German Shepherd breeds look very different visually. Both the type of fur and the length of the fur vary greatly. However, the following 19 breeds only have short hair:
- #1 Australian Kelpie
- #2 Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
- #3 Beauceron
- #4 Berger Blanc Suisse
- #5 German Shepherd
- #6 Entlebucher Mountain Dog
- #7 Hollandse Herdershond
- #8 Canaan Dog
- #9 Koolie
- #10 Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog
- #11 Malinois
- #12 Norwegian Buhund
- #13 Eastern European Shepherd Dog
- #14 Rottweiler
- #15 Siberian Husky
- #16 Västgötaspets
- #17 Welsh Corgi Cardigan
- #18 Welsh Corgi Pembroke
- #19 Central Asian Ovcharka
Short-haired German Shepherds are more commonly found in southern regions. Because they are less suitable for the cold winters of the north. But they cope with heat all the better.
Speaking of which, you can find a list of all long-haired German Shepherds here.
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#1 Australian Kelpie
The Australian Kelpie was once kept primarily as a shepherd of goats and sheep. However, these dogs are very trainable and therefore versatile.
This explains why the short-haired German Shepherds also serve as rescue, therapy, family and service dogs. The only important thing is that they are busy.
And not just physically, but also mentally. However, this breed finds it difficult to stay alone. But they love the attention of children and other pets.
In addition, the four-legged friends are ideal for first-time owners. Due to their territorial nature, they can also be used as guard and protection dogs.
The popularity of these short-haired German Shepherds can also be seen in the statistics. There are now said to be 3 million copies worldwide. [1]
Fun fact: For most dogs, a little exercise is enough to be happy. However, this breed not only needs physical activity, but also mental tasks – ideal for learning new tricks!
#2 Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Wendy Hodges, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog got its name because of its tail. Because this is usually very short or even completely missing due to a genetic defect.
These short-haired German Shepherds differ from other breeds in that they bark little and need to be socialized for life as a family dog. [2]
Without getting used to people and other pets, dogs often react shyly or even aggressively. But they generally get along very well with children.
In addition, the animals need a relatively large amount of exercise. If they don't get this, it often manifests itself in nervous behavior or frequent barking.
In general, short-haired German Shepherds are considered friendly, but are definitely not a breed for cuddling. They are also considered very loyal and intelligent. [3]
Fun fact: The coat color of this breed is described on Wikipedia as “blue-spotted”. Or maybe it was just the author who was color blind.
#3 Beauceron
The Beauceron comes from France, where it was once primarily used as a sheepdog and guard dog. Weighing up to 50 kg, this breed is very large and strong.
According to farmers, a single dog of this breed can take on a wolf. In addition, short-haired German Shepherds learn very quickly. [4]
Coupled with their good trainability, they are also suitable as police, tracking and rescue dogs. In times of war they could also detect landmines.
Due to his excellent nose, he served, among other things, in tracking down survivors during the terrorist attacks on the World Trader Center. [5]
The short-haired, black German Shepherds also need a lot of attention and contact with the family. They also get along very well with other breeds and pets.
Fun fact: Although these dogs have waterproof fur, many of them are very afraid of water and tuck their tails when it rains.
#4 Berger Blanc Suisse
The Berger Blanc Suisse has its origins in Switzerland. Visually, this breed has great similarities to white wolves. This also partly explains its popularity.
The short-haired German Shepherds are also easy to train and are very obedient. This is because they originally descended from the German Shepherd Dog.
In addition, they are considered very loyal, vigilant and protective. Although these four-legged friends care for their fur in a similar way to a cat, it still changes color very quickly.
If the grass is freshly mown, you can look forward to a green tinge. They also need a lot of exercise and shed comparatively heavily. [6]
Incidentally, the short-haired, white German Shepherds also make excellent family and guard dogs. However, they are less suitable for living in apartments.
Fun fact: Describing this breed as “loyal” is almost an understatement. Because they follow you wherever you go at night, even when you just need to go to the toilet.
#5 German Shepherd
According to statistics, the German Shepherd is the second most popular dog breed in the world. And this despite the fact that the breed is only around 120 years old – so it is still relatively young. [7]
These short-haired German Shepherds are primarily known for their excellent trainability and versatility. They are also among the 10 most intelligent breeds in the world.
