As a dog lover, one of my favorite breeds is none other than the American Bulldog Shepherd!
The American Bulldog Shepherd is a result of crossbreeding the loyal American Bulldog and playful German Shepherd. This breed grows loyal fans around it within a very short period.
The German Shepherd is a bad boy guard dog and is used by police as a working dog. This hybrid is often regarded as a tough guy because of their nature and name.
Read along, as I am going to explain to you in detail why you need to adopt this cute little breed.
About the breed
Did you know that you can get a dog that’s very gentle and fearless at the same time We’re talking about the American Bulldog Shepherd breed here.
It’s a multiskilled work dog that will do any work you want him for.
You need a guard dog, a farm dog, or simply a loyal companion, and this breed is the full package.
It has got the best characteristics from its parents- American Bulldog and German Shepherd. Let’s tell you more about this breed. ⬇️
American Bulldog Shepherd Dog Breed History
The American Bulldog Shepherd is a mixed breed between an American Bulldog and a German Shepherd, developed in America.
The roots of the Bulldog come from England, but it was later brought to America, which is why the name American Bulldog.
These dogs were used as home guardians and cattle drivers. But their role shifted to bull-baiting dogs later. This was a very cruel sport, so it was banned then.
Now you get to see these playful little companions in homes as great companions and working dogs.
German Shepherds make excellent guard dogs, and their high intelligence levels with a little goofiness can be seen in the mixed breed.
American Bulldog’s loyalty makes this mixed breed more lovable. Both parent breeds have immense strength and a big heart that’s transferred to this hybrid, too.
The roots of German Shepherds are those of guarding dogs, whereas the Bulldog can get quite aggressive with strangers. These qualities can be seen in this designer breed, too.
American Bulldog Shepherd Dog Breed Job Card/Overview
Name of the Breed | American Bulldog Shepherd |
Other Names of the Breed | German Shepherd Bulldog |
Type of dog breed | Mixed/Cross/Hybrid/Designer breed |
Origin | The 2000s, United States |
Born of | American Bulldog, German Shepherd |
Height | 20 – 27 inches |
Weight | 60 – 120 lbs |
Expectancy of Life | 10 – 12 years |
Type of Coat | Either double coat or single coat |
Colors mostly common | Fawn, White, Brindle, Black, Cream, Red, Tan, Sable |
Level of grooming | Either high-maintenance or low maintenance |
Level of shedding | Can be hypoallergenic |
Persona | Lively, Self-confident, Affectionate, Even-tempered, Playful, Intelligent, Sensitive, Bold |
Living in an apartment | Suitable for apartment living |
Friendly with other pets | Often friendly |
Health issues/Diseases | Hip Dysplasia, Bloat, Epilepsy, Skin allergies |
Health in general | Healthy |
Level of reasoning | Very Intelligent |
Easy to train | Need training from a young age |
Level of energy | Athletic breed |
Activity interests | Active |
Number of Puppies | 3 – 10 puppies |
What to know
• This breed loves activities that involve their owners. And if you combine this nature with their intelligent personality, it becomes more than one man’s job to handle it.
• The American Bulldog Shepherd is a quiet and curious puppy. So if you let them open up to you, your heart will melt with their adorable eyes and quirky nature.
• They are smart dogs, but they need your attention too. If you’re capable of taking time out of your schedule and taking care of this breed, only then should you get them.
Characteristics
Adaptability
These dogs are not suitable for owners who live in an apartment since these breeds need huge spaces to roam and play around freely. For first-time dog owners, they might not be a good match.
So it is important to give them proper training methods to make them your best pet. They are sensitive dogs and are not very comfortable living alone for a long time.
They are comfortable and quickly adaptive to hot weather conditions rather than cold ones.
Adaptability
Adaptive to Apartment Living
Suitable for New Owners
Sensitivity Scale
Comfortable Being Alone
Comfortable with Hot Weather
Comfortable with Cold Weather
Friendliness
The American Bulldog Shepherd is a super friendly breed. They like to spend a lot of time with their family members and children, and they are very social.
Their playful nature makes the kids fall in love with their company. They are quite good with other pets, too.
However, parents need to keep a watch if they are around very small children. They might sometimes turn less amicable towards strangers.
All About Friendliness
Lovable with Family
Dog-Friendly
Kid-Friendly
Frank with Strangers
Personality
American Bulldog Shepherd mix is famous for its guarding personality, but there’s so much more to their nature. They have many heart-winning qualities, but it’s complex to determine their true personality.
They have very high IQ levels that make it a little easier to train them as they grab information quickly. As these are intelligent breeds, simple activities can bore them.
