Quick answer
Boston Terrier or Chow Chow - which fits better?
If low grooming time and an easy training experience matter, the Boston Terrier wins clearly. The Chow Chow suits someone drawn to its distinctive coat and independent personality who's ready for serious brushing time.
Boston Terrier or Chow Chow? On paper they differ most on grooming need, and on the scales Chow Chow is the heavier at 45–70 lbs. Here is how the two compare on everything that shapes an ordinary week.
This is for someone already down to Boston Terrier and Chow Chow and deciding between them. For this pair the decision usually turns on grooming need and good for first-time owners, so those are covered first and in most detail. Anyone choosing from a flat has a clear answer here: Boston Terrier rates 5/5 against 4/5. There is no origin story here — only what changes about your week.
Between Boston Terrier and Chow Chow, grooming need is what separates them, and Boston Terrier is the lower-effort dog of the two to keep.
Choose Boston Terrier if you are in a flat or a smaller home, this is your first dog and you do not want a standing grooming appointment.
Choose Chow Chow if you want a dog that is more watchful with visitors.
| Feature | boston terrier | chow chow | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size class | small | medium | Equal |
| Weight | 12–25 lbs | 45–70 lbs | Equal |
| Height | 15–17 in | 17–20 in | Equal |
| Lifespan | 11–13 years | 9–15 years | Equal |
| Exercise need | Low (2/5) | Low (2/5) | Equal |
| Grooming need | Very low (1/5) | Very high (5/5) | boston terrier |
| Shedding | Low (2/5) | High (4/5) | boston terrier |
| Energy level | Moderate (3/5) | Low (2/5) | Equal |
| Barking | Low (2/5) | Moderate (3/5) | boston terrier |
| Apartment suitability | Very high (5/5) | High (4/5) | boston terrier |
| Good for first-time owners | Very high (5/5) | Low (2/5) | boston terrier |
| Tolerates being alone | Moderate (3/5) | Moderate (3/5) | Equal |
| Trainability | High (4/5) | Low (2/5) | boston terrier |
| Good with kids | Very high (5/5) | Moderate (3/5) | boston terrier |
| Good with other dogs | High (4/5) | Low (2/5) | boston terrier |
| Friendly to strangers | High (4/5) | Low (2/5) | boston terrier |
| Cost level | Moderate (3/5) | High (4/5) | boston terrier |
| Coat | Short and smooth | Thick double coat | Equal |
| Origin | Various | China | Equal |
| Typical monthly cost | $80–$150 | $120–$250 | Equal |
| Typical first-year cost | $1,100–$2,300 | $1,600–$3,000 | Equal |
The Chow Chow is the bigger dog by a wide margin - 45-70 lbs and 17-20 inches, against the Boston's 12-25 lbs and 15-17 inches - and its thick double coat makes it look even larger than its frame suggests, so expect the Chow to take up more physical and visual space in your home than the numbers alone imply.
Exercise need ties at low (2/5) for both breeds, and the Boston edges slightly ahead on general energy (moderate 3/5 vs. the Chow's low 2/5). Despite its size, the Chow Chow is not a high-activity dog, and its independent nature means it's often just as happy lounging nearby as engaging in an extended play session with you every single day of the week.
This is the single biggest gap on the page. The Chow Chow's dense double coat rates a full 5/5 for grooming need and 4/5 for shedding; the Boston sits at 1/5 and 2/5. Owning a Chow means regular brushing sessions and a serious seasonal shed - owning a Boston means neither, and that difference alone should weigh heavily if grooming time isn't something you enjoy.
Both do reasonably well in small spaces - 5/5 for the Boston, 4/5 for the Chow - though the Chow barks a bit more (moderate 3/5 vs. the Boston's low 2/5). Neither is a loud breed by most standards, but the Boston is the quieter of the two, which can matter in a building with strict noise policies or close neighbors.
