Frenchton: A French Bulldog & Boston Terrier Mix Owner’s Guide

Frenchton Feature
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The adorable designer cross between a French Bulldog and Boston Terrier, commonly known as the Frenchton, was bred to reduce some of the known health issues with the parent breeds.

Standing no taller than 16” in height a Frenchton is easily recognized by its round head, flat face and snub nose.

He is renowned for his willingness to please and love of cuddles. When combined with his high spirit, this is making him a popular choice for those seeking a loyal family dog.

His small size makes him an ideal choice for city dwellers and equally, when socialized correctly, he thrives in busy family households.

Interested in owning this energetic and intelligent little pooch? Continue reading our owner’s guide to learn more.

Frenchton Dog Info & Fact Table
Breed TypeMixes and more
PurposeDesigner Dog / Companionship
Suitable ForAll
Size14 to 16” (both male and female)
Weight15 to 25 pounds (male’s are typically heavier)
Lifespan8 to 15 years
Color VariationsBlack, brindle, black and white, brown, golden and cream
TemperamentWilling to please, loyal, energetic, playful, intelligent
Daily ExerciseMedium – From 30 to 60 minutes of daily exercise
Daily Food Consumption 300 to 500 calories (daily) based on their bodyweight
Known Health IssuesRespiratory issues, obesity and inability to tolerate extreme climates

What is a Frenchton? Breed Overview

Frenchton Feature
Like any designer dogs, the Frenchton dog breed is not a purebred.

The Frenchton is a designer cross breed between a purebred French Bulldog and Boston Terrier.

Not surprisingly with the stateside heritage of the Boston Terrier, the Frenchton did in fact originate in the US in the 1990’s. It wasn’t until 2009 that they became a recognized breed by the International Designer Canine Association.

It is believed they were bred to avoid some of the common health issues found in the parent breeds, specifically respiratory issues in the French Bulldog (Frenchie).

For this reason, you will notice he has got a longer snout than his Frenchie parent. Not only this, with the renowned loyalty in both the Frenchie and the Boston Terrier, it was a given that the designer mix would be a super companion (read more about this in the temperament section).

Frequently Asked Questions

Frenchton Puppy

Frenchton Lifespan?
The French Bulldog & Boston Terrier Mix has a lifespan from 8 to 15 years.

Frenchton Price?
Commands a price-tag of between $500 – $3,500 which is usually relating to the Frenchie parent. As always do your research and find a reputable breeder.

Frenchton Full Grown?
A small dog measuring between 14-16” in height and anywhere from 15 to 25 pounds.

Frenchton Puppy

For one of these playful canines you should expect to pay anywhere between $500 and $3,500 per puppy. Because of the high price, owners sometimes look to adopt a dog.

The premium price tag is usually thanks to the parent Frenchie because they are particularly difficult to breed due to their small hips. French Bulldogs are often artificially inseminated and natural birthing is difficult with a lot of puppies being born via caesarian section. These procedures all come with a cost and litters are often small which again pushes the price of a puppy up.

Speaking of the parent breeds, let’s have a look at them in a little more detail.

French Bulldog Origin

French Bulldog

Originating in the UK, the French Bulldog found favor with lace makers in Nottingham. During the height of the Industrial revolution, the lace industry was threatened, many makers re-located to France, and of course, took their dogs with them. The breed continued, often being crossed with terriers and pugs along the way, before being discovered by the Parisian ladies. Frenchies were adored for their small size, perfect for city living, and before long, they found themselves across the water in the States.

Loved for their affectionate nature, Frenchies are easy going, sociable and athletic. They fit in with any family, are super with kids and, when socialized from a young age, tolerate other pets particularly well.

Boston Terrier Origin

Boston Terrier
Crossed between a Bulldog and a Terrier was a dog named Judge.

In the 1800’s, Judge, the first Boston Terrier, found his way stateside with William O’Brien. Judge was the original Boston Terrier. Named after a city, that’s where the Boston Terrier thrives.

Full of personality and spirit, this intelligent little guy is happy just being with his people. Another solid all-rounder, it’s not surprising that we get such a people-orientated, sociable pooch when we cross the Boston Terrier with the Frenchie.

Frenchton Temperament

This sociable little guy is suited to most families. They thrive with kids, couples, singles and due to their low exercise need they are also perfect for the retiree who just wants a pooch with a bit of personality.

Not known for barking, these guys really are perfect for apartment living. Your neighbors will barely know you have a dog. The most noise you’ll hear from them is when they are sleeping. They snore, loudly!

