King Shepherd VS German Shepherd Comparison | Which One Is Best?

Today, we will compare two of the most popular shepherd dogs in the world – the renowned breed for its herding skills and intelligence, the German Shepherd, versus the confident and calm, the King Shepherd. Make sure to stick around until Number 1 to help you choose which of these two breeds is best for you!

Which one is the better breed for you? What makes them different? Here are 15 things to consider when trying to choose:

 

History

The German Shepherd’s history dates back to 1899. Max Von Stephanitz, a German cavalry captain, found an interest to produce a breed that will become trustworthy companions and reliable helpers to farmers in the field.

He aimed for a hardworking, loyal, obedient, intelligent, and high-energy dog to assist farmers in herding sheep. Fortunately, he did not fail. Max Von Stephanitz orchestrated the cross-breeding between the local shepherd dogs and Wolf dogs, which makes German Shepherds close to resembling wolves in appearance.

The King Shepherd, on the other hand, is a fairly new breed that is still under development. In 1990, American breeders Shelley Watts-Cross and David Turkheimer pursued to create a breed that resembles German Shepherds but is larger and has fewer health issues. As the name implies, they aimed to raise a king-sized shepherd dog.

King Shepherd descended from cross-breeding long-coated German Shepherds along with other large dog breeds such as Shiloh, Alaskan Malamute, Pyrenees, and even Akita – all are highly energetic working and herding dogs.

 

 Popularity

The German Shepherd is currently one of the most popular dog breeds in America. In 2020, the AKC reported that German Shepherds ranked as the 3rd most popular breed after Labrador Retrievers and French Bulldogs.

Meanwhile, King Shepherds remains a fairly new breed. Although these lovely and good-natured giants make sweet child companions, they are still such a rarity among families and are yet to be recognized by the AKC.

 

Shedding

Now, here’s one messy similarity between the two – the shedding.

Whether it’s a German Shepherd or a King Shepherd, both are equally heavy shedders due to their double coats. Constantly vacuuming their fur could drive you up the wall. It worsens, especially during their shedding season in fall and spring when they drop clumps of hair.

To lessen the frustrating clutter, you can brush their hair 3 to 4 times a week for 10 minutes. And during their shedding season, you need to double the work and brush them every day for 10 to 15 minutes.

 

Coats

German Shepherds are double-coated canines and come with either short or long coats. Short-coat types usually have their hair about an inch long, while long-coated ones have 2 inches or more. 

Meanwhile, as King Shepherds take the appearance of their long-coated ancestors, they grow thick medium to long coats. That said, these big shedders may not be advisable to a household with allergic members. 

Both these dogs have either solid, sable, or bi-colored patterns, and appear in brown, black, gray, blue, or red colors. Some German Shepherds also appear with a white coat.

 

Size

Can’t distinguish a German Shepherd from a King Shepherd? Of course, you can! Their size is one of the most distinguishable differences.

At first look, German Shepherds look like a miniature of King Shepherds.

A German Shepherd grows as a medium to large dog. The male stands 24 to 26 inches tall, while its female counterpart averages 22 to 24 inches. Their weight range is usually 75 to 95 pounds.

King Shepherds are inherently bulkier. The male grows 27 to 31 inches and weighs 130 to 150 pounds. The females stand at 25 to 27 inches tall and weigh 90 to 110 pounds.

When choosing between these two canines, their size is one important aspect to look at. Make sure there’s enough space for your dog to stretch and even more room for the crates. It’s much preferred if you have a yard to let them run and play around.

 

Life Expectancy

Just like most dogs in its size class, a German Shepherd lives an average of 9 – 13 years. But for German Shepherds who live a healthy and active lifestyle with consistent veterinary care, this can be longer by a few more years. The oldest German Shepherd to live reached 18 years old.

On the other hand, a King Shepherd lives an average of 10-11 years. Although it’s shorter, such a life span is normal for larger dogs.

 

Reason for Breeding

Max Von Stephanitz had the interest to create a strong breed to protect and herd sheep flocks. He successfully bred a highly trainable, agile, and obedient breed that doesn’t only succeed as herding dogs, but also in other crucial tasks. 

Their keen sense of smell and hearing, together with intelligence, and bravery made them effective police dogs for law enforcement. They are one of the most popular K9 dogs. Not to mention, they worked as messengers for communicating with soldiers and become service dogs for blinded military men during World War I.

But due to the constant cross-breeding of German Shepherds for show dog reasons, a study from the national library of medicine reveals that these canines’ physiological and physical attributes changed in the recent decades, and they have become more susceptible to health conditions.

King Shepherds were mainly bred to build the same attributes of German Shepherds – strong, agile, intelligent, trainable, and loyal – but with a healthier and larger physique.

