The French Bulldog is a brachycephalic dog. Strong, muscular, moderately active. Easy to train.
Country of origin: France
Size: small
Height: 28-35 cm
Weight: 8-15 kg
Age: 10-12 years
FCI breed group: companion dogs

Key facts

Due to the peculiarities of the structure of the muzzle, these pets are prone to certain health problems. In particular, they do not tolerate strong stuffiness and lack of fresh air. For this reason, in a number of countries, air travel is prohibited for representatives of the French Bulldog breed.
They are considered a quiet breed. However, despite the fact that they rarely bark, the animals are not averse to “talking” to the owner, using other sounds – grunting, smacking, mooing, etc.
These dogs are often called “frogs” because their favorite position is to lie on their stomachs with their front and back legs extended.
Like all other brachycephalic dogs, French Bulldogs are sensitive to anesthesia.

History of the French Bulldog Breed

There is still no consensus on how this breed of dog appeared. Disputes continue to this day. The English are sure that their country became the birthplace of these bulldogs, while the French claim that the dogs appeared on the territory of their state.

English experts have suggested that the dogs’ ancestors were Old English Bulldogs . If you compare the exterior of these two breeds, there is no doubt – there are plenty of similarities. However, the English Bulldog has a stronger build, the French is much smaller.

In the 19th century in England, keeping such a dog as a pet was considered very fashionable. Many noble persons had these dogs as pets. Pets with ears resembling tulip leaves were very popular among aristocrats.

English experts claim that it was they who brought the first representatives of the breed to France in the 1860s.

The French, however, believe that these animals were the result of crossing an English and Spanish bulldog. This version has documentary evidence: John Crale found a photograph of a plate made in the 16th century. This artifact depicts a dog that looks very much like a modern French bulldog.

At the beginning of the 19th century, animals were brought to the territory of the United States. In 1896, a dog of this breed took part in an exhibition for the first time.

After this event, the cost of puppies jumped sharply. Now a representative of this breed could be purchased for 500-1000 dollars. For comparison: for the same money an American could buy a car.

Today, bulldogs are still very popular. These moderately active pets are great as family dogs.

Description of French Bulldogs

French Bulldogs are perfect for residents of small city apartments due to their size.

These dogs are distinguished by their strong build and stocky appearance. The breed has a short coat and no undercoat. There are several permitted colors.

Head
Head . Appears broad and square. The skull should be massive. The forehead is rounded, dome-shaped. The area between the ears should be flat.
Muzzle . In French bulldogs, it is short and flattened. The presence of a large number of folds on it is considered normal. The occipital protuberance is almost invisible. The stop is clearly visible.
Ears . Medium size. Standing on cartilage. Directed forward.
Nose . Should be upturned and wide. Nostrils are open, fairly large in size, with clear outlines.
Mouth : The French Bulldog’s jaws are very well developed.
Teeth . The bite of this breed is characteristic – the lower jaw should protrude forward.
Lips . The presence of jowls is considered normal. However, they cannot be excessively large.
Eyes . Large, rounded. Dark brown is considered an acceptable iris color. The dog’s gaze should be intelligent and conscious.
Neck . Appears short but powerful. The presence of distinct folds on it is considered extremely undesirable.
Frame
Body . Small in size, compact, but looks strong. The dog has a stocky build. The topline is straight, there should be no deflections. A sloping croup is unacceptable.
Chest . The animal’s ribs are well sprung. The chest has a barrel-shaped structure.
Tail. Not long. Looks wide at the base, its end is significantly narrowed. The presence of kinks and bends on the tail, according to the standard, is highly undesirable.
Limbs
Forelegs . They look shorter than the hind legs. Their muscles are well developed. The legs should be straight, not turned out to either side.
Hind . Longer than the dog’s front legs. Because of this, the animal’s croup is slightly raised at the rear. The leg muscles are well developed. The animal’s thighs are powerful and strong.

Wool
According to the accepted breed standard, the coat of French bulldogs is short. It should be smooth to the touch, but slightly harsh. The coat fits well to the dog’s skin. The animal has no undercoat. For this reason, in the cold season, the dog needs to buy clothes for walking.

The coat of this breed can be an indicator of age. In mature individuals, the hairs become dull. Gray hair often appears on the muzzle.

Colors
Representatives of this breed can be of the following colors:

Fawn . It can vary from bright red to pale beige. White markings are allowed on the forehead, neck, and chest. The animal’s muzzle should have a darkening, which is commonly called a “mask”.
Brindle . If the main color of the coat is black, then it must have lighter inclusions. If the main color is red, but the inclusions, on the contrary, will be black. The presence of white marks is acceptable on the stomach, muzzle, chest.

