Which is Better between the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog? A Very Detailed Review.

English Setter versus Shetland Sheepdog

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English Setter Versus Shetland Sheepdog: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog? 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 English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog 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 English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog 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 English Setter and for the Shetland Sheepdog. 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 English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the English Setter or the Shetland Sheepdog

English Setter versus Shetland Sheepdog

English Setter versus Shetland Sheepdog: Overview

A very important difference between the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The English Setter is a medium-sized dog while the Shetland Sheepdog is a small-sized dog.

Furthermore, the English Setter belongs to the Sporting Dogs group. Sporting Dogs were bred to help hunters catch and retrieve feathered game. Some sporting dog breeds such as Retrievers, which were built for swimming, were bred to hunt waterfowl in water. Whereas sporting dog breeds like setters, spaniels, and pointing breeds were bred to hunt quail, pheasant, and other game birds nest on grasslands. Many Sporting Group breeds have thick, water-repellent coats that protect them from harsh hunting conditions.

On the other hand, the Shetland Sheepdog 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.

English Setter versus Shetland Sheepdog: Comparison Table

The table below compares the English Setter to the Shetland Sheepdog 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 English Setter Shetland Sheepdog
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 1/5 2/5
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 2/5
Height 1 foot, 11 inches to 2 feet, 3 inches tall at the 13 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder
Life Span 11 to 15 years 12 to 15 years
Does NOT Drool 4/5 5/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 4/5 4/5
Good For Novice Owners 3/5 3/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 3/5
Does NOT Shed 3/5 1/5
Easy To Groom 3/5 2/5
General Health 3/5 4/5
Easy To Train 3/5 5/5
Easygoing 2/5 1/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 4/5 4/5
Does NOT chew on things 2/5 5/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 2/5 2/5
NOT Rambunctious 2/5 2/5
Weight 45 to 80 pounds Starts at 20 pounds
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Kid-Friendly 5/5 5/5
Dog Friendly 5/5 4/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 5/5 5/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 1/5 3/5
Intelligence 5/5 5/5
Low Prey Drive 1/5 3/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 1/5 4/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 1/5 2/5
Potential For Playfulness 5/5 4/5
Average Lifespan 13.0 years 13.5 years
Average Price $1020 $1590
Price Range $800 – $1200 $1000 – $2000
Temperament Score 81.3 percent 68.9 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Congenital Deafness
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Dentition
  • Eye Examination- Recommend evaluation every year until age 5, every 2 years thereafter until age 9.
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 95 23
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds) 37 6

    *Data from dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org, ATTS.org (the American Temperament Test Society)

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the English Setter 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 Shetland Sheepdog. 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 English Setter is 74 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Shetland Sheepdog is 85 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Shetland Sheepdog is a better pet than the English Setter. So, you should get the Shetland Sheepdog!

    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 English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    English Setter versus Shetland Sheepdog

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog

    Below is a list of where the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog are most different:

  • English Setters are prone to nip and chew at things. However, Shetland Sheepdogs are not prone to nip and chew at things.
  • English Setters have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects. However, Shetland Sheepdogs do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.
  • The Similarities Between the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog

    The English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog are most similar:

  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog do not adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog do the things they do with very low vigor. They are not forceful.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog 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 English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog can tolerate cold weather.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog get along well with other dogs.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog are very friendly towards strangers.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog are highly intelligent.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • Both the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog are very playful.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of English Setter versus Shetland Sheepdog

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog.

    English Setters weigh 45 to 80 pounds when fully grown. English Setters are 1 foot, 11 inches to 2 feet, 3 inches tall at the when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Shetland Sheepdogs weigh Starts at 20 pounds when fully grown. Shetland Sheepdogs are 13 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Temperament of the Shetland Sheepdog Versus the English Setter

    The English Setter has a better temperament than the Shetland Sheepdog.

    This is because the temperament score for the English Setter is 81.3 percent while the temperament score for the Shetland Sheepdog is 68.9 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 they 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 81.3 percent, the English Setter has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 68.9 percent, the Shetland Sheepdog has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog by measuring the temperaments of 32 English Setters and 515 Shetland Sheepdogs.

