Harlequin Pinscher vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison

Harlequin Pinscher vs Australian Collie - Breed ComparisonHarlequin Pinscher is originated from Germany but Australian Collie is originated from Australia. Harlequin Pinscher may grow 7 cm / 2 inches shorter than Australian Collie. Harlequin Pinscher may weigh 20 kg / 44 pounds lesser than Australian Collie. Harlequin Pinscher may live 3 years less than Australian Collie. Both Harlequin Pinscher and Australian Collie has same litter size. Harlequin Pinscher requires Low maintenance. But Australian Collie requires Moderate maintenance

History

harlequin pinscher - historyThis toy-sized dog is a type of Miniature Pinscher originating in Germany. The dog was developed by crossing traditional Miniature Pinschers with other toy-sized short-haired terriers. He falls into the Terrier category.

The dog was used to kill rats, but has always been a devoted pet at the same time. They nearly became extinct after World War II, but the breed was once again restored. Today it is an established breed, but it isn’t recognized by any of the major kennel clubs.

In fact, The Harlequin Pinscher Association is the only breed club that recognizes the Harlequin Pinscher. It can be registered with the Harlequins Pinschers Association or with the American Canine Association.

australian collie - historyThe Koolie, as a breed we know today, originates from Australia. But, before they were breed and imported, they were the mix made of Britain smooth coated blue merle Collie and the Black and Tan Collie from the Highlands of Scotland. The Koolie came to Australia to work as a kennel dog since they are known as the working, farm dog that can adapt to any weather condition. They were bred to be agile and non-aggressive quiet herding dogs, and they have kept most of those good characteristics until today.

Description

harlequin pinscher puppy - descriptionThis is a small compact dog standing at 25 – 33cm in height and weighing about 3kg to 4 or 5kg. He has dark eyes and ears which are set high and which are erect with just the top of them folding forwards.

The legs are straight and thin with small cat-like shaped paws. The tail is traditionally cropped, but these days the tail is left longer. He has a short coat which is available in a range of colors – black, brown, red, fawn patterns of merle, brindle or piebald. The Harlequin Pinscher is like a Bambi or a small deer, especially when they're a bit long in the leg.

Temperament:

Alert and inquisitive, the Harlequin Pinscher is a feisty, devoted little dog, brave and loyal and he has a lot of energy. He is intelligent too and with training and socialization, he becomes such a pleasure to have around, obedient and responding well to instructions.

He is known to be good with other pets as well as with children, so long as the children have been taught to respect animals. As always, a dog pretty much turns out the way the owners are, and with training and firmness while being patient and fair, you don’t have to worry about your Harlequin turning into a ‘small dog syndrome’ animal – whining, snappy and disagreeable. He is actually described as a big dog in a tiny dog's body.

The Harlequin Pinscher is a social dog and wants to be with you wherever you go.

australian collie puppy - descriptionKoolie is a medium bred. Their head is small, with a pointy jaw. Ears are pricked, semi-dropped or dropped. Their coat can be smooth or rough, short or medium length, always with the undercoat. The colours can be Red or Blue Merle, solid Red or Black, sometimes with minimal white or cream speckles. They are usually two-coloured or tricoloured, but some of them are actually one-coloured.

Some Koolie have one or two blue, green or yellow eyes. Eye colour is, of course, affected by the gene that creates the coat pattern and eye colour as well.

They are athletic dogs, with fine bone structure but great stamina. Actually, they were breed to be like that – to work hard, be noticeable among the sheep, eat little and be loyal to one person.

Characteristics

harlequin pinscher dog - characteristicsThe Harlequin Pinscher may have once been good at catching rats but these days they are much more sought after for their ability to be a splendid companion and pet.

He is such an entertaining, social little dog, wanting to spend as much time with you as possible. He is fearless, energetic, playful, confident, loving and intelligent and those who have owned them say they are courageous way beyond their size.

He is strong willed, stubborn and confident and this larger-than-life dog is just waiting to show you what a wonderful friend he can be to you too.

