Boston terrier vs. French Bulldog, both have their fair share of similarities and dissimilarities when it comes to their breeding history, ancestors, the core building of the body, personality, and a lot of other traits. And telling the difference between them when you see them passing by a white eye is quite difficult.
We are going to incorporate these smooshy-faced, cute little four-leggers into this write-up so that you can justify how good family dogs they will make and how are their temperament matches your family. Knowing all these is crucial when you don’t have any prior experience of living with such a dog.
Inside their furry shell, lives a friendly and intelligent soul that instantly can elevate your mood by cuddling next to you or sitting idly on your lap. Whatever they do, is because they want space and attention of their own from the person they love.
This leads us to this comparative discussion between Boston terrier vs. French Bulldog where everything will be broken down to the smallest to let you know intricate details about both these breeds. Let’s put our furry friends aside and delve deeper to acquire as much information as possible. You’re invited.
Origin of Boston Terrier Vs. French Bulldog
Modern-day Boston Terrier is a crossbreed, the ancestors of which were the English bulldog and English white terrier. This started in the 1870s and later crossbred with English bull terrier, the boxer, pit bull terrier, and the French bulldog to achieve the breed today which was the first non-sporting breed in the US then.
Both Boston terriers and French bulldogs have a common ancestry that traces back to English bulldogs. This was a very favorite breed across England and then was bred with French terriers which resulted in today’s French bulldog that is widely known and popular over the world.
Boston terrier clubs and French bulldog clubs were established much later and both the breed was officially recognized in the first decade of the 19th century. Also, both of them fall under the Utility breed category which is a non-sporting group and bred keeping different purposes in mind.
Boston Terrier Vs. French Bulldog Appearance
Both the breed is now widely popular among pet owners across the world due to a variety of reasons. Before we get to the nitty-gritty of their character, let’s judge them based on their physical appearance and take a closer look at different parts of their body.
As they share a common ancestor, many furry features are quite similar and difficult to distinguish if you don’t know or look at them closely. But for making a good companion for life, you need to know your puppies a little bit more.
Here is how you can recognize and distinguish these breeds considering their overall size, color and markings, ears, snouts, tails, etc. So, next time you see any or both of these breeds passing by or in a pet shop, it will be easy to pick one instantly.
Size
Both breeds fall under the small dog category and are quite identical in size though terriers are a bit taller than their French counterparts. It is due to the larger leg size of the terriers and they stand about 41 cm tall. An adult Boston terrier weighs around 12-13 kg.
But French bulldog is more muscular and weighs 14-15 kg when adult though the height is shorter than terriers at 30-33 cm. Once you see both the breed alongside, you can surely say that the shorter one is a Frenchie and the taller one is a Boston Terrier.
Color
These two breeds are also similar in color and it is difficult to point out any breed at an instance. Boston terriers are much easier to recognize because of their marking in brindle, seal, or black and white that resembles Tuxedo and this is why they are commonly called the American Gentleman.
On the other hand, French bulldogs don’t have such markings but they also carry coats of different colors like the Boston Terriers. The most common colors include cream, fawn, black and white, etc. Whatever color they are, both look very pretty when walking around.
Head And Ear
This is one of the most distinguishable features in these breeds. You can instantly recognize a French bulldog by seeing the square head of the pet which is the housing of bat-like ears. They are also easily recognizable by their special kind of ears.
But the Boston Terriers are round-headed that looks pretty cute and are our personal favorite. They have pointy ears that are usually longer than those of French bulldogs. These two features help us distinguish between these two mostly similar breeds.
Face And Snouts
They possess similarity in their soft and smooshy faces because of their short snout which kind of looks cool but can cause many issues to these two breeds. Both the breed has a wide nose and that houses short nostrils.
Tails
The tail isn’t often the most prominent feature to differentiate between these two breeds as you will see short tails in both. Boston Terriers mostly have stumpy tails that can be straight or screwed. But French bulldogs are mostly seen to have a short and screwed tail.
Boston Terrier Vs. French Bulldog: Activity Level
Both these dogs are very playful and need to have a moderate amount of energy burst regularly. Though these two breeds fit perfectly in a suburban or urban environment, they will need some space inside the house to run, jump and play with balls and other toys.
None of these breeds is a couch potato but loves to sit idly on your laps, couch, or cuddle in your bed. You might often take them outside for a walk to the nearest dog park but always be careful during the summer as they are prone to heatstroke.
If they are burning a lot of energy during summer, it can cause them to heat up easily because of the short snouts. To protect them from such incidents, keep an eye on them to prevent overdoing anything.
