Dalmatian vs German Shepherd – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between Dalmatian vs German Shepherd"
Compare Dalmatian and German Shepherd. Which is better: Dalmatian or German Shepherd?
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| Name | Dalmatian | German Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Origins |  Croatia |  Germany |
| Group | Companion Dogs | Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs) |
| Popularity Rank | 63 | 2 |
| Reviews | 1 | 4 |
| Rate |
| Other Names | Dal, Dally, Carriage Dog, Spotted Coach Dog, Firehouse Dog, Plum Pudding Dog | Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund |
|---|---|---|
| Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
| AKC Group | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1888 as a Non-Sporting breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Herding breed. |
| FCI Group | Recognized by FCI in the Scent hounds and related breeds group, in the Related breeds 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 |
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 | $500-$600 | $800-$2000 |
General Appearance - Dalmatian vs German Shepherd
| Size | Large | Large |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | about 55 pounds (25 kg) | Male: 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg), Female: 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg) |
| Avg. Weight | about 55 pounds (25 kg) | Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg) |
| Height | Male: 22 - 24 inches (50 – 60 cm), Female: 20 - 22 inches (50 - 55 cm) | Male: 24-26 inches (60-65 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (55-60 cm) |
| Avg. Height | Male: 22 - 24 inches (50 – 60 cm), Female: 20 - 22 inches (50 - 55 cm) | Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (57.5 cm) |
Hair & Care - Dalmatian vs German Shepherd
| Coat | Fine | Fuzzy |
|---|---|---|
| Colors |
White Liver Brown Black |
Silver Tan Red Black |
| Grooming | Effortless: The Dalmatian requires minimal grooming. | Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort. |
| Shedding Level | Dalmatians are heavy shedders. | German Shepherds are heavy shedders. |
Characteristics - Dalmatian vs German Shepherd
| Temperament |
Active Friendly Outgoing Sensitive Energetic Intelligent Playful |
Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Rank | Smart: Dalmatian's has great intelligence. | Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds. |
| Trainability | Dalmatians are quite easy to train. | German Shepherds are easy to train. |
| Playfulness | The Dalmatian is a highly playful breed. | German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing. |
| 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. |
| Affection Level | Dalmatians 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 | Dalmatians need a lot of social interaction. | German Shepherds need for social interaction is average. |
| Barking | Average: The Dalmatian barks occasionally. | Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks. |
| Watchdog Ability | Dalmatians are average watchdogs. | German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs. |
| Territorial | Dalmatians are average defenders. | German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs. |
| Biting Potential |
Low The Dalmatian has a low chance of biting somebody. |
High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody. |
| Mouthiness | Dalmatians have lower 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. |
| Impulse to Wander or Roam | Wanderlust potential of the Dalmatian is strong enough to escape from home. | German Shepherds are not the biggest explorers. |
| Prey Drive | Dalmatians have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals. | German Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds. |
| Apartment Friendly | Dalmatians are not 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. |
| Adaptability | Dalmatians 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 | Dalmatians 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 - Dalmatian vs German Shepherd
| Stranger Friendly | Dalmatians are average friendly towards strangers. | German Shepherds are stranger friendly dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Child Friendly | Dalmatians are very kid-friendly dogs. | German Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs. |
| Cat Friendly | Dalmatians are average friendly towards cats. | German Shepherds are average friendly towards cats. |
| Dog Friendly | Dalmatians are very dog-friendly dogs. | German Shepherds are not the most dog-friendly dogs. |
| Office Friendly |
No Dalmatian is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
No German Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
| Senior Citizens Friendly | Dalmatians are one of the best breeds for elderly people. | German Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people. |
| Pet Friendly | Dalmatians are generally with other pets. | German Shepherds are generally with other pets. |
| Good For First Time Owners |
No Dalmatians 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 |
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 Dalmatian 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 - Dalmatian vs German Shepherd
| Health Issues | Dalmatians are commonly healthy dogs. | German Shepherds are commonly healthy dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Health Problems |
Allergies Deafness Hip Dysplasia Iris Sphincter Dysplasia Skin Allergies Urolithiasis |
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 | 12-14 years | 10-13 years |
| Hypoallergenic | No | No |
| Energy Level | Dalmatians are high energy dogs. | German Shepherds are high energy dogs. |
| Exercise Need | Dalmatians need a lot of exercises. | German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise. |
| Sleeping Need | Dalmatians don't need too much sleep. | German Shepherds don't need too much sleep. |
| Avg. daily food consumption | Recommended daily amount: 1.5 to 2 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. | Low to Average. |
| Weather & Climate | Tolerates warm and cold weather. | Tolerates warm and cold weather. |
| Stinkiness |
Low The Dalmatian has a low chance of bad smell. |
Medium The German Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell. |
| Drooling tendency | The Dalmatian is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. | The German Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. |
Reproducibility - Dalmatian 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 | 6-9 puppies | 6-10 puppies |
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Reviews
- Vikki
Oct 6, 2020, 6:33:00 PM:
I have a German shepherd dog the only thing that is wrong in this site that my dog barks a lot. What makes me worried about my dog is the long list of diseases that he can have