Living
Which handles being left alone better?
The French Bulldog easily, it rates 5/5 for tolerating alone time against the Havanese's 1/5, which is the biggest gap on this whole comparison.
French Bulldog vs Havanese: Which Suits Your Home?
French Bulldog or Havanese? On paper they differ most on tolerates being alone, and on the scales French Bulldog is the heavier at 20–30 lbs. Here is how the two compare on everything that shapes an ordinary week.
This is for someone already down to French Bulldog and Havanese and deciding between them. For this pair the decision usually turns on tolerates being alone and grooming need, so those are covered first and in most detail. Both rate 5/5 for flats, so housing does not settle this one. Breed history is left out; what follows is what you will actually live with.
Quick verdict
Between French Bulldog and Havanese, tolerates being alone is what separates them, and French Bulldog is the lower-effort dog of the two to keep.
Choose french bulldog if...
Choose French Bulldog if you do not want a standing grooming appointment, the dog will be alone during the working day and you want a dog that is more watchful with visitors.
Choose havanese if...
Choose Havanese if you already have another dog, you want a dog that picks up training quickly and a smaller dog suits your car, your home or your back.
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | french bulldog | havanese | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size class | small | small | Equal |
| Weight | 20–30 lbs | 7–13 lbs | Equal |
| Height | 10–12 in | 8–11 in | Equal |
| Lifespan | 10–12 years | 13–16 years | havanese |
| Exercise need | Low (2/5) | Low (2/5) | Equal |
| Grooming need | Low (2/5) | High (4/5) | french bulldog |
| Shedding | Low (2/5) | Low (2/5) | Equal |
| Energy level | Low (2/5) | Moderate (3/5) | Equal |
| Barking | Low (2/5) | Moderate (3/5) | french bulldog |
| Apartment suitability | Very high (5/5) | Very high (5/5) | Equal |
| Good for first-time owners | Very high (5/5) | Very high (5/5) | Equal |
| Tolerates being alone | Very high (5/5) | Very low (1/5) | french bulldog |
| Trainability | Moderate (3/5) | High (4/5) | havanese |
| Good with kids | High (4/5) | High (4/5) | Equal |
| Good with other dogs | Moderate (3/5) | Very high (5/5) | havanese |
| Friendly to strangers | Moderate (3/5) | High (4/5) | havanese |
| Cost level | Very high (5/5) | High (4/5) | havanese |
| Coat | Short, smooth | Long, silky | Equal |
| Origin | France | Cuba | Equal |
| Typical monthly cost | $150–$300 | $80–$160 | Equal |
| Typical first-year cost | $2,500–$4,500 | $1,200–$2,300 | Equal |
Deep dive
Size and build
Both dogs land in the small size class and stand within an inch of each other, 10-12 inches for the Frenchie, 8-11 for the Havanese, but weight tells a different story: 20-30 lbs against a much lighter 7-13. The Frenchie is a stocky, dense dog for its height; the Havanese is closer to what people picture when they hear "small dog."
Energy and exercise
Exercise need ties at 2/5 for both, and energy level is close, low for the Frenchie, moderate for the Havanese. Neither demands serious daily mileage, which makes this one of the more evenly matched categories on the table. Owners choosing between these two aren't choosing based on how much walking they're willing to do.
Grooming and shedding
Shedding ties at 2/5, but grooming does not: the Frenchie sits at 2/5 while the Havanese climbs to 4/5. That long, silky coat needs regular brushing to avoid matting even though it isn't dropping much hair onto your floor. If low-maintenance means low time spent grooming rather than low shedding, the Frenchie wins this one clearly.
Apartment living, noise and time alone
Apartment suitability ties at 5/5 for both breeds, and barking gives a slight edge to the Frenchie, 2/5 against 3/5. The real split shows up in time alone: the Frenchie rates 5/5 for tolerating it, the Havanese a rock-bottom 1/5. A Havanese left alone for a full workday is the harder ask by a wide margin, regardless of how small the apartment is.
