Panda Shepherd Dog Breed

The Panda Shepherd, as a German Shepherd Dog sub-type, is a member of the Herding group of most clubs. The Panda Shepherd was actually developed from a single GSD with piebald coloring, and is thus pretty rare--but these dogs are members of the German Shepherd breed, so they're great as both intelligent, versatile pets and as working dogs.

A few Panda Shepherd facts: like other GSDs, they're large-sized, averaging 24 inches at the shoulders in height and 70 pounds in weight; they have medium-length, thick, double-layered coats that shed a lot; and they're highly energetic and will need a lot of exercise.

Some advantages and drawbacks to owning the rare Panda Shepherd:

The Panda Shepherd dog is, for all intents and purposes, a German Shepherd. What differentiates these dogs from other GSDs is their coloring: they have the piebald gene, which makes their coats black and white, usually with a bit of tan. They also often have circles of black around their eyes, giving them a panda-like appearance (hence the breed sub-type's name). The Panda Shepherd was developed from one GSD born with a piebald coat, and in the years since breeders have used selective breeding techniques to further develop the Panda Shepherd sub-type.

Otherwise, though, all Panda Shepherd information is the same as that of other German Shepherds. These dogs are incredibly smart and versatile, and they have high energy levels. They're also very protective, and make good watch- and guard dogs; the downside of the Panda Shepherd personality is that they have very assertive temperaments, and will quickly become rulers of the roost if allowed! This means owners will need to take on the role of the dog's "alpha," and provide firm, consistent leadership from the moment they bring their Panda Shepherd home.

These dogs, like other GSDs, are very energetic, and will need frequent exercise; without it they're likely to become bored and destructive.

Overall, Panda Shepherds are very healthy, but a few might suffer ailments including hip and elbow dysplasia, allergies, and a nervous system disorder called Degenerative Myelopathy (DM). Larger, deeper-chested Panda Shepherds can also be prone to gastric torsion (or bloat).

Potential owners are advised to ask breeders for health screenings for the dog and/or its parents, or they can have their own veterinarians do the screenings.

Life expectancy for the Panda Shepherd is 10-14 years.