History of the French(ie)

The French Bulldog breed was originated in the mid-1800’s. The toy-sized bulldog was favored in a few English cities such as Nottingham’s that was once a place of lace making, where it became a figure for Nottingham’s lace makers. The toy bulldog then became popular in France where the lace makers settled to work. During this time, they were cross-bred with other french breeds like terriers and pugs where they then developed their famous “bat-like” ears. Because of this, they received the french name Bouledogue Francais (translates as French Bulldog). Paris then found this new breed and started their image as a city dog. Toward the end of the 19th century the French Bulldog’s fame spread throughout Europe and finally to America, where in Europe the breed was found to be more expensive. It became a national symbol of popularity. In the 1900’s, American devotees of the breed took part by insisting their “bat-like” ears (rather than the “rose-like” ears), was a recognizable characteristic of the French Bulldog throughout the world.

So, what IS a French Bulldog?


French Bulldogs are similar to a Bulldog but miniature, with key features such as their famous large and erect “bat-like” ears that everyone is familiar with when it comes to this popular breed. Their head is large and almost square-like, with wrinkles that roll along their flat, short nose. However, their bodies are very muscular and stocky underneath their short-haired coat. The Frenchie is a real charmer and very affectionate. They don’t bark very often, but their alertness of different noises or people makes them fantastic guard dogs. They can adjust to any of their owner’s lifestyle, and do not need a lot of exercise which is why they’re perfect for those who live in the city. The French Bulldog gets along well with other animals and people, however they can be very protective of themselves and their owners so it’s good to train them well before meeting something/someone new.

Physical Appearance

According to the American Kettle Club official standard of the French Bulldog, they show the appearance of a lively, smart and muscular dog that consists of heavy bones underneath their soft coat. They are firmly built and are of medium-sized structure. Frenchies have a square-like head with bat ears and an downward arched back. They are well proportioned with their bodies and all their points are distributed fairly with one another. A healthy weight for a male French bulldog is from 20 to 28 pounds, while a female is between 16 to 24 pounds. They have dark eyes that can be brown or nearing to black in color, wide apart and low down their skull that are far from their ears. They don’t bulge out or are sunken in and of modern size (similar to the size of a quarter). The top of their skull is flat between their ears and their forehead is slightly rounded. The frenchie’s muzzle is deep and laid back, and has wrinkles between their eyes and eventually rolls over to their short nose. Their noses are black, but there are other variations such as cream or fawn-colored frenchie’s without a black mask that have a lighter colored nose. Their forelegs are short, muscular and set wide apart, while their hind legs are also strong and muscular but are longer than their forelegs. The French Bulldogs coat is short and smooth so they rarely shed. Since their skin is loose it forms wrinkles at the head and shoulders. Frenchie’s also range in multiple colors, such as white, cream, light fawn, blue fawn, red fawn and any other variations of the colors described. Their coat also consists of different marking and patterns like brindle, piebald, black masks and shadings and white markings.

Personality

French Bulldogs are a cute, lovable, fun and very playful breed. They adapt very well to different environments especially in apartments since they don’t need a lot of space and exercise. They don’t bark very often, but when they do it’s mostly when they want attention or hear an unfamiliar sound. Since they have a flat nose, they’re constantly snoring and snorting like crazy, which sometimes can be annoying to those who aren’t used to this type of nature within this breed. As puppies, they can be very energetic and can be quite the handful. They like to play rough (no pun intended) and will chew through anything they get their little chubby paws on. Yet when it comes to this unique breed, they are very intelligent dogs. Their personality can range from either being calm and observant to highly proactive thrill-seekers. As they get older, they tend to loose some of their energy, but still are actively social. The frenchie loves being the center of attention, but they can be very clingy to their owners and won’t stop following you around the house. This can cause “separation anxiety” within French Bulldogs that isn’t good for when you need to leave the house, so to avoid this it’s best to let your frenchie get used to not always being with you around the house. Another tip is for when you’re about to leave, give your frenchie a treat every time you leave the house and when you come home so they know to expect a treat for when you come back, making them less anxious. French Bulldogs are easy to train since they’re very smart dogs, but they can be very stubborn. While their temperament can cause problems, their stubbornness is something that all frenchie owners have to deal with time to time. The older they get, the more stubborn this breed can become, and if it isn’t treated with good training techniques then they’ll never want to listen! With stubbornness comes aggression in this breed, so learning how to properly train your frenchie to listen to your commands will make them smarter and more proficient to their owner. Nevertheless, the French Bulldog is an affectionate and friendly breed that loves to be with their family.

Health Issues within Frenchies and How to Care for Them

Since French Bulldogs are so top-heavy, they cannot swim on their own and will eventually drown. With that said they should always be monitored around pools or bodies of water when outdoors. They also are very prone to respiratory problems since they have flat noses, and don’t do well in humid weather. For that reason, you shouldn’t play outdoors with them for long periods of time underneath the beating sun. They also can have eye issues like cherry eye and cataracts, as well as skin disorders and allergies. When it comes to carrying for your frenchie and their food intake, it’s best to invest in high-quality dog food that’s appropriate to their age and weight. French Bulldogs are also likely to become obese which can hurt their physical being and create more health issues. It’s important to maintain your frenchie’s consumption of food so they can live a happy, healthy and obese-free life. When it comes to grooming, French Bulldogs have short coats which makes grooming easy and there’s less shedding than other breeds. Brushing your frenchie regularly can promote new hair growth and spread essential skin oils to keep it silky smooth and healthy. Their wrinkles and folds in their muzzle should be cleaned out daily to prevent any infections and moisture as well.

Click the video below to learn more about the French Bulldog:

*All info from this page is cited from: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/french-bulldog/ and https://canna-pet.com/french-bulldog-temperament-personality/