The Corgi German Shepherd mix, also known as Corman Shepherd, is a mix dog breed—a cross between the two most popular dog breeds: Corgi and German shepherd. They were mixed to design a dog breed that will feature the intelligence and protectiveness of the German Shepherds and the charm of Corgi puppies. The breeders seem to have succeeded as the resulting Corman Shepherds are playful, brave, and super loyal with a hint—no, a whole load—of cuteness.
Corgi German Shepherd mix is relatively a small dog breed, making them a good choice for apartment-dwellers and small houses, provided they get ample daily exercise. These small designer dogs win the heart of each dog lover that lays eyes on them, especially those who want to have a German Shepherd but cannot provide for a large German Shepherd. Though Dwarf German Shepherd would make a good choice for such dog lovers, Corman Shepherd comes with the added charm of the Queen of Great Britain’s favorite Corgi puppies.
That said, Corman Shepherd is not one of the dog breeds for first-time owners that will do well for all living conditions. Therefore, before adopting a Corgi German Shepherd mix, you should familiarize yourself with the breed and make sure that it would be a good fit for your family.
As far as both the parents are concerned, here is a little overview of both the parent breeds of the Corman shepherd
Corgi German Shepherd Mix Parent Breeds
German shepherd
German Shepherd is one of the most popular German dog breeds—in America, it is the 3rd most popular dog breed. They are very social dogs but also very obedient and extremely intelligent, making them the perfect dog breed for protection. All such features are also visible in Corman Shepherd puppies.
German Shepherd Breed Overview
Height: 22 to 26 inches
Weight: 50 to 90 pounds
Lifespan: 7 to 10 years
Group: Herding
Color: Black, blue, gray, white, bi-color, liver, sable, black & tan, black & red, black & silver, black & cream
Temperament: Highly intelligent, alert, obedient, protective
Suitable for: Watchdogs, outgoing parents, households with a yard
Corgi
Corgis are one of the cutest dog breeds. With their quirky behaviors, they fill our lives with joy and happiness. No wonder the Queen has lived this long—she has these cute puppies around her all the time, since 1944. They are herding dogs and incredibly intelligent and devoted to their loving owners.
Corgi Breed Overview
Height: 10 to 12 inches
Weight: Up to 30 pounds
Lifespan: 12 to 13 years
Group: Herding
Color: Black & tan, fawn, red, sable
Temperament: Playful, tenacious, friendly, outgoing
Suitable for: Families with children, outgoing dog parents
Corgi German Shepherd Mix
Corman Shepherd dogs inherit all the desirable characteristics of their parents. Before getting into the details, let’s take a quick look at their breed overview.
Corgi German Shepherd Mix Breed Overview
Height: 12 to 15 inches
Weight: 20 to 70 pounds
Lifespan: 12 to 15 years
Group: Mixed dog breed
Color: Gold, white, brown, black, and tan
Temperament: Highly intelligent, energetic, affectionate, loyal, stubborn at times
Suitable for: Apartment-dwellers, active dog parents
Corman Shepherd History
Like most designer dog breeds, there is not much known about the Corman German Shepherd’s history due to the lack of documentation. While it is believed that the mix breed may have existed naturally over the years, intentional breeding only started in the early 2000s.
They were crossbred in North America, but as they grew in popularity, they spread across the United States as well.
Corman Shepherd Appearance
By mixing German Shepherd and Corgi, we get a pleasant blend of the two. Corman Shepherds have a visible resemblance to their parent breeds. By taking a look at a Corgi German Shepherd mix, one can easily tell that it is a mix of the two most popular dog breeds. Corman Shepherds have large upright tufted ears, a long muzzle, and dark-colored almond-shaped eyes.
Coat
As far as the coat coloring is concerned, they are it varies from dog to dog. Since the dog is a mix between two distinct species, their appearance has a wide spectrum and can tilt towards any one of the parents’ breeds and gives the dog a wide range of color to fall into. Mostly it is a mix. The main colors can vary between golden or white due to the Corgi breed and brown and black owing to the German shepherd. But these colors from the parent breeds do not always show solidly, and hence, the mix is always a blend of two or more colors. They always have a dark-colored muzzle and eyes.
Do Corman Shepherds Shed?