Due to their bulldog and terrier heritage, these guys are pretty high energy, but they do have a quiet time too. A walk around the block and some short training sessions; your Frenchton will be curled up on the sofa.

They truly are the most loyal dog you could wish to meet as they are inherent people pleasers! Combine this with their intelligence and the kids can teach them a trick or two while training.

When socialized from a young age, the Frenchton tolerates other pets in the home – just be mindful of their ancestor’s heritage; some can get snappy with dogs they don’t know.

Their love of people means they don’t tolerate being left alone for long periods. They can become distressed and destructive. Seek out a reputable local dog walker, or doggie daycare, if you know you will need to leave him home alone.

A laid-back people pleaser? Let us take a look in more detail what it takes to care for him in our care guide below.

How to Care for a Frenchton

French Bulldog & Boston Terrier Mix
The French Bulldog (left) and Boston Terrier (right) are similar in size, appearance and care.

Food and Diet Requirements

As you would expect, his small size means his meals are just as small.

On average, your Frenchton will eat around 20 calories per pound of body weight per day. So if he’s weighing in at 18 pounds, you will feed around 360 calories per day.

This should mostly come from a high quality food, ensuring it is also meeting his daily fat and protein requirements.

Protein is essential for cell function and repair and fat is vital for energy; which is certainly important for this playful little guy; he will need a minimum of around 18% of his diet from protein and 5% from fat.

Read the label on his food to ensure you are meeting his nutritional requirements.

Other calories may come from treats or snacks throughout the day, perhaps some fresh fruit.

Top-Tip

These dogs are prone to obesity so ensure you monitor how many treats and snacks they consume. You can always swap out some of his mealtime allowance to accommodate for snacks and training.

Not only is watching his calories essential in weight management – so is exercise.

Exercising a Frenchton

Don’t let his small size fool you, this energetic pooch loves his walks:

  • Brisk walks around the block are perfect
  • Long strolls through the dog park are fun

Whenever you exercise your mix, be mindful of the respiratory issues some Frenchtons are prone to. Watch for any difficulties breathing when out on walks and don’t overdo it when it’s warm. Brachy breeds do struggle to cool themselves down in hot climates so these dogs pant a lot.

Their friendly nature means they are inquisitive, for that reason it is probably safest to keep them on leash when out walking. They may have retained some of the stubbornness from their Frenchie parent and choose to ignore you if someone or something is more interesting.

As we’ve mentioned, Frenchtons, like all brachy breeds, struggle in the warm weather. They’re not particularly tolerant of the cold either. Their short coat means they do get cold. You will often see them rocking a sweater when out on walks.

Their intolerance of extreme weathers may mean that you have short walks and spend more time indoors, where the heating or air-con is. But don’t worry – their intelligence makes them super candidates for brain games (see some of our game suggestions below).

Training requirements

The extra time you may spend indoors with your pooch is a perfect opportunity to work on his training. Here are some puppy training tips to help.

Like all dogs, they respond best to positive reinforcement and reward based training. Dogs learn through operant conditioning – they are more likely to repeat a behavior if it produces a positive consequence and more likely to avoid a behavior if it produces a negative consequence.

Like with children, when he is demonstrating a wanted behavior – praise and reward him. An unwanted behavior? Ignore or re-direct his behavior if necessary. Ask him to carry out the preferred behavior and reward him for doing so. A reward can be praise, attention, games or food.

Frenchtons can sometimes inherit the more stubborn streak from their Frenchie parent, so training may just need a little more perseverance. However, in general, their willingness to please means they excel when the kids want to teach them a trick.

You can start by teaching “roll over!”:

  • One your Frenchton knows the down command – ask him to lie “down”
  • Holding a treat by his nose, move it slowly towards his shoulder so he has to bring his head around to sniff it.
  • As he follows the treat, bring the treat behind him so he must roll over to get it. Treat him!
  • Once he is following the treat relatively quickly, add in the command “roll over” to label the behavior.

Some are wary of Frenchton dogs with kids due to their Frenchie parent. When socialized from a young age, Frenchtons love being part of a family, kids included. But, they need to be introduced to what the world has on offer, in a safe and controlled way from puppyhood.

Dogs learn what to fear and what to accept; they need positive experiences to know that something is safe. Take a look at this socialization checklist to get you started.

Known Health Problems

We know that, despite the hope to out-breed certain health concerns in the purebred parent breeds, the Frenchton does still suffer with a few health problems.

Respiratory issues – being a brachycephalic breed, the Frenchton is known to suffer with Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome. This is an umbrella term for a range of abnormalities including stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, hypoplastic trachea and everted laryngeal saccules. A brachy breed may suffer with one or all of these. In short, they cause problems breathing.

