Mixed dog breeds are becoming increasingly popular in our day. While classic crossbred dogs like the Labradoodle are well known, others like the German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix are still fighting for their spot on the list of the most popular mixed-breed dogs. But the Germanees is not a dog breed you want to miss out on.
A German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix is a dog bred by crossing a purebred German Shepherd and a purebred Great Pyrenees. These dogs come with a loving and protective disposition towards family and the might and majesty of their parent breeds.
As with most crossbreed dogs, a standard guide for the Great Pyrenees German Shepherd mix has yet to be created. Consequently, breeders and lovers of this crossbreed rely on the breed standards of the parent dogs to predict what their pup will look like.
This article will use these standards to tell you everything you need to understand about this mix, so you will know what to expect if you’re considering adding a Germanees to your family.
So, if you want to know all about the German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get started!
- General Appearance
- Coat Type and Colors
- Other Features
- How Big Will a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix Get?
Origin and History
Below is a brief description of the origin and history behind the German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix. But, if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at the breed:
| German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix | Breed Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Type | Working / Companion |
| Other Names | Germaneese, Shepnees |
| Breed Size | Large |
| Height | 24-32 inches (Males) 22-29 inches (Females) |
| Weight | Between 65 and ≥100lbs (Males) Between 55lbs and ≥85lbs (Females) |
| Temperament | Outgoing, Playful, Courageous, Protective, Guard-dog, Eager to Please, Easy To Train, Loyal, Intelligent, Affectionate, Good Family Pet, High-energy |
| Appearance | Majestic, Muscular, Agile, Well-balanced, Broad Head, Wide and Deep Muzzle, Black Nose, Dark Almond-shaped Eyes, Long and Thick Tail, Pointy or Floppy Ears |
| Lifespan | 7-12 years |
| Health Issues | Bloat (GDV), Hip and Elbow Dysplasia, Degenerative Myelopathy, Eye Problems, Cancer |
| Coat Colors | Black and Tan, Black, White, Gray, Liver, Blue, (with or without white markings) |
| Coat Type | Double-coated, Medium to Long |
| Shedding | Heavy |
| Grooming | Moderate |
| Easy to Train | Yes |
| Exercise Needs | Medium-High |
| Hypoallergenic | No |
| Child Friendly | Yes |
| Pet Friendly | Yes |
| Good for new owners | Yes |
| Cost | $500 – $1,000 |
What Is a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix?
A German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix is a dog produced by mating a purebred German Shepherd and a purebred Great Pyrenees dog. These crossbreeds are also commonly called by other names like Germanees and Shepnees.
The German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix is a relatively recent crossbreed. As such, they have not gone through the required three generations of documented breeding used to recognize a crossbreed as a pedigree (or designer dog breed).
Lack of a breed standard is why our best bet in understanding a Germanees is to learn about its parent breeds.
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd dog is a descendant of several German herding dogs. Captain Max von Stephanitz and other pioneer creators crossbred these herding dogs in the late 1800s to produce the original parent of today’s German Shepherd.
The pioneer creators of the mighty German Shepherd spent more than a quarter of a century refining the breed. Von Stephanitz also co-founded the global GSD club.
While the original German Shepherd was bred to herd sheep, today’s German Shepherd is famous as a K-9 dog in military and police units, thanks to its intelligence, agility, and speed. I’m proud to say I had the pleasure of working with the brave and loyal police GSDs in my 30 years as a Police Officer.
Because they are originally a German breed, these beloved shepherds suffered anti-German sentiments in the world war era, which saw the breed change its name to Alsatian in Britain.
In the US, German Shepherds were registered as a breed by the AKC in 1908. The dogs rapidly rose to fame in the 1900s, especially for their use in movies like Rin-Tin-Tin.
For years now, German Shepherds have remained among the top 5 breeds on the AKC’s most popular dog breeds list. They are overall good family dogs that form an unbreakable bond with their owners.
Great Pyrenees
Like the German Shepherd, the original breeders of the Great Pyrenees created it as a herding dog. Their purpose as a shepherd was to deter wolves and other sheep predators in the France side of the Pyrenees Mountains.
