Shiloh Shepherd

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Shiloh Shepherd is the modern version of the old German Shepherd. It is a rare breed of dog that is still under development. Although not recognized by the AKC, the dog has its own registry along with other clubs and associations that also provide registration options. The dog is bred for intelligence, size and stable temperaments.

These dogs compete in obedience, agility and tracking. They also work as therapy dogs, livestock guardians, search and rescue dogs and service dogs. As intelligent dogs they are highly trainable and easy to housebreak.

The Shilohs are naturally loyal, loving and good protectors making them suitable as watchdogs. Since they get along well with children and other house pets, they are also wonderful family dogs.

Color

This dog's coat can come in a variety of colors. This dog can be dual color in Black with Tan, Reddish Tan, Golden Tan, Sable or Silver. It may also be solid Black Sable, Dark Grey, Dark Brown, Red, Silver or Gold. Solid Whites and Blacks are also possible but for dogs to be shown, their eye rims, nose and lips should be solid Black. Blue and Liver colors also exists but they are unacceptable for shows and most breeders do not breed them.

Coat

The Shiloh's coat comes in two varieties: the plush coat and the smooth or double coat. The longer plush coat has a soft undercoat and a distinguishing mane that extends to the dog's chest. The dog's body coat should not be over 5 inches long while having a feathering inside the ears and behind the legs. The smooth coat, on the other hand, would be of medium length and lie close to the body while the hair on the back of the fore and hind legs and at the neck can be longer and thicker than other areas. For Shilohs to be shown, the tufts that grow between the dog's toes and pads should be trimmed. Unacceptable coats are the ones that are open, wooly or curly.

Personality

The Shiloh Shepherd is very similar to the German Shepherd dog except with the body size and the Shiloh is bred with better hips. These dogs are bred as family companions which is why they have naturally loyal and outgoing personalities. The dog is developed to be loving, gentle and gets along well with children and animals without removing their trainable drive as a working dog. Proper socialization of this dog should allow them to easily adapt to a variety of environments. Along with appropriate leadership, this dog should be happy, content and well balanced making them a delight to have in the household.

Care

As mentioned above, this dog's coat comes in two varieties: smooth and plush. The smooth coat requires minimal grooming making it easy to maintain. On the other hand, the plush coat requires brushing to keep it clean and tangle free. The dog sheds a few hairs constantly while it sheds heavily seasonally. Daily brushing could be done to help with the shedding or it can be skipped if it is fine to have dog hair in the house. Bathing for these dogs should be done only once or twice a year to keep their skin's natural oil from drying out. As a giant breed, the dog tends to experience problems with bloat. Diarrhea, abdominal pain and difficulty absorbing nutrients from food can occur due to Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth Syndrome. Both issues should be treated immediately by a veterinarian. In addition, the dog is prone to hip dysplasia and other skeletal disorders. Panosteitis can also come about during the dog's growing years. The dog is generally healthy. Given proper nutrition, sufficient exercise and regular visits to the veterinarian, this dog should live up to about 9-14 years on the average. This is slightly longer than the German Shepherd.

Training

These dogs are highly intelligent making them highly trainable dogs. Housebreaking should not be a problem for this dog. Early socialization and obedience training, as for most dogs, are important for the dog to learn respect. Naturally, they were bred as herding dogs but they can also be used in a wide variety of agility, obedience and even tracking work.

Activity

This dog enjoys tough activities and preferably combined with training as the dog loves getting challenges both physical and mental. As highly energized dogs, they require to be taken on a daily, brisk, long walk, jog or run alongside you while you bicycle or skate if you can control them. The dog can become destructive and restless if it does not get sufficient exercise. The dog should be fine in apartment or small space living as long as they get their energies drained through exercise. When they are indoors, they can be inactive so an average-sized yard is good to have. They can stay outdoors in a kennel but would prefer so much to be beside their owners. During a hot climate, they will need plenty of water. On the other hand, proper shelter should be provided during the winter.