Differences and Similarities between the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen.

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Last Updated: Mar 22, 2022

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Chihuahua Versus Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen? 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen.

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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen.

Read on.

Chihuahua versus Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen: Overview

A very important difference between the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Chihuahua is a tiny-sized dog while the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is a small-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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen 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.

Chihuahua versus Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Chihuahua to the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

FactorChihuahuaPetit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Tolerates Being Alone1/53/5
Tolerates Cold Weather1/54/5
Does NOT Drool5/55/5
Minimal Exercise Needs5/51/5
Life Span10 to 18 years12 to 14 years
Tolerates Hot Weather2/53/5
Dog Friendly2/55/5
Friendly Toward Strangers2/55/5
Does NOT Shed4/52/5
General Health2/53/5
Tendency NOT to Wander4/51/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor4/52/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight3/52/5
Does NOT chew on things3/53/5
Low Prey Drive3/51/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl3/51/5
NOT Rambunctious3/51/5
Weight3 to 6 pounds30 to 40 pounds
Good For Novice Owners4/53/5
Easy To Train4/51/5
Intelligence4/54/5
Potential For Playfulness4/55/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living5/54/5
Easygoing1/53/5
Affectionate With Family5/55/5
Kid-Friendly5/55/5
Easy To Groom5/52/5
Height6 inches to 9 inches tall at the shoulder13 to 15 inches tall at the shoulder
Average Lifespan14.0 years13.0 years
Average Price$1820No Data
Price Range$850 – $2500No Data
Temperament Score69.6 percent88.9 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Eye Examination
  • Patellar Luxation
    		• No Data
    Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds30152
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds)6762

    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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is 74 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Chihuahua is a better pet than the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. So, you should get a Chihuahua!

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

    Below is a list of where the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen are most different:

  • Chihuahuas cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold. However, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens can tolerate cold weather.
  • Chihuahuas have low exercise needs. However, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • Chihuahuas do not get along well with other dogs. However, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens get along well with other dogs.
  • Chihuahuas are not very friendly towards strangers. However, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens are very friendly towards strangers.
  • Chihuahuas do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them. However, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.
  • Chihuahuas are very easy to train. However, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens are not easy to train.
  • Chihuahuas are very easy to groom. However, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom.

    • The Similarities Between the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

    The Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen are most similar:

  • Both the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen have the tendency to develop certain health problems.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen are good for new dog owners.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen are very playful.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    • Size (Weight and Height) of Chihuahua versus Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen.

    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, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens weigh 30 to 40 pounds when fully grown. Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens are 13 to 15 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Lifespan of Chihuahua versus Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

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

    The lifespan of Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens is between 12 to 14 years. The average lifespan of Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens is 13.0 years.

    Chihuahuas live longer than Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens.

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

    Temperament of the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen Versus the Chihuahua

    The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen has a better temperament than the Chihuahua.

    This is because the temperament score for the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is 88.9 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 88.9 percent, the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Chihuahua and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen by measuring the temperaments of 46 Chihuahuas and 9 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens.

    The Intelligence of the Chihuahua versus the Intelligence of the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

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    Chihuahua Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
    Intelligence Rank 67 out of 130 dog breeds 62 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions! Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen has an obedience intelligence rank of 62 out of 130 dog breeds. The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen belongs to the `Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens tend to learn new commands after 40 to 80 repetitions!.

    The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

    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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Chihuahua is more popular with dog owners than the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is 152 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Chihuahua

    Popularity of Chihuahua

    Popularity of Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

    Popularity of Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

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    Year Chihuahua Popularity Rank Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen Popularity Rank
    2013 22 138
    2014 24 150
    2015 28 143
    2016 30 148
    2017 32 160
    2018 33 156
    2019 35 152
    2020 34 164
    2021 37 161

    Tolerates Being Alone: Chihuahua versus Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

    Chihuahuas do not like to be left alone.

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens can be left alone only for a short time.

    Do Chihuahuas shed more than Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens?

    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

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Chihuahua or the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen?

    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.

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Chihuahua or the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen?

    Chihuahuas do not get along well with other dogs.

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens get along very well with other dogs.

    Are Chihuahuas good family dogs? What about Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens?

    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.

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Is the Chihuahua Easier to Train than the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen?

    Chihuahuas are very easy to train.

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens are not easy to train.

    Which one drools more, the Chihuahua or the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

    Chihuahuas do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens do have a very low tendency to drool.

    How Kid-friendly are Chihuahuas and Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens?

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

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Does the Chihuahua Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen?

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

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens?

    Chihuahuas bark and howl, but not very much.

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Can Chihuahuas Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens Tolerate Cold Weather?

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

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: Chihuahua vs. Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

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

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Can Chihuahuas Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens Tolerate Hot Weather?

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

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Is the Chihuahua Better for Apartment Owners than the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen?

    Chihuahuas adapt very well to apartment living.

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens adapt very well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Chihuahua or the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen?

    Chihuahuas are very good for new dog owners.

    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens are OK for new dog owners.

    Conclusion: Chihuahua versus Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. 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 Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen better suits you and your family.