Around children

australian collie dog - characteristicsKoolie is naturally energetic, playful and affectionate so they are naturally very good to raise with children.

Special talents

They are known as great obedience dog. They are very famous as the tracking dogs.

Some of them are successful as the rescue dogs, therapy dogs or educators for school children.

Adaptability

This is not a type of dog that will be alone in the house, wait for you and then be quiet while you rest. They need a great deal of activity and they are not such great choice for indoor life anyways. The best thing for them would be the large yard, with somebody home most of the time. They are great if raised in a family, with children and active owners. They will be great for a loner at the farm as well since that is in their blood. They need enough place to run, chase, play, rest on the sun and be active as they please. They get affectionate towards their families, but they will be accepting their new home when they are older just fine.

Learning ability

They are very good at learning. Intelligent, yes, but yet very silly and playful to do what is told all the time. They will surprise you with how quickly they will pick up the new trick but not feeling like doing it every time you would like them to. Everything is a play for them, so it would be best if you know how to play, be affectionate and friendly to become a good owner of this breed.

Health Problems

harlequin pinscher puppies - health problemsHarlequin Pinschers, just like other dog breeds, have health issues that they are prone to such as epilepsy, dental issues, obesity and Patellar Luxation.

Epilepsy or Seizures:

Some seizures in dogs are genetic or related to illness. A dog could have ingested something poisonous while a head injury can also cause seizures in dogs. If your pet has a seizure you may notice foaming at the mouth, drooling or twitching of the legs.

After a seizure you could see your dog walking in circles and bumping into things. It is important to get your pet to the vet as soon as possible.

australian collie puppies - health problemsIf you are careful enough, you will choose your Koolie form patiently chosen breeders, after checking the health history of the pup and the pup’s family. Advisable is to do these things in person and never to buy a Koolie from a pet shop.

Sometimes, pups can be born blind or deaf pups. They have the great chance of joint problems because of their extreme activity. Their need to run, jump and play all the time may result in damage to cartilage and ligaments, especially since they are not aware of their age most of the time.

There is a chance that pup has skin allergies or immune system issues if they are growing on a farm near the chemicals used for plants, so be careful what kind of herbicide you use if you have a Collie.

In some rare cases, they suffer from seizers. If untreated, they can cause death. If you decide to take him to a regular vet check, you will have a happy and playful life together.

Caring The Pet

Grooming:

harlequin pinscher dogs - caringThe short, smooth coat of the Harlequin Pinscher is easy to maintain, shedding little. With such a small, nimble dog, you can even take a damp cloth and wipe him down. You can brush him down once or twice a week to keep his coat healthy and shiny.

Dogs can develop dental problems such as tartar and plaque build-up. and this can lead to canine dental problems which can turn life-threatening as bad teeth affect the heart, kidneys and the liver.

You need to brush your pet's teeth 2 or 3 times a week making use of canine toothbrush and toothpaste. Never use regular human toothpaste for your dog as it can be poison to him. It is why dry kibble is better than soft food as the soft food sticks to the dogs teeth.

Diet:

Your Harlequin Pinscher is also a member of the toy breed group and he has high energy levels. Always choose a high quality kibble for a small dog breed and also which is in keeping with his age and activity levels. He will do well on a high quality dry commercial food, some raw meat or home-cooked food such as chicken, brown rice, pasta and vegetables. If your dog is an energetic dog, he will benefit from a diet rich in protein.

It will be tempting to feed your little pet tasty treats such as chocolate, nuts, coffee and milk but be careful as these can cause severe digestive problems with your dog.

Feeding the puppy and adult

australian collie dogs - caringWhether you choose canned food or dry food, treats as biscuits or left-overs, the quantity is the safest way of keeping the balanced diet for your Collie. They like raw meat and raw bones. Make sure not to feed them with cooked bones because they can do more harm than good.

Grooming

Since Koolie coat can be very short with the undercoat or a bit longer with undercoat, bristle brushing every 3 or 4 days will be enough for them. Some of them like the water and some of them don’t and that is perfectly fine since there is no need for a regular bath.

