Is the Finnish Spitz Better than the Neapolitan Mastiff as a Pet? Answer…

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Finnish Spitz Versus Neapolitan Mastiff: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff? 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 Neapolitan Mastiff 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 Neapolitan Mastiff.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff 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 Neapolitan Mastiff. 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 Neapolitan Mastiff.

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 Neapolitan Mastiff

Finnish Spitz versus Neapolitan Mastiff: Overview

A very important difference between the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Finnish Spitz is a medium-sized dog while the Neapolitan Mastiff is a giant-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Finnish Spitz 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 Neapolitan Mastiff 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.

Finnish Spitz versus Neapolitan Mastiff: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Finnish Spitz to the Neapolitan Mastiff 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 Neapolitan Mastiff
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 1/5
Does NOT Drool 5/5 1/5
Life Span 12 to 15 years 8 to 10 years
Height 15 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder 24 to 31 inches tall at the shoulder
Easy To Groom 2/5 3/5
Weight 20 to 35 pounds 120 to 200 pounds
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 3/5 2/5
Good For Novice Owners 3/5 1/5
Easygoing 3/5 2/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 3/5 2/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 3/5 1/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 3/5 1/5
Easy To Train 3/5 3/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 4/5
Low Prey Drive 3/5 5/5
Does NOT Shed 2/5 3/5
General Health 4/5 2/5
Intelligence 4/5 3/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 2/5 5/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 2/5 5/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 5/5 1/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Kid-Friendly 5/5 4/5
Dog Friendly 5/5 2/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 1/5 5/5
NOT Rambunctious 1/5 3/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 1/5 3/5
Potential For Playfulness 5/5 4/5
Average Lifespan 13.5 years 9.0 years
Average Price $900 $2870
Price Range $600 – $1100 $1800 – $3700
Temperament Score 72.7 percent 66.7 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests No Data
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 179 104

    *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 Neapolitan Mastiff. 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 Neapolitan Mastiff is 71 out of 125.

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

    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 Neapolitan Mastiff 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 Neapolitan Mastiff

    Below is a list of where the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff are most different:

  • Finnish Spitzs do not have the tendency to drool. However, Neapolitan Mastiffs have a very high tendency to drool.
  • Finnish Spitzs have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects. However, Neapolitan Mastiffs do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.
  • Finnish Spitzs do things with high intensity. They can be very forceful. However, Neapolitan Mastiffs do the things they do with very low vigor. They are not forceful.
  • Finnish Spitzs can tolerate cold weather. However, Neapolitan Mastiffs cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.
  • Finnish Spitzs get along well with other dogs. However, Neapolitan Mastiffs do not get along well with other dogs.
  • Finnish Spitzs are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl. However, Neapolitan Mastiffs are not very vocal. They have very low tendency to bark and howl.
  • The Similarities Between the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff

    The Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff are most similar:

  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff are very playful.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of Finnish Spitz versus Neapolitan Mastiff

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff.

    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, Neapolitan Mastiffs weigh 120 to 200 pounds when fully grown. Neapolitan Mastiffs are 24 to 31 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Temperament of the Finnish Spitz Versus the Neapolitan Mastiff

    The Finnish Spitz has a better temperament than the Neapolitan Mastiff.

    This is because the temperament score for the Finnish Spitz is 72.7 percent while the temperament score for the Neapolitan Mastiff is 66.7 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 66.7 percent, the Neapolitan Mastiff has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Finnish Spitz and the Neapolitan Mastiff by measuring the temperaments of 11 Finnish Spitzs and 15 Neapolitan Mastiffs.

    Price of Finnish Spitz versus Price of Neapolitan Mastiff

    The average price of the Finnish Spitz puppy is $900. The price of the Finnish Spitz typically ranges from $600 – $1100. However, the price of a Finnish Spitz can be as low as $500 and as high as $1500. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 3 Finnish Spitz puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The average price of the Neapolitan Mastiff puppy is $2870. The price of the Neapolitan Mastiff typically ranges from $1800 – $3700. However, the price of a Neapolitan Mastiff can be as low as $500 and as high as $5500. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 83 Neapolitan Mastiff puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The Neapolitan Mastiff is more expensive than the Finnish Spitz.

    Finnish Spitz Neapolitan Mastiff
    Average Price $900 $2870
    Price Range $600 to $1100 $1800 to $3700

    The charts below show the price distribution for the Finnish Spitz and Neapolitan Mastiff. For different price points, the charts show how many Finnish Spitz puppies or how many Neapolitan Mastiff puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

    A breakdown of the prices of Finnish Spitzs. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Finnish Spitzs. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Neapolitan Mastiffs

    A breakdown of the prices of Neapolitan Mastiffs

    Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the Finnish Spitz puppy or the Neapolitan Mastiff 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.

