Which is Better between the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd? A Very Detailed Review.

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Afghan Hound Versus Shiloh Shepherd: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will provide you a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd 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 Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd 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 Afghan Hound and for the Shiloh Shepherd. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd.

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

Afghan Hound versus Shiloh Shepherd: Overview

A very important difference between the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Afghan Hound is a large-sized dog while the Shiloh Shepherd is a giant-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Afghan Hound 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.

On the other hand, the Shiloh Shepherd 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.

Afghan Hound versus Shiloh Shepherd: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Afghan Hound to the Shiloh Shepherd 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.

Factor Afghan Hound Shiloh Shepherd
Does NOT Drool 5/5 3/5
Easy To Groom 1/5 4/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 5/5 2/5
Easy To Train 1/5 5/5
Life Span 10 to 12 years 9 to 14 years
Tolerates Being Alone 2/5 2/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 2/5 5/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 4/5 2/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 4/5 2/5
Height 24 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder 26 to 30 inches
Good For Novice Owners 3/5 2/5
General Health 3/5 3/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 2/5
Dog Friendly 4/5 4/5
Does NOT Shed 2/5 2/5
Intelligence 4/5 5/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 2/5 2/5
Potential For Playfulness 4/5 5/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 5/5 1/5
Easygoing 1/5 2/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 5/5 5/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 5/5 4/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Kid-Friendly 5/5 5/5
Low Prey Drive 1/5 5/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 1/5 3/5
NOT Rambunctious 1/5 2/5
Weight 50 to 60 pounds 80 to 130 pounds
Average Lifespan 11.0 years 11.5 years
Average Price $2390 No Data
Price Range $2250 – $2500 No Data
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Eye Examination- minimum age 12 months
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Degenerative Myelopathy
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • *Data from dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Afghan Hound 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 Shiloh Shepherd. 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 a Afghan Hound is 78 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Shiloh Shepherd is 82 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Shiloh Shepherd is a better pet than the Afghan Hound. So, you should get the Shiloh Shepherd!

    Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd

    Below is a list of where the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd are most different:

  • Afghan Hounds require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom. However, Shiloh Shepherds are very easy to groom.
  • Afghan Hounds are not prone to gaining weight easily. However, Shiloh Shepherds gain weight easily. You need to pay careful attention to what you feed them.
  • Afghan Hounds are not easy to train. However, Shiloh Shepherds are very easy to train.
  • Afghan Hounds are not very friendly towards strangers. However, Shiloh Shepherds are very friendly towards strangers.
  • Afghan Hounds adapt well to apartment living. However, Shiloh Shepherds do not adapt well to apartment living.
  • Afghan Hounds have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets. However, Shiloh Shepherds have a very low prey drive. This means they get along well with other pets.
  • The Similarities Between the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd

    The Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd are most similar:

  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd get along well with other dogs.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd are very playful.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd are easily disturbed by noise in their environments. They are sensitive to human tone. They will understand the tone of your voice when you try to correct their behaviors with a firm tone.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd can tolerate cold weather.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd can tolerate hot weather.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of Afghan Hound versus Shiloh Shepherd

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd.

    Afghan Hounds weigh 50 to 60 pounds when fully grown. Afghan Hounds are 24 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Shiloh Shepherds weigh 80 to 130 pounds when fully grown. Shiloh Shepherds are 26 to 30 inches when fully grown.

    Health Problems of Afghan Hound versus Health Problems of Shiloh Shepherd

    Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. Therefore, there is nothing like a perfect puppy.

    Both the Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd are prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the organization that keeps track of health problems in dogs. Based on the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop. Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening that breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

    The more health problems a dog breed is prone to develop, the more health tests the OFA will recommend for that dog breed.

    Based on our review of OFA records, we found that the Shiloh Shepherd is prone to more genetic health problems than the Afghan Hound.

    This is because the OFA recommends more screening health tests for the Shiloh Shepherd than for the Afghan Hound.

    3 health tests are recommended for Afghan Hound while 4 tests are recommended for the Shiloh Shepherd.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Afghan Hounds and in Shiloh Shepherds.

    Afghan Hound Health Problems

    Afghan Hounds are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Afghan Hound puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Afghan Hound puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Afghan Hound breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Afghan Hounds for:

  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Eye Examination- minimum age 12 months
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Afghan Hounds here.