They don’t only need physical challenges but love to be involved in mental tasks, too.
This mixed breed can get traits in 50/50 share from its parents, like the alertness of a German Shepherd and the loyalty of a Bulldog.
.Or, any parent’s traits can be dominant, and you will see some changes in their personality. So, every American Bulldog Shepherd will be different in terms of personality.
Temperament
Friendly with Kids
This mixed breed has a natural ability to be gentle and playful with kids. But their size can be a bit dangerous for kids.
However, this breed is not a good fit for young children as they might accidentally bowl over them. So, never leave your kid unsupervised with your dog.
You can let them play together, but be present there and watch them. All you need to do is strengthen the bond between your dog and kid through socialization, and you will see a beautiful friendship grow.
Amicable to Other Pets
The American Bulldog Shepherd can be friendly with other pets, but socialization is needed with them too.
Their American Bulldog’s roots can show signs of aggression toward other pets because of their guarding nature. The best method to stop this is to start socialization from a young age.
Barking Tendencies
The American Bulldog Shepherd does bark a lot sometimes. They generally vocalize during some unwanted situations due to hunting dog lineage.
They do not love to be kept alone, so loneliness may trigger them to feel frustrated, which might lead them to bark excessively. A good company can help ease him.
Possibilities of Staying Alone
Dogs are very social, and they hate being kept alone for a long time. Keeping them lonely can develop separation anxiety in them.
The American Bulldog Shepherd hates being left alone. They enjoy being around people or other pets.
Pros and Cons of the American Bulldog Shepherd Dog Breed
Pros
- They can be super good watchdogs
- They love to form strong bonds with families and love to spend time with them
- They are loyal and active pets
Cons
- They might bark excessively when bored
- They can’t adapt themselves to colder climates
- They are not adaptive to apartment living
Male vs. Female Attitude
You can expect female American Bulldog Shepherds to be smaller in size and have a nurturing nature. Male dogs will be more aggressive sexually and do acts such as humping.
Appearance
General Appearance
Though this breed is a mixture of two strong parental breeds, they inherit most of their appearance and coat structure from the German Shepherd.
The American Bulldog Shepherd has a medium to long hair double coat, and they are water and snow-resistant. They have strong, muscular legs and weigh up to 85 pounds.
This hybrid breed is slightly loner and has a long tail that is thicker than the German Shepherd. They have heavy muscles that give them a perfect stature.
The eyes of this breed are medium in size and almond-shaped, which will melt your heart. The color of their eyes harmonizes with their coat color as they are mostly in shades of brown and hazel.
Coat color
This is a huge, muscular breed. They have no such breed standards, and the coat of the American Bulldog Shepherd can vary from single coat to double coat and a variation of colors.
It’s because the German Shepherd has a double coat, and this breed can inherit this feature.
They are most commonly found in shades of tan and brown, just like the German Shepherd.
Shedding
Depending on their coat type, their shedding quantity will differ. If they get the double coat from German Shepherd, they will become heavy shedders.
On the other hand, if they get a single coat from the American Bulldog, they will become moderate shedders.
Size
The parent breeds of American Bulldog Shepherd are very strong and large. This physical trait can be seen in this mixed breed also.
Although these goofballs are gentle with kids, their big size can knock down any small creature in front of them.
As puppies, there’s no harm related to their size, but they have very large paws.
This makes them look so cute. As they mature, their size and strength increase, so never leave your kids or pets alone with them.
Male | Female | |
---|---|---|
Height | 20-27” | 20-27” |
Weight | 60-125 lbs | 60-125 lbs |
Health
If you compare mixed breeds with pure breeds, you will notice that the former are more healthy than the latter. Most of these are curable if diagnosed at an earlier stage, which suggests the importance of regular check-ins with the veterinarian.
But there might be some health problems you need to be aware of
Health Problems |
---|
Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) or bloat |
Panosteitis |
Epilepsy |
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency |
Heart Defects |
Glaucoma |
Osteoporosis |
Health Test |
---|
Eye examination |
Blood tests |
Internal imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT scan, etc.) |
Neurological testing |
Skin Biopsy |
Allergy tests |
Grooming and Health Requirements
Shedding Quantity
Drooling Capacity
Effortless to Groom
Overall Health
Size
Maintenance and Care
The American Bulldog Shepherd is a very smart breed, but they need to be trained from their puppyhood. It’s because puppies are curious about everything, and teaching them new tricks can excite them.
You don’t have to worry about them not listening to you because this breed loves training. All you need to care about is giving them your attention, love, and care from time to time.
