English Shepherd vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison

English Shepherd vs Labrador Retriever - Breed ComparisonEnglish Shepherd is originated from United States but Labrador Retriever is originated from Canada. Both English Shepherd and Labrador Retriever are having almost same height. English Shepherd may weigh 8 kg / 17 pounds lesser than Labrador Retriever. Both English Shepherd and Labrador Retriever has almost same life span. Both English Shepherd and Labrador Retriever has almost same litter size. Both English Shepherd and Labrador Retriever requires Low maintenance.

History

english shepherd - historyThe English Shepherd is another dog with an English name that was developed in the United States. They developed from British farm dogs that were brought to the United States in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries by the Scottish and English as they settled in the New World. Tracing their line through working dogs and collies in Scotland and northern England, the settlers bred them with local dogs and each other. These working farm dogs were called English Shepherds, Scotch Collies, barnyard collie, farm shepherd, the cow dog, and the old fashioned shepherd.

The English Shepherd was appreciated by the settlers and farmers because he was a versatile dog that could herd their flocks and protect their homes as well. They appreciated his intelligence and ability to hunt vermin and be a companion for their children. English Shepherds were bred to work with a variety of livestock such as pigs, cattle, goats, sheep and fowl. They were used to hunt as well and were known to track racoons and squirrels and tree them. There wasn’t a more popular dog in the American Midwest and East in the 1800’s and 1900’s.

The breed is trustworthy, alert and independent. As the small family farms were replaced by large agricultural enterprises the English Shepherd’s numbers dwindled as well until he fell into the category of a rare breed. There were no clubs to support it and not AKC recognition. The UKC had a different dog registered as a farm shepherd.

Today’s English Shepherd is still a farm dog, but he also hunts, is a therapy dog, competes in AKC trials, and performs search and rescue duties. As a farm dog, they are still the most desirable due to their versatility in working with different livestock, guarding the home and caring for the children. They do these things in a gentle way if possible but can be tough if needed. They have great empathy for the livestock and for their human family. This makes him a great dog for the family. The English Shepherd has remained a farm dog, working dog more than a show dog, over all these years.

labrador retriever - historyThe Labrador Retriever has its origin from Newfoundland which is an island.Dorset Eskimos are the people who settled down first in Newfoundland. Newfoundland was discovered in 1494 by the Bristol traders from England. The people in the Newfoundland used Lab to help them during fishing.They were recognized as a kennel club breed in England.

The Lab has its special talents in fishing, it nicely holds the fish in its mouth and swims well to bring it to the fisherman who was its master. They are also used to hunt game birds and waterfowl.

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Sporting dog
Origin:
United States
Canada
Height Male:
46 - 58 cm
18 - 23 inches
57 - 62 cm
22 - 25 inches
Height Female:
44 - 54 cm
17 - 22 inches
55 - 60 cm
21 - 24 inches
Weight Male:
21 - 28 kg
46 - 62 pounds
29 - 36 kg
63 - 80 pounds
Weight Female:
18 - 23 kg
39 - 51 pounds
25 - 32 kg
55 - 71 pounds
Life Span:
13 - 15 Years
10 - 13 Years
Litter Size:
5 - 8
5 - 10
Size:
Medium dog
Large dog
Other Names:
old fashioed collie, old fashioned shepherd, Scotch Collie, old time collie, farm collie
Labrador, St.John's water dog, St.John's dog, Newfoundland dog
Colors Available:
black and white, sable and white, and tri-color. , black and tan
Black, Chocolate and yellow
Coat:
double, silky
weather-resistant undercoat, short, thick, straight topcoat and a soft
Shedding:
Constant
Moderate, Seasonal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Protective, Social, Stubborn, Sweet
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Responsive, Social
Grooming:
Low maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

english shepherd puppy - descriptionThe American bred English Shepherd is a medium sized dog that looks somewhat like an Australian Shepherd or Border Collie. They have tails, never come in merle coloring and their head is not as rounded as the Australian Shepherd. A working dog, its proportionally very well balanced. Because the English Shepherd is so popular across the country, doing a wide variety of jobs, there is some regional differences in the dogs.

The coat can be curly or straight with feathering around the tail, ears and legs. Their heads are slightly rounded but broad and the muzzle is also broad with a solid black nose except for the clear sable dogs whose nose is brown. The eyes show you how intelligent and strong this breed is, and they should be round, brown and oblique. The ears are close to the head and wide apart.

With a strong, muscular back and shoulders the English Shepherd can do almost anything you ask him to. His legs are strong and straight, and his hind legs are muscular. His feet are compact, oval and well padded.

labrador retriever puppy - descriptionLab is a nice companion and also it helps in doing several works if it is trained. Lab is the America's most popular breed. They help the hunters, works with police and also serves physically challenged people. They are very friendly and it helps people so much by doing many works. They have very good sensitivity and are so affectionate with family members.

They have very high energy level in their young stage. The Lab is a muscular and athletic dog. They are sweet natured and well deserved. Lab needs physical and mental activities regularly as they are very intelligent and energetic. The pure bred Labs have black, chocolate and yellow colours. They are very interested in hunting and roaming. The young Lab should be given training to swim as a child, as they likes it very much. They takes more time to mature hence remaining as teenager for a long time when compared with other breeds.

