The German Shepherd is very popular and moves into numerous families as a four-legged companion.
In this country, the term “German Shepherd” is often used synonymously with the German Shepherd, although many people certainly do not know how diverse the world of German Shepherds actually is. Originally bred as shepherd dogs, they now come in a variety of sizes and colors, each with a unique character.
What they have in common is a high level of activity, which can be derived from their original function as a working dog in the pasture.
The 30 smallest German Shepherd breeds are presented in detail below.
- Welsh Corgi cardigan
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Västgötaspets
- Miniature American Shepherd
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Puli
- Berger des Pyrénées
- Pumi
- Hrvatski Ovčar
- Koolie
- Perro de Agua Español
- Schapendoes
- Finnish Lapphund
- Norwegian Buhund
- Entlebuch Mountain Dog
- Icelandic dog
- Polski Owczarek Nizinny
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Australian Kelpie
- Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
- German top
- Catalan Shepherd Dog
- Greek Shepherd Dog
- Australian Shepherd
- Perro Pastor Vasco
- Border collie
- English Shepherd
- Canaan dog
- Chodsky Pes
- Siberian Husky
Welsh Corgi cardigan
With an average height of 25 to 30 cm and a weight of around 11 to 17 kg, the Welsh Corgi Cardigan is definitely a small German Shepherd, even one of the smallest among them.
As its name suggests, this dog originally comes from Great Britain. Its sturdy, elongated appearance is slightly reminiscent of its close relative, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
The Welsh Corgi Cardigan is used as a companion dog or as a sheepdog, but also enriches the family with its presence. And he dares to do something – special attention should be paid to raising this self-confident, active creature, because he doesn't like to subordinate himself.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
It is a close relative of the Welsh Corgi Cardigan and hardly differs in its dimensions, making it difficult for the layperson to distinguish it at first glance.
This four-legged friend also originally comes from Great Britain and is a small German Shepherd who has it all – he also shares his self-confidence with the Welsh Corgi Cardigan and therefore requires consistent training with lots of praise in the right place. The little one is very receptive and motivated to this.
It has a life expectancy of around 12 to 14 years and is enthusiastic about any active excursion, making it very suitable as a family dog with children.
Västgötaspets
This Swedish four-legged friend grows to a height of around 30 to 33 cm and weighs around 9 to 14 kg.
This is also a small sheepdog with a lively nature, which is why the Swedish Vallhund also needs to be properly trained. It is important to socialize him well at an early stage. It is also advisable to only welcome him as another family member when the children in the family are no longer too young – the energetic companion does not like to be annoyed and tends to defend himself.
The Swede is a small German Shepherd with a high tendency to bark, is very well suited to being kept outside and wants to be well exercised.
Miniature American Shepherd
This German Shepherd originally comes from the United States of America and reaches a size of 33 to 43 cm.
Visually, he looks like a miniature version of the American Shepherd, hence his name.
He also wants to be kept busy because he is a small German Shepherd with a great urge for activity and temperament. Originally bred as a pure working dog, the four-legged friend learns quickly and shows a high level of intelligence. He is also well suited as a family dog and is very pleasant around children. The little one is not suitable for just living in an apartment; he feels most comfortable in a house with a garden and a good amount of exercise, which can be achieved with dog sports, among other things.
Shetland Sheepdog
The “Sheltie”, which originally comes from Great Britain, grows to 35 to 37 cm tall and weighs up to 9 kg.
The Shetland Sheepdog is extremely trainable and radiates a lot of positive energy. It wants to be well utilized and is therefore particularly suitable for active people. A small German Shepherd that is very suitable for families with children and that can be played around with – that describes him.
With his long hair, his well-formed proportions and his agile way of moving, this four-legged friend is characterized by a very pleasant appearance. Its life expectancy is around 12 to 15 years.
Puli
The Puli originally comes from Hungary, reaches a height of 36 to 45 cm and a weight of 10 to 15 kg.
He immediately stands out with his extremely shaggy appearance and is also a very trainable and energetic little German Shepherd. He is very suitable for families with children and wants to be kept busy and busy by his owners. He turns out to be a very good guard dog and barks a lot and is suspicious of strangers.
The Puli should be trained consistently due to its high temperament. He is very intelligent and not very susceptible to illness.
