Australian Shepherd vs Bearded Collie
Side by side
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Adult weight
Males 23–29 kg (50–65 lb); females 18–25 kg (40–55 lb) (breed club figure)1
20–25 kg (45–55 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
Males 50.8–58.4 cm; females 45.7–53.3 cm (breed club figure)1
Males 53–56 cm; females 51–53 cm3
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes5
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
A brush once a week
Exercise
Plenty
Class
Sport
Family
Which suits you
Grooming
The Australian Shepherd needs more grooming, brushing a few times a week, where the Bearded Collie needs a brush once a week.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (Australian Shepherd: keen to work with you; Bearded Collie: cooperative, with its own ideas) and on loyalty (Australian Shepherd: sticks close to its people; Bearded Collie: bonded to its family).
Alike
They are much the same size as adults, about 24 kg (52 lb) for the Australian Shepherd and 23 kg (50 lb) for the Bearded Collie.
Alike
Both are rated the same on intelligence: needs daily brain work.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Australian Shepherd
Sheepdogs & cattledogs · Medium
In temperament the Australian Shepherd is quick to learn, energetic and keen to have a job, and it may be reserved with strangers while devoted to its own people.
Bearded Collie
Sheepdogs & cattledogs · Medium
In temperament the breed is lively, alert and self-confident, with an enthusiasm that often shows in playful bouncing.
Breed traits
Day to day
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Activity
Needs lots of exercise
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Needs daily brain work
Needs daily brain work
Handler demand
Differs
Needs an experienced owner
Needs steady training
With people
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Affection
Affectionate on its own terms
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Differs
Sticks close to its people
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Keen to work with you
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Sensitivity
Average
Average
Voice
Differs
Barks to alert, then settles
Very vocal
Prey drive
Chases; needs managing
Chases; needs managing
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
Both grow to much the same adult weight, about 23 kg.
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
More comparisons
Compare the Australian Shepherd with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Australian Shepherd breed page. ↑
- 2American Kennel Club. Bearded Collie breed page. ↑
- 3
- 4
- 5Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 6
- 7Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 8Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 9American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 10
Parts of this page were written by AI ·