The American alsatian dogs are one of the larger-sized dogs and the perfect companion for the owners.
This dog breed exactly resembles the appearance of an extinct dire wolf, the American alsatian dog is commonly known as the German shepherd, and its name Alsatian has been derived from the border area of Alsace Lorraine.
Absolutely! Here is your detailed description of the American Alsatian. I’ve focused on providing key takeaways and streamlining the language further:
The American Alsatian: A Loyal and Gentle Giant
Origins: The American Alsatian was deliberately bred in California during the 1980s to resemble the extinct Dire Wolf. While they might look intimidating, they’re known for their gentle, affectionate nature.
Appearance: American Alsatians are large dogs with a muscular build and wolfish features. Their thick double coats come in various colors, often sable and silver.
Temperament: This breed stands out due to its:
- Calm and composed nature
- Intelligence and trainability
- Affection and loyalty towards their family
- Protective instincts, making them good guard dogs
Important Considerations for Potential Owners
- Size and Exercise: American Alsatians need space to roam and ample daily exercise (1-1.5 hours) for physical and mental well-being. Not ideal for small apartments.
- Grooming: Their thick coats require regular brushing to manage shedding, especially during shedding season.
- Health: They are generally healthy but prone to joint problems like elbow/hip dysplasia. Regular vet checkups are crucial.
- Socialization: Early exposure to people, dogs, and different environments will curb potential shyness or wariness towards strangers.
- Separation Anxiety: This breed loves companionship. Providing toys, mental stimulation, and perhaps crate training will help if they must be left alone for short periods.
Key Takeaways
- Wonderful Family Companions: American Alsatians are gentle and protective, making them excellent for families with children.
- Not for First-Time Owners: Their size, exercise needs, and potential health concerns require experienced dog ownership.
- Grooming is a Must: Be prepared for their significant shedding and regular brushing requirements.
- Training and Socialization are Key: Their intelligence allows for easy training while proper socialization helps build confidence.
FAQs
- Price: American Alsatian puppies range from $1,300 to $3,000.
- Barking: They are relatively quiet dogs and don’t bark excessively.
- Lifespan: 9-13 years on average.
- Same as German Shepherd? Yes, but the name “American Alsatian” was specifically chosen to highlight their gentler temperament.
- Purebred? Yes, despite being a newer breed.
The American Alsatian is a magnificent breed. With proper care, training, and understanding of their needs, they make devoted and loving family dogs.
Adaptability
Moderately adaptable to apartment lifestyle (Rate: 3.5 out of 5)
This dire wolf dogs suffer from several difficulties when kept in an apartment. These large dogs with wolf-like appearances are generally very active.
They need to do different kinds of activities all the time to maintain their energy regulation in the body. This is the main reason why this extinct dire wolf requires a large area to live in to keep themselves mentally stimulated.
Now, the fact to notice here is this large dog breeds can be made to stay in an apartment by putting some more effort by giving the canine all the needy resources like the food at the time, playing sessions, and toys to play can help them release their stress and keep them healthy.
Good for novice owners (Rate: 4 out of 5)
The german shepherd, also popular as the American alsatian dog, is popular as one of the best companions for novice dog owners.
This American alsatian dog has a very great level of intelligence and is very active, due to which they can listen to the commands of the owners attentively; this companion dog is proven to be best because they put all their efforts into performing the tasks to satisfy the owner in all aspects.
This companion dog can be a great performer, but this domesticated dog needs to be treated lovingly and carefully during the training sessions to maintain its interest in the process.
Tolerates when kept alone (Rate: 3.5 out of 5)
This wolf-like dog can keep himself calm and stable for a longer time when the owner keeps him alone at home.
As we all know, canines are very affectionate towards their parents, due to which these wild wolf-like dogs always urge to stay by the side of their owner and even turn destructive when their level of tolerance for being alone at home exceeds.
These domesticated dogs have the highest level of tolerance among all other animals but can be very difficult to handle when gets anxious.
Thus it is suggested to the owner to keep all the necessary things like some food items and things to eat by the side of the canine by using which the dog can keep his anxiety in control.
Can tolerate cold weather moderately (Rate: 3 out of 5)
These larger dogs are not a good tolerant of cold weather. If this dire wolf remains out in cold weather without any type of protection, like a sweater and winter coat, then this gentle giant will suffer from several health problems.
The health issues that this big dog can suffer include frostbite and hyperthermia, which can be disastrous for the health of the canine; thus, it is suggested that the dog owners keep the canine protected during the winter season by adopting different methods like coats and heaters over his body.
