Border Terrier vs Border Collie vs German Shepherd – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Border Terrier vs Border Collie vs German Shepherd" Compare Border Terrier and Border Collie. Which is better: Border Terrier or Border Collie or German Shepherd?

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

Name	Border Terrier	Border Collie	German Shepherd
Origins	England Scotland	England Scotland Wales	Germany
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Hunting Dogs	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)
Popularity Rank	92	38	2
Reviews	0	8	4
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Other Names	Russian Bear Schnauzer, Munich Schnauzer, Munchener, Riesenschnauzer	Scotch Sheep Dog, Sheepdog	Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Not recognized by the American Kennel Club.	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 Terriers group, in the Large and medium sized Terriers section.	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 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 Border Terrier Club Of America, Inc. Club Espanol De Terriers	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	$1200-$1400	$600-$800	$800-$2000

General Appearance - Border Terrier vs Border Collie vs German Shepherd

Size	Small	Large	Large
Weight	Males 13-16 pounds (6-7 kg), Female: 11-14 pounds (5-6 kg)	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	Males 14.5 pounds (6.5 kg), Female: 12.5 pounds (5.5 kg)	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: 13-16 inches (33-41 cm), Female: 11-14 inches (28-36 cm)	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: 14.5 inches (37 cm), Female: 12.5 inches (32 cm)	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 Terrier vs Border Collie vs German Shepherd

Coat	Rough	Dense Feathered Straight Short Moderately Long	Fuzzy
Colors	Blue Tan Red Grizzle Wheaten	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 Terrier requires average grooming effort.	Average: The Border Collie requires average grooming effort.	Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort.
Shedding Level	Border Terriers shed none to minimal.	Border Collies shed moderately.	German Shepherds are heavy shedders.

Characteristics - Border Terrier vs Border Collie vs German Shepherd

Temperament	Affectionate Outright Tempered Intelligent Alert Fearless Obedient	Intelligent Alert Tenacious Protective Energetic Responsive Loyal	Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful
Intelligent Rank	Smart: Border Terrier's has great intelligence.	Outstanding: Border Collie is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds.
Trainability	Border Terriers are easy to train.	Border Collies are easy to train.	German Shepherds are easy to train.
Playfulness	Border Terriers, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The Border Collie is a highly playful breed.	German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	Border Terriers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	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 Terriers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	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 Terriers need for social interaction is average.	Border Collies need a lot of social interaction.	German Shepherds need for social interaction is average.
Barking	Average to high: The Border Terrier is a vocal breed.	Low to Average: The Border Collie rarely barks.	Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks.
Watchdog Ability	Border Terriers are good watchdogs.	Border Collies are one of the best watchdogs.	German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs.
Territorial	Border Terriers are extremely protective guard dogs.	Border Collies are extremely protective guard dogs.	German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Low The Border Terrier has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Border Collie has a low chance of biting somebody.	High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Border Terriers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	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	Wanderlust potential of the Border Terrier is strong enough to escape from home.	Border Collies have average wanderlust potential.	German Shepherds are not the biggest explorers.
Prey Drive	Border Terriers have a high impulse to chase and catch something.	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 Terriers are very apartment-friendly dogs.	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 Terriers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	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	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.	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.	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 Terrier vs Border Collie vs German Shepherd

Stranger Friendly	Border Terriers are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	Border Collies are average friendly towards strangers.	German Shepherds are stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Border Terriers are very kid-friendly dogs.	Border Collies are very kid-friendly dogs.	German Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Border Terriers are not the most cat-friendly dogs.	Border Collies are average friendly towards cats.	German Shepherds are average friendly towards cats.
Dog Friendly	Border Terriers are not the most dog-friendly dogs.	Border Collies are average friendly towards other dogs.	German Shepherds are not the most dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Border Terrier is not the best dog breed for office environment.	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 Terriers are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	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 Terriers usually don’t get on well with other pets.	Border Collies are generally with other pets.	German Shepherds are generally with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	Yes Border Terriers are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.	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	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Yes This breed makes good 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.	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 Border Terrier breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	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.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Border Terrier vs Border Collie vs German Shepherd

Health Issues	The Border Terrier is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	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	Cryptorchidism Heart Murmurs Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Malocclusions Patellar Luxation Pulmonic Stenosis Seizures	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	12-15 years	10-13 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	Yes	No	No
Energy Level	Border Terriers have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Border Collies are high energy dogs.	German Shepherds are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Border Terriers have an average exercise need.	Border Collies need a lot of exercises.	German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise.
Sleeping Need	Border Terriers are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Border Collies don't need too much sleep.	German Shepherds don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	1 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	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	High: The Border Terrier breed has a strong tendency to overweight.	Average.	Low to Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Border Terrier can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	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 Terrier has an average chance of bad smell.	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 Terrier is a perfect example for very low 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 Terrier vs Border Collie vs German Shepherd

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	2-8 puppies	4-8 puppies	6-10 puppies
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