with wanting to know everything about my dog! It might be silly to spend so much time and brain power wondering about these kind of things but I really am interested in finding out. 

I suppose that as I never saw the sire I will never really know 100% for sure but as of now, I believe I will just take my friend's word for it. Thank you everyone for the insight.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

"I am just overwhelmed with wanting to know everything about my dog! " moreso than the breeder !

you can't know -- for all anyone knows the mother may not be a blue heeler either , nor the alleged sire a pure gsd .

this is a good looking strong healthy looking dog , American street pup . 

if you want to find out get a cheek swab of the potential sire and send it off to the lab I recommended . You will need sire and or alternate sire , dam (not critical) and your pup's samples .
The breeder is your friend , have them approach the neighbour.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I would stay away from calling it a Rottie anything because there are locales where this an aversion to that breed, including insurance companies. Call it a hound mix and don't worry about it. He is very much a cutie pie.


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## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

It certainly is a cute puppy! Since it is a mix it really shouldn't matter to anyone except you what the mix is. Like one response said some people have prejudices against certain breeds and to those people you could just report it is a mixed breed pup. It is hard to define if the GSD across the street is the sire or not without a DNA test. If it is really important to you, get the test done. Like someone said, your friend is neighbors with said GSD owner and could probably get the sample easily for you if you want. Breeds do matter as for what types of ailments to look out for, training concerns, etc, but either way you got a really cute pup there and he can be registered with the PAL program with AKC if you want to do rally or agility. Enjoy your pup.


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

So cute! 


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## LeoRose (Jan 10, 2013)

pyratemom said:


> ............... he can be registered with the PAL program with AKC if you want to do rally or agility. Enjoy your pup.


No, as a mix, he is _not_ eligible for a PAL (Purebred Alternative Listing). What he _is_ eligible for is the Canine Partners Listing. AKC Canine Partners. AKC program for Canine Partners.


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## HarleyACH (Feb 19, 2014)

I will find and post a picture of my old Rotti x Alsation later as a pup. She did look similar but pure black (mother was a black GSD). You'll have to ignore her docked tail in the photos, the horrible people who bred her thought cutting it off with scissors was a good idea


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

HarleyACH said:


> I will find and post a picture of my old Rotti x Alsation later as a pup. She did look similar but pure black (mother was a black GSD). You'll have to ignore her docked tail in the photos, the horrible people who bred her thought cutting it off with scissors was a good idea



:-( Scissors....? Poor baby, that had to hurt. 



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## matthewm11 (Oct 18, 2011)

Both my dogs are rescues. One is for sure a verified husky gsd cross. My new rescue seems like purebred wl pup but for all i know has no gsd in him. I agree with op that it is very helpful to know themix you have. I know with my husky mix to be extremely picky about where nd when i can let her off leash and have to be patient about her coming when called. Rottweilers and gsds are two great dogs but are the type of dogs it would be helpful to know which is in your dog. Especially mixed with another higher maintnence working dog. Breeds have been selectivly bred for generations to enhance certain traits its always helpfull to know what these dogs were origionally bred to do and what challenges that may manifest in our modern society


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