The latter explains why the four-legged friends can also be used as family, police, military, guard and rescue dogs. They are just a little too big as lap dogs.
Among other things, they are often used by the police as drug detection dogs. Because with around 225 million olfactory receptors, your nose is around 45 times better than that of humans.
In addition, the short-haired German Shepherds are known for their loyalty, curiosity and courage. They also need a lot of exercise and have a strong hunting instinct. [8]
Fun fact: Of all dog breeds, the German Shepherd is particularly often affected by pituitary dwarfism. Affected dogs therefore look like young puppies their entire lives.
#6 Entlebucher Mountain Dog
The Entlebucher Mountain Dog comes from Switzerland. More precisely, these dogs come from the Swiss district called “Entlebuch” – that also explains the name.
The short-haired German Shepherds are also the smallest of the 4 mountain dog species. The body structure of these four-legged friends is very reminiscent of a dachshund. They also bark quite a bit.
They are easy to train and shed little. They are also considered very self-confident, friendly and loyal. To this day, however, the breed is considered relatively rare. [9]
Despite their size, the four-legged friends need a lot of exercise. They are therefore less suitable for living in flats and apartments. They also get along well with children.
However, the short-haired German Shepherds only partially tolerate strange dogs. A strict and consistent owner is also necessary for training the four-legged friends. [10]
Fun fact: This breed has a point of light fur on the eyebrows. This gives herd animals the impression that the dogs are keeping an eye on them even while they sleep.
#7 Hollandse Herdershond
The Hollandse Herdershond comes from the Netherlands. This also explains its international name “Dutch Shepherd”. These dogs are very popular among farmers.
Because the short-haired German Shepherds are very versatile. In addition to herding animals, they can also be used as guard dogs or to pull carts.
Only in the past 20 years has this breed been used more frequently as a police, search and rescue dog. But they are also suitable as family dogs. [11]
In addition, the dogs are easy to train. They also bark relatively little, need a lot of exercise and are considered very loyal, trusting and lively.
There are also some short-haired German Shepherds with longer fur. However, this species is relatively rare and is less popular due to the increased care required. [12]
Fun fact: The large, protruding ears of this breed are almost at their final size at birth. The puppies are therefore considered particularly cute.
#8 Canaan Dog
The Canaan dog comes from the Middle East and is also the national dog of Israel. In the past, the breed was primarily used to guard desert camps. [13]
However, today around 90% of short-haired German Shepherds live as wild strays. This explains why, according to Wikipedia, there are only around 3,000 registered copies worldwide.
If you ever want to see the pyramids of Egypt, you will see more than 1,000 dogs of this breed on the street on the way from the airport to the pyramids.
The four-legged friends are only suitable as family dogs if they have been appropriately socialized. Because they are by nature very reserved, skeptical and territorial.
Short-haired German Shepherds also react more often aggressively towards strange dogs – especially when they are of the same gender. But they can be trained well. [14]
Fun fact: Since it can get up to 50°C at midday in the Middle East, this breed is mostly nocturnal. Because at night it cools down to up to 20°C.
#9 Koolie
The Koolie comes from Australia and is still kept there primarily as a sheepdog and working dog. It has only recently become more common as a house dog.
The short-haired German Shepherds live an average of 15 years – sometimes up to 18 years. They are also considered to be very persistent and love to keep busy.
The more tasks and attention they get, the happier the four-legged friends are. In addition, they instinctively master numerous Guardian techniques.
To herd animals, the dogs are usually mixed into the herd after just a few weeks. As a result, they develop a strong protective instinct towards the animals.
Incidentally, this short-haired German Shepherd breed is also considered to be very loyal, loving and even-tempered. They are also suitable for first-time owners and seniors. [15]
Fun fact: If the flock is too large and it takes too long to run around it, these dogs also like to run on the backs of the sheep.
#10 Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog
The Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog comes from the USA and is now primarily kept as a family dog. However, it once also served as a shepherd, hunting and guard dog.
This short-haired type of German Shepherd also weighs up to 50 kg and has a muscular build. And yet, despite their size, they live up to 14 years. [16]
This breed is usually very loving and loyal to its own family. However, they rarely tolerate strangers and dogs. Sometimes they become aggressive here.
Keeping other pets is also not recommended. Because the hunting instinct is so strong that it is triggered even by those animals…