Is the Chinese Crested Better than the Finnish Spitz as a Pet? Answer…

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Chinese Crested Versus Finnish Spitz: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will provide you a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz 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 Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz.

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

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Chinese Crested or the Finnish Spitz

Chinese Crested versus Finnish Spitz: Overview

A very important difference between the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Chinese Crested is a small-sized dog while the Finnish Spitz is a medium-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Chinese Crested 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 Finnish Spitz 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.

Chinese Crested versus Finnish Spitz: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Chinese Crested to the Finnish Spitz 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.

Factor Chinese Crested Finnish Spitz
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 1/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 1/5 5/5
Does NOT Drool 5/5 5/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 5/5 2/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 5/5 2/5
Life Span 10 to 14 years 12 to 15 years
Height 11 to 13 inches tall at the shoulder 15 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder
Does NOT Shed 4/5 2/5
Easy To Groom 2/5 2/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 4/5 3/5
NOT Rambunctious 4/5 1/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 4/5 1/5
Good For Novice Owners 3/5 3/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 3/5
Intelligence 3/5 4/5
Low Prey Drive 3/5 3/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 3/5 1/5
Potential For Playfulness 3/5 5/5
Affectionate With Family 4/5 5/5
Dog Friendly 4/5 5/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 4/5 3/5
Easy To Train 4/5 3/5
Does NOT chew on things 2/5 3/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 5/5 3/5
Easygoing 1/5 3/5
Kid-Friendly 5/5 5/5
General Health 5/5 4/5
Weight Up to 12 pounds 20 to 35 pounds
Average Lifespan 12.0 years 13.5 years
Average Price $1430 $900
Price Range $1000 – $1600 $600 – $1100
Temperament Score 76.5 percent 72.7 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Congenital Deafness
  • Eye Examination- Yearly Exams Recommended
  • Hip Dysplasia/Legg-Calve-Perthes
  • Patellar Luxation
  • prcd-PRA DNA Test
  • Primary Lens Luxation
  • RCD3-PRA DNA Test
  • No Data
    Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 75 179
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds) 61 43

    *Data from dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org, ATTS.org (the American Temperament Test Society)

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Chinese Crested 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 Finnish Spitz. 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 a Chinese Crested is 87 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Finnish Spitz is 77 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Chinese Crested is a better pet than the Finnish Spitz. So, you should get the Chinese Crested!

    Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz

    Below is a list of where the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz are most different:

  • Chinese Cresteds cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold. However, Finnish Spitzs can tolerate cold weather.
  • Chinese Cresteds do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them. However, Finnish Spitzs have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.
  • Chinese Cresteds do the things they do with very low vigor. They are not forceful. However, Finnish Spitzs do things with high intensity. They can be very forceful.
  • Chinese Cresteds have low energy levels. They do not require a lot exercise time. However, Finnish Spitzs have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Chinese Cresteds have low exercise needs. However, Finnish Spitzs require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • The Similarities Between the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz

    The Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz are most similar:

  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom.
  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz are not prone to gaining weight easily.
  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz get along well with other dogs.
  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz are very friendly towards strangers.
  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz are very easy to train.
  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz are prone to nip and chew at things.
  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz are very healthy. They do not suffer from a lot of health problems compared to other dog breeds
  • Size (Weight and Height) of Chinese Crested versus Finnish Spitz

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz.

    Chinese Cresteds weigh Up to 12 pounds when fully grown. Chinese Cresteds are 11 to 13 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Finnish Spitzs weigh 20 to 35 pounds when fully grown. Finnish Spitzs are 15 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Temperament of the Chinese Crested Versus the Finnish Spitz

    The Chinese Crested has a better temperament than the Finnish Spitz.

    This is because the temperament score for the Chinese Crested is 76.5 percent while the temperament score for the Finnish Spitz is 72.7 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 they 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 76.5 percent, the Chinese Crested has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 72.7 percent, the Finnish Spitz has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz by measuring the temperaments of 34 Chinese Cresteds and 11 Finnish Spitzs.

    Price of Chinese Crested versus Price of Finnish Spitz

    The average price of the Chinese Crested puppy is $1430. The price of the Chinese Crested typically ranges from $1000 – $1600. However, the price of a Chinese Crested can be as low as $500 and as high as $4000. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 157 Chinese Crested puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The average price of the Finnish Spitz puppy is $900. The price of the Finnish Spitz typically ranges from $600 – $1100. However, the price of a Finnish Spitz can be as low as $500 and as high as $1500. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 3 Finnish Spitz puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The Chinese Crested is more expensive than the Finnish Spitz.

    Chinese Crested Finnish Spitz
    Average Price $1430 $900
    Price Range $1000 to $1600 $600 to $1100

    The charts below show the price distribution for the Chinese Crested and Finnish Spitz. For different price points, the charts show how many Chinese Crested puppies or how many Finnish Spitz puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

    A breakdown of the prices of Chinese Cresteds. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Chinese Cresteds. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Finnish Spitzs

    A breakdown of the prices of Finnish Spitzs

    Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the Chinese Crested puppy or the Finnish Spitz puppy. This includes if health screening tests have been performed on the puppy, if the puppy is from a famous pedigree, the US State where the puppy is bred, etc.

