Pomeranian versus Barbet. Final Verdict on Which one is a Better Pet.

Last Updated: Apr 11, 2022

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Pomeranian Versus Barbet: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Pomeranian and the Barbet? 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 Pomeranian and the Barbet 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 Pomeranian and the Barbet.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Pomeranian and the Barbet 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 Pomeranian and for the Barbet. 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 Pomeranian and the Barbet.

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

Pomeranian versus Barbet

Pomeranian versus Barbet: Overview

A very important difference between the Pomeranian and the Barbet is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Pomeranian is a tiny-sized dog while the Barbet is a medium-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Pomeranian 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 Barbet 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.

Pomeranian versus Barbet: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Pomeranian to the Barbet 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 Pomeranian and the Barbet

FactorPomeranianBarbet
Tolerates Being Alone1/51/5
Does NOT Drool5/55/5
Tendency NOT to Wander5/53/5
Life Span12 to 16 years13 to 15 years
Tolerates Hot Weather2/54/5
Kid-Friendly2/54/5
Dog Friendly2/54/5
Easy To Groom2/51/5
Does NOT chew on things4/54/5
Low Prey Drive4/53/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor4/53/5
Minimal Exercise Needs4/53/5
Friendly Toward Strangers3/53/5
General Health3/54/5
NOT Rambunctious3/51/5
Potential For Playfulness3/54/5
Weight3 to 7 pounds37 to 62 pounds
Adapts Well To Apartment Living4/53/5
Good For Novice Owners4/52/5
Easygoing2/53/5
Tolerates Cold Weather4/54/5
Does NOT Shed2/54/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight2/53/5
Easy To Train4/54/5
Intelligence4/54/5
Affectionate With Family5/55/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl1/53/5
Height7 to 12 inches tall at the shoulder20 to 25 inches tall at the shoulder
Average Lifespan14.0 years14.0 years
Average Price$2150No Data
Price Range$1500 – $2500No Data
Temperament Score77.8 percent100.0 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes
  • Patellar Luxation
  • AKC or UKC DNA Profile
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination- minimum age 12 months, recommend CAER eye exam prior to onset of breeding and then periodically thereafter
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) DNA Test
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds22146

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Pomeranian 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 Barbet. 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 Pomeranian is 79 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Barbet is 82 out of 125.

    Despite the higher Better-Pet score of the Barbet, we still believe that the Pomeranian is a better pet than the Barbet.

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

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

    Pomeranian versus Barbet

    The Similarities Between the Pomeranian and the Barbet

    The Pomeranian and the Barbet are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Pomeranian and the Barbet are most similar:

  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet are not prone to nip and chew at things.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet have a very low prey drive. This means they get along well with other pets.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet do the things they do with very low vigor. They are not forceful.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet have low exercise needs.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet adapt well to apartment living.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet 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.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet can tolerate cold weather.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet gain weight easily. You need to pay careful attention to what you feed them.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet are very easy to train.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Pomeranian and the Barbet are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Size Comparison of the Pomeranian versus Barbet

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Pomeranian and the Barbet.

    The Pomeranian weighs 3 to 7 pounds when fully grown. The Pomeranian is 7 to 12 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, the Barbet weighs 37 to 62 pounds when fully grown. The Barbet is 20 to 25 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Size of Pomeranian versus Size of Barbet

    Lifespan of Pomeranian versus Barbet

    The lifespan of the Pomeranian is between 12 to 16 years. The average lifespan of the Pomeranian is 14.0 years.

    The lifespan of the Barbet is between 13 to 15 years. The average lifespan of the Barbet is 14.0 years.

    The Barbet live as long as the Pomeranian.

    Pomeranian versus Barbet

    Temperament of the Pomeranian Versus the Barbet

    The Barbet has a better temperament than the Pomeranian.

    This is because the temperament score for the Barbet is 100.0 percent while the temperament score for the Pomeranian is 77.8 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 77.8 percent, the Pomeranian has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

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

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Pomeranian and the Barbet by measuring the temperaments of 36 Pomeranians and 1 Barbets.

    Pomeranian versus Barbet

    The Popularity of Pomeranian versus Popularity of Barbet

    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 Pomeranian and the Barbet over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Pomeranian is more popular with dog owners than the Barbet. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Pomeranian is 22 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Barbet is 146 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Pomeranian

    Popularity of Pomeranian

    Popularity of Barbet

    Popularity of Barbet

    Year Pomeranian Popularity Rank Barbet Popularity Rank
    2013 19 no data
    2014 20 no data
    2015 21 no data
    2016 22 no data
    2017 22 no data
    2018 23 no data
    2019 24 no data
    2020 23 145.0
    2021 24 148.0

    Health Problems of Pomeranian versus Health Problems of Barbet

    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 Pomeranian and the Barbet 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 Pomeranian is prone to more genetic health problems than the Barbet.

    This is because the OFA recommends more screening health tests for the Pomeranian than for the Barbet.

    6 health tests are recommended for Pomeranian while 5 tests are recommended for the Barbet.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Pomeranians and in Barbets.

