Shih Tzu vs American Bulldog vs Bulldog – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

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

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

Name	Shih Tzu	American Bulldog	Bulldog
Origins	China	United States	England
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Companion Dogs	Guard Dogs	Companion Dogs
Popularity Rank	20	272	5
Reviews	11	1	0
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Other Names	Chinese Lion Dog, Chrysanthemum Dog	AmBulldog, AM Bulldog, American Bulldogge, American Bulldoggee, Old Country Bulldog	English Bulldog, British Bulldog
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1969 as a Toy breed.	Not recognized by the American Kennel Club.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1886 as a Non-Sporting breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Tibetan breeds section.	Not recognized by FCI.	Recognized by FCI in the Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs group, in the Molossian type 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 Canadian Canine Registry	American Canine Registry America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. North American Purebred Registry, Inc. Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club United Kennel Club Backwoods Bulldog Club Animal Research Foundation American Rare Breed Association American Bulldog Association National American Bulldog Association John D Johnson Bulldog Registry American Bulldog Club Of Canada All American Bulldog 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
Price	$800-$1200	$500-$600	$1200-$2000

General Appearance - Shih Tzu vs American Bulldog vs Bulldog

Size	Small	Large	Medium
Weight	9–16 pounds (4-7 kg)	Male: 70-120 pounds (32-54 kg), Female: 60-100 pounds (27-45 kg)	Male: 53-55 pounds (24-25 kg), Female: 49-51 pounds (22-23 kg)
Avg. Weight	9–16 pounds (5.5 kg)	Male: 95 pounds (43 kg), Female: 80 pounds (36 kg)	Male: 54 pounds (24.5 kg), Female: 50 pounds (22.5 kg)
Height	8-11 inches (20-28 cm)	Male: 22-28 inches (55-70 cm), Female: 20-26 inches (52-65 cm)	12-16 inches (31-40 cm), There is no prescribed height, but shorter Bulldogs are more prized when being shown
Avg. Height	9.5 inches (24 cm)	Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (58.5 cm)	14 inches (35.5 cm), There is no prescribed height, but shorter Bulldogs are more prized when being shown

Hair & Care - Shih Tzu vs American Bulldog vs Bulldog

Coat	Dense	Fine	Fine
Colors	Brindle Liver Silver Blue Gold Red Black	Fawn Brown White Black	Brindle White Fawn Gray Red
Grooming	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.	Effortless: The American Bulldog requires minimal grooming.	Average: The Bulldog requires average grooming effort.
Shedding Level	Shih Tzus shed none to minimal.	American Bulldogs shed moderately.	Bulldogs shed moderately.

Characteristics - Shih Tzu vs American Bulldog vs Bulldog

Temperament	Active Friendly Happy Lively Playful Courageous Gentle Intelligent Outgoing	Affectionate Courageous Gentle Going Alert Energetic Loving Social	Aggressive Friendly Social Courageous Loving Sweet
Intelligent Rank	Low: The Shih Tzu if one of the dog breeds that have the lowest degree of obedience intelligence.	Average: American Bulldog's has average obedience intelligence.	Low: The Bulldog if one of the dog breeds that have the lowest degree of obedience intelligence.
Trainability	Shih Tzus are quite easy to train.	American Bulldogs are quite easy to train.	Bulldogs aren't famous for their trainability.
Playfulness	Shih Tzus are not the most playful dog breed.	The American Bulldog is a playful breed.	Bulldogs don't really like playing.
Sensitivity Level	Shih Tzus have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Shih Tzus are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	American Bulldogs are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Bulldogs are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Shih Tzus need a lot of social interaction.	American Bulldogs are a social breed.	Bulldogs are a social breed.
Barking	High: The Shih Tzu is a very vocal breed.	Low to Average: The American Bulldog rarely barks.	Low: The Bulldog barks none to minimal.
Watchdog Ability	Shih Tzus are average watchdogs.	American Bulldogs are one of the best watchdogs.	Bulldogs are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Shih Tzus strongly protect their territory.	American Bulldogs are extremely protective guard dogs.	Bulldogs are not the best to protect their territory.
Biting Potential	Low The Shih Tzu has a low chance of biting somebody.	Moderate The American Bulldog has an average chance of biting somebody.	Moderate The Bulldog has an average chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Shih Tzus have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	American Bulldogs have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Bulldogs have lower than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Shih Tzus tend to escape less than other breeds.	American Bulldogs tend to escape less than other breeds.	Bulldogs are not the biggest explorers.
Prey Drive	Shih Tzus have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	American Bulldogs have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.	Bulldogs have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.
Apartment Friendly	Shih Tzus are very apartment-friendly dogs.	American Bulldogs are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Bulldogs are very apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Shih Tzus adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	American Bulldogs adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.	Bulldogs adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Shih Tzus tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	American Bulldogs 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.	Bulldogs 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.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat 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.

