Bull Terrier vs Doberman Pinscher

Compare the Bull Terrier to the Doberman Pinscher. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Bull Terriers and Doberman Pinschers.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - Both breeds are good choices for new or inexperienced owners, but the Bull Terrier is better suited for new owners.
Children - Both breeds are child friendly, but the Bull Terrier is the most friendly between the breeds.
Grooming - Both the Bull Terrier and Doberman Pinscher are very low maintenance and easy to groom.
Barking - Both breeds do not bark frequently, but the Bull Terrier will bark less often between the two.

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Bull Terrier vs Doberman Pinscher

Breed Name	Bull Terrier	Doberman Pinscher
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	9-15 yrs.	10-12 yrs.
Height	18-21 in.	24-28 in.
Weight	45-65 lb	65-99 lb
Intelligence	Average	High
History
Origin Country	UK (England)	Germany
Origin Year	1862 AD	1890 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Good
Pet Friendly	Very Good	Poor
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Good
Personality
	Affectionate Aggressive Enjoys Attention Jealous Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Stubborn	Enjoys Attention Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	Yes	Yes
Medium Yard	Yes	No
Large Yard	Yes	No
Temperature Tolerance ¹	65°F to 80°F	50°F to 75°F
Barks/Howls	Rarely	Rarely
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	High	High
Exercise Required	Medium	Medium-High
Top Running Speed	18 mph	30 mph
Strength	High-Very High	High
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	Low
Shedding	Low	Low
Dander	Low	Low
Drool Amount	Low	Low

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Bull Terrier	Doberman Pinscher
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	Yes
Family/Pack	Yes	No
Independent	Yes	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	Yes	No
Average	Yes	Yes
Focused & Patient	No	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Average	High
Burrow/Digging	Average	Below Average
Chasing	High	Average
Follow Commands	Very Low	Average
Fighting	Average	Average
Guarding	Average	High
Herding	Very Low	Below Average
Hunting	Average	Below Average
Protection	Average	High
Remove Vermin	High	Below Average
Sledding	Very Low	Below Average
Watch	Average	High

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Bull Terrier	Doberman Pinscher
Lifespan
Lifespan	9-15 yrs.	10-12 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Cardiomyopathy	No	Yes
Deafness	Yes	No
Heart Murmurs	Yes	No
Hereditary Nephritis	Yes	No
Hip Dysplasia	No	Yes
Lens Luxation	Yes	No
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	No	Yes
Spinning	Yes	No
Von Willebrand's Disease	No	Yes
Wobbler's Syndrome	No	Yes

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Bull Terrier	Doberman Pinscher
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Single Coat	Yes	No
Smooth Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Straight	Yes	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Short	Yes	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black & Tan	Yes	No
Black Brindle	Yes	No
Black Brindle, & White	Yes	No
Black, Tan, & White	Yes	No
Brindle	Yes	No
Brindle & White	Yes	No
Fawn	Yes	No
Fawn & White	Yes	No
Fawn Smut	Yes	No
Fawn Smut & White	Yes	No
Red	Yes	No
Red & White	Yes	No
Red Smut	Yes	No
Red Smut & White	Yes	No
White	Yes	Yes
White & Black Brindle	Yes	No
Black & Rust	No	Yes
Blue & Rust	No	Yes
Isabella & Rust	No	Yes
Red & Rust	No	Yes