    Price of English Setter versus Price of Shetland Sheepdog

    The average price of the English Setter puppy is $1020. The price of the English Setter typically ranges from $800 – $1200. However, the price of a English Setter can be as low as $450 and as high as $2500. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 114 English Setter puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The average price of the Shetland Sheepdog puppy is $1590. The price of the Shetland Sheepdog typically ranges from $1000 – $2000. However, the price of a Shetland Sheepdog can be as low as $500 and as high as $3145. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 153 Shetland Sheepdog puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The Shetland Sheepdog is more expensive than the English Setter.

    English Setter Shetland Sheepdog
    Average Price $1020 $1590
    Price Range $800 to $1200 $1000 to $2000

    The charts below show the price distribution for the English Setter and Shetland Sheepdog. For different price points, the charts show how many English Setter puppies or how many Shetland Sheepdog puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

    A breakdown of the prices of English Setters. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of English Setters. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Shetland Sheepdogs

    A breakdown of the prices of Shetland Sheepdogs

    Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the English Setter puppy or the Shetland Sheepdog 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 from 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 one of those puppy mills that mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.

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

    English Setter versus Shetland Sheepdog

    The Intelligence of the English Setter versus the Intelligence of the Shetland Sheepdog

    English Setter Shetland Sheepdog
    Intelligence Rank 37 out of 130 dog breeds 6 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions Tend To Learn New Commands After Fewer Than 5 Repetitions

    Professor Stanley Coren, the famous psychology/neuropsychological professor and, dog lover/trainer measured and ranked the intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.

    According to Prof. Stanley Coren, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:

  • Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence a dog has because of what the dog was bred for. This type of intelligence comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that were bred for guarding will have high `guarding` instinctive intelligence, while dog breeds that were bred for hunting will what high `hunting` instinctive intelligence. However, you cannot compare the intelligence of dog breeds based on instinctive intelligence because such a comparison will not make sense.
  • Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. It includes learning and benefiting from experience with his environment, solving new problems, and so forth. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. Thus, two dogs can have remarkably different levels of adaptive intelligence even if they are of the same breed.
  • Working/Obedience Intelligence: This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. Importantly, different dog breeds have different learning abilities. Also, science has shown that some dog breeds can learn faster than some other breeds. This means certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. Dogs with high Working/Obedience Intelligence are smart and easy to train.
  • Prof. Coren showed that the Working/Obedience Intelligence of different dog breeds can be measured reliably. Thus, he was able to rank different dog breeds based on their Working/Obedience Intelligence.

    This is important because according to Prof. Coren, 51 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from its genes while 49 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from the dog`s environmental circumstances.

    To rank the intelligence of dog breeds, Prof. Coren employed the help of 208 dog obedience judges in North America to fill out a detailed survey on dog obedience. This number represented more than half of all of these judges in North America at the time. He also employed 63 veterinarians and 14 guard dog experts to collect data on the personality of different dog breeds.

    Prof. Coren found that the English Setter has an obedience intelligence rank of 37 out of 130 dog breeds. The English Setter belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category. This means that English Setters tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.

    The Shetland Sheepdog has an obedience intelligence rank of 6 out of 130 dog breeds. The Shetland Sheepdog belongs to the `Brightest Dogs` category. This means that Shetland Sheepdogs tend to learn new commands after fewer than 5 repetitions.

    The Shetland Sheepdog is more intelligent than the English Setter.

    However, Prof. Coren noted that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone, that other factors such as sociability, adorability, and compatibility with the owner are other very important factors that new dog owners need to consider when deciding on a new dog.

    English Setter versus Shetland Sheepdog

    The Popularity of English Setter versus Popularity of Shetland Sheepdog

    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 English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Shetland Sheepdog is more popular with dog owners than the English Setter. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Shetland Sheepdog is 23 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the English Setter is 95 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of English Setter

    Popularity of English Setter

    Popularity of Shetland Sheepdog

    Popularity of Shetland Sheepdog

    Year English Setter Popularity Rank Shetland Sheepdog Popularity Rank
    2013 91 21
    2014 89 21
    2015 96 23
    2016 102 24
    2017 95 24
    2018 94 25
    2019 98 25
    2020 101 27

    Health Problems of English Setter versus Health Problems of Shetland Sheepdog

    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 English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog 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 Shetland Sheepdog is prone to the same number of genetic health problems as the English Setter.

