Why the Great Dane is Better than the Lhasa Apso as a Pet

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2022

Quick Links: Table of Contents

Great Dane Versus Lhasa Apso: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso? 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 Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso 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 Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso 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 Great Dane and for the Lhasa Apso. 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 Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso.

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

Great Dane versus Lhasa Apso

Great Dane versus Lhasa Apso: Overview

A very important difference between the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Great Dane is a giant-sized dog while the Lhasa Apso is a tiny-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Great Dane 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 Lhasa Apso 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.

Great Dane versus Lhasa Apso: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Great Dane to the Lhasa Apso 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 Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso

FactorGreat DaneLhasa Apso
Adapts Well To Apartment Living1/55/5
Good For Novice Owners1/55/5
Tolerates Being Alone1/54/5
Weight100 to 200 pounds12 to 15 pounds
Tolerates Cold Weather2/53/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight4/53/5
Does NOT chew on things4/53/5
Height26 to 34 inches tall at the shoulder9 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder
Tolerates Hot Weather3/52/5
Intelligence3/54/5
Low Prey Drive3/52/5
Tendency NOT to Wander3/54/5
Does NOT Drool2/55/5
General Health4/53/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl2/52/5
Easygoing1/51/5
Affectionate With Family5/54/5
Kid-Friendly5/54/5
Dog Friendly5/53/5
Friendly Toward Strangers5/52/5
Does NOT Shed1/53/5
Easy To Groom5/51/5
Easy To Train5/53/5
NOT Rambunctious1/52/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor1/53/5
Minimal Exercise Needs1/53/5
Potential For Playfulness5/55/5
Life Span7 to 10 years12 to 15 years
Average Lifespan8.5 years13.5 years
Average Price$1560$1560
Price Range$1000 – $2000$1200 – $1850
Temperament Score81.5 percent70.4 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • No Data
    Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds1572
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds)4868
    *Data from AKC.org (The American Kennel Club),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 Great Dane 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 Lhasa Apso. 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 Great Dane is 73 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Lhasa Apso is 79 out of 125.

    Despite the higher Better-Pet score of the Lhasa Apso, we still believe that the Great Dane is a better pet than the Lhasa Apso.

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

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

    Great Dane versus Lhasa Apso

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso

    Below is a list of where the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso are most different:

  • Great Danes do not adapt well to apartment living. However, Lhasa Apsos adapt well to apartment living.
  • Great Danes are not the best dogs for new dog owners. However, Lhasa Apsos are good for new dog owners.
  • Great Danes do not like to be left alone. However, Lhasa Apsos can be left alone for some time without problems.
  • Great Danes have a very high tendency to drool. However, Lhasa Apsos do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Great Danes are very friendly towards strangers. However, Lhasa Apsos are not very friendly towards strangers.
  • Great Danes are very easy to groom. However, Lhasa Apsos require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom.
  • The Similarities Between the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso

    The Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso are most similar:

  • Both the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.
  • Both the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso are not prone to gaining weight easily.
  • Both the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso are not prone to nip and chew at things.
  • Both the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso are very healthy. They do not suffer from a lot of health problems compared to other dog breeds
  • Both the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso 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 Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Both the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso are very playful.
  • Size Comparison of the Great Dane versus Lhasa Apso

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso.

    The Great Dane weighs 100 to 200 pounds when fully grown. The Great Dane is 26 to 34 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, the Lhasa Apso weighs 12 to 15 pounds when fully grown. The Lhasa Apso is 9 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Size of Great Dane versus Size of Lhasa Apso

    Appearance (Colors) of the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso

    Great Dane Colors

    The Great Dane comes in the following beautiful primary colors:

    • Black
    • Harlequin
    • Merle (Blue)
    • Yellow / Tan / Blond / Fawn
    • Brown / Chocolate
    • White / Cream
    • Brindle
    • Tricolor (Brown, Black, & White)
    • Merle (Red)
    • Bicolor
    • Gray / Blue / Silver

