Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Harrier Versus Papillon: Introduction
- Harrier versus Papillon: Overview
- Harrier versus Papillon: Comparison Table
- The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Harrier and the Papillon
- The Similarities Between the Harrier and the Papillon
- Size (Weight and Height) of Harrier versus Papillon
- Lifespan of Harrier versus Papillon
- Adopting the Harrier versus Adopting the Papillon
- The Popularity of Harrier versus Popularity of Papillon
- Health Problems of Harrier versus Health Problems of Papillon
- Tolerates Being Alone: Harrier versus Papillon
- Do Harriers shed more than Papillons?
- Which one drools more, the Harrier or the Papillon
- Which is Easier to Groom, the Harrier or the Papillon?
- Does the Harrier Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Papillon?
- Do Harriers Bark and Howl? What about Papillons?
- Can Harriers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Papillons Tolerate Cold Weather?
- Wanderlust Potential: Harrier vs. Papillon
- Can Harriers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Papillons Tolerate Hot Weather?
- Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Harrier or the Papillon?
- Are Harriers good family dogs? What about Papillons?
- How Kid-friendly are Harriers and Papillons?
- Is the Harrier Easier to Train than the Papillon?
- Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Harrier
- Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Papillon
- Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You
- Conclusion: Harrier versus Papillon. Which One is a Better Pet?
Harrier Versus Papillon: Introduction
Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Harrier and the Papillon? Well, you have come to the right place. Because in this article, we will provide you with a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Harrier and the Papillon 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 Harrier and the Papillon.
Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Harrier and the Papillon 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 Harrier and for the Papillon. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you with more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Harrier and the Papillon.
Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Harrier or the Papillon.
Harrier versus Papillon: Overview
A very important difference between the Harrier and the Papillon is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Harrier is a medium-sized dog while the Papillon is a tiny-sized dog.
Furthermore, the Harrier belongs to the Hound Dogs group. Hound Dogs were bred to pursue and hunt warm-blooded animals. Hounds hunt by using their good sight or their good sense of smell. Dogs that belong to the Hound Group have strong prey drives and often will stop at nothing to catch what they are pursuing.
On the other hand, the Papillon 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.
Harrier versus Papillon: Comparison Table
The table below compares the Harrier to the Papillon 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.
Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the Harrier and the Papillon
| Factor | Harrier | Papillon |
|---|---|---|
| Adapts Well To Apartment Living | 1/5 | 5/5 |
| Does NOT Drool | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Life Span | 10 to 12 years | 12 to 16 years |
| Height | 19 to 21 inches tall at the shoulder | 8 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder |
| Easygoing | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| Easy To Train | 2/5 | 5/5 |
| Good For Novice Owners | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Tolerates Being Alone | 3/5 | 1/5 |
| Tolerates Cold Weather | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| Does NOT Shed | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Potential NOT to Gain Weight | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Does NOT chew on things | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Tolerates Hot Weather | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Affectionate With Family | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Intelligence | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Low Prey Drive | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Does NOT Bark or Howl | 2/5 | 4/5 |
| Calmness/ Low Vigor | 2/5 | 3/5 |
| Weight | 45 to 60 pounds | 4 to 9 pounds |
| Kid-Friendly | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Dog Friendly | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Friendly Toward Strangers | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Easy To Groom | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| General Health | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Tendency NOT to Wander | 1/5 | 5/5 |
| NOT Rambunctious | 1/5 | 2/5 |
| Minimal Exercise Needs | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| Potential For Playfulness | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Average Lifespan | 11.0 years | 14.0 years |
| Price Range | No Data | $1400 – $2000 |
| Average Price | No Data | $1800 |
| Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests |
|
|
| Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds | 183 | 49 |
Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Harrier 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 Papillon. 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 the Harrier is 81 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Papillon is 89 out of 125.
Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Papillon is a better pet than the Harrier. So, you should get the Papillon!
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 Harrier and the Papillon so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.