Berger des Pyrénées
This dog is not for beginners – a relatively small German Shepherd whose training requires very high demands.
He is suitable as a family dog, but his abilities are particularly valued as a herding dog. He is also being trained as a disaster and avalanche dog.
Consistent training is extremely important for this Frenchman. It is considered very intelligent and agile, attracts attention with its long, shaggy fur and reaches a size of 40 to 48 cm and a weight of 8 to 15 kg.
He wants to spend a lot of time with his owner and be kept busy and is happy to be included in any active outing.
Pumi
The Pumi, which comes from Hungary, stands out with its curly fur, grows to 38 to 44 cm tall and weighs 8 to 15 kg. He impresses with a rather strong physique and short, shaggy or curly hair.
The Pumi is a small German Shepherd dog that has a high tendency to bark and likes to play jokes and is well suited for families with children. He has a great urge to move and wants to be kept busy and busy. This can be achieved, among other things, with various dog sports.
The four-legged friend learns quickly and requires consistent training. Its life expectancy is around 12 to 13 years.
Hrvatski Ovčar
A relatively small German Shepherd that is very suitable for beginners is the Croatian Shepherd. He is very suitable as a family dog and gets along well with children. He can also impress as a guard dog.
The dog impresses with its extremely attractive appearance as well as its loyalty to people. He needs consistent training, but learns very quickly and unconditionally.
The Hrvatski Ovčar wants a lot of activity and workload. At first he is skeptical about strangers.
This breed reaches a height of 40 to 53 cm and a weight of 13 to 20 kg. It is considered a physically very healthy breed that rarely struggles with illnesses.
Koolie
The Koolie is a relatively small German Shepherd that has a very long life expectancy. He lives up to 18 years old, which is probably due not least to his balanced nature.
The Australian reaches a size of 40 to 60 cm, although its size varies depending on the region.
He is suitable both as a herding dog and as a family dog and likes to be kept busy. In terms of health, he is considered robust and healthy.
The Koolie is very willing to work, ready to accept or leave work at any time. He is physically very agile.
Perro de Agua Español
These dogs are also called “Spanish water dogs” and this name suggests that they are excellent swimmers. They are considered very intelligent and energetic.
Overall, this is a well-balanced dog who still wants to be kept busy. As with almost all dog breeds, consistent training is necessary here, but it can also be easily mastered by beginners.
The Spanish water dog is a relatively small sheepdog measuring 40 – 50 cm tall and weighing 14 to 22 kg. He is considered friendly and gets along very well with children.
What is striking is its curly appearance, which is characteristic of water dogs.
Schapendoes
The Schapendoes is 40 to 50 cm tall and weighs 12 to 25 kg. He comes from the Netherlands and has a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years.
This very intelligent dog wants to be kept busy and have challenging tasks. Among other things, he is suitable as a rescue dog.
He is a small German Shepherd with a high energy level. It fits in extremely well with families with children.
Training the Schapendoe is relatively easy compared to other dog breeds and makes it well suited for beginners.
What is striking about this dog is its long fur, which usually comes in black and white or blue/or gray colors.
Finnish Lapphund
The Finnish Lapphund is extremely suitable as a family dog, even with children. But it can also be used well as a guard dog, due to its tendency to bark in uncomfortable situations.
This breed should be trained with consistent training, which is easy for beginners to master. She appears to be intelligent and easy to train.
The four-legged friend is an energetic little German Shepherd who likes to be kept busy. You can take it with you on active excursions.
He is also considered a generally healthy and robust dog and reaches a size of 44 to 49 cm.
Norwegian Buhund
With a size of 41 to 47 cm and a weight of 12 to 18 kg, the Norwegian Buhund is a small sheepdog that is very child and family friendly.
He is also kept as a guard dog because of his tendency to bark.
The dog breed has medium-length fur and is very energetic and intelligent. She needs a lot of exercise and mental stimulation and wants to be well utilized.
The Norwegian Buhund feels most comfortable outdoors with a large property as it needs a lot of space to run around.
Care should be taken to ensure consistent upbringing. However, the German Shepherd learns very quickly, which is why even beginners should master this well.
Entlebuch Mountain Dog
The Entlebucher Mountain Dog has a high tendency to bark and is therefore well suited as a guard dog. But he is…