A Detailed Comparison of the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel.

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Pekingese Versus Welsh Springer Spaniel: Introduction

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

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer 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 Pekingese and for the Welsh Springer Spaniel. 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 Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel.

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

Pekingese versus Welsh Springer Spaniel

Pekingese versus Welsh Springer Spaniel: Overview

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

Furthermore, 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.

On the other hand, the Welsh Springer Spaniel 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.

Pekingese versus Welsh Springer Spaniel: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Pekingese to the Welsh Springer 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.

Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel

Factor Pekingese Welsh Springer Spaniel
Tolerates Hot Weather 1/5 4/5
Does NOT Drool 5/5 5/5
Easy To Groom 1/5 4/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 5/5 2/5
Life Span 12 to 15 years 10 to 15 years
Easygoing 4/5 1/5
Kid-Friendly 2/5 5/5
Dog Friendly 2/5 4/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 2/5 3/5
General Health 2/5 4/5
NOT Rambunctious 4/5 1/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 4/5 1/5
Tolerates Being Alone 3/5 1/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 3/5 2/5
Easy To Train 3/5 5/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 3/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 3/5 1/5
Potential For Playfulness 3/5 4/5
Good For Novice Owners 4/5 4/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 4/5 4/5
Does NOT Shed 2/5 3/5
Intelligence 4/5 5/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 2/5 1/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 5/5 4/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Low Prey Drive 1/5 3/5
Height 6 to 9 inches tall at the shoulder 17 to 19 inches tall at the shoulder
Weight 7 to 14 pounds 35 to 55 pounds
Average Lifespan 13.5 years 12.5 years
Average Price $1930 No Data
Price Range $1288 – $2500 No Data
Temperament Score 93.3 percent 100.0 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests No Data
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination by the age of 2, then at ages 5 and 7
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 86 128
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds) 73 31

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Pekingese 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 Welsh Springer 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 the Pekingese is 77 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Welsh Springer Spaniel is 79 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Welsh Springer Spaniel is a better pet than the Pekingese. So, you should get the Welsh Springer 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 Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Below is a list of where the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are most different:

  • Pekingeses cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments. However, Welsh Springer Spaniels can tolerate hot weather.
  • Pekingeses require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom. However, Welsh Springer Spaniels are very easy to groom.
  • Pekingeses do the things they do with very low vigor. They are not forceful. However, Welsh Springer Spaniels do things with high intensity. They can be very forceful.
  • Pekingeses are not very sensitive to their enviroment. They can tolerate noisy environments. They are also not very sensitive to the tone of your voice, firm or gentle. However, Welsh Springer Spaniels 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.
  • Pekingeses do not get along well with kids. They are not kid-friendly. However, Welsh Springer Spaniels get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Pekingeses have low energy levels. They do not require a lot exercise time. However, Welsh Springer Spaniels have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Pekingeses have low exercise needs. However, Welsh Springer Spaniels require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • The Similarities Between the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    The Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are most similar:

  • Both the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are not very friendly towards strangers.
  • Both the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are good for new dog owners.
  • Both the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel can tolerate cold weather.
  • Both the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.
  • Both the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of Pekingese versus Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel.

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

    On the other hand, Welsh Springer Spaniels weigh 35 to 55 pounds when fully grown. Welsh Springer Spaniels are 17 to 19 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Lifespan of Pekingese versus Welsh Springer Spaniel

    The lifespan of Pekingeses is between 12 to 15 years. The average lifespan of Pekingeses is 13.5 years.

    The lifespan of Welsh Springer Spaniels is between 10 to 15 years. The average lifespan of Welsh Springer Spaniels is 12.5 years.

    Pekingeses live longer than Welsh Springer Spaniels.

    Temperament of the Pekingese Versus the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    The Welsh Springer Spaniel has a better temperament than the Pekingese.

    This is because the temperament score for the Welsh Springer Spaniel is 100.0 percent while the temperament score for the Pekingese is 93.3 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 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 93.3 percent, the Pekingese has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 100.0 percent, the Welsh Springer Spaniel has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel by measuring the temperaments of 15 Pekingeses and 6 Welsh Springer Spaniels.

    Adopting the Pekingese versus Adopting the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many Pekingeses and many Welsh Springer Spaniels 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 Pekingese named Dasher that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely adoptable Pekingeses like Dasher on pefinder.com.

    Also, like Pekingeses, Welsh Springer Spaniels are also available for adoption. For example, Sage is a Male Welsh Springer Spaniel that is currently available for adoption on petfinder.com. You can find more Welsh Springer Spaniels like Sage that are up for adoption on petfinder.com.

    The Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel can both be adopted. Images from petfinder.com

    Leo is the name of another Pekingese (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new home.

    You can find more Pekingeses and Welsh Springer Spaniels that are available for adoption on petfinder.