Spotted . In this case, the French bulldogs have dark markings on their body. The main color is white. The spots cannot occupy more than 20% of the dog’s entire body.
The breed standard mentions types of colors that are unacceptable. Such dogs are considered impurebred.

These include the following colors:

White;
Beige
Gray-blue;
Absolutely black;
Three-color;
Chocolate.

In the United States, however, new breed standards are being issued that allow other colors of these dogs. In our country, the situation is different – only the colors described above are considered acceptable.

The majority of dog breeders are of the opinion that breeding work aimed at increasing the number of animal colors will have a detrimental effect on genetics.

French Bulldog Personality

These cutest creatures give the impression of being peaceful and sociable pets. They are able to cheer up anyone with just their appearance. Representatives of this breed are ideal as companions and family pets.

The character of the animal may change as it grows up. Puppies are usually very active and playful. Adults are characterized by laziness, even phlegmaticness.

However, at any age, the pet will not refuse to play with a person. However, it is worth considering that the French bulldog requires moderate activity.

Dogs are distinguished by their intelligence and quick wits, especially when it comes to training . Training these dogs will not cause any special troubles. They are completely oriented towards people and will happily carry out all their instructions. The main thing is to find the right approach to the dog, not to overload it with training and not to forget about “tasty” rewards.

French bulldogs are ideal for the role of a family dog. Due to their small size, they can be acquired by dog owners who live in small city apartments. In addition, representatives of the breed do not require a lot of intensive exercise and long walks. The owner of this dog can be a homebody.

A dog can be acquired by a novice dog owner. These animals have a high level of intelligence and quickly learn everything new. Therefore, a bulldog can be trained by a person without experience of keeping pets.

French bulldogs are great empaths. They are able to recognize a person’s mood. These animals will never bother their owner with their company if they understand that he is busy. However, leaving the animal alone for a long time is not recommended. They really need communication with people. Therefore, the breed is not suitable for people who are often away from home.

The guard qualities of this breed are averagely developed. If necessary, the dog will be ready to protect its territory and family.

“Frenchmen” are considered to be peaceful pets. They get along well in the same house with other pets, even with cats. Especially if the pets grew up together. There are also no problems with relatives on the walking area.

A dog of this breed needs timely socialization. This will help to raise a dog that behaves well: does not chase cats, reacts calmly to other dogs, strangers, passing cars, etc.

Education and training

Despite the fact that the breed is easy to train, certain problems may arise during training. First of all, this is due to the animal’s natural tendency to stubbornness. In addition, it is important for the owner to be inventive during training, constantly diluting the training with new exercises. Since doing the same actions constantly will quickly bore the bulldog. It is important to change the order of the exercises, alternating physical activity with mental.

If the dog can’t do something, don’t yell at it. Using physical force won’t work either. Such actions on the part of the owner will only contribute to the destruction of the trusting relationship between the animal and the person.

Cynologists recommend using treats and verbal praise as a reward. In addition, do not conduct training sessions for too long. Training an adult dog should last about half an hour. With puppies, do not train for more than 10-15 minutes. This will help achieve sustainable results.

It is better if the training is based on the game principle. This way the dog will not get bored so quickly.

If a dog owner has realized that he is not able to train his dog independently, it is better not to waste time and visit a dog training school with his pet. In such organizations, you can take various training courses. Classes can be both individual and in groups.

French bulldogs have an excellent memory. In addition, these dogs are quite sentimental already in childhood. Therefore, when a new owner takes the baby from the nursery, it is recommended to ask the breeder for some thing that the puppy used. For example, a diaper or a toy. This will help the young dog adapt to the new home faster.

It is necessary to educate the pet from the earliest age. It is important for the owner to learn to show strictness and firmness of character. Do not give in to the pitiful looks of the bulldog. Any prohibitions must be categorical. There can be no exceptions. From the first days, it is important to show the animal who is the “leader of the pack.” If this is not done, obedience should not be expected.

It is necessary to immediately show the animal its bed, dishes, diaper. After mastering such simple skills, you can proceed to the commands ” Sit! “, ” Lie down! “, ” Come! ” Only after mastering them can you begin walking. These commands will help control the dog’s behavior, preventing unwanted contacts with homeless relatives, picking up garbage, etc.

You can train a French bulldog at home or during walks. Over time, your pet will learn to perform the actions required of it in any situation. At first, you need to find the quietest places for training. This will help the puppy better concentrate on completing tasks.

Cynologists are confident that the character of French bulldogs will be finally formed by the age of 16 weeks. Therefore, before this time, it is important to teach the pet the correct behavior, basic commands, and socialize it.

