French Bulldogs are a very popular breed abroad. Even though their intelligence is not very high, they are widely loved because of their cute appearance and unique temperament. Similarly, Boston Terriers, which look very much like them, are also loved by many people. Some often confuse these two breeds, so let's talk about how to distinguish French Bulldogs from Boston Terriers.

       No one can clearly explain the origin of the French Bulldog, but everyone agrees it has English Bulldog bloodline. Around 1860, England had many dogs similar to French Bulldogs, or toy-type English Bulldogs. However, these dogs were not very popular in England and were later exported in large numbers to France. The French began crossbreeding them with local dogs, eventually breeding a breed especially loved by people, particularly women, called "Boule-Dog Francais." However, this was not yet the French Bulldog as we know it today, because they often still retained the English Bulldog’s rose-shaped ears at that time. Americans, ignoring European traditional opposition, insisted on developing this breed towards bat ears. Now, the world has accepted the result of this development.

Boston Terrier

       No one can clearly explain the origin of the French Bulldog, but everyone agrees it has English Bulldog bloodline. Around 1860, England had many dogs similar to French Bulldogs, or toy-type English Bulldogs. However, these dogs were not very popular in England and were later exported in large numbers to France. The French began crossbreeding them with local dogs, eventually breeding a breed especially loved by people, particularly women, called "Boule-Dog Francais." However, this was not yet the French Bulldog as we know it today, because they often still retained the English Bulldog’s rose-shaped ears at that time. Americans, ignoring European traditional opposition, insisted on developing this breed towards bat ears. Now, the world has accepted the result of this development.

       The main function of these two breeds is as family companions, and both belong to the non-sporting group.

       Similar appearance, different size

       When standing together, you can easily see the difference in height and build. The French Bulldog is larger, with a maximum allowed weight of 28 lbs, while the Boston Terrier is 25 lbs, and some even have a very small stature under 15 lbs.

       After asking some industry insiders, the first thing they mentioned was bone mass: French Bulldogs have a bigger bone mass than Boston Terriers! If you compare, you might notice that the French Bulldog’s body and limbs are indeed more robust, mostly due to differences in bone thickness. Overall, the French Bulldog appears somewhat "rugged," while the Boston Terrier is more elegant.

       In reality, French Bulldogs in mainland China overly pursue small size, lacking sufficient bone mass, which causes them to lose the original flavor of the breed.

       Very different faces

       Although both have square-shaped heads, proportionally the French Bulldog’s head is larger. Also, the Boston Terrier looks younger because French Bulldogs have deep wrinkles between their eyes, whereas the Boston Terrier’s face is flat. French Bulldogs seem to have a broader and more "sexy" big mouth, while Boston Terriers’ thick mouths, though impressive compared to many other dogs, still don’t match the French Bulldog’s.

       Most obvious is their ears: French Bulldogs have typical bat ears that stand widely apart and catch the wind; Boston Terriers have distinct erect ears, some trimmed to stand upright on the sides of the head. Looking at their faces, a French Bulldog looks like an elderly gentleman, while a Boston Terrier resembles a young nobleman.                

       Flat versus sloped back

       Boston Terriers have short, flat backs and square-shaped bodies. French Bulldogs have waists slightly higher than their shoulders, resulting in a back line that slopes from front low to rear high, because their hind legs are slightly longer than the front legs. Nevertheless, neither breed loses overall balance due to the flat or sloped back.

       Easiest to distinguish by coat color

       Distinguishing French Bulldogs from Boston Terriers by coat color is perhaps the easiest method. All Boston Terriers have a main coat color accompanied by white markings. These main colors are usually brindle, black, and seal. White markings always appear on the lips, between the eyes, and chest. The ideal white markings cover the head, neck, and chest, with the lower parts of all four legs below the hocks also white. French Bulldogs’ colors are mostly solid, such as pure brindle, pure fawn, pure white, etc., but solid black, mouse color, liver, black and tan, and black and white are disqualified. There is also a coat color that can easily be confused with Boston Terriers: brindle with white. If you encounter a French Bulldog with brindle and white, you can distinguish it by its bone mass and facial features.