German Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between German Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher"
Compare German Shepherd and Doberman Pinscher. Which is better: German Shepherd or Doberman Pinscher?
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| Name | German Shepherd | Doberman Pinscher |
|---|---|---|
| Origins |  Germany | Germany |
| Group | Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs) | Working Dogs |
| Popularity Rank | 2 | 16 |
| Reviews | 3 | 1 |
| Rate |
| Other Names | Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund | Dobie, Dobermann, Dobynm, Doberman |
|---|---|---|
| Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
| AKC Group | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Herding breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Working breed. |
| FCI Group | Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section. | Recognized by FCI in the Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs group, in the Pinscher and Schnauzer type 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 New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry |
| Price | $800-$2000 | $800-$1000 |
General Appearance - German Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher
| Size | Large | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Male: 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg), Female: 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg) | Male: 88-99 pounds (40-45 kg), Female: 71-77 pounds (32-35 kg) |
| Avg. Weight | Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg) | Male: 93.5 pounds (42.5 kg), Female: 74 pounds (33.5 kg) |
| Height | Male: 24-26 inches (60-65 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (55-60 cm) | Male: 26-28 inches (66-71cm), Female: 24-26 inches (61-66 cm) |
| Avg. Height | Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (57.5 cm) | Male: 27 inches (68.5 cm), Female: 25 inches (63.5 cm) |
Hair & Care - German Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher
| Coat | Fuzzy | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver Tan Red Black | Blue Red Tan Brown White Black |
| Grooming | Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort. | Easy to groom: The Doberman Pinscher doesn't require a lot of grooming. |
| Shedding Level | German Shepherds are heavy shedders. | Doberman Pinschers shed moderately. |
Characteristics - German Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher
| Temperament | Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful | Alert Fearless Loyal Energetic Intelligent Obedient |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Rank | Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds. | Outstanding: Doberman Pinscher is one of the brightest dog breeds. |
| Trainability | German Shepherds are easy to train. | Doberman Pinschers are quite easy to train. |
| Playfulness | German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing. | Doberman Pinschers, like any other dog breed, like playing. |
| Sensitivity Level | German Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits. | Doberman Pinschers 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. | Doberman Pinschers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. |
| Social Needs | German Shepherds need for social interaction is average. | Doberman Pinschers need for social interaction is average. |
| Barking | Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks. | Low to Average: The Doberman Pinscher rarely barks. |
| Watchdog Ability | German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs. | Doberman Pinschers are one of the best watchdogs. |
| Territorial | German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs. | Doberman Pinschers are extremely protective guard dogs. |
| Biting Potential |
High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody. |
Moderate The Doberman Pinscher has an average chance of biting somebody. |
| Mouthiness | German Shepherds have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. | Doberman Pinschers have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. |
| Impulse to Wander or Roam | German Shepherds are not the biggest explorers. | Doberman Pinschers tend to escape less than other breeds. |
| Prey Drive | German Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds. | Doberman Pinschers don't have an impulse to catch or chase small animals. |
| 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. | Doberman Pinschers are very apartment-friendly dogs. |
| Adaptability | German Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. | Doberman Pinschers 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. | 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. |
Good With - German Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher
| Stranger Friendly | German Shepherds are stranger friendly dogs. | Doberman Pinschers are not stranger friendly dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Child Friendly | German Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs. | Doberman Pinschers are average friendly dogs towards children. |
| Cat Friendly | German Shepherds are average friendly towards cats. | Doberman Pinschers are average friendly towards cats. |
| Dog Friendly | German Shepherds are not the most dog-friendly dogs. | Doberman Pinschers are not the most dog-friendly dogs. |
| Office Friendly |
No German Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
No Doberman Pinscher is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
| Senior Citizens Friendly | German Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people. | Doberman Pinschers are commonly okay with elderly people. |
| Pet Friendly | German Shepherds are generally with other pets. | Doberman Pinschers are generally with other pets. |
| Good For First Time Owners |
No German Shepherds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality. |
No Doberman Pinschers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality. |
| 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. |
Not really This breed generally not used as a 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. |
| 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. |
| Boat Dog |
Not really German Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat. |
Not really Doberman Pinscher 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 - German Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher
| Health Issues | German Shepherds are commonly healthy dogs. | Doberman Pinschers are commonly healthy dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Cardiomyopathy Hip Dysplasia Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Von Willebrand's Disease Wobbler's Syndrome |
| Life Expectancy | 10-13 years | 10-12 years |
| Hypoallergenic | No | No |
| Energy Level | German Shepherds are high energy dogs. | Doberman Pinschers have a higher energy level than other dog breeds. |
| Exercise Need | German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise. | Doberman Pinschers need quite a lot of exercise. |
| Sleeping Need | German Shepherds don't need too much sleep. | Doberman Pinschers sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed. |
| Avg. daily food consumption | 3 to 4 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. | 5 to 6 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. |
| Weight Gain Potential | Low to Average. | Average. |
| Weather & Climate | Tolerates warm and cold weather. | Prefers warm weather |
| Stinkiness |
Medium The German Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell. |
Medium The Doberman Pinscher has an average chance of bad smell. |
| Drooling tendency | The German Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. | The Doberman Pinscher drools quite a lot, so if you dislike being covered by slobber spots on your clothes, you may want to choose another dog breed. |
Reproducibility - German Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher
| 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 | 6-10 puppies | 6-10 puppies |
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Reviews
- Cam
Sep 18, 2019, 8:00:42 PM:
This was really helpful and had all the info I wanted
- Tim
Sep 19, 2019, 3:59:26 PM:
Utter nonsense regarding the Doberman and its sniffer potential and prey drive. Honestly. Also, a Doberman struggles in the heat above 25, and below 3 ,,, give or take.
- Tim
Sep 19, 2019, 4:04:45 PM:
See YouTube channel Black n Tan for a look at the Dobes prey drive and sniffing abilities. A Doberman is a brilliant sniffer. And much faster at sniff hunting than other dogs.
- German shepherd
Apr 24, 2020, 2:43:06 PM:
Great