Tolerate hot weather (Rate: 5 out of 5)
This American Alsatian dire wolf is one of those large dog breeds which perform well in hot weather. This large dog is seen to be very active and energetic in such temperatures and remains mostly healthy, which means disease resistant during those seasons.
Now sometimes, if german shepherds will face energy loss, then it can cause heat attacks in the canine which can be life-threatening for the canine. Thus, the owner should always go for limiting the training sessions of the dire wolf in hot weather by adopting a proper schedule.
All around friendliness
Affectionate with the family (Rate: 4 out of 5)
This American alsatian’s has brought some personality traits from its parents, which includes the affectionate and loving nature towards their owners.
This dire wolf can be a great choice for family members because they have a kind of loving and calm nature which makes them stay with their owners and listen to them all the time to satisfy the owner in all aspects.
As the dire wolf has a relatively high level of intelligence than the other dogs, they can also grab new skills rapidly as compared to other dogs, which makes them a good-to-go choice for novice owners. As they will not find any kind of difficulties in training such canines.
Great companions for the kids (Rate: 3 out of 5)
The American alsatian dire wolf possesses a very kind and affectionate nature toward its owner’s families and kids. Researchers have also proven this as one of the best companions for kids at home as they try their level best to keep the kid engaged all the time to save him from any kind of danger.
The dog owner can also go for keeping their kid with some time with the canine, as the canine has a kind of protective nature that doesn’t let him harm the kid. This English mastiff can be a great choice for family owners
But the owner should maintain all the necessary precautions for keeping the canine healthy and stress-free to prevent him from getting aggressive.
Friendly with other dogs (Rate: 2.5 out of 5)
This dog has some breed standards which don’t let him be aggressive with other pets. If the owner of such a dire wolf is planning to go for two dogs, then they can keep both of them at a place as this American alsatian is also very friendly towards other animals.
The dog is extremely calm and behaves very sweetly with the other dogs until they get symptoms of threats from the canine.
Thus it is suggested that the dog owners treat him with proper behaviors like leash behaviors and self-control to control themselves when getting anxious.
Friendly with strangers (Rate: 3 out of 5)
These large breeds of canines have a very affectionate kind of nature, even for strangers, due to which they behave sweetly with unknown visitors to their home.
This American Alsatian, which looks like a dire wolf, is naturally friendly with strangers as they have a habit of being friendly with humans from their very childhood.
A dog has a habit of being close to humans, and they feel safe around every human being, even though they intend to hurt them.
Health and grooming requirements of the American alsatian
Amount of shedding (Rate: 2.5 out of 5)
The American alsatian dogs are one of that relatively new breed that shed a huge amount during the shedding season.
The reason for the shedding of these working dogs might be the less amount of essential oils on the scalp of the canine or dry scalp, which can be simply treated by using shampoos and conditioners as per the skin texture of the canine.
This working dog has thick double coats, due to which the requirements of its skin may also vary as compared to other dogs.
Thus it is suggested that the dog owner goes for a detailed skin test of the canine first to determine which type of essential nutrients can maintain a good texture of its skin.
Potential to drool (Rate: 3.5 out of 5)
Just like most of the other breeds, these American alsatians also have an excessive drooling nature, which makes the canine leave spots here and there in the house, which also leads to an unhealthy environment.
This mainly happens because the canine’s salivary glands get overstimulated when the dog gets bursts out of emotions; this large canine which looks like a dire wolf, may even be infectious; thus, the owner should adopt proper methods of cleanliness for making the home disease resistant.
Easy to groom (Rate: 3 out of 5)
The American alsatian is one of those dog breeds which are relatively easy to groom. The dog suffers from an excessive amount of shedding, due to which it needs regular grooming sessions, but as the texture of the canine’s hair is quite soft, the dog owner doesn’t have to put much effort into grooming the canine.
Now the fact to notice here is this American Alsatian will require regular cleaning schedules, too, to maintain a healthy texture of the coat.
This is not a low-maintenance dog. Thus, it will require some effort from both the owner and the groomer for a better appearance of the canine.
The general health of the American alsatian (Rate: 4 out of 5)
The American alsatians are one of those dog breeds which suffer from several health problems that most of the other dogs suffer through once in their life.
These are not inherited from the parental traits, and the diseases which the canine suffers include elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia bone-related issues like panosteitis.
This kind of health issue, if it remains untreated in the canine then, can turn fatal and even get deadly for the health of the canine.
Thus it is suggested that dog owners go for proper medications as per the diseases detected in the canines.
This dog is created through the process of selective breeding, and the health issues it suffers might not spread to its progenies.
Thus the risk of getting infected progenies, in this case, becomes very less in this condition.