    The Great Dane comes in the following lovely secondary colors in addition to its primary colors:

    • White / Cream
    • Brown / Chocolate
    • Black
    • Gray / Blue / Silver
    • Golden
    • Merle (Blue)
    • Harlequin
    • Brindle

    Lhasa Apso Colors

    The Lhasa Apso comes in the following beautiful primary colors:

    • Yellow / Tan / Blond / Fawn
    • Brown / Chocolate
    • White / Cream
    • Black
    • Bicolor
    • Apricot / Beige
    • Red / Chestnut / Orange
    • Sable
    • Gray / Blue / Silver
    • Tricolor (Brown, Black, & White)

    The Lhasa Apso comes in the following lovely secondary colors in addition to its primary colors:

    • White / Cream
    • Brown / Chocolate
    • Black
    • Gray / Blue / Silver
    • Bicolor
    • Yellow / Tan / Blond / Fawn
    • Apricot / Beige

    Lifespan of Great Dane versus Lhasa Apso

    The lifespan of the Great Dane is between 7 to 10 years. The average lifespan of the Great Dane is 8.5 years.

    The lifespan of the Lhasa Apso is between 12 to 15 years. The average lifespan of the Lhasa Apso is 13.5 years.

    The Lhasa Apso live longer than the Great Dane.

    Great Dane versus Lhasa Apso

    Temperament of the Lhasa Apso Versus the Great Dane

    The Great Dane has a better temperament than the Lhasa Apso.

    This is because the temperament score for the Great Dane is 81.5 percent while the temperament score for the Lhasa Apso is 70.4 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 81.5 percent, the Great Dane has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 70.4 percent, the Lhasa Apso has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso by measuring the temperaments of 314 Great Danes and 27 Lhasa Apsos.

    Price of Great Dane versus Price of Lhasa Apso

    The average price of the Great Dane puppy is $1560. The price of the Great Dane typically ranges from $1000 – $2000. However, the price of a Great Dane can be as low as $100 and as high as $5500. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 1324 Great Dane puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The average price of the Lhasa Apso puppy is $1560. The price of the Lhasa Apso typically ranges from $1200 – $1850. However, the price of the Lhasa Apso can be as low as $200 and as high as $3499. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 191 Lhasa Apso puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The Lhasa Apso and the Great Dane are sold for about the same price.

    Great Dane Lhasa Apso
    Average Price $1560 $1560
    Price Range $1000 to $2000 $1200 to $1850

    The charts below show the price distribution for the Great Dane and Lhasa Apso. For different price points, the charts show how many Great Dane puppies or how many Lhasa Apso puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

    A breakdown of the prices of Great Danes. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Great Danes. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Lhasa Apsos

    A breakdown of the prices of Lhasa Apsos

    Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the Great Dane puppy or the Lhasa Apso 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.

    Great Dane versus Lhasa Apso

    Adopting the Great Dane versus Adopting the Lhasa Apso

    You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many Great Danes and many Lhasa Apsos 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 Great Dane named Titan that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely adoptable Great Danes like Titan on pefinder.com.

    Also, like Great Danes, Lhasa Apsos are also available for adoption. For example, Labron is a Male Lhasa Apso that is currently available for adoption on petfinder.com. You can find more Lhasa Apsos like Labron that are up for adoption on petfinder.com.

    The Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso can both be adopted. Images from petfinder.com

    Moe is the name of another Great Dane (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new home.

    Also, Baxter is an adorable Male Lhasa Apso on petfinder.com that you can adopt.

    Great Danes and Lhasa Apsos are always available for adoption. Images and image labels from petfinder.com

    You can find more Great Danes and Lhasa Apsos that are available for adoption on petfinder.

