"What is a Shiloh Shepherd?"

 

This is a common question that often arises, and to be honest, it's not an easy one to answer! Some individuals hastily provide an inadequate explanation, suggesting that Shiloh Shepherds are a mere combination of Malamute and German Shepherd Dog, but this is a misleading statement. It implies that Shiloh Shepherds are a simple designer crossbreed, similar to a doodle or a pomsky. Unfortunately, this misconception has had a severely negative impact on the breed's reputation.

 

The origin of this misconception can be traced back to the fact that the first unrelated foundation line introduced to the Shiloh breed was a single stud who happened to be a mixed breed dog. This dog was a combination of American Showline German Shepherd Dog, White German Shepherd Dog, and Malamute (MAW).

 

To clarify, it is important to note that there is no direct, full Malamute ancestry in any modern Shiloh Shepherds, at least not for the two or three generations preceding the breed's initial creation in 1991.

 

So, if it is inaccurate to refer to them as "Malamute x German Shepherd," then what are they you might ask?

 

In short, Shiloh Shepherds were developed from a specific Kennel line of Shepherds, and have since undergone extensive selective breeding, and careful breed development efforts over the past 32 years to become the majestic and genetically distinct breed they are today.

 

All of the Shilohs registered with the International Shiloh Shepherd Alliance (ISSA) and the International Shiloh Shepherd Registry (ISSR) share a common ancestry that can be traced back to the same 20 foundation dogs.

 

Now, let's talk about these remarkable dogs that have shaped the breed we cherish today.

 

Out of the 20 foundation dogs, 14 were German Shepherds registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) and originated from the breed founder's "Shiloh Shepherd Kennels."(1974-1990) Additionally, there were 6 other unrelated dogs that were meticulously introduced one at a time over the past 30 years. This careful management was aimed at controlling the breed's coefficient of inbreeding (COI), a measure of genetic relatedness.

 

So, who are these 6 unrelated dogs that played a significant role in transforming the ancestors of our beloved Shilohs from German Shepherds to the modern breed we know today?

 

1) Super Sweet Sabrina - An AKC registered German Shepherd from the "Texas Woolies line." She was bred by Don Baker and is said to have 10% Sarplaninac heritage. Sabrina was born in the mid to late 1980s. She was an immense contributor to the foundation of the Shiloh breed, accounting for approximately 20% of the ancestry of every modern Shiloh.

 

2) Secret Samson-Woo, as mentioned earlier, was a mixed breed consisting of American Showline German Shepherd, White Shepherd, and Malamute. He was born in 1986 and is believed to have been part of a satellite breeding program aimed at producing lookalikes for the TV show The Littlest Hobo. While he is not a direct descendant of the famous London, he shares some close common ancestry. Secret Samson-Woo contributes approximately 7% to the ancestry of modern Shilohs.

 

3) Hoof Print Orbit was a large White German Shepherd registered with the AKC. He was owned by Hoof Print Kennels in Ontario, Canada, and was born in 1993. He was utilized in the late 1990s and his lineage produced notably large, heavy-boned dogs. It's worth mentioning that this handsome boy also served as a foundation line in the development of the White Swiss Shepherd breed.

 

4) Trillium Artus Zum Soehrewald - an Altdeutscher Schäferhund, which translates to "Old German Shepherd." He was born in 1997 and played a significant role in the late 1990s. Trillium Artus Zum Soehrewald had approximately 17 offspring that continued to contribute to the breed's gene pool. His influence may continue to grow in the future of the breed. He brought in increased biddability and confidence to the Shiloh Shepherd breed.

 

5) Chani - an AKC registered German Shepherd Dog. She was also dual registered as "foundation stock" with the American Wolfdog Registry due to her first litter, which was with a wolfdog. This circumstance has led to some rumours suggesting that Shiloh Shepherds are wolfdogs. However, when extrensive DNA analysis was conducted by UC Davis on the ISSA's gene pool. The results disproved these rumours. The findings showed that there was even less wolf DNA markers found in Shiloh Shepherds then what is typically seen in a purebred Labrador Retriever. 

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6) Vilk - A Czechoslovakian Vlcak, born around 2002. This was the final outcross chosen by the founder before her passing. Very few dogs were descendants of Trillium Artus Zum Soehrewald's line, but those that were have successfully integrated his genetics into a significant portion of the modern gene pool.

 

Unlike most breeds, Shiloh Shepherds are fortunate to have knowledge of magority the individual dogs that played a crucial role in building their breed's foundation. Although the breed founder was secretive, the collective effort of people coming together and sharing their knowledge after her passing has provided remarkable insights into better understanding these unique dogs both in the past and the future.

 

Personally, I am thrilled about the ISSA's plan to introduce more diversity to the breed. I am excited to see the breed clubs 4 planned outcross lines be developed and slowly intergrated back into the Shiloh breed. 

 

(Disclaimer - I do not own the rights to the photos attached. However, I have included them for educational purposes.)