Obesity – like their Frenchie parent they can get overweight very easily. Obesity contributes to a range of health conditions affecting organs, bones and joints and ultimately the lifespan of the dog. As we have mentioned, monitoring food intake is key as is ensuring your dog has her daily exercise.

Inability to tolerate extreme climates – due to their physical structure and short coat, Frenchtons struggle in both hot and cold climates. Their brachy structure means they are ill equipped to cool themselves in the heat and their short coat doesn’t give them much insulation in the cold. A moderate climate is best or a home where you can hide from the elements when necessary.

Frenchton Appearance: Coat, Color and Grooming

Appearance of A Frenchton
A Frenchton dog is classed as a small dog breed measuring 14-16” to the withers and 15 to 25 pounds in weight.

Frenctons are usually noticed for their slightly longer snout than the Frenchie, but still having those “bat ears”.

They have also lost the bulging eyes from the Boston Terrier, which means eye issues are less of a problem.

Round headed, flat faced with a snub nose and erect ears, the Frenchton comes in a range of colors. You will notice them black, brindle, black and white, brown, cream and golden.

This dog has a short silky coat which infrequently sheds. Grooming is an easy task, a grooming mitt once or twice a week will remove any dead hair and keep that silky coat shining. They are also small enough to pop in the bath, with some dog shampoo, if they could do with a spruce up.

With their erect ears, they do require regular cleaning. Cotton pads with an anti-bacterial ear wash solution at least weekly will keep them healthy. Whilst you’re at it, use a gentle eye cleaner to keep those puppy dog eyes clean. Despite not having particularly bulging eyes, tear staining can be an issue as can discharge from the eyes drying in the creases of the muzzle. If any of these issues become a problem, seek advice from your veterinarian.

Summary

The Frenchton, bred to be a perfect city companion, stands no taller than 16” in size and carry a playful and energetic zest!

Suited to most families, when socialized from a puppy, they are the friendliest guy you’ll meet.

Not renowned for barking, your neighbors will barely know you have a dog. Prone to obesity, owners should be mindful of their food intake and ensure they are regularly exercised.

If the weather isn’t ideal, work on some mental stimulation at home; their willingness to please and intelligence makes them perfect candidates. There is the potential they have retained a stubborn streak from their Frenchie parent, but this is nothing some persistence won’t tackle.

A general all-rounder with early training and socialization; the friendly, playful and easy-going Frenchton is an ideal addition to the family. Let us know your experiences in the comment field below.

About John Woods 300 Articles
John Woods is the founder of All Things Dogs, member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, graduate in Animal Behavior & Welfare and recognized author by the Dog Writers Association of America.

17 Comments

    • My Frenchton is a year old and he is amazing! No health issues….very loveable…loves to play outside…loves kids…just an all-around great breed!

      • Hi Tara, I just got a Frenchton a week ago. She has a lot of breathing problems and the veterinarian said she has Stenotic Nares. The breeder said she would most likely grow out of it, but the vet said she’s going to need surgery in a few months. Can you give me some advice on Frenchton puppies? Also can you tell me a good dog food that you recommend?

  1. I have had my Frenchton since she was 8 weeks old. She is now almost 6 years old and she is an absolute joy. I usually take her in the car with me because she gets lonely if left at home even for a short period. She climbs right up in the car, sits in the back seat and sits up like a little lady. She sleeps under the covers with me every night and will let me sleep until 10:30 am. We go outside twice a day and play ball. She tells me when she wants to go out and it is usually noon and 4 pm. Every time I tell her I love her, she comes and kisses me. She is very attached and she is a wonderful little best friend.

  2. Our frenchton has become a very aggressive dog and is having trouble getting along with other females. Is there anything that can be done?

    • Hi Mike,

      We could do with some further information to establish what has triggered this change in behavior? What is your dog’s history? How old is she? When you say aggressive, what behavior is she displaying? Do you have other females in the home or is this when you take her for walks? There is always a reason behind all behavior. Has she had a bad experience with another dog? Has something recently changed in her life? Have you had a checkup with the veterinarian to rule out any health issue that is causing her to behave in this way? There are plenty of strategies we can look at to help your dog, so please feel free to give some further information.

  3. I have a question I have a breeder who has frenchton puppies to sell. I called her and she told that the mother has just died. She didn’t know why I had so my questions. Do you think it’s a good idea to still buy a puppy from her?

