Australian Shepherd vs Pointer vs Labrador Retriever – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between Australian Shepherd vs Pointer vs Labrador Retriever"
Compare Australian Shepherd and Pointer. Which is better: Australian Shepherd or Pointer or Labrador Retriever?
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| Name | Australian Shepherd | Pointer | Labrador Retriever |
|---|---|---|---|
| Origins |  United States |  England | England  Canada |
| Group | Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs) | Gun Dog | Gun Dog |
| Popularity Rank | 17 | 113 | 1 |
| Reviews | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Rate |
| Other Names | Aussie, Little Blue Dog | English Pointer | Labrador, Lab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred | Purebred |
| AKC Group | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1991 as a Herding breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1878 as a Sporting breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917 as a Sporting breed. |
| FCI Group | Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section. | Not recognized by FCI. | 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 | No set | 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 | $600-$800 | $400-$500 | $1000-$2000 |
General Appearance - Australian Shepherd vs Pointer vs Labrador Retriever
| Size | Large | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | Male: 50-65 pounds (25-29 kg), Female: 40-55 pounds (18-25 kg) | 44-66 pounds (20-30 kg) | Male: 60-75 pounds (27-34kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg) |
| Avg. Weight | Male: 57.5 pounds (27 kg), Female: 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg) | 55 pounds (25 kg) | Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 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 (55-62 cm), Female: 21-24 inches (54-60 cm) | Male: 22-24 inches (56-61cm), Female: 21-23 inches (53-58 cm) |
| Avg. Height | Male: 21.5 inches (55 cm), Female: 19.5 inches (46–53 cm) | Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 22.5 inches (57 cm) | Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 22 inches (55.5 cm) |
Hair & Care - Australian Shepherd vs Pointer vs Labrador Retriever
| Coat | Feathered | Dense | Dense Waterproof Hard Short |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colors | Red Blue Merle Black | White Brown Yellow Black | Yellow Chocolate Black |
| Grooming | Average: The Australian Shepherd requires average grooming effort. | Effortless: The Pointer requires minimal grooming. | Effortless: The Labrador Retriever requires minimal grooming. |
| Shedding Level | Australian Shepherds shed moderately. | Pointers shed none to minimal. | Labrador Retrievers shed moderately. |
Characteristics - Australian Shepherd vs Pointer vs Labrador Retriever
| Temperament | Active Friendly Intelligent Loving Affectionate Good-natured Protective | Active Amiable Kind Intelligent Affectionate Outright Tempered Loyal | Affectionate Cheerful Friendly Intelligent Loyal Playful Social Alert Energetic Gentle Loving Going Responsive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Rank | Smart: Australian Shepherd's has great intelligence. | Average: Pointer's has average obedience intelligence. | Outstanding: Labrador Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds. |
| Trainability | Australian Shepherds are very easy to train. | Pointers are very easy to train. | Labrador Retrievers are very easy to train. |
| Playfulness | The Australian Shepherd is a highly playful breed. | The Pointer is a highly playful breed. | The Labrador Retriever is a highly playful breed. |
| Sensitivity Level | Australian Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits. | Pointers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed. | Labrador Retrievers don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits. |
| Affection Level | Australian Shepherds are highly affectionate dogs. | Pointers are highly affectionate dogs. | Labrador Retrievers may seem unfriendly sometimes due to their independence. |
| Social Needs | Australian Shepherds are a social breed. | Pointers need for social interaction is average. | Labrador Retrievers need a lot of social interaction. |
| Barking | Low to Average: The Australian Shepherd rarely barks. | Average: The Pointer barks occasionally. | Average: The Labrador Retriever barks occasionally. |
| Watchdog Ability | Australian Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs. | Pointers are good watchdogs. | Labrador Retrievers are average watchdogs. |
| Territorial | Australian Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs. | Pointers strongly protect their territory. | Labrador Retrievers are average defenders. |
| Biting Potential |
Low The Australian Shepherd has a low chance of biting somebody. |
Low The Pointer has a low chance of biting somebody. |
Moderate The Labrador 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. | Pointers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. | Labrador 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. | Pointers have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world. | Labrador Retrievers have average wanderlust potential. |
| Prey Drive | Australian Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds. | Pointers have a high impulse to chase and catch something. | Labrador Retrievers have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals. |
| 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. | Pointers are not apartment-friendly dogs. | Labrador Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle. |
| Adaptability | Australian Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. | Pointers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. | Labrador 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. | Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner. | Labrador 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. |
Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog. |
Good With - Australian Shepherd vs Pointer vs Labrador Retriever
| Stranger Friendly | Australian Shepherds are not the most stranger friendly dogs. | Pointers are not the most stranger friendly dogs. | Labrador Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child Friendly | Australian Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs. | Pointers are very kid-friendly dogs. | Labrador Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs. |
| Cat Friendly | Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards cats. | Pointers are not cat-friendly dogs. | Labrador Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs. |
| Dog Friendly | Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards other dogs. | Pointers are very dog-friendly dogs. | Labrador Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs. |
| Office Friendly |
No Australian Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
No Pointer is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
No Labrador Retriever is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
| Senior Citizens Friendly | Australian Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people. | Pointers are one of the best breeds for elderly people. | Labrador Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people. |
| Pet Friendly | Australian Shepherds are generally with other pets. | Pointers do best when they’re the only pet at the family. | Labrador 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 Pointers are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality. |
No Labrador Retrievers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality. |
| Service Dog |
Not really This breed generally not used as a 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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
Not really Pointer breed usually doesn't like being on a boat. |
Yes Labrador 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. |
Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling. |
Health Factors - Australian Shepherd vs Pointer vs Labrador Retriever
| Health Issues | The Australian Shepherd is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly. | Pointers tend to have a lot and frequent health issues. | The Labrador Retriever is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No set | Acute Moist Dermatitis Bloat Cataracts Cold Tail Ear Infections Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Myopathy Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia |
| Life Expectancy | 12-15 years | 12-15 years | 10-12 years |
| Hypoallergenic | No | No | No |
| Energy Level | Australian Shepherds are high energy dogs. | Pointers are high energy dogs. | Labrador Retrievers are high energy dogs. |
| Exercise Need | Australian Shepherds need a lot of exercises. | Pointers need a lot of exercises. | Labrador Retrievers need a lot of exercises. |
| Sleeping Need | Australian Shepherds don't need too much sleep. | Pointers don't need too much sleep. | Labrador 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. | 2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. | Recommended daily amount: 2.5 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. |
| Weight Gain Potential | Average to High. | Average. | High: The Labrador 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. | Prefers average to warm weather conditions | Tolerates warm and cold weather. |
| Stinkiness |
Medium The Australian Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell. |
Medium The Pointer has an average chance of bad smell. |
High The Labrador Retriever has a high chance of bad smell. |
| Drooling tendency | The Australian Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. | The Pointer is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. | The Labrador Retriever is an average drooler. |
Reproducibility - Australian Shepherd vs Pointer vs Labrador Retriever
| 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 | 6-9 puppies, average 7 | 4-6 puppies | 5-10 puppies |
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