Maintenance and care

French bulldogs are considered an easy-to-care breed. It is very important to promptly remove dirt from the folds of skin on the muzzle, clean the ears and eyes to prevent inflammation.

There is no need to bathe the dog very often. Simple grooming of the coat – cleaning with a damp cloth after walks and combing with a silicone brush with short bristles.

French bulldogs are considered brachycephalic – their skull structure is significantly different from other dogs. For this reason, dogs can suffer from eye diseases and have breathing problems.

If a dog starts sniffling after physical activity, this is considered normal. But if a French bulldog wheezes and coughs loudly, this is already a reason to worry and go to the clinic.

In extreme cold and heat, it is important to closely monitor the animal’s condition. For walks in the cold, bulldogs are given clothes, and in the heat they try not to stay in the sun for a long time.

This breed of dog feels great in a small living space. They do not need walks for several hours. With a French bulldog, it will be enough to leisurely walk in the park or around the house twice a day.

It is extremely important to monitor the diet of a dog that is considered a real glutton. It is important to strictly follow the recommendations of the nutritionist who selected the nutrition plan, without overfeeding the pet, so that it does not begin to gain extra pounds.

To ensure that your pet is in excellent shape and has no health problems until old age, it is necessary:

Brush your French Bulldog a couple of times a week . You need a special dog brush for this. A human hair brush is not suitable. This procedure will not only remove dead hair, but also massage the skin. If you accustom your Bulldog to brushing from an early age, he will respond to it calmly.
Clean your teeth from plaque every day . You need to accustom your pet to brushing from the first days. For this, buy veterinary toothpastes. In addition, you can offer your pet dental “bones-tasty treats”. They remove plaque during the process of gnawing. If the dog has already formed tartar in its mouth, professional cleaning in the veterinarian’s office is recommended.
Cleaning the ears . The shape of the ears of French bulldogs means that not as much sulfur accumulates in them as, for example, in dogs with hanging ears. However, they also need to be cleaned regularly. For the procedure, use a special lotion and cotton pads.
Trim your pet’s claws every 10-14 days . Pets that walk on asphalt usually don’t need trimming at all, as they wear down their claws on the road themselves.
Wipe the folds of the skin daily . This procedure should not be neglected, because food, sweat, as well as dust and dirt can accumulate in the folds of the French bulldog every day. If you do not clean them, inflammation will inevitably appear.
Clean the eyes from accumulated mucus . A small amount of mucus in the corners is considered normal. However, if a lot of it has accumulated, you need to wipe the eyes with a cotton pad soaked in lotion. If the dog is restless, scratches its eyes, they have begun to cloud or water – this is a reason to go to the clinic.
Watch your calories . Representatives of this breed are not fond of excessively active loads. For this reason, they are prone to obesity. It is important to monitor your pet’s diet and not overfeed it.

Nutrition

When making a menu for French bulldogs, as with any other dog, it is important that the food the dog eats contains all the necessary nutrients. When choosing a feeding plan, it is worth considering several factors: breed characteristics, activity level, health problems, age of the pet. It is better to contact specialists to select a diet.

A complete and balanced diet of good quality will help to increase the life of the French Bulldog and avoid serious health problems.

A dog owner can choose one of the possible feeding options for his dog:

Natural products;
Ready-made industrial rations (dry and wet).
The natural type of nutrition implies regular independent cooking by the owner. In addition, it is extremely important to calculate the content of calories, as well as proteins, fats and carbohydrates (PFC) in each portion. This feeding option can be quite difficult for people who have never done such calculations. In addition, it implies that the owner has quite a lot of free time to constantly cook food for the dog himself.

Dry food is a good option for owners who do not plan to spend extra time preparing “home-cooked meals”. Industrial rations not only help save time. These foods are healthy and balanced in nutrients.

If the food is selected correctly, the French bulldog will not develop allergies, will not have problems with the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), etc. Complete industrial diets contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals, so there will be no need to purchase food supplements separately.

Since representatives of the French Bulldog breed are prone to gaining extra pounds, nutritionists most often recommend them a diet with a reduced fat content. In addition, these animals often have gastrointestinal diseases, so when choosing a feeding plan, it is important to take this feature of the body into account.

The best thing to do is to contact a veterinary nutritionist to create a menu for your dog. By contacting an experienced specialist, you will receive a diet developed for your pet individually. The nutritionist always takes into account the characteristics of a particular animal: its activity, initial weight, health, etc.

To calculate the daily norm of a ready-made diet, a nutritionist is guided by the tips that are indicated by any manufacturer on the product packaging.

