Boston Terrier vs. French Bulldog

Renée — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:41:20 +0000

What do a smart stylish dog and a sweet natured clown dog have in common? Beside their batlike ears, Boston terriers and French bulldogs also share the same forefather—Bulldog. On appearance and temperament, they do share many similar qualities however they require different type of owner. Both Bostons and Frenchies are great people pleasers however Bostons are ideal family dogs while Frenchies are more of the monogamy type (only bond with one person) of dogs.

This is not to say you can’t have one of each living in the same household. You may need to make some adjustments and give proper trainings.

Boston Terrier vs. French Bulldog

Breed	Boston Terrier	French Bulldog
Country of Origin	United States	France
AKC / KC Groups	Non-Sporting Group / Utility Group	Non-Sporting Group / Utility Group
Original Function	Companion	Companion

Physical Appearance

Coat Color	Brindle, seal, or black with even white markings—should be on muzzle, between eyes, blaze collar, forechest, and part or whole of forelegs and hindlegs.	Brindle, fawn, or pied (predominantly white with brindle markings.
Coat Type	Short and smooth	Short, soft, and close lying
Head	Square wrinkle free skull, jaw, and muzzle. The muzzle is deep and short, with a black nose.	Very large, with a pushed-in muscular appearance and wrinkle skin. The upper lip hang low over the sides of the lower jaw.
Eyes	Large, round, and set wide apart. Dark brown in color.	Set low and far apart. Round and very dark brown.
Ears	Small, thin, erect, and set at the corners of the skull.	Big batlike ears but thin in texture.
Body	Compact and quite muscular with a short back and loins. Chest is deep and wide.	Wide body, heavy bone, muscular build. Deep chest and short back, arched over narrow loins and hindquarters.
Tail	Set and carried low. Short and either straight or twisted.	Set and carried low. Tapers rapidly to a point from a wide base.
Height	15 – 17 inches	11 – 13 inches
Weight	10 – 25 lbs. Three groups—15 lbs and under, 15 – 20 lbs, and up to 25 lbs.	24 – 28 lbs

Temperament, Needs, and Learning

Overall Temperament	Very affectionate, lively, and intelligent.	Deeply affectionate, Sweet, amiable, easy going, adaptable
General Activity	Moderate	Moderately low
Exercise Requirement	Needs daily exercises consist of short walks and free romp either indoor or in the yard.	Moderate. Short walks and romp in the park
Grooming Requirement	It’s an easy care coat with minimal shedding, needs only weekly brushing to remove dead hair. The face should be cleaned daily with a damp washcloth.	It’s an easy care coat with minimal shedding, needs only weekly brushing to remove dead hair. The face should be cleaned daily with a damp washcloth.
Ideal Home Environment	Due to its compact size, Boston terrier is an idea companion for city dwellers. However, he’s willing to stay with any homeowners who’d offer a spacious and shady yard.	Very flexible dog. Apartment or house with a shady yard.
Ideal Owner	Owner with a semi-active lifestyle. Must be affectionate, gentle, and patient. i.e. family with children and elderly.	Frenchies need human companionship constantly. A “monogamy” kind of dog. Seniors or SOHOs or owners who can take dogs to work.
Special Needs	Can be very vocal. So early training is advisable.	Can become a couch potato. So give plenty of mental and short duration of physical activities.
Intelligence / Ranking	Moderate / ranked no.54	Moderately low / rank no.58
Trainability	Very strong-minded and a little stubborn but learn readily. Will only engage in activities that appear fun and interesting to them.	Quite easy to train (if you make the training more like games) as long as you don’t expect collie-style of intelligent and standards.
Cold / Heat Tolerance	Extremely low / extremely low	moderately low / extremely low

Behavior

Excitability	Moderate	Low
Playfulness	High. Loves games and people pleaser.	Moderate
Demand for Affection	Moderately high.	High
Watchdog Barking	Excellent barker (on demand). Love the sound of his own voice yet quiet at the same time.	Low
Protection	Low	Low
Dominance Over Owner	Low	Low
Good With Dogs	Great with other dogs at home but sometimes may be aggressive toward strange dogs.	Moderately well. However, some males can be very territorial.
Good With Pets	Moderately well.	Excellent. Occasionally may chase cats.
Good With Children	Get along very well with children of any age group.	Moderately well. If your Frenchie is devoted to you, he may not be so willing to take commands from your children or vice versa.
Good With Strangers	Reserved	Very reserved.
Problematic Areas	Like all brachycephalic (short-faced) breeds, Bostons may have breathing difficulties when exposed to heat or over exertion.	Similar to Bostons and all short-nosed breeds, Frenchies snore and may wheeze and drool.

Health

Life Span	12 – 16 years	11 – 12 years
Major Aliments	Brachycephalic syndrome	Brachycephalic syndrome, spinal disc trouble
Minor Aliments	Patellar luxation, allergies	Patellar luxation, hemivertebra
Recommended Food	Beef, fish	Beef, wheat, oats

Click here to download a free copy of Boston Terrier vs. French Bulldog Chart

Source on Intelligence Ranking:
The Intelligence of Dogs: A Guide to the Thoughts, Emotions, and Inner Lives of Our Canine Companions
Page 192 to 193

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Boston Terrier vs. French Bulldog