# THis guy showed up in my yard



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

Hey guys im new here and I thought it would be a good place to find out some answers to my questions. This cute lil pup showed up in my yard the other day. He had no collar and nobody has claimed him yet. I've went door to door but no luck. This has happened before and Im beginning to think he was dumped in my neighborhood. So I have decided to keep him. Looking at pictures on the net it appears that he is a german shepherd. But I wanted to inquire here because you all would know more than me...Im also wondering how old you all might think he is?

THanks!


----------



## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

He looks like a German Shepherd to me. Maybe 3 to 4 months old. I'd like to see a picture of him standing.


----------



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

Wolfiesmom said:


> He looks like a German Shepherd to me. Maybe 3 to 4 months old. I'd like to see a picture of him standing.


Ill take one. gimme a sec


----------



## R3C0NWARR10R (Mar 26, 2010)

Looks like a GSD to me, but I am no expert. Cute pup either way


----------



## Kamahi (Feb 27, 2010)

Great Dane x German Shepherd mix maybe? I might just be seeing Great Dane because there was a black great dane puppy in the vet's office last week that looked just like your puppy, except he had floppy ears.  But I'm not an expert either by any means, lol.


----------



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

heres a few more


----------



## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Seeing these pictures he looks like a mix. Maybe Great Dane and German Shepherd like the previous poster said.


----------



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

Kamahi said:


> Great Dane x German Shepherd mix maybe? I might just be seeing Great Dane because there was a black great dane puppy in the vet's office last week that looked just like your puppy, except he had floppy ears.  But I'm not an expert either by any means, lol.


His ears are really big...but they dont flop at all...I was thinking GD too at first but I came across these pics and thought he looked similar
http://www.akcblackgermanshepherds.com/images/Puppy-16_wks_046.jpg


----------



## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Here is my purebred shepherd at 4 months old. He is more stocky than your pup. Your pup has really long legs.


----------



## R3C0NWARR10R (Mar 26, 2010)

Everyone at the Sch. club made fun of Reno's ears. He is finally growing into them. They looked a lot like that on his head. The standing views says mix or possibly a black Dutch Shepherd.


----------



## DCluver33 (May 27, 2010)

judging from your pics my guess is Great Dane/GSD mix. his nose is too long to be pure GSD plus his legs are too long, and his coat is too short to be pure GSD, but his ears tell me GSD mix possibly mixed with something else.


----------



## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

whatever he is, he is definately cute,,big ears, long legs and all ! Keep us updated, it will be interesting to see how he grows out,,and glad your keeping him !


----------



## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

I vote for Great Dane x GSD as well.


----------



## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

Great Dane x GSD.

Total cutie either way!


----------



## Baersmama (Jun 15, 2010)

Definitely Shepherd... but I agree about maybe mixed with Dane. What a handsome boy. Reminds me a lot of the black GSD we had, Baer. I am glad you are taking him in.


----------



## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Have you taken him to a vet to see if he is microchipped?
I say GSD and some sort of terrier.


----------



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

jaggirl47 said:


> Have you taken him to a vet to see if he is microchipped?
> I say GSD and some sort of terrier.


I have not yet but I am going to. Unfortunately theres a lot of stray dogs running around in my neighborhood all the time and people tend to dump dogs here a lot. 

Anyways I think you all are right...His coat is short which is why I think he's mixed also...but he's also very calm and mellow which is not very usual for a great dane puppy...guess I just got lucky.


----------



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

Thanks for the help everyone.

Whatever he is, im sure he will be big because of his paws!


----------



## Melly (Mar 21, 2010)

He is a real cutie I also agree GSD prob dane mix he looks like he will be good size pup. His coat is what made me think mix mainly lol.


----------



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I think he looks alot like a Thai Ridgeback or a mix of that breed


----------



## JackieM1982 (Jul 21, 2005)

Looks to me like he has some Pit in there, with his head shape and shorthair.


----------



## GSD MOM (Apr 21, 2010)

JackieM1982 said:


> Looks to me like he has some Pit in there, with his head shape and shorthair.


That was my 1st thought. Just the over all shape of the body and tail. With the thick muzzle.


----------



## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

For sure a mix of some kind, showing a lot of shepherd. Cute little guy. I hope he has a good disposition and has found a great home.


----------



## DUL958 (Mar 10, 2010)

Mix or not, what a sweet pretty baby!!! 

I applaud you for caring enough to take him in, and I hope that he turns out to be the best dog in the world for you.

I just love the ears.


----------



## ChristenHolden (Jan 16, 2010)

Ahh he's cute. What's his naqme?


----------



## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

His side profile and neck remind me a lot of a bulldog.