 

The appearance

On closer look, King Shepherds usually have a more muscular torso, a squared-off body, and are visibly heavy-boned giants.

On the other hand, German shepherds have a sloping body structure, slightly angled hind legs, and a long tapered snout. Since they are believed to be descendants of wolf-dogs, they also have a wolf-like glint in the eyes. 

 

Exercise

German Shepherd and King Shepherd dogs both run with an overflow of endurance. It’s no wonder they are used as herding dogs. While it helps the herder, it is also advantageous to the dogs as these tasks shed their energy.

That said, these breeds work well with an athletic and active pet owner. They must exercise at least 2 hours a day. If not, these intelligent dogs will get bored easily, and they will turn to destructive behaviors. You may not be pleased when they start to incessantly bark, chew your house out, or herd other dogs around.

To prevent these, playing fetch, walking on trails, or just leaving them running in the yard will give them good exercise.

For their mental stimulation, you can teach them new tricks and commands, give them puzzle toys, socialize them with other dogs, or introduce them to new faces.

 

Temperament

Not only do German Shepherds work best for herding and police work, but they also make great family dogs. German Shepherds are loyal, protective, and patient with the kids. They could be aloof with strangers, but a little more interaction will help them open up.

King Shepherds follow the same temperament, but with a friendlier and calmer personality. They are described as the “mild and gentle giants”. This breed is naturally self-confident and has low anxiety concerns when meeting with strangers. 

 

Intelligence

In his book, “The intelligence of Dogs,” Stanley Coren lists German Shepherds as the 3rd most intelligent dog after the Border Collie and Poodle. Stanley states that German Shepherds have 95% correct responses to commands and can learn a new trick at an average of 5 repetitions.

King Shepherds also carry intelligence for herding, caring for children, and even as police dogs for sniffing tasks. They love to please their owners. They are highly trainable dogs that also work great in herding, guiding dogs, rescues, or simply as child companions. 

Both of these dogs will benefit greatly from proper dog training and mental stimulation, and for that, I recommend brain training for dogs. Not only is physical exercise important they also benefit greatly from mental stimulation as well in order to get the best version of your dog possible. Things that can do that are Problem-solving exercises, learning new tricks, and working on obedience brain training for dogs goes through all this and then some. I’ll drop a link in the description below for you to check out.

 

Health

German Shepherds are generally healthy dogs. But just like most breeds, they are susceptible to specific health conditions. They are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, arthritis, hyperthyroidism, and von Willebrand’s disease.

According to a 2013 study, 63.43% of German Shepherds have at least one health disorder.

Meanwhile, one of the goals as to why King Shepherds were bred, was to create a healthier breed with the same temperament, endurance, and intelligence.

Although Kings Shepherds generally have a shorter lifespan than German Shepherds, they have lower tendencies to acquire health conditions such as joint diseases. King Shepherds are generally healthier than German Shepherds.

 

Litter size

Litter size? This is another aspect of German and King Shepherds that may be closely similar. German Shepherds can have anywhere around 1-15 puppies – usually, 8 puppies or more. 

On the other hand, King Shepherds can have 6 to 8 pups on average.

 

Breed Registration

As mentioned earlier, the German Shepherd was first bred in 1899. Due to the undeniable capabilities of these canines, AKC recognized them as a pure breed under the herding group in 1908.

On the other hand, the King Shepherd hybrid is slowly gaining popularity, too. They still remain unrecognized by AKC. However, several organizations have already acknowledged these gentle giants such as the American King Shepherd Club, American Pet Registry, Inc., and American Rare Breed Association.

 

Guarding and Protection

German Shepherds are protective and alert. They can be aloof in meeting strangers, but once they warm up, they become friendly, loyal companions, and reliable support dogs for people who are epileptic, and with hearing problems. They are also a great company for veterans. 

Their keen sense of smell aids in identifying threatening materials – not only bombs or drugs – but also allergens for allergic patients and the rise and fall of sugar levels in diabetic patients.

They do show aggression in the presence of a threat, but in normal cases, they are companions to children and even little animals.

According to a study conducted by the American Animal Hospital Association, German Shepherds are in the Top 5 for most damaging dog bites.

King Shepherds, on the other hand, have an intimidating size that scares potential intruders. They are also protective of their family and owners but are generally friendly. They can be good emotional support dogs and aid those with physical disabilities. 

King Shepherds are friendly dogs and are great companions for kids. However, when faced with threats, they also are brave dogs who step up to the protector role.

German Shepherds and King Shepherds are both obedient support dogs. Their intelligence and keen senses can aid people who struggle with epilepsy, diabetes, physical disability, emotional instability, and mental concerns.

 

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