How do you prove to your apartment complex what breed your dog is?

I was told that my dog was a German Shepherd Mix when i got him. Not because they tested him, but because that was their educated guess. I understand why they see the German Shepherd, it's because he has the mask on his face, but that doesn't prove what breed he is. But in the vet records i wrote down German Shepherd as his breed. My only problem is as he grows he's getting tall but not putting on the weight much. He's only 6 months old but he's always been thinner. And i guess my biggest problem is that my apartments don't allow German Shepherd type mixes. But in my honest opinion, having worked with dogs my whole life since my mother use to foster animals i know that when you rescue a dog they don't know what breed they are and their guess is as good as our own. I think my dog is a Plott hound mix... What do you think he is? Do you think it's possible he's a plott hound mix?

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=61584907&albumID=2550035&imageID=40808966#a=2550035&i=40808966

2009-01-03T08:14:03Z

he's most definitely not a Dachshund and jack Russel mix, he's 6 months old and weights over 30 pounds. and he's as tall as my one year old daughter on all fours.

2009-01-03T08:19:16Z

I like the idea about the shot certificate, but he's already got all of his shots taken care of. He has to go in a year for his next rabies shot and then it's a three year shot. But... I can change the breed it says at the vets? I didn't know that.

LexisKalliope2009-01-03T08:14:35Z

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When you go to get your rabies shot from the vet, just have them put mix breed on the rabies certificate. You can show that to the apartment complex, and they can't dispute it is a shepard because the vet doesn't recognize it as a certain breed. We've done that when we've owned pitbull mix, and so it wouldn't affect insurance rates the vet wrote mix on the certificate.

Karen L2009-01-03T11:36:03Z

German Shepherd isn't what comes to mind when I look at that photo. There may be some, but not much. Also, if he's less than 40 lbs at six months, he must be mixed with something pretty small if he's part Shepherd. I think you can get genetic testing done on dogs these days, which tells you exactly what mix a dog is, and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. You might check that out. If the results show something favourable to you, then use them. If not, take the dog to a vet and get another educated guess. The older they are, the easier the guessing is, but with some dogs no one can ever really tell for sure just by looking.

Edit: just searched 'dog breed testing' and there are a number of places to get it done. Don't know how to post a link but one called dog-dna.com will mail you a test kit for $120. Might be cheaper than having to move. I read a newspaper article about this and apparently some people were very surprised when they got the DNA prooof of what mix their dog was.

Anonymous2009-01-03T08:07:26Z

In answer to your question about him being a Plott Hound mix - No. He's a Mutt, pure and simple. And I don't think there's a whole lot of GSD in there either, for what it's worth.

Otherwise I don't understand your question. If your apartment rules say no to certain breeds of dog, then that's unfortunately, a no (to those certain breeds).

Frankly I'd move as this doesn't sound like any kind of dog-friendly environment and you don't want to be looking over your shoulder all the time, do you?

jessica c2009-01-03T08:03:47Z

Honestly, I am sure your apartment people would not look at him and think he is German Shephard. I don't think he looks it at all. The vet will change what they have him as if that helps any. You can always just tell them he is mixed. I doubt they will give you problems if you dont say to them "hey, I adopted a German Shephard mix." No one will know the difference.

Anonymous2009-01-03T08:08:58Z

He looks too long to be a GS mix. But he has GS coloring. He looks like he has terrier in him. Ask a vet. They see so many dogs. Tell him your predicament. Maybe he'll sign a paper stating that your dog's a mutt.

edit:
No, actually I looked at the photos again, and he looks like he has GS in him. I'm so sorry.

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