Points for Good Health

Lots of activities and lots of love. They express their love all the time and you can learn a lot from them actually. They like raw bones and from-the-table delicious treats but make sure not to overfeed them.

The best type of activity

Games that need them to be fast and think quickly. Running with them, driving a bike with them (but not on the leash!) would be a great fun for them. Why not leash? They are so playful and happy and they tend to jump and run to the side to chase a butterfly or catch the falling leaf.

Basic Information

Group:
Terrier dog
Herding dogs
Origin:
Germany
Australia
Height Male:
25 - 33 cm
9 - 13 inches
36 - 40 cm
14 - 16 inches
Height Female:
25 - 23 cm
9 - 10 inches
36 - 40 cm
14 - 16 inches
Weight Male:
3 - 5 kg
6 - 12 pounds
15 - 25 kg
33 - 56 pounds
Weight Female:
3 - 5 kg
6 - 12 pounds
15 - 25 kg
33 - 56 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
12 - 18 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 6
4 - 6
Size:
Toy dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Spotted Pinscher, Merle Pinscher, Harlequin Miniature Pinscher, Harlequin Min Pin
Australian Koolie, German Koolie, German Coolie
Colors Available:
brown, Black, brindle or piebald, fawn patterns of merle, red
red or blue patterned merle; some of them are born as one colored, usually red/chocolate or black. When they have two colors, they are red and white, black and white, black and tan, red and tan. Tricolor Collie is merle, with tan points and a white chest.
Coat:
Short and smooth
smooth and short or short and rough; double coated or single coated. Some of them have longer coat their legs or without.
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Social
Grooming:
Low maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Harlequin Pinscher vs Biewer - Breed Comparison
  2. Morkie vs Harlequin Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  3. Havanese vs Harlequin Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  4. Pekingese vs Harlequin Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  5. Long Haired Chihuahua vs Harlequin Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  6. Russian Toy Terrier vs Harlequin Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  7. Phalene vs Harlequin Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  8. Harlequin Pinscher vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Harlequin Pinscher vs Chihuahua - Breed Comparison
  10. Harlequin Pinscher vs Chorkie - Breed Comparison
  11. Harlequin Pinscher vs Chinese Crested Dog - Breed Comparison
  12. Harlequin Pinscher vs Chiweenie - Breed Comparison
  13. Harlequin Pinscher vs Bichonpoo - Breed Comparison
  14. Harlequin Pinscher vs Chug - Breed Comparison
  15. Harlequin Pinscher vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  16. Harlequin Pinscher vs Brussels Griffon - Breed Comparison
  17. Harlequin Pinscher vs Chipoo - Breed Comparison
  18. Harlequin Pinscher vs Chiapom - Breed Comparison
  19. Harlequin Pinscher vs English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) - Breed Comparison
  20. Harlequin Pinscher vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  21. Harlequin Pinscher vs Franzuskaya Bolonka - Breed Comparison
  22. Harlequin Pinscher vs Bugg - Breed Comparison
  23. Harlequin Pinscher vs Cockachon - Breed Comparison
  24. Shih Tzu vs Harlequin Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  25. Pembroke Welsh Corgi vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  26. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  27. Bearded Collie vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  28. Collie vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  29. Dutch Shepherd vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  30. Blue Healer vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  31. English Shepherd vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  32. Australian Collie vs Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  33. Australian Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog - Breed Comparison
  34. Australian Collie vs Austrailian Blue Heeler - Breed Comparison
  35. Australian Collie vs Australian Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  36. Catahoula Cur vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  37. Catalan Sheepdog vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  38. Pyrenean Shepherd vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  39. Bergamasco vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  40. Berger Picard vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  41. Appenzell Mountain Dog vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  42. Queensland Heeler vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  43. German Coolie vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  44. Bohemian Shepherd vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  45. Croatian Sheepdog vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  46. Red Heeler vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  47. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren) vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  48. Blue Lacy vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  49. New Zealand Huntaway vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds