Labrador Retriever vs German Shepherd vs Boxer – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Labrador Retriever vs German Shepherd vs Boxer" Compare Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd. Which is better: Labrador Retriever or German Shepherd or Boxer?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Labrador Retriever	German Shepherd	Boxer
Origins	England Canada	Germany	Germany
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Gun Dog	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Working Dogs
Popularity Rank	1	2	11
Reviews	3	4	1
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Other Names	Labrador, Lab	Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund	German Boxer, Deutscher Boxer
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917 as a Sporting breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1904 as a Working breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs group, in the Retrievers section.	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs group, in the Molossian type section.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club German Shepherd Dog Club Of America	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry
Price	$1000-$2000	$800-$2000	$600-$1200

General Appearance - Labrador Retriever vs German Shepherd vs Boxer

Size	Large	Large	Medium
Weight	Male: 60-75 pounds (27-34kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg)	Male: 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg), Female: 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg)	Male: 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg), Female: 53-65 pounds (24-29 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 kg), Female: 62.5 pounds (28.5 kg)	Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg)	Male: 65 pounds (29.5 kg), Female: 59 pounds (26.5 kg)
Height	Male: 22-24 inches (56-61cm), Female: 21-23 inches (53-58 cm)	Male: 24-26 inches (60-65 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (55-60 cm)	Male: 22-25 inches (56-63 cm), Female: 21-24 inches (53-61 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 22 inches (55.5 cm)	Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (57.5 cm)	Male: 23.5 inches (59.5 cm), Female: 22.5 inches (57 cm)

Hair & Care - Labrador Retriever vs German Shepherd vs Boxer

Coat	Dense Waterproof Hard Short	Fuzzy	Waterproof
Colors	Yellow Chocolate Black	Silver Tan Red Black	Brindle White Fawn
Grooming	Effortless: The Labrador Retriever requires minimal grooming.	Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort.	Effortless: The Boxer requires minimal grooming.
Shedding Level	Labrador Retrievers shed moderately.	German Shepherds are heavy shedders.	Boxers shed moderately.

Characteristics - Labrador Retriever vs German Shepherd vs Boxer

Temperament	Affectionate Cheerful Friendly Intelligent Loyal Playful Social Alert Energetic Gentle Loving Going Responsive	Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful	Brave Confident Fearless Intelligent Playful Bright Energetic Friendly Loyal
Intelligent Rank	Outstanding: Labrador Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Average: Boxer's has average obedience intelligence.
Trainability	Labrador Retrievers are very easy to train.	German Shepherds are easy to train.	Boxers are quite easy to train.
Playfulness	The Labrador Retriever is a highly playful breed.	German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The Boxer is a playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	Labrador Retrievers don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	German Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Labrador Retrievers may seem unfriendly sometimes due to their independence.	German Shepherds are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Boxers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Labrador Retrievers need a lot of social interaction.	German Shepherds need for social interaction is average.	Boxers need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	Average: The Labrador Retriever barks occasionally.	Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks.	Low to Average: The Boxer rarely barks.
Watchdog Ability	Labrador Retrievers are average watchdogs.	German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs.	Boxers are one of the best watchdogs.
Territorial	Labrador Retrievers are average defenders.	German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs.	Boxers are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Moderate The Labrador Retriever has an average chance of biting somebody.	High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody.	Low The Boxer has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Labrador Retrievers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	German Shepherds have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Boxers have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Labrador Retrievers have average wanderlust potential.	German Shepherds are not the biggest explorers.	Boxers have average wanderlust potential.
Prey Drive	Labrador Retrievers have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.	German Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Boxers have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.
Apartment Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	German Shepherds are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Boxers are apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Labrador Retrievers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	German Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Boxers adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Labrador Retrievers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.	Boxers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat dog.	Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat dog.

Good With - Labrador Retriever vs German Shepherd vs Boxer

Stranger Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs.	German Shepherds are stranger friendly dogs.	Boxers are average friendly towards strangers.
Child Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs.	German Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs.	Boxers are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs.	German Shepherds are average friendly towards cats.	Boxers are average friendly towards cats.
Dog Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs.	German Shepherds are not the most dog-friendly dogs.	Boxers are not the most dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Labrador Retriever is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No German Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Boxer is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	German Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Boxers are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are usually friendly towards other pets.	German Shepherds are generally with other pets.	Boxers are generally with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Labrador Retrievers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No German Shepherds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Boxers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Yes A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Yes A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Yes The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Yes The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Yes Labrador Retriever breed usually likes being on a boat.	Not really German Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Boxer breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Yes A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Labrador Retriever vs German Shepherd vs Boxer

Health Issues	The Labrador Retriever is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	German Shepherds are commonly healthy dogs.	The Boxer is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Acute Moist Dermatitis Bloat Cataracts Cold Tail Ear Infections Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Myopathy Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia	Allergies Blindness Bloat Cancer Cataracts Cherry Eye Chronic Diarrhea Cruciate Ligament Rupture Cushing's Syndrome Degenerative Myelopathy Demodectic Mange Diabetes Digestive Problems Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency Heart Disease Hemophilia A Hemophilia B Hip Dysplasia Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy Lens Luxation Lupus Megaesophagus Myasthenia Gravis Nail Bed Disease Osteochondrosis Pannus Panosteitis Paralysis Perianal Fistula Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Retinal Dysplasia Seborrhea Vitiligo Von Willebrand's Disease Wobbler's Syndrome	Allergies Aortic Stenosis Bloat Boxer Cardiomyopathy Cancer Corneal Dystrophy Deafness Demodectic Mange Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism
Life Expectancy	10-12 years	10-13 years	10-12 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	No
Energy Level	Labrador Retrievers are high energy dogs.	German Shepherds are high energy dogs.	Boxers are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Labrador Retrievers need a lot of exercises.	German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise.	Boxers need quite a lot of exercise.
Sleeping Need	Labrador Retrievers don't need too much sleep.	German Shepherds don't need too much sleep.	Boxers don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	Recommended daily amount: 2.5 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	3 to 4 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	Recommended daily amount: 2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	High: The Labrador Retriever breed has a strong tendency to overweight.	Low to Average.	Average to High.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Prefers average to warm weather conditions
Stinkiness	High The Labrador Retriever has a high chance of bad smell.	Medium The German Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell.	High The Boxer has a high chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Labrador Retriever is an average drooler.	The German Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Boxer is a perfect example for low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Labrador Retriever vs German Shepherd vs Boxer

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	5-10 puppies	6-10 puppies	2-10 puppies, average 6
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