Characteristics

english shepherd dog - characteristicsIt may seem strange to talk about kindness in a working dog, but it is one of the defining traits of the English Shepherd, along with intelligence. The breed is extremely kind to everyone he lives with animals and people. Once he is secure in his job and takes in his children or his herd, he is one of the best caretakers around. He is an independent thinker, is easily trained, and highly affectionate. However, he does see himself as the boss and unless you establish yourself in that alpha role you could have problems.

Adaptability

labrador retriever dog - characteristicsThe Lab has a very good adaptability, it will get adjusted with its environment.

Learning ability

Lab has a good learning ability and it can learn upto 300 human phrases. They are the 7th most intelligent dog breed.

Children friendliness

They are very much interested in playing with kids and are a very good companion for them.

Health Problems

english shepherd puppies - health problemsLike many other herding breeds, it has been found that about 15% of English Shepherds had a gene mutation called MDR1. This means they have adverse reaction and high sensitivity to many common drugs for dogs. This condition could be life-threatening so test your dog for it and know what you are up against.

labrador retriever puppies - health problemsMalformation of hips, knees and elbow, Chances for Cancer.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

english shepherd dogs - caringRemember the English Shepherd is a hard working dog. But if you don’t work him don’t overfeed him. Twice a day, he needs about one half cup of a good quality dry food made with an active, medium sized dog in mind.

Health issues

In addition to the health concern listed above, the English Shepherd is also prone to:

Dysplasia

Both elbow and hip dysplasia can plaque the English Shepherd as it does almost any active breed. Have your puppy tested as it can cause lameness and arthritis.

Exercise and games

This is a herding breed and they need exercise. They need a job. They are intelligent and work oriented so make sure they have something to do. Take them to herding trails and have their herding instinct tested. Put them to work in flyball, agility, frisbee, tracking, obedience, rally, herding and showmanship events. Just make sure your English Shepherd has enough to keep his mind and body stimulated at a high rate every day.

Feeding the puppy

labrador retriever dogs - caringThe 2 month old puppy should be given 200 to 250gms of food. 3 month old puppy should be given 250 to 300gms of food and 6 months older should be given 350 to 450gms. The varieties of food which are popular is kibbles, Barf, wet food and Home cooked puppy food.

Feeding the adult

Lab can be fed by dry kibbles and also by raw meat or bones. Now-a-days most of the Lab are being fed with kibbles. Kibbles are the dried pellets of dog food that can be bought in pet shop or even online. Raw meat and bones are very much popular food among dog owners in UK.

Points for Good Health

For good health, Lab should be fed by a diet controlled food. Because overfeeding will lead to overweight of the dog as it causes weakness of bones.

Games and Exercises

Lab is a very energetic dog, so it should be given some time to play daily. It will be very happy if it is given a fenced ground to play and burn off his natural energy. Also it will be very good for lab if it is given chance to swim weekly once.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Pembroke Welsh Corgi vs English Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  2. English Shepherd vs Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. English Shepherd vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) - Breed Comparison
  4. English Shepherd vs Australian Cattle Dog - Breed Comparison
  5. English Shepherd vs Bearded Collie - Breed Comparison
  6. English Shepherd vs Collie - Breed Comparison
  7. English Shepherd vs Austrailian Blue Heeler - Breed Comparison
  8. English Shepherd vs Dutch Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  9. English Shepherd vs Blue Healer - Breed Comparison
  10. English Shepherd vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  11. English Shepherd vs Catahoula Cur - Breed Comparison
  12. English Shepherd vs Australian Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  13. English Shepherd vs Catalan Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  14. English Shepherd vs Bergamasco - Breed Comparison
  15. English Shepherd vs Berger Picard - Breed Comparison
  16. English Shepherd vs Appenzell Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison
  17. English Shepherd vs Bohemian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  18. English Shepherd vs Croatian Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  19. English Shepherd vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren) - Breed Comparison
  20. English Shepherd vs Blue Lacy - Breed Comparison
  21. English Shepherd vs Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. English Shepherd vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois) - Breed Comparison
  23. English Shepherd vs Black Norwegian Elkhound - Breed Comparison
  24. English Shepherd vs Cao da Serra de Aires - Breed Comparison
  25. Pyrenean Shepherd vs English Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  26. Chesapeake Bay Retriever vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  27. German Wirehaired Pointer vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  28. Bull Arab vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Gordon Setter vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Magyar Agar vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  31. Eurohound vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  32. Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  33. Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Orange vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  34. Grand Anglo-Francais Tricolore vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  35. Tweed Water Spaniel vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  36. Siberian Husky vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  37. Rottweiler vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  38. American Bully vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  39. Boxer vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  40. Akita vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  41. Doberman Pinscher vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  42. Samoyed vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  43. Labradoodle vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  44. Cane Corso vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  45. Alaskan Malamute vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  46. Mixed vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  47. Bullmastiff vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  48. Labrador Retriever vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  49. Labrador Retriever vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  50. Dogue De Bordeaux vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds