They're generally medium -
sized dogs with short hair, and you can tell them from other similarly sized dogs because they are muscular and solidly built, with a broad head and wide muzzle.
It is my impression, when visiting animal control or adoption agencies, that most medium to large
size dogs with straight,
short / medium length brown
hair coats are cast as German shepherds or shepherd mixes,
dogs with a black spot on their tongues are designated Chow mixes, and most medium
sized, stocky, broad headed, small eared
dogs with a
short hair coats are pit - bulls or pit - bull mixes.