Great Cambrian Shepherd

60-100 lbs
24-28"
United States, Western Europe
Great Pyrenees
Welsh Sheepdog

Great Cambrian Shepherds are dogs with a large presence (literally and figuratively) and complex personality. They are fairly active animals that love to spend time with their owners. Great Cambrian Shepherds typically live up to 12 years and weigh between 60 and 115 pounds. When they are full grown, they can be anywhere between 24 and 32 inches tall. Great Cambrian Shepherds have a long and full coat that comes in tri-color variations of white, black, and brown or red with a merle pattern or markings. They can also be primarily beige with badger, grey, reddish brown, or tan markings. This giant designer breed is very unusual and seldom seen due to the rarity of its parent breed, the Welsh Sheepdog. The Great Cambrian Shepherd, like the Welsh Sheepdog, is not recognized by the American Kennel Association.

purpose Purpose
Companion
history Date of Origin
Unknown
ancestry Ancestry
Welsh Sheepdog, Great Pyrenees

Great Cambrian Shepherd Health

Average Size
Male Great Cambrian Shepherd size stats
Height: 28-32 inches Weight: 75-115 lbs
Female Great Cambrian Shepherd size stats
Height: 24-28 inches Weight: 60-100 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Hip And Elbow Dysplasia
  • Bloat
  • Addison's Disease
Minor Concerns
  • Entropion
  • Cataracts
  • Dermatomyositis
  • Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA)
  • Ulcerative Dermatosis
Occasional Tests
  • Biopsy
  • Electrocardiogram
  • Internal Imaging (x-ray, CT scan, MRI, etc.)
  • Blood And Urine Analysis
  • Orthopedic Exam
  • Ocular Exam

Great Cambrian Shepherd Breed History

The Great Cambrian Shepherd gets its name from one of its parent breeds – the Great Pyrenees – and the homeland of its other parent breed, the Welsh Sheepdog, which comes from “Cambria” – the medieval name for Wales. It’s Great Pyrenees parent is closely related to the Kuvasz and is thought to have originated in Central Asia or Siberia. The breed eventually migrated to Europe and settled in the mountainous region between France and Spain known as the Pyrenees Mountains. In fact, evidence of Great Pyrenees in Europe date back to the Bronze Age between 1800 and 1000 BC. While in Europe, this breed was used for sheep herding until the 1600s when it was declared the royal dog of France. They were then employed as guard dogs for the French elite and started to gain international attention. Canada started to import the Great Pyrenees to breed with other large dogs and the United States soon followed the import trend in the 1800s. In 1933, after decades of being shipped to North America, the Great Pyrenees was recognized by the American Kennel Club. The Great Cambrian Shepherd’s other parent, the Welsh Sheepdog, is native to Wales where it has worked on farms for centuries. As its name suggests, it was originally bred to herd sheep and other types of livestock. In modern times, however, it has been largely replaced by more popular Border Collies. It has also been bred with the Border Collie, making the purebred Welsh Sheepdog extremely rare to come by outside of its native Wales. Though it is closely related to other types of Collies and Shepherd mixes recognized by the AKC, the Welsh Sheepdog is not currently on its roster of purebred dogs. The mating of these two parent breeds is unusual, but the result is an alert, eager, and loyal companion. The Cambrian Shepherd – like its Welsh parent – is not recognized by the AKC and still varies considerably in temperament and appearance because of unregulated breeding guidelines for the hybrid.

Great Cambrian Shepherd Breed Appearance

The Great Cambrian Shepherd is a large, yet agile animal. It typically weighs between 60 and 115 pounds. When full grown, the Great Cambrian Shepherd grow to be between 24 and 32 inches tall. It has sturdy and muscular builds, as well as level backs and broad chests. Its coat is ample and comes in many combinations of black, white, red, and brown with a possible merle pattern and various markings. The coat is generally straight, thick, and rough. Some Great Cambrian Shepherds are primarily one color – usually beige or brown – due to the Great Pyrenees influence. This breed also has a dense and soft under coat, which is typically a lighter base color. Its ears are medium in size, pricked, and triangular, with a slightly rounded tip. These dogs typically inherit the Welsh Sheepdog’s alert, round eyes and tapered muzzle.