    The Intelligence of the Great Dane versus the Intelligence of the Lhasa Apso

    Great Dane Lhasa Apso
    Intelligence Rank 48 out of 130 dog breeds 68 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 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 Great Dane has an obedience intelligence rank of 48 out of 130 dog breeds. The Great Dane belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Great Danes tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.

    The Lhasa Apso has an obedience intelligence rank of 68 out of 130 dog breeds. The Lhasa Apso belongs to the `Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Lhasa Apsos tend to learn new commands after 40 to 80 repetitions!.

    The Great Dane is more intelligent than the Lhasa Apso.

    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 Great Dane versus Popularity of Lhasa Apso

    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 Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Great Dane is more popular with dog owners than the Lhasa Apso. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Great Dane is 15 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Lhasa Apso is 72 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Great Dane

    Popularity of Great Dane

    Popularity of Lhasa Apso

    Popularity of Lhasa Apso

    Year Great Dane Popularity Rank Lhasa Apso Popularity Rank
    2013 16 63
    2014 15 67
    2015 15 65
    2016 14 71
    2017 14 77
    2018 16 71
    2019 17 78
    2020 15 78
    2021 17 84

    Tolerates Being Alone: Great Dane versus Lhasa Apso

    Great Danes do not like to be left alone.

    Lhasa Apsos can be left alone for some time without problems.

    Do Great Danes shed more than Lhasa Apsos?

    Great Danes shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Lhasa Apsos shed moderately.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Great Dane or the Lhasa Apso?

    Great Danes are very easy to groom.

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

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Great Dane or the Lhasa Apso?

    Great Danes get along very well with other dogs.

    Lhasa Apsos get along fairly well with other dogs.

    Are Great Danes good family dogs? What about Lhasa Apsos?

    Great Danes are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Lhasa Apsos are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Is the Great Dane Easier to Train than the Lhasa Apso?

    Great Danes are very easy to train.

    Lhasa Apsos are fairly easy to train.

    Which one drools more, the Great Dane or the Lhasa Apso

    Great Danes have a very high tendency to drool.

    Lhasa Apsos do have a very low tendency to drool.

    How Kid-friendly are Great Danes and Lhasa Apsos?

    Great Danes get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Lhasa Apsos get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Does the Great Dane Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Lhasa Apso?

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

    Lhasa Apsos 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 Great Danes Bark and Howl? What about Lhasa Apsos?

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

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

    Can Great Danes Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Lhasa Apsos Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Great Danes cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.

    Lhasa Apsos can moderately tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: Great Dane vs. Lhasa Apso

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

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

    Can Great Danes Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Lhasa Apsos Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Great Danes can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Lhasa Apsos cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.

    Is the Great Dane Better for Apartment Owners than the Lhasa Apso?

    Great Danes do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Lhasa Apsos adapt very well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Great Dane or the Lhasa Apso?

    Great Danes are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Lhasa Apsos are very good for new dog owners.

    Great Dane Versus Other Dog Breeds

    You may also be interested in how the Great Dane compares to other breeds aside from the Lhasa Apso. So, see below the links to the comparison of the Great Dane to other breeds:

    Great Dane versus Sloughi     Great Dane versus Stabyhoun     Great Dane versus Cane Corso     Great Dane versus American Eskimo Dog     Great Dane versus Norwegian Buhund     Great Dane versus Welsh Terrier     Great Dane versus Kishu Ken     Great Dane versus Giant Schnauzer     Great Dane versus Komondor     Great Dane versus Alaskan Klee Kai     Great Dane versus Borzoi     Great Dane versus American Water Spaniel     Great Dane versus French Spaniel     Great Dane versus Black and Tan Coonhound     Great Dane versus Coton de Tulear     Great Dane versus Basset Fauve de Bretagne     Great Dane versus Field Spaniel     Great Dane versus American Hairless Terrier     

    Conclusion: Great Dane versus Lhasa Apso. 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 Great Dane and the Lhasa Apso better suits you and your family.