Boston Terrier Vs. French Bulldog: Personality
It might be true that Boston Terrier and French Bulldog are not that adorable in their looks but they make genuine friends for life. Behind their tough face, they hide all the emotions and loyalty to their master.
Both these breeds are intelligent, fun loving, and make great companions to you and your family. Treat them with care and adore them to be either your cuddle toy on the bed or walking partner in the park, both the breed does the job extremely well.
Grooming Essentials
Boston Terrier and French Bulldog both have a short coat and need a lot less grooming than other breeds. But you can’t ignore the grooming at all as they will require a fair amount of care regularly. Let’s handle the Boston Terrier first before we get to the Frenchie.
Terriers don’t shed that much but even the smallest shed needs to be cleaned by using a soft bristle brush to keep it tangle and mat-free. Brushing the coat also helps in better blood circulation and distributing the skin oil evenly to the whole surface.
Cleaning them so often isn’t required as they spend most of the time inside the house. But if they are going outdoor for a longer time and building dirt on their skin, give them a thorough washing when you find it necessary. It helps wash any dirt and debris off their skin and keep them healthy.
Don’t forget the nails as they grow so fast on a Terrier. Get yourself a nail clipper and other grooming tools from the nearest pet store or online and clip the nails regularly so that the puppy doesn’t hurt itself while running or jumping.
French Bulldogs are pretty similar to Boston Terriers in terms of grooming as they have short coats too. And they should be brushed regularly too to prevent shedding hair from tangling on the coat. It is also good to check for any rashes or unusual marks on the skin while brushing so that you know whether your pet is healthy or not.
Take a bristle brush and brush them all over the skin to increase blood circulation. This helps these breeds grow healthy and builds a more adorable relation between the two of you.
Clipping nails is also a must-to-do for the bulldogs. Bathing goes similar to Boston Terries but put extra care on their facial wrinkles as dirt can easily build up there and cause infection. Try unfolding the wrinkles and clean them regularly to keep your dog happy and healthy.
If you aren’t experienced in dog grooming or don’t have the tools to get these jobs done, you can hire a professional groomer to take care of your dog. But, grooming your dog yourself isn’t only less expensive but also builds an impeccable bond in between. Being a pet parent isn’t all about having a good breed, it is also about taking good care of your pet.
Boston Terrier Vs. French Bulldog: Health Issues
Like other similarities, these breeds have the similarity in their health issues too. The most common of which are respiratory problems due to their short snout. As a result, both Bosties and Frenchies are prone to heatstroke or other respiratory problems in hot and humid weather conditions.
As they will need a moderate amount of exercise to be in a fit condition, make sure they aren’t overdoing it which might result in heatstroke and you could lose your puppies. Boston Terriers mostly suffer from cataracts and seizures. Allergies might also be a common problem for this breed.
In the case of bulldogs, they are prone to obesity if you don’t throw regular exercise to them. From puppyhood, this breed should be taken care of with the exercise routine as they grow. Keep a constant look on their eyes for redness or irritation as they suffer from eye problems very often.
French Bulldogs usually live around 10-11 years which is a bit more at around 12-14 years for Boston Terriers. As long as you are taking proper care of their health, they are most likely to be the happiest member of your family.
Temperament Of These Breeds
Both these breeds have a distinctive temperament which can only be recognized by the parent differently in different cases. French Bulldogs mostly love to express their joy in outdoor playing and while being treated or praised.
But terriers have a softer personality and always want to please, so will require a lot of attention from you. Be ready to give that to them if you are planning to own anyone or both of these breeds. But keep them under strict supervision so that they don’t get overwhelmed by the care and attention you give them which results in stubbornness.
Boston Terrier Vs. French Bulldog: Training And Socialization
Though these two breeds are smaller compared to other breeds, they can get out of control if you don’t train them properly from an early age. As soon as you get a terrier or bulldog puppy, introduce it to the training classes. Terriers learn pretty quickly so is easier to handle.
But bulldogs are a bit more stubborn than terriers and need to be harnessed by a tough hand from puppyhood. Otherwise, they might get over-aggressive and take control of the house in a negative way. So, establish your control over them while they are young.
For both the breed, improper training can affect socialization badly when they are an adult and you will have nothing to do. Make them build a good bond with your family members and neighboring dogs to live happily even if you aren’t in the surrounding.
Final Verdict
This comparative discussion of Boston Terrier Vs. French Bulldog can easily be renamed as An Inside Look At Two Breeds because we have tried to tie a knot between these two adorable and fluffy pets. No matter which one you opt for, these dogs are bred to be the ultimate companion regardless of the color of their fur.