    4 health tests are recommended for English Setter while 4 tests are recommended for the Shetland Sheepdog.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in English Setters and in Shetland Sheepdogs.

    English Setter Health Problems

    English Setters are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing English Setter 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 English Setter puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your English Setter 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 English Setters for:

  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Congenital Deafness
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for English Setters here.

    Shetland Sheepdog Health Problems

    Shetland Sheepdogs are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Shetland Sheepdog 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 Shetland Sheepdog puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Shetland Sheepdog 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 Shetland Sheepdogs for:

  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Dentition
  • Eye Examination- Recommend evaluation every year until age 5, every 2 years thereafter until age 9.
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Shetland Sheepdogs here.

    More Discussions on Health Problems in English Setters and Shetland Sheepdogs

    Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the English Setter Breed is Baer Hearing (Es) problems.

    This is because the English Setter ranks 1 out of 1 dog breeds for Baer Hearing (Es) problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 4303 English Setters, 4 of them had Baer Hearing (Es) problems.

    The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in English Setters, and how common these diseases are in English Setters relative to other dog breeds, are given below:

  • Baer Hearing (Es) problems: Rank 1 out of 1 Dog Breeds
  • Thyroid problems: Rank 1 out of 115 Dog Breeds
  • Baer Hearing Test problems: Rank 4 out of 21 Dog Breeds
  • Elbow problems: Rank 28 out of 144 Dog Breeds
  • Hips problems: Rank 70 out of 198 Dog Breeds
  • Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Shetland Sheepdog Breed is Collie Eye Anomaly problems.

    This is because the Shetland Sheepdog ranks 3 out of 7 dog breeds for Collie Eye Anomaly problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 633 Shetland Sheepdogs, 5 of them had Collie Eye Anomaly problems.

    The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Shetland Sheepdogs, and how common these diseases are in Shetland Sheepdogs relative to other dog breeds, are given below:

  • Collie Eye Anomaly problems: Rank 3 out of 7 Dog Breeds
  • Multiple Drug Resistance (Mdr1) problems: Rank 4 out of 7 Dog Breeds
  • Thyroid problems: Rank 5 out of 115 Dog Breeds
  • Dentition Database problems: Rank 6 out of 49 Dog Breeds
  • Von Willebrands problems: Rank 6 out of 15 Dog Breeds
  • Degenerative Myelopathy problems: Rank 46 out of 70 Dog Breeds
  • Patella problems: Rank 89 out of 145 Dog Breeds
  • Elbow problems: Rank 101 out of 144 Dog Breeds
  • Eyes problems: Rank 122 out of 182 Dog Breeds
  • Hips problems: Rank 166 out of 198 Dog Breeds
  • The table below lists the common health problems in English Setter and in Shetland Sheepdog and the rank (prevalence), compared to other dogs, of these health problems in the English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog:

    Disease English Setter Rank Shetland Sheepdog Rank
    Baer Hearing (Es) problems 1 out of 1 dog breeds Not Common
    Thyroid problems 1 out of 115 dog breeds 5 out of 115 dog breeds
    Baer Hearing Test problems 4 out of 21 dog breeds Not Common
    Elbow problems 28 out of 144 dog breeds 101 out of 144 dog breeds
    Hips problems 70 out of 198 dog breeds 166 out of 198 dog breeds
    Collie Eye Anomaly problems Not Common 3 out of 7 dog breeds
    Multiple Drug Resistance (Mdr1) problems Not Common 4 out of 7 dog breeds
    Dentition Database problems Not Common 6 out of 49 dog breeds
    Von Willebrands problems Not Common 6 out of 15 dog breeds
    Degenerative Myelopathy problems Not Common 46 out of 70 dog breeds
    Patella problems Not Common 89 out of 145 dog breeds
    Eyes problems Not Common 122 out of 182 dog breeds

    *To learn more about each of these diseases, go to OFA.org and search for the disease.