Pure APBT:
http://caveat.blogware.com/BlackAPBT_KCMO.jpg


----------



## Esmiralda33 (Mar 21, 2010)

I have a pair of 4 year old great dane/ german shepherd crosses. I'll try to post a pic of my female at about 4 months for you. I'd agree your pup could have dane/shepherd and possibly a bully breed too. Either way he's adorable!


----------



## ShepherdsField (Jan 30, 2010)

I will vote for the Shepherd/Dane mix. Does look alot like the Thai ridgeback. It's just they are not one of the most common breeds to find around and finding a purebred puppy on the lose like that would be unlikely. Lots of GSD's around and Great Danes are not uncommon, so chances are in the favor of that. Don't see a bully breed in him, myself. His lips aren't loose enough.


----------



## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

he looks like a tia ridgback mix. just like buddy great dogs! very rare


----------



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

Interesting Ideas....I actually have a pitbull (which is a big but really nice guy...and they get along great)... I dont really see PB in him, but is possible because there are a lot of people here in my town that breed PB's... It's his dark black coat that leads me away from thinking he's a pit, but you never know. PLus his nose is pretty long and narrow which is not really like a PB...but I think as he ages it will be easier to see what he is. Im gonna take him into my vet next week to talk about shots and Ill see what he thinks also. Here's some pics of my PB maximus...


----------



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

ChristenHolden said:


> Ahh he's cute. What's his naqme?


Im going to name him Duke. Seems like it fits good.


----------



## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

thai ridgeback - Google Search


----------



## APBTLove (Feb 23, 2009)

Jarhead, looking at those pics, Max is certainly an American Bully. Very handsome, too. 

APBTs are slimmer most of the time, and a mix of GSD/bulldog would obviously lengthen the nose... APBTs come in a lot of different shapes though... The dogs in this vid are all APBT (with the exception of the group dogs pics, of course lol).





Dane/pits are not uncommon, for some reason people seem to like mixing them... So possibly dane/bulldog/shepherd. Who knows.. 

Thai ridgebacks are so rare, that would be like finding a diamond in a pig pen.


----------



## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

shilorio said:


> thai ridgeback - Google Search


I sort of see what you're saying, but I don't truly see Thai Ridgeback... much more like pit bull/GSD. I had a Thai R and have been around many of them. Here's a couple of pics of my Manny. By the way, they are very high strung and mostly one person dogs, by nature.


----------



## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

APBTLove said:


> Thai ridgebacks are so rare, that would be like finding a diamond in a pig pen.


That too!!! ")


----------



## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

jarhead84 said:


> Im going to name him Duke. Seems like it fits good.


What is his personality like? I assume pretty good, since you've named him.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

It amazes me how readily people are to assign exotic parentage to a possible mix that is a stray. My thought is "How likely is that?" Not as likely as a PB GSD or a GSD mixed with something else more common.

Sheps come in a great variety of lankiness/stockiness. A dane mix I would expect to have a great tendency to floppy ears (because unless dane ears are cropped, they flop & see also the threads here on people with GSD pups with worry about ears). Bully breeds - similar. So there's the ear issue.

Now as to lanky/stocky -- Barker the elder was lanky and thin; Barker the younger much more stocky with short legs as a pup - think sumo wrestler. Present nuisance -- very long legs very early, short coat for quite a while, still at 9 1/2 mos pretty short. 

So my thoughts are that he could very well be a GSD pup.


----------



## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

Relayer said:


> I sort of see what you're saying, but I don't truly see Thai Ridgeback... much more like pit bull/GSD. I had a Thai R and have been around many of them. Here's a couple of pics of my Manny. By the way, they are very high strung and mostly one person dogs, by nature.


 they are such great dogs  i just love em so much! i want another more than anything in the whole world... a few weeks ago there was a thia in the seattle pound! and he was there for at least 5 weeks! i was shocked! i woulda takeing him but we cant right now


----------



## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

shilorio said:


> they are such great dogs  i just love em so much! i want another more than anything in the whole world... a few weeks ago there was a thia in the seattle pound! and he was there for at least 5 weeks! i was shocked! i woulda takeing him but we cant right now


Good luck matching one with your shepherd!!! Seriously, it would be a rare situation if one didn't kill the other. Btw, it won't be the GSD that wants blood. I know those dogs well and they can be very dangerous. They are considered a "primitive" in that they are very close genetically to wild dogs. There are exceptions, of course, but they are not for the timid and generally don't like other dogs or people unless heavily socialized early and even then, to be monitored carefully.


----------



## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

oh yes, i wouldnt get one unless i was dogless. buddy was an agressive dog, we took him to classes to train him to not be, but he never like dogs, just stopd reacting so bad.. but he was a good boy..