The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Harrier and the Papillon
Below is a list of where the Harrier and the Papillon are most different:
The Similarities Between the Harrier and the Papillon
The Harrier and the Papillon are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Harrier and the Papillon are most similar:
Size (Weight and Height) of Harrier versus Papillon
Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Harrier and the Papillon.
Harriers weigh 45 to 60 pounds when fully grown. Harriers are 19 to 21 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.
On the other hand, Papillons weigh 4 to 9 pounds when fully grown. Papillons are 8 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.
Lifespan of Harrier versus Papillon
The lifespan of Harriers is between 10 to 12 years. The average lifespan of Harriers is 11.0 years.
The lifespan of Papillons is between 12 to 16 years. The average lifespan of Papillons is 14.0 years.
Papillons live longer than Harriers.
Adopting the Harrier versus Adopting the Papillon
You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many Harriers and many Papillons 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 Harrier named Bailey that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely adoptable Harriers like Bailey on pefinder.com.
Also, like Harriers, Papillons are also available for adoption. For example, Boo is a Male Papillon that is currently available for adoption on petfinder.com. You can find more Papillons like Boo that are up for adoption on petfinder.com.
Pilot is the name of another Harrier (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new home.
Also, Tonka is an adorable Male Papillon on petfinder.com that you can adopt.
You can find more Harriers and Papillons that are available for adoption on petfinder.
The Popularity of Harrier versus Popularity of Papillon
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 Harrier and the Papillon over the years.
Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Papillon is more popular with dog owners than the Harrier. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Papillon is 49 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Harrier is 183 out of about 200 dog breeds.
Popularity of Harrier
Popularity of Papillon
| Year | Harrier Popularity Rank | Papillon Popularity Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 173 | 38 |
| 2014 | 181 | 43 |
| 2015 | 183 | 48 |
| 2016 | 186 | 53 |
| 2017 | 183 | 53 |
| 2018 | 189 | 54 |
| 2019 | 186 | 53 |
| 2020 | 190 | 53 |
Health Problems of Harrier versus Health Problems of Papillon
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
Both the Harrier and the Papillon 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 Papillon is prone to the same number of genetic health problems as the Harrier.
2 health tests are recommended for Harrier while 2 tests are recommended for the Papillon.
Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Harriers and in Papillons.
Harrier Health Problems
Harriers are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Harrier 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 Harrier puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Harrier 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 Harriers for:
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Harriers here.
Papillon Health Problems
Papillons are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Papillon 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 Papillon puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Papillon 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 Papillons for:
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Papillons here.
More Discussions on Health Problems in Harriers and Papillons
Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Harrier Breed is Hips problems.
This is because the Harrier ranks 76 out of 198 dog breeds for Hips problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 375 Harriers, 58 of them had Hips problems.
The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Harriers, and how common these diseases are in Harriers relative to other dog breeds, are given below:
Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Papillon Breed is Patella problems.
This is because the Papillon ranks 55 out of 145 dog breeds for Patella problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 2362 Papillons, 70 of them had Patella problems.
The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Papillons, and how common these diseases are in Papillons relative to other dog breeds, are given below:
The table below lists the common health problems in Harrier and in Papillon and the rank (prevalence), compared to other dogs, of these health problems in the Harrier and the Papillon:
| Disease | Harrier Rank | Papillon Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Hips problems | 76 out of 198 dog breeds | Not Common |
| Patella problems | Not Common | 55 out of 145 dog breeds |
| Congenital Cardiac problems | Not Common | 67 out of 159 dog breeds |
| Eyes problems | Not Common | 148 out of 182 dog breeds |
*To learn more about each of these diseases, go to OFA.org and search for the disease.
Again, most of these health problems can be prevented through health screening. Responsible breeders screen male and female dog parents for genetic problems. These breeders will only breed dogs that are free of genetic defects. That way, there is little or no chance that their puppies will grow up to have genetic health problems. Always ask a breeder for the list of health tests the breeder screens their dogs for before buying a puppy from such a breeder.