If a natural type of feeding is chosen, the specialist calculates how many calories the French bulldog needs and also determines the necessary balance of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

Feeding at the table is highly undesirable. After all, this will contribute to an increase in the caloric content of the animal’s diet. And this is fraught with the occurrence of excess weight.

Health

If a French bulldog is properly cared for, it can live up to 12 years. Representatives of this breed have quite good health.

However, like all other pets, they have a few types of illnesses that they are more prone to than others.

These include:

Dermatitis . This skin inflammation occurs if dirt accumulated in the folds of the muzzle is not removed in a timely manner.
Conjunctivitis, glaucoma, cataracts . These eye diseases are often diagnosed in French bulldogs. The special structure of the animal’s muzzle is to blame.
Intervertebral hernia . This problem with the spine most often appears due to excessive load. In addition, it can be congenital.
Reproductive system disorders . Sometimes there are difficulties with natural insemination.
Many female French bulldogs are unable to give birth on their own. They have to have a cesarean section.
Overheating and hypothermia . Thermoregulation disorders occur due to the special structure of the muzzle. These dogs feel bad both in the cold and in the heat. There are a number of airlines that do not allow the transportation of French Bulldogs on board their planes, as they may suffer from a lack of air on board.
Breathing problem . This is also caused by the special structure of the muzzle. This is especially common in dogs suffering from obesity.
Allergic reaction . Most often occurs to food.

Who is this breed suitable for?

French bulldogs are unpretentious and compact dogs. For this reason, the pet is suitable for living in a small apartment. Excessive exercise and very long walks are not required, so the dog can be acquired by a homebody. The dog will be an ideal companion for people who like to spend more time at home. Since the pet is great with children, it can become an excellent family dog.

French bulldogs are not the best choice for a person who is considered hot-tempered and intolerant. The owner of the animal should strive to be a leader in the relationship and be able to demonstrate his authority. Otherwise, the dog will not be obedient. You will have to devote enough time to training. Ideally, you need to train the dog every day. However, too long training sessions should be avoided.

If there are other pets in the house, the French bulldog will be a great friend for them. These dogs easily get along under one roof with rodents, birds, cats. Especially if the pets grew up together. Bulldogs behave friendly with their relatives on the walking area, they do not enter into conflicts.

The breed requires simple grooming. The short hair does not require frequent brushing.

However, the special structure of the pet’s muzzle contributes to the appearance of breathing problems in cold and hot weather. For this reason, the owner of such a dog needs to monitor the animal’s condition in the stuffiness and buy clothes for the winter.

Famous Owners

French bulldogs have been considered a fairly popular breed at all times. The fashion for such pets was introduced two centuries ago.

One of the daughters of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II, Tatiana, had a pet named Ortino. The French bulldog was with the princess until her last hour in the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg.

Felix Yusupov, one of the richest people in our country, also loved this breed. In one of the portraits painted by Serov, the sixteen-year-old prince is depicted together with his light-colored pet. Today, this painting is in the Russian Museum.

French bulldogs were kept by many representatives of Russian bohemia. For example, the opera and chamber singer Fyodor Shalyapin. He had several bulldogs in his house. There are photographs and portraits of the singer with his pets.

In 1920, the famous futurist poet Vladimir Mayakovsky bought a French bulldog, which he named Bulka. Like Chaliapin, the poet loved his dog very much and took him everywhere with him.

The famous French fashion designer, who began his career in the 1950s, Yves Saint Laurent gave preference exclusively to this breed. Moreover, he called each new dog the same – Muzhik.

How to choose a puppy

If you are planning to buy a French bulldog puppy, the ideal option is to contact a single-breed nursery with a proven reputation. You can also contact a private breeder, but it is important to first read reviews about his work.

This is the only way to get a dog:

Pedigree;
Healthy;
With all vaccinations.

Nurseries provide their clients with all the necessary documents for the animal – a veterinary passport and a French bulldog’s metrics.

It is absolutely necessary to personally visit the premises where the breeder keeps the babies and their mother. This way you will be able to see the conditions in which the dogs live.

You should not buy a pet from dubious advertisements on the Internet or from a private seller at a “bird” market. Often, dishonest sellers sell unhealthy individuals or crossbreeds in this way.

Be sure to inspect the entire litter. Give preference to a large and active baby. A French bulldog puppy should look well-fed, cannot be too thin. The baby must certainly show interest in everything new.

Experts advise taking a puppy to a new home when it is 2-3 months old.

Talk to the breeder about the parents of the litter. Ask about their health, character. Ask to see their documents, if they have them.