Dog breed comparison: two or three breeds side by side
Pick two or three breeds. You get a to-scale size drawing, the biggest differences in plain words, and a full table of weight, height, lifespan, coat, exercise and every AKC trait rating.
Tim de JongSilhouettes are drawn to scale by average shoulder height. Body shapes are generic, stretched for long or stocky breeds.
Side by side, to scale
- They are close in size, within about 15% on average weight.
- German Shepherd Dog tends to live longest (12–14 years).
- Energy: Labrador Retriever 5/5 vs Golden Retriever 3/5.
- Barking: Labrador Retriever 3/5 vs Golden Retriever 1/5.
- Good with other dogs: Labrador Retriever 5/5 vs German Shepherd Dog 3/5.
Labrador Retriever vs Golden Retriever vs German Shepherd Dog
| Feature | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | German Shepherd Dog |
|---|---|---|---|
| AKC group | Sporting | Sporting | Herding |
| Origin | Canada / United Kingdom | Scotland | Germany |
| Size | Large (51–90 lb) | Large (51–90 lb) | Large (51–90 lb) |
| Weight, males | 65–80 lb (29–36 kg) | 65–75 lb (29–34 kg) | 65–90 lb (29–41 kg) |
| Weight, females | 55–70 lb (25–32 kg) | 55–65 lb (25–29 kg) | 50–70 lb (23–32 kg) |
| Height, males | 22.5–24.5 in (57–62 cm) | 23–24 in (58–61 cm) | 24–26 in (61–66 cm) |
| Height, females | 21.5–23.5 in (55–60 cm) | 21.5–22.5 in (55–57 cm) | 22–24 in (56–61 cm) |
| Life expectancy | 11–13 years | 10–12 years | 12–14 years |
| Coat | Short, double | Medium, double | Medium, double |
| Colors | black, yellow, chocolate | golden, light golden, dark golden | black and tan, black and red, black and cream, sable, black, gray |
| Tail | otter tail | plumed | plumed |
| Eyes | brown, hazel | dark brown, brown | dark brown, brown |
| AKC allergy-friendly list | No | No | No |
| Daily exercise | 90–120 minutes | 45–60 minutes | 90–120 minutes |
| Temperament (AKC) | Active, Friendly, Outgoing | Intelligent, Friendly, Devoted | Courageous, Confident, Smart |
| Energy | 5/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Shedding | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Grooming needs | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Barking | 3/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 |
| Trainability | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Good with young children | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Good with other dogs | 5/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Openness to strangers | 5/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Playfulness | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Watchdog nature | 3/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Adaptability | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Drooling | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Mental stimulation needs | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
Sizes follow each breed's standard and ratings are the AKC's. Individual dogs, and especially mixes, can fall outside these ranges.
How does the dog breed comparison work?
Choose up to three of the 162 breeds in our database. Weights and heights come from each breed's standard, given separately for males and females because the difference can be large in big breeds. The behavior and care rows use the AKC's 1 to 5 trait ratings, and orange dots mark the highest rating in each row so differences jump out.
The drawing puts the breeds next to each other at the same scale, using the average shoulder height of males and females. Above it, the tool lists the biggest gaps it finds: weight, lifespan and any trait where the breeds differ by two points or more.
Example: Labrador Retriever vs Golden Retriever vs German Shepherd Dog
Three popular family breeds, compared from the same data the tool uses:
- They are close in size, within about 15% on average weight.
- German Shepherd Dog tends to live longest (12–14 years).
- Energy: Labrador Retriever 5/5 vs Golden Retriever 3/5.
- Barking: Labrador Retriever 3/5 vs Golden Retriever 1/5.
- Good with other dogs: Labrador Retriever 5/5 vs German Shepherd Dog 3/5.
