Last Updated on September 9, 2021 by Fumipets
The Blue Bay Shepherd is a relatively new breed that many people are unfamiliar with, but it is one to keep an eye on.
The Blue Bay Shepherd seems to be destined for greatness, with captivating eyes and an almost magical aura.
What is a Blue Bay Shepherd?
The Blue Bay Shepherd is a long-coated dog that was created by crossing wolf canines with blue Old German Shepherds. Despite their enormous size, strong activity levels, and lupine look, these dogs are calm and loving, making them excellent family dogs.
If you like dogs as much as we do, the newly developed Blue Bay Shepherd is guaranteed to pique your attention.
From his humble origins to his stunning looks, everything about this breed is fascinating.
History of the Blue Bay Shepherd
The Blue Bay Shepherd has been under development for almost 20 years, with the first litters born in March of 2011.
While still in its early stages of development, this new breed has already shown a number of attractive characteristics.
The tale starts with a woman named Vicki Spencer and her Southern Breeze Ranch, which is located in the Florida town of Palm Bay.
Vicki hoped to breed a big dog with a lupine (wolf-like) look and a willing, devoted temperament.
She also desired a breed with strong health, a loving, kind, and stable temperament, the trainability of the German Shepherd Dog (GSD), and a deep blue coat.
While Vicki had a lengthy list of high objectives, she also knew exactly what she didn’t want in her dogs.
She was determined to remove characteristics such as contemporary GSD aggressiveness, timidity, shyness, dark eyes, and big ears, as well as the sharply sloping back and susceptibility for hip dysplasia.
Vicki achieved her objectives by breeding two European-imported blue Altdeustsche Schaferhunds (Old German Shepherd Canines – not to be confused with today’s GSDs) called Jordan and Passion to her own wolf dogs, whom she had been working with for years.
The F6 generation means that the initial wolf-to-dog mating occurred five generations back in the line, and the resultant litters were the foundation Blue Bay stock.
Vicki has been very discreet about which other breeds were introduced to the gene pool in order to preserve her achievements with the breed so far and to avoid unscrupulous breeders from trying to duplicate the “look.”
She does, however, disclose that a total of eight breeds were involved in the creation of the breed.
We also know that Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies were mixed together at some time, according to Embark DNA testing.
It’s no wonder that the breed was called for the stunning blue coat colour and the kennel’s location, Palm Bay.
It will be fascinating to see the breed’s growth and standardisation as the founder tries to enhance her line with each subsequent litter.
This Animal Watch film featuring an interview with the breed’s creator and a look at some of the foundation dogs used to develop this new breed is sure to please.
Are Blue Bay Shepherds Rare?
Yes. Despite the fact that some individuals may advertise their pups as Blue Bay Shepherds, only dogs from Southern Breeze Kennels and their authorised breeding dogs are genuine American Blue Bay Shepherds.
Because this unique breed’s growth is overseen by just one person (and a few assistants), the number of pups produced each year is minimal, and the dogs are thus very uncommon.
The originator of the breed provides each Blue Bay with a registration number and a hand-signed certificate.
A dog is not a genuine Blue Bay until it has this evidence.
How Much Wolf Is In A Blue Bay Shepherd?
Although the proportion of wolf DNA varies greatly from dog to dog, and dogs from older breedings may have as much as 30% wolf DNA, most modern Blue Bays have very little wolf DNA.
Vicki Spencer says that the foundation stock wolf canines were five or six generations removed from pure wolf blood.
Because the breedings are now between two American Blue Bay Shepherds, the proportion of wolf DNA will continue to decline.
Physical Characteristics
Blue Bays are distinguished by their long, dark blue coat and pale green, blue, or brown eyes.
Although they have a striking similarity to their wolf forefathers, they also have numerous GSD characteristics, especially in the form of their heads.
Blue Bays have a somewhat lanky look, yet they are far from fragile.
They are strong, well-muscled, and athletic, with erect ears and a sense of inner wisdom.
How Big Will A Blue Bay Shepherd Be?
As previously said, some variance in the breed is to be anticipated, but a Blue Bay will always be a big, tall dog, regardless of size.
The majority of males will reach a shoulder height of more than 30 inches and weigh between 85 and 105 pounds, but Blue Bays reaching 130 pounds are not uncommon.
Females are somewhat smaller, weighing between 70 and 85 pounds and standing around 30 inches tall at the shoulder.
Do They Come In Any Other Colors?
Surprisingly, Blue Bay Shepherds are not entirely blue.
Various additional colours sometimes appear due to the introduction of several other breeds throughout the evolution of the Blue Bays.
Though most will be blue, there are additional colour options until this breed becomes established and reliably breeds true:
- White.
- Cream.
- Beige.
- Beige and cream.
- Black and tan.
- Blue and tan.
It’s worth noting that black and tan or blue and tan pups frequently fade to considerably lighter colours as they get older.
Blue Bay Shepherd Temperament
The Blue Bay Shepherd’s extremely gentle, loving nature is one of his most notable traits, apart from his stunning beauty.
In fact, after a thorough investigation, we were unable to uncover any evidence of negative personality traits, which is very unusual.
Granted, a dog’s temperament is heavily influenced by the manner he was reared.
However, the breed’s originator and her temperament-focused breeding standards must be credited for the breed’s steady, kind disposition.
Blue Bay Shepherds are calm, pleasant, lively, and social dogs. They like being around humans and usually get along with other animals.
In reality, many Blue Bays have proved to be trustworthy with cattle and small animals, despite their GSD herding heritage.
How Energetic Are They?
Make no doubt about it. These are energetic canines that can easily complete a 4-mile walk and still have energy left over.
A big fenced yard is practically a must to provide them with the freedom to frolic and play at their leisure, but just letting them out in the yard will not be enough to meet their exercise needs.
They’ll still require lengthy daily walks, jogs, or runs, as well as lots of time, spent playing fetch, swimming, training, and other activities with their owners.
Agility and flyball, for example, may be excellent outlets for this breed’s enthusiasm since they both engage the mind and exercise the body.
Will The Blue Bay Shepherd Ever Be A Fully Recognized Breed?
Of course, when developing a new breed, full recognition by major kennel organisations is the ultimate objective.
However, achieving that objective will require many years of hard effort.
Certain requirements must be fulfilled before the American Kennel Club will grant full breed recognition.
For several generations, the dogs must breed true (puppies must appear almost similar to their parents).
It is necessary to form a well-organized national breed club.
Specialty shows, judges workshops, breed seminars, and other activities must be held by the club.
The AKC Foundation Stock Service must approve a written request, as well as the breed’s history and criteria.
Before permission to participate in the Miscellaneous Class is given, there must be at least 100 current club members, 300-400 third-generation, pedigreed dogs from 20 different states, and a formal inspection by AKC officials.
The breed will be submitted for official recognition after 1-3 years of participating in the Miscellaneous Class.
As you can see, Blue Bay Shepherds are still a long way from their objective, but due to the breed’s founder’s unwavering devotion and persistence, this magnificent new breed is on the right track.