This breed is a fan of families and loves spending time with their families.
They need to be exercised daily to make them feel happy. They need proper mental and physical stimulation with routine physical exercise.
They also enjoy games like tug of war and fetch, since they get winded quickly so short sessions are ideal.
Grooming
A double coat means heavy shedding, which leads to high grooming needs. You will have to brush them daily to avoid dead skin.
Whereas the American Bulldog has a single coat, and if this mixed breed inherits that, they will shed moderately which means low grooming needs.
This type of coat will be short and smooth. Also, clean your pet’s ears regularly to prevent any sort of infection. For fresh breath and better gum health, brush your dog’s teeth.
This breed might have some dirt or oil buildup on its skin, so cleaning its head and shoulders is needed regularly. Be sure to trim their nails and check on their nail hygiene.
Food and nutrition
If you want to keep your American Bulldog Shepherd fit and healthy, the best thing to do is to feed them a balanced diet.
Dogs are omnivores, so their diet should range from plant-based foods to animal-based foods so their nutritional needs are fulfilled.
A high-quality kibble with vegetables and fruits can be a good start for this breed. Make sure you are getting your vet’s approval before doing any diet changes.
Also, like humans, dogs get bored of eating the same food every day and will come to your dinner table. So keep their food interesting, so they don’t come after yours.
Don’t overfeed them, as bigger breeds like these face weight-related issues.
Food cost
For your American Bulldog Shepherd, 2 to 2.5 cups of dog food in a day would be enough. Just divide this into two meals. The average daily cost would be around $1.1-$1.5, and the monthly cost rounds up to $33-$50.
Exercise and activity level
This is an intelligent breed. They need extra hours of work and training to deal with their stubbornness and their extra confidence. Daily training sessions for at least fifteen to twenty minutes are recommended to keep these dogs on track.
This is an active and athletic mixed breed. Combined with their huge size, these dogs should only be owned by those who have a big yard and plenty of energy to deal with them. You need to get your dog to exercise several times a day.
Long walks with regular interaction with both people and other dogs should be made an essential part of their schedule. Spend some time playing with your dog, and give them time to slowly assimilate with the environment where they slowly make friends.
Spend at least 45 minutes daily like this. They will favor slower walks and are not a fan of brisk jogging. They need proper stimulation and routine exercise to make them feel content. Depriving them of this time can instigate depression in these shy and independent dogs.
Physical Requirements
Energy Scale
Intensity
Exercise Requirements
Capable of Playfulness
Trainability
Training them at puppyhood is crucial, as this will limit their reactivity to people and other pets. Giving proper training techniques when young will ultimately improve their behavior.
American Bulldog Shepherds are cute and good to cuddle with, but at times, it can be tough while giving training to them.
Once the entire training procedure is complete, you can have the best dog in the world with you.
They will follow every instruction of yours without having you repeat them constantly. Early Socialization will help with the ease of training them.
Trainability
Effortless to Train
Intelligence
Capable of Mouthiness
Urge to Attack Prey
Urge to Howl or Bark
Wanderlust Capability
Conclusion
The American Bulldog Shepherd, born from the American Bulldog and German Shepherd lineage, brings together loyalty, intelligence, and playfulness.
Ideal for active households, this breed doesn’t fit well in apartments. They form strong bonds with families and are good with children, though supervision is essential due to their size.
With proper training and grooming, they become affectionate and protective companions for dedicated owners.
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FAQ on American Bulldog Shepherd Dog breed…
What is an American Bulldog Shepherd?
An American Bulldog Shepherd is not a recognized breed. It likely refers to a mixed-breed dog that has American Bulldog and German Shepherd ancestry. These dogs can have a wide range of physical and behavioral traits depending on their genetic makeup.
What are the typical characteristics of a mixed American Bulldog Shepherd?
The characteristics of mixed-breed dogs can vary widely. American Bulldog Shepherd mixes may have a combination of traits from both parent breeds, including size, coat type, color, and temperament. They are generally strong, loyal, and protective dogs.
Are American Bulldog Shepherds good family dogs?
American Bulldog Shepherds can be good family dogs if they are properly trained and socialized from a young age. They are often protective of their families, making them good watchdogs, but early training is essential to ensure they are well-behaved around children and other pets.
I am a passionate animal lover with a lifelong commitment to pet care. With over a decade of experience as a pet owner, I’ve nurtured a variety of furry and feathered friends, from cats and dogs to birds and reptiles. I possess a deep understanding of their unique needs, behavior, and health. My mission is to share my knowledge and insights to help fellow pet enthusiasts provide the best possible care for their beloved companions.