Australian Shepherd

Herding · Medium

Poodle

Non-Sporting · Medium

Australian Shepherd vs Poodle

Side-by-side comparison of the Australian Shepherd and Poodle — size, temperament, shedding, trainability, cost, and compatibility ratings.

Quick comparison

Best for families

Australian Shepherd

Based on good-with-kids rating

Easier to train

Australian Shepherd

Based on trainability rating

Less shedding

Poodle

Based on shedding level

Better for apartments

Poodle

Based on apartment-friendly rating

Lower maintenance

Australian Shepherd

Based on grooming needs

Longer lifespan

Poodle

Based on average lifespan

Detailed comparison

Physical traits

Trait	Australian Shepherd	Poodle
Size	Medium	Medium
Height	18–23″	10–22″
Weight	40–65 lbs	6–70 lbs
Lifespan	12–15 yrs	10–18 yrs
Group	Herding	Non-Sporting
Coat type	Medium-length double coat, straight to wavy	Dense, curly, single coat, non-shedding

Temperament & behavior

Trait	Australian Shepherd	Poodle
Energy level	Very High	High
Trainability	Very High	Very High
Barking level	Moderate	Moderate

Compatibility

Trait	Australian Shepherd	Poodle
Good with kids	High	High
Good with dogs	High	High
Good with cats	Low	High
Apartment friendly	Very Low	High

Care requirements

Trait	Australian Shepherd	Poodle
Shedding	High	Very Low
Grooming needs	Moderate	Very High
Daily exercise	60–120 min	40–90 min
Daily food	1.5–2.5 cups	0.5–3 cups
Annual cost	$1 300–$2 200	$1 200–$2 800

Temperament