| Feature | Labrador Retriever | Golden Retriever | German Shepherd Dog |
|---|---|---|---|
| AKC group | Sporting | Sporting | Herding |
| Origin | Canada / United Kingdom | Scotland | Germany |
| Size | Large (51–90 lb) | Large (51–90 lb) | Large (51–90 lb) |
| Weight, males | 65–80 lb (29–36 kg) | 65–75 lb (29–34 kg) | 65–90 lb (29–41 kg) |
| Weight, females | 55–70 lb (25–32 kg) | 55–65 lb (25–29 kg) | 50–70 lb (23–32 kg) |
| Height, males | 22.5–24.5 in (57–62 cm) | 23–24 in (58–61 cm) | 24–26 in (61–66 cm) |
| Height, females | 21.5–23.5 in (55–60 cm) | 21.5–22.5 in (55–57 cm) | 22–24 in (56–61 cm) |
| Life expectancy | 11–13 years | 10–12 years | 12–14 years |
| Coat | Short, double | Medium, double | Medium, double |
| Colors | black, yellow, chocolate | golden, light golden, dark golden | black and tan, black and red, black and cream, sable, black, gray |
| Tail | otter tail | plumed | plumed |
| Eyes | brown, hazel | dark brown, brown | dark brown, brown |
| AKC allergy-friendly list | No | No | No |
| Daily exercise | 90–120 minutes | 45–60 minutes | 90–120 minutes |
| Temperament (AKC) | Active, Friendly, Outgoing | Intelligent, Friendly, Devoted | Courageous, Confident, Smart |
| Energy | 5/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Shedding | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Grooming needs | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Barking | 3/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 |
| Trainability | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Good with young children | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Good with other dogs | 5/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Openness to strangers | 5/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Playfulness | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Watchdog nature | 3/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Adaptability | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Drooling | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Mental stimulation needs | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
Which breed differences matter most day to day?
Size changes your costs. Food, medicine doses, boarding and even crate and bed prices scale with weight, and a large dog needs a bigger car and more space. Use the cost of owning a dog calculator once you have a shortlist.
Energy and mental stimulation decide your daily schedule. A one-point gap in energy can mean the difference between a long walk and an hour of running or training every day. Compare the daily exercise row with what you can really give on a workday.
Coat decides your cleaning and grooming. High shedding means hair on clothes and furniture; high grooming needs mean regular brushing and often paid trims. Many breeds score low on one and high on the other.
Lifespan is a long commitment. A breed with a longer life expectancy can be with you for several more years, which is worth planning for, including care in its senior years.
How much do the trait ratings really tell you?
The ratings describe the typical dog of each breed, so treat small gaps with caution. A one-point difference in energy or trainability can easily disappear between two individual dogs. A gap of two points or more, which the tool lists above the drawing, is more likely to show up in daily life.
Physical traits are more predictable than behavior. A 2022 study in Science found that physical traits were highly heritable and strongly tied to breed, while breed explained only about 9% of the variation in individual behavior. So you can rely on a breed's size, coat type and shedding much more than on its friendliness with strangers or its playfulness. For those, meet the dog, and if you can, its parents.
Comparing a mix? Put both parent breeds side by side to see the range your dog could fall into, then use the mixed breed size calculator for a size estimate.
Popular dog breed comparisons
Open any of these with both breeds already selected:
- Labrador Retriever vs Golden Retriever
- Akita vs Siberian Husky
- Siberian Husky vs Alaskan Malamute
- German Shepherd Dog vs Belgian Malinois
- French Bulldog vs Pug
- Border Collie vs Australian Shepherd
- Rottweiler vs Doberman Pinscher
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi vs Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel vs Shih Tzu
- Great Dane vs Mastiff
- Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle
- Miniature Schnauzer vs Standard Schnauzer
For the Akita and the Husky we also have a longer write-up: Akita vs husky, which breed is right for you? Not sure which breeds to compare yet? The dog breed selector finds candidates first, and the wolf vs dog size comparison shows how any breed measures up to its wild cousin.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Labrador and a Golden Retriever?
Both are friendly, trainable sporting dogs of similar size bred to retrieve game. The most obvious difference is the coat: Labradors have a short, dense double coat, while Golden Retrievers have a longer, feathered coat that needs more brushing. Pick both in the tool to compare their weights, lifespans and trait ratings side by side.
How do I compare dog breeds for my family?
Start with the practical limits: size, exercise time, grooming and noise. Then look at the ratings for young children and other dogs. If you don't have a shortlist yet, the breed selector quiz ranks every breed against your answers and links straight to a comparison of your top three.
Which dog breeds live the longest?
Small breeds generally outlive large and giant breeds. Compare life expectancy here for the breeds you're considering, and keep in mind that a breed's range is an average: diet, weight, exercise and vet care make a big difference for individual dogs.
Are the trait ratings the same for every dog of a breed?
No. They describe the typical dog of the breed, as rated by the American Kennel Club. Research on thousands of dogs shows that individuals vary widely within a breed, especially in behavior, so meet the dog you're thinking of bringing home.
Can I share a breed comparison?
Yes. The page address updates as you pick breeds, so you can copy the link from your browser and send it to someone, and it opens with the same breeds selected.
Sources
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