French Bulldog vs Pug

Compare the French Bulldog to the Pug. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between French Bulldogs and Pugs.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - The French Bulldog is an excellent choice for new/inexperienced owners. The Pug is okay for new owners, but may not be as easy as the French Bulldog.
Children - Both the French Bulldog and Pug are great with children.
Grooming - The French Bulldog is very easy to groom. The Pug has high grooming requirements.
Barking - Both the French Bulldog and Pug are above average barkers.

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French Bulldog vs Pug

Breed Name	French Bulldog	Pug
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	8-14 yrs.	12-15 yrs.
Height	11-14 in.	10-14 in.
Weight	16-28 lb	13-20 lb
Intelligence	Average	Below Average
History
Origin Country	United Kingdom	China
Origin Year	1950 AD	206 BC
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Personality
	Affectionate Enjoys Attention Jealous Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Stubborn	Affectionate Enjoys Attention Jealous Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Likes To Snuggle Stubborn
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	No	No
Medium Yard	No	No
Large Yard	No	No
Temperature Tolerance ¹	60°F to 75°F	55°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Often	Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	Low	Low
Exercise Required	Low	Low
Top Running Speed	15 mph	12 mph
Strength	Low	Low
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	High
Shedding	Medium	High
Dander	Medium	High
Drool Amount	Medium	None

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	French Bulldog	Pug
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	Yes	Yes
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	Yes	No
Average	No	Yes
Focused & Patient	No	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Very Low	Below Average
Chasing	Below Average	Below Average
Follow Commands	Very Low	Below Average
Fighting	Below Average	Below Average
Guarding	Below Average	Below Average
Herding	Very Low	Below Average
Hunting	Below Average	Below Average
Protection	Below Average	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Average	Below Average
Sledding	Very Low	Very Low
Watch	Average	Below Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	French Bulldog	Pug
Lifespan
Lifespan	8-14 yrs.	12-15 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	Yes	Yes
Brachycephalic Syndrome	Yes	No
Cheyletiella Dermatitis	No	Yes
Cleft Palate	Yes	No
Corneal Ulcers	No	Yes
Demodectic Mange	No	Yes
Distichiasis	No	Yes
Dry Eye	No	Yes
Elongated Soft Palate	Yes	No
Entropion	No	Yes
Epilepsy	No	Yes
Hemi-vertebrae	Yes	Yes
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	Yes
Intervertebral Disk Disease	Yes	No
Legg-perthes Disease	No	Yes
Nerve Degeneration	No	Yes
Patellar Luxation	Yes	Yes
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	No	Yes
Proptosis	No	Yes
Pug Dog Encephalitis	No	Yes
Staph Infection	No	Yes
Vaccination Sensitivity	No	Yes
Von Willebrand's Disease	Yes	No
Yeast Infection	No	Yes

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	French Bulldog	Pug
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Single Coat	Yes	No
Double Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Straight	Yes	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Short	Yes	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black	Yes	Yes
Brindle	Yes	No
Brindle & White	Yes	No
Cream	Yes	No
Cream & White	Yes	No
Fawn	Yes	Yes
Fawn & White	Yes	No
Fawn Brindle	Yes	No
Fawn Brindle & White	Yes	No
White	Yes	No
White & Black	Yes	No
White & Brindle	Yes	No
White & Fawn	Yes	No