Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever"
Compare Australian Shepherd and Golden Retriever. Which is better: Australian Shepherd or Golden Retriever?
![]() | ![]() |
Name | Australian Shepherd | Golden Retriever |
---|---|---|
Origins | ![]() | ![]() |
Group | Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs) | Gun Dog |
Popularity Rank | 17 | 3 |
Reviews | 2 | 4 |
Rate |
Other Names | Aussie, Little Blue Dog | Yellow Retriever, Golden Flat Coat |
---|---|---|
Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
AKC Group | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1991 as a Herding breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1925 as a Sporting breed. |
FCI Group | Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section. | Recognized by FCI in the Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs group, in the Retrievers section. |
Breed Recognition | American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Australian Shepherd 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 |
Price | $600-$800 | $1000-$2000 |
General Appearance - Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
Size | Large | Large |
---|---|---|
Weight | Male: 50-65 pounds (25-29 kg), Female: 40-55 pounds (18-25 kg) | Male: 60-80 pounds (27-36 kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg) |
Avg. Weight | Male: 57.5 pounds (27 kg), Female: 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg) | Male: 70 pounds (31.5 kg), Female: 62.5 pounds (28.5 kg) |
Height | Male: 20-23 inches (52-58cm), Female: 18-21 inches (46–53 cm) | Male: 22-24 inches (56-61cm), Female: 20-22 inches (51-56 cm) |
Avg. Height | Male: 21.5 inches (55 cm), Female: 19.5 inches (46–53 cm) | Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 21 inches (53.5 cm) |
Hair & Care - Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
Coat | Feathered | Silky Wavy Shiny Straight |
---|---|---|
Colors | Red Blue Merle Black | Golden Light |
Grooming | Average: The Australian Shepherd requires average grooming effort. | Average: The Golden Retriever requires average grooming effort. |
Shedding Level | Australian Shepherds shed moderately. | Golden Retrievers shed moderately. |
Characteristics - Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
Temperament | Active Friendly Intelligent Loving Affectionate Good-natured Protective | Confident Intelligent Reliable Friendly Kind Trustworthy |
---|---|---|
Intelligent Rank | Smart: Australian Shepherd's has great intelligence. | Outstanding: Golden Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds. |
Trainability | Australian Shepherds are very easy to train. | Golden Retrievers are easy to train. |
Playfulness | The Australian Shepherd is a highly playful breed. | The Golden Retriever is a highly playful breed. |
Sensitivity Level | Australian Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits. | Golden Retrievers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed. |
Affection Level | Australian Shepherds are highly affectionate dogs. | Golden Retrievers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. |
Social Needs | Australian Shepherds are a social breed. | Golden Retrievers need a lot of social interaction. |
Barking | Low to Average: The Australian Shepherd rarely barks. | Low to Average: The Golden Retriever rarely barks. |
Watchdog Ability | Australian Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs. | Golden Retrievers are average watchdogs. |
Territorial | Australian Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs. | Golden Retrievers are average defenders. |
Biting Potential |
Low The Australian Shepherd has a low chance of biting somebody. |
Moderate The Golden Retriever has an average chance of biting somebody. |
Mouthiness | Australian Shepherds have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. | Golden Retrievers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. |
Impulse to Wander or Roam | Australian Shepherds are not the biggest explorers. | Golden Retrievers tend to escape less than other breeds. |
Prey Drive | Australian Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds. | Golden Retrievers 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 | Australian 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. | Golden Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle. |
Adaptability | Australian Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. | Golden Retrievers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. |
Tolerates Being Left Alone | Australian Shepherds do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work. | Golden Retrievers 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. |
Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog. |
Good With - Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
Stranger Friendly | Australian Shepherds are not the most stranger friendly dogs. | Golden Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs. |
---|---|---|
Child Friendly | Australian Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs. | Golden Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs. |
Cat Friendly | Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards cats. | Golden Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs. |
Dog Friendly | Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards other dogs. | Golden Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs. |
Office Friendly |
No Australian Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
Yes Golden Retriever is one of the best dog breeds for office environment |
Senior Citizens Friendly | Australian Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people. | Golden Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people. |
Pet Friendly | Australian Shepherds are generally with other pets. | Golden Retrievers are usually friendly towards other pets. |
Good For First Time Owners |
No Australian Shepherds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality. |
Yes Golden Retrievers are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality. |
Service Dog |
Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog. |
Yes This breed makes good as a service dog. |
Therapy Dog |
Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog. |
Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog. |
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog |
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. |
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. |
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR) |
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. |
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. |
Boat Dog |
Not really Australian Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat. |
Yes Golden Retriever breed usually likes 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. |
Health Factors - Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
Health Issues | The Australian Shepherd is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly. | Golden Retrievers are commonly healthy dogs. |
---|---|---|
Health Problems | Allergies Cancer Cataracts Collie Eye Anomaly Deafness Detached Retina Distichiasis Drug Sensitivity Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Nasal Solar Dermatitis Osteochondrosis Dissecans Persistent Pupillary Membranes Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) | Allergies Bloat Cataracts Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hemangiosarcoma Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Osteochondrosis Dissecans Osteosarcoma Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis Von Willebrand's Disease |
Life Expectancy | 12-15 years | 10-12 years |
Hypoallergenic | No | No |
Energy Level | Australian Shepherds are high energy dogs. | Golden Retrievers are high energy dogs. |
Exercise Need | Australian Shepherds need a lot of exercises. | Golden Retrievers need a lot of exercises. |
Sleeping Need | Australian Shepherds don't need too much sleep. | Golden Retrievers don't need too much sleep. |
Avg. daily food consumption | 1.5 to 2.5 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. |
Weight Gain Potential | Average to High. | High: The Golden Retriever breed has a strong tendency to overweight. |
Weather & Climate |
Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Australian Shepherd can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog. | Tolerates warm and cold weather. |
Stinkiness |
Medium The Australian Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell. |
Medium The Golden Retriever has an average chance of bad smell. |
Drooling tendency | The Australian Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. | The Golden Retriever drools quite a lot, so if you dislike being covered by slobber spots on your clothes, you may want to choose another dog breed. |
Reproducibility - Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
Gestation Length | 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. |
Litter Size | 6-9 puppies, average 7 | 5-10 puppies |
Popular Dog Compares
Sharing is caring.
Help our free service by spreading information about dog breeds.
Link to this: Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
<a href="https://dogell.com/en/compare-dog-breeds/australian-shepherd-vs-golden-retriever">Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever – Which one is a better dog breed for you?</a>
Help our free service by spreading information about dog breeds.
Link to this: Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
<a href="https://dogell.com/en/compare-dog-breeds/australian-shepherd-vs-golden-retriever">Australian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever – Which one is a better dog breed for you?</a>