German Shepherd vs Dalmatian vs Labrador Retriever – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between German Shepherd vs Dalmatian vs Labrador Retriever" Compare German Shepherd and Dalmatian. Which is better: German Shepherd or Dalmatian or Labrador Retriever?

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

Name	German Shepherd	Dalmatian	Labrador Retriever
Origins	Germany	Croatia	England Canada
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Companion Dogs	Gun Dog
Popularity Rank	2	63	1
Reviews	4	1	3
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Other Names	Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund	Dal, Dally, Carriage Dog, Spotted Coach Dog, Firehouse Dog, Plum Pudding Dog	Labrador, Lab
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1888 as a Non-Sporting breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917 as a Sporting breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Scent hounds and related breeds group, in the Related breeds section.	Recognized by FCI in the Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs group, in the Retrievers 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 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	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
Price	$800-$2000	$500-$600	$1000-$2000

General Appearance - German Shepherd vs Dalmatian vs Labrador Retriever

Size	Large	Large	Large
Weight	Male: 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg), Female: 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg)	about 55 pounds (25 kg)	Male: 60-75 pounds (27-34kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg)	about 55 pounds (25 kg)	Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 kg), Female: 62.5 pounds (28.5 kg)
Height	Male: 24-26 inches (60-65 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (55-60 cm)	Male: 22 - 24 inches (50 – 60 cm), Female: 20 - 22 inches (50 - 55 cm)	Male: 22-24 inches (56-61cm), Female: 21-23 inches (53-58 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (57.5 cm)	Male: 22 - 24 inches (50 – 60 cm), Female: 20 - 22 inches (50 - 55 cm)	Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 22 inches (55.5 cm)

Hair & Care - German Shepherd vs Dalmatian vs Labrador Retriever

Coat	Fuzzy	Fine	Dense Waterproof Hard Short
Colors	Silver Tan Red Black	White Liver Brown Black	Yellow Chocolate Black
Grooming	Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort.	Effortless: The Dalmatian requires minimal grooming.	Effortless: The Labrador Retriever requires minimal grooming.
Shedding Level	German Shepherds are heavy shedders.	Dalmatians are heavy shedders.	Labrador Retrievers shed moderately.

Characteristics - German Shepherd vs Dalmatian vs Labrador Retriever

Temperament	Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful	Active Friendly Outgoing Sensitive Energetic Intelligent Playful	Affectionate Cheerful Friendly Intelligent Loyal Playful Social Alert Energetic Gentle Loving Going Responsive
Intelligent Rank	Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Smart: Dalmatian's has great intelligence.	Outstanding: Labrador Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds.
Trainability	German Shepherds are easy to train.	Dalmatians are quite easy to train.	Labrador Retrievers are very easy to train.
Playfulness	German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The Dalmatian is a highly playful breed.	The Labrador Retriever is a highly playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	German Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	Labrador Retrievers don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.
Affection Level	German Shepherds are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Dalmatians are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Labrador Retrievers may seem unfriendly sometimes due to their independence.
Social Needs	German Shepherds need for social interaction is average.	Dalmatians need a lot of social interaction.	Labrador Retrievers need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks.	Average: The Dalmatian barks occasionally.	Average: The Labrador Retriever barks occasionally.
Watchdog Ability	German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs.	Dalmatians are average watchdogs.	Labrador Retrievers are average watchdogs.
Territorial	German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs.	Dalmatians are average defenders.	Labrador Retrievers are average defenders.
Biting Potential	High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody.	Low The Dalmatian has a low chance of biting somebody.	Moderate The Labrador Retriever has an average chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	German Shepherds have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Dalmatians have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Labrador Retrievers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	German Shepherds are not the biggest explorers.	Wanderlust potential of the Dalmatian is strong enough to escape from home.	Labrador Retrievers have average wanderlust potential.
Prey Drive	German Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Dalmatians have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.	Labrador Retrievers have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.
Apartment Friendly	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.	Dalmatians are not apartment-friendly dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.
Adaptability	German Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Dalmatians adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Labrador Retrievers 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.	Dalmatians tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Labrador Retrievers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
Fighting Dog	Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat 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.

Good With - German Shepherd vs Dalmatian vs Labrador Retriever

Stranger Friendly	German Shepherds are stranger friendly dogs.	Dalmatians are average friendly towards strangers.	Labrador Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	German Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs.	Dalmatians are very kid-friendly dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	German Shepherds are average friendly towards cats.	Dalmatians are average friendly towards cats.	Labrador Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	German Shepherds are not the most dog-friendly dogs.	Dalmatians are very dog-friendly dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No German Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Dalmatian is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Labrador Retriever is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	German Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Dalmatians are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Labrador Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	German Shepherds are generally with other pets.	Dalmatians are generally with other pets.	Labrador Retrievers are usually friendly towards other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No German Shepherds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Dalmatians are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Labrador Retrievers 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.	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.	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.	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)	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.	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 German Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Dalmatian breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Yes Labrador Retriever breed usually likes 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 - German Shepherd vs Dalmatian vs Labrador Retriever

Health Issues	German Shepherds are commonly healthy dogs.	Dalmatians are commonly healthy dogs.	The Labrador Retriever is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	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 Deafness Hip Dysplasia Iris Sphincter Dysplasia Skin Allergies Urolithiasis	Acute Moist Dermatitis Bloat Cataracts Cold Tail Ear Infections Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Myopathy Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia
Life Expectancy	10-13 years	12-14 years	10-12 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	No
Energy Level	German Shepherds are high energy dogs.	Dalmatians are high energy dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise.	Dalmatians need a lot of exercises.	Labrador Retrievers need a lot of exercises.
Sleeping Need	German Shepherds don't need too much sleep.	Dalmatians don't need too much sleep.	Labrador Retrievers don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	3 to 4 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	Recommended daily amount: 1.5 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	Recommended daily amount: 2.5 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Low to Average.	Average to High.	High: The Labrador Retriever breed has a strong tendency to overweight.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.
Stinkiness	Medium The German Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell.	Low The Dalmatian has a low chance of bad smell.	High The Labrador Retriever has a high chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The German Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Dalmatian is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Labrador Retriever is an average drooler.

Reproducibility - German Shepherd vs Dalmatian vs Labrador Retriever

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	6-10 puppies	6-9 puppies	5-10 puppies
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