Corgi German Shepherd mix dogs shed a lot, thanks to their dense double coat. Both of its parent breeds—German Shepherds and Corgis—have a double coat and shed continuously. Hence their mix pups are also big shedders. And like Corgis and German Shepherds are not hypoallergenic, they are also not a good choice for people with allergies.
Owing to their dense coats, they do great in colder weather and not particularly great in hotter climates—shedding will be more frequent on hot summer days. During the dog days of summer, they become susceptible to heat strokes and hence require their owner to keep a check on them.
Size
To get a sense of what a Corgi German Shepherd mix looks like, just imagine a German Shepherd in the body of Corgi—smaller, longer, and compact.
As Corman Shepherd is a mix of a small and a large dog, we cannot say anything for certain about the standard size. However, Corman Shepherds are usually relatively smaller in size—about the size of a Corgi—making them a good choice for most apartment dwellers.
A full-grown Corman Shepherd would be about 12 to 15 inches in height and would weigh around 20 to 70 pounds. That said, their females often weigh a little less than their male counterparts.
Corman Shepherd Size
Height:
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Male: 12 – 15 inches
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Female: 12 – 15 inches
Weight:
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Male: 20 – 70 lbs.
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Female : 20 – 60 lbs.
Corman Shepherd Personality and Temperament
Corman shepherds are extremely affectionate and high-energy dogs. They get easily get along well with children, but they are not much welcoming of other pets, both cats and dogs, because they love to be the center of attention.
Like their parent breeds, Corman Shepherds can also be stubborn at times. On top of that, as they inherit the strong herding instincts from both their parents, they may nip at you or smaller children and pets to herd them. Therefore, you should never leave your children or small pets with your Corman Shepherds unsupervised. Given their high energy, they may also knock over small kids unintentionally while playing.
Taking care of Corman Shepherd
They may look small and cute but do not let their size fool you because this dog needs plenty of exercises and your love. However, fret not because they only require a moderate amount of care.
The main things that you need to focus on are food, exercise, mental stimulation, grooming, and training.
Corman Shepherd Food Requirements:
Corman shepherds are fed two to three times a day, preferably in the morning and evening. Commercial dog foods are the best options for your pet, but you must make sure to give them high-quality and nutritious food. They are prone to obesity, and feeding them too much can lead to weight gain.
On average, you should be feeding your Corman shepherd two to three cups a day. Do not worry too much because even if you forget their meals, we are sure your adorable Corman will remind you by herding you to the kitchen cabinet where you are keeping the food or by trying to open the cabinet himself.
Corman Shepherd Exercise Requirements
As mentioned earlier, these dogs are highly energetic and need a good amount of exercise. Depending on your schedule, you can split the time of exercises into small sessions. Corgi German shepherd needs at least 60-120 minutes (about 2 hours) of exercise each day.
These dogs are not satisfied with a simple walk down the street; instead, try to go for high-intensity exercises, such as hiking, running, or swimming. Mixing interactive play sessions with daily exercise will keep your Corman shepherd mentally stimulated and give you enough time to bond with your little pet.
In case your Corman Shepherd is not getting ample exercise, it will have pent-up energy that may lead him to develop destructive and aggressive behavioral tendencies. So make sure you never miss walking your dog or an interactive play session.
Corman Shepherd Mental Stimulation
After the physical needs of your pet come his mental needs. A Corgi German Shepherd is one the smartest breed of dogs, so they easily get bored if not provided enough mental stimulation.
To enhance their mental simulation, you can give toys and games to play that offer a mental challenge, along with some puzzles and other training tricks. For instance, some puzzle toys contain treats. When your dog figures out a puzzle, a treat is offered. Corman shepherd will surely enjoy this kind of toy but make sure that he does not eat too many treats. Apart from this, your dog may also enjoy chew toys, tug toys, or a simple throwing ball—anything that your dog finds fun in. Playtime can also include teaching him new tricks like how to roll over.
Corman Shepherd Grooming Requirements
There are five things that you need to take care of when it comes to grooming your adorable Corman Shepherd.
- Brush your dog three to four times a week or preferably daily. Besides controlling shedding, this will help his fur remain smooth, glossy, and tangle-free. Due to daily combing, the natural oils in the skin will be encouraged, and this will keep the fur coat shiny.
