10 Breeds that Look Like German Shepherd (Especially No. 1)

German Shepherds are the most common dogs that you will see in your neighborhood, and in the houses of many of your relatives. These glorious dogs have everything that you may look for in a pet or a guard dog.

Originally, these dogs were bred to work on farms and due to this, these canines are generally very healthy and once you bring one home, you will not find any other dog that is as faithful and loyal as them.

Other than being faithful and loyal, these dogs are very beautiful also. Do you know that there are a number of breeds that look exactly like a GSD? Yes, there are.

In this blog, we have discussed those breeds that look A LOT like a German Shepherd but are different breeds altogether.

Let’s get started.

10 Breeds that Look Like a German Shepherd:

1. Belgian Shepherd

These dogs are also known as Belgian Malinois and they share the most striking resemblance with the GSD dogs. These dogs are medium to large in size and they are quite smart also. They are very energetic and being bred for the herding purpose, they are very strong also.

	German Shepherd	Belgian Shepherd
Origin	Germany	Belgium
Height	55-65 cm	56-66 cm
Weight	22-40 kg	20-30 kg
Life Expectancy	9-13 years	10-14 years

2. King Shepherd

Kind Shepherds are giant dog breeds that were bred by the American breeders, Shelley Watts-Cross and David Turkheimer. They used other dog breeds including the Great Pyrenees, Alaskan Malamute, and European and American German Shepherds to create this breed.

These dogs are bigger than the GSDs and are less aggressive also. They are very intelligent, loyal, and more powerful than the German shepherds.

	German Shepherd	King Shepherd
Origin	Germany	USA
Height	55-65 cm	64-81 cm
Weight	22-40 kg	34-68 kg
Life Expectancy	9-13 years	10-11 years

3. Dutch Shepherd

Dutch Shepherds were bred by the Dutch farmers to herd livestock and cattle. These dogs are very competent and among all the shepherd dogs, these dogs are the best at agility, guarding obedience, and herding. They are very loyal also and they make excellent companion dogs.

	German Shepherd	Dutch Shepherd
Origin	Germany	Netherlands
Height	55-65 cm	55-62 cm
Weight	22-40 kg	23-32 kg
Life Expectancy	9-13 years	12-15 years

4. Shiloh Shepherd

It is a rare shepherd dog breed, which is not yet recognized by any known kennel club. The breed is still under development and they are created with the Alaskan Malamute dogs.

This is why they are bigger than the GSDs and have better bone structures also. These canines are very intelligent and need a lot of exercise to stay healthy and active.

	German Shepherd	Shiloh Shepherd
Origin	Germany	USA
Height	55-65 cm	71-76 cm
Weight	22-40 kg	36-59 kg
Life Expectancy	9-13 years	12-14 years

5. Bohemian Shepherd

A Bohemian Shepherd is a medium-sized dog that is also known by other names including Bohemian Herder, Chodenhund, and Czech Sheepdog. These dogs are a lot like GSDs but they are usually less aggressive and friendlier than them.

They are also less muscular and smaller in height and they are also not recognized by many major and notable dog kennels.

	German Shepherd	Bohemian Shepherd
Origin	Germany	Czech Republic
Height	55-65 cm	42-55 cm
Weight	22-40 kg	16-25 kg
Life Expectancy	9-13 years
Coat	Long, rough, and wired hair	Long and thick, with a dense undercoat

6. Byelorussian or East European Shepherd

These dogs are more popular and known in the Russian subcontinents and are also known as the Byelorussian Ovcharka, VEO, and East European Shepherds. These dogs are intentionally bred to work and survive in freezing temperatures and it was created by crossing a GSD with a Russian breed.

	German Shepherd	Byelorussian Shepherd
Origin	Germany	Russia
Height	55-65 cm	62-76 cm
Weight	22-40 kg	30-60 kg
Life Expectancy	9-13 years	Up to 13 years

7. Northern Inuit Dog

These dogs look a lot like wolves and they were bred by crossing GSDs, Siberian Huskies, and are medium in structure and built. They are not as aggressive and territorial as the GSDs and are quite friendly also. However, they need early training and socialization to develop into well-rounded dogs.

	German Shepherd	Northern Inuit
Origin	Germany	England
Height	55-65 cm	63.5 -76.2 cm
Weight	22-40 kg	25-38 kg
Life Expectancy	9-13 years

8. Belgian Tervuren Shepherd

These dogs are from the Belgian Shepherd family of dogs that are from the Tervuren village in Belgium. They are recognized by AKC and are smaller in size than the GSDs. Their structure is also different and they are very energetic and intelligent. This is why they are suitable for outdoor life and for several dog sports and agility training.

	German Shepherd	Belgian Tervuren
Origin	German	Belgium
Height	55-65 cm	53.3 – 62.2 cm
Weight	22-40 kg	27-34 kg
Life Expectancy	9-13 years	12-14 years

9. Carpathian or Romanian Shepherd

These dogs originated from the Carpathian Mountains of Romania and are known by a number of other names also. They were originally bred to fight off dangerous animals like wolves and to work as working dogs.

	German Shepherd	Carpathian/Romanian
Origin	Germany	Romania
Height	55-65 cm	60-73 cm
Weight	22-40 kg	23-29 kg
Life Expectancy	9-13 years	12-14 years

10. American Alsatian

It is a large American dog that looks A LOT like a GSD. however, they are bigger and powerful than them and have less of their signature aggression also. They make ideal pets and family companions and they are very loyal also. Alsatians need moderate exercise and they thrive in apartments also.

	German Shepherd	American Alsatian
Origin	Germany	USA
Height	55-65 cm	61-71 cm
Weight	22-40 kg	34-55 kg
Life Expectancy	9-13 years	12-14 years