Dachshund vs German Shepherd vs St. Bernard – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Dachshund vs German Shepherd vs St. Bernard" Compare Dachshund and German Shepherd. Which is better: Dachshund or German Shepherd or St. Bernard?

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

Name	Dachshund	German Shepherd	St. Bernard
Origins	Germany	Germany	Switzerland Italy
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Hunting Dogs	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Working Dogs
Popularity Rank	13	2	48
Reviews	1	1	1
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Other Names	Teckel, Tekkel, Tekkel Doxie, Weenie Dog, Sausage Dog, Bassotto, Worshond	Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund	St. Hubert Hound, Chien St. Hubert, Sleuth Hound, St. Bernhardshund, Bernhardiner
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885 as a Hound breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885 as a Working breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Dachshunds group, in the section.	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Not recognized by FCI.
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 Canadian Canine Registry	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	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	$500-$700	$800-$2000	$1500-$1800

General Appearance - Dachshund vs German Shepherd vs St. Bernard

Size	Small	Large	Giant
Weight	Toy: 8-11 pounds (3.5-5.0 kg)Standard: 16-32 pounds (7-15 kg), Miniature: 12 pounds (5.5 kg)	Male: 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg), Female: 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg)	110-200 pounds (50-91 kg)
Avg. Weight	Toy: 9.5 pounds (3.5-5.0 kg)Standard: 24 pounds (11 kg), Miniature: 12 pounds (5.5 kg)	Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg)	155 pounds (70.5 kg)
Height	Toy: 12 inches (30 cm)Standard: 8-11 inches (20-27 cm), Miniature: 5-7 inches (13-18 cm)	Male: 24-26 inches (60-65 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (55-60 cm)	25.5-27.5 inches (61-70 cm)
Avg. Height	Toy: 12 inches (30 cm)Standard: 9.5 inches (23.5 cm), Miniature: 6 inches (15.5 cm)	Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (57.5 cm)	25.5-27.5 inches (65.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Dachshund vs German Shepherd vs St. Bernard

Coat	Fine	Fuzzy	Dense Rough Smooth
Colors	Blue Red White Tan Brown Silver Black	Silver Tan Red Black	Brown Red White Brindle Tricolor Black
Grooming	Easy to groom: The Dachshund doesn't require a lot of grooming.	Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort.	Average: The St.
Shedding Level	Dachshunds shed none to minimal.	German Shepherds are heavy shedders.	St.

Characteristics - Dachshund vs German Shepherd vs St. Bernard

Temperament	Clever Devoted Playful Courageous Lively Stubborn	Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful	Friendly Independent Going Social Gentle Happy Quiet
Intelligent Rank	Average: Dachshund's has average obedience intelligence.	Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one.
Trainability	Dachshunds are easy to train.	German Shepherds are easy to train.	St.
Playfulness	Dachshunds, like any other dog breed, like playing.	German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing.	St.
Sensitivity Level	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.	St.
Affection Level	Dachshunds 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.	St.
Social Needs	Dachshunds are a social breed.	German Shepherds need for social interaction is average.	St.
Barking	High: The Dachshund is a very vocal breed.	Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks.	Low: The St.
Watchdog Ability	Dachshunds are average watchdogs.	German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs.	St.
Territorial	Dachshunds are average defenders.	German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs.	St.
Biting Potential	Low The Dachshund has a low chance of biting somebody.	High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody.	Moderate The St.
Mouthiness	Dachshunds have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	German Shepherds have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	St.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Dachshunds have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world.	German Shepherds are not the biggest explorers.	St.
Prey Drive	Dachshunds have a high impulse to chase and catch something.	German Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	St.
Apartment Friendly	Dachshunds are apartment-friendly dogs.	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.	St.
Adaptability	Dachshunds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	German Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	St.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Dachshunds 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.	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.	St.
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.	Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat dog.

Good With - Dachshund vs German Shepherd vs St. Bernard

Stranger Friendly	Dachshunds are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	German Shepherds are stranger friendly dogs.	St.
Child Friendly	Dachshunds are not the most kid-friendly dogs.	German Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs.	St.
Cat Friendly	Dachshunds are average friendly towards cats.	German Shepherds are average friendly towards cats.	St.
Dog Friendly	Dachshunds are not the most dog-friendly dogs.	German Shepherds are not the most dog-friendly dogs.	St.
Office Friendly	No Dachshund is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No German Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No St.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Dachshunds are not the best breed for elderly people.	German Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	St.
Pet Friendly	Dachshunds are generally with other pets.	German Shepherds are generally with other pets.	St.
Good For First Time Owners	No Dachshunds 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.	No St.
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	Yes This breed makes a perfect 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.	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.	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 Dachshund breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really German Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really St.
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.	Yes A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Dachshund vs German Shepherd vs St. Bernard

Health Issues	The Dachshund is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	German Shepherds are commonly healthy dogs.	Very healthy dog breed.
Health Problems	Acanthosis Nigricans Baldness Bloat Cancer Canine Diabetes Mellitus Cushing's Syndrome Deafness Demodectic Mange Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Intervertebral Disk Disease Legg-perthes Disease Lymphocytic Thyroiditis Mitral Valve Disease Narcolepsy 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	Allergies Bloat Cataracts Dilated Cardiomyopathy Elbow Dysplasia Entropion Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	10-13 years	8-10 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	No
Energy Level	Dachshunds 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.	St.
Exercise Need	Dachshunds have an average exercise need.	German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise.	St.
Sleeping Need	Dachshunds 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.	St.
Avg. daily food consumption	1 to 1.5 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.	6 to 8 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	High: The Dachshund breed has a strong tendency to overweight.	Low to Average.	Average to High.
Weather & Climate	Prefers warm weather	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.
Stinkiness	Low The Dachshund has a low chance of bad smell.	Medium The German Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell.	High The St.
Drooling tendency	The Dachshund is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The German Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The St.

Reproducibility - Dachshund vs German Shepherd vs St. Bernard

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