- You should bathe your Corman shepherd once every eight to ten days, although if your dog rolls in something, you may need to bathe him sooner. Make sure to dry him right after a bath.
- To avoid any kind of gum or dental problems, make sure to brush your dog’s teeth at least three times a week, using vet-approved dog toothpaste.
- You will also need to clean the inside of your Corman’s ears once a week. You can do this by using a pet-safe cleaning solution on a cotton swab.
5. Lastly, trim your dog’s nails for at least a month; you can consult a vet to properly learn how to do it to avoid hurting your dog. You can also use a dog nail grinder, which might take more time, but you won’t have to worry about over-cutting your dog’s nail and causing bleeding.
Corman Shepherd Training
Corman shepherds have intelligent and strong-willed parents, which is why it can be tricky to train them as they can be stubborn at times. That said, a handful of tasty treats and early obedience training can make things easy.
If you have other dogs or pets in your house, make sure to introduce them to your other pets at an early age, that is, when your Corman is a pup. Similarly, if you have a cat living under your roof, you should either reconsider bringing home a Corman Shepherd altogether or be very careful and vigilant of signs of dog aggression towards cats, despite having introduced them at an early age.
Start training your corgi German shepherd puppy as early as you can and be regular. Use positive reinforcement techniques to train them. While treats work the best, if your Corman puppy is growing overweight, you can try effective ways to train your dog without treats by offering praises, belly rubs, and their favorite toys as a reward.
Never shout or punish your dog for undesirable behaviors. It is always counterproductive. Shouting or punishing your dog will only teach them to resent you and develop aggressive tendencies. The best way to deal with undesirable behaviors is completely ignoring the dog and never rewarding them with an inadvertent reward like your attention.
One of the key factors when it comes to training is socialization. Try to make your dog socialize with people and animals at an early age. This will help them feel comfortable and at ease around strangers or in any kind of situation. It will also reduce the risk of making them feel anxious in any situation and make them confident. A confident, happy, and anxiety-free dog is less aggressive and will bark less, which will make them tolerant of other animals around them.
Try to praise your dog whenever he performs any trick, listens to you, or shows good behavior, this way, he will be motivated and will continue to train better. You can train him during playtime too, by teaching him several tricks.
Corgi German Shepherd Cost
Corman shepherds are immensely popular, and this makes them expensive. But we advise visiting local shelters, and if you are lucky you might find one Corman Shepherd or fall in love with some other dog breed and bring home a Corman shepherd or some other dog by just paying for the adoption papers.
And if you happen to buy a German Shepherd Corgi Mix puppy, it will cost around $200 to $750. The price, however, may vary.
Maintaining and raising a Corman Shepherd—food, toys, healthcare, bedding, etc.—will cost between $700 to $1400 per year. Medical costs may vary depending upon the health and your insurance plan.
Corman Shepherd Common Health Problems
Though Corman Shepherd is overall a healthy dog breed and has a healthy lifespan of 12 to 15 years—longer than both of its parent breeds—they are susceptible to several health issues.
Due to their Corgi like bodies—long bodies and short legs—Corman Shepherds face back and joint problems, including hip dysplasia. Apart from that, canine eye inflammation and bloat are common in Corman Shepherds. Bloat is a medical emergency, and if not given immediate vet attention, could become life-threatening.
Corman Shepherds are also susceptible to overheating and becoming obese. Therefore, you should always keep a check on the caloric intake of your dog and provide him daily exercises.
Should I Get a Corgi German Shepherd Mix Dog?
The Positives
- Highly energetic and adventurous nature; good pets for outgoing parents
- Great at watchdogging and protecting their loving families
- Playful around kids but should never be left unsupervised
- Good for apartment dwellers, provided they are getting ample physical activity
The Negatives
- Excessive exercise requirements make it a bad choice for less active families
- Excessive shedding makes them a big No-No for people with allergies
- High separation anxiety—you cannot leave them alone for a long time
- Not good with other pets
Corgi German Shepherd mix is a loving and protective dog and will surely make a wonderful addition to your family. That said, if you have small children or small pets living in the house, you should reconsider bringing home a Corman shepherd.