Frenchie History

The French Bulldog has enjoyed a long history as a companion dog. Created in England to be a miniature Bulldog, they accompanied English lacemakers while working long hours lacemaking in factories. Lace workers were so cherished of their funny little Bulldogs that when the Industrial Revolution eliminated their jobs completely, they took the dogs with them across the English Channel to northern France. Their artisan skills were still valued in France, and the lacemakers’ skill with fabric and needle was still in demand. The little dogs, some which had wonky, erect ears instead of the traditionally rosed ears valued by Bulldog purists, soon became popular with various levels of society, including the ladies of the evening.

Eventually, American tourists became enamored of the breed and brought it to the United States, the third and final leg of its journey. A French Bulldog is even recorded as going down with the Titanic. The Frenchies that did make it to this side of the Atlantic invariably proved that French Bulldog’s charms knew no borders. American fanciers created the world’s first French Bulldog club and standardized the breed’s signature bat ears. Today their job focuses on being fabulous family companions, friends and show dogs. Even apartment dwellers and first-time pet parents will love this affectionate breed. The French Bulldog has become the country’s second most popular breed according to AKC registrations; not bad for a reformed bull baiter who hung-out on the other side of the tracks.

Created in England, popularized in France and perfected in America, this adorable little bowling ball of a dog has charmed everyone from ladies of the night to royals. The Frenchies rags-to-riches story is an appropriate embodiment of the American Dream, in which everything is possible.

Fluffy French Bulldogs

The French Bulldog breed was originally developed in the 1800's and is recorded to be a cross between an English Bulldog and local Ratter Dogs from France. Some of these local Ratter Dogs were long coated or carried the long hair gene which has been carried through the generations. Fluffy Frenchies are a rare French bulldog variation, due to generations of selective breeding favoring the short coat. Both the UKC and AKC standards, favor short coat French Bulldogs and long coat variations were subject to culling. A very small number of Fancy Breeders favored long coat French Bulldogs and preserved the Fluffy variant. Fluffy Frenchies are purebred French Bulldogs and an accepted rare breed variation in European countries such as France, dating back to the 1800's. Fluffy Frenchies have recently came across the pond and have made their debut within the United States. Due to their rarity and exclusiveness, Fluffy Frenchies range in price from 13k-65k dependent on pedigree and coloration with certain select individuals worth over 100k.

French Bulldog Colors

The French Bulldog can come in a variety of different colors. It is all dependent on the genetic makeup of the family that is being bred, on what colors the offspring will come out to be. The French bulldog colors which are the breed's American Kennel Club standard are brindle, fawn, white, cream, black mask, ticked and pied. Looking up historical photographs of French Bulldogs will reveal that the original prevalent color of a Frenchie, is Brindle such as Bobcat Frenchies Gigi and Luna. Recessive and dilute gene colors and patterns include solid black, black and tan, blue, blue fawn, chocolate, sable, Isabella and Merle.

Training and Socializing

French Bulldogs are eager to please their owners which can make them easy to train, but are also known to be strong-willed at times. They are a sensitive breed and respond best to positive, reward-based training which needs to be started at an early age. Because they can be a little headstrong, it’s important to be firm but fair with training and make sure everyone in the household is following the same training regimen. If you’re a first time owner, we’d recommend taking them to accredited training classes.

Frenchies are known to have a Diva side if they are given everything they want, owners need to make sure to set clear boundaries from day one and resist those puppy-dog eyes! Otherwise, you might find they develop ‘small dog syndrome’ and manifest mini-tantrums and hissy-fits to get what they want.

You will need to make sure you socialize your Frenchie from a young age with lots of different people, dogs, sounds and experiences. This will help them grow into confident adults and help their laid-back nature shine through.

As a (brachycephalic) flat-faced breed, Frenchies can overheat and struggle to breathe rapidly, in warmer weather and when overexerted. Make sure to research and can recognize the signs of heat-stress in your dog. In summer, one needs to take extra care to keep your Frenchie cool and avoid walking them during the day when it’s hottest. Early morning and later in the evening, would be better times to go for a walk in the summer season. In addition we recommend always carrying a water-bottle and a small collapsible dog water-bowl.