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Australian Shepherds are a beautiful breed with merle coats, high energy, and and an obsession with being close to their families. These dogs are wonderful family companions, but be prepared to keep them active and occupied to avoid having a sad, destructive Aussie. Full-grown, they typically weigh 40-65 pounds and stand 18-23 inches tall.

Australian Shepherds are generally excellent with children of all ages. Australian Shepherds are great companion for kids and other pets, especially if they’re socialized as puppies. These dogs can be happy in warm or cool climates, but they need plenty of space to run and play and should have their primary living space indoors. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

Aussies need a lot of high-energy activities and mental stimulation to keep them happy. They’re the perfect exercise buddies, especially for families that like being outdoors. Take your Australian Shepherd for a run, hike, or a long play session in a big backyard to keep their hearts soaring and their minds sharp. Overall, their exercise needs are very high.

The Australian Shepherd has a dense undercoat and outer coat with medium to long hair that’s straight or slightly wavy. Aussies’ fur is short and soft on their head and legs, with a thick mane around the neck. These dogs can be black, red, red merle (dark patches on a light background), or blue merle, and some may have white markings or tan points too. Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance.

Australian Shepherds are best suited for a home with a yard, though they can adapt to apartment life with enough exercise. These dogs can be happy in warm or cool climates, but they need plenty of space to run and play and should have their primary living space indoors. They are highly trainable and eager to learn.

Despite their big, brawny bodies, the Saint Bernard’s heart is much bigger than their bite. They may be one of the largest and heaviest breeds around, but all these family-friendly dogs want is to love and be loved in return. Full-grown, they typically weigh 120-180 pounds and stand 26-30 inches tall.

Saint Bernards are generally excellent with children of all ages. Saint Bernards are friendly with children, other dogs, and pets. They are quite large, even as puppies, so it’s wise to keep an eye on them around small kids and dogs to prevent accidents. They're relatively quiet and don't bark much.

Saint Bernards need daily exercise but not as much as you might think. A walk or run each day will keep them satisfied, but exercise should definitely be part of their routine to keep them from getting obese. When walking your Saint Bernard as a puppy, teach them not to pull on the leash. Overall, their exercise needs are moderate.

The Saint Bernard’s coat is typically white with black, red, brindle, and/or tan markings. Most dogs have black ears, and show dogs may have white hair on their legs, chest, collar, tail tip, and blaze (the vertical line between their eyes). Saint Bernards shed twice a year to get rid of their summer and winter coats. Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance.

Saint Bernards are best suited for a home with a yard, though they can adapt to apartment life with enough exercise. Because of their size, Saint Bernards are better suited for homes with large yards instead of apartments, and they prefer to be indoors. They can develop bad habits (like barking, digging, and stealing food from the table) if they’re bored or left unsupervised for too long, so keep an eye on them even when they’re inside. They are moderately trainable with consistent effort.