Although the Sheprador does not require a high level of grooming, you should carry out basic grooming in the following areas;
Ears: Wipe the ears gently using a clean wet piece of cloth. At the same time, get rid of any pests that might hide under the ears.
Eyes: This is one of the most delicate arts to clean. Even so, gently clean the eyebrows and eyelashes using a clean piece of cloth. Avoid touching the retina.
Teeth: Dental cleanliness is of the utmost importance when grooming your Sheprador. Brush its teeth at least once in a day.
Nails: Since the Sheprador is an energetic and playful dog, clip its nails whenever they grow. Clip the nails at least once a month.
Hair: The Sheprador has short hair. This makes it easy to clean it. Brush the hair twice a week.
Recommended Daily Intake: Since the Sheprador is a large dog breed, the food should be formulated to meet its energy levels. However, not to overfeed your Sheprador since it can gain weight quickly. The ideal intake per day is 3 cups of food.
What Food to Choose: While you can choose between cooked and canned dog food, it is important that the food is always high in protein and low on fats. This is to ensure that your Sheprador develops strong muscles.
How many times to feed your dog: Due to the size and energy needs of a Sheprador, it comes highly recommended to feed your dog at least twice a day. Even though, you can feed your dog three times a day, with regards to the type of work he's doing.
How to keep your dog in good shape: There are two ways that your Sheprador remains in good shape. First, exercise him regularly, and secondly feed him a healthy diet.
Since the Sheprador is a mix of two dog breeds, you cannot ignore the fact that it can inherit different health conditions from its parents. However, since most purebreds are screened prior to breeding, it's highly unlikely that you will find a Sheprador with any genetic condition. Here are some of the common conditions that a Sheprador can suffer from.
Hip Dysplasia
Condition: As the name suggests, this is a health condition that affects the hips. Once it sets in, hip dysplasia causes unmatched pain in the joints and the pain can worsen with time.
Treatment: One of the best ways to manage hip dysplasia in a Sheprador is to ensure that it does not become overweight. When your Sheprador has weak muscles, it will be predisposed to hip dysplasia. However, you can always use pain relievers to manage the pain caused by the condition.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Condition: This is one of the conditions that affect most dogs, and the Sheprador isn't excluded. Basically, progressive retinal atrophy affects the retina and can cause blindness if not treated early.
Treatment: This condition can only be treated after taking your dog to a vet. While it can cause severe damage to your dog's eyes, it is worth mentioning that it can be treated with antibiotics. However, if the condition is severe, corrective surgery might be required.
The German Shepherd and the Labrador are not only intelligent dogs, but they are also highly energetic. In terms of training, the Sheprador will require rigorous training sessions for at least two hours on a daily basis. However, if you have a young Sheprador, you can expect to conduct more than two hours of exercise in a day.
For most parts of their training, the Sheprador dog breeds require a professional human company for directions. At the same time, the company is important in getting these big dogs bored.
In a nutshell, the Sheprador is a working dog, just like its parents. It is always highly motivated to not only impress its owners but to learn new things as well. Thus, it tends to follow instructions given to it with ease.
Just like any other dog, you should ensure to keep a strict vet schedule for your Sheprador. This is to ensure that you detect any health conditions in time. The good news is that you can ask your vet to develop a care schedule for your Sheprador.
Ideally, Shepradors are often known to gain a lot of weight. Since they have a high energy level, it’s of utmost importance to ensure that you exercise your Sheprador for at least 45 minutes on a daily basis.
Just like their parents, Sheprador is a very mouthy dog. They tend to be happy and comfortable whenever they have something to chew in their mouths. Therefore, always keep sturdy toys around for them to play with.
