Comparison: German Shepherd and Rottweiler

German Shepherd and Rottweiler are marked as similar in our database. The table compares only the data we have on the breeds.

	German Shepherd	Rottweiler
FCI group	1. Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs)	2. Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid breeds, Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs
Country of origin	Germany	Germany
Category	Large	Giant
Height at withers	55–65 cm	56–69 cm
Weight	22–40 kg	40–60 kg
Life span	9–13 years	8–10 years
Recognition features	Medium-large dog with a straight topline and a gently sloping croup Erect pointed ears and a bushy, sabre-like tail carried low Most often saddle or black-and-tan coat with a dark mask	Powerful black dog with sharply defined tan markings Broad head and thick neck Short, coarse coat
Coat	Double coat with dense undercoat, medium or long, straight and harsh outer hair.	Medium-length harsh outer coat with undercoat; black with tan.
Purpose	Standardised in Germany in the late 1890s (Max von Stephanitz, 1899) as a versatile herding and working dog; today mainly a police, service and guide dog.	From the German town of Rottweil, where it drove and guarded butchers' cattle; later a police and guard dog.

Breed page: German Shepherd · Breed page: Rottweiler

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The information is indicative. Texts are based on available sources and may contain inaccuracies; for binding details (e.g. for breeding or shows) use the official breed standard.