Australian Shepherd vs Rough Collie vs Samoyed – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Australian Shepherd vs Rough Collie vs Samoyed" Compare Australian Shepherd and Rough Collie. Which is better: Australian Shepherd or Rough Collie or Samoyed?

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

Name	Australian Shepherd	Rough Collie	Samoyed
Origins	United States	Scotland	Russia
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Sled Dogs
Popularity Rank	17	40	57
Reviews	1	3	4
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Other Names	Aussie, Little Blue Dog	Collie, Scottish Collie, Long-Haired Collie, English Collie, Lassie Dog	Samoyedskaya, Bjelkier, Samoiedskaya Sobaka, Nenetskaya Laika, Smiley, Sammy
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 1885 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1906 as a Working breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Spitz and primitive types group, in the Nordic Sledge Dogs 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	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	$400-$600	$1200-$1500

General Appearance - Australian Shepherd vs Rough Collie vs Samoyed

Size	Large	Large	Medium
Weight	Male: 50-65 pounds (25-29 kg), Female: 40-55 pounds (18-25 kg)	Male: 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg), Female: 53-65 pounds (24-29 kg)	Male: 45-65 pounds (20.5-30 kg), Female: 35-50 pounds (16-20.5 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 57.5 pounds (27 kg), Female: 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg)	Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 kg), Female: 57.5 pounds (26 kg)	Male: 55 pounds (25 kg), Female: 42.5 pounds (19 kg)
Height	Male: 20-23 inches (52-58cm), Female: 18-21 inches (46–53 cm)	Male: 24–26 inch (60–66 cm), Female: 22–24 inch (55–61 cm)	Male: 21-23.5 inches (53-60 cm), Female: 19-21 inches (48-53 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 21.5 inches (55 cm), Female: 19.5 inches (46–53 cm)	Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (58.5 cm)	Male: 21-23.5 inches (56.5 cm), Female: 20 inches (50.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Australian Shepherd vs Rough Collie vs Samoyed

Coat	Feathered	Rough Soft Thick Straight Harsh Furry	Dense
Colors	Red Blue Merle Black	Black & White & Tan Blue & Merle Blue & Merle & White Sable Sable & White White White & Merle Merle	Biscuit White Cream
Grooming	Average: The Australian Shepherd requires average grooming effort.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.	Advanced: The Samoyed requires a lot of grooming.
Shedding Level	Australian Shepherds shed moderately.	Rough Collies are heavy shedders.	Samoyeds are heavy shedders.

Characteristics - Australian Shepherd vs Rough Collie vs Samoyed

Temperament	Active Friendly Intelligent Loving Affectionate Good-natured Protective	Friendly Gentle Intelligent Loyal Protective Responsive Social Hard working Docile Obedient Elegant Herding	Alert Friendly Playful Stubborn Lively Intelligent Sociable
Intelligent Rank	Smart: Australian Shepherd's has great intelligence.	Very smart: Rough Collie is an excellent dog breed.	Smart: Samoyed's has great intelligence.
Trainability	Australian Shepherds are very easy to train.	Rough Collies are very easy to train.	Samoyeds are easy to train.
Playfulness	The Australian Shepherd is a highly playful breed.	The Rough Collie is a playful breed.	Samoyeds, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	Australian Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	Rough Collies don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	Samoyeds are less sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Australian Shepherds are highly affectionate dogs.	Rough Collies are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Samoyeds are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Australian Shepherds are a social breed.	Rough Collies need a lot of social interaction.	Samoyeds are a social breed.
Barking	Low to Average: The Australian Shepherd rarely barks.	Low to Average: The Rough Collie rarely barks.	Average: The Samoyed barks occasionally.
Watchdog Ability	Australian Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs.	Rough Collies are one of the best watchdogs.	Samoyeds are good watchdogs.
Territorial	Australian Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs.	Rough Collies are extremely protective guard dogs.	Samoyeds are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Low The Australian Shepherd has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Rough Collie has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Samoyed has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Australian Shepherds have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Rough Collies have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Samoyeds have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Australian Shepherds are not the biggest explorers.	Rough Collies are not the biggest explorers.	Wanderlust potential of the Samoyed is strong enough to escape from home.
Prey Drive	Australian Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Rough Collies have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Samoyeds have a high impulse to chase and catch something.
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.	Rough Collies are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Samoyeds are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.
Adaptability	Australian Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Rough Collies adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.	Samoyeds adapt well to lifestyle changes and different 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.	Rough Collies tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Samoyeds 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.
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 Rough Collie vs Samoyed

Stranger Friendly	Australian Shepherds are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	Rough Collies are stranger friendly dogs.	Samoyeds are average friendly towards strangers.
Child Friendly	Australian Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs.	Rough Collies are very kid-friendly dogs.	Samoyeds are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards cats.	Rough Collies are very cat-friendly dogs.	Samoyeds are average friendly towards cats.
Dog Friendly	Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards other dogs.	Rough Collies are dog-friendly dogs.	Samoyeds are dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Australian Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Rough Collie is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Samoyed is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Australian Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Rough Collies are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Samoyeds are one of the best breeds for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Australian Shepherds are generally with other pets.	Rough Collies are one of the friendliest dog breeds.	Samoyeds are generally with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Australian Shepherds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Rough Collies are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	Yes Samoyeds 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.	Not really This breed generally not used 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.	Not really This breed generally not used as a 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.	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)	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.	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.	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	Not really Australian Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Rough Collie breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Samoyed 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.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Australian Shepherd vs Rough Collie vs Samoyed

Health Issues	The Australian Shepherd is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Rough Collie is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Samoyed 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)	Collie Eye Anomaly Gray Collie Syndrome Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Drug Sensitivity Hip Dysplasia	Bloat Diabetes Hip Dysplasia Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Pulmonic Stenosis
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	14-16 years	12-14 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	Yes
Energy Level	Australian Shepherds are high energy dogs.	Rough Collies have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.	Samoyeds are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Australian Shepherds need a lot of exercises.	Rough Collies need quite a lot of exercise.	Samoyeds need quite a lot of exercise.
Sleeping Need	Australian Shepherds don't need too much sleep.	Rough Collies sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.	Samoyeds 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.	2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average to High.	Average.	Average to High.
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 cold weather conditions The Rough Collie can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers cold weather The Samoyed can adapt well to harsh weather conditions, and also can be a good mountain dog.
Stinkiness	Medium The Australian Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Rough Collie has an average chance of bad smell.	Low The Samoyed has a low chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Australian Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Rough Collie is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Samoyed is a perfect example for low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Australian Shepherd vs Rough Collie vs Samoyed

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	4-8 puppies	4-6 puppies
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