Which is Better between the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz?

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2022

Quick Links: Table of Contents

• Doberman Pinscher Versus Japanese Spitz: Introduction
• Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz: Overview
• Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz: Comparison Table
• The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz
• The Similarities Between the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz
• Size Comparison of the Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz
• Lifespan of Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz
• Price of Doberman Pinscher versus Price of Japanese Spitz
• Tolerates Being Alone: Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz
• Do Doberman Pinschers shed more than Japanese Spitzs?
• Which is Easier to Groom, the Doberman Pinscher or the Japanese Spitz?
• Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Doberman Pinscher or the Japanese Spitz?
• Are Doberman Pinschers good family dogs? What about Japanese Spitzs?
• Is the Doberman Pinscher Easier to Train than the Japanese Spitz?
• Which one drools more, the Doberman Pinscher or the Japanese Spitz
• How Kid-friendly are Doberman Pinschers and Japanese Spitzs?
• Does the Doberman Pinscher Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Japanese Spitz?
• Do Doberman Pinschers Bark and Howl? What about Japanese Spitzs?
• Can Doberman Pinschers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Japanese Spitzs Tolerate Cold Weather?
• Wanderlust Potential: Doberman Pinscher vs. Japanese Spitz
• Can Doberman Pinschers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Japanese Spitzs Tolerate Hot Weather?
• Doberman Pinscher Versus Other Dog Breeds
• Conclusion: Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz. Which One is a Better Pet?

Doberman Pinscher Versus Japanese Spitz: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz? 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 Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz 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 Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz 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 Doberman Pinscher and for the Japanese Spitz. 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 Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Doberman Pinscher or the Japanese Spitz.

Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz: Overview

A very important difference between the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Doberman Pinscher is a large-sized dog while the Japanese Spitz is a small-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Doberman Pinscher 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.

On the other hand, the Japanese Spitz 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.

Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Doberman Pinscher to the Japanese Spitz 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 Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz

Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Doberman Pinscher 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 Japanese Spitz. 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 Doberman Pinscher is 81 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Japanese Spitz is 90 out of 125.

Despite the higher Better-Pet score of the Japanese Spitz, we still believe that the Doberman Pinscher is a better pet than the Japanese Spitz.

This is because Doberman Pinschers are much cuter but you cannot put a score on cuteness. If you could put a score on cuteness, then the Doberman Pinscher will come out on top.

Also, we are biased in favor of the Doberman Pinscher :-). We are for the Doberman Pinscher. So get a Doberman Pinscher!

The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz

Below is a list of where the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz are most different:

The Similarities Between the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz

The Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz are most similar:

Size Comparison of the Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz

Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz.

The Doberman Pinscher weighs 60 to 80 pounds when fully grown. The Doberman Pinscher is 24 to 28 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

On the other hand, the Japanese Spitz weighs 11 to 20 pounds when fully grown. The Japanese Spitz is 10 to 16 inches when fully grown.

Lifespan of Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz

The lifespan of the Doberman Pinscher is between 10 to 13 years. The average lifespan of the Doberman Pinscher is 11.5 years.

The lifespan of the Japanese Spitz is between 10 to 16 years. The average lifespan of the Japanese Spitz is 13.0 years.

The Japanese Spitz live longer than the Doberman Pinscher.

Price of Doberman Pinscher versus Price of Japanese Spitz

The average price of the Doberman Pinscher puppy is $1910. The price of the Doberman Pinscher typically ranges from $1100 – $2500. However, the price of a Doberman Pinscher can be as low as $300 and as high as $7500. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 476 Doberman Pinscher puppies listed for sale from various sources.

The average price of the Japanese Spitz puppy is $1740. The price of the Japanese Spitz typically ranges from $1500 – $2150. However, the price of the Japanese Spitz can be as low as $800 and as high as $2400. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 6 Japanese Spitz puppies listed for sale from various sources.

The Doberman Pinscher is more expensive than the Japanese Spitz.

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

A breakdown of the prices of Doberman Pinschers. The typical price range is shaded Green.

A breakdown of the prices of Japanese Spitzs

Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the Doberman Pinscher puppy or the Japanese Spitz 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 to buy 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 a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.

You may also consider adopting a dog instead of buying a dog.

Tolerates Being Alone: Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz

Doberman Pinschers do not like to be left alone.

Japanese Spitzs do not like to be left alone.

Do Doberman Pinschers shed more than Japanese Spitzs?

Doberman Pinschers shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

Japanese Spitzs shed moderately.

Which is Easier to Groom, the Doberman Pinscher or the Japanese Spitz?

Doberman Pinschers are very easy to groom.

Japanese Spitzs are very easy to groom.

Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Doberman Pinscher or the Japanese Spitz?

Doberman Pinschers do not get along well with other dogs.

Japanese Spitzs get along very well with other dogs.

Are Doberman Pinschers good family dogs? What about Japanese Spitzs?

Doberman Pinschers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

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

Is the Doberman Pinscher Easier to Train than the Japanese Spitz?

Doberman Pinschers are very easy to train.

Japanese Spitzs are very easy to train.

Which one drools more, the Doberman Pinscher or the Japanese Spitz

Doberman Pinschers have a very high tendency to drool.

Japanese Spitzs do have a very low tendency to drool.

How Kid-friendly are Doberman Pinschers and Japanese Spitzs?

Doberman Pinschers get along fairly well with kids. They are quite kid-friendly.

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

Does the Doberman Pinscher Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Japanese Spitz?

Doberman Pinschers 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.

Japanese Spitzs 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 Doberman Pinschers Bark and Howl? What about Japanese Spitzs?

Doberman Pinschers are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.

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

Can Doberman Pinschers Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Japanese Spitzs Tolerate Cold Weather?

Doberman Pinschers cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.

Japanese Spitzs can very well tolerate cold weather.

Wanderlust Potential: Doberman Pinscher vs. Japanese Spitz

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

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

Can Doberman Pinschers Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Japanese Spitzs Tolerate Hot Weather?

Doberman Pinschers can tolerate hot weather.

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

Is the Doberman Pinscher Better for Apartment Owners than the Japanese Spitz?

Doberman Pinschers adapt moderately well to apartment living.

Japanese Spitzs adapt very well to apartment living.

Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Doberman Pinscher or the Japanese Spitz?

Doberman Pinschers are OK for new dog owners.

Japanese Spitzs are very good for new dog owners.

Doberman Pinscher Versus Other Dog Breeds

You may also be interested in how the Doberman Pinscher compares to other breeds aside from the Japanese Spitz. So, see below the links to the comparison of the Doberman Pinscher to other breeds:

Doberman Pinscher versus Shetland Sheepdog     Doberman Pinscher versus Lhasa Apso     Doberman Pinscher versus Fila Brasileiro     Doberman Pinscher versus American Bulldog     Doberman Pinscher versus Bullmastiff     Doberman Pinscher versus Chow Chow     Doberman Pinscher versus Dogue de Bordeaux     Doberman Pinscher versus Akita Chow     Doberman Pinscher versus Puggle     Doberman Pinscher versus Sealyham Terrier     Doberman Pinscher versus Central Asian Shepherd Dog     Doberman Pinscher versus Bearded Collie     Doberman Pinscher versus Weimaraner     

Conclusion: Doberman Pinscher versus Japanese Spitz. 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 Doberman Pinscher and the Japanese Spitz better suits you and your family.