    Shiloh Shepherd Health Problems

    Shiloh Shepherds are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Shiloh Shepherd puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Shiloh Shepherd puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Shiloh Shepherd breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Shiloh Shepherds for:

  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Degenerative Myelopathy
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Shiloh Shepherds here.

    Which one drools more, the Afghan Hound or the Shiloh Shepherd

    Afghan Hounds do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Shiloh Shepherds drool moderately.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Afghan Hound or the Shiloh Shepherd?

    Afghan Hounds require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Shiloh Shepherds are very easy to groom.

    Is the Afghan Hound Easier to Train than the Shiloh Shepherd?

    Afghan Hounds are not easy to train.

    Shiloh Shepherds are very easy to train.

    Tolerates Being Alone: Afghan Hound versus Shiloh Shepherd

    Afghan Hounds do not like to be left alone.

    Shiloh Shepherds do not like to be left alone.

    Do Afghan Hounds Bark and Howl? What about Shiloh Shepherds?

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

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

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Afghan Hound or the Shiloh Shepherd?

    Afghan Hounds are OK for new dog owners.

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

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Afghan Hound or the Shiloh Shepherd?

    Afghan Hounds get along very well with other dogs.

    Shiloh Shepherds get along very well with other dogs.

    Do Afghan Hounds shed more than Shiloh Shepherds?

    Afghan Hounds shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Shiloh Shepherds shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Is the Afghan Hound Better for Apartment Owners than the Shiloh Shepherd?

    Afghan Hounds adapt very well to apartment living.

    Shiloh Shepherds do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Can Afghan Hounds Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Shiloh Shepherds Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Afghan Hounds can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Shiloh Shepherds can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Can Afghan Hounds Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Shiloh Shepherds Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Afghan Hounds can tolerate hot weather.

    Shiloh Shepherds can tolerate hot weather.

    Are Afghan Hounds good family dogs? What about Shiloh Shepherds?

    Afghan Hounds are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

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

    How Kid-friendly are Afghan Hounds and Shiloh Shepherds?

    Afghan Hounds get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

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

    Does the Afghan Hound Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Shiloh Shepherd?

    Afghan Hounds 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.

    Shiloh Shepherds 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.

    Wanderlust Potential: Afghan Hound vs. Shiloh Shepherd

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

    Shiloh Shepherds have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

    Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Afghan Hound

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Shiloh Shepherd that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Shiloh Shepherd:

  • Labrador Retriever (79 percent match with Shiloh Shepherd). Here is our comparison of the Afghan Hound vs Labrador Retriever.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Shiloh Shepherd

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Afghan Hound that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Afghan Hound:

  • Bedlington Terrier (69 percent match with Afghan Hound). Here is our comparison of the Shiloh Shepherd vs Bedlington Terrier.
  • Standard Schnauzer (72 percent match with Afghan Hound). Here is our comparison of the Shiloh Shepherd vs Standard Schnauzer.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

    You may also be interested in how the Afghan Hound and how the Shiloh Shepherd compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the Afghan Hound and of the Shiloh Shepherd to other breeds:

    Afghan Hound Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Afghan Hound versus Golden Retriever     Afghan Hound versus Pomchi     Afghan Hound versus Sussex Spaniel     Afghan Hound versus Central Asian Shepherd Dog     Afghan Hound versus Bearded Collie     Afghan Hound versus Lowchen     Afghan Hound versus French Bulldog     Afghan Hound versus Fila Brasileiro     Afghan Hound versus Boston Terrier     Afghan Hound versus Basenji     

    Shiloh Shepherd Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Shiloh Shepherd versus Cane Corso     Shiloh Shepherd versus Kai Ken     Shiloh Shepherd versus Shichon     Shiloh Shepherd versus Border Terrier     Shiloh Shepherd versus Doberman Pinscher     Shiloh Shepherd versus Collie     Shiloh Shepherd versus Chihuahua     Shiloh Shepherd versus Pyredoodle     Shiloh Shepherd versus Treeing Tennessee Brindle     Shiloh Shepherd versus Treeing Tennessee Brindle     

    Conclusion: Afghan Hound versus Shiloh Shepherd. 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 Afghan Hound and the Shiloh Shepherd better suits you and your family.