A Detailed Comparison of the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel.

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Finnish Spitz Versus Irish Water Spaniel: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water 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 Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water 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 Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water 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 Finnish Spitz and for the Irish Water 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 Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel.

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

Finnish Spitz versus Irish Water Spaniel: Overview

Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel are similar in size. The Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel are both medium-sized dogs.

Furthermore, both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel are Sporting Dogs. This means both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel 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.

Finnish Spitz versus Irish Water Spaniel: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Finnish Spitz to the Irish Water 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 Finnish Spitz Irish Water Spaniel
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 3/5
Does NOT Drool 5/5 4/5
Life Span 12 to 15 years 10 to 12 years
Height 15 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder 1 foot, 9 inches to 2 feet tall at the shoulder
Easy To Groom 2/5 3/5
Weight 20 to 35 pounds 45 to 65 pounds
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 3/5 3/5
Good For Novice Owners 3/5 2/5
Easygoing 3/5 2/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 4/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 3/5 5/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 3/5 3/5
Easy To Train 3/5 5/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 3/5
Low Prey Drive 3/5 1/5
Does NOT Shed 2/5 5/5
General Health 4/5 2/5
Intelligence 4/5 4/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 2/5 3/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 2/5 3/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 5/5 4/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Kid-Friendly 5/5 5/5
Dog Friendly 5/5 4/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 1/5 2/5
NOT Rambunctious 1/5 1/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 1/5 1/5
Potential For Playfulness 5/5 4/5
Average Lifespan 13.5 years 11.0 years
Average Price $900 No Data
Price Range $600 – $1100 No Data
Temperament Score 72.7 percent 90.0 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests No Data
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination- after the age of 24 months
  • Hip Dysplasia
    		•
    Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 179 156
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds) 43 24

    *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 Finnish Spitz 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 Irish Water 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 Finnish Spitz is 77 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Irish Water Spaniel is 81 out of 125.

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

    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 Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel

    Below is a list of where the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel are most different:

  • Finnish Spitzs shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies. However, Irish Water Spaniels do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.

    • The Similarities Between the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel

    The Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel are most similar:

  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel do things with high intensity. They can be very forceful.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel can tolerate cold weather.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel get along well with other dogs.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel are very playful.

    • Size (Weight and Height) of Finnish Spitz versus Irish Water Spaniel

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel.

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

    On the other hand, Irish Water Spaniels weigh 45 to 65 pounds when fully grown. Irish Water Spaniels are 1 foot, 9 inches to 2 feet tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Temperament of the Finnish Spitz Versus the Irish Water Spaniel

    The Irish Water Spaniel has a better temperament than the Finnish Spitz.

    This is because the temperament score for the Irish Water Spaniel is 90.0 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 72.7 percent, the Finnish Spitz has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 90.0 percent, the Irish Water Spaniel has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel by measuring the temperaments of 11 Finnish Spitzs and 30 Irish Water Spaniels.

    The Intelligence of the Finnish Spitz versus the Intelligence of the Irish Water Spaniel

    Finnish Spitz Irish Water Spaniel
    Intelligence Rank 43 out of 130 dog breeds 24 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions Tend To Learn New Commands After 5 To 15 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 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 Irish Water Spaniel has an obedience intelligence rank of 24 out of 130 dog breeds. The Irish Water Spaniel belongs to the `Excellent Working Dogs` category. This means that Irish Water Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 5 to 15 repetitions.

    The Irish Water Spaniel is more intelligent than the Finnish Spitz.

    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 Finnish Spitz versus Popularity of Irish Water 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 Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Irish Water Spaniel is more popular with dog owners than the Finnish Spitz. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Irish Water Spaniel is 156 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Finnish Spitz is 179 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Finnish Spitz

    Popularity of Finnish Spitz

    Popularity of Irish Water Spaniel

    Popularity of Irish Water Spaniel

    Year Finnish Spitz Popularity Rank Irish Water Spaniel Popularity Rank
    2013 170 141
    2014 174 152
    2015 178 144
    2016 179 150
    2017 177 164
    2018 184 159
    2019 183 170
    2020 187 174

    Tolerates Being Alone: Finnish Spitz versus Irish Water Spaniel

    Finnish Spitzs do not like to be left alone.

