Differences and Similarities between the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh.

Last Updated: Jun 15, 2022

Quick Links: Table of Contents

• Australian Shepherd Versus Azawakh: Introduction
• Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh: Overview
• Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh: Comparison Table
• The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh
• The Similarities Between the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh
• Size Comparison of the Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh
• Lifespan of Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh
• Temperament of the Azawakh Versus the Australian Shepherd
• The Popularity of Australian Shepherd versus Popularity of Azawakh
• Tolerates Being Alone: Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh
• Do Australian Shepherds shed more than Azawakhs?
• Which is Easier to Groom, the Australian Shepherd or the Azawakh?
• Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Australian Shepherd or the Azawakh?
• Are Australian Shepherds good family dogs? What about Azawakhs?
• Is the Australian Shepherd Easier to Train than the Azawakh?
• Which one drools more, the Australian Shepherd or the Azawakh
• How Kid-friendly are Australian Shepherds and Azawakhs?
• Does the Australian Shepherd Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Azawakh?
• Do Australian Shepherds Bark and Howl? What about Azawakhs?
• Can Australian Shepherds Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Azawakhs Tolerate Cold Weather?
• Wanderlust Potential: Australian Shepherd vs. Azawakh
• Can Australian Shepherds Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Azawakhs Tolerate Hot Weather?
• Australian Shepherd Versus Other Dog Breeds
• Conclusion: Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh. Which One is a Better Pet?

Australian Shepherd Versus Azawakh: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh? Well, you have come to the right place. Because in this article, we will provide you with a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the Australian Shepherd and for the Azawakh. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you with more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Australian Shepherd or the Azawakh.

Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh: Overview

A very important difference between the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized dog while the Azawakh is a large-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Australian Shepherd belongs to the Herding Dogs group. Herding Dogs were bred for moving livestock, including sheep, cattle, and even reindeer. Herding dogs work closely with their human shepherds, and their natural intelligence and responsiveness make them highly trainable. They have high levels of energy, which needs to be channeled properly to prevent destructive behavior. Herding breeds are protective of their people and property and make excellent watchdogs. Their intelligence, agility, and activity level make them well suited to dog sports.

On the other hand, the Azawakh belongs to the Hound Dogs group. Hound Dogs were bred to pursue and hunt warm-blooded animals. Hounds hunt by using their good sight or their good sense of smell. Dogs that belong to the Hound Group have strong prey drives and often will stop at nothing to catch what they are pursuing.

Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Australian Shepherd to the Azawakh based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh

Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Australian Shepherd in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Azawakh. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

The Better-Pet score for the Australian Shepherd is 70 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Azawakh is 81 out of 125.

Despite the higher Better-Pet score of the Azawakh, we still believe that the Australian Shepherd is a better pet than the Azawakh.

This is because Australian Shepherds are much cuter but you cannot put a score on cuteness. If you could put a score on cuteness, then the Australian Shepherd will come out on top.

Also, we are biased in favor of the Australian Shepherd :-). We are for the Australian Shepherd. So get a Australian Shepherd!

The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh

Below is a list of where the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh are most different:

The Similarities Between the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh

The Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh are most similar:

Size Comparison of the Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh

Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh.

The Australian Shepherd weighs 40 to 65 pounds when fully grown. The Australian Shepherd is 18 to 23 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

On the other hand, the Azawakh weighs 33 to 55 pounds when fully grown. The Azawakh is 23 to 27 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

Lifespan of Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh

The lifespan of the Australian Shepherd is between 12 to 15 years. The average lifespan of the Australian Shepherd is 13.5 years.

The lifespan of the Azawakh is between 12 to 15 years. The average lifespan of the Azawakh is 13.5 years.

The Azawakh live as long as the Australian Shepherd.

Temperament of the Azawakh Versus the Australian Shepherd

The Azawakh has a better temperament than the Australian Shepherd.

This is because the temperament score for the Azawakh is 100.0 percent while the temperament score for the Australian Shepherd is 82.2 percent, according to the American Temperament Test Society (ATTS).

