Border Collie vs German Shepherd – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between Border Collie vs German Shepherd"
Compare Border Collie and German Shepherd. Which is better: Border Collie or German Shepherd?
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| Name | Border Collie | German Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Origins |  England Scotland Wales |  Germany |
| Group | Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs) | Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs) |
| Popularity Rank | 38 | 2 |
| Reviews | 10 | 4 |
| Rate |
| Other Names | Scotch Sheep Dog, Sheepdog | Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund |
|---|---|---|
| Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
| AKC Group | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1995 as a Herding breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Herding 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. |
| Breed Recognition |
American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry 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 The American Int. Border Collie Registry The American Border Collie Association |
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 | $600-$800 | $800-$2000 |
General Appearance - Border Collie vs German Shepherd
| Size | Large | Large |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Male: 30-45 pounds (14-20 kg), Female: 27-42 pounds (12-19 kg) | Male: 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg), Female: 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg) |
| Avg. Weight | Male: 37.5 pounds (17 kg), Female: 34.5 pounds (15.5 kg) | Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg) |
| Height | Male: 19-22 inches (48-56 cm), Female: 18-21 inches (46-53 cm) | Male: 24-26 inches (60-65 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (55-60 cm) |
| Avg. Height | Male: 20.5 inches (52 cm), Female: 19.5 inches (49.5 cm) | Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (57.5 cm) |
Hair & Care - Border Collie vs German Shepherd
| Coat |
Dense Feathered Straight Short Moderately Long | Fuzzy |
|---|---|---|
| Colors |
Black & White Tricolor Tan Blue merle Blue merle-tricolor Slate merle Red merle Black Brindle Gold Lilac Red Sable Sable Merle Saddleback Sable White & Blue White & Blue Merle White & Red White & Red Merle White Ticked Seal Slate White & Gold White & Sable White & Seal |
Silver Tan Red Black |
| Grooming | Average: The Border Collie requires average grooming effort. | Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort. |
| Shedding Level | Border Collies shed moderately. | German Shepherds are heavy shedders. |
Characteristics - Border Collie vs German Shepherd
| Temperament |
Intelligent Alert Tenacious Protective Energetic Responsive Loyal |
Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Rank | Outstanding: Border Collie is one of the brightest dog breeds. | Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds. |
| Trainability | Border Collies are easy to train. | German Shepherds are easy to train. |
| Playfulness | The Border Collie is a highly playful breed. | German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing. |
| Sensitivity Level | Border Collies 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. |
| Affection Level | Border Collies are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. | German Shepherds are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. |
| Social Needs | Border Collies need a lot of social interaction. | German Shepherds need for social interaction is average. |
| Barking | Low to Average: The Border Collie rarely barks. | Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks. |
| Watchdog Ability | Border Collies are one of the best watchdogs. | German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs. |
| Territorial | Border Collies are extremely protective guard dogs. | German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs. |
| Biting Potential |
Low The Border Collie has a low chance of biting somebody. |
High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody. |
| Mouthiness | Border Collies 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. |
| Impulse to Wander or Roam | Border Collies have average wanderlust potential. | German Shepherds are not the biggest explorers. |
| Prey Drive | Border Collies 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 | Border Collies 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 | Border Collies adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. | German Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. |
| Tolerates Being Left Alone | Border Collies 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. |
| 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. |
Good With - Border Collie vs German Shepherd
| Stranger Friendly | Border Collies are average friendly towards strangers. | German Shepherds are stranger friendly dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Child Friendly | Border Collies are very kid-friendly dogs. | German Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs. |
| Cat Friendly | Border Collies are average friendly towards cats. | German Shepherds are average friendly towards cats. |
| Dog Friendly | Border Collies are average friendly towards other dogs. | German Shepherds are not the most dog-friendly dogs. |
| Office Friendly |
No Border Collie is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
No German Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
| Senior Citizens Friendly | Border Collies are one of the best breeds for elderly people. | German Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people. |
| Pet Friendly | Border Collies are generally with other pets. | German Shepherds are generally with other pets. |
| Good For First Time Owners |
No Border Collies 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. |
| Service Dog |
Yes This breed makes good as a service dog. |
Yes This breed makes good as a service dog. |
| Therapy Dog |
Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog. |
Yes This breed makes a perfect 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. |
| 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. |
| Boat Dog |
Not really Border Collie 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 |
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 - Border Collie vs German Shepherd
| Health Issues | The Border Collie is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly. | German Shepherds are commonly healthy dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Health Problems |
Allergies Collie Eye Anomaly Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) |
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 | 12-15 years | 10-13 years |
| Hypoallergenic | No | No |
| Energy Level | Border Collies are high energy dogs. | German Shepherds are high energy dogs. |
| Exercise Need | Border Collies need a lot of exercises. | German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise. |
| Sleeping Need | Border Collies don't need too much sleep. | German Shepherds don't need too much sleep. |
| Avg. daily food consumption | 1.5 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two or three 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 |
Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Border Collie 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 Border Collie has an average chance of bad smell. |
Medium The German Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell. |
| Drooling tendency | The Border Collie is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. | The German Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. |
Reproducibility - Border Collie 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 | 4-8 puppies | 6-10 puppies |
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Rate This Comparsion - Border Collie vs German Shepherd
Reviews
- Border collie
Dec 20, 2019, 7:59:59 PM:
Bella is extremely friendly with kids of all ages and loves to play!
- Michael
Apr 29, 2020, 1:47:50 AM:
Having both in the household, my opinion is the GSD is more inclined to do as its told, he is younger still in the puppy phase, still suffers from losing concentration and focus, but still more likely to do as he is told
- German Shepard
Apr 17, 2021, 10:17:12 PM: