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French Bulldog

playful / smart / adaptable
Non-Sporting Group >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

11-13 inches

Weight

under 28 pounds

Life Expectancy

10-12 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    80% 80%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    20% 20%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    60% 60%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    100% 100%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    100% 100%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    100% 100%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    80% 80%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    20% 20%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    100% 100%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    80% 80%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    20% 20%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    60% 60%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    100% 100%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    100% 100%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    60% 60%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    100% 100%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    80% 80%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    20% 20%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    60% 60%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

One of the most well-known little dog breeds in the world, particularly among urban inhabitants, is the one-of-a-kind French Bulldog, which is distinguished by its enormous bat ears and even temperament. The lively, observant, versatile, and utterly appealing Frenchie. With the exception of the enormous, upright “bat ears,” which are the breed’s defining characteristic, the French Bulldog looks like a small Bulldog. The nose is incredibly short, and the skull is huge and square with deep wrinkles wrapped over it. The body is compact and muscular underneath the glossy, dazzling coat. The kind, intelligent Frenchie is a cutie. Frenchies are quiet dogs who rarely bark, yet their attentiveness makes them good watchdogs.

They are content living alone, in pairs, or with families and don’t need much outdoor activity. They get along nicely with other animals and love meeting new human acquaintances. It is understandable why urban dwellers from Paris to Peoria adore this incredibly entertaining and sociable breed.

 

What To Expect When Caring For a French Bulldog

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

Frenchies cannot swim because to their front-heavy shape, thus they should never be left alone next to a tub, pool, or other body of water. Like many flat-faced breeds, Frenchies have breathing issues and struggle in hot or muggy conditions. Breeds with flat faces are also more susceptible to the anesthetic. Cherry eye, juvenile cataracts, and entropion are a few eye diseases that occasionally affect Frenchies. Skin allergies and autoimmune skin illnesses are also known to happen. A responsible breeder will use the tests that are available to check breeding stock for ailments that could harm the breed.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
  • Patella Evaluation
  • Hip Evaluation
  • Cardiac Exam
  • Ophthalmologist Evaluation

Grooming

The short coat of the Frenchie sheds very little. To keep him looking his best, brush him once a week using a medium-bristle brush, a rubber grooming tool or mitt, or a hound glove. In order to keep the coat healthy, brushing encourages the growth of new hair and distributes skin oils throughout the coat. The folds of a Frenchie's face should be kept dry and clean. Regular nail trimming is necessary for the Frenchie since overly long nails can hurt him.

Exercise

A short walk or outdoor play session with their owner each day should provide enough exercise to keep the French Bulldog in shape. Frenchies enjoy participating in canine sports such as obedience, agility, and rally. As a flat-faced breed, however, they are prone to breathing difficulties and should never be allowed to exert themselves in hot or humid weather.

Training

Early socialization and puppy training classes are recommended. Exposing the puppy to a wide variety of people, places, and situations will help him develop into a well-adjusted adult. Puppy training classes serve as part of the socialization process, promote good behavior, and help the owner learn to recognize and correct bad habits. Frenchies have big personalities and can need a fair amount of training to make them civilized companions. They can be stubborn, but at heart they're people pleasers and therefore easy to train. The proper motivation (such as food) and making a game of the process will ensure their cooperation.

Nutrition

A high-quality dog food appropriate to the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior) will have all the nutrients the breed needs. Frenchies are prone to obesity, which can damage their physical structure and put them at higher risk for some of the breed's health issues, so it is vital to watch their calorie intake and weight. If you choose to give your dog treats, do so in moderation. Give table scraps sparingly, if at all, especially avoiding cooked bones and foods high in fat. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog's weight or diet.

History

In the middle of the 1800s, a miniature Bulldog gained popularity in various English cities, particularly Nottingham, which was at the time a hub for lace production. The Bulldog plush toy was adopted as a sort of mascot by Nottingham’s lace manufacturers. In England, the Industrial Revolution was at its height at the time, and “cottage industries” like lacemaking were coming under growing threat. Many people who worked in the lace industry moved to northern France, and they of course took their doll Bulldogs with them.
The small dogs gained popularity among lace manufacturers who settled in the French countryside. The toy Bulldogs were bred with other breeds over a period of decades, maybe terriers and pugs, and along the line, they gained their now-famous bat ears. They were given the French name Bouledogue.
The adorable new breed was eventually discovered in Paris, which marked the start of the Frenchie’s status as the quintessential city dog. The breed became linked with the elegant ladies and bon vivants who sought out nighttime pleasures at Parisian dancehalls, as well as with café culture in the city. The Frenchie was portrayed by Toulouse-Lautrec and Edgar Degas in their works of the Paris demimonde.
By the 19th century’s close, the Frenchie was well-liked in both Europe and America. In England, it was harder to sell the breed. Many Englishmen found it offensive that their long-time enemies, the French, would dare use the Bulldog for their own purposes because it was a national symbol.
Early 1900s American aficionados helped shape the breed by arguing that the bat ear, not the “rose ear,” was the proper Frenchie form. The Frenchie is readily identifiable throughout the world thanks to this distinguishing characteristic.