Good With - Shih Tzu vs American Bulldog vs Bulldog

Stranger Friendly	Shih Tzus are average friendly towards strangers.	American Bulldogs are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	Bulldogs are very stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Shih Tzus are not the most kid-friendly dogs.	American Bulldogs are kid-friendly dogs.	Bulldogs are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Shih Tzus are very cat-friendly dogs.	American Bulldogs are not the most cat-friendly dogs.	Bulldogs are very cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Shih Tzus are very dog-friendly dogs.	American Bulldogs are average friendly towards other dogs.	Bulldogs are very dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Shih Tzu is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No American Bulldog is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Bulldog is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Shih Tzus are not the best breed for elderly people.	American Bulldogs are usually recommended for elderly people.	Bulldogs are one of the best breeds for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Shih Tzus are one of the friendliest dog breeds.	American Bulldogs usually don’t get on well with other pets.	Bulldogs are one of the friendliest dog breeds.
Good For First Time Owners	Yes Shih Tzus are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.	No American Bulldogs are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Bulldogs are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn 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.	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.	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.	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.	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 Shih Tzu breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really American Bulldog breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Bulldog 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.	Yes A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Yes A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Shih Tzu vs American Bulldog vs Bulldog

Health Issues	The Shih Tzu is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	American Bulldogs tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds.	Very healthy dog breed.
Health Problems	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	Allergies Cancer Cherry Eye Ectropion Elbow Dysplasia Entropion Hip Dysplasia	Brachycephalic Syndrome Cherry Eye Demodectic Mange Dry Eye Entropion Head Shakes Hip Dysplasia Patellar Luxation Reverse Sneezing
Life Expectancy	10-16 years	10-12 years	8-10 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	Yes	No	No
Energy Level	Shih Tzus have a lower energy level than other dogs.	American Bulldogs have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Bulldogs have a lower energy level than other dogs.
Exercise Need	Shih Tzus exercise need is minimal.	American Bulldogs have an average exercise need.	Bulldogs exercise need is very minimal.
Sleeping Need	Shih Tzus like sleeping so they do sleep a lot.	American Bulldogs like sleeping so they do sleep a lot.	Bulldogs like sleeping so they do sleep a lot.
Avg. daily food consumption	Recommended daily amount: 1/2 to 1 cup of high-quality dry food a day.	3 to 5 cups of a high-quality dog food daily, divided into two meals.	1/2 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average to High.	Low to Average.	High: The Bulldog breed has a strong tendency to overweight.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Prefers average to warm weather conditions	Prefers warm weather
Stinkiness	Low The Shih Tzu has a low chance of bad smell.	Medium The American Bulldog has an average chance of bad smell.	High The Bulldog has a high chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Shih Tzu is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The American Bulldog drools quite a lot, so if you dislike being covered by slobber spots on your clothes, you may want to choose another dog breed.	The Bulldog is a big drooler, so if you're disgusted by slobber spots on your clothes, you should choose a dog from another breed.

Reproducibility - Shih Tzu vs American Bulldog vs Bulldog

Gestation Length	60-64 days	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.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	2-5 puppies	7-14 puppies	4-5 puppies
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