In the guide below, we compare the German Shepherd vs Shiloh Shepherd vs King Shepherd dog breeds.
We outline what both the main potential similarities and differences between these dog breeds might be, and also provide other important information on these dogs.
(NOTE: the information in this guide is general information only. It is not professional advice, or a substitute for professional advice. See a qualified vet or animal expert for an expert opinion in regards to your pet/s)
German Shepherd vs Shiloh Shepherd vs King Shepherd: Differences, & Breed Comparison
German Shepherd vs Shiloh Shepherd vs King Shepherd – Origin, History, & Where They Each Come From
German Shepherd
German Shepherds are a breed of dog.
German Shepherds were first bred in Germany around 1899.
They were bred from different Shepherd breed dogs in Germany at the time (reportedly a sheep type dog, and also a service type dog), with the intention of having ideal working dog traits and working ability.
GSDs as a breed belong to the ‘herding dog’ category.
Today, GSD’s are used in a range of working fields, compete as show dogs, and are also pets & family dogs.
Shiloh Shepherd
Shiloh Shepherds are a mix breed dog made up of at least the German Shepherd breed, along with other dog breeds.
They were reportedly developed in New York in the 1970’s, and were bred having some key differences to German Shepherds.
Reportedly, in addition to being bigger, having a different temperament, and having a straighter back, they may have also be bred to have healthier hips and elbows than the regular German Shepherd breed. They may have been bred in part to correct behavioral and conformational issues that were bred into regular German Shepherds
Some reports indicate that the word ‘Shiloh’ came from the original breeder’s involvement in Christianity.
Shiloh Shepherds were first recognized as a breed by the American Rare Breed Association (ARBA) in the early 1990’s
Being that they are a more recently developed breed, they are not yet recognized by the AKC.
Some reports indicate that the dog breeds that have been used to breed Shiloh Shepherds have been German Shepherds, Alaskan Malamutes, Canadian White Shepherds, Czech wolf dogs, Altdeutscher Schaeferhundes, and Sarplaninacs.
King Shepherd
King Shepherds are a mix breed dog/hybrid breed dog, made up of at least the German Shepherd breed, along with other dog breeds.
The breed was developed in the United States in the 1990’s
Some reports indicate that German Shepherds, Alaskan Malamutes and Great Pyrenees’ were used as the original breeds to breed King Shepherds. Other reports indicate that Shiloh Shepherds were also used.
It is thought by some that the intent of developing the King Shepherd might have been to combine the working ability of the German Shepherd with some softer family companion dog traits, but also eliminate some of the health and hip problems (like Hip Dysplasia) present in the German Shepherd
They were first recognized as a breed in the 1990’s, and in 1995, the American King Shepherd Club was created for the King Shepherd.
They are currently registered and recognised as it’s own breed by the ARBA (American Rare Breed Association)
They are currently not recognized by the AKC as their own breed, or as an official form of the German Shepherd breed.
German Shepherd vs Shiloh Shepherd vs King Shepherd – Popularity
Every year, the American Kennel Club publishes a list of the most popular dog breeds based on dog registration data.