    The Intelligence of the Pekingese versus the Intelligence of the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Pekingese Welsh Springer Spaniel
    Intelligence Rank 73 out of 130 dog breeds 31 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 80 To 100 Repetitions Or More! Tend To Learn New Commands After 15 To 25 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 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel has an obedience intelligence rank of 31 out of 130 dog breeds. The Welsh Springer Spaniel belongs to the `Above Average Working Dogs` category. This means that Welsh Springer Spaniels tend to learn new commands after 15 to 25 repetitions.

    The Welsh Springer Spaniel 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.

    The Popularity of Pekingese versus Popularity of Welsh Springer 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 Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Pekingese is more popular with dog owners than the Welsh Springer Spaniel. 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel is 128 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Pekingese

    Popularity of Pekingese

    Popularity of Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Popularity of Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Year Pekingese Popularity Rank Welsh Springer Spaniel Popularity Rank
    2013 77 124
    2014 82 133
    2015 80 128
    2016 93 123
    2017 88 133
    2018 92 128
    2019 83 130
    2020 95 128

    Tolerates Being Alone: Pekingese versus Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Pekingeses can be left alone only for a short time.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels do not like to be left alone.

    Do Pekingeses shed more than Welsh Springer Spaniels?

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels shed moderately.

    Which one drools more, the Pekingese or the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Pekingeses do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Pekingese or the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels are very easy to groom.

    Does the Pekingese Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

    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.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels have a moderate prey drive. They can sometimes chase after smaller animals and pets.

    Do Pekingeses Bark and Howl? What about Welsh Springer Spaniels?

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Can Pekingeses Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Welsh Springer Spaniels Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Pekingeses can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: Pekingese vs. Welsh Springer Spaniel

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Can Pekingeses Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Welsh Springer Spaniels Tolerate Hot Weather?

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels can tolerate hot weather.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Pekingese or the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

    Pekingeses do not get along well with other dogs.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels get along very well with other dogs.

    Are Pekingeses good family dogs? What about Welsh Springer Spaniels?

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    How Kid-friendly are Pekingeses and Welsh Springer Spaniels?

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

    Welsh Springer Spaniels get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Is the Pekingese Easier to Train than the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

    Pekingeses are fairly easy to train.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels are very easy to train.

    Is the Pekingese Better for Apartment Owners than the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

    Pekingeses adapt very well to apartment living.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels adapt very well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Pekingese or the Welsh Springer Spaniel?

    Pekingeses are very good for new dog owners.

    Welsh Springer Spaniels are very good for new dog owners.

    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 Welsh Springer Spaniel vs Dandie Dinmont Terrier.
  • Mal Shi (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the Welsh Springer Spaniel vs Mal Shi.
  • Pomeranian (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the Welsh Springer Spaniel vs Pomeranian.
  • Pomsky (72 percent match with Pekingese). Here is our comparison of the Welsh Springer Spaniel vs Pomsky.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Welsh Springer Spaniel

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Welsh Springer 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 Welsh Springer Spaniel:

  • English Cocker Spaniel (78 percent match with Welsh Springer Spaniel). Here is our comparison of the Pekingese vs English Cocker Spaniel.
  • Finnish Lapphund (78 percent match with Welsh Springer Spaniel). Here is our comparison of the Pekingese vs Finnish Lapphund.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

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

    Pekingese Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Pekingese versus Bordoodle     Pekingese versus Westiepoo     Pekingese versus Havanese     Pekingese versus Curly-Coated Retriever     Pekingese versus Shiranian     Pekingese versus Cairn Terrier     Pekingese versus Dandie Dinmont Terrier     Pekingese versus Estrela Mountain Dog     Pekingese versus Pug     Pekingese versus Finnish Lapphund     Pekingese versus Welsh Terrier     Pekingese versus Lakeland Terrier     Pekingese versus Scottish Terrier     Pekingese versus Dachshund     Pekingese versus Chinese Crested     Pekingese versus Korean Jindo Dog     Pekingese versus Belgian Malinois     Pekingese versus Sussex Spaniel     Pekingese versus Maltese     Pekingese versus Scottish Terrier     Pekingese versus Pointer     Pekingese versus Shiranian     Pekingese versus Afador     Pekingese versus Sealyham Terrier     

    Welsh Springer Spaniel Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Alaskan Klee Kai     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Entlebucher Mountain Dog     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Doberman Pinscher     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Border Terrier     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Dalmatian     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Belgian Sheepdog     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Komondor     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Canaan Dog     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Basset Hound     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Sealyham Terrier     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Silky Terrier     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Standard Schnauzer     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Basset Fauve de Bretagne     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Anatolian Shepherd Dog     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Japanese Chin     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Weimaraner     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Lowchen     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Sussex Spaniel     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Papillon     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Affenpinscher     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus German Shepherd Dog     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Lancashire Heeler     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Collie     Welsh Springer Spaniel versus Puli     

    Conclusion: Pekingese versus Welsh Springer 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 Pekingese and the Welsh Springer Spaniel better suits you and your family.