# King Shepherds??



## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Aren't they basically oversized, large German Shepherds? or the "old fashion"?

Just wondering, because I keep hearing about them.


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## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

Their heritage is predominantly GS, but they're not GS. Other breeds were crossed in to increase size & coat.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

oh ok.so are they there own breed?or a result of BYB?

and whats a shiloh shepherd?i saw pics they look HUGE!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

Shiloh shepherds are the same as king. I believe that there was a split in the two because of personality conflicts between the woman who started the breed and others. So they decided to go in slightly different directions. As far as I know, they aren't recognized by any registry yet. Not sure if there is even a movement to get them recognized as a legit breed?

ETA: I'm also not sure if they breed true to type? The cross-breedings are all very recent so it's possible that they don't


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

These sites have specific info on the different breeds

Shiloh Shepherds Home: Shiloh Shepherd pictures, breed, club, registry info!

Welcome to The Amercian King Shepherd Club Website


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

Shiloh Shepherds and King Shepherds are the same breed, if I remember correctly, but they split because there were some disagreements as to the goals and standard. That's what I recall, anyway.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Either way they are huge.lol they look like GSDs on steroids.lol


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## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

I have always thought they were beautys. Want one but can't aford ne and they seem hard to find around me. Much easier to find a GSD. Still looking for my perfact match. Ill keep looking till I find the GSD of my dreams.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

ChristenHolden said:


> I have always thought they were beautys. Want one but can't aford ne and they seem hard to find around me. Much easier to find a GSD. Still looking for my perfact match. Ill keep looking till I find the GSD of my dreams.


they are pretty but huge.lol


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## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE big dogs. I used to have a great pyranees. Sorry I can't spell to save my life. Right now my bigest fur baby is a 45 poundish shar pei. I love him he's my baby. I jus miss having a BIG dog. A dog that when it walks be side me I can scratch its head and not bend down to do it. A dog that will play fetch. A dog that when I sit in the yard I can put my arm around its back and I can lean my head in his shoulder and look out over the river. I miss it.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

ChristenHolden said:


> I LOVE LOVE LOVE big dogs. I used to have a great pyranees. Sorry I can't spell to save my life. Right now my bigest fur baby is a 45 poundish shar pei. I love him he's my baby. I jus miss having a BIG dog. A dog that when it walks be side me I can scratch its head and not bend down to do it. A dog that will play fetch. A dog that when I sit in the yard I can put my arm around its back and I can lean my head in his shoulder and look out over the river. I miss it.


I love big dogs too.Maybe I might consider one when I am older and with more room, especially the Shiloh shepherds those were beautiful.


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## DinoBlue (Apr 11, 2007)

I will add my 2 cents.... I have a King Shepherd (Jack). These dogs have been bred first and foremost with size in mind, which means there is a lot to be wished for in other areas (mostly temperament issues). Not I breed that I will ever recommend to anyone to get. When asked about him we always say he is a mutt.


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## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

Look into them very carefully. I originally considered a Shiloh but the temperament is (at best) softer than I care for. Factional splits & egos have also been detrimental to these developing breeds. I've read that they're plagued with variable temperaments & often more health problems than many GS. IF you're interested, speak at length with numerous, knowledgeable owners & breeders. Be certain that you're not being fed the 'party line' from an enraptured or disgruntled faction. War is seldom conducive to truth & it's a battle of long standing b/w 'original' Shilohs vs breakaway Shilohs & Shilohs vs Kings.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

For what it's worth, one of the ladies I train with has a Shiloh Shepherd. He looks just like a long-coated sable GSD, except that he's a bit bigger. Not a whole lot - certainly not "huge" - but bigger.

As far as Christen's goals ... I guess it would depend on how tall you are.  I'm 5'5" and I have no trouble petting my 24" GSD or my 24" Malinois on top of the head without bending down when we are walking.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

AbbyK9 said:


> For what it's worth, one of the ladies I train with has a Shiloh Shepherd. He looks just like a long-coated sable GSD, except that he's a bit bigger. Not a whole lot - certainly not "huge" - but bigger.
> 
> As far as Christen's goals ... I guess it would depend on how tall you are.  I'm 5'5" and I have no trouble petting my 24" GSD or my 24" Malinois on top of the head without bending down when we are walking.


Oh jesus I am 5'7.o.o


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## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

> These dogs have been bred first and foremost with size in mind, which means there is a lot to be wished for in other areas (mostly temperament issues).


I'm especially interested in voices of experience. Where do you find temperament lacking? Do you have personal experience with Kings beyond Jack & his breeder's dogs? IF so, have you found temperament generally lacking/faulty? Are the problems consistent, ie too soft, or all over the place?

Thanks!


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## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

I'm 5"7 as well and the I think a GSD will fit my goals well. The father of the pup I was supposed to get was perfect he was close to a 100# maybe more and if Little Uley would have made it I'm sure he would have been jus as big. The more I looked the more I decided a GSD is more for my family. Specally when it comes to being able to find one close and price wise as well.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Uhm, maybe I am missing something, but German Shepherd Dogs are not supposed to be 100#. A ninety pound dog is a large GSD. Just saying. 

