Which is Better between the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese? A Very Detailed Review.

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Dandie Dinmont Terrier Versus Havanese: Introduction

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

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese 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 Havanese. 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 Havanese.

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 Havanese

Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Havanese: Overview

A very important difference between the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a tiny-sized dog while the Havanese 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 Havanese 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 Havanese: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Dandie Dinmont Terrier to the Havanese 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 Havanese
Does NOT Drool 5/5 5/5
Life Span 12 to 15 years 12 to 15 years
Weight 18 to 24 pounds 7 to 13 pounds
Tolerates Being Alone 2/5 1/5
Easy To Groom 2/5 1/5
Easy To Train 2/5 5/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 4/5 4/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 4/5 3/5
Easygoing 3/5 2/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 3/5 3/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 4/5
Dog Friendly 3/5 5/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 3/5 5/5
Does NOT Shed 3/5 4/5
General Health 3/5 3/5
Intelligence 3/5 4/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 3/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 3/5 4/5
NOT Rambunctious 3/5 3/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 3/5 4/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 4/5 5/5
Good For Novice Owners 4/5 5/5
Kid-Friendly 4/5 4/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 2/5 2/5
Low Prey Drive 2/5 2/5
Potential For Playfulness 4/5 5/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Height 8 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder 8 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder
Average Lifespan 13.5 years 13.5 years
Price Range No Data $1700 – $2750
Average Price No Data $2180
Temperament Score 71.4 percent 81.8 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination
  • Congenital Deafness
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 173 23

    *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 Havanese. 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 Havanese is 91 out of 125.

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

    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 Havanese 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 Havanese

    Below is a list of where the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese are most different:

  • Dandie Dinmont Terriers are not easy to train. However, Havaneses are very easy to train.
  • The Similarities Between the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese

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

  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese are not very vocal. They have very low tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese have low exercise needs.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese are good for new dog owners.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese gain weight easily. You need to pay careful attention to what you feed them.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese are very playful.
  • Both the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Havanese

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese.

    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, Havaneses weigh 7 to 13 pounds when fully grown. Havaneses are 8 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Temperament of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Versus the Havanese

    The Havanese has a better temperament than the Dandie Dinmont Terrier.

    This is because the temperament score for the Havanese is 81.8 percent while the temperament score for the Dandie Dinmont Terrier is 71.4 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 71.4 percent, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 81.8 percent, the Havanese has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Havanese by measuring the temperaments of 7 Dandie Dinmont Terriers and 11 Havaneses.

    The Popularity of Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Popularity of Havanese

    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 Havanese over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Havanese is more popular with dog owners than the Dandie Dinmont Terrier. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Havanese is 23 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 Havanese

    Popularity of Havanese

    Year Dandie Dinmont Terrier Popularity Rank Havanese Popularity Rank
    2013 168 25
    2014 167 25
    2015 172 24
    2016 167 23
    2017 182 23
    2018 176 24
    2019 174 22
    2020 181 24

    Health Problems of Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Health Problems of Havanese

    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 Havanese 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 Havanese is prone to more genetic health problems than the Dandie Dinmont Terrier.

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

    2 health tests are recommended for Dandie Dinmont Terrier while 4 tests are recommended for the Havanese.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Dandie Dinmont Terriers and in Havaneses.

    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.

    Havanese Health Problems

    Havaneses are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Havanese 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 Havanese puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Havanese 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 Havaneses for:

  • Congenital Deafness
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Patellar Luxation
  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Havaneses here.

    Which one drools more, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier or the Havanese

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

    Havaneses do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Tolerates Being Alone: Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Havanese

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers do not like to be left alone.

    Havaneses do not like to be left alone.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier or the Havanese?

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

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

    Is the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Easier to Train than the Havanese?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers are not easy to train.

    Havaneses are very easy to train.

    Do Dandie Dinmont Terriers Bark and Howl? What about Havaneses?

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

    Havaneses are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.

    Can Dandie Dinmont Terriers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Havaneses Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers can moderately tolerate cold weather.

    Havaneses can moderately tolerate cold weather.

    Can Dandie Dinmont Terriers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Havaneses Tolerate Hot Weather?

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

    Havaneses can tolerate hot weather.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier or the Havanese?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers get along fairly well with other dogs.

    Havaneses get along very well with other dogs.

    Do Dandie Dinmont Terriers shed more than Havaneses?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers shed moderately.

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

    Wanderlust Potential: Dandie Dinmont Terrier vs. Havanese

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

    Havaneses 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 Havanese?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers adapt very well to apartment living.

    Havaneses adapt very well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier or the Havanese?

    Dandie Dinmont Terriers are very good for new dog owners.

    Havaneses are very good for new dog owners.

    How Kid-friendly are Dandie Dinmont Terriers and Havaneses?

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

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

    Does the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Havanese?

    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.

    Havaneses 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 Havaneses?

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

    Havaneses 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 Havanese vs Cavapoo.
  • Shih Tzu (79 percent match with Dandie Dinmont Terrier). Here is our comparison of the Havanese vs Shih Tzu.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Havanese

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Havanese 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 Havanese:

  • Bichon Frise (86 percent match with Havanese). Here is our comparison of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier vs Bichon Frise.
  • Cavachon (84 percent match with Havanese). Here is our comparison of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier vs Cavachon.
  • Bich Poo (85 percent match with Havanese). Here is our comparison of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier vs Bich Poo.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

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

    Dandie Dinmont Terrier Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Chow Chow     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Australian Kelpie     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Labrador Retriever     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Chow Chow     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Tibetan Spaniel     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Irish Terrier     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Bullmastiff     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Welsh Springer Spaniel     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus German Wirehaired Pointer     Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Norwegian Lundehund     

    Havanese Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Havanese versus Portuguese Pointer     Havanese versus Karelian Bear Dog     Havanese versus Pembroke Welsh Corgi     Havanese versus Wirehaired Pointing Griffon     Havanese versus Morkie     Havanese versus Kai Ken     Havanese versus Swedish Vallhund     Havanese versus Bichon Frise     Havanese versus Berger Picard     Havanese versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog     

    Conclusion: Dandie Dinmont Terrier versus Havanese. 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 Havanese better suits you and your family.