English Setter versus Pekingese. Final Verdict on Which is a Better Pet.

English Setter versus Pekingese

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English Setter Versus Pekingese: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the English Setter and the Pekingese? 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 English Setter and the Pekingese 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 English Setter and the Pekingese.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the English Setter and the Pekingese 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 English Setter and for the Pekingese. 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 English Setter and the Pekingese.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the English Setter or the Pekingese

English Setter versus Pekingese

English Setter versus Pekingese: Overview

A very important difference between the English Setter and the Pekingese is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The English Setter is a medium-sized dog while the Pekingese is a tiny-sized dog.

Furthermore, the English Setter 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.

On the other hand, the Pekingese 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.

English Setter versus Pekingese: Comparison Table

The table below compares the English Setter to the Pekingese 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 English Setter Pekingese
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 1/5 5/5
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 3/5
Height 1 foot, 11 inches to 2 feet, 3 inches tall at the 6 to 9 inches tall at the shoulder
Life Span 11 to 15 years 12 to 15 years
Does NOT Drool 4/5 5/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 4/5 5/5
Good For Novice Owners 3/5 4/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 1/5
Does NOT Shed 3/5 2/5
Easy To Groom 3/5 1/5
General Health 3/5 2/5
Easy To Train 3/5 3/5
Easygoing 2/5 4/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 4/5 4/5
Does NOT chew on things 2/5 3/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 2/5 2/5
NOT Rambunctious 2/5 4/5
Weight 45 to 80 pounds 7 to 14 pounds
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Kid-Friendly 5/5 2/5
Dog Friendly 5/5 2/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 5/5 2/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 1/5 3/5
Intelligence 5/5 4/5
Low Prey Drive 1/5 1/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 1/5 3/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 1/5 4/5
Potential For Playfulness 5/5 3/5
Average Lifespan 13.0 years 13.5 years
Average Price $1020 $1930
Price Range $800 – $1200 $1288 – $2500
Temperament Score 81.3 percent 93.3 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Congenital Deafness
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • No Data
    Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 95 86
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds) 37 73

    *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 English Setter 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 Pekingese. 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 English Setter is 74 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Pekingese is 77 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Pekingese is a better pet than the English Setter. So, you should get the Pekingese!

    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 English Setter and the Pekingese so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    English Setter versus Pekingese

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the English Setter and the Pekingese

    Below is a list of where the English Setter and the Pekingese are most different:

  • English Setters do not adapt well to apartment living. However, Pekingeses adapt well to apartment living.
  • English Setters get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly. However, Pekingeses do not get along well with kids. They are not kid-friendly.
  • English Setters get along well with other dogs. However, Pekingeses do not get along well with other dogs.
  • English Setters are very friendly towards strangers. However, Pekingeses are not very friendly towards strangers.
  • English Setters require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise. However, Pekingeses have low exercise needs.
  • The Similarities Between the English Setter and the Pekingese

    The English Setter and the Pekingese are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the English Setter and the Pekingese are most similar:

  • Both the English Setter and the Pekingese do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the English Setter and the Pekingese do the things they do with very low vigor. They are not forceful.
  • Both the English Setter and the Pekingese can tolerate cold weather.
  • Both the English Setter and the Pekingese are prone to nip and chew at things.
  • Both the English Setter and the Pekingese are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the English Setter and the Pekingese are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the English Setter and the Pekingese are highly intelligent.
  • Both the English Setter and the Pekingese have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of English Setter versus Pekingese

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the English Setter and the Pekingese.

    English Setters weigh 45 to 80 pounds when fully grown. English Setters are 1 foot, 11 inches to 2 feet, 3 inches tall at the when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Pekingeses weigh 7 to 14 pounds when fully grown. Pekingeses are 6 to 9 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Temperament of the English Setter Versus the Pekingese

    The Pekingese has a better temperament than the English Setter.

    This is because the temperament score for the Pekingese is 93.3 percent while the temperament score for the English Setter is 81.3 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 81.3 percent, the English Setter has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 93.3 percent, the Pekingese has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the English Setter and the Pekingese by measuring the temperaments of 32 English Setters and 15 Pekingeses.

    Price of English Setter versus Price of Pekingese

    The average price of the English Setter puppy is $1020. The price of the English Setter typically ranges from $800 – $1200. However, the price of a English Setter can be as low as $450 and as high as $2500. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 114 English Setter puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The average price of the Pekingese puppy is $1930. The price of the Pekingese typically ranges from $1288 – $2500. However, the price of a Pekingese can be as low as $700 and as high as $7500. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 138 Pekingese puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The Pekingese is more expensive than the English Setter.

    English Setter Pekingese
    Average Price $1020 $1930
    Price Range $800 to $1200 $1288 to $2500

    The charts below show the price distribution for the English Setter and Pekingese. For different price points, the charts show how many English Setter puppies or how many Pekingese puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

    A breakdown of the prices of English Setters. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of English Setters. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Pekingeses

    A breakdown of the prices of Pekingeses

    Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the English Setter puppy or the Pekingese 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.

    English Setter versus Pekingese

    Adopting the English Setter versus Adopting the Pekingese

    You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many English Setters and many Pekingeses are currently available for adoption.