The Boston is rated far easier to raise: high trainability (4/5) and a full 5/5 for first-time owners, against the Chow's low scores on both (2/5 each). Chow Chows are known for an independent, cat-like temperament that doesn't respond to training the way more eager-to-please breeds do, so patience and low-key consistency matter more than intensity or force with this particular breed.
The Boston scores higher with kids (5/5 vs. 3/5), other dogs (4/5 vs. 2/5), and strangers (4/5 vs. 2/5). The Chow's dignified, reserved nature - one of its defining traits - makes it a less naturally social dog around unfamiliar people and animals than the Boston, so a Chow may need more structured, gradual introductions to new visitors than you'd expect.
Lifespans overlap and tie in this table - 11-13 years for the Boston, 9-15 for the Chow, a wider but comparable range. The Chow's health list is longer and includes some serious items: hip and elbow dysplasia, bloat, diabetes, and stomach cancer, on top of eye conditions like entropion and glaucoma. That's a more extensive list to monitor than the Boston's airway-and-eye-focused concerns.
The Chow runs $120-$250 a month and $1,600-$3,000 in year one, against the Boston's $80-$150 and $1,100-$2,300. Grooming supplies and time add to the Chow's real cost even where the raw dollar figures look close, since its coat maintenance is far more involved, whether you handle it yourself or pay a groomer regularly to keep up with it week after week.
Boston Terrier weighs 12–25 lbs and lives 11–13 years; Chow Chow weighs 45–70 lbs and lives 9–15 years. The two diverge most on grooming need, good for first-time owners and shedding and 4 other rated axes. They are level on tolerates being alone and exercise need, so those cannot decide it. Where the table declares a winner it means less work for the owner, nothing more; descriptive rows are left as ties on purpose. The value here is in the differences between the two columns; treat any single score as approximate.
Yes - rated high (4/5) against the Boston Terrier's low (2/5), and its grooming need is the highest possible score, 5/5, due to its thick double coat.
It rates low (2/5), compared to the Boston's high (4/5). The Chow's reserved, independent temperament makes it less naturally sociable with unfamiliar dogs.
A lot - it tops the grooming scale at 5/5, the highest rating in this comparison. Regular brushing is essential to manage its dense double coat.
No, according to the data - it rates low (2/5) for first-time owners, well below the Boston Terrier's 5/5.
The Boston runs $80-$150 a month; the Chow runs $120-$250 - a gap driven partly by grooming needs, not just food.
Their ranges overlap and tie in this data - 11-13 years for the Boston, 9-15 for the Chow, which has a wider range on both ends.
Hip and elbow dysplasia, bloat, diabetes, and stomach cancer are all on the breed's list, alongside eye conditions like entropion and glaucoma - a longer list than the Boston's.
If low grooming time and an easy training experience matter, the Boston Terrier wins clearly. The Chow Chow suits someone drawn to its distinctive coat and independent personality who's ready for serious brushing time.
$80-$150 for the Boston Terrier, $120-$250 for the Chow Chow.
Both are low-exercise breeds, tied at 2 out of 5, despite the size difference between them.
Their ranges overlap - 11-13 years for the Boston Terrier and 9-15 years for the Chow Chow.
Secure checkout on Stripe. We never see your card.
7-day money-back guarantee. Instant access.
Health information here is general and is not veterinary advice. If your dog shows pain, sudden behaviour change, or worsening symptoms, consult a licensed veterinarian.
Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and we only suggest products we believe are helpful for dog owners.
We research and check what we publish, but we do not warrant that any figure, date, price, or statement is accurate, complete, or current, and we accept no liability for any loss, cost, injury, or other harm arising from the use of this site. Use it as one reference among several. You remain responsible for your own decisions and for your dog's care - confirm anything that matters with a licensed veterinarian or another qualified professional before you act on it. Full disclaimer.
Match your lifestyle to the right dog.
Take quizNot sure which breed is right for you? Take our 2-minute quiz to find out.
Take the quiz