The French Bulldog is a breed I absolutely must own one day!  These small dogs are comical in both looks and personality.  Their “bat” like ears and small stocky bodies mixed with their playful tendencies and need to be with people make them a fun little breed to own.

The French Bulldog originally came from England where they were breeding smaller “toy” sized bulldogs.  During the Industrial Revolution in the 1860’s Englishmen went to France and took their dogs with them.  The French fell in love with this breed and they became so popular they were soon known as French Bulldogs.

The body of the French Bulldog is muscular and small.  Their heads are blocky with very short black noses.  French Bulldog ears are often known as “Bat Ears” and are small and erect.  Their tails are either short or cork screwed.  Frenchies come in various colors such as fawn, brindle, white, black and brindle & white.  Like the English bulldog, Frenchies have loose skin around their head and shoulders forming wrinkles.  Their coats are smooth and short, and require minimal grooming.  French Bulldogs stand at about 12 inches high and weigh between 20-30 pounds.

French Bulldogs belong to the Non Sporting group and are companion pets.  Their temperament reflects this by their need to be with their owners and around people.  This breed is very gentle and easy going with children and other dogs.  These are very sweet dogs and rarely bark.  French Bulldogs are very funny little dogs and have comical personalities.  This breed may have a tendency to drooling or slobbering.

This breed would be perfect for apartment or city living because they require minimal exercise. Due to their flat faces, French Bulldogs can have a very difficult time breathing when it is hot outside and therefore cannot stay outside for long periods.  Frenchies must also be watched closely around water because of their short legs and large bodies they are prone to drowning.

Unfortunately, French Bulldogs do have a long list of potential health issues.  Their smushed in faces result in compacted airways which make it impossible for these dogs to regulate their body temperatures.  When French Bulldogs are outside they must be watched very closely and not be left outside for too long.  French Bulldogs can also have issues with back and spinal diseases such as chondrodysplasia.  Frenchies can also have many eye issues such as Cherry eye, Glaucoma, retinal fold dysplasia, corneal ulcers and juvenile cataracts.  Keeping the skin folds underneath the eyes clean and dry will help with preventing skin and eye issues from developing.  Another health issue that can occur with French Bulldogs is difficulties during birth.  Due to their very large blocky heads over 80% of births require caesarean section.  The small hips and stocky bodies of the French Bulldog makes it impossible for the male to mount the female during reproduction.  Breeders often have to go through artificial insemination for reproduction to occur.   Before purchasing a French Bulldog research the breed and understand that owning one could be very costly.

Many Celebrities are owners of French Bulldogs:

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Pictures from Dog Breed Info