The American Temperament Test Society (ATTS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide fair and objective evaluations of the temperaments of dog breeds.

Dog breeds with low temperament scores tend to show unprovoked aggression, they easily panic without quickly recovering from the panic, and they tend to avoid people. However, dog breeds with high temperament scores are not aggressive and are not shy. Also, these dogs are generally friendly and are protective of their owners.

The average temperament score across all dog breeds (over 250 breeds) is 83.7 percent.

With its temperament score of 82.2 percent, the Australian Shepherd has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

With its temperament score of 100.0 percent, the Azawakh has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh by measuring the temperaments of 702 Australian Shepherds and 1 Azawakhs.

The Popularity of Australian Shepherd versus Popularity of Azawakh

Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds. The AKC collects this data for purebred dogs only(no mixed or hybrid dogs).

The graphs and the table below show the popularity of the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh over the years.

Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Australian Shepherd is more popular with dog owners than the Azawakh. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Australian Shepherd is 15 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Azawakh is 189 out of about 200 dog breeds.

Popularity of Australian Shepherd

Popularity of Azawakh

Tolerates Being Alone: Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh

Australian Shepherds do not like to be left alone.

Azawakhs can be left alone only for a short time.

Do Australian Shepherds shed more than Azawakhs?

Australian Shepherds shed moderately.

Azawakhs shed moderately.

Which is Easier to Groom, the Australian Shepherd or the Azawakh?

Australian Shepherds require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

Azawakhs are very easy to groom.

Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Australian Shepherd or the Azawakh?

Australian Shepherds get along very well with other dogs.

Azawakhs get along fairly well with other dogs.

Are Australian Shepherds good family dogs? What about Azawakhs?

Australian Shepherds are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

Azawakhs are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

Is the Australian Shepherd Easier to Train than the Azawakh?

Australian Shepherds are very easy to train.

Azawakhs are fairly easy to train.

Which one drools more, the Australian Shepherd or the Azawakh

Australian Shepherds do have a very low tendency to drool.

Azawakhs do have a very low tendency to drool.

How Kid-friendly are Australian Shepherds and Azawakhs?

Australian Shepherds get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

Azawakhs do not get along well with kids. They are not kid-friendly.

Does the Australian Shepherd Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Azawakh?

Australian Shepherds have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

Azawakhs have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

Do Australian Shepherds Bark and Howl? What about Azawakhs?

Australian Shepherds are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

Azawakhs are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.

Can Australian Shepherds Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Azawakhs Tolerate Cold Weather?

Australian Shepherds can very well tolerate cold weather.

Azawakhs cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.

Wanderlust Potential: Australian Shepherd vs. Azawakh

Australian Shepherds have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

Azawakhs do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.

Can Australian Shepherds Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Azawakhs Tolerate Hot Weather?

Australian Shepherds can tolerate hot weather.

Azawakhs can tolerate hot weather.

Is the Australian Shepherd Better for Apartment Owners than the Azawakh?

Australian Shepherds do not adapt well to apartment living.

Azawakhs adapt very well to apartment living.

Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Australian Shepherd or the Azawakh?

Australian Shepherds are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

Azawakhs are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

Australian Shepherd Versus Other Dog Breeds

You may also be interested in how the Australian Shepherd compares to other breeds aside from the Azawakh. So, see below the links to the comparison of the Australian Shepherd to other breeds:

Australian Shepherd versus Chinese Crested     Australian Shepherd versus Whippet     Australian Shepherd versus Sussex Spaniel     Australian Shepherd versus Maremma Sheepdog     Australian Shepherd versus Flat-Coated Retriever     Australian Shepherd versus Black Russian Terrier     Australian Shepherd versus Glen of Imaal Terrier     Australian Shepherd versus Lhasapoo     Australian Shepherd versus American Foxhound     Australian Shepherd versus Rottweiler     Australian Shepherd versus Basenji     Australian Shepherd versus Briard     Australian Shepherd versus Newfoundland     

Conclusion: Australian Shepherd versus Azawakh. Which One is a Better Pet?

In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the Australian Shepherd and the Azawakh better suits you and your family.

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