Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus English Toy Spaniel. Final Verdict on Which is a Better Pet.

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Dandie Dinmont Terrier Versus English Toy Spaniel: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel? 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 Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy 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 Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy 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 Dandie Dinmont Terrier and for the English Toy Spaniel. 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 Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Dandie Dinmont Terrier or the English Toy Spaniel

Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus English Toy Spaniel: Overview

A very important difference between the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a tiny-sized dog while the English Toy Spaniel is a small-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier belongs to the Terrier Dogs group. Terrier Dogs were originally bred to go underground to hunt rodents and other small wild animals (vermin). Terriers come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, but all terriers are energetic, highly intelligent, and territorial. Terries also have the tendency to escape. They require a securely fenced yard.

On the other hand, the English Toy Spaniel 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.

Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus English Toy Spaniel: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Dandie Dinmont Terrier to the English Toy 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.

Factor Dandie Dinmont Terrier English Toy Spaniel
Does NOT Drool 5/5 4/5
Life Span 12 to 15 years 10 to 12 years
Weight 18 to 24 pounds 8 to 14 pounds
Tolerates Being Alone 2/5 1/5
Easy To Groom 2/5 4/5
Easy To Train 2/5 3/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 4/5 3/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 4/5 4/5
Easygoing 3/5 2/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 3/5 2/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 2/5
Dog Friendly 3/5 4/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 3/5 4/5
Does NOT Shed 3/5 1/5
General Health 3/5 2/5
Intelligence 3/5 3/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 2/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 3/5 4/5
NOT Rambunctious 3/5 3/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 3/5 3/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 4/5 4/5
Good For Novice Owners 4/5 4/5
Kid-Friendly 4/5 1/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 2/5 3/5
Low Prey Drive 2/5 2/5
Potential For Playfulness 4/5 4/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Height 8 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder 10 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder
Average Lifespan 13.5 years 11.0 years
Price Range No Data $2250 – $2525
Average Price No Data $2350
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination
    		•
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination
  • Patellar Luxation
    		•
    Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 173 134

    *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 Dandie Dinmont Terrier 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 English Toy 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 a Dandie Dinmont Terrier is 80 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a English Toy Spaniel is 74 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a better pet than the English Toy Spaniel. So, you should get the Dandie Dinmont Terrier!

    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 Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel

    Below is a list of where the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel are most different:

  • Dandie Dinmont Terriers get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly. However, English Toy Spaniels do not get along well with kids. They are not kid-friendly.

    • The Similarities Between the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel

    The Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel are most similar:

  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel are not easy to train.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel are not very vocal. They have very low tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel have low exercise needs.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel are good for new dog owners.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel gain weight easily. You need to pay careful attention to what you feed them.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel are very playful.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    • Size (Weight and Height) of Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus English Toy Spaniel

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel.

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers weigh 18 to 24 pounds when fully grown. Dandie Dinmont Terriers are 8 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, English Toy Spaniels weigh 8 to 14 pounds when fully grown. English Toy Spaniels are 10 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    The Popularity of Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Popularity of English Toy 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 Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the English Toy Spaniel is more popular with dog owners than the Dandie Dinmont Terrier. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the English Toy Spaniel is 134 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is 173 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Dandie Dinmont Terrier

    Popularity of Dandie Dinmont Terrier

    Popularity of English Toy Spaniel

    Popularity of English Toy Spaniel

    Year Dandie Dinmont Terrier Popularity Rank English Toy Spaniel Popularity Rank
    2013 168 135
    2014 167 138
    2015 172 129
    2016 167 130
    2017 182 134
    2018 176 135
    2019 174 139
    2020 181 138

    Health Problems of Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Health Problems of English Toy Spaniel

    Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. Therefore, there is nothing like a perfect puppy.

    Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel are prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the organization that keeps track of health problems in dogs. Based on the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop. Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening that breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

    The more health problems a dog breed is prone to develop, the more health tests the OFA will recommend for that dog breed.

    Based on our review of OFA records, we found that the English Toy Spaniel is prone to more genetic health problems than the Dandie Dinmont Terrier.

    This is because the OFA recommends more screening health tests for the English Toy Spaniel than for the Dandie Dinmont Terrier.

    2 health tests are recommended for Dandie Dinmont Terrier while 4 tests are recommended for the English Toy Spaniel.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Dandie Dinmont Terriers and in English Toy Spaniels.

