BREED HIGHLIGHT: THE FRENCH BULLDOG

Breed Highlight: French Bulldog

The Bulldog Family

The one-of-a-kind French Bulldog, with his large bat ears and even disposition, is one of the world's most popular small-dog breeds, especially in urban areas. The Frenchie is playful, alert, adaptable, and completely irresistible!

The Bulldog is a famous breed, worldwide. In England, it is a national symbol, and in America, the breed is the mascot of countless sport teams. In fact, Handsome Dan, Yale’s Bulldog mascot, is known to be the first animal mascot in all of sports. And, this should come as no surprise since the bulldog’s 'sourmug' face is the universal symbol of courage and tenacity.

It’s loose skin of the head, furrowed brow, pushed-in nose, small ears, undershot jaw with hanging chops on either side, and the distinctive rolling gait makes the bulldog one of the most easily recognizable breeds. Bulldogs can weigh up to 50 pounds. Their coat, which comes in a variety of colors and patterns, is short, smooth, and glossy. Their short snout is extra sensitive in hot and humid weather, so they require good air conditioning.

There are 9 different types of bulldogs: (1) American Bulldog, (2) French Bulldog (3) English Bulldog (4) Australian Bulldog, (5) Olde English Bulldogge (6) Victorian Bulldog (7) Catahoula Bulldog (8) Ca de Bou and (9) Alapaha Blue-Blood Bulldog.

The French Bulldog was developed from Toy Bulldogs that were imported from England, and local ratters in Paris, France, in the 1800s. Today, the breed is very popular all over the world. In 2020, Frenchies were the second-most popular AKCregistered dog breed in the United States, and the second-most popular registered dog in the United Kingdom. In 2019, the French Bulldog had 375 export pedigrees and a total of 33,661 registered dogs in United Kingdom.

BREED OVERVIEW

GROUP: Non-Sporting HEIGHT: 11 to 13 inches WEIGHT: under 28 pounds COAT: short, smooth & glossy COLOR: White, Brindle, Fawn, Tan LIFE EXPECTANCY: 10 to 12 years

The History of the Famous Frenchie

Courtesy of the AKC Archives

Historians suggest that Bulldogs were created in 13th-century England, during the reign of King John, for the purpose of the bullbaiting “sport”, in which a staked bull fought a pack of dogs while spectators gambled on the outcome. Most of these dogs were Bulldogs. In 1835, England banned blood sports with animals, and the Bulldog almost faced extinction.

When the lace workers from Nottingham got displaced by the Industrial Revolution, they moved to Normandy, France, and they brought their Bulldogs with them. Toy Bulldogs became very popular in France, and soon, there was a trade of imported small Bulldogs from England. By 1860, there were very few Toy Bulldogs left in England, due to their high demand in France.

Over a span of decades, the toy Bulldogs were crossed with other breeds, such as Pugs, and, terriers, and along the way, developed their nowfamous bat ears. The small Bulldog type gradually became thought of as its own breed, and received a name: the Bouledogue Francais.

The breed came to be associated with Paris café life. These dogs were highly fashionable and were sought after by society ladies, as well as creatives such as artists, writers, and fashion designers. Edgar Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec depicted the Frenchie in paintings of the Paris demimonde.

Americans had been importing French Bulldogs for a while, and in 1885 an American-based breeding program was officially set up. They were mostly owned by society ladies, who first displayed them at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1896. The ladies formed the French Bull Dog Club of America and created the breed standard. The breed remained in vogue for high society and became a status symbol, with these dogs being owned by members of influential families such as the Rockefellers and the J. P. Morgans.

The American Kennel Club recognized the breed quickly after the breed club was formed. In 1905, the Kennel Club recognized the French Bulldogs separate from the English variety, initially as the Bouledogue Francais, then later the name changed to the French Bulldog. By 1906 the French Bulldog was the fifth most popular dog breed in America.

During the 1950s a French Bulldog won Best of Breed for eight years in a row at Westminster. The dog's owner, Amanda West, went on to win Best of Breed with other French Bulldogs for another 10 years.

In 2010, a Canadian French Bulldog became the first of his breed to win the Non-Sporting Group and make it through for consideration at the Best in Show round, eventually losing to a Scottish Terrier, Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot.

In 2013, the American Kennel Club ranked the French Bulldog as the 10th most popular breed in the United States. By 2014, they had moved up to become the ninth most popular AKC registered dog breed in the US and by the 2017 they were the fourth most popular.

As of 2020, the long-hair gene in canines, also known as Fibroblast growth factor or "Fluffy" became more widely present in the French Bulldog population.