The 2021 list shows:
– German Shepherds as the 4th most popular dog breed
– Neither Shiloh Shepherds nor King Shepherds are on this list. So, they might be considered rarer breeds of dogs
German Shepherd vs Shiloh Shepherd vs King Shepherd – Size
German Shepherd
German Shepherds might be classified as a large breed of dog
Males might average 24-26 inches in height (60-65 cms), and 66-88 lbs in weight (30-40 kg)
Females might average 22-24 inches in height (55-60 cms), and 49-71 lbs in weight (22-32 kg)
Shiloh Shepherd
Shiloh Shepherds might be considered a Giant sized dog breed
Males and females are different sizes, but the breed overall might be anywhere from 26 to 32 inches (66 to 81 cms) in height, and 80 to 160 lbs (36 to 72 kg) in weight
King Shepherd
King Shepherds might be considered a Giant sized dog breed
Males might average 27 to 32 inches (68 to 81 cms) in height, and 90 to 150 lbs (40 to 68 kgs) in weight
Females might average 25 to 27 inches (63 to 68 cms) in height, and 75 to 110 lbs (34 to 49 kgs) in weight
German Shepherd vs Shiloh Shepherd vs King Shepherd – Lifespan
German Shepherd
German Shepherds might have a lifespan of around 9-13 years on average
Although, some reports indicate some GSDs may even live up to 15 years of age
Shiloh Shepherd
A Shiloh Shepherd might have a lifespan of between 9-14 years
King Shepherd
A King Shepherd might have a lifespan of between 10-13 years
German Shepherd vs Shiloh Shepherd vs King Shepherd – Appearance, Physical Features, Colors, & Coats
German Shepherd
German Shepherds might commonly be known for the following appearance and physical features:
– Black and tan, or sometimes black and red coat color and saddle pattern (although other colors exist too)
– Erect ears/ears that stand up
– An angulated back and dropped hips (although body shape differs between the individual lines of GSDs)
– Generally medium length hair/plush coat, with a double coat (although, short and long haired GSDs exist too)
Having said that though, different German Shepherds have different physical features and appearances.
You can read about the different variations in German Shepherds, such the different lines, colors, and coat lengths/types here.
Shiloh Shepherd
Shiloh Shepherds have some similarities to the appearance of GSDs, but also some differences.
The obvious difference is that they are much larger, but they can have different coloring too – often having a bi-color coat, with black, silver/grey, white, gold, and tan being some of the main colors.
They may also have a squarer body than GSDs, and have straighter backs.
They may typically have a longer coat too, but still have a double coat.
They may look similar to German Shepherds in the face, and have erect ears.
King Shepherd
King Shepherds may look like German Shepherds, but be bigger in size.
They may often have similar coat colors to a German Shepherd (especially the black and tan coloring), and have a medium length double coat.
Their ears may also typically stand up.
German Shepherd vs Shiloh Shepherd vs King Shepherd – Temperament
Ultimately, a dog’s personality or temperament might be influenced by a range of factors, with genetics and breeding being key factors
So, this is why the temperament and personality of individual dogs don’t always match the general temperament descriptions found online
However, a generalized description of the temperament of each dog breed, according to either parts of the standard for each breed, or, what they were originally bred to be, might be:
German Shepherd
Intelligent, obedient and easier to train, loyal, confident, protective, and may be slightly aloof (without being aggressive)
May have the general temperament of a working breed dog or herding dog
Read more about what temperament GSDs were originally bred for, and what some breed standards outline for temperament and personality in this guide
Shiloh Shepherd
Various reports indicate that Shiloh Shepherds were bred to be softer and calmer in their nature than German Shepherds.
King Shepherd
Some reports indicate that King Shepherds may be a mix between the temperament of a standard German Shepherd and a Shiloh Shepherd
They may possess some typical GSD traits, such as confidence, good working ability, being loyal, and being well balanced, and also some Shiloh Shepherd traits such as being friendly, affectionate, and playful.
German Shepherd vs Shiloh Shepherd vs King Shepherd – Cost/Price
The cost to buy a specific breed of dog depends on the country it’s bought from, along with a wide range of other factors.
Some general information on buying each breed though might include:
Buying From Breeders
According to different online information at the time of publishing this guide, the general cost to buy each of these breeds from breeders in the US might be:
– German Shepherd
Anywhere from $800 up to $10,000+ (for the highest quality dogs), with the average for a regular puppy potentially being around the $800 mark
– Shiloh Shepherd
Anywhere from $1000 to $4000
– King Shepherd
Anywhere from $1500 to $2500
Adopting/Rescuing
Buying from a breeder may not be the only option to own each of these dog breeds.
Adopting or rescuing may be other options too.
The cost to adopt or rescue a dog can be significantly cheaper than buying from a breeder in some instances, although there’s usually still a basic cost to adopt/rescue a dog.
Rehoming
Buying a dog that is being re-homed might another option to buy a dog.
The cost for rehomed dogs can vary.
More Information On German Shepherds
It’s worth noting that some of the information in the guide above about German Shepherds comes from our ‘German Shepherd Breed Information Guide‘, which also has additional information about the German Shepherd breed.
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