Differences and Similarities between the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel.

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Last Updated: Mar 22, 2022

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Chihuahua Versus Irish Water Spaniel: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel? Well, you have come to the right place. Because in this article, we will provide you with a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel 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 Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel.

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

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Chihuahua or the Irish Water Spaniel.

Read on.

Chihuahua versus Irish Water Spaniel: Overview

A very important difference between the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Chihuahua is a tiny-sized dog while the Irish Water Spaniel is a medium-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Chihuahua belongs to the Companion Dogs group. Companion Dogs were bred to be companions for humans. Their main goal in life is to be with people, and they will be very sad if left to themselves for long hours day after day.

On the other hand, the Irish Water Spaniel 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.

Chihuahua versus Irish Water Spaniel: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Chihuahua to the Irish Water Spaniel 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.

Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel

FactorChihuahuaIrish Water Spaniel
Tolerates Being Alone1/53/5
Tolerates Cold Weather1/54/5
Does NOT Drool5/54/5
Minimal Exercise Needs5/51/5
Life Span10 to 18 years10 to 12 years
Tolerates Hot Weather2/54/5
Dog Friendly2/54/5
Friendly Toward Strangers2/55/5
Does NOT Shed4/55/5
General Health2/52/5
Tendency NOT to Wander4/53/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor4/53/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight3/53/5
Does NOT chew on things3/53/5
Low Prey Drive3/51/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl3/52/5
NOT Rambunctious3/51/5
Weight3 to 6 pounds45 to 65 pounds
Good For Novice Owners4/52/5
Easy To Train4/55/5
Intelligence4/54/5
Potential For Playfulness4/54/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living5/53/5
Easygoing1/52/5
Affectionate With Family5/55/5
Kid-Friendly5/55/5
Easy To Groom5/53/5
Height6 inches to 9 inches tall at the shoulder1 foot, 9 inches to 2 feet tall at the shoulder
Average Lifespan14.0 years11.0 years
Average Price$1820No Data
Price Range$850 – $2500No Data
Temperament Score69.6 percent90.0 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Eye Examination
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination- after the age of 24 months
  • Hip Dysplasia
    • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds30157
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds)6724

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Chihuahua 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 Irish Water Spaniel. 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 the Chihuahua is 84 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Irish Water Spaniel is 81 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Chihuahua is a better pet than the Irish Water Spaniel. So, you should get a Chihuahua!

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel

    Below is a list of where the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel are most different:

  • Chihuahuas cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold. However, Irish Water Spaniels can tolerate cold weather.
  • Chihuahuas have low exercise needs. However, Irish Water Spaniels require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • Chihuahuas are not very friendly towards strangers. However, Irish Water Spaniels are very friendly towards strangers.

    • The Similarities Between the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel

    The Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel are most similar:

  • Both the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel have the tendency to develop certain health problems.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel do the things they do with very low vigor. They are not forceful.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel are very easy to train.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel are very playful.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel 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 Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    • Size (Weight and Height) of Chihuahua versus Irish Water Spaniel

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel.

    Chihuahuas weigh 3 to 6 pounds when fully grown. Chihuahuas are 6 inches to 9 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Irish Water Spaniels weigh 45 to 65 pounds when fully grown. Irish Water Spaniels are 1 foot, 9 inches to 2 feet tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Lifespan of Chihuahua versus Irish Water Spaniel

    The lifespan of Chihuahuas is between 10 to 18 years. The average lifespan of Chihuahuas is 14.0 years.

    The lifespan of Irish Water Spaniels is between 10 to 12 years. The average lifespan of Irish Water Spaniels is 11.0 years.

    Chihuahuas live longer than Irish Water Spaniels.

    Go to this article to learn more about Chihuahua lifespan and how long Chihuahua live.

    Temperament of the Chihuahua Versus the Irish Water Spaniel

    The Irish Water Spaniel has a better temperament than the Chihuahua.

    This is because the temperament score for the Irish Water Spaniel is 90.0 percent while the temperament score for the Chihuahua is 69.6 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 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 69.6 percent, the Chihuahua has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 90.0 percent, the Irish Water Spaniel has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel by measuring the temperaments of 46 Chihuahuas and 30 Irish Water Spaniels.

