Old English Sheepdog vs Golden Retriever
Compare Old English Sheepdog and Golden Retriever side by side and get a clear picture of what sets the breeds apart. Explore differences in size, weight, temperament, activity level, and other key traits to more easily decide which breed best fits your lifestyle and circumstances.
Characteristic
Old English Sheepdog
Golden Retriever
Breed type
Purebred
Purebred
Height
56 – 70 cm
51 – 61 cm
Weight
25 – 50 kg
25 – 34 kg
Life expectancy
10 – 12 years
10 – 12 years
Child friendly
5/5
4/5
Energy level
5/5
3/5
Intelligence
3/5
5/5
Trainability
4/5
5/5
Health
3/5
3/5
Grooming needs
5/5
4/5
Shedding
1/5
5/5
Barking level
4/5
2/5
Aggressiveness
2/5
1/5
Characteristics
Old English Sheepdog
Great with kids
High energy
Easy to train
Giant
Golden Retriever
Great with kids
Super smart
Quiet
Easy to train
Large
Summary
About Old English Sheepdog
The Old English Sheepdog is a large, shaggy, athletic herding breed with a dense double coat needing regular grooming or a shorter pet clip. Affectionate, clownish, and people focused, it’s intelligent but sometimes stubborn, thriving with consistent training and daily mental and physical exercise.
About Golden Retriever
Friendly, medium‑large retriever with dense, water‑repellent golden coat and soft mouth. Highly trainable, people‑oriented and playful, needing daily inclusion, grooming and 1.5–2 hours of varied exercise. Bred as a gundog, now common as family, assistance and therapy dog.
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