Rough Collie vs Smooth Collie vs German Shepherd – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Rough Collie vs Smooth Collie vs German Shepherd" Compare Rough Collie and Smooth Collie. Which is better: Rough Collie or Smooth Collie or German Shepherd?

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

Name	Rough Collie	Smooth Collie	German Shepherd
Origins	Scotland	Scotland	Germany
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)
Popularity Rank	40	354	2
Reviews	2	0	1
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Other Names	Collie, Scottish Collie, Long-Haired Collie, English Collie, Lassie Dog	Short-Haired Collie	Alsatian, Berger Allemand, Alsatian wolf dog (UK), Deutscher Schäferhund, Schäferhund
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Herding breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Not recognized by FCI.	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	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	$400-$600	$400-$600	$800-$2000

General Appearance - Rough Collie vs Smooth Collie vs German Shepherd

Size	Large	Large	Large
Weight	Male: 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg), Female: 53-65 pounds (24-29 kg)	Male: 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg), Female: 53-65 pounds (24-29 kg)	Male: 66-88 pounds (30-40 kg), Female: 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 kg), Female: 57.5 pounds (26 kg)	Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 kg), Female: 57.5 pounds (26 kg)	Male: 77 pounds (35 kg), Female: 60 pounds (27 kg)
Height	Male: 24–26 inch (60–66 cm), Female: 22–24 inch (55–61 cm)	Male: 24–26 inch (60–66 cm), Female: 22–24 inch (55–61 cm)	Male: 24-26 inches (60-65 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (55-60 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (58.5 cm)	Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (58.5 cm)	Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (57.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Rough Collie vs Smooth Collie vs German Shepherd

Coat	Rough Soft Thick Straight Harsh Furry	Dense Thick Flat	Fuzzy
Colors	Black & White & Tan Blue & Merle Blue & Merle & White Sable Sable & White White White & Merle Merle	Black & White & Tan Blue & Merle Blue & Merle & White Sable Sable & White White White & Merle Merle	Silver Tan Red Black
Grooming	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.	Average: The German Shepherd requires average grooming effort.
Shedding Level	Rough Collies are heavy shedders.	Smooth Collies are heavy shedders.	German Shepherds are heavy shedders.

Characteristics - Rough Collie vs Smooth Collie vs German Shepherd

Temperament	Friendly Gentle Intelligent Loyal Protective Responsive Social Hard working Docile Obedient Elegant Herding	Friendly Gentle Intelligent Loyal Protective Responsive Social	Alert Courageous Intelligent Obedient Confident Curious Loyal Watchful
Intelligent Rank	Very smart: Rough Collie is an excellent dog breed.	Very smart: Smooth Collie is an excellent dog breed.	Outstanding: German Shepherd is one of the brightest dog breeds.
Trainability	Rough Collies are very easy to train.	Smooth Collies are very easy to train.	German Shepherds are easy to train.
Playfulness	The Rough Collie is a playful breed.	The Smooth Collie is a playful breed.	German Shepherds, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	Rough Collies don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	Smooth Collies don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	German Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.
Affection Level	Rough Collies are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Smooth Collies 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	Rough Collies need a lot of social interaction.	Smooth Collies need a lot of social interaction.	German Shepherds need for social interaction is average.
Barking	Low to Average: The Rough Collie rarely barks.	Average to high: The Smooth Collie is a vocal breed.	Low to Average: The German Shepherd rarely barks.
Watchdog Ability	Rough Collies are one of the best watchdogs.	Smooth Collies are one of the best watchdogs.	German Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs.
Territorial	Rough Collies are extremely protective guard dogs.	Smooth Collies are extremely protective guard dogs.	German Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Low The Rough Collie has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Smooth Collie has a low chance of biting somebody.	High The German Shepherd has a high chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Rough Collies have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Smooth Collies have a higher 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	Rough Collies are not the biggest explorers.	Smooth Collies are not the biggest explorers.	German Shepherds are not the biggest explorers.
Prey Drive	Rough Collies have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Smooth Collies have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	German Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Rough Collies are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Smooth Collies are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	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	Rough Collies adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.	Smooth Collies adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.	German Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Rough Collies tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Smooth 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.	Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat dog.

Good With - Rough Collie vs Smooth Collie vs German Shepherd

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

Health Factors - Rough Collie vs Smooth Collie vs German Shepherd

Health Issues	The Rough Collie is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Smooth Collie is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	German Shepherds are commonly healthy dogs.
Health Problems	Collie Eye Anomaly Gray Collie Syndrome Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Drug Sensitivity Hip Dysplasia	Collie Eye Anomaly Drug Sensitivity Gray Collie Syndrome Hip Dysplasia Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)	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	14-16 years	14-16 years	10-13 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	No
Energy Level	Rough Collies have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.	Smooth Collies have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.	German Shepherds are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Rough Collies need quite a lot of exercise.	Smooth Collies need quite a lot of exercise.	German Shepherds need quite a lot of exercise.
Sleeping Need	Rough Collies sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.	Smooth Collies sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.	German Shepherds don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	2 to 3 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.	Average.	Low to Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Rough Collie can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers average to warm weather conditions	Tolerates warm and cold weather.
Stinkiness	Medium The Rough Collie has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Smooth Collie has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The German Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Rough Collie is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Smooth Collie is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The German Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Rough Collie vs Smooth Collie vs German Shepherd

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	4-8 puppies	4-8 puppies	6-10 puppies
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