Differences and Similarities between the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier.

French Bulldog versus Irish Terrier

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French Bulldog Versus Irish Terrier: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will provide you a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the French Bulldog and for the Irish Terrier. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you more insight into deciding which pet to get between the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the French Bulldog or the Irish Terrier

French Bulldog versus Irish Terrier

French Bulldog versus Irish Terrier: Overview

A very important difference between the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The French Bulldog is a small-sized dog while the Irish Terrier is a medium-sized dog.

Furthermore, the French Bulldog belongs to the Companion Dogs group. Companion Dogs were bred to be companions for humans. Their main goal in life is to be with people, and they will be very sad if left to themselves for long hours day after day.

On the other hand, the Irish Terrier belongs to the Terrier Dogs group. Terrier Dogs were originally bred to go underground to hunt rodents and other small wild animals (vermin). Terriers come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, but all terriers are energetic, highly intelligent, and territorial. Terries also have the tendency to escape. They require a securely fenced yard.

French Bulldog versus Irish Terrier: Comparison Table

The table below compares the French Bulldog to the Irish Terrier based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Factor French Bulldog Irish Terrier
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 2/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 1/5 4/5
Does NOT Drool 5/5 5/5
Height 11 to 12 inches tall at the shoulder 18 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder
Life Span 11 to 14 years 12 to 16 years
Weight 16 to 28 pounds 25 to 27 pounds
Tolerates Cold Weather 2/5 4/5
General Health 2/5 5/5
Low Prey Drive 4/5 4/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 4/5 3/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 4/5 2/5
Easygoing 3/5 3/5
Does NOT Shed 3/5 2/5
Intelligence 3/5 4/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 5/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 3/5 2/5
NOT Rambunctious 3/5 1/5
Kid-Friendly 4/5 5/5
Dog Friendly 4/5 1/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 4/5 3/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 2/5 3/5
Easy To Train 4/5 1/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 2/5 2/5
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 5/5 3/5
Good For Novice Owners 5/5 2/5
Affectionate With Family 5/5 5/5
Easy To Groom 5/5 2/5
Potential For Playfulness 5/5 5/5
Average Lifespan 12.5 years 14.0 years
Average Price $4610 $1280
Price Range $3100 – $5000 $1000 – $1500
Temperament Score 96.2 percent 80.0 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Autoimmune Thyroiditis
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination- Annual recertification recommended
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Tracheal Hypoplasia
  • No Data
    Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds 5 118
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds) 58 53

    *Data from dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org, ATTS.org (the American Temperament Test Society)

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the French Bulldog in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Irish Terrier. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

    The Better-Pet score for a French Bulldog is 86 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for a Irish Terrier is 78 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the French Bulldog is a better pet than the Irish Terrier. So, you should get the French Bulldog!

    Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    French Bulldog versus Irish Terrier

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier

    Below is a list of where the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier are most different:

  • French Bulldogs cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments. However, Irish Terriers can tolerate hot weather.
  • French Bulldogs have the tendency to develop certain health problems. However, Irish Terriers are very healthy. They do not suffer from a lot of health problems compared to other dog breeds
  • French Bulldogs get along well with other dogs. However, Irish Terriers do not get along well with other dogs.
  • French Bulldogs are very easy to train. However, Irish Terriers are not easy to train.
  • French Bulldogs are good for new dog owners. However, Irish Terriers are not the best dogs for new dog owners.
  • French Bulldogs are very easy to groom. However, Irish Terriers require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom.
  • The Similarities Between the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier

    The French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier are most similar:

  • Both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier have a very low prey drive. This means they get along well with other pets.
  • Both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.
  • Both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier are very friendly towards strangers.
  • Both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier gain weight easily. You need to pay careful attention to what you feed them.
  • Both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier do things with high intensity. They can be very forceful.
  • Both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier are very playful.
  • Size (Weight and Height) of French Bulldog versus Irish Terrier

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier.

    French Bulldogs weigh 16 to 28 pounds when fully grown. French Bulldogs are 11 to 12 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Irish Terriers weigh 25 to 27 pounds when fully grown. Irish Terriers are 18 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Temperament of the Irish Terrier Versus the French Bulldog

    The French Bulldog has a better temperament than the Irish Terrier.

    This is because the temperament score for the French Bulldog is 96.2 percent while the temperament score for the Irish Terrier is 80.0 percent, according to the American Temperament Test Society (ATTS).

    The American Temperament Test Society (ATTS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide fair and objective evaluations of the temperaments of dog breeds.