Pyrs have a long history dating back to 3000 BC. To become the renowned guard dogs they are today, their guarding skills were refined under the frigid temperatures of the Pyrenees Mountains.
In the 17th century, their guarding skills while protecting the King’s castle won them the title of the Royal dogs of France.
Do you want to learn more about the Pyr? Check out this article, 11 Reasons Why Great Pyrenees Are Good Dogs.
The reduction in sheep predators caused a significant decrease in Pyrs numbers. However, their arrival in the US aided in the revival of this breed. They were registered with the AKC in 1933.
Even though they do not take the top ranks on the ACK’s list of the most popular dogs, Great Pyrenees are well known as guard dogs for their protective and loyal nature.
See also: Is a Great Pyrenees Right for You? Weighing the Pros and Cons
German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Size and Appearance
Let’s explore the Shepnees size and appearance. But first…
Watch This Gorgeous Well-Trained Shepnees on YouTube…
Appearance, Coat, and Colors
The appearance of a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees cross is unpredictable. This is because the puppy can inherit half of each parent or be more of one parent in physical features.
“A balanced combination is rare, so your Shepnees will tend more towards the German Shepherd’s looks or Great Pyrenees’ features.”
World of Dogz
General Appearance
In its general appearance, a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix will likely take the majestic elegance of its Pyr parent and the strong, well-muscled, and agile nature of its German Shepherd parent. In addition, your Germanees will bear the proportioned well-muscled body of both parents.
As with both parents, your Germanees is likely to be longer than tall. However, the dog will be balanced in its front and hindquarters.
Coat Type and Colors
The coat of a Shepnees mix can vary in both type and color. Your Shepnees puppy can come with a medium-length coat if it takes more from the medium-length double coat of the German Shepherd.
But if your dog takes more from the Great Pyrenees’ weather-resistant double coat, it will have long and thick outer hair and a dense but fine undercoat.
As for the coat color, a Germanees puppy can come in one of the many German Shepherd coat colors, including solid black, white, liver, or blue.
A Shepnees puppy could also inherit the white coat of the Great Pyrenees or have a more varied range of markings on the white coat. These markings could include the gray, tan, and badger markings of the German Shepherd.
Other Features
Other elements of your German Shepherd Great Pyrenees appearance that you should expect include:
- A proportionate head with the noble and smooth aspects of the German Shepherd or the wedge-shaped skull and rounded crow of the Great Pyrenees.
- A long muzzle that takes more from the wolf-like face of the German Shepherd or the well-balanced muzzle length and head skull like that of the Pyr.
- A black nose inherited from both parents.
- Almond-shaped, medium-size eyes set a bit obliquely, just like those of the parent breeds. The eye color may be dark or rich dark brown.
- Pointed or v-shaped ears that may be carried erect and open to the front as those of the German Shepherd or floppy like the ones of the Pyr.
- A long tail that extends to the hock and is typically carried low or curved over the back when the dog is aroused. The tail could be bushy and hang with a slight curve if your Germanees inherits primarily from the German Shepherd. If the puppy is more of their Great Pyrenees parent, the tail will be well plumed with a more accentuated plume at the end.
How Big Will a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix Get?
A German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix will grow to approximately 22-32 inches (55.8-73.7cm) height and 50lbs to ≥100lbs (22.7 to ≥45.4kg) weight. The weight and height of an individual Shepnees will vary within this range depending on their age and gender.
Younger than 12 month-old Shepnees are smaller in size. Also, female dogs typically weigh and measure less than their male counterparts.
Here are the tabled details I used to determine how big a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix will get:
| German Shepherd | Germanees | Great Pyrenees | |
| Male Height | 24-26 inches (61.0-66.0 cm) | 24-32 inches (61.0-81.2cm) | 27-32 inches (68.58-81.28 cm) |
| Female Height | 22-24 inches (55.8-61.0cm) | 22-29 inches (55.8-73.7cm) | 25-29 inches (63.5-73.66 cm) |
| Male Weight | 65-90lbs (29.5-40.8kg) | 65 to ≥100lbs (29.5 to ≥45.4kg) | 100lbs (45.35 kg) or more |
| Female Weight | 50-70lbs (22.7-31.8kg) | 50 to ≥85lbs (22.7 to ≥38.6kg) | 85lbs (38.55 kg) or more |
German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix Temperament
Next is a look at the temperament of the Germanees.