    Dandie Dinmont Terrier Health Problems

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Dandie Dinmont Terrier puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Dandie Dinmont Terrier puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Dandie Dinmont Terrier breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Dandie Dinmont Terriers for:

  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination

    • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Dandie Dinmont Terriers here.

    English Toy Spaniel Health Problems

    English Toy Spaniels are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing English Toy Spaniel puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a English Toy Spaniel puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your English Toy Spaniel breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen English Toy Spaniels for:

  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination
  • Patellar Luxation

    • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for English Toy Spaniels here.

    Which one drools more, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier or the English Toy Spaniel

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers do have a very low tendency to drool.

    English Toy Spaniels do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Tolerates Being Alone: Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus English Toy Spaniel

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers do not like to be left alone.

    English Toy Spaniels do not like to be left alone.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier or the English Toy Spaniel?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    English Toy Spaniels are very easy to groom.

    Is the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Easier to Train than the English Toy Spaniel?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers are not easy to train.

    English Toy Spaniels are fairly easy to train.

    Do Dandie Dinmont Terriers Bark and Howl? What about English Toy Spaniels?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.

    English Toy Spaniels bark and howl, but not very much.

    Can Dandie Dinmont Terriers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can English Toy Spaniels Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers can moderately tolerate cold weather.

    English Toy Spaniels cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.

    Can Dandie Dinmont Terriers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can English Toy Spaniels Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    English Toy Spaniels cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier or the English Toy Spaniel?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers get along fairly well with other dogs.

    English Toy Spaniels get along very well with other dogs.

    Do Dandie Dinmont Terriers shed more than English Toy Spaniels?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers shed moderately.

    English Toy Spaniels shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Wanderlust Potential: Dandie Dinmont Terrier vs. English Toy Spaniel

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

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

    Is the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Better for Apartment Owners than the English Toy Spaniel?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers adapt very well to apartment living.

    English Toy Spaniels adapt very well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier or the English Toy Spaniel?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers are very good for new dog owners.

    English Toy Spaniels are very good for new dog owners.

    How Kid-friendly are Dandie Dinmont Terriers and English Toy Spaniels?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    English Toy Spaniels do not get along well with kids. They are not kid-friendly.

    Does the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Have a Higher Prey Drive than the English Toy Spaniel?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers 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.

    English Toy 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.

    Are Dandie Dinmont Terriers good family dogs? What about English Toy Spaniels?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    English Toy Spaniels are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Dandie Dinmont Terrier

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Dandie Dinmont Terrier 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 Dandie Dinmont Terrier:

  • Cavapoo (79 percent match with Dandie Dinmont Terrier). Here is our comparison of the English Toy Spaniel vs Cavapoo.
  • Shih Tzu (79 percent match with Dandie Dinmont Terrier). Here is our comparison of the English Toy Spaniel vs Shih Tzu.

    • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the English Toy Spaniel

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the English Toy Spaniel 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 English Toy Spaniel:

  • Japanese Chin (74 percent match with English Toy Spaniel). Here is our comparison of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier vs Japanese Chin.
  • Pug (73 percent match with English Toy Spaniel). Here is our comparison of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier vs Pug.
  • French Bulldog (74 percent match with English Toy Spaniel). Here is our comparison of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier vs French Bulldog.

    • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

    You may also be interested in how the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and how the English Toy Spaniel compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and of the English Toy Spaniel to other breeds:

    Dandie Dinmont Terrier Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Akita Chow     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Peek A Poo     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Boxerdoodle     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Norwegian Lundehund     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Bracco Italiano     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Catahoula Leopard Dog     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Kooikerhondje     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Brussels Griffon     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Beaglier     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Lhasa Apso     

    English Toy Spaniel Versus Other Dog Breeds

    English Toy Spaniel versus Rhodesian Ridgeback     English Toy Spaniel versus Japanese Chin     English Toy Spaniel versus Shihpoo     English Toy Spaniel versus Beagle     English Toy Spaniel versus Harrier     English Toy Spaniel versus American Eskimo Dog     English Toy Spaniel versus Rhodesian Ridgeback     English Toy Spaniel versus Sussex Spaniel     English Toy Spaniel versus Pekingese     English Toy Spaniel versus Doberman Pinscher     

    Conclusion: Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus English Toy 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 Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the English Toy Spaniel better suits you and your family.