    Dog breeds with low temperament scores tend to show unprovoked aggression, they easily panic without quickly recovering from the panic, and they tend to avoid people. However, dog breeds with high temperament scores are not aggressive and are not shy. Also, these dogs are generally friendly and they are protective of their owners.

    The average temperament score across all dog breeds (over 250 breeds) is 83.7 percent.

    With its temperament score of 96.2 percent, the French Bulldog has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 80.0 percent, the Irish Terrier has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier by measuring the temperaments of 52 French Bulldogs and 10 Irish Terriers.

    Price of French Bulldog versus Price of Irish Terrier

    The average price of the French Bulldog puppy is $4610. The price of the French Bulldog typically ranges from $3100 – $5000. However, the price of a French Bulldog can be as low as $123 and as high as $40000. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 2308 French Bulldog puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The average price of the Irish Terrier puppy is $1280. The price of the Irish Terrier typically ranges from $1000 – $1500. However, the price of a Irish Terrier can be as low as $450 and as high as $2800. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 26 Irish Terrier puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The French Bulldog is more expensive than the Irish Terrier.

    French Bulldog Irish Terrier
    Average Price $4610 $1280
    Price Range $3100 to $5000 $1000 to $1500

    The charts below show the price distribution for the French Bulldog and Irish Terrier. For different price points, the charts show how many French Bulldog puppies or how many Irish Terrier puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

    A breakdown of the prices of French Bulldogs. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of French Bulldogs. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Irish Terriers

    A breakdown of the prices of Irish Terriers

    Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the French Bulldog puppy or the Irish Terrier puppy. This includes if health screening tests have been performed on the puppy, if the puppy is from a famous pedigree, the US State where the puppy is bred, etc.

    Nevertheless, when looking from a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of dogs, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from one of those puppy mills that mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.

    You may also consider adopting a dog instead of buying a dog.

    French Bulldog versus Irish Terrier

    The Intelligence of the French Bulldog versus the Intelligence of the Irish Terrier

    French Bulldog Irish Terrier
    Intelligence Rank 58 out of 130 dog breeds 53 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions! Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions

    Professor Stanley Coren, the famous psychology/neuropsychological professor and, dog lover/trainer measured and ranked the intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.

    According to Prof. Stanley Coren, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:

  • Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence a dog has because of what the dog was bred for. This type of intelligence comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that were bred for guarding will have high `guarding` instinctive intelligence, while dog breeds that were bred for hunting will what high `hunting` instinctive intelligence. However, you cannot compare the intelligence of dog breeds based on instinctive intelligence because such a comparison will not make sense.
  • Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. It includes learning and benefiting from experience with his environment, solving new problems, and so forth. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. Thus, two dogs can have remarkably different levels of adaptive intelligence even if they are of the same breed.
  • Working/Obedience Intelligence: This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. Importantly, different dog breeds have different learning abilities. Also, science has shown that some dog breeds can learn faster than some other breeds. This means certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. Dogs with high Working/Obedience Intelligence are smart and easy to train.
  • Prof. Coren showed that the Working/Obedience Intelligence of different dog breeds can be measured reliably. Thus, he was able to rank different dog breeds based on their Working/Obedience Intelligence.

    This is important because according to Prof. Coren, 51 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from its genes while 49 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from the dog`s environmental circumstances.

    To rank the intelligence of dog breeds, Prof. Coren employed the help of 208 dog obedience judges in North America to fill out a detailed survey on dog obedience. This number represented more than half of all of these judges in North America at the time. He also employed 63 veterinarians and 14 guard dog experts to collect data on the personality of different dog breeds.

    Prof. Coren found that the French Bulldog has an obedience intelligence rank of 58 out of 130 dog breeds. The French Bulldog belongs to the `Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that French Bulldogs tend to learn new commands after 40 to 80 repetitions!.

    The Irish Terrier has an obedience intelligence rank of 53 out of 130 dog breeds. The Irish Terrier belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Irish Terriers tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.

    The Irish Terrier is more intelligent than the French Bulldog.

    However, Prof. Coren noted that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone, that other factors such as sociability, adorability, and compatibility with the owner are other very important factors that new dog owners need to consider when deciding on a new dog.

    French Bulldog versus Irish Terrier

    The Popularity of French Bulldog versus Popularity of Irish Terrier

    Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds. The AKC collects this data for purebred dogs only(no mixed or hybrid dogs).

    The graphs and the table below show the popularity of the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the French Bulldog is more popular with dog owners than the Irish Terrier. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the French Bulldog is 5 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Irish Terrier is 118 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of French Bulldog

    Popularity of French Bulldog

    Popularity of Irish Terrier

    Popularity of Irish Terrier

    Year French Bulldog Popularity Rank Irish Terrier Popularity Rank
    2013 11 123
    2014 9 125
    2015 6 113
    2016 6 115
    2017 4 114
    2018 4 116
    2019 4 119
    2020 2 120

    Tolerates Being Alone: French Bulldog versus Irish Terrier

    French Bulldogs do not like to be left alone.