    The Popularity of Finnish Spitz versus Popularity of Neapolitan Mastiff

    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 Neapolitan Mastiff over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Neapolitan Mastiff is more popular with dog owners than the Finnish Spitz. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Neapolitan Mastiff is 104 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 Neapolitan Mastiff

    Popularity of Neapolitan Mastiff

    Year Finnish Spitz Popularity Rank Neapolitan Mastiff Popularity Rank
    2013 170 111
    2014 174 114
    2015 178 106
    2016 179 99
    2017 177 107
    2018 184 102
    2019 183 100
    2020 187 100

    Tolerates Being Alone: Finnish Spitz versus Neapolitan Mastiff

    Finnish Spitzs do not like to be left alone.

    Neapolitan Mastiffs do not like to be left alone.

    Which one drools more, the Finnish Spitz or the Neapolitan Mastiff

    Finnish Spitzs do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Neapolitan Mastiffs have a very high tendency to drool.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Finnish Spitz or the Neapolitan Mastiff?

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

    Neapolitan Mastiffs are moderately easy to groom.

    Is the Finnish Spitz Better for Apartment Owners than the Neapolitan Mastiff?

    Finnish Spitzs adapt moderately well to apartment living.

    Neapolitan Mastiffs do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Finnish Spitz or the Neapolitan Mastiff?

    Finnish Spitzs are OK for new dog owners.

    Neapolitan Mastiffs are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Can Finnish Spitzs Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Neapolitan Mastiffs Tolerate Hot Weather?

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

    Neapolitan Mastiffs cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.

    Is the Finnish Spitz Easier to Train than the Neapolitan Mastiff?

    Finnish Spitzs are fairly easy to train.

    Neapolitan Mastiffs are fairly easy to train.

    Does the Finnish Spitz Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Neapolitan Mastiff?

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

    Neapolitan Mastiffs have a very low prey drive. This means they get won`t chase after smaller pets. They tend to get along well with other pets.

    Do Finnish Spitzs shed more than Neapolitan Mastiffs?

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

    Neapolitan Mastiffs shed moderately.

    Wanderlust Potential: Finnish Spitz vs. Neapolitan Mastiff

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

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

    Can Finnish Spitzs Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Neapolitan Mastiffs Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Finnish Spitzs can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Neapolitan Mastiffs cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.

    Are Finnish Spitzs good family dogs? What about Neapolitan Mastiffs?

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

    Neapolitan Mastiffs are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    How Kid-friendly are Finnish Spitzs and Neapolitan Mastiffs?

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

    Neapolitan Mastiffs get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Finnish Spitz or the Neapolitan Mastiff?

    Finnish Spitzs get along very well with other dogs.

    Neapolitan Mastiffs do not get along well with other dogs.

    Do Finnish Spitzs Bark and Howl? What about Neapolitan Mastiffs?

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

    Neapolitan Mastiffs are not very vocal. They do not tend 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 Neapolitan Mastiff vs Bearded Collie.
  • West Highland White Terrier (79 percent match with Finnish Spitz). Here is our comparison of the Neapolitan Mastiff vs West Highland White Terrier.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Neapolitan Mastiff

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

  • Doberman Pinscher (67 percent match with Neapolitan Mastiff). Here is our comparison of the Finnish Spitz vs Doberman Pinscher.
  • Mastiff (72 percent match with Neapolitan Mastiff). Here is our comparison of the Finnish Spitz vs Mastiff.
  • Spanish Mastiff (69 percent match with Neapolitan Mastiff). Here is our comparison of the Finnish Spitz vs Spanish Mastiff.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

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

    Finnish Spitz Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Finnish Spitz versus Kooikerhondje     Finnish Spitz versus Kerry Blue Terrier     Finnish Spitz versus Skye Terrier     Finnish Spitz versus Catahoula Leopard Dog     Finnish Spitz versus Airedale Terrier     Finnish Spitz versus Flat-Coated Retriever     Finnish Spitz versus Saint Berdoodle     Finnish Spitz versus Norwich Terrier     Finnish Spitz versus Boxerdoodle     Finnish Spitz versus Black and Tan Coonhound     

    Neapolitan Mastiff Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Neapolitan Mastiff versus Clumber Spaniel     Neapolitan Mastiff versus Brussels Griffon     Neapolitan Mastiff versus American Hairless Terrier     Neapolitan Mastiff versus Chihuahua     Neapolitan Mastiff versus Goldendoodle     Neapolitan Mastiff versus Ibizan Hound     Neapolitan Mastiff versus American Pit Bull Terrier     Neapolitan Mastiff versus Samoyed     Neapolitan Mastiff versus Bordoodle     Neapolitan Mastiff versus Field Spaniel     

    Conclusion: Finnish Spitz versus Neapolitan Mastiff. 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 Neapolitan Mastiff better suits you and your family.