Difference Between King Shepherd And German Shepherd?

There have been lots of discussions on how King Shepherds are any different from German Shepherds. Yes, they do have strong resemblance to German Shepherds, as the two main breeds they were bred by were German Shepherds and Shiloh Shepherds along with others like the Alaskan Malamute, Belgian Shepherd, Great Pyrenees, Leonberger, and Akita. Yet there is much more to the breed specifically. So what is the difference between the King Shepherd and German Shepherd?

The main difference between King Shepherd and German Shepherd is size and appearance. King Shepherds look a lot bigger and stand up to 3 inches taller than German Shepherd. They can weigh up to 150 lbs which is a maximum of 60 lbs heavier than their counterpart. Their coat is longer and more rugged. Finally their lifespan is two years shorter at 11 years compared to the German Shepherd’s 13 years.

German Shepherd Info:

Given its name, German Shepherd, you can guess they originated from Germany.

They were developed by Captain Max Von Stephanitz who wanted to create the premier herding dog.

Different than the King Shepherd, the German Shepherd is a pure breed recognized with the AKC.

The German Shepherd was originally a herding dog in the 1800’s and to this day is one of the most popular dogs in the world due to their loyal nature. They are smart, strong dogs that are used in many different occupations including the police and military.

King Shepherd Info:

King Shepherds are very large, bulky, and muscular. They are super loyal and gentle, making them perfect family pets.

They are really chill yet need a large family and fenced in yard due to their size and exercise needs.

Overall they are super affectionate and the “gentle Giants” of the herding group.

While King Shepherds are a fairly new crossbreed originating in America, they are only recognized by some rare breed associations.

How Big Does Each Breed Get?

This is one of the main differences pointing out that it’s a King Shepherd and not German Shepherd. King Shepherds are actually the largest shepherd dog. While German Shepherds males stand at 24 – 26 inches and the females stand at 22 – 24 inches. King shepherds jump up a few, as their males stand at 26 – 29 inches and their females at 25 – 27 inches tall.

Being taller this also affects the King Shepherds weight, making them a heavier more bulky breed. They also have a much more muscular body structure. The males average weight is 90 – 150 lbs and the females is 75 – 110 lbs. Male German Shepherds on the other hand weigh 65 – 90 lbs while the females weigh 50 – 70 lbs.

Each Breeds Appearance

The colors you may see in a King Shepherds coat consist of fawn, red, black, brown, and sable. Usually their coat is a mix of two of the stated colors. As for German Shepherds it is fairly similar with colors as tan, black, sable, and bi-color. Yet the German Shepherd can be just a solid color, but they are usually a mix of two.

The king shepherds coat has a different texture than the German Shepherds. Kings have two different types of coats, their straight, coarse-haired coat and their long wavy haired coats. German Shepherds on the other hand can have plush, double, or long haired coats.

Which Breed Has More Health Problems?

German Shepherds are prone to more health conditions than King Shepherds. The reason King Shepherds are less prone to the normal health conditions for dogs like them is because of their careful, selective breeding. They also have less of a chance of any joint dysplasia like hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia.

Which Breed Cost More?

This is a hard question to answer. Technically if you were looking for the least expensive puppy you could get from each breed then a German Shepherd would be less, but overall German Shepherds have a higher maximum price. The average price range for the German Shepherd is $900 – $4500 and the King Shepherd is $1250 – $2000.

King Shepherd Vs. German Shepherd, Which One Should You Get?

Wanna know which breed out of the two is for you? Here are some tips to find out. Both our great stunning dogs. However there are differences between the two, yet the choice is strictly on what you’re looking for in your dog.

Reasons to get a German Shepherd:

If you’re looking for more of an easy trainable, reliable, determined dog, a German Shepherd is what you’re looking for. The German Shepherd is extremely smart, loyal, strong, brave, and protective. They make great pets with families that have older children. However they can be very protective and if you don’t socialize them enough when they are young then they can be aggressive to any intruders. They make wonderful police and guard dogs.

Reasons to get a King Shepherd:

As for King shepherds, these are a better choice if your looking for a gentle, loyal, family dog with a lovely temperament. This breed is known to be more laid back than the German Shepherd. They rarely ever show any aggression. This is a safer choice for a family with young kids. They are also great, alert watch dogs because they are also very protective.

Even though King Shepherds are more known for being family companion dogs, they are also easy to train and used for work like police dogs, guard dogs, and therapy dogs. Even though King Shepherds look like they have bigger coats and probably shed more, they actually shed the same as German Shepherds.

In Closing:

Now you know the difference between the German Shepherd and King Shepherd. While one is pure and one is a crossbreed, they are both excellent choices of dog breeds. To adopt one of these breeds you can look at a local shelter, or search for a local breeder online. If that’s not what your looking for you can also check out AdoptAPet.Com or Puppyfind.Com.

Please leave a comment below and let us know what you think!

Have you ever owned a King Shepherd or German Shepherd? Let us know! We would love to hear about your experiences with these two wonderful dogs!