The French Bulldog

Nobody really knows where exactly the French Bulldog originates from, but the most popular opinion is the one that describes how Normandy lance workers, in the 1800’s, took small bulldogs with them when they went to find work in France. In the north of France where the lace workers settled, these little dogs became very popular as ratters and as family pets; they were prized for their loyalty and good nature, and because of this, their numbers began to grow. Now these new bulldogs were nothing more then the culls of the Bulldog breed that was already firmly established in England.

The new bulldogs became very popular in France, they were the favorites of the street walkers, even today there can be postcards found of the prostitutes posing with their precious little dogs. With such an aura of notoriety being about these dogs, the breed became popular with the upper classes as well; soon the new French Bulldog was popular all over Europe.

It was American fanciers that established the first club and set down a standard of sorts to dictate the breeding of the French Bulldog; it is believed that without them the breed would have not been what we know and love today; it is even them that are responsible for the bat ear that is so associated with the breed.

The French Bulldog is an intelligent and playful dog, he is very loving and lively and makes that perfect family pet. This is a breed that loves his human companions and also loves to be part of the family and to take part in all the family activities. This dog is very good natured and entertaining as well, alongside all that, he is a dependable and well balanced dog , you could almost call him a big dog in a little dog’s body.

Although the puppies are known for their energy and playfulness, they will start to calm down as they get older; they are a sensitive breed and are also known for being stubborn when they want, but do not let that scare you away because this is a dog that is suited for anybody, it does not matter whether you have a life time of experience working with dogs or if you are planning on getting one for the first time.

The French Bulldog makes indeed a great pet. He gets along with children and with other animals. However, when it comes to people that are strangers to him, he might take his time before getting to know them but in the end will always be won over. This is a breed that will bark when he thinks that there is danger so this makes him a good watchdog. This is an active dog that likes to get around but because of his short muzzle, he will never be able to go hiking and so on, because it can cause respiratory problems, this is more a house dog.

The French Bulldog is a small dog that is compact and chunky in appearance, he has almost a pug-like look to him; he has a short coat and very smooth to the touch; the colors can be cream, brindle, pied, and fawn. He weighs around 20-27 pounds and has a height of about 11-14 inches.

There is no big worry about grooming this animal, he has a very low maintenance coat that only needs to be brushed occasionally, one thing to keep an eye on are the wrinkles and folds in his face, these need to be kept clean and dry, also keep an eye on his ears, these need to be clean and dry as well to avoid any infection from developing.

This is a relatively hardy breed that can live up to 12 years when properly taken care of. The health problems that are associated with the breed are respiratory problems, elbow dysplasia, thyroid problems and others.

Because of the different health problems of this breed, you should look up a good breeder that is able to give you health certificates and guarantees on the parents as well as the puppies that he is selling; try to avoid puppy mills because the poor breeding practices that occur in such places usually result in unstable dogs that have health problems.