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German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix Breed Introduction, Characteristics, and Temperament

By Jacquelyn Kennedy
Updated on

What do you get when you breed the world’s smallest dog with a loyal and large German Shepherd?

You get the German Shepherd Chihuahua mix!

Yes, such a match is possible. This interesting-looking dog is a result of a male Chihuahua breeding with a German Shepherd female—it can’t go the other way around for obvious reasons.

The German Shepherd Chihuahua mix is a curious dog, smaller in size than a German Shepherd but larger than a Chihuahua.

In this blog post, I’ll go through everything you need to know about the German Shepherd Chihuahua mix in as much detail as possible.

So, let’s just jump right in!

Quick Breed History Lesson: The German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix

The German Shepherd Chihuahua mix is a designer dog that has two of the most popular dog breeds for parents.

With designer dogs, it is essential to know where they come from to be able to determine their physical characteristics, temperamental traits, etc.

You get the idea, right?

In this section of the blog post, I’ll briefly introduce you to the German Shepherd dog as well as the Chihuahua.

German Shepherd

German shepherd

German Shepherds are medium to large-sized working dogs that are known to be loyal and devoted to their owners.

They have been employed as service dogs, police dogs, military dogs, etc.

German Shepherds are among the top ten breeds of dogs in the USA and one of the world’s most recognized dog breeds. German Shepherds are active dogs that like to be busy learning new things, engaging in activities, etc.

They aren’t for you if you spend too much time away from home, as they develop negative behaviors such as chewing, barking, and digging holes. German Shepherds need to be socialized at an early age so that they can mix up with other dogs.

They are fantastic watchdogs and are wary of strangers.

If trained at an early age, German Shepherds are great with children and other pets as well. They make excellent family dogs.

Other popular German Shepherd mixes include:

The Chihuahua

Chihuahua

The Chihuahua breed is the smallest in the world!

Most owners of these dogs or Chihuahua mixes are dedicated to their little dogs because they have small-dog bodies with big-dog personalities.

Chihuahuas have a long lifespan and can live up to the ripe age of 18 years!

These dogs shiver when they are excited, cold, or scared and are unfriendly to other dogs and strangers unless socialized well in puppyhood. While they are small in size, they aren’t the ones who back down from a fight with a large dog.

Chihuahuas love to be companion dogs, and they have no problems hanging out with you while you binge-watch Netflix or just lay in bed all day. Being small dogs, Chihuahuas need about 30 minutes of exercise per day.

German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix Breed Characteristics

German shepherd chihuahua mix

When you combine the Chihuahua and the German Shepherd, the result is something unusual.

The German Shepherd and Chihuahua mix is a small dog and an excellent choice for people who live in small apartments or confined spaces such as city centers. The size of the dog is between the German Shepherds and the Chihuahuas.

The dog is a wise and intelligent one and retains the German Shepherd’s strong qualities.

The coat of the German Shepherd Chihuahua mix is short, and the color is that of the German Shepherd’s, which is brown and black. So, they are light shedders and shed only when the season changes.

These doggies aren’t high maintenance.

The German Shepherd Chihuahua mix has a small apple-shaped head with large ears and little eyes—so they won’t look as severe as the German Shepherd does.

Here’s a cute video of the German Shepherd Chihuahua mix:

What’s the German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix Personality Like?

These dogs have wonderful personalities.

The German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix tends to be aggressive toward people and other dogs—something he gets from the Chihuahua. However, you can control these traits by socializing them in puppyhood.

They are the kinds of dogs that must be taken to puppy kindergarten.

Despite the small size, the German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix needs a lot of exercise. In fact, they love long walks, hikes, and playing fetch with their owners. This is something that they get from the German Shepherd side of the family.

But that’s not all, yet.

These dogs don’t do well when they are left alone for long periods of time and need their human companions with them. Else, they develop destructive behaviors.

How Healthy is the German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix?

German shepherd chihuahua mix 2

Purebred dogs are most likely to develop a variety of ailments that are hereditary. Luckily, that is not the case with the German Shepherd Chihuahua mix, as it is a hybrid or mixed breed dog.

Health is reasonably one of the most important things you need to consider when getting a dog. So, it is imperative that you get your doggy friend from a breeder who assures the puppy’s health by offering a health guarantee.

Honest and reputable breeders are open about possible health conditions. So, you should look for such a breeder.

The German Shepherd Chihuahua mix is healthy.

However, this dog breed is prone to one disease, which is hip and elbow dysplasia. This isn’t a serious or life-threatening disease and is something you can manage efficiently.

The German Shepherd Chihuahua mix is also prone to obesity. So, you should feed your furry friend the right foods and keep a close eye on his diet, as obesity is something that attracts other health conditions.

You can find some awesome foods for your little mixed dog here.

Moving on…

How to Care for Your German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix?

The German Shepherd and the Chihuahua are two dogs infamous for shedding all year round.

While that is true, some German Shepherd Chihuahua mix dogs do shed all year round, while the majority shed as the season changes. It’s just something that hasn’t been explained yet.

You should brush your little dog at least once a week so that he doesn’t shed all over your clothes. You can give your furry friend baths whenever you feel the need but don’t bathe him too much, as it can dry out his skin.

Following are some good dog brushes, shampoos, and tools:

It is also a good idea to start grinding your dog’s nails as soon as possible.

Final Words: German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix

The German Shepherd Chihuahua mix is a small dog with a big personality.

These doggies have the best of both worlds and are small in size with a big personalities. The only way you can get this hybrid puppy is by mating a male Chihuahua with a female German Shepherd with a bit of help, of course!

The German Shepherd Chihuahua mix needs to be socialized at an early age so that he can get along with other pets as well as children.

These doggies aren’t suitable for people who stay away from home for long periods of time as they are most likely to develop negative behaviors such as chewing, digging, etc. So, they always need their owners around!

Check out this cute German Shepherd Chihuahua mix below!

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About the author

Jacquelyn Kennedy

PetDT was founded by Jacquelyn Kennedy, a dog lover and pet admirer. She built the website to provide pet owners with information, experiences, and opinions on breeds, temperament, personalities, health, nutrition, products, and care.

4 thoughts on “German Shepherd Chihuahua Mix Breed Introduction, Characteristics, and Temperament”

  1. I never thought that such a cross could be possible! The German Shepherd is so big….and chihuahua so small.

    Good info

  2. My daughters have a female German Shepherd & Chihuahua mix pup. They got her at the local pound and she fits the description to a tee. Small girl with a BIG personality! She does very well with other dogs and is a sweet pea who enjoys cuddling, sleeping in (when my daughters do), hiking, running, and being around other dogs and people. I always tell the girls that she is the luckiest dog ever. Great dog!!

  3. We also found our German Shepherd / Chihuahua mix at the shelter. We thought they were joking at first because it seems like such an unlikely mix. That was six years ago, ad we wouldn’t trade him for the world. We adore him! This describes him so well. I had him in training at 2 months old and he can still be dog aggressive. He loves children as long as they don’t crowd him. Being around adults has to be more on his terms before he decides they are ok. He is completely at his happiest when he is with us. He is a strong, beautiful dog, and we hope he lives a very long time.

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