    Again, most of these health problems can be prevented through health screening. Responsible breeders screen male and female dog parents for genetic problems. These breeders will only breed dogs that are free of genetic defects. That way, there is little or no chance that their puppies will grow up to have genetic health problems. Always ask a breeder for the list of health tests the breeder screens their dogs for before buying a puppy from such a breeder.

    Is the English Setter Better for Apartment Owners than the Shetland Sheepdog?

    English Setters do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Shetland Sheepdogs do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Tolerates Being Alone: English Setter versus Shetland Sheepdog

    English Setters do not like to be left alone.

    Shetland Sheepdogs do not like to be left alone.

    Which one drools more, the English Setter or the Shetland Sheepdog

    English Setters do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Shetland Sheepdogs do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the English Setter or the Shetland Sheepdog?

    English Setters are OK for new dog owners.

    Shetland Sheepdogs are OK for new dog owners.

    Can English Setters Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Shetland Sheepdogs Tolerate Hot Weather?

    English Setters can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Shetland Sheepdogs can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Do English Setters shed more than Shetland Sheepdogs?

    English Setters shed moderately.

    Shetland Sheepdogs shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the English Setter or the Shetland Sheepdog?

    English Setters are moderately easy to groom.

    Shetland Sheepdogs require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Is the English Setter Easier to Train than the Shetland Sheepdog?

    English Setters are fairly easy to train.

    Shetland Sheepdogs are very easy to train.

    Can English Setters Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Shetland Sheepdogs Tolerate Cold Weather?

    English Setters can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Shetland Sheepdogs can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Do English Setters Bark and Howl? What about Shetland Sheepdogs?

    English Setters are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Shetland Sheepdogs are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Are English Setters good family dogs? What about Shetland Sheepdogs?

    English Setters are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Shetland Sheepdogs are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    How Kid-friendly are English Setters and Shetland Sheepdogs?

    English Setters get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Shetland Sheepdogs get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the English Setter or the Shetland Sheepdog?

    English Setters get along very well with other dogs.

    Shetland Sheepdogs get along very well with other dogs.

    Does the English Setter Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Shetland Sheepdog?

    English Setters 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.

    Shetland Sheepdogs have a moderate prey drive. They can sometimes chase after smaller animals and pets.

    Wanderlust Potential: English Setter vs. Shetland Sheepdog

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

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

    Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the English Setter

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the English Setter 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 English Setter:

  • Irish Setter (83 percent match with English Setter). Here is our comparison of the Shetland Sheepdog vs Irish Setter.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Shetland Sheepdog

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Shetland Sheepdog 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 Shetland Sheepdog:

  • Collie (81 percent match with Shetland Sheepdog). Here is our comparison of the English Setter vs Collie.
  • Pembroke Welsh Corgi (79 percent match with Shetland Sheepdog). Here is our comparison of the English Setter vs Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

    You may also be interested in how the English Setter and how the Shetland Sheepdog compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the English Setter and of the Shetland Sheepdog to other breeds:

    English Setter Versus Other Dog Breeds

    English Setter versus Spinone Italiano     English Setter versus Toy Fox Terrier     English Setter versus Dogue de Bordeaux     English Setter versus Skye Terrier     English Setter versus Spinone Italiano     English Setter versus Whippet     English Setter versus Leonberger     English Setter versus Golden Cocker Retriever     English Setter versus Chinese Crested     English Setter versus Patterdale Terrier     

    Shetland Sheepdog Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Shetland Sheepdog versus Vizsla     Shetland Sheepdog versus Bracco Italiano     Shetland Sheepdog versus Azawakh     Shetland Sheepdog versus German Pinscher     Shetland Sheepdog versus Scottish Deerhound     Shetland Sheepdog versus Lhasapoo     Shetland Sheepdog versus Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen     Shetland Sheepdog versus Bouvier des Flandres     Shetland Sheepdog versus Fila Brasileiro     Shetland Sheepdog versus Ibizan Hound     

    Conclusion: English Setter versus Shetland Sheepdog. 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 English Setter and the Shetland Sheepdog better suits you and your family.