Before we get into discussing a single-color pattern within the breed. Let’s cover a little bit about the general information about the German shepherd dog or German Shepherd Dog GSD.
German shepherds are an intelligent, pack-driven, energetic breed that first originated in (surprise, surprise) Germany back in the 1800s.
This breed became well-known and well-loved for its ability to keep livestock safe while still having the strong desire to please and bond with their human.
This combination made them, and still make them, an ideal candidate for both a family and a working dog.
Panda German shepherds are no different and are not prone to aggression any more than other varieties of shepherds. Panda German shepherds are simply German shepherds with a rare color pattern.
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As German shepherds became more popular, their breeding increased and a greater variety of coloring patterns were found and categorized. This led to a handful of classifications within the German shepherd breeds:
- Saddle Coat German Shepherd / Saddle Back German Shepherd: This is the coloring we most often see in photos. Saddle Coat German shepherds are either red and black or tan and black, with black faces and black ‘saddle’ along their backs.
- Sable Coat: These German shepherds are black and red, black and tan, or silver and black. Sable coats have less distinguished patterns than saddlebacks and tend to be overall darker.
- Solid White: Solid white shepherds is all white shepherds that have a gene that masks all other colors.
- Blue and Liver German Shepherds: These shepherds may or may not have saddle markings, but they have a blue or baseball glove leather color instead of true black.
- Black German Shepherd: These shepherds are all black with no other markings.
- Panda German Shepherd: The beauties we’re spotlighting today! These shepherds are multicolor with white spotting and the only coloring pattern of this breed that has white spots.
So, What’s the Deal with Panda German Shepherds?
Let’s start by addressing the most obvious regarding these pups: Panda German shepherds are freaking adorable.
Not that all varieties of GSD aren’t beautiful, but there’s something particularly alluring about the white splotches painted over the Panda GS’s face and body.
But, as responsible dog owners, it’s important to look beyond a dog’s coloring and dive into what you can expect of temperament.
1) Genetic Coloring:
The first Panda German Shepherd was bred in the early 2000s and was not done so on purpose. The breeder had no intention of trying to reproduce for the purpose of creating pups with white spots, and there is no white shepherd in the Panda’s lineage.
Confusing, right? Well, it’s going to get even a little more confusing before we clear up some questions.
The Panda coloring comes from a KIT mutation. The KIT gene, among other things, is responsible for dictating pigmentation.
We’re going to stay at surface scientists and not get too deep into genetics, but in a nutshell, their coloring is a genetic mutation.
It’s also a dominant trait, which means that if breeding a litter of puppies for the purpose of getting panda coloring over half the litter will have that coloring.
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2) Temperament:
Again, I can’t say there’s much cuter than a spotter German shepherd. But let’s talk about their personality, because that, of course, is what really matters.
Panda shepherds are courageous and loyal, with a high level of intelligence and a LOT of energy, just like all German shepherds.
Panda shepherds are affectionate and loving and will make great pets to those who put in the time and training.
3) Problems Related to Panda Shepherds
The problems that can occur in German shepherds with Panda coloring are due to breeding. When you’re breeding a dog for coloring alone. you have the chance of ignoring genetic issues with their personality.
For example, if a person had a Panda-colored shepherd and wants the entire litter to have that coloring, then they’d need to select a counterpart who is also Panda-colored.
But that means when selecting, the breeder is focused on the coloring instead of the characteristics.
If one of those dogs is nervy, naturally aggressive, or suffers other health issues and is bred strictly for coloring, then the breeder might overlook that for the purpose of breeding, and you could get puppies who don’t have the kind of stability and trainability the GSD is known for.
- Aggression
Let’s get into these two terms and how they relate to dogs in general, but especially Panda German shepherds.
An aggressive dog can be labeled without actually having true aggression. German shepherds are high-energy working line dogs, which means that even if yours is the family pet, they have a long genetic history of needing a job.
If your Panda German shepherd isn’t given enough exercise, training, and mental stimulation.
He or she could start displaying characteristics that are seen as aggressive. Things like loud barking, chasing other dogs, or just being in general difficult to deal with are signs that a dog is not being stimulated and not receiving adequate exercise or training.
If you think your Panda German shepherd is displaying aggression. The best thing you can do is contact a local trainer who has experience with working breed dogs.
- Affection
And what about affection? Dogs go through phases; puppies especially can seem very uninterested in their owners while they’re exploring the brand-new world around them.
Give your dog time to adjust to you, treat it with fairness and boundaries, and you will most likely have a Panda shepherd so affectionate that you’ll have to scrape him off of you in order to get everything done.
Conclusion
So, how can you make sure you’re getting a dog that should have all the qualities of a well-bred shepherd? When looking for Panda shepherds, make sure you’re focusing on the temperament of the dog and not just the coloring.
Ask questions about the parents and their personalities, ask to see genetic testing to rule out diseases that shepherds are prone to, and (as hard as it may be) look beyond those adorable white spots to the health of the pup.