    Irish Terriers do not like to be left alone.

    Can French Bulldogs Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Irish Terriers Tolerate Hot Weather?

    French Bulldogs cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.

    Irish Terriers can tolerate hot weather.

    Which one drools more, the French Bulldog or the Irish Terrier

    French Bulldogs do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Irish Terriers do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Can French Bulldogs Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Irish Terriers Tolerate Cold Weather?

    French Bulldogs cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.

    Irish Terriers can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Does the French Bulldog Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Irish Terrier?

    French Bulldogs have a very low prey drive. This means they get won`t chase after smaller pets. They tend to get along well with other pets.

    Irish Terriers have a very low prey drive. This means they get won`t chase after smaller pets. They tend to get along well with other pets.

    Wanderlust Potential: French Bulldog vs. Irish Terrier

    French Bulldogs do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.

    Irish Terriers have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

    Do French Bulldogs shed more than Irish Terriers?

    French Bulldogs shed moderately.

    Irish Terriers shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Do French Bulldogs Bark and Howl? What about Irish Terriers?

    French Bulldogs bark and howl, but not very much.

    Irish Terriers are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    How Kid-friendly are French Bulldogs and Irish Terriers?

    French Bulldogs get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Irish Terriers get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the French Bulldog or the Irish Terrier?

    French Bulldogs get along very well with other dogs.

    Irish Terriers do not get along well with other dogs.

    Is the French Bulldog Easier to Train than the Irish Terrier?

    French Bulldogs are very easy to train.

    Irish Terriers are not easy to train.

    Is the French Bulldog Better for Apartment Owners than the Irish Terrier?

    French Bulldogs adapt very well to apartment living.

    Irish Terriers adapt moderately well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the French Bulldog or the Irish Terrier?

    French Bulldogs are very good for new dog owners.

    Irish Terriers are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Are French Bulldogs good family dogs? What about Irish Terriers?

    French Bulldogs are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Irish Terriers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the French Bulldog or the Irish Terrier?

    French Bulldogs are very easy to groom.

    Irish Terriers require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the French Bulldog

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the French Bulldog that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the French Bulldog:

  • Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (75 percent match with French Bulldog). Here is our comparison of the Irish Terrier vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
  • Beaglier (74 percent match with French Bulldog). Here is our comparison of the Irish Terrier vs Beaglier.
  • Chihuahua (74 percent match with French Bulldog). Here is our comparison of the Irish Terrier vs Chihuahua.
  • Pug (83 percent match with French Bulldog). Here is our comparison of the Irish Terrier vs Pug.
  • Other Dog Breeds That are Similar to the Irish Terrier

    Furthermore, there are other dog breeds that are very similar to the Irish Terrier that you can consider on your quest to get the best pet.

    We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds have similar personality and temperament as the Irish Terrier:

  • Hovawart (75 percent match with Irish Terrier). Here is our comparison of the French Bulldog vs Hovawart.
  • Lakeland Terrier (79 percent match with Irish Terrier). Here is our comparison of the French Bulldog vs Lakeland Terrier.
  • Other Breed Comparisons that Might Interest You

    You may also be interested in how the French Bulldog and how the Irish Terrier compares to other breeds. So, see below the comparison of the French Bulldog and of the Irish Terrier to other breeds:

    French Bulldog Versus Other Dog Breeds

    French Bulldog versus Chi-Poo     French Bulldog versus Keeshond     French Bulldog versus Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen     French Bulldog versus Cavalier King Charles Spaniel     French Bulldog versus Japanese Chin     French Bulldog versus Pointer     French Bulldog versus Briard     French Bulldog versus German Shorthaired Pointer     French Bulldog versus Australian Cattle Dog     French Bulldog versus Portuguese Water Dog     

    Irish Terrier Versus Other Dog Breeds

    Irish Terrier versus Cairn Terrier     Irish Terrier versus Affenpinscher     Irish Terrier versus American Bulldog     Irish Terrier versus Whippet     Irish Terrier versus Alaskan Klee Kai     Irish Terrier versus Pug     Irish Terrier versus Australian Cattle Dog     Irish Terrier versus Basset Fauve de Bretagne     Irish Terrier versus Miniature Schnauzer     Irish Terrier versus Toy Fox Terrier     

    Conclusion: French Bulldog versus Irish Terrier. Which One is a Better Pet?

    In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the French Bulldog and the Irish Terrier better suits you and your family.