Golden Retriever vs Border Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Golden Retriever vs Border Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog" Compare Golden Retriever and Border Collie. Which is better: Golden Retriever or Border Collie or Australian Cattle Dog?

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

Name	Golden Retriever	Border Collie	Australian Cattle Dog
Origins	Scotland	England Scotland Wales	Australia
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Gun Dog	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)
Popularity Rank	3	38	56
Reviews	5	10	4
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Other Names	Yellow Retriever, Golden Flat Coat	Scotch Sheep Dog, Sheepdog	Queensland Heeler, Blue Heeler, Hall39;s Heeler, ACD, Cattle Dog, Red Heeler
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1925 as a Sporting breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1995 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1980 as a Herding breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs group, in the Retrievers section.	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) 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 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 The American Int. Border Collie Registry The American Border Collie Association	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	$1000-$2000	$600-$800	$500-$700

General Appearance - Golden Retriever vs Border Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog

Size	Large	Large	Medium
Weight	Male: 60-80 pounds (27-36 kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg)	Male: 30-45 pounds (14-20 kg), Female: 27-42 pounds (12-19 kg)	30-62 pounds (13-28 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 70 pounds (31.5 kg), Female: 62.5 pounds (28.5 kg)	Male: 37.5 pounds (17 kg), Female: 34.5 pounds (15.5 kg)	46 pounds (20.5 kg)
Height	Male: 22-24 inches (56-61cm), Female: 20-22 inches (51-56 cm)	Male: 19-22 inches (48-56 cm), Female: 18-21 inches (46-53 cm)	Male: 17-20 inches (43-51 cm), Female: 17-19 inches (43-48 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 21 inches (53.5 cm)	Male: 20.5 inches (52 cm), Female: 19.5 inches (49.5 cm)	Male: 18.5 inches (47 cm), Female: 18 inches (45.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Golden Retriever vs Border Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog

Coat	Silky Wavy Shiny Straight	Dense Feathered Straight Short Moderately Long	Dense
Colors	Golden Light	Black & White Tricolor Tan Blue merle Blue merle-tricolor Slate merle Red merle Black Brindle Gold Lilac Red Sable Sable Merle Saddleback Sable White & Blue White & Blue Merle White & Red White & Red Merle White Ticked Seal Slate White & Gold White & Sable White & Seal	Blue Speckled Red Mottled
Grooming	Average: The Golden Retriever requires average grooming effort.	Average: The Border Collie requires average grooming effort.	Effortless: The Australian Cattle Dog requires minimal grooming.
Shedding Level	Golden Retrievers shed moderately.	Border Collies shed moderately.	Australian Cattle Dogs shed moderately.

Characteristics - Golden Retriever vs Border Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog

Temperament	Confident Intelligent Reliable Friendly Kind Trustworthy	Intelligent Alert Tenacious Protective Energetic Responsive Loyal	Aggressive Energetic Loyal Responsive Alert Intelligent Protective
Intelligent Rank	Outstanding: Golden Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Outstanding: Border Collie is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Outstanding: Australian Cattle Dog is one of the brightest dog breeds.
Trainability	Golden Retrievers are easy to train.	Border Collies are easy to train.	Australian Cattle Dogs are easy to train.
Playfulness	The Golden Retriever is a highly playful breed.	The Border Collie is a highly playful breed.	The Australian Cattle Dog is a highly playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	Golden Retrievers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	Border Collies don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Golden Retrievers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Border Collies are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Australian Cattle Dogs are average dogs regarding their affection level.
Social Needs	Golden Retrievers need a lot of social interaction.	Border Collies need a lot of social interaction.	Australian Cattle Dogs need for social interaction is average.
Barking	Low to Average: The Golden Retriever rarely barks.	Low to Average: The Border Collie rarely barks.	Low to Average: The Australian Cattle Dog rarely barks.
Watchdog Ability	Golden Retrievers are average watchdogs.	Border Collies are one of the best watchdogs.	Australian Cattle Dogs are one of the best watchdogs.
Territorial	Golden Retrievers are average defenders.	Border Collies are extremely protective guard dogs.	Australian Cattle Dogs are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Moderate The Golden Retriever has an average chance of biting somebody.	Low The Border Collie has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Australian Cattle Dog has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Golden Retrievers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Border Collies have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Australian Cattle Dogs have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Golden Retrievers tend to escape less than other breeds.	Border Collies have average wanderlust potential.	Wanderlust potential of the Australian Cattle Dog is strong enough to escape from home.
Prey Drive	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.	Border Collies 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.	Australian Cattle Dogs have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Golden Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	Border Collies are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	Australian Cattle Dogs are not apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Golden Retrievers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Border Collies adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Australian Cattle Dogs adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Golden Retrievers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Border Collies 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.	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 - Golden Retriever vs Border Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog

Stranger Friendly	Golden Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs.	Border Collies are average friendly towards strangers.	Australian Cattle Dogs are not the most stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Golden Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs.	Border Collies are very kid-friendly dogs.	Australian Cattle Dogs are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Golden Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs.	Border Collies are average friendly towards cats.	Australian Cattle Dogs are average friendly towards cats.
Dog Friendly	Golden Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs.	Border Collies are average friendly towards other dogs.	Australian Cattle Dogs are average friendly towards other dogs.
Office Friendly	Yes Golden Retriever is one of the best dog breeds for office environment	No Border Collie is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Australian Cattle Dog is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Golden Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Border Collies are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Australian Cattle Dogs are one of the best breeds for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Golden Retrievers are usually friendly towards other pets.	Border Collies are generally with other pets.	Australian Cattle Dogs are generally with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	Yes Golden Retrievers are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.	No Border Collies are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Australian Cattle Dogs 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.	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.	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.	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.	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	Yes Golden Retriever breed usually likes being on a boat.	Not really Border Collie breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Australian Cattle Dog 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.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Golden Retriever vs Border Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog

Health Issues	Golden Retrievers are commonly healthy dogs.	The Border Collie is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Australian Cattle Dog is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Allergies Bloat Cataracts Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hemangiosarcoma Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Osteochondrosis Dissecans Osteosarcoma Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis Von Willebrand's Disease	Allergies Collie Eye Anomaly Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)	Deafness Hip Dysplasia Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
Life Expectancy	10-12 years	12-15 years	12-15 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	No
Energy Level	Golden Retrievers are high energy dogs.	Border Collies are high energy dogs.	Australian Cattle Dogs are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Golden Retrievers need a lot of exercises.	Border Collies need a lot of exercises.	Australian Cattle Dogs need a lot of exercises.
Sleeping Need	Golden Retrievers don't need too much sleep.	Border Collies don't need too much sleep.	Australian Cattle Dogs 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.	1.5 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two or three meals.	1.5 to 2.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	High: The Golden Retriever breed has a strong tendency to overweight.	Average.	Average to High.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Border Collie can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Australian Cattle Dog can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.
Stinkiness	Medium The Golden Retriever has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Border Collie has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Australian Cattle Dog has an average chance of bad smell.
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.	The Border Collie is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Australian Cattle Dog is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Golden Retriever vs Border Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog

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	5-10 puppies	4-8 puppies	1-7 puppies, average 5
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