# Shepherd comparison



## SlowKing (Dec 21, 2021)

Hi,

I'm looking for a personal pet, always had dogs, grew up with dogs. My parents owned a Doberman and a German Shepherd mix. 

I've owned a GSD mix as well. I'm trying to find the difference between:
Dutch Shepherd
Belgian Shepherd 
German Shepherd

I'm looking for a running, medium to medium large size dog (45-70lbs). Not aggressive, but alterative (bark until you get to know him/her) for protection. Hiking, our door activity (able to tell the difference between outdoor activity and at home activity). I of course plan on and can't wait to do dog lessons- I think continued lessons would be an awesome way for us to bond! 

I have a fenced in backyard, and work from home. I also want a dog good with other dogs, my parents have 3 ACDs.


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## Buckelke (Sep 4, 2019)

It will be hard to find a German Shepherd that small. All 3 of those can be aggressive and protection is something you train for. Good with other dogs is just a dog's individual personality. Some dogs like other dogs, some don't. You can work with a breeder who is good at figuring out a dog's personality and matching it to yours or you can visit shelters until you find a dog that you like and who likes you. For a personal pet, I would recommend a shelter dog. They are full up with wonderful covid dogs that people are dumping so you stand a very good chance of finding a pure bred best friend and saving a life.


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## brittanyS (Dec 11, 2018)

Any of the breeds you have listed would be very good at giving alarm barks toward strangers. It will depend on the individual dog and the amount of socialization it has had whether or not it will be friendly after introductions are made. Each of the dog breeds you have listed would also be great hiking companions, but you will need to be careful when selecting your dog so that it has an “off switch” and will be happy relaxing in your home on occasion, too.

Each breed would require dedicated and ongoing training, so it’s good to hear you’re already thinking about that! 

I have gotten the idea that Dutch Shepherds and Belgian Shepherds are a bit higher driver/higher energy than German Shepherds on average and less likely to be a good pet dog for the average person. Not to say that there aren’t outliers in all breeds, but it’s just what it seems like to me - although I may be a bit biased.

I don’t think you would have trouble finding a female German Shepherd in the weight range you’ve listed. My male German Shepherd is a lean 74 pounds and I think he probably weighs less than most male German Shepherds on this forum.

@Buckelke has a great point about shelter dogs. Not sure where you are located, but for some reason the West Coast seems to have a lot of nice German Shepherds that end up in shelters - including what appear to be purebred puppies.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

You'd have a much better chance at finding a GSD in that size range if you want a female. It's not impossible to find a male under 70 pounds, but the breed standard is for 66-88 pounds (approximately, as converted from kgs), while the female standard is about 48- 70 pounds. We've had several females in the 72-78 pound range but our current girl is about 58 pounds and the previous one was 55 pounds or less.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Working lines can be somewhat smaller than the other lines but still very solid and muscular, so they can weigh as much as a larger dog. I also second getting a female. Mine have averaged 10-15 lbs less than the males.


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## drparker151 (Apr 10, 2020)

SlowKing said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm looking for a personal pet, always had dogs, grew up with dogs. My parents owned a Doberman and a German Shepherd mix.
> 
> ...


I also say female our girl is 18 months old 22 to 23 inches tall and 55 pounds. Spend your time finding good Breeder you trust, the article posted below does a great job of explaining drives and what they mean for general behavior and how they determine temperament.

Temperament


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Too keep things simple, a German Shepherd will likely be the most straight forward…. and you’ll have more options (lines, breeders, etc). The breeds you listed typically go “up” in drive and manageability from there - mals then dutchies, but i’ve heard a good dutchie can be hard to find. i’ve been fortunate to know some nice ones, but they were rescues and one could assume “watered down”.

I personally would not get a breed that i haven’t had any exposure to. They can all sound impressive or even seem similar, on paper.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

When it was time for me to get a pup, I chose a GSD. I know good breeders of all three breeds. Mals and Dutchies are easier to train and are generally fairly handler sensitive. They are also typically higher energy and more reactive. They can be a challenge when in drive. I prefer living with a GSD.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

You are looking for a female German Shepherd ❤
Dutchies and Mals, in my opinion, are much more challenging for the average pet owner.