    These adorable and cute dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Furthermore, adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300. In addition to your local dog shelter, a good place online to see dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.

    Below is an adorable Male English Setter named Charley that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely adoptable English Setters like Charley on pefinder.com.

    Also, like English Setters, Pekingeses are also available for adoption. For example, Maxum is a Male Pekingese that is currently available for adoption on petfinder.com. You can find more Pekingeses like Maxum that are up for adoption on petfinder.com.

    The English Setter and the Pekingese can both be adopted. Images from petfinder.com

    Sawyer is the name of another English Setter (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new home.

    Also Jordan, an adorable Male Pekingese on petfinder.com that you can adopt.

    English Setters and Pekingeses are always available for adoption. Images from petfinder.com

    You can find more English Setters and Pekingeses that are available for adoption on petfinder.

    The Intelligence of the English Setter versus the Intelligence of the Pekingese

    English Setter Pekingese
    Intelligence Rank 37 out of 130 dog breeds 73 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 Repetitions Tend To Learn New Commands After 80 To 100 Repetitions Or More!

    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 English Setter has an obedience intelligence rank of 37 out of 130 dog breeds. The English Setter belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category. This means that English Setters tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.

    The Pekingese has an obedience intelligence rank of 73 out of 130 dog breeds. The Pekingese belongs to the `Lowest Degree of Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Pekingeses tend to learn new commands after 80 to 100 repetitions or more!.

    The English Setter is more intelligent than the Pekingese.

    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.

    English Setter versus Pekingese

    The Popularity of English Setter versus Popularity of Pekingese

    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 English Setter and the Pekingese over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Pekingese is more popular with dog owners than the English Setter. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Pekingese is 86 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the English Setter is 95 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of English Setter

    Popularity of English Setter

    Popularity of Pekingese

    Popularity of Pekingese

    Year English Setter Popularity Rank Pekingese Popularity Rank
    2013 91 77
    2014 89 82
    2015 96 80
    2016 102 93
    2017 95 88
    2018 94 92
    2019 98 83
    2020 101 95

    Is the English Setter Better for Apartment Owners than the Pekingese?

    English Setters do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Pekingeses adapt very well to apartment living.

    Tolerates Being Alone: English Setter versus Pekingese

    English Setters do not like to be left alone.

    Pekingeses can be left alone only for a short time.

    Which one drools more, the English Setter or the Pekingese

    English Setters do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Pekingeses do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the English Setter or the Pekingese?

    English Setters are OK for new dog owners.

    Pekingeses are very good for new dog owners.

    Can English Setters Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Pekingeses Tolerate Hot Weather?

    English Setters can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

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

    Do English Setters shed more than Pekingeses?

    English Setters shed moderately.

    Pekingeses shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the English Setter or the Pekingese?

    English Setters are moderately easy to groom.

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

    Is the English Setter Easier to Train than the Pekingese?

    English Setters are fairly easy to train.

    Pekingeses are fairly easy to train.

    Can English Setters Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Pekingeses Tolerate Cold Weather?

    English Setters can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Pekingeses can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Do English Setters Bark and Howl? What about Pekingeses?

    English Setters are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

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

    Are English Setters good family dogs? What about Pekingeses?

    English Setters are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Pekingeses are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    How Kid-friendly are English Setters and Pekingeses?

    English Setters get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Pekingeses do not get along well with kids. They are not kid-friendly.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the English Setter or the Pekingese?

    English Setters get along very well with other dogs.

    Pekingeses do not get along well with other dogs.

    Does the English Setter Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Pekingese?

    English Setters 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.

    Pekingeses 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.

    Wanderlust Potential: English Setter vs. Pekingese

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

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

    Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the English Setter

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

  • Irish Setter (83 percent match with English Setter). Here is our comparison of the Pekingese vs Irish Setter.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Pekingese

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

  • Dandie Dinmont Terrier (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the English Setter vs Dandie Dinmont Terrier.
  • Mal Shi (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the English Setter vs Mal Shi.
  • Pomeranian (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the English Setter vs Pomeranian.
  • Pomsky (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the English Setter vs Pomsky.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

    You may also be interested in how the English Setter and how the Pekingese compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the English Setter and of the Pekingese to other breeds:

    English Setter Versus Other Dog Breeds

    English Setter versus Belgian Malinois     English Setter versus Australian Terrier     English Setter versus Braque du Bourbonnais     English Setter versus Chesapeake Bay Retriever     English Setter versus Goldendoodle     English Setter versus Aussiedoodle     English Setter versus Lakeland Terrier     English Setter versus Sloughi     English Setter versus Fila Brasileiro     English Setter versus Biewer Terrier     

    Pekingese Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Pekingese versus Yorkshire Terrier     Pekingese versus Cairn Terrier     Pekingese versus Border Collie     Pekingese versus French Bulldog     Pekingese versus Puli     Pekingese versus Saluki     Pekingese versus Anatolian Shepherd Dog     Pekingese versus Silky Terrier     Pekingese versus French Spaniel     Pekingese versus Beagle     

    Conclusion: English Setter versus Pekingese. 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 English Setter and the Pekingese better suits you and your family.