French Bulldogs

Despite its name, the French Bulldog actually has its origins in England. A group of artisans in England, mostly lace-makers, who had a penchant for the bulldog breed but were not keen on dog-fighting, bred a small sized bulldog, weighing between 16 lbs to 28 lbs. With the Industrial Revolution spreading in England, these lace-makers as well as other artisans migrated to France, along with their small bulldog breed, in order to ply their trade. This small breed of bulldog became very popular in France, and by the latter part of the 1800s they were crossbred with French Terriers, and they began to be called Frenchies or French Bulldogs. When affluent American travelers visited Paris, they too were enamored by the little Frenchies and hence took them back home to the US. The French Bulldog was first exhibited in 1896 at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

The Appearance of the French Bulldog

The French Bulldog is a muscular and compact breed, with a bone structure that is solid, a flat muzzle with a pug nose, and a smooth coat. The tail is not cropped, but is short naturally, and it can be screwed or straight. The head is square and large, and the eyes are set wide apart and are dark colored. They are round in shape and should neither be bulging nor sunken. Their ears are referred to as ‘bat ears’, which are rounded on the upper part and are broad at the base, and are erect. The French Bulldog’s facial expression is that of intelligence, displaying curiosity and alertness. The height of the French Bulldog is 12 inches when measured at the shoulders. They come in two ranges of weight: 22-28 lbs and 19-22 lbs.

What is the Color of the Coat of French Bulldogs?

The French Bulldog’s coat comes in various colors and patterns. Basically, the coat is fawn colored, which ranges from pale cream to café au lait to deep red. The further differences that can be seen are largely due to variations in the markings of the patterns, which in turn can range from black stripes or brindle, in various degrees of thickness and repetition, which overlies the base fawn color, to pied with various brindle patches that overlie the fawn base interspersed with markings of white, to the fawn base masked with black, with various shades and patterns occurring on the dorsal region of the body and the face. Within these parameters, there are myriads of variations in the placement, sizes, patterns and types of markings.

Here are some examples of the colors and coat patterns that occur in French Bulldogs: blue brindle or blue; tiger brindle; pale creams that range from butterscotch to pale gold; brindle pied; ticked pied; black brindle which is also referred to as seal brindle. The coat of the French Bulldog requires minimal grooming.

What is the Temperament of the French Bulldog?

The French Bulldog belongs to a group of dogs known as mastiffs, which were used chiefly as guard dogs or watchdogs. However, the French Bulldog has a tendency of displaying a comical trait in its personality, which is what endears it to many people. They are affectionate and playful dogs, and are alert as well as curious. Due to the comical trait in their character, they love clowning around, and can play and run about for many hours. The French Bulldog has a great need for companionship and cannot thrive minus it. They have a tendency of bonding strongly with a single person in the family. If French Bulldog puppies are raised with children, they are very good with them.

French Bulldog Puppies

If you are thinking about buying a French Bulldog puppy, first of all you need to locate a good French Bulldog breeder. You can check out French Bulldog breeders on the Internet or in your locality. It is a good idea to visit various breeders and check how the French Bulldog puppies are kept, how they move about and look. Pay particular attention to the coat of the French Bulldog puppy to see if it is glossy. French Bulldog puppies display their future individualities right from when they are a month and a half old. For example, they can be shy or sociable or courageous or boisterous or quiet – or different variations of these – which can be discerned from very early on. By the time they are one and a half months old, their weight should be about 2 kg.

A French bulldog puppy that comes from a good lineage will have a broad chest, short and wide paws, and a large head. The body should be compact and short, particularly the males. At this age the ears may not be erect yet. By the time they become four months old, their ears will become erect. All French bulldog puppies need to be given obedience training from very early, which should be based on reward and not punishment.

Generally, French Bulldogs are frolicsome, good natured and amiable dogs, and make great companions for the elderly, single people, as well as families.