Size of the canine (Rate: 3 out of 5)
The American alsatians are medium-sized canines that attain a height of around twenty-five to thirty inches during their entire life and weigh around 90 lbs.
The size of this dog may also vary depending on the amount of food it eats per day and also vary on how much exercise it does per day to maintain proper body weight.
This dog is unique among all the other breeds because its nutritional requirement is quite lower than other canines, but it still uses to maintain a very bossy and unique appearance like an Irish wolfhound, mainly because of the proper exercise sessions.
Physical requirements of the American alsatian
Exercise requirements (Rate: 3.5 out of 5)
It has already been mentioned above that the American alsatian dog breed is one of those dogs which remains mostly energetic.
This dog needs exercise sessions for almost one and a half hours per day to keep its bowel movements in control and to maintain the regulation of energy in its body.
Proper exercise sessions, as per the requirement of the canine’s body, are necessary because it keeps the muscle contractions in regulation and also promote the level of energy in the body with which the organs can function smoothly.
Potential to playfulness (Rate: 4 out of 5)
The dog has a very high potential to play; the playing sessions play the most important role in keeping the canine eng the canine mentally stimulated.
Playing sessions also require an amount of energy loss. Thus, it is suggested to dog owners to keep it quite short so that the dog remains with some energy for the exercise sessions.
Playing sessions for the canine should include different kinds of gaming, like jumping, running, and throwing sticks, which keeps the canine interested in the sessions.
The owner can also go for adding some treats and the favorite food of the canine during the sessions to reward the pet whenever he performs a task correctly.
Breed history of the American alsatian
The breed history of the American alsatian is unique and has a very different kind of story which attracts most dog owners to this breed.
The dog was bred in the 1980s in California and is a result of the dire wolf project, which was started by a dog breeder named Lois Danny.
This dire wolf project was the result of their fascination with Lois Danny for wolves and dogs.
Later on, the breeder found out that it is quite difficult to create such good guard dogs with a wolve-like appearance.
Thus Lois Danny continued to breed the American alsatians. For creating this dog breed, Lois Danny first mated the German Shepherd Alaskan malamute to get a dire wolf which was later named the alsatian shepalute.
This alsatian shepalute was not according to his expectations, so, later on, she bred the English Mastiff with the Great Pyrenees, which was named the Anatolian shepherd, which is the last breed of this dire wolf project.
Danny, the breed founder, then chose the most healthies American alsatian puppy to breed for the next generation, which was later on recognized as a dog breed by the major kennel club.
The temperament of the American alsatian
This American alsatian is going to be quite satisfying for almost all dog owners when it comes to its temperament. The temperament of the canine is going to be satisfying as it possesses a very calm kind of nature and is very active and energetic,
This dog is one of those alert dog breeds who will stand by your side in every situation, even if you are in danger.
The dog doesn’t have a nature of being affectionate towards his owner; he loves all the people with whom he has a habit of living and does his best to follow the commands they give them.
The dog might be a bit weaker in handling the separation anxiety from his owner on his own. So we can say that, basically, it is not the right dog to keep alone at home, but giving the dog plenty of resources to keep himself engaged will help the canine in controlling his anxiety.
FAQ’s
What is the price of American alsatian puppies?
If you are planning to go with American alsatian puppies, then it will cost you around $ 1300 to $ 3000, but it will also vary depending on the place you are buying the puppies. So based on the environment, the puppies have been raised from a young age.
Do the American alsatians bark excessively?
No, the American alsatians are one of those dogs which rarely bark. The dog is very calm and very affectionate to almost everyone, like strangers, his owner, and even another canine, So until it gets an effect by threats from others, it doesn’t bark.
What is the average lifespan of an American alsatian?
The average lifespan of the American alsatians is around 9 to 13 years, but it will also vary depending upon the guarding tendencies of the owner. Like if the owner will properly takes care of the diet of the canine and feeds him according to his requirements, then the average lifespan of the canine will vary.
Are the American alsatian and german shepherds the same?
Yes, the American alsatian and the german shepherd are the same dog breed. The confusion about this is only because of the names with which it was popular in different regions. This has confused this breed for decades.
Is the American alsatian a purebred dog?
This American alsatian canine, also popular as the north American shepalute, is a purebred dog.
The North American shepalute, one of the large breeds first introduced in the year 1988, the dog is calm but needs at least an hour of quality time with the owner to stay mentally healthy.
What are the parent breeds of the American alsatians?
Lois Danny, the breeder of this popular American dog breed, has bred the purebred Alaskan Malamute and the German Shepherd together for making this breed.