Eye Color Possibilities
brown Great Cambrian Shepherd eyes
Brown
Nose Color Possibilities
black Great Cambrian Shepherd nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
black Great Cambrian Shepherd coat
Black
white Great Cambrian Shepherd coat
White
red Great Cambrian Shepherd coat
Red
brown Great Cambrian Shepherd coat
Brown
gray Great Cambrian Shepherd coat
Gray
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
Great Cambrian Shepherd straight coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Great Cambrian Shepherd Breed Maintenance

Great Cambrian Shepherds shed constantly, particularly during seasonal changes. Consistent brushing – every two weeks or so – with a pin or slicker brush can control shedding to some extent. However, brushing is also necessary to removing inevitable mats and tangles in this dog’s long and full coat. Great Cambrian Shepherds need a monthly bath, but should have their teeth brushed daily, and nails clipped once or twice a month. Owners may also want to consider using a dental rinse in their dog’s water to help prevent dental and gum infections. Beyond this, Great Cambrian Shepherds should also have their ears checked regularly for wax or moisture accumulation.

Brushes for Great Cambrian Shepherd
Pin Brush
Pin Brush
Slicker Brush
Slicker Brush
Comb
Comb
Nail Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
Great Cambrian Shepherd requires weekly brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Great Cambrian Shepherd Temperament

This hybrid’s temperament is dependent on the behavioral traits inherited from both parent breeds -   some will be more like the Great Pyrenees, others more like the Welsh Sheepdog. In general, however, the Great Cambrian Shepherd is known to be a host of paradoxes! It is active, yet calm, alert, yet patient, and playful, yet reserved. These seemingly contradictory traits make the Great Cambrian Shepherd a nice companion dog for families that love variety. This breed may, however, be wary of strangers at first. However, once the Great Cambrian Shepherd warms up, it can be quite friendly to those outside of its immediate circle. This dog usually gets along with other animals and can live comfortably in a multi-pet household; because of its large size, however, it should be monitored around very small or young companions. Great Cambrian Shepherds are not an aggressive breed, but they will be vocal if they are unsure of themselves or anticipate a threat. Lastly, this breed prefers to play outside in cool whether rather than indoors. When inside, it prefers to lounge around the house with family members or other pets.

Great Cambrian Shepherd Activity Requirements

Great Cambrian Shepherds have a fair amount of energy and require daily exercise to remain healthy. This breed prefers long walks and hiking in cool conditions with their owners. In fact, the Great Cambrian Shepherd thrives in colder climates because of its heavy coat. Depending on the dog’s individual personality, it may even enjoy the occasional romp in the dog park. If a Great Cambrian Shepherd inherits the Welsh Sheepdog’s playful side, it may also try to engage in play when inside the house (Great Pyrenees do not tend to do this). Beyond this, it loves to lay around indoors and spend time with its family members. Because of its size, Great Cambrian Shepherds need a lot of space – both inside and outside – and are better suited for larger homes in suburban or rural areas.

Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
9 miles
walk mileage
Minutes of Activity Per Day
45 minutes
activity minutes

Great Cambrian Shepherd Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
4 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$2.75 - $3.00
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$80.00 - $90.00
food bag monthly cost

Great Cambrian Shepherd Owner Experiences

Carlo
4 years
1 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Beautiful dog. Wary of strangers. Very friendly to people he knows
6 years, 11 months ago
Skyler
3 Years
5 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Runs on beach
Part of the family,playfull, easy to Train,loving,energetic, lazy, a real character,beautiful,loyal, caring,gloves watching animals on TV,amazing with kids. Great with other dogs-animals (horses) scared of cats cheif bird rounder up.
4 years, 6 months ago
Book me a walkiee?
Pweeeze!
Sketch of smiling australian shepherd