    • Hi Fernando,

      It is certainly a concern that the Mother has died and the breeder isn’t forthcoming with the reason why. I would also be concerned about how the puppies are now being fed and cared for? Those puppies will be missing vital stages in their development without their Mother.

      It’s really easy to get stuck thinking that you need to save the puppy from that environment so you buy it anyway. But without any more information it’s difficult to know the circumstance. If they were a reputable breeder, and the Mother had a genuine cause of death, surely they would say so? If not, are they a less than desirable breeder? If so, do you want to keep fuelling the demand for their puppies? It’s not an easy call to make, but I think you already know the answer.

  4. My name is Ramona and I have a Frenchton from a local breeder in Florida. I got Rusty when he was 8 weeks old and now he is almost 2 years old. I decided to get a Frenchton, but unfortunately he is the total opposite of what I expected. He is much heavier and weighs over 30lb. I checked with my vet and he is definitely not overweight… you can feel and see his ribs.

    He loves the heat in Florida, his energy level is very high, I have to walk him at least one hour a day and play with him a lot. He had a really strong attitude from the beginning.

    My husband and I love him and with us he is a little angel. He likes to learn and he listens. He sleeps from 10 pm till 8 am without any interruptions. I think every dog has his own character and you cannot rely on what is typical for a breed. I thought a Frenchton would be perfect for me because of the low energy leve…but that’s all not true for Rusty.

    • Hi there. I currently live in Orlando, Florida and noticed you got your Frenchton from a breeder in FL. Can you send me an email with more information? I want to ensure, we buy our baby from a trusted breeder.

  5. I’m looking at getting a Frenchton, but the puppies are not a typical 50/50 mix. The breeder has a male Boston Terrier being bred with a French Bulldog/Boston Terrier mix… Also, this is the only “Frenchton” breeder in my area that I’m aware of (we live in quite a rural area).

    The breeder doesn’t do any type health screening (only vaccinations), but is asking between $800-$1000 for her male puppies, and $200 more for females. I don’t know enough about the genetic makeup of these dogs to know how important it is to get the health screening before you purchase?

    • Any reputable breeder will offer health screening. Good breeders only do so to further the health of a breed. If they aren’t health screening, they have no idea what they are breeding from. Have you asked the breeder why they don’t carry out any screening? Tests carried out for the French Bulldog will include any of the following:

      • Degenerative Myelopathy (DM).
      • Juvenile Hereditary Cataracts (HC/HSF4).
      • Canine Multifocal Retinopathy 1 (CMR1).
      • Hyperuricosuria (HUU)
      • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA-PRCD)
      • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA-CORD1)
      • Congenital Hypothyroidism (TPO)

      Tests carried out for the Boston Terrier will include any of these:
      • Hereditary Cataracts (HC-HSF4)
      • Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)

  6. What price did you guys purchase yours for? Is there a price I should be weary of by chance? I am looking to stay under 1k.

  7. I have 2 male frenchtons, they are biological brothers but born 2 litters apart from the most amazing breeder who is still a godsend to this day. My eldest is 3 years and his brother is 10 months old. They are like chalk and cheese…… honestly you would not think they were the same breed let alone be genetically related!! Eldest is 12.5kg (27-28lbs) and has a big thickset chest and a bracy flat Frenchie face (imagine shrinking a boxer), then we have the aptly named LOKI who is barrel bodied longer type muzzle also weighs in at around 28lbs at 10 months old!!! Loki has (like me) got ADHD and is immensely stubborn but unbelievably loving and playful. Milo on the other hand is the most placid chilled out laid back guy in the world. Milo is also kind of my own superhero too as without any training whatsoever he learnt to recognise when I am about to have a seizure and if I’m alone he alerts my wife by chuffing at her until she follows him to me! Love my boys because they are both frenchtons but both complete opposite of eachother

  8. We got our Frenchton from a rescue. He was 8 weeks old and extremely aggressive towards us and our other dogs (who are bigger but were terrified of him). He would snarl and bite and draw blood. He was purchased from a breeder, way too early obviously. The woman paid $1600 for him and said she couldn’t handle him. Then the foster Mom was going to keep him but decided against it. She said he was just a snuggly little guy and we got him for $400 from the rescue. He had been in 3 homes in 2 weeks before coming to us. It is taking some work but he is SO much better now, 3 weeks into having our new family member. He just didn’t know how to be a puppy, didn’t learn manners from his Mom because he was taken too soon. So to the person who’s Frenchton is aggressive, don’t give up! We squirt him with a water bottle when he starts getting too aggressive and now all I have to do is hold the bottle and he settles right down, then he gets a piece of kibble for making the right choice. They are super smart!

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