German Shepherd vs Golden Retriever – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between German Shepherd vs Golden Retriever"
Compare German Shepherd and Golden Retriever. Which is better: German Shepherd or Golden Retriever?
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| Name | German Shepherd | Golden Retriever |
|---|---|---|
| Origins |  Germany |  Scotland |
| Group | Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs) | Gun Dog |
| Popularity Rank | 2 | 3 |
| Reviews | 4 | 4 |
| Rate |
| Other Names | Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund | Yellow Retriever, Golden Flat Coat |
|---|---|---|
| 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 1925 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 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 |
| Price | $800-$2000 | $1000-$2000 |
General Appearance - German Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
| Size | Large | Large |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Male: 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg), Female: 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg) | Male: 60-80 pounds (27-36 kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg) |
| Avg. Weight | Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg) | Male: 70 pounds (31.5 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 (56-61cm), Female: 20-22 inches (51-56 cm) |
| Avg. Height | Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (57.5 cm) | Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 21 inches (53.5 cm) |
Hair & Care - German Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
| Coat | Fuzzy | Silky Wavy Shiny Straight |
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Silver Tan Red Black | Golden Light |
| Grooming | Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort. | Average: The Golden Retriever requires average grooming effort. |
| Shedding Level | German Shepherds are heavy shedders. | Golden Retrievers shed moderately. |
Characteristics - German Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
| Temperament | Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful | Confident Intelligent Reliable Friendly Kind Trustworthy |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Rank | Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds. | Outstanding: Golden Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds. |
| Trainability | German Shepherds are easy to train. | Golden Retrievers are easy to train. |
| Playfulness | German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing. | The Golden Retriever is a highly playful breed. |
| Sensitivity Level | German Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits. | Golden Retrievers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed. |
| Affection Level | German Shepherds are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. | Golden Retrievers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. |
| Social Needs | German Shepherds need for social interaction is average. | Golden Retrievers need a lot of social interaction. |
| Barking | Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks. | Low to Average: The Golden Retriever rarely barks. |
| Watchdog Ability | German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs. | Golden Retrievers are average watchdogs. |
| Territorial | German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs. | Golden Retrievers are average defenders. |
| Biting Potential |
High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody. |
Moderate The Golden Retriever has an average chance of biting somebody. |
| Mouthiness | German Shepherds have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. | Golden 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. | Golden Retrievers tend to escape less than other breeds. |
| Prey Drive | German Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds. | Golden Retrievers have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen. |
| 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. | Golden Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle. |
| Adaptability | German Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. | Golden 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. | Golden 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. |
Good With - German Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
| Stranger Friendly | German Shepherds are stranger friendly dogs. | Golden Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Child Friendly | German Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs. | Golden Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs. |
| Cat Friendly | German Shepherds are average friendly towards cats. | Golden Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs. |
| Dog Friendly | German Shepherds are not the most dog-friendly dogs. | Golden Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs. |
| Office Friendly |
No German Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
Yes Golden Retriever is one of the best dog breeds for office environment |
| Senior Citizens Friendly | German Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people. | Golden Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people. |
| Pet Friendly | German Shepherds are generally with other pets. | Golden 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. |
Yes Golden Retrievers are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going 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 |
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. |
| 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. |
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. |
Yes Golden 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. |
Health Factors - German Shepherd vs Golden Retriever
| Health Issues | German Shepherds are commonly healthy dogs. | Golden Retrievers 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 | Allergies Bloat Cataracts Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hemangiosarcoma Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Osteochondrosis Dissecans Osteosarcoma Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis Von Willebrand's Disease |
| Life Expectancy | 10-13 years | 10-12 years |
| Hypoallergenic | No | No |
| Energy Level | German Shepherds are high energy dogs. | Golden Retrievers are high energy dogs. |
| Exercise Need | German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise. | Golden Retrievers need a lot of exercises. |
| Sleeping Need | German Shepherds don't need too much sleep. | Golden 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. | 3 to 4 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. |
| Weight Gain Potential | Low to Average. | High: The Golden Retriever breed has a strong tendency to overweight. |
| Weather & Climate | Tolerates warm and cold weather. | Tolerates warm and cold weather. |
| Stinkiness |
Medium The German Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell. |
Medium The Golden Retriever has an average chance of bad smell. |
| Drooling tendency | The German Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. | The Golden Retriever 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 Golden Retriever
| 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 | 5-10 puppies |
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Reviews
- iotiufgm
May 27, 2020, 4:35:46 PM:
- Golden lover
Aug 6, 2020, 11:57:11 AM:
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Dec 11, 2020, 5:50:10 PM:
- hi
Jan 20, 2021, 3:37:00 PM:
- hi
Jan 20, 2021, 3:37:54 PM: