Differences and Similarities between the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken.

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English Toy Spaniel Versus Kishu Ken: Introduction

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

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken 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 Toy Spaniel and for the Kishu Ken. 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 Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken.

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

English Toy Spaniel versus Kishu Ken: Overview

A very important difference between the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The English Toy Spaniel is a small-sized dog while the Kishu Ken is a medium-sized dog.

Furthermore, 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.

On the other hand, the Kishu Ken belongs to the Working Dogs group. Working Dogs were developed to assist humans in some capacity – including pulling sleds and carts, guarding flocks, guarding homes, and protecting their families. Breeds in the Working Group are known for their imposing stature, strength, intelligence, and fearless. Because of their size and strength, working dogs require a structured home life and firm, fair, consistent training by someone who can provide leadership without resorting to anger or physical force.

English Toy Spaniel versus Kishu Ken: Comparison Table

The table below compares the English Toy Spaniel to the Kishu Ken 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 Toy Spaniel Kishu Ken
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 3/5
Kid-Friendly 1/5 3/5
Height 10 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder 17 to 22 inches
Life Span 10 to 12 years 9 to 13 years
Tolerates Cold Weather 2/5 5/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 2/5 3/5
Does NOT Drool 4/5 4/5
General Health 2/5 4/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 4/5 4/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 4/5 2/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 3/5 3/5
Easy To Train 3/5 4/5
Intelligence 3/5 5/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 3/5 5/5
NOT Rambunctious 3/5 3/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 3/5 3/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 4/5 3/5
Good For Novice Owners 4/5 2/5
Easygoing 2/5 3/5
Dog Friendly 4/5 2/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 4/5 2/5
Easy To Groom 4/5 3/5
Does NOT chew on things 2/5 4/5
Low Prey Drive 2/5 2/5
Potential For Playfulness 4/5 2/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 3/5
Does NOT Shed 1/5 2/5
Weight 8 to 14 pounds 30 to 60 pounds
Average Lifespan 11.0 years 11.0 years
Average Price $2350 No Data
Price Range $2250 – $2525 No Data
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination
  • Patellar Luxation
    		•  No Data

    *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 Toy Spaniel 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 Kishu Ken. 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 Toy Spaniel is 74 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Kishu Ken is 79 out of 125.

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

    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 Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken

    Below is a list of where the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken are most different:

  • English Toy Spaniels cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold. However, Kishu Kens can tolerate cold weather.

    • The Similarities Between the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken

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

  • Both the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.
  • Both the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.
  • Both the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken 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 English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken are very easy to groom.
  • Both the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
  • Both the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    • Size (Weight and Height) of English Toy Spaniel versus Kishu Ken

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the English Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken.

    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.

    On the other hand, Kishu Kens weigh 30 to 60 pounds when fully grown. Kishu Kens are 17 to 22 inches when fully grown.

    Tolerates Being Alone: English Toy Spaniel versus Kishu Ken

    English Toy Spaniels do not like to be left alone.

    Kishu Kens can be left alone only for a short time.

    How Kid-friendly are English Toy Spaniels and Kishu Kens?

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

    Kishu Kens get along fairly well with kids. They are quite kid-friendly.

    Can English Toy Spaniels Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Kishu Kens Tolerate Cold Weather?

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

    Kishu Kens can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Can English Toy Spaniels Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Kishu Kens Tolerate Hot Weather?

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

    Kishu Kens can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Which one drools more, the English Toy Spaniel or the Kishu Ken

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

    Kishu Kens do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Wanderlust Potential: English Toy Spaniel vs. Kishu Ken

    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.

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

    Is the English Toy Spaniel Easier to Train than the Kishu Ken?

    English Toy Spaniels are fairly easy to train.

    Kishu Kens are very easy to train.

    Do English Toy Spaniels Bark and Howl? What about Kishu Kens?

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

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

    Is the English Toy Spaniel Better for Apartment Owners than the Kishu Ken?

    English Toy Spaniels adapt very well to apartment living.

    Kishu Kens adapt moderately well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the English Toy Spaniel or the Kishu Ken?

    English Toy Spaniels are very good for new dog owners.

    Kishu Kens are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the English Toy Spaniel or the Kishu Ken?

    English Toy Spaniels get along very well with other dogs.

    Kishu Kens do not get along well with other dogs.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the English Toy Spaniel or the Kishu Ken?

    English Toy Spaniels are very easy to groom.

    Kishu Kens are moderately easy to groom.

    Does the English Toy Spaniel Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Kishu Ken?

    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.

    Kishu Kens 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 English Toy Spaniels good family dogs? What about Kishu Kens?

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

    Kishu Kens are good family dogs. They are affectionate with family.

    Do English Toy Spaniels shed more than Kishu Kens?

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

    Kishu Kens shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

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

    • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Kishu Ken

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

  • Alaskan Klee Kai (76 percent match with Kishu Ken). Here is our comparison of the English Toy Spaniel vs Alaskan Klee Kai.
  • Dutch Shepherd (78 percent match with Kishu Ken). Here is our comparison of the English Toy Spaniel vs Dutch Shepherd.
  • Kai Ken (79 percent match with Kishu Ken). Here is our comparison of the English Toy Spaniel vs Kai Ken.

    • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

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

    English Toy Spaniel Versus Other Dog Breeds

    English Toy Spaniel versus American Eskimo Dog     English Toy Spaniel versus Belgian Sheepdog     English Toy Spaniel versus English Setter     English Toy Spaniel versus Azawakh     English Toy Spaniel versus Siberian Husky     English Toy Spaniel versus King Shepherd     English Toy Spaniel versus Gordon Setter     English Toy Spaniel versus Toy Poodle     English Toy Spaniel versus Estrela Mountain Dog     

    Kishu Ken Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Kishu Ken versus Central Asian Shepherd Dog     Kishu Ken versus Kerry Blue Terrier     Kishu Ken versus Mastiff     Kishu Ken versus Havanese     Kishu Ken versus Bedlington Terrier     Kishu Ken versus Kooikerhondje     Kishu Ken versus Labradoodle     Kishu Ken versus Central Asian Shepherd Dog     Kishu Ken versus English Setter     

    Conclusion: English Toy Spaniel versus Kishu Ken. 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 Toy Spaniel and the Kishu Ken better suits you and your family.