If you have never heard of the Lycan Shepherd, then you are not the only one.
What is a Lycan Shepherd?
It’s a unique German shepherd combination of the working German Shepherd, Blue Bay shepherd, and the Belgian Malinois.
The word “Lycan” derives from the Greek word lykos, meaning ‘wolf.’
This new breed of dog indeed has a wolf-like appearance and has its shepherd kin’s loyal traits.
The Lycan shepherd is such a new breed that it is impossible to know their behavior patterns and temperament exactly.
They are a large-breed dog with wolf-like traits, so anyone looking into owning this dog needs to ensure they have the experience to handle a large and extremely intelligent canine.
As with any first-generation hybrid, there are many questions about the Lycan shepherd, and with few of these dogs in existence, we can only go by what their parent breeds are known for and the temperament loyalty associated with those dogs.
The popularity of the Lycan Shepherd
The popularity of the Lycan shepherd is extremely low because there are not that many in existence.
This breeds steps from one breeder who said in 2017 that they would not be available to the public for several years.
The Lycan shepherd has only been in existence for one to two generations, leaving it to question when this breed becomes readily available.
If you consider this breed to add to your home, ensure they have come from a reputable breeder, as there is no lineage of paperwork to back up the breed because it is so new.
This makes it easy for anyone to claim they are selling a Lycan shepherd, so you are better off to wait or invest in an already substantiated breed.
The temperament of a Lycan Shepherd
When establishing the temperament of a lycan shepherd, it is difficult where their lineage is so new.
While it is nearly impossible to assume this new breed’s temperament, we can make inferences about their disposition based on their parent breeds.
Working German Shepherd
The working German Shepherd is one of the hardest working dogs and most loyal of breeds.
With striking looks and size, this grand canine has achieved iconic status worldwide as one of the most significant breeds.
The German Shepherd is an extremely athletic, brave, and hard-working dog that is not limited to being a guard dog but has also served as a service dog for those needing assistance.
The German Shepherd is an energetic and unflinchingly loyal companion from a police dog, serving in the army, or leading a blind owner.
This breed began as a herding dog before becoming a symbol of bravery for its military and police force use.
The German Shepherd is also known as a guide dog, rescue, or detector dog, not to mention the most incredible pet any family could add to their home.
This breed’s intelligence is rivaled by few, as they have proven to be loyal, obedient, and have energy compared to few other breeds.
If you choose to own a German shepherd, be prepared to have the best friend you’ve ever known, but also a ton of exercise and play ahead of you.
The German Shepherd will get easily bored, so they need a large space to run and plenty of activities to keep their sharp minds working.
Blue Bay Shepherd
The blue bay shepherd has many of the same qualities as a working German shepherd, as it is bred, in part, by this stock.
The main difference is that the blue bay shepherd also has wolfdog as part of its heritage.
Because of this breed’s wolf-like qualities, they can be unpredictable, even though breeders have tried to negate the skittish and aggressive wolf traits from this breed.
While the German Shepherd is used primarily as a working dog, the blue bay shepherd is more of a companion breed than a working dog.
For this reason, this breed may show more traits of attentive and loving qualities than that of the German Shepherd.
Belgian Malinois
The Belgian Malinois was bred to be a watchdog and is a protective and self-assured breed who enjoys being part of a family and displays the qualities of an extremely active dog.
The Belgian Malinois is like the German Shepherd because it needs lots of exercise and must remain entertained and active to remain happy and stimulated.
It is highly trainable but has a strong will that may need a trainer’s expertise to get under control.
Expected Size of a Lycan Shepherd
When considering the potential size of a lycan shepherd, the size of their parent breeds needs to be considered, and while the size may vary, depending on the trait of the breed that comes through more, chances are, it will be a large dog.
The Belgian Malinois is a medium-sized dog, while German shepherds are a large breed, and the blue bay shepherds are ever larger.
A lycan shepherd should reach a minimum of 70 pounds on the lower end to 100 pounds on the high end.
While the lycan shepherd is unlikely to be an aggressive dog, it may be the wrong breed to have in the house with small children, as they may accidentally knock them over, even if they are only loving.
Lycan Shepherd Appearance
There is no doubt that a lycan shepherd is derived from wolf lineage.
Any photo available of the lycan shepherd shows a large breed with thick black fur, a lean, muscular body, erect ears, a narrow face, and light brown eyes.
Barking
If you live in a residential neighborhood, it is worth it to know whether or not your dog is prone to barking.
The Belgian Malinois and the blue by shepherds bark a moderate amount, but german shepherds are likely to bark and howl on a more regular basis.
While their barking habits are still up for debate, they may bark at a stranger since they are a protective breed.
The lifespan of a Lycan Shepherd
Since this breed is new, the lifespan of the lycan shepherd is unknown.
It is assumed that they will have similar life spans to their parent breeds, which is 10-13 years.
Health and Care
As with temperament, the lycan shepherd’s health and care are yet to be determined, but it will likely resemble that of the parent breeds.
Inevitable, they will need daily exercise and rigorous training to keep them in shape and well mannered.
This breed is obedient, but as with all large animals, they can be unpredictable, so they will need an owner who is stern and confident in their ability to control the animal.
This breed is a working dog, but they also love to be social. Be sure to get your dog used to other people and dogs at an early age, so they grow up with a sense of placement.
Health Problems of this breed will depend on their parent breeds, meaning that there is a list of potential health issues for each parent breed.
German Shepherd:
- Arthritis
- Bloat
- Eye issues
- Hip or elbow dysplasia
- Cancer
- Dental health issues
- Urinary tract infection
- Degenerative myelopathy
- Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
- Thyroid
- Bladder stones
- Nose infections
- Cataracts
Belgian Malinois
- Hip or elbow dysplasia
- Cataracts
- Vision issues
- Tumors
- Diabetes
- Autoimmune disorders
- Cancer
- Retained testicles
- Hearing loss
Blue Bay Shepherd
Since the blue bay shepherd is a new breed itself, there are not many ailments known.
The only thing recommended is to look out for similar ailments from their parent breeds, the European German Shepherd and the wolfdog.
Congenital Health Issues
These issues are primarily due to inbreeding, but the lycan shepherd breeder is selective in canine parents’ choice, so this is of little concern.
Mixed breed dogs tend to be a healthier canine, versus purebred dogs, due to genetic diversity.
The breeder of the lycan shepherd is conscientious about the bred dogs to create this fantastic offspring, so health issues should not be of great concern.
Weather Tolerance
The parent breeds of the lycan shepherd are incredibly tolerant to cold weather, so this new breed should have no issues with winter months or low temperature due to its double coat.
Less known is how the lycan shepherd will react to hotter temperatures.
As with all animals, they should be monitored and not left out in extreme heat or cold for a significant length of time.
In Conclusion
While so much is unknown about the lycan shepherd because it is such a new breed, its parent breeds tell us that it is a loyal, smart, and loyal dog with a good temperament.
While this breed is highly trainable and intelligent, it is not a breed that is recommended for first-time dog owners or for people who live in apartments or with small children.
More traits will become apparent when the lycan shepherd has been established in years to come.
If the lycan shepherd’s lineage says anything, this dog will be among the top choices of pets for many households in the years to come.