Boston Terrier vs Shih Tzu Comparison – Which dog is better Boston Bull or Chinese Lion Dog?

"Find similarities and differences between Boston Terrier vs Shih Tzu" Compare Boston Terrier and Shih Tzu. Which is better: Boston Terrier or Shih Tzu?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Boston Terrier	Shih Tzu
Origins	United States	China
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Companion Dogs	Companion Dogs
Popularity Rank	21	20
Reviews	1	11
User Ratings

Other Names	Boston Bull, Boston Bull Terrier, Boxwood, American Gentlemen	Chinese Lion Dog, Chrysanthemum Dog
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1893 as a Non-Sporting breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969 as a Toy breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Small Molossian type Dogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Tibetan breeds section.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry
Price	$600-$800	$800-$1200

Boston Terrier vs Shih Tzu General Appearance Comparison

Size	Small	Small
Weight	10-25 pounds (6-11kg)	9–16 pounds (4-7 kg)
Avg. Weight	17.5 pounds (8.5 kg)	9–16 pounds (5.5 kg)
Height	15-17 inches (38-43 cm)	8-11 inches (20-28 cm)
Avg. Height	16 inches (40.5 cm)	9.5 inches (24 cm)

Boston Terrier vs Shih Tzu Hair & Care Comparison

Coat	Fine	Dense
Colors	White Brindle Seal Black	Brindle Liver Silver Blue Gold Red Black
Grooming	Effortless: The Boston Terrier requires minimal grooming.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.
Shedding Level	Boston Terriers shed moderately.	Shih Tzus shed none to minimal.

Boston Terrier vs Shih Tzu Characteristics Comparison

Temperament	Affectionate Friendly Intelligent Playful Aggressive Gentle Lively	Active Friendly Happy Lively Playful Courageous Gentle Intelligent Outgoing
Intelligent Rank	Average: Boston Terrier's has average obedience intelligence.	Low: The Shih Tzu if one of the dog breeds that have the lowest degree of obedience intelligence.
Trainability	Boston Terriers are quite easy to train.	Shih Tzus are quite easy to train.
Playfulness	Boston Terriers, like any other dog breed, like playing.	Shih Tzus are not the most playful dog breed.
Sensitivity Level	Boston Terriers don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	Shih Tzus have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.
Affection Level	Boston Terriers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Shih Tzus are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Boston Terriers are a social breed.	Shih Tzus need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	Low to Average: The Boston Terrier rarely barks.	High: The Shih Tzu is a very vocal breed.
Watchdog Ability	Boston Terriers are average watchdogs.	Shih Tzus are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Boston Terriers are average defenders.	Shih Tzus strongly protect their territory.
Biting Potential	Moderate The Boston Terrier has an average chance of biting somebody.	Low The Shih Tzu has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Boston Terriers have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Shih Tzus have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Boston Terriers have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world.	Shih Tzus tend to escape less than other breeds.
Prey Drive	Boston Terriers have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.	Shih Tzus have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Boston Terriers are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Shih Tzus are very apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Boston Terriers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Shih Tzus adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Boston Terriers do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	Shih Tzus tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
Fighting Dog	Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Boston Terrier vs Shih Tzu Good With Comparison

Stranger Friendly	Boston Terriers are stranger friendly dogs.	Shih Tzus are average friendly towards strangers.
Child Friendly	Boston Terriers are very kid-friendly dogs.	Shih Tzus are not the most kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Boston Terriers are very cat-friendly dogs.	Shih Tzus are very cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Boston Terriers are very dog-friendly dogs.	Shih Tzus are very dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Boston Terrier is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Shih Tzu is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Boston Terriers are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Shih Tzus are not the best breed for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Boston Terriers are one of the friendliest dog breeds.	Shih Tzus are one of the friendliest dog breeds.
Good For First Time Owners	No Boston Terriers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	Yes Shih Tzus are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Boston Terrier breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Shih Tzu breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Boston Terrier vs Shih Tzu Health Factors Comparison

Health Issues	The Boston Terrier is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Shih Tzu is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Allergies Brain Tumors Cataracts Cherry Eye Deafness Heart Murmurs Megaesophagus Patellar Luxation Reverse Sneezing	Allergies Bladder Stones Distichiasis Dry Eye Ear Infections Ectopic Cilia Hip Dysplasia Juvenile Renal Dysplasia Keratitis Patellar Luxation Portosystemic Liver Shunt Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Proptosis Retained Baby Teeth Reverse Sneezing Snuffles Umbilical Hernias
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	10-16 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	Yes
Energy Level	Boston Terriers have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Shih Tzus have a lower energy level than other dogs.
Exercise Need	Boston Terriers have an average exercise need.	Shih Tzus exercise need is minimal.
Sleeping Need	Boston Terriers are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Shih Tzus like sleeping so they do sleep a lot.
Avg. daily food consumption	0.5 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	Recommended daily amount: 1/2 to 1 cup of high-quality dry food a day.
Weight Gain Potential	Average.	Average to High.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.
Stinkiness	Medium The Boston Terrier has an average chance of bad smell.	Low The Shih Tzu has a low chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Boston Terrier is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Shih Tzu is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Boston Terrier vs Shih Tzu Reproducibility Comparison

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	3-5 puppies	2-5 puppies
Dog Name Generator – Find A Perfect Name For Your Puppy

Popular Dog Compares

Despite the best intentions, there may be errors. If you find one, please let us know and we will fix it as soon as possible. Contact us here.

Rate This Comparsion - Boston Terrier vs Shih Tzu

Reviews