Shetland Sheepdog vs Poodle vs Maltese – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Shetland Sheepdog vs Poodle vs Maltese" Compare Shetland Sheepdog and Poodle. Which is better: Shetland Sheepdog or Poodle or Maltese?

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

Name	Shetland Sheepdog	Poodle	Maltese
Origins	Scotland	Germany France	Italy
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Companion Dogs	Companion Dogs
Popularity Rank	24	7	33
Reviews	5	7	2
Rate

Other Names	Miniature Collie, Shetland Collie (obsolete), Dwarf Scotch Shepherd (obsolete), Toonie Dog (obsolete), Sheltie	French Poodle, Caniche, Barbone, Chien Canne, Grosse Pudel	Maltese Dog, Maltese lion dog
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1911 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1887 as a Non-Sporting & Toy breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1888 as a Toy breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Poodle section.	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Bichons and related breeds 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 Canadian Canine Registry	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	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-$1000	$1000-$1500	$600-$800

General Appearance - Shetland Sheepdog vs Poodle vs Maltese

Size	Medium	Medium	Small
Weight	14-27 pounds (6-12 kg)	Male: 45-70 pounds (20-32 kg), Female: 45-60 pounds (20-27 kg)	6.5-9 pounds (3-4 kg)
Avg. Weight	20.5 pounds (9 kg)	Male: 57.5 pounds (26 kg), Female: 52.5 pounds (23.5 kg)	6.7 pounds (3.5 kg)
Height	13-16 inches (33-41 cm)	15 inches (38 cm) or more	Male: 8-10 inches (21-25 cm), Female: 8-9 inches (20-23 cm)
Avg. Height	14.5 inches (37 cm)	15 inches (38 cm) or more	Male: 9 inches (23 cm), Female: 8.5 inches (21.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Shetland Sheepdog vs Poodle vs Maltese

Coat	Dense	Curly	Feathered
Colors	White Blue Merle Sable Tan Black	Apricot Brown Gray Silver White Fawn Blue Cream Red Beige Black	White
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 Maltese requires average grooming effort.
Shedding Level	Shetland Sheepdogs shed moderately.	Poodles shed none to minimal.	Malteses shed none to minimal.

Characteristics - Shetland Sheepdog vs Poodle vs Maltese

Temperament	Affectionate Gentle Lively Responsive Friendly Intelligent Playful	Active Faithful Intelligent Alert Instinctual Trainable	Active Easygoing Intelligent Responsive Docile Gentle Playful Sweet Tempered
Intelligent Rank	Outstanding: Shetland Sheepdog is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Outstanding: Poodle is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one.
Trainability	Shetland Sheepdogs are quite easy to train.	Poodles are easy to train.	Malteses are quite easy to train.
Playfulness	Shetland Sheepdogs, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The Poodle is a playful breed.	Malteses, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	Shetland Sheepdogs don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Shetland Sheepdogs are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Poodles are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Malteses are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Shetland Sheepdogs are a social breed.	Poodles need a lot of social interaction.	Malteses need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	High: The Shetland Sheepdog is a very vocal breed.	Average to high: The Poodle is a vocal breed.	High: The Maltese is a very vocal breed.
Watchdog Ability	Shetland Sheepdogs are good watchdogs.	Poodles are good watchdogs.	Malteses are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Shetland Sheepdogs are extremely protective guard dogs.	Poodles strongly protect their territory.	Malteses strongly protect their territory.
Biting Potential	Low The Shetland Sheepdog has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Poodle has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Maltese has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Shetland Sheepdogs have a low tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Poodles have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Malteses have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Shetland Sheepdogs tend to escape less than other breeds.	Poodles have average wanderlust potential.	Malteses are not the biggest explorers.
Prey Drive	Shetland Sheepdogs 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.	Poodles have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.	Malteses have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	Poodles are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Malteses are very apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Shetland Sheepdogs adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Poodles adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Malteses adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Shetland Sheepdogs do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	Poodles tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Malteses tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
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 - Shetland Sheepdog vs Poodle vs Maltese

Stranger Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	Poodles are stranger friendly dogs.	Malteses are very stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are kid-friendly dogs.	Poodles are very kid-friendly dogs.	Malteses are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are very cat-friendly dogs.	Poodles are cat-friendly dogs.	Malteses are very cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are dog-friendly dogs.	Poodles are dog-friendly dogs.	Malteses are very dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Shetland Sheepdog is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Poodle is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Maltese is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are usually recommended for elderly people.	Poodles are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Malteses are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are one of the friendliest dog breeds.	Poodles are usually friendly towards other pets.	Malteses are one of the friendliest dog breeds.
Good For First Time Owners	No Shetland Sheepdogs are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Poodles are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Malteses are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used 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	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.	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.	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)	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.	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 Shetland Sheepdog breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Yes Poodle breed usually likes being on a boat.	Not really Maltese 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 - Shetland Sheepdog vs Poodle vs Maltese

Health Issues	The Shetland Sheepdog is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Poodle is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Maltese is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Cancer Cataracts Collie Eye Anomaly Drug Sensitivity Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Haemophilia Heart Problems Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Patellar Luxation Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Trichiasis Von Willebrand's Disease	Addison's Disease Allergies Bloat Canine Atrial Septal Defect (asd) Cataracts Cushing's Syndrome Ear Infections Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Legg-perthes Disease Neonatal Encephalopathy (news) Optic Nerve Hypoplasia Patellar Luxation Premature Graying Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Runny Eyes Sebaceous Adenitis Von Willebrand's Disease	Collapsed Trachea Hypoglycemia Patellar Luxation Portosystemic Liver Shunt Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Reverse Sneezing White Dog Shaker Syndrome
Life Expectancy	12-14 years	12-15 years	15-18 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	Yes	Yes
Energy Level	Shetland Sheepdogs have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Poodles have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Malteses have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.
Exercise Need	Shetland Sheepdogs have an average exercise need.	Poodles need quite a lot of exercise.	Malteses exercise need is very minimal.
Sleeping Need	Shetland Sheepdogs are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Poodles are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Malteses sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.
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.	Recommended daily amount: 1/4 to 1/2 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average.	Average to High.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Shetland Sheepdog can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Prefers warm weather
Stinkiness	Medium The Shetland Sheepdog has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Poodle has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Maltese has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Shetland Sheepdog is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Poodle is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Maltese is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Shetland Sheepdog vs Poodle vs Maltese

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	4-6 puppies	2-4 puppies	3-5 puppies
Dog Name Generator – Find A Perfect Name For Your Puppy

Popular Dog Compares

Despite the best intentions, there may be errors. If you find one, please let us know and we will fix it as soon as possible. Contact us here.

Rate This Comparsion - Shetland Sheepdog vs Poodle vs Maltese

Reviews