I think that we in America sometimes make the mistake that bigger is better. An 85 pound GSD is certainly enough to make any burglar think twice. To the average person, because the ears are upright, they think an 85 pound dog weighs 115. My parents' dog is about 30 inches at the shoulder, lean, weighs 94#s, looks gigantic, and is way over-sized.


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## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

I'm not sure but if it makes a differance he is a white. I have heard there bigger (Myth?)I'm still new to the breed and learning all I can. Sherriff flat footed could set his head with out rasing up on their kitchen table. One of the taller nice kind of table to. He's not fat kinda lean but he jus LOOKS so big even up close. My Walker Hound Trouble (rip) was 80 to 90 pounds given the time of season he got fatter in winter and I would almost be that the GSD is the Bigger dog. Maybe he's jus over size?


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## LuvourGSDs (Jan 14, 2007)

I agree Sue...... Storm is around almost 90 lbs & I get all the time, wow he's big, is he 100 lbs or bigger ???? He is mostly tall & long. Yes, people do think twice, three, times, etc about stepping 1 toe in our yard when he is out + there's 2 other GSDs out there with him.............. LOL Most people are more afraid of him I think b/c of his size. Shadow the BGSD looks way more scary IMO.

Not a prob to me though. Up the rd the little neighborhood was robbed 3 times last Summer, did we get hit ? Hope it stays that way. 

BTW, a gal in my dog group has a King GSD. She is fighting fear issues with her real bad. Of people, dogs, etc. She claims the parents to her female were therapy dogs with good tempts, not she if she got a bad dog or she caused her issues ? She is a very pretty coated female with nice coloring. I don't think very big for a female either.







selzer said:


> Uhm, maybe I am missing something, but German Shepherd Dogs are not supposed to be 100#. A ninety pound dog is a large GSD. Just saying.
> 
> I think that we in America sometimes make the mistake that bigger is better. An 85 pound GSD is certainly enough to make any burglar think twice. To the average person, because the ears are upright, they think an 85 pound dog weighs 115. My parents' dog is about 30 inches at the shoulder, lean, weighs 94#s, looks gigantic, and is way over-sized.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Maybe the King Shepherds and Shiloh Shepherd breeders put steroids in the dogs.........LOL

But I highly doubt, then would have Hulk dog.lol


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## SouthernThistle (Nov 16, 2005)

Dainerra said:


> Shiloh shepherds are the same as king. I believe that there was a split in the two because of personality conflicts between the woman who started the breed and others.


The woman who started "Shiloh Shepherds" tried to trademark the name "Shiloh Shepherds" if that tells you anything.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

One thing is for sure, they certainly don't live long... Bigger the dog the less life span. And people wonder why Irish wolfhounds usually live to 6 years.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Good thing I prefer medium dogs, and some large dogs.lol.


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## RubyTuesday (Jan 20, 2008)

Missy, IWs of today are so short lived b/c breeding has overwhelmingly been done to improve 'show conformation'. IWs at one time lived 12+, some even 14 yrs.

Their life expectancy (much like Goldens or Great Danes) is highly variable according to which lines/breeder they're from. My last IW was pts a week before her 9th birthday for bone cancer. (That breeders IWs on average live ~9-9.5yrs) My 1st IW had passed his 11th birthday when I had him pts. 

I don't know about the life expectancy of Kings & Shilohs but over sized GS from knowledgeable breeders are generally healthy & long lived, ie 12-14yrs. Sam turned 11 last Dec. 

The impressively looong lived dogs are generally toys such as Chihuahuas & Toy Poodles. They can live to 18, 19yrs, & sometimes even older, although the health often is rarely as impressive as their sheer longevity. A friend's Chihuahua was pts at 22 or 23, however he'd battled serious health probs since he was 5 or 6. 

Many of the giant flock guards live into their teens despite their size. Large dogs, including very large dogs, don't have to be short lived. Unfortunately longevity is ignored by far too many breeders.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

The American Eskimo dog often reaches 19 or 20 years, according to a friend who breeds them.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

AbbyK9 said:


> As far as Christen's goals ... I guess it would depend on how tall you are.  I'm 5'5" and I have no trouble petting my 24" GSD or my 24" Malinois on top of the head without bending down when we are walking.


I am 5'4" and I can pet Bianca's back when she's standing. She is 26" tall (or possibly 26-point-something) which is over-sized for a female. It's nice though because it also means I can grab her collar without bending or stooping. My last dog was a 24" Golden and I had to bend down to grab her collar and could only touch her back with my fingertips without bending.

I love big/giant dogs personally. I'm hoping to get a Beauceron in the future and possibly a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog at some point...


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

I had a Doberman bitch that lived 16+ years..


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## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

My DH had a shar pei that we had to have pts was almost 19 she had a brain tumor and kidney failure. That was one of the hardest things we everhad to do she was one of the nicest dogs I ever met.


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