Cane Corso vs Rottweiler vs German Shepherd – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Cane Corso vs Rottweiler vs German Shepherd" Compare Cane Corso and Rottweiler. Which is better: Cane Corso or Rottweiler or German Shepherd?

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

Name	Cane Corso	Rottweiler	German Shepherd
Origins	Italy	Germany	Germany
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Working Dogs	Working Dogs	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)
Popularity Rank	37	8	2
Reviews	2	5	4
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Other Names	Cane Corz, Italian Mastiff, Cane Di Macellaio	Rottie, Rott	Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2010 as a Working breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1931 as a Working breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Herding breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs group, in the Molossian type section.	Recognized by FCI in the Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs group, in the Molossian type 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 North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. National 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 Colonial Rottweiler Club Deutscher Rottweiler Klub International Rottweiler 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 German Shepherd Dog Club Of America
Price	$1500-$2000	$1200-$2000	$800-$2000

General Appearance - Cane Corso vs Rottweiler vs German Shepherd

Size	Large	Large Giant	Large
Weight	Male: 99-110 pounds (45-50 kg), Female: 88-99 pounds (40-45 kg)	Male: 95-130 pounds (43-59 kg), Female: 85-115 pounds (38-52 kg)	Male: 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg), Female: 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 104.5 pounds (47.5 kg), Female: 93.5 pounds (42.5 kg)	Male: 112.5 pounds (51 kg), Female: 100 pounds (45 kg)	Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg)
Height	Male: 24-27 inches (64-68 cm), Female: 23-25 inches (60-64 cm)	Male: 24-27 inches (61-69 cm), Female: 22-25 inches (56-63 cm)	Male: 24-26 inches (60-65 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (55-60 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 25.5 inches (66 cm), Female: 24 inches (62 cm)	Male: 25.5 inches (65 cm), Female: 23.5 inches (59.5 cm)	Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (57.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Cane Corso vs Rottweiler vs German Shepherd

Coat	Dense	Dense	Fuzzy
Colors	Chestnut Brindle Gray Red Fawn Black	Mahogany Tan Rust Black	Silver Tan Red Black
Grooming	Effortless: The Cane Corso requires minimal grooming.	Effortless: The Rottweiler requires minimal grooming.	Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort.
Shedding Level	Cane Corsos shed moderately.	Rottweilers shed moderately.	German Shepherds are heavy shedders.

Characteristics - Cane Corso vs Rottweiler vs German Shepherd

Temperament	Cheerful Loyal Social Courageous Quiet	Alert Fearless Independent Loyal Courageous Good-natured Intelligent Protective	Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful
Intelligent Rank	Average: Cane Corso's has average obedience intelligence.	Outstanding: Rottweiler is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds.
Trainability	Cane Corsos are easy to train.	Rottweilers are easy to train.	German Shepherds are easy to train.
Playfulness	Cane Corsos, like any other dog breed, like playing.	Rottweilers, like any other dog breed, like playing.	German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	Cane Corsos have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	German Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.
Affection Level	Cane Corsos are average dogs regarding their affection level.	Rottweilers are average dogs regarding their affection level.	German Shepherds are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Cane Corsos are a social breed.	Rottweilers need a lot of social interaction.	German Shepherds need for social interaction is average.
Barking	Low: The Cane Corso barks none to minimal.	Low: The Rottweiler barks none to minimal.	Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks.
Watchdog Ability	Cane Corsos are one of the best watchdogs.	Rottweilers are one of the best watchdogs.	German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs.
Territorial	Cane Corsos are extremely protective guard dogs.	Rottweilers are extremely protective guard dogs.	German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Moderate The Cane Corso has an average chance of biting somebody.	High The Rottweiler has a high chance of biting somebody.	High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Cane Corsos have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Rottweilers 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	Cane Corsos tend to escape less than other breeds.	Rottweilers tend to escape less than other breeds.	German Shepherds are not the biggest explorers.
Prey Drive	Cane Corsos have a high impulse to chase and catch something.	Rottweilers have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	German Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Cane Corsos are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	Rottweilers are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	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	Cane Corsos don't adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.	Rottweilers 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	Cane Corsos 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.	Rottweilers 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	Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat 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 - Cane Corso vs Rottweiler vs German Shepherd

Stranger Friendly	Cane Corsos are not stranger friendly dogs.	Rottweilers are not stranger friendly dogs.	German Shepherds are stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Cane Corsos are average friendly dogs towards children.	Rottweilers are not the most kid-friendly dogs.	German Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Cane Corsos are not cat-friendly dogs.	Rottweilers are average friendly towards cats.	German Shepherds are average friendly towards cats.
Dog Friendly	Cane Corsos are average friendly towards other dogs.	Rottweilers are not dog-friendly.	German Shepherds are not the most dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Cane Corso is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Rottweiler is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No German Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Cane Corsos are commonly okay with elderly people.	Rottweilers are not the best breed for elderly people.	German Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Cane Corsos do best when they’re the only pet at the family.	Rottweilers are generally with other pets.	German Shepherds are generally with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Cane Corsos are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Rottweilers 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.	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.	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 Cane Corso breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Rottweiler 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.	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 - Cane Corso vs Rottweiler vs German Shepherd

Health Issues	Cane Corsos are commonly healthy dogs.	The Rottweiler 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	Arthritis Bloat Cherry Eye Demodectic Mange Ectropion Entropion Hip Dysplasia	Allergies Aortic Stenosis Bloat Elbow Dysplasia Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Osteosarcoma Panosteitis Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis	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	10-11 years	8-11 years	10-13 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	No
Energy Level	Cane Corsos have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Rottweilers have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	German Shepherds are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Cane Corsos have an average exercise need.	Rottweilers have an average exercise need.	German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise.
Sleeping Need	Cane Corsos are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Rottweilers are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	German Shepherds don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	Recommended daily amount: If you are feeding a high-quality dry food, your Corso will probably eat 4 to 5 cups a day.	Recommended daily amount: 4 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 to High.	High: The Rottweiler breed has a strong tendency to overweight.	Low to Average.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Prefers average to warm weather conditions	Tolerates warm and cold weather.
Stinkiness	Medium The Cane Corso has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Rottweiler has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The German Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Cane Corso 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 Rottweiler 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 - Cane Corso vs Rottweiler 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	4-6 puppies	8-12 puppies	6-10 puppies
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