    Irish Water Spaniels can be left alone only for a short time.

    Which one drools more, the Finnish Spitz or the Irish Water Spaniel

    Finnish Spitzs do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Irish Water Spaniels do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Finnish Spitz or the Irish Water Spaniel?

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

    Irish Water Spaniels are moderately easy to groom.

    Is the Finnish Spitz Better for Apartment Owners than the Irish Water Spaniel?

    Finnish Spitzs adapt moderately well to apartment living.

    Irish Water Spaniels adapt moderately well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Finnish Spitz or the Irish Water Spaniel?

    Finnish Spitzs are OK for new dog owners.

    Irish Water Spaniels are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Can Finnish Spitzs Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Irish Water Spaniels Tolerate Hot Weather?

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

    Irish Water Spaniels can tolerate hot weather.

    Is the Finnish Spitz Easier to Train than the Irish Water Spaniel?

    Finnish Spitzs are fairly easy to train.

    Irish Water Spaniels are very easy to train.

    Does the Finnish Spitz Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Irish Water Spaniel?

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

    Irish Water 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.

    Do Finnish Spitzs shed more than Irish Water Spaniels?

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

    Irish Water Spaniels do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.

    Wanderlust Potential: Finnish Spitz vs. Irish Water Spaniel

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

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

    Can Finnish Spitzs Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Irish Water Spaniels Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Finnish Spitzs can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Irish Water Spaniels can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Are Finnish Spitzs good family dogs? What about Irish Water Spaniels?

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

    Irish Water Spaniels are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    How Kid-friendly are Finnish Spitzs and Irish Water Spaniels?

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

    Irish Water Spaniels get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Finnish Spitz or the Irish Water Spaniel?

    Finnish Spitzs get along very well with other dogs.

    Irish Water Spaniels get along very well with other dogs.

    Do Finnish Spitzs Bark and Howl? What about Irish Water Spaniels?

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

    Irish Water Spaniels are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    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 Irish Water Spaniel vs Bearded Collie.
  • West Highland White Terrier (79 percent match with Finnish Spitz). Here is our comparison of the Irish Water Spaniel vs West Highland White Terrier.

    • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Irish Water Spaniel

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Irish Water 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 Irish Water Spaniel:

  • Kerry Blue Terrier (78 percent match with Irish Water Spaniel). Here is our comparison of the Finnish Spitz vs Kerry Blue Terrier.

    • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

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

    Finnish Spitz Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Finnish Spitz versus Affenhuahua     Finnish Spitz versus Italian Greyhound     Finnish Spitz versus French Bulldog     Finnish Spitz versus Mudi     Finnish Spitz versus Yorkshire Terrier     Finnish Spitz versus Cavapoo     Finnish Spitz versus Collie     Finnish Spitz versus Mudi     Finnish Spitz versus Dalmatian     Finnish Spitz versus Golden Cocker Retriever     

    Irish Water Spaniel Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Irish Water Spaniel versus Japanese Chin     Irish Water Spaniel versus Valley Bulldog     Irish Water Spaniel versus Sealyham Terrier     Irish Water Spaniel versus Brittany     Irish Water Spaniel versus Flat-Coated Retriever     Irish Water Spaniel versus Alaskan Malamute     Irish Water Spaniel versus Finnish Lapphund     Irish Water Spaniel versus Labrador Retriever     Irish Water Spaniel versus German Shorthaired Pointer     Irish Water Spaniel versus Beagle     

    Conclusion: Finnish Spitz versus Irish Water 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 Finnish Spitz and the Irish Water Spaniel better suits you and your family.