German Shepherd vs Poodle
Compare the German Shepherd to the Poodle. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between German Shepherds and Poodles.
Quick Summary
- Owner Experience - Both breeds are good choices for new or inexperienced owners, but the Poodle is better suited for new owners.
- Children - Both breeds are child friendly, but the Poodle is the most friendly between the breeds.
- Grooming - Both the German Shepherd or Poodle have high grooming requirements.
- Barking - The German Shepherd bark/howls frequently. The Poodle has an average level of barking.
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| Breed Name | German Shepherd | Poodle |
| General Details | ||
| Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
| Is Hypoallergenic | No | Yes |
| Lifespan | 10-14 yrs. | 12-15 yrs. |
| Height | 22-26 in. | 15-24 in. |
| Weight | 75-95 lb | 45-70 lb |
| Intelligence | High | High |
| History | ||
| Origin Country | Germany | Germany |
| Origin Year | 1899 AD | 1200 AD |
| Temperament | ||
| Overall Friendliness | ||
| Family Friendly | ||
| Kid Friendly | ||
| Pet Friendly | ||
| Stranger Friendly | ||
| Personality | ||
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| Living Environment | ||
| Apartment | Yes | Yes |
| Indoor | Yes | Yes |
| Small Yard | Yes | Yes |
| Medium Yard | Yes | Yes |
| Large Yard | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature Tolerance ¹ | 40°F to 85°F | 35°F to 80°F |
| Barks/Howls | ||
| Exercise Needs | ||
| Energy Level | High | High |
| Exercise Required | High | Medium-High |
| Top Running Speed | 30 mph | 32 mph |
| Strength | High | Medium |
| Grooming Needs | ||
| Coat Maintenance | Medium-High | High |
| Shedding | High | None |
| Dander | High | None |
| Drool Amount | Medium | None |
¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.
| Breed Name | German Shepherd | Poodle |
| Breed Mentality | ||
| Dominant/Alpha | No | No |
| Family/Pack | Yes | Yes |
| Independent | No | No |
| Breed Focus | ||
| Distracted Easily | No | Yes |
| Average | No | No |
| Focused & Patient | Yes | Yes |
| Breed Instincts | ||
| Aggression | Average | Below Average |
| Burrow/Digging | Below Average | Very Low |
| Chasing | Below Average | Below Average |
| Follow Commands | High | Average |
| Fighting | Below Average | Below Average |
| Guarding | High | Very Low |
| Herding | High | Average |
| Hunting | High | High |
| Protection | High | Below Average |
| Remove Vermin | Below Average | Very Low |
| Sledding | Below Average | Very Low |
| Watch | High | Average |
| Breed Name | German Shepherd | Poodle |
| Lifespan | ||
| Lifespan | 10-14 yrs. | 12-15 yrs. |
| Common Health Issues | ||
| Addison's Disease | No | Yes |
| Allergies | Yes | Yes |
| Blindness | Yes | No |
| Bloat | Yes | Yes |
| Cancer | Yes | No |
| Canine Atrial Septal Defect (asd) | No | Yes |
| Cataracts | Yes | Yes |
| Cherry Eye | Yes | No |
| Chronic Diarrhea | Yes | No |
| Cruciate Ligament Rupture | Yes | No |
| Cushing's Syndrome | Yes | Yes |
| Degenerative Myelopathy | Yes | No |
| Demodectic Mange | Yes | No |
| Diabetes | Yes | No |
| Digestive Problems | Yes | No |
| Ear Infections | No | Yes |
| Elbow Dysplasia | Yes | No |
| Epilepsy | Yes | Yes |
| Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency | Yes | No |
| Heart Disease | Yes | No |
| Hemophilia A | Yes | No |
| Hemophilia B | Yes | No |
| Hip Dysplasia | Yes | Yes |
| Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy | Yes | No |
| Hypothyroidism | No | Yes |
| Legg-perthes Disease | No | Yes |
| Lens Luxation | Yes | No |
| Lupus | Yes | No |
| Megaesophagus | Yes | No |
| Myasthenia Gravis | Yes | No |
| Nail Bed Disease | Yes | No |
| Neonatal Encephalopathy (news) | No | Yes |
| Optic Nerve Hypoplasia | No | Yes |
| Osteochondrosis | Yes | No |
| Pannus | Yes | No |
| Panosteitis | Yes | No |
| Paralysis | Yes | No |
| Patellar Luxation | No | Yes |
| Perianal Fistula | Yes | No |
| Premature Graying | No | Yes |
| Progressive Retinal Atrophy | Yes | Yes |
| Retinal Dysplasia | Yes | No |
| Runny Eyes | No | Yes |
| Sebaceous Adenitis | No | Yes |
| Seborrhea | Yes | No |
| Vitiligo | Yes | No |
| Von Willebrand's Disease | Yes | Yes |
| Wobbler's Syndrome | Yes | No |
| Breed Name | German Shepherd | Poodle |
| Coat | ||
| Fur | Yes | No |
| Hair | No | Yes |
| Coat Type | ||
| Double Coat | Yes | No |
| Corded Coat | No | Yes |
| Single Coat | No | Yes |
| Coat Texture | ||
| Straight | Yes | No |
| Rough | No | Yes |
| Wavy | No | Yes |
| Coat Length(s) | ||
| Short | Yes | No |
| Medium | Yes | No |
| Long | No | Yes |
| Coat Color(s) | ||
| Bi-color | Yes | No |
| Black | Yes | Yes |
| Black & Tan | Yes | Yes |
| Black & Cream | Yes | Yes |
| Black & Red | Yes | Yes |
| Black & Silver | Yes | Yes |
| Blue | Yes | Yes |
| Gray | Yes | Yes |
| Liver | Yes | No |
| Sable | Yes | No |
| White | Yes | Yes |
| Apricot | No | Yes |
| Black & Apricot | No | Yes |
| Black & Brown | No | Yes |
| Black & Gray | No | Yes |
| Black & White | No | Yes |
| Blue & White | No | Yes |
| Brown | No | Yes |
| Brown & Apricot | No | Yes |
| Brown & White | No | Yes |
| Cafe Au Lait | No | Yes |
| Cream | No | Yes |
| Cream & White | No | Yes |
| Gray & White | No | Yes |
| Red | No | Yes |
| Red & Apricot | No | Yes |
| Red & White | No | Yes |
| Silver | No | Yes |
| Silver Beige | No | Yes |
| White & Apricot | No | Yes |
| White & Silver | No | Yes |