Are German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Good Dogs?
German Shepherds Great Pyrenees mix are good dogs because they inherit the German Shepherd’s intelligence, confidence, and courage and the gentle, confident, and affectionate nature of the Great Pyrenees.
Germanees dogs also inherit other positive traits from their parents. Here’s a list of qualities that make these crossbreeds good dogs and how much of each trait they inherit from each parent dog.
| German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix | German Shepherd | Great Pyrenees |
| They are affectionate with family | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| They are good with children | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| They are good with other dogs | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| They are highly trainable | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| They are playful | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| They are protective in nature | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| They are highly adaptable | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| They are friendly with strangers | 3/5 | 3/5 |
Despite these inherited good qualities of the German Shepherd Great Pyrenees cross, there are a few limitations that your Germanees could also get from either one or both of the parents.
- The tendency to bark a lot (Great Pyrenees parent).
- Heavy shedding (Both parents).
- Stubbornness (Great Pyrenees parent).
- Tendency to aggression (Both parents).
How to Care for a Germanees
If you’re considering this crossbreed, you’ll need to know how to care for it properly.
Does a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix Shed?
A German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix does shed. They are heavy shedders considering that both parents shed a lot all year long. Also, like their parents, Germanees dogs will blow their coats in fall and spring to adapt to the extreme temperatures of the hot and cold seasons.
Because of their heavy shedding, the Great Pyrenees German Shepherd mix will require frequent brushing. Coat brushing should be done at least twice every week or more frequently, especially in the high-shedding seasons.
Health and Lifespan
Here is a look at health problems faced by Shepnees.
Common Health Problems
Like the GSD and the Pyrs, a Shepnees will generally be a healthy dog. Going by the life expectancy of the parent breeds (7-10 for the German Shepherd and 10-12 for the Great Pyrenees), you can expect your German Shepherd Great Pyrenees cross to live for 7 to 12 years.
However, research suggests that mixed breed dogs have better health and longer life due to a broader gene pool inherited from the two breeds. As such, Germanees dogs may have a lifespan with a higher than 7 years lower limit and a higher than 12 years maximum longevity.
To enjoy a longer life, however, your German Shepherd Great Pyrenees cross will require proper care in nutrition and health. In this regard, while your Shepnees may be genetically advantaged in longevity, your crossbreed pet could still inherit proneness to diseases common among GSDs and Pyrs.
From the Great Pyrenees, a Germanees could inherit a susceptibility to:
- Bloat
- Bone and joint issues
- Cancer
- Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease)
- Eye problems
- Dental infections
From the German Shepherd, a Germanees could inherit proneness to:
- Bloat
- Degenerative Myelopathy
- Hip and elbow dysplasia
- von Willebrand disease
- Osteochondritis Dissecans
- Pancreatic Acinar Atrophy
- Multifocal renal cystadenocarcinoma
How Much Does a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix Cost?
A German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix costs approximately $500 to $1,000 because they are currently an uncommon crossbreed that’s not in high demand. This cross is also not purebred, so a Germanees puppy is not likely to be too pricey.
You can also consider adopting an adult Germanees for a lower price. A site like PuppyFinder.com has numerous German Shepherd Great Pyrenees dogs listed for low-cost adoption.
Is a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix Right For You?
A German Shepherd Great Pyrenees mix is a rare crossbreed that combines the best qualities of the parent dogs. However, the crossbreed can also present some limitations, and it’s essential to know the pros and cons of a Germanees to decide if it’s right for you.
A German Shepherd Great Pyrenees is right for you if:
On the flip side, the German Shepherd Great Pyrenees Mix is not suitable for you if:
Overall, you’ll love a German Shepherd Great Pyrenees if you seek the best of the GSD and Pyr qualities in a crossbreed puppy. You can also check out this post to learn about more German Shepherd mixes, 21 Best German Shepherd Mixes in 2022 (With Pictures)
And if you’re still unsure about mixed breeds in general, head over here, Are Mixed Breeds Bad? 5 Reasons NOT to Get a Mixed Breed.
Related Posts You May Like:
