Welsh Sheepdog vs Labrador Retriever vs Border Collie – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Welsh Sheepdog vs Labrador Retriever vs Border Collie" Compare Welsh Sheepdog and Labrador Retriever. Which is better: Welsh Sheepdog or Labrador Retriever or Border Collie?

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

Name	Welsh Sheepdog	Labrador Retriever	Border Collie
Origins	Wales	England Canada	England Scotland Wales
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Gun Dog	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)
Popularity Rank	427	1	38
Reviews	0	3	8
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Other Names	Welsh Collie	Labrador, Lab	Scotch Sheep Dog, Sheepdog
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Not recognized by the American Kennel Club.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917 as a Sporting breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1995 as a Herding breed.
FCI Group	Not recognized by FCI.	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.
Breed Recognition	No set	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 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
Price	Unknown	$1000-$2000	$600-$800

General Appearance - Welsh Sheepdog vs Labrador Retriever vs Border Collie

Size	Medium	Large	Large
Weight	Male: 15-35 pounds (7-16 kg), Female: 13-33 pounds (6-15 kg)	Male: 60-75 pounds (27-34kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg)	Male: 30-45 pounds (14-20 kg), Female: 27-42 pounds (12-19 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 25 pounds (11.5 kg), Female: 23 pounds (10.5 kg)	Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 kg), Female: 62.5 pounds (28.5 kg)	Male: 37.5 pounds (17 kg), Female: 34.5 pounds (15.5 kg)
Height	Male: 16-19 inches (41-47 cm), Female : 14-17 inches (38-44 cm)	Male: 22-24 inches (56-61cm), Female: 21-23 inches (53-58 cm)	Male: 19-22 inches (48-56 cm), Female: 18-21 inches (46-53 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 17.5 inches (44 cm), Female : 15.5 inches (41 cm)	Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 22 inches (55.5 cm)	Male: 20.5 inches (52 cm), Female: 19.5 inches (49.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Welsh Sheepdog vs Labrador Retriever vs Border Collie

Coat	Feathered	Dense Waterproof Hard Short	Dense Feathered Straight Short Moderately Long
Colors	Black White Red	Yellow Chocolate Black	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
Grooming	Effortless: The Welsh Sheepdog requires minimal grooming.	Effortless: The Labrador Retriever requires minimal grooming.	Average: The Border Collie requires average grooming effort.
Shedding Level	Welsh Sheepdogs shed moderately.	Labrador Retrievers shed moderately.	Border Collies shed moderately.

Characteristics - Welsh Sheepdog vs Labrador Retriever vs Border Collie

Temperament	Active Intelligent Energetic	Affectionate Cheerful Friendly Intelligent Loyal Playful Social Alert Energetic Gentle Loving Going Responsive	Intelligent Alert Tenacious Protective Energetic Responsive Loyal
Intelligent Rank	Very smart: Welsh Sheepdog is an excellent dog breed.	Outstanding: Labrador Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Outstanding: Border Collie is one of the brightest dog breeds.
Trainability	Welsh Sheepdogs are very easy to train.	Labrador Retrievers are very easy to train.	Border Collies are easy to train.
Playfulness	The Welsh Sheepdog is a playful breed.	The Labrador Retriever is a highly playful breed.	The Border Collie is a highly playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	Welsh Sheepdogs are less sensitive than other dog breeds.	Labrador Retrievers don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	Border Collies don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.
Affection Level	Welsh Sheepdogs are highly affectionate dogs.	Labrador Retrievers may seem unfriendly sometimes due to their independence.	Border Collies are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Welsh Sheepdogs are a social breed.	Labrador Retrievers need a lot of social interaction.	Border Collies need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	Average: The Welsh Sheepdog barks occasionally.	Average: The Labrador Retriever barks occasionally.	Low to Average: The Border Collie rarely barks.
Watchdog Ability	Welsh Sheepdogs are not the best watchdogs.	Labrador Retrievers are average watchdogs.	Border Collies are one of the best watchdogs.
Territorial	Welsh Sheepdogs are average defenders.	Labrador Retrievers are average defenders.	Border Collies are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Low The Welsh Sheepdog has a low chance of biting somebody.	Moderate The Labrador Retriever has an average chance of biting somebody.	Low The Border Collie has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Welsh Sheepdogs have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Labrador 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.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Wanderlust potential of the Welsh Sheepdog is strong enough to escape from home.	Labrador Retrievers have average wanderlust potential.	Border Collies have average wanderlust potential.
Prey Drive	Welsh Sheepdogs have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Labrador Retrievers have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.	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.
Apartment Friendly	Welsh Sheepdogs are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Labrador Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	Border Collies are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.
Adaptability	Welsh Sheepdogs adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.	Labrador 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.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Welsh 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.	Labrador 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.
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 - Welsh Sheepdog vs Labrador Retriever vs Border Collie

Stranger Friendly	Welsh Sheepdogs are average friendly towards strangers.	Labrador Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs.	Border Collies are average friendly towards strangers.
Child Friendly	Welsh Sheepdogs are kid-friendly dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs.	Border Collies are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Welsh Sheepdogs are average friendly towards cats.	Labrador Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs.	Border Collies are average friendly towards cats.
Dog Friendly	Welsh Sheepdogs are dog-friendly dogs.	Labrador Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs.	Border Collies are average friendly towards other dogs.
Office Friendly	Yes Welsh Sheepdog is one of the best dog breeds for office environment	No Labrador Retriever is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Border Collie is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Welsh Sheepdogs are usually recommended for elderly people.	Labrador Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Border Collies are one of the best breeds for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Welsh Sheepdogs are generally with other pets.	Labrador Retrievers are usually friendly towards other pets.	Border Collies are generally with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	Yes Welsh Sheepdogs are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.	No Labrador Retrievers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Border Collies 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.	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect 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.	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.	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 Welsh Sheepdog breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Yes Labrador Retriever breed usually likes being on a boat.	Not really Border Collie 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 - Welsh Sheepdog vs Labrador Retriever vs Border Collie

Health Issues	Welsh Sheepdogs tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds.	The Labrador Retriever is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Border Collie is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	No set	Acute Moist Dermatitis Bloat Cataracts Cold Tail Ear Infections Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Myopathy Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia	Allergies Collie Eye Anomaly Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	10-12 years	12-15 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	No
Energy Level	Welsh Sheepdogs have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Labrador Retrievers are high energy dogs.	Border Collies are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Welsh Sheepdogs need quite a lot of exercise.	Labrador Retrievers need a lot of exercises.	Border Collies need a lot of exercises.
Sleeping Need	Welsh Sheepdogs are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Labrador Retrievers don't need too much sleep.	Border Collies don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	1 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	Recommended daily amount: 2.5 to 3 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.
Weight Gain Potential	Low to Average.	High: The Labrador Retriever breed has a strong tendency to overweight.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Welsh Sheepdog can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	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.
Stinkiness	Medium The Welsh Sheepdog has an average chance of bad smell.	High The Labrador Retriever has a high chance of bad smell.	Medium The Border Collie has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Welsh Sheepdog is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Labrador Retriever is an average drooler.	The Border Collie is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Welsh Sheepdog vs Labrador Retriever vs Border Collie

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	2-8 puppies	5-10 puppies	4-8 puppies
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