A Detailed Comparison of the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel.

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Last Updated: Mar 22, 2022

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Chihuahua Versus Welsh Springer Spaniel: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel.

Read on.

Chihuahua versus Welsh Springer Spaniel

Chihuahua versus Welsh Springer Spaniel: Overview

A very important difference between the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Chihuahua is a tiny-sized dog while the Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Chihuahua to the Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel

FactorChihuahuaWelsh Springer Spaniel
Tolerates Being Alone1/51/5
Tolerates Cold Weather1/54/5
Does NOT Drool5/55/5
Minimal Exercise Needs5/51/5
Life Span10 to 18 years10 to 15 years
Tolerates Hot Weather2/54/5
Dog Friendly2/54/5
Friendly Toward Strangers2/53/5
Does NOT Shed4/53/5
General Health2/54/5
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 Drive3/53/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl3/51/5
NOT Rambunctious3/51/5
Weight3 to 6 pounds35 to 55 pounds
Good For Novice Owners4/54/5
Easy To Train4/55/5
Intelligence4/55/5
Potential For Playfulness4/54/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living5/54/5
Easygoing1/51/5
Affectionate With Family5/55/5
Kid-Friendly5/55/5
Easy To Groom5/54/5
Height6 inches to 9 inches tall at the shoulder17 to 19 inches tall at the shoulder
Average Lifespan14.0 years12.5 years
Average Price$1820No Data
Price Range$850 – $2500No Data
Temperament Score69.6 percent100.0 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Eye Examination
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination by the age of 2, then at ages 5 and 7
  • Hip Dysplasia
    • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds30128
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds)6731

    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 Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel is 79 out of 125.

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

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Below is a list of where the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are most different:

  • Chihuahuas cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold. However, Welsh Springer Spaniels can tolerate cold weather.
  • Chihuahuas have low exercise needs. However, Welsh Springer Spaniels require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • Chihuahuas do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them. However, Welsh Springer Spaniels have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    • The Similarities Between the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel

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

  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are not very friendly towards strangers.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are good for new dog owners.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are very easy to train.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are very playful.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are very easy to groom.

    • Size (Weight and Height) of Chihuahua versus Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer 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, Welsh Springer Spaniels weigh 35 to 55 pounds when fully grown. Welsh Springer Spaniels are 17 to 19 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Lifespan of Chihuahua versus Welsh Springer Spaniel

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

    The lifespan of Welsh Springer Spaniels is between 10 to 15 years. The average lifespan of Welsh Springer Spaniels is 12.5 years.

    Chihuahuas live longer than Welsh Springer Spaniels.

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

    Temperament of the Chihuahua Versus the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    The Welsh Springer Spaniel has a better temperament than the Chihuahua.

    This is because the temperament score for the Welsh Springer Spaniel is 100.0 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 100.0 percent, the Welsh Springer Spaniel has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Chihuahua and the Welsh Springer Spaniel by measuring the temperaments of 46 Chihuahuas and 6 Welsh Springer Spaniels.

    The Intelligence of the Chihuahua versus the Intelligence of the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    `
    Chihuahua Welsh Springer Spaniel
    Intelligence Rank 67 out of 130 dog breeds 31 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions! Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel has an obedience intelligence rank of 31 out of 130 dog breeds. The Welsh Springer Spaniel belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category. This means that Welsh Springer Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.

    The Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Chihuahua is more popular with dog owners than the Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel is 128 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Chihuahua

    Popularity of Chihuahua

    Popularity of Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Popularity of Welsh Springer Spaniel

    `
    Year Chihuahua Popularity Rank Welsh Springer Spaniel Popularity Rank
    2013 22 124
    2014 24 133
    2015 28 128
    2016 30 123
    2017 32 133
    2018 33 128
    2019 35 130
    2020 34 128
    2021 37 126

    Tolerates Being Alone: Chihuahua versus Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Chihuahuas do not like to be left alone.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels do not like to be left alone.

    Do Chihuahuas shed more than Welsh Springer 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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels shed moderately.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Chihuahua or the Welsh Springer 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.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels are very easy to groom.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Chihuahua or the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

    Chihuahuas do not get along well with other dogs.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels get along very well with other dogs.

    Are Chihuahuas good family dogs? What about Welsh Springer 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.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Is the Chihuahua Easier to Train than the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

    Chihuahuas are very easy to train.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels are very easy to train.

    Which one drools more, the Chihuahua or the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Chihuahuas do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels do have a very low tendency to drool.

    How Kid-friendly are Chihuahuas and Welsh Springer Spaniels?

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Does the Chihuahua Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels have a moderate prey drive. They can sometimes chase after smaller animals and pets.

    Do Chihuahuas Bark and Howl? What about Welsh Springer Spaniels?

    Chihuahuas bark and howl, but not very much.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Can Chihuahuas Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Welsh Springer Spaniels Tolerate Cold Weather?

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: Chihuahua vs. Welsh Springer Spaniel

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Can Chihuahuas Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Welsh Springer Spaniels Tolerate Hot Weather?

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels can tolerate hot weather.

    Is the Chihuahua Better for Apartment Owners than the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

    Chihuahuas adapt very well to apartment living.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels adapt very well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Chihuahua or the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

    Chihuahuas are very good for new dog owners.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels are very good for new dog owners.

    Conclusion: Chihuahua versus Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel better suits you and your family.