Breed Comparison: Australian Shepherd Versus Spanish Mastiff

Last Updated: Jun 16, 2022

Quick Links: Table of Contents

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

Australian Shepherd Versus Spanish Mastiff: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Australian Shepherd and the Spanish Mastiff? 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 Spanish Mastiff 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 Spanish Mastiff.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Australian Shepherd and the Spanish Mastiff 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 Spanish Mastiff. 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 Spanish Mastiff.

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 Spanish Mastiff.

Australian Shepherd versus Spanish Mastiff: Overview

A very important difference between the Australian Shepherd and the Spanish Mastiff is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized dog while the Spanish Mastiff is a giant-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 Spanish Mastiff belongs to the Working Dogs group. Working Dogs were developed to assist humans in some capacity – including pulling sleds and carts, guarding flocks, guarding homes, and protecting their families. Breeds in the Working Group are known for their imposing stature, strength, intelligence, and fearless. Because of their size and strength, working dogs require a structured home life and firm, fair, consistent training by someone who can provide leadership without resorting to anger or physical force.

Australian Shepherd versus Spanish Mastiff: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Australian Shepherd to the Spanish Mastiff 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 Spanish Mastiff

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 Spanish Mastiff. 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 Spanish Mastiff is 83 out of 125.

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

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 Spanish Mastiff

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

The Similarities Between the Australian Shepherd and the Spanish Mastiff

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

Size Comparison of the Australian Shepherd versus Spanish Mastiff

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

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 Spanish Mastiff weighs 140 to 220 pounds when fully grown. The Spanish Mastiff is 26 to 35 inches when fully grown.

Lifespan of Australian Shepherd versus Spanish Mastiff

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 Spanish Mastiff is between 10 to 12 years. The average lifespan of the Spanish Mastiff is 11.0 years.

The Australian Shepherd live longer than the Spanish Mastiff.

Price of Australian Shepherd versus Price of Spanish Mastiff

The average price of the Australian Shepherd puppy is $1180. The price of the Australian Shepherd typically ranges from $800 – $1500. However, the price of a Australian Shepherd can be as low as $100 and as high as $12009. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 2674 Australian Shepherd puppies listed for sale from various sources.

The average price of the Spanish Mastiff puppy is $1010. The price of the Spanish Mastiff typically ranges from $900 – $1100. However, the price of the Spanish Mastiff can be as low as $800 and as high as $1250. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 7 Spanish Mastiff puppies listed for sale from various sources.

The Australian Shepherd is more expensive than the Spanish Mastiff.

The charts below show the price distribution for the Australian Shepherd and Spanish Mastiff. For different price points, the charts show how many Australian Shepherd puppies or how many Spanish Mastiff puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

A breakdown of the prices of Australian Shepherds. The typical price range is shaded Green.

A breakdown of the prices of Spanish Mastiffs

Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the Australian Shepherd puppy or the Spanish Mastiff puppy. This includes if health screening tests have been performed on the puppy, if the puppy is from a famous pedigree, the US State where the puppy is bred, etc.

Nevertheless, when looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of dogs, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.

You may also consider adopting a dog instead of buying a dog.

Tolerates Being Alone: Australian Shepherd versus Spanish Mastiff

Australian Shepherds do not like to be left alone.

Spanish Mastiffs can be left alone only for a short time.

Do Australian Shepherds shed more than Spanish Mastiffs?

Australian Shepherds shed moderately.

Spanish Mastiffs shed moderately.

Which is Easier to Groom, the Australian Shepherd or the Spanish Mastiff?

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

Spanish Mastiffs are moderately easy to groom.

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

Australian Shepherds get along very well with other dogs.

Spanish Mastiffs do not get along well with other dogs.

Are Australian Shepherds good family dogs? What about Spanish Mastiffs?

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

Spanish Mastiffs are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

Is the Australian Shepherd Easier to Train than the Spanish Mastiff?

Australian Shepherds are very easy to train.

Spanish Mastiffs are not easy to train.

Which one drools more, the Australian Shepherd or the Spanish Mastiff

Australian Shepherds do have a very low tendency to drool.

Spanish Mastiffs do have a very low tendency to drool.

How Kid-friendly are Australian Shepherds and Spanish Mastiffs?

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

Spanish Mastiffs get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

Does the Australian Shepherd Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Spanish Mastiff?

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.

Spanish Mastiffs have a very low prey drive. This means they get won`t chase after smaller pets. They tend to get along well with other pets.

Do Australian Shepherds Bark and Howl? What about Spanish Mastiffs?

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

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

Can Australian Shepherds Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Spanish Mastiffs Tolerate Cold Weather?

Australian Shepherds can very well tolerate cold weather.

Spanish Mastiffs can very well tolerate cold weather.

Wanderlust Potential: Australian Shepherd vs. Spanish Mastiff

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

Spanish Mastiffs 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 Spanish Mastiffs Tolerate Hot Weather?

Australian Shepherds can tolerate hot weather.

Spanish Mastiffs can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

Is the Australian Shepherd Better for Apartment Owners than the Spanish Mastiff?

Australian Shepherds do not adapt well to apartment living.

Spanish Mastiffs do not adapt well to apartment living.

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

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

Spanish Mastiffs 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 Spanish Mastiff. So, see below the links to the comparison of the Australian Shepherd to other breeds:

Australian Shepherd versus Schipperke     Australian Shepherd versus Japanese Chin     Australian Shepherd versus Pyredoodle     Australian Shepherd versus Sussex Spaniel     Australian Shepherd versus Papillon     Australian Shepherd versus Caucasian Shepherd Dog     Australian Shepherd versus Yorkshire Terrier     Australian Shepherd versus Finnish Spitz     Australian Shepherd versus Whippet     Australian Shepherd versus Weimaraner     Australian Shepherd versus Hovawart     Australian Shepherd versus Scottish Deerhound     Australian Shepherd versus Flat-Coated Retriever     Australian Shepherd versus Cavachon     

Conclusion: Australian Shepherd versus Spanish Mastiff. 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 Spanish Mastiff better suits you and your family.

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