----------



## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

shilorio said:


> oh yes, i wouldnt get one unless i was dogless. buddy was an agressive dog, we took him to classes to train him to not be, but he never like dogs, just stopd reacting so bad.. but he was a good boy..


 OK, so you know exactly what I mean!!!!


----------



## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

Relayer said:


> OK, so you know exactly what I mean!!!!


 
Yeah  when buddy was a pup he would play with others but when he grew older he just changed, do you think shilo will change? like some dogs? my uncles dog was crazy bout dogs and loved them but now she is about three or four and she doesnt care for them and starts fights sometimes.. i dont get it


----------



## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

He'll change and will get more and more naturally protective. How he turns out is way more up to you and how much time you put into being the leader, exercise, mental challenge, etc. You get what you put in.


----------



## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

she is 18mouths now and she loves dogs to much haha but from afar she barks like nuts! and pulls to see them. her main thing is greating a dog then moving on. with her bf tony she snaps at him alot! but is submissive to new comers what will she most likeily be like when older?


----------



## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

shilorio said:


> she is 18mouths now and she loves dogs to much haha but from afar she barks like nuts! and pulls to see them. her main thing is greating a dog then moving on. with her bf tony she snaps at him alot! but is submissive to new comers what will she most likeily be like when older?


LMAORF... She'll most likely be exactly as she is!! That's not a bad thing because she doesn't seem like a liability at all. I bet she does get more and more protective of your house though, from humans.


----------



## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

oh ok  i love her she is such a sweetie! but! she will run off a mile away to see some random stranger or dog, she comes back when called but sometimes she is to distracted, i want her to focas on me more, still havin issues on that haha, shes just so sweet she loves everone!


----------



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

middleofnowhere said:


> It amazes me how readily people are to assign exotic parentage to a possible mix that is a stray. My thought is "How likely is that?" Not as likely as a PB GSD or a GSD mixed with something else more common.
> 
> Sheps come in a great variety of lankiness/stockiness. A dane mix I would expect to have a great tendency to floppy ears (because unless dane ears are cropped, they flop & see also the threads here on people with GSD pups with worry about ears). Bully breeds - similar. So there's the ear issue.
> 
> ...


Good observations. As far as the thai ridgeback thing: I have never even heard of those dogs and they seem pretty rare....I think if someone in my neighborhood lost one, they would have posted signs or knocked on my door or at least a newspaper ad which nobody has done. I dont really know what he is, I just thought he looked exactly like this breeders page of dogs which are GSD's so thats what I thought. (these dogs are lanky and skinny like mine)
BLACK GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES

Could be wrong, we'll see when he grows up.


----------



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

APBTLove said:


> Jarhead, looking at those pics, Max is certainly an American Bully. Very handsome, too.
> 
> APBTs are slimmer most of the time, and a mix of GSD/bulldog would obviously lengthen the nose... APBTs come in a lot of different shapes though... The dogs in this vid are all APBT (with the exception of the group dogs pics, of course lol).
> 
> ...


Yeah i know he's not a APBT, and from what I know there are several different classifications for pit-bull type dogs. They are all closely related. THe staffs and APBT tend to be smaller. His parents were smaller than him, but were definitely pitbulls. One was all blue (short and stocky) and the mother was a red-nose, she was all white.


----------



## irongrl (May 24, 2010)

jarhead84 said:


> I just thought he looked exactly like this breeders page of dogs which are GSD's so thats what I thought. (these dogs are lanky and skinny like mine)
> BLACK GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES
> 
> Could be wrong, we'll see when he grows up.


He looks very much like the 16 week old puppy on the link you posted.
I wish one of those would land on my doorstep


----------



## justgill (May 28, 2010)

I agree with middleofnowhere. I have two gsd's, Chinook is classic showline however, Chyan is a sable from working lines and your Duke reminds me of her build when she was a young pup. I was always told that dogs choose their owners, consider yourself priveledged, you are the chosen one, may you all live in harmony and enjoy eachothers company throughout. Goodluck and my hat's off to you for giving Duke a loving home, xx


----------



## jarhead84 (Jun 17, 2010)

Relayer said:


> What is his personality like? I assume pretty good, since you've named him.


Really mellow....not hyper at all. And He gets along with my dogs. His temperament is not at all like the thai ridge that you described.


----------



## Relayer (Apr 29, 2010)

jarhead84 said:


> Really mellow....not hyper at all. And He gets along with my dogs. His temperament is not at all like the thai ridge that you described.


That's very very good. Seems that you were adopted by a great boy!!


----------

