It is usually tricky to differentiate between the Boston terrier and French bulldogs because both have many similarities in their physical characteristics. These dog breeds are adorable, with open ears and small skulls, which make their face squishy. Boston terrier and French Bulldogs have an appealing appearance, sharing many similarities and little differences with each other. In this blog, we highlight each of these breeds’ characteristics to make it easier for you to choose Boston Terrier vs French Bulldog as your pet.
History
Boston terriers are named from the area of their origin Boston from Massachusetts. This dog is an American breed that appeared in 1980 for the first time, which resulted from a cross between English bulldogs and the English white terrier named Judge. The modern Boston terrier evolved by cross-breeding English bulldog with different breeds, such as Boxer dogs, Pit bull terrier, English bull terrier, and French Bulldog.
The toy Bulldog was brought to England by lacemakers from France in the mid-1800s. It was cross-bred with Pugs and Terrier breeds. They were popular as ratter dogs at that time—the modern-day Bulldog evolved by breeding the American toy bulldog with the French Terriers.
So we can conclude that both the Boston Terrier and the French Bulldog have a common ancestral origin, which is the English Bulldog.
Physical Appearance
French Bulldog and Boston terrier share many similarities in their appearance, so people confuse both breeds of dogs. Both of these dogs possess an adorable cute appearance, and it is still indecisive that which one is the cutest. Besides, Boston terrier and French Bulldog have small-sized tails, bugged eyes, and short snouts. Boston terrier vs French Bulldogs possess similar small stature, but when we look at both, Boston terrier is taller than Frenchies, and their ears are sharp-shaped bars. Thus, the long-legged Boston terrier exhibits an elegant posture and a more elevated look vs French Bulldogs.
The Boston terrier’s height is in a range of 36-41 cm and weighing about 7-13 kg, while the height of Frenchies ranges from 30-33 cm, which is slightly less than Boston terriers. Frenchies weigh about 8-15 kg and possess a stocky look.
Body Color
Boston Terriers possess characteristic tuxedo style markings in various colors such as seal, white with black, and brindle color. French bulldogs have variations in colors, ranging from white and fawn to cream and brindle color.
Ears
French Bulldogs have bat-like ears, which gives them a distinctive look. They have a square head on which the ears stand erect and are moderately sized. On the contrary, Boston Terriers have round heads with pointed ears.
Snout
Both these breeds have square-shaped jaws with smaller snouts. But Boston terrier has a nose with a line between the nostrils, and the nose is broad and black. Similarly, French bulldogs have noses which are demarcated by a line between nostrils and are extremely small sized.
The two dog breeds are brachycephalic with tiny noses and have a narrow trachea, making them predisposed to several health issues such as breathing problems.
Tail
Boston Terriers and French Bulldogs have small tails that may either be straight or low on the rectal area. Screwed tails are common in French bulldogs.
Exercise Needs
French Bulldogs and Boston terriers can adapt well in home environments with small tasks daily. Boston terriers have high activity levels vs the French bulldogs that have short bursts of energy. They love to run, jump, and fetch things. They are the right partners for running.
These breeds can become overheated if the environment is hot. The issue is more significant with the French bulldogs, making them intolerant to exercises. French bulldogs are also not good swimmers, and if they are left alone in a pool, they may be in trouble, as they can not swim back to the surface quickly.
If you are a person who likes to be more active on weekends, I recommend the Boston terrier as your companion, due to their more playful and dynamic nature. Simultaneously, French Bulldogs are a better fit for those who love to relax at home.
Grooming Requirements
French bulldogs and Boston Terriers are similar in their grooming needs, and they are low maintenance dog breeds. If we talk about the shedding levels of Boston terrier vs French bulldogs, the shedding levels are low among Boston terriers. Brushing of hair is required once a week in these breeds. You can use a rubber brush made in curry-style for brushing.
If you bathe them once a month, it will be enough. But if you plan to do so more than once, always use mild shampoo and conditioners.
These breeds’ faces should be cleaned daily; else, they will have stains of tears on the face. While for Frenchies, you need to clean the wrinkles, which will lead to infections and sores if not taken care of.
Temperament
There aren’t many differences in temperament between French Bulldog vs. Boston Terrier. The only difference is that Boston Terrier is a bit more contained and calm than the French Bulldogs.
The French bulldogs require human companion and will develop separation anxiety if left alone for longer periods. Boston terrier is known as the American Gentleman because of their soft, calm, and eager to please nature. They are calm dogs and bark occasionally. Aggression in Boston Terriers is rare and can be prevented by early socialization.
The French Bulldogs are referred to as „Clown dogs” due to their goofy and fun-loving nature.
Boston terriers and French bulldogs serve as great pets as they are child friendly and are easily adaptable to new environments. They are the right choice for first-time pet owners; they are dedicated learners and quickly learn new tricks. The Boston Terriers are easy to tame, as compared to French Bulldogs. The Frenchies are a bit stubborn, and you need to show positive reinforcement at the early stages to make them obey.
Dietary Requirements
When we talk about Boston terrier vs French bulldog dietary requirement, it is observed that the French Bulldogs have slightly more food intake than the Boston terrier. Frenchies have a sensitive stomach, so avoid feeding processed food with lots of additives. You can feed grain-free diets, but with good quality.
These dogs do well when fed a raw diet; it is best to provide greater amounts of meat up to 75%, some bones 15%, and organs up to 10%.
You can add small amounts of vegetables to the diet, but in small pieces, because they are not easily digestible otherwise.
Health and Lifespan
The most common health issues found in Boston terriers are cataracts, deafness, allergies, and seizures. French Bulldogs have lesser health issues than Boston terriers. The common health issues seen in French bulldogs are related to their hearts, eyes, and backs.
Some common health issues seen Boston Terriers are:
- Patellar Luxation: It is a common orthopedic issue in this breed and some other dog breeds also.
- Hemi vertebrae: It is a genetic problem in brachycephalic breeds.
- Problems with eyes: The issues related to eyes can occur in Boston terrier and French Bulldogs also. The most common eye problem is the cherry eye.
An important health issue in French Bulldogs is they tend to become obese if they are overfed and not given proper exercise. As discussed earlier, these dogs have shorter noses, making them prone to respiratory problems and even to the danger of heatstroke in summers.
French Bulldogs quickly become out of breath, and they may find it challenging to regulate their body temperatures. If you want to play with your Frenchie outdoor, you must be vigilant enough to observe their struggle, if present. If you find them struggling, take them immediately indoors to regulate their temperature in a controlled environment.
The easiest way to avoid these genetic health issues in French Bulldogs and Boston Terriers is to look for their parental record while purchasing.
Lifespan
The French bulldogs have an average lifespan of 10-12 years, while the Boston terriers live a little longer, from 11 -13 years. Interestingly, these dogs live longer than expected, despite having genetic health issues.
Conclusion
It is challenging to choose between the Boston terrier vs French Bulldogs. Both make great pets and are equally adorable, with remarkable similarities in their physical appearances and temperament. While choosing anyone of them, remember, these breeds are sometimes awkward and become difficult to handle, and they cannot be left alone for long spans. Otherwise, they are great family pets.
Have you decided between the terrier and the bulldog? Let us know your which one it is, we would love to hear your story.
Lydia King is a huge animal lover and has always been fascinated with learning about the animal kingdom. She enjoys writing about anything animal related from scientific information about rare species to animal references in pop culture.
