Pink collar

With a star-studded history and loving yet protective personality, it’s easy to understand why German Shepherd Dogs are one of the most popular breeds around. These pups possess the perfect blend of gentle love and fierce watchfulness. As long as you’re safe and content, they will be too. Full-grown, they typically weigh 50-90 pounds and stand 22-26 inches tall.

German Shepherd Dogs are generally excellent with children of all ages. German Shepherd Dogs are ultra territorial, making them among the least likely of breeds to run away from a fight. German Shepherds get along fine with children and other animals, as long as they’ve been socialized, and they prefer to live in a home with family around. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

German Shepherd Dogs are happiest when they’re doing some type of work, such as agility, obedience, or any activity that taps into their herding instincts. This breed enjoys helping and having a job to do, so they're often used as guide dogs and police dogs. No matter what the activity is, be sure to keep your German Shepherd busy with mental and physical activities to prevent boredom. Overall, their exercise needs are very high.

There are three varieties of German Shepherds: coarse and short-haired, coarse and long-haired, and wavy and long-haired. The most common dogs are tan with a black back and mask, but German Shepherds come in a variety of colors, including solid black, grey, brown, and yellow, tricolor, or sable. They also have several kinds of markings, such as “pencilling” (black lines on the toes) and “tar heels” (black on the back of the leg). Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance.

German Shepherd Dogs are best suited for a home with a yard, though they can adapt to apartment life with enough exercise. German Shepherds get along fine with children and other animals, as long as they’ve been socialized, and they prefer to live in a home with family around. However, they don’t enjoy being with other dogs and would prefer to have the house to themselves. They are highly trainable and eager to learn.

This sweet dog was well-represented in the movie Peter Pan and is the definition of “man’s best friend.” Newfoundlands are sweet, gentle, and devoted to their families. They love exercising (including swimming with their webbed feet), but their favorite activity is snuggling up next to you at the end of the day. Full-grown, they typically weigh 100-150 pounds and stand 26-28 inches tall.

Newfoundlands are generally excellent with children of all ages. Newfoundland dogs are about as sweet and friendly as they come. This breed will be a good companion to any dog, animal, child, or visitor. They're relatively quiet and don't bark much.

Newfoundlands are active pups that need to get their blood flowing often. They enjoy lots of exercise, particularly if it involves swimming, pulling, or playing in cold weather. The Landseer Newfoundlands may need even more activity than the other varieties. Overall, their exercise needs are moderate.

The Newfoundland has a dense, greasy coat that is medium length or long and resistant to water. They can be black or black and white (called “Landseer’”after Edwin Landseer, an English artist whose paintings made this variety popular). You also may see Newfoundlands that are brown or gray, but those varieties are less common. Grooming-wise, this breed is moderate.

Newfoundlands are best suited for a home with a yard, though they can adapt to apartment life with enough exercise. Newfoundlands don’t enjoy outdoor life or warm climates, so keep them indoors where they can stay cool and comfortable. Speaking of comfort, they’re known to grow attached to their home and don’t adapt easily to new environments. They are moderately trainable with consistent effort.