Training and owner experience
The Havanese edges the Frenchie on trainability, 4/5 against 3/5, and both breeds score 5/5 for suiting a first-time owner. On paper that makes the Havanese the slightly easier dog to teach, the catch is that its 1/5 alone-tolerance score means training has to account for separation anxiety from day one.
Kids, other dogs and visitors
Both score 4/5 with kids, and the Havanese pulls ahead elsewhere, 5/5 with other dogs against the Frenchie's 3/5, and 4/5 with strangers against 3/5. If your household includes another dog or a steady stream of visitors, the numbers favor the Havanese; if it's mostly your own family, the two are close to interchangeable.
Health and lifespan
The Frenchie's health list runs long and centers on its brachycephalic build, BOAS, respiratory disease, heat sensitivity. The Havanese's list is different in kind: patellar luxation, hypothyroidism, cataracts, deafness, liver shunts. Hip dysplasia and allergies are the shared risks. Lifespan favors the Havanese by a wide margin, 13-16 years against the Frenchie's 10-12.
Cost to keep
Cost level rates the Frenchie 5/5 against the Havanese's 4/5, and the dollar figures widen from there: $150-$300 monthly for the Frenchie versus $80-$160 for the Havanese, and a first year of $2,500-$4,500 against $1,200-$2,300. Over a longer-lived Havanese, that gap compounds rather than closes.
French Bulldog vs Havanese at a glance
French Bulldog weighs 20–30 lbs and lives 10–12 years; Havanese weighs 7–13 lbs and lives 13–16 years. The two diverge most on tolerates being alone, grooming need and good with other dogs. They are level on apartment suitability, exercise need and good for first-time owners, so those cannot decide it. The comparison marks an easier option only where one exists. Facts like weight and country of origin are not scored. Both dogs are rated from the same dataset, which is what makes the numbers comparable with each other even though any individual dog sits somewhere inside its breed's range.
Frequently asked questions
Which breed is smaller?
The Havanese, by weight, 7-13 lbs against the Frenchie's 20-30, even though the two are close in height and both fall in the small size class.
Does the Havanese shed a lot?
No, it ties the Frenchie at 2/5 for shedding. Its grooming need is the higher number, 4/5, because the long coat mats without regular brushing.
Can either dog be left alone during a workday?
The Frenchie handles it well, 5/5 for tolerating alone time. The Havanese scores just 1/5, it's a breed that tends to struggle with separation, so a long solo workday is a real risk factor.
Which is the better first dog?
Both score 5/5 for first-time owners, so either works on paper. The Havanese's higher trainability (4/5 vs 3/5) is offset by its much lower tolerance for being alone.
How much cheaper is a Havanese to keep?
Noticeably, $80-$160 a month against the Frenchie's $150-$300, and roughly half the first-year cost.
What health risks do they share?
Hip dysplasia and allergies appear on both lists; beyond that the Frenchie's risks are airway-driven and the Havanese's are more scattered across joints, eyes, and thyroid.
Which breed lives longer?
The Havanese, and by a wide margin, 13-16 years versus the Frenchie's 10-12.
Quick answers
View more answersCosts
What does each cost monthly?
$150-$300 for the Frenchie versus $80-$160 for the Havanese, the Havanese is close to half the price to keep.
Training
Which is easier to train?
The Havanese, 4/5 against the Frenchie's 3/5, though its low tolerance for solitude needs separate attention regardless of trainability.
Health
Which breed lives longer?
The Havanese, at 13-16 years versus the Frenchie's 10-12, a meaningful difference if lifespan matters to your decision.
Related DogBreedCompass guides
- French Bulldog breed guide – Readers comparing the two usually want the full profile of French Bulldog before deciding.
- Havanese breed guide – The same for Havanese, so the comparison can be checked against the detail.
- French Bulldog vs Boston Terrier – Boston Terrier is the closest breed to French Bulldog on the measured axes, so it is the natural next comparison.
- Havanese vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel – Cavalier King Charles Spaniel sits closest to Havanese, which makes it the alternative worth ruling out.
- What French Bulldog costs to keep – Anyone weighing these two is usually also pricing them, and the cost pages carry city-level figures.
- Havanese health problems – The health pages set out what each breed is actually screened for.
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Important reminder
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.
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