    Pomeranian Health Problems

    Pomeranians are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Pomeranian 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 Pomeranian puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Pomeranian 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 Pomeranians for:

  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes
  • Patellar Luxation

  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Pomeranians here.

    Barbet Health Problems

    Barbets are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Barbet 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 Barbet puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Barbet 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 Barbets for:

  • AKC or UKC DNA Profile
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination- minimum age 12 months, recommend CAER eye exam prior to onset of breeding and then periodically thereafter
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) DNA Test

  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Barbets here.

    More Discussions on Health Problems in Pomeranians and Barbets

    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 Pomeranian Breed is Patella problems.

    This is because the Pomeranian ranks 1 out of 145 dog breeds for Patella problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 1542 Pomeranians, 456 of them had Patella problems.

    The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Pomeranians, and how common these diseases are in Pomeranians relative to other dog breeds, are given below:

  • Patella problems: Rank 1 out of 145 Dog Breeds
  • Congenital Cardiac problems: Rank 49 out of 159 Dog Breeds
  • Hips problems: Rank 75 out of 198 Dog Breeds
  • Thyroid problems: Rank 89 out of 115 Dog Breeds
  • Eyes problems: Rank 171 out of 182 Dog Breeds
  • 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 Barbet Breed is Thyroid problems.

    This is because the Barbet ranks 69 out of 115 dog breeds for Thyroid problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 106 Barbets, 2 of them had Thyroid problems.

    The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Barbets, and how common these diseases are in Barbets relative to other dog breeds, are given below:

  • Thyroid problems: Rank 69 out of 115 Dog Breeds
  • Elbow problems: Rank 78 out of 144 Dog Breeds
  • Hips problems: Rank 81 out of 198 Dog Breeds
  • Eyes problems: Rank 158 out of 182 Dog Breeds

  • The table below lists the common health problems in Pomeranian and in Barbet and the rank (prevalence), compared to other dogs, of these health problems in the Pomeranian and the Barbet:

    Disease Pomeranian Rank Barbet Rank
    Patella problems 1 out of 145 dog breeds Not Common
    Congenital Cardiac problems 49 out of 159 dog breeds Not Common
    Hips problems 75 out of 198 dog breeds 81 out of 198 dog breeds
    Thyroid problems 89 out of 115 dog breeds 69 out of 115 dog breeds
    Eyes problems 171 out of 182 dog breeds 158 out of 182 dog breeds
    Elbow problems Not Common 78 out of 144 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: Pomeranian versus Barbet

    Pomeranians do not like to be left alone.

    Barbets do not like to be left alone.

    Do Pomeranians shed more than Barbets?

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

    Barbets do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Pomeranian or the Barbet?

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

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

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Pomeranian or the Barbet?

    Pomeranians do not get along well with other dogs.

    Barbets get along very well with other dogs.

    Are Pomeranians good family dogs? What about Barbets?

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

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

    Is the Pomeranian Easier to Train than the Barbet?

    Pomeranians are very easy to train.

    Barbets are very easy to train.

    Which one drools more, the Pomeranian or the Barbet

    Pomeranians do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Barbets do have a very low tendency to drool.

    How Kid-friendly are Pomeranians and Barbets?

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

    Barbets get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Does the Pomeranian Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Barbet?

    Pomeranians 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.

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

    Do Pomeranians Bark and Howl? What about Barbets?

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

    Barbets bark and howl, but not very much.

    Can Pomeranians Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Barbets Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Pomeranians can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Barbets can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: Pomeranian vs. Barbet

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

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

    Can Pomeranians Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Barbets Tolerate Hot Weather?

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

    Barbets can tolerate hot weather.

    Is the Pomeranian Better for Apartment Owners than the Barbet?

    Pomeranians adapt very well to apartment living.

    Barbets adapt moderately well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Pomeranian or the Barbet?

    Pomeranians are very good for new dog owners.

    Barbets are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Pomeranian Versus Other Dog Breeds

    You may also be interested in how the Pomeranian compares to other breeds aside from the Barbet. So, see below the links to the comparison of the Pomeranian to other breeds:

    Pomeranian versus Goldador     Pomeranian versus Cavalier King Charles Spaniel     Pomeranian versus Azawakh     Pomeranian versus Basenji     Pomeranian versus Pomeranian     Pomeranian versus Rhodesian Ridgeback     Pomeranian versus American Eskimo Dog     Pomeranian versus Standard Schnauzer     Pomeranian versus Catahoula Bulldog     Pomeranian versus Chinese Crested     Pomeranian versus Bearded Collie     Pomeranian versus Curly-Coated Retriever     Pomeranian versus Saint Berdoodle     Pomeranian versus Pyrenean Mastiff     Pomeranian versus Tibetan Mastiff     Pomeranian versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog     Pomeranian versus Cairn Terrier     Pomeranian versus Schnoodle     Pomeranian versus Gordon Setter     

    Conclusion: Pomeranian versus Barbet. 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 Pomeranian and the Barbet better suits you and your family.