    Nevertheless, when looking from a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of dogs, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from one of those puppy mills that mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.

    You may also consider adopting a dog instead of buying a dog.

    The Intelligence of the Chinese Crested versus the Intelligence of the Finnish Spitz

    Chinese Crested Finnish Spitz
    Intelligence Rank 61 out of 130 dog breeds 43 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions! Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 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 Chinese Crested has an obedience intelligence rank of 61 out of 130 dog breeds. The Chinese Crested belongs to the `Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Chinese Cresteds tend to learn new commands after 40 to 80 repetitions!.

    The Finnish Spitz has an obedience intelligence rank of 43 out of 130 dog breeds. The Finnish Spitz belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Finnish Spitzs tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.

    The Finnish Spitz is more intelligent than the Chinese Crested.

    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 Chinese Crested versus Popularity of Finnish Spitz

    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 Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Chinese Crested is more popular with dog owners than the Finnish Spitz. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Chinese Crested is 75 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Finnish Spitz is 179 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Chinese Crested

    Popularity of Chinese Crested

    Popularity of Finnish Spitz

    Popularity of Finnish Spitz

    Year Chinese Crested Popularity Rank Finnish Spitz Popularity Rank
    2013 68 170
    2014 65 174
    2015 75 178
    2016 77 179
    2017 79 177
    2018 79 184
    2019 80 183
    2020 79 187

    Tolerates Being Alone: Chinese Crested versus Finnish Spitz

    Chinese Cresteds do not like to be left alone.

    Finnish Spitzs do not like to be left alone.

    Can Chinese Cresteds Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Finnish Spitzs Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Chinese Cresteds cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.

    Finnish Spitzs can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Which one drools more, the Chinese Crested or the Finnish Spitz

    Chinese Cresteds do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Finnish Spitzs do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Wanderlust Potential: Chinese Crested vs. Finnish Spitz

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

    Finnish Spitzs have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Do Chinese Cresteds shed more than Finnish Spitzs?

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

    Finnish Spitzs shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Chinese Crested or the Finnish Spitz?

    Chinese Cresteds require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Finnish Spitzs require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Chinese Crested or the Finnish Spitz?

    Chinese Cresteds are OK for new dog owners.

    Finnish Spitzs are OK for new dog owners.

    Can Chinese Cresteds Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Finnish Spitzs Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Chinese Cresteds can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Finnish Spitzs can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Does the Chinese Crested Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Finnish Spitz?

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

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

    Do Chinese Cresteds Bark and Howl? What about Finnish Spitzs?

    Chinese Cresteds bark and howl, but not very much.

    Finnish Spitzs are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Are Chinese Cresteds good family dogs? What about Finnish Spitzs?

    Chinese Cresteds are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Finnish Spitzs are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Chinese Crested or the Finnish Spitz?

    Chinese Cresteds get along very well with other dogs.

    Finnish Spitzs get along very well with other dogs.

    Is the Chinese Crested Easier to Train than the Finnish Spitz?

    Chinese Cresteds are very easy to train.

    Finnish Spitzs are fairly easy to train.

    Is the Chinese Crested Better for Apartment Owners than the Finnish Spitz?

    Chinese Cresteds adapt very well to apartment living.

    Finnish Spitzs adapt moderately well to apartment living.

    How Kid-friendly are Chinese Cresteds and Finnish Spitzs?

    Chinese Cresteds get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Finnish Spitzs get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Chinese Crested

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Chinese Crested that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Chinese Crested:

  • Bolognese (75 percent match with Chinese Crested). Here is our comparison of the Finnish Spitz vs Bolognese.
  • Japanese Chin (75 percent match with Chinese Crested). Here is our comparison of the Finnish Spitz vs Japanese Chin.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Finnish Spitz

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Finnish Spitz that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Finnish Spitz:

  • Bearded Collie (78 percent match with Finnish Spitz). Here is our comparison of the Chinese Crested vs Bearded Collie.
  • West Highland White Terrier (79 percent match with Finnish Spitz). Here is our comparison of the Chinese Crested vs West Highland White Terrier.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

    You may also be interested in how the Chinese Crested and how the Finnish Spitz compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the Chinese Crested and of the Finnish Spitz to other breeds:

    Chinese Crested Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Chinese Crested versus French Spaniel     Chinese Crested versus Newfoundland     Chinese Crested versus Schnoodle     Chinese Crested versus Sussex Spaniel     Chinese Crested versus Swedish Vallhund     Chinese Crested versus Ibizan Hound     Chinese Crested versus Braque du Bourbonnais     Chinese Crested versus Korean Jindo Dog     Chinese Crested versus Barbet     Chinese Crested versus Hovawart     

    Finnish Spitz Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Finnish Spitz versus Afghan Hound     Finnish Spitz versus Norwegian Lundehund     Finnish Spitz versus Japanese Chin     Finnish Spitz versus Maltese     Finnish Spitz versus Chorkie     Finnish Spitz versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog     Finnish Spitz versus Portuguese Pointer     Finnish Spitz versus Shetland Sheepdog     Finnish Spitz versus Irish Water Spaniel     Finnish Spitz versus German Shorthaired Pointer     

    Conclusion: Chinese Crested versus Finnish Spitz. 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 Chinese Crested and the Finnish Spitz better suits you and your family.