Boerboel vs German Shepherd – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between Boerboel vs German Shepherd"
Compare Boerboel and German Shepherd. Which is better: Boerboel or German Shepherd?
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| Name | Boerboel | German Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Origins |  South Africa |  Germany |
| Group | Working Dogs | Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs) |
| Popularity Rank | 124 | 2 |
| Reviews | 1 | 4 |
| Rate |
| Other Names | South African Boerboel, South African Mastiff | Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund |
|---|---|---|
| Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
| AKC Group | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2015 as a Working breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Herding breed. |
| FCI Group | Not recognized by FCI. | Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section. |
| Breed Recognition |
American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. North American Purebred Registry, Inc. |
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 |
| Price | $1500-$2000 | $800-$2000 |
General Appearance - Boerboel vs German Shepherd
| Size |
Large Giant | Large |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 154-200 pounds (70-90 kg) | Male: 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg), Female: 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg) |
| Avg. Weight | 177 pounds (80 kg) | Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg) |
| Height | Male: 25-28 inches (64-70 cm), Female: 23-25.5 inches (59-65 cm) | Male: 24-26 inches (60-65 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (55-60 cm) |
| Avg. Height | Male: 26.5 inches (67 cm), Female: 23-25.5 inches (62 cm) | Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (57.5 cm) |
Hair & Care - Boerboel vs German Shepherd
| Coat |
Dense Shiny Smooth | Fuzzy |
|---|---|---|
| Colors |
Brindle Cream Reddish Brown Red Tawny |
Silver Tan Red Black |
| Grooming | Effortless: The Boerboel requires minimal grooming. | Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort. |
| Shedding Level | Boerboels shed moderately. | German Shepherds are heavy shedders. |
Characteristics - Boerboel vs German Shepherd
| Temperament |
Confident Intelligent Territorial Dominant Obedient |
Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Rank | Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one. | Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds. |
| Trainability | Boerboels are quite easy to train. | German Shepherds are easy to train. |
| Playfulness | Boerboels, like any other dog breed, like playing. | German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing. |
| Sensitivity Level | Boerboels have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed. | German Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits. |
| Affection Level | Boerboels are average dogs regarding their affection level. | German Shepherds are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. |
| Social Needs | Boerboels need for social interaction is average. | German Shepherds need for social interaction is average. |
| Barking | Low to Average: The Boerboel rarely barks. | Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks. |
| Watchdog Ability | Boerboels are one of the best watchdogs. | German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs. |
| Territorial | Boerboels are extremely protective guard dogs. | German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs. |
| Biting Potential |
Low The Boerboel has a low chance of biting somebody. |
High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody. |
| Mouthiness | Boerboels have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. | German Shepherds have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. |
| Impulse to Wander or Roam | Wanderlust potential of the Boerboel is strong enough to escape from home. | German Shepherds are not the biggest explorers. |
| Prey Drive | Boerboels 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. | German Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds. |
| Apartment Friendly | Boerboels 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. |
| Adaptability | Boerboels adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually. | German Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. |
| Tolerates Being Left Alone | Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner. | Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner. |
| Fighting 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 - Boerboel vs German Shepherd
| Stranger Friendly | Boerboels are not the most stranger friendly dogs. | German Shepherds are stranger friendly dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Child Friendly | Boerboels are kid-friendly dogs. | German Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs. |
| Cat Friendly | Boerboels are not the most cat-friendly dogs. | German Shepherds are average friendly towards cats. |
| Dog Friendly | Boerboels are not the most dog-friendly dogs. | German Shepherds are not the most dog-friendly dogs. |
| Office Friendly |
No Boerboel is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
No German Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
| Senior Citizens Friendly | Boerboels are usually recommended for elderly people. | German Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people. |
| Pet Friendly | Boerboels usually don’t get on well with other pets. | German Shepherds are generally with other pets. |
| Good For First Time Owners |
Yes Boerboels are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality. |
No German Shepherds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn 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 Boerboel breed usually doesn't like being on a boat. |
Not really German Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat. |
| Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog |
Yes 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 - Boerboel vs German Shepherd
| Health Issues | Boerboels tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds. | German Shepherds are commonly healthy dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Health Problems |
Allergies Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Joint Dysplasia Vaginal Hyperplasia |
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 |
| Life Expectancy | 10-12 years | 10-13 years |
| Hypoallergenic | No | No |
| Energy Level | Boerboels have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you. | German Shepherds are high energy dogs. |
| Exercise Need | Boerboels need quite a lot of exercise. | German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise. |
| Sleeping Need | Boerboels sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed. | German Shepherds don't need too much sleep. |
| Avg. daily food consumption | 8 to 10 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. | Low to Average. |
| Weather & Climate | Tolerates warm and cold weather. | Tolerates warm and cold weather. |
| Stinkiness |
Medium The Boerboel has an average chance of bad smell. |
Medium The German Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell. |
| Drooling tendency | The Boerboel drools quite a lot, so if you dislike being covered by slobber spots on your clothes, you may want to choose another dog breed. | The German Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. |
Reproducibility - Boerboel vs German Shepherd
| 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 | 7-10 puppies | 6-10 puppies |
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Reviews
- Jackson
Feb 1, 2021, 11:43:09 AM:
Fair comparison.It has helped me decide which to go for as a family dog.