    The Intelligence of the Chihuahua versus the Intelligence of the Irish Water Spaniel

    `
    Chihuahua Irish Water Spaniel
    Intelligence Rank 67 out of 130 dog breeds 24 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions! Tend To Learn New Commands After 5 To 15 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 Chihuahua has an obedience intelligence rank of 67 out of 130 dog breeds. The Chihuahua belongs to the `Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Chihuahuas tend to learn new commands after 40 to 80 repetitions!.

    The Irish Water Spaniel has an obedience intelligence rank of 24 out of 130 dog breeds. The Irish Water Spaniel belongs to the `Excellent Working Dogs` category. This means that Irish Water Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 5 to 15 repetitions.

    The Irish Water Spaniel is more intelligent than the Chihuahua.

    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.

    The Popularity of Chihuahua versus Popularity of Irish Water Spaniel

    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 Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Chihuahua is more popular with dog owners than the Irish Water Spaniel. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Chihuahua is 30 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Irish Water Spaniel is 157 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Chihuahua

    Popularity of Chihuahua

    Popularity of Irish Water Spaniel

    Popularity of Irish Water Spaniel

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    Year Chihuahua Popularity Rank Irish Water Spaniel Popularity Rank
    2013 22 141
    2014 24 152
    2015 28 144
    2016 30 150
    2017 32 164
    2018 33 159
    2019 35 170
    2020 34 174
    2021 37 165

    Tolerates Being Alone: Chihuahua versus Irish Water Spaniel

    Chihuahuas do not like to be left alone.

    Irish Water Spaniels can be left alone only for a short time.

    Do Chihuahuas shed more than Irish Water Spaniels?

    Chihuahuas do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.

    Check out our articles to learn more on how to minimize shedding in Chihuahuas, and on how to groom a Chihuahua

    Irish Water Spaniels do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Chihuahua or the Irish Water Spaniel?

    Chihuahuas are very easy to groom.

    To learn more about how to properly groom a Chihuahua, check out our article on how to groom a Chihuahua.

    Learn more on how to take care of a Chihuahua here.

    Irish Water Spaniels are moderately easy to groom.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Chihuahua or the Irish Water Spaniel?

    Chihuahuas do not get along well with other dogs.

    Irish Water Spaniels get along very well with other dogs.

    Are Chihuahuas good family dogs? What about Irish Water Spaniels?

    Chihuahuas are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Chihuahua make a good addition to a family. They love kids and kids love them.

    Learn about Chihuahua temperament here.

    Irish Water Spaniels are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Is the Chihuahua Easier to Train than the Irish Water Spaniel?

    Chihuahuas are very easy to train.

    Irish Water Spaniels are very easy to train.

    Which one drools more, the Chihuahua or the Irish Water Spaniel

    Chihuahuas do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Irish Water Spaniels do have a very low tendency to drool.

    How Kid-friendly are Chihuahuas and Irish Water Spaniels?

    Chihuahuas get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Irish Water Spaniels get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Does the Chihuahua Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Irish Water Spaniel?

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

    Irish Water Spaniels 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.

    Do Chihuahuas Bark and Howl? What about Irish Water Spaniels?

    Chihuahuas bark and howl, but not very much.

    Irish Water Spaniels are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Can Chihuahuas Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Irish Water Spaniels Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Chihuahuas cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.

    Irish Water Spaniels can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: Chihuahua vs. Irish Water Spaniel

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

    Irish Water Spaniels have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

    Can Chihuahuas Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Irish Water Spaniels Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Chihuahuas cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.

    Irish Water Spaniels can tolerate hot weather.

    Is the Chihuahua Better for Apartment Owners than the Irish Water Spaniel?

    Chihuahuas adapt very well to apartment living.

    Irish Water Spaniels adapt moderately well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Chihuahua or the Irish Water Spaniel?

    Chihuahuas are very good for new dog owners.

    Irish Water Spaniels are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Conclusion: Chihuahua versus Irish Water Spaniel. 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 Chihuahua and the Irish Water Spaniel better suits you and your family.