A Breed Apart

The Labrador & Shepherd Mix

By Meggin Portenier

Temperament:  The Labrador/Shepard mix is one of the friendliest dogs you can own.  The Labrador influence contributes to the dog’s loyalty, mild temperament, and love of human contact.  The Shepard influence adds spark to the dog’s personality.  Shepards are well known for their love of running and herding.  This energy and spunk, mixed with the inherent gentleness of the Labrador, makes Labrador/Shepard one of the best family dogs to own.  It may take a couple of kids to wear this dog out!  Labrador/Shepard are also great pets for those that love the outdoors.  Camping and hiking are some of this dog’s greatest joys!  Both Labradors and Shepards are also known for their intelligence, making this combination a great one.  As a result, Labrador/Shepard mixes are easily trained and enjoy learning new tricks (which is fun for the pet as well as the owner). 

The Best Families For Them:  The best families for these dogs are those with either active young couples, or couples with children.  They have a lot of energy, which if not channeled through play or exercise, can be used for destructive purposes.  These dogs need a home with a large yard in order to expel their boundless energy. 

Coloring:  Their colors vary depending on the type of lab mixed in with the Shepard.  The dog pictured above is a black lab mixed with a multi-color Australian Shepard.  They all have gorgeous brown eyes that give them many human-like expressions. 

Size:  Labrador/Shepard mixes vary in size but are typically from 35-55 pounds on average.  This is a great size because they have “big dog" feel, but do not require an S.U.V. to take them to the vet.

Read about other mixed breeds and why they make the best pets:  The Tonkinese/Domestic Shorthair Cat, the Labrador/Australian Shepherd, the Wolf/Coyote