Border Terrier vs Boston Terrier

Compare the Border Terrier to the Boston Terrier. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Border Terriers and Boston Terriers.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - Both breeds are good choices for new or inexperienced owners, but the Boston Terrier is better suited for new owners.
Children - Both the Border Terrier and Boston Terrier are great with children.
Grooming - Both the Border Terrier and Boston Terrier are very low maintenance and easy to groom.
Barking - The Boston Terrier has an above-average tendency to bark, while the Border Terrier has a low tendency to bark.

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Border Terrier vs Boston Terrier

Breed Name	Border Terrier	Boston Terrier
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	13-15 yrs.
Height	10-16 in.	13-15 in.
Weight	11-16 lb	10-25 lb
Intelligence	High	Average
History
Origin Country	Not Specified	United States
Origin Year	1700 AD	1870 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Below Average	Very Good
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Personality
	Affectionate Jealous Loving Likes To Snuggle Stubborn Willing To Please	Affectionate Enjoys Attention Jealous Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Stubborn Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	Yes	No
Medium Yard	Yes	No
Large Yard	Yes	No
Temperature Tolerance ¹	50°F to 80°F	55°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Rarely	Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	High	High
Exercise Required	Medium	Medium
Top Running Speed	18 mph	15 mph
Strength	Medium	Medium
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	Low
Shedding	Low	Low
Dander	Low	Low
Drool Amount	None	Low

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Border Terrier	Boston Terrier
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	Yes	Yes
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	No	No
Average	Yes	Yes
Focused & Patient	No	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Average
Burrow/Digging	High	Very Low
Chasing	Average	Below Average
Follow Commands	Below Average	Below Average
Fighting	Below Average	Below Average
Guarding	Below Average	Average
Herding	Below Average	Below Average
Hunting	Average	Below Average
Protection	Below Average	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Below Average	Average
Sledding	Below Average	Below Average
Watch	Below Average	Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Border Terrier	Boston Terrier
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	13-15 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	No	Yes
Brain Tumors	No	Yes
Cataracts	No	Yes
Cherry Eye	No	Yes
Cryptorchidism	Yes	No
Deafness	No	Yes
Heart Murmurs	Yes	Yes
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	No
Hypothyroidism	Yes	No
Malocclusions	Yes	No
Megaesophagus	No	Yes
Patellar Luxation	Yes	Yes
Pulmonic Stenosis	Yes	No
Reverse Sneezing	No	Yes
Seizures	Yes	No

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Border Terrier	Boston Terrier
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	No
Single Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Rough	Yes	No
Scruffy	Yes	No
Straight	No	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Short	Yes	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black & Red	Yes	No
Black & Tan	Yes	No
Black Grizzle	Yes	No
Blue & Tan	Yes	No
Blue Grizzle	Yes	No
Grizzle	Yes	No
Grizzle & Tan	Yes	No
Red	Yes	No
Red Grizzle	Yes	No
Red Grizzle & Tan	Yes	No
Red Wheaten	Yes	No
Wheaten	Yes	No
Black & White	No	Yes
Black Brindle, & White	No	Yes
Brindle & White	No	Yes
Seal & White	No	Yes
Seal Brindle & White	No	Yes