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## ChickiefromTN (Jun 16, 2020)

I agree with David. I have 4 German Shepherds and a KNPV Dutchie. The Dutchie takes much more management than my German Shepherds. He does not typically play well with my other dogs except the oldest female who will give him strong corrections when he oversteps. He has not been allowed to interact with my German Shepherd puppy except to watch each other through the crate door. He is not near as good at settling in the house as my other dogs. He is just a completely different dog. In our case he is a 2 person dog. He does not warm up to others after introduction and remains suspicious. Of course he has his loving moments where he wants to lay on your lap and get head rubs and attention from his people, but you always have to be monitoring, supervising and training his behavior.i get glimpses now and again of the dog he is going to become since he is still young, but I see that at a much younger age with my German Shepherds. 

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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

ChickiefromTN said:


> I agree with David. I have 4 German Shepherds and a KNPV Dutchie. The Dutchie takes much more management than my German Shepherds. He does not typically play well with my other dogs except the oldest female who will give him strong corrections when he oversteps. He has not been allowed to interact with my German Shepherd puppy except to watch each other through the crate door. He is not near as good at settling in the house as my other dogs. He is just a completely different dog. In our case he is a 2 person dog. He does not warm up to others after introduction and remains suspicious. Of course he has his loving moments where he wants to lay on your lap and get head rubs and attention from his people, but you always have to be monitoring, supervising and training his behavior.i get glimpses now and again of the dog he is going to become since he is still young, but I see that at a much younger age with my German Shepherds.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


Do you have a Loganhaus dog?


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## ChickiefromTN (Jun 16, 2020)

David Winners said:


> Do you have a Loganhaus dog?


No. He is Rambo BRN 42844 out of Seth Sutton's Fang van Leeuwen × Bridget.

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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

ChickiefromTN said:


> No. He is Rambo BRN 42844 out of Seth Sutton's Fang van Leeuwen × Bridget.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


May we please see a picture of this dog?


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## John456 (Nov 27, 2021)

Sunflowers said:


> May we please see a picture of this dog?


Hopefully, she makes a whole thread about this dog. Sounds like a super pup.


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## ChickiefromTN (Jun 16, 2020)

Sunflowers said:


> May we please see a picture of this dog?


This is Rambo. I've been calling him Bambo for many months now and that nickname has stuck with me. That's because he likes to show me he missed me or that he's excited by giving me a bam to the face, lol! He was a young pup in the first pic. The other pic he fell asleep with toy pile. It is hard to get good pics of him.
















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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

The mals and dutches I've seen tend to be more sensitive and more prone to handler aggression. They also tend to be smaller and more athletic. A lot of other differences I see depend on the specific lines you are comparing.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

David Winners said:


> I prefer living with a GSD.


Me to!
Prefer over Mals, Dutchies, husbands....


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## JDNEK (Dec 8, 2021)

drparker151 said:


> I also say female our girl is 18 months old 22 to 23 inches tall and 55 pounds. Spend your time finding good Breeder you trust, the article posted below does a great job of explaining drives and what they mean for general behavior and how they determine temperament.
> 
> Temperament


Yes, totally agree; generalizations about breeds need context....a good breeder, one who knows their dogs well, can tell you what kind of dog they will be. The best anecdote I've heard, and helps to keep in mind is " A good, well bred dog takes the worst situation and makes the best of it, the opposite just as true". People who truly want to train, and see their dogs excel, are always seeking a "bomb-proof" dog.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

ChickiefromTN said:


> This is Rambo. I've been calling him Bambo for many months now and that nickname has stuck with me. That's because he likes to show me he missed me or that he's excited by giving me a bam to the face, lol! He was a young pup in the first pic. The other pic he fell asleep with toy pile. It is hard to get good pics of him.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wait…yours sleeps?


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## CEMC (May 2, 2020)

What about the Belgian Sheepdog and the Belgian Tervuren breeds? These are good working breeds that fall within the weight range desired by the OP and are calmer and easier to handle than Dutch Shepherds or Belgian Malinois.


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