Tolerates Being Alone: Harrier versus Papillon
Harriers can be left alone only for a short time.
Papillons do not like to be left alone.
Do Harriers shed more than Papillons?
Harriers shed moderately.
Papillons do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.
Which one drools more, the Harrier or the Papillon
Harriers do have a very low tendency to drool.
Papillons do have a very low tendency to drool.
Which is Easier to Groom, the Harrier or the Papillon?
Harriers are very easy to groom.
Papillons are moderately easy to groom.
Does the Harrier Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Papillon?
Harriers 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.
Papillons 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 Harriers Bark and Howl? What about Papillons?
Harriers are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
Papillons are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.
Can Harriers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Papillons Tolerate Cold Weather?
Harriers can moderately tolerate cold weather.
Papillons cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.
Wanderlust Potential: Harrier vs. Papillon
Harriers have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.
Papillons do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.
Can Harriers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Papillons Tolerate Hot Weather?
Harriers can tolerate hot weather.
Papillons can tolerate hot weather.
Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Harrier or the Papillon?
Harriers get along very well with other dogs.
Papillons get along very well with other dogs.
Are Harriers good family dogs? What about Papillons?
Harriers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
Papillons are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
How Kid-friendly are Harriers and Papillons?
Harriers get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
Papillons get along fairly well with kids. They are quite kid-friendly.
Is the Harrier Easier to Train than the Papillon?
Harriers are not easy to train.
Papillons are very easy to train.
Is the Harrier Better for Apartment Owners than the Papillon?
Harriers do not adapt well to apartment living.
Papillons adapt very well to apartment living.
Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Harrier or the Papillon?
Harriers are OK for new dog owners.
Papillons are very good for new dog owners.
Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Harrier
Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Harrier 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 Harrier:
Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Papillon
Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Papillon 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 Papillon:
Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You
You may also be interested in how the Harrier and how the Papillon compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the Harrier and of the Papillon to other breeds:
Harrier Versus Other Dog Breeds
Harrier versus Bichon Frise Harrier versus Norwegian Lundehund Harrier versus Shih Tzu Harrier versus Chinook Harrier versus Cardigan Welsh Corgi Harrier versus Kerry Blue Terrier Harrier versus German Longhaired Pointer Harrier versus Cairn Terrier Harrier versus Bergamasco Sheepdog Harrier versus Japanese Chin Harrier versus Chinook Harrier versus Gordon Setter Harrier versus Catahoula Leopard Dog Harrier versus Maltese Harrier versus Cesky Terrier Harrier versus Akita Chow Harrier versus Sussex Spaniel Harrier versus Pomchi Harrier versus Chinese Crested Harrier versus Cairn Terrier Harrier versus Bracco Italiano Harrier versus Chinese Shar-Pei Harrier versus Miniature Pinscher Harrier versus American Eskimo Dog Harrier versus Tibetan Terrier
Papillon Versus Other Dog Breeds
Papillon versus American Eskimo Dog Papillon versus Cane Corso Papillon versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Papillon versus Chinese Shar-Pei Papillon versus French Spaniel Papillon versus Appenzeller Sennenhunde Papillon versus Yorkipoo Papillon versus Japanese Chin Papillon versus Toy Poodle Papillon versus Bulldog Papillon versus American Foxhound Papillon versus Basset Fauve de Bretagne Papillon versus Central Asian Shepherd Dog Papillon versus Pomeranian Papillon versus Standard Schnauzer Papillon versus Norwegian Lundehund Papillon versus Lowchen Papillon versus Bulldog Papillon versus English Springer Spaniel Papillon versus Saint Bernard Papillon versus Xoloitzcuintli Papillon versus Pug Papillon versus Japanese Chin Papillon versus Swedish Vallhund Papillon versus Scottish Deerhound
Conclusion: Harrier versus Papillon. 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 Harrier and the Papillon better suits you and your family.