The French Bulldog 

Handbook 

By ​Allfrenchbulldog.com 
 
 
 
 

 
 The French Bulldog is one of the small, dog breed-like dog breeds. She stands out 
with her small, stocky and muscular stature as well as her lively, playful and 
engaging nature. Conspicuous stub ears and a short, blunt-nosed face 
characterize the character of the French Bulldog. 

Size & Weight: How do I recognize a French Bulldog? 

Anyone who has ever seen a French Bulldog will not soon forget that first 
impression. This dog breed is one of the small doggy-like dogs and impresses 
despite its small size in all its proportions by a strong and muscular physique . 
French Bulldogs will not be taller than 35 cm in the withers and ideally should 
not weigh more than 14 kilograms. The weight of a bitch is even closer to a 
maximum of 13 kilograms. The life expectancy of this breed is on average ten to 
twelve   

Especially at first glance, the small, blunt-nosed face with conspicuously erected 
ears comes up. Like the dog's nature, the ears are always in motion to avoid 
missing any detail in their surroundings. The squat body of the French Bulldog is 
rounded off by a natural short rod. The coat is short and dense and appears 
shiny soft. The color variations span even roan brown, brindle or unnamed, 
sometimes with a limited spotting and a number of gradations of Falbfarbe: 
from Rehfarben red to milk-coffee-colored variants. 

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 Character: What makes the French Bulldog? 

The French Bulldog belongs to the so-called companion dog breeds. This 
classification underlines the French Bulldog by her outgoing and engaging 
nature. The animals are very alert and athletic and in a sense always in motion. 
Only after a long and physically demanding game and exploration phases is a 
short break taken. To play, even with children, the four-legged friends are happy 
and show themselves friendly and loving in dealing. This makes them the ideal 
family dog. 

Education: Already rewarding with the Frenchie Puppy 

In the education of a Frenchie, it is important to be consistent and patient. If the 

owners give the dog clear rules, he will quickly learn to be obedient. This can 
already start with a puppy, after all, even with a small dog obedience is 
important for living together - especially with children. With a positive 
upbringing, French Bulldogs can learn a lot from an early age. 

Origin: Where does the French Bulldog originally come from? 

One thing in advance: Actually, the Frenchies are not from France at all, but 
from Great Britain. During the Industrial Revolution, many art dealers, of whom 
the breed was very popular, moved to France. So the country was gradually the 
new home of the French Bulldog. 

Accordingly, there is an original relationship to the British Bulldogs. Here the 

similar body measurements - weight and height - point to the same ancestors. 
The fact that the original breeds, from which the French Bulldog was bred, were 
used among other things in the old Rome in the fight, one can hardly imagine 
their appearance today. 

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 Crossbreeding and breeding 

The breed of the French Bulldog, as we know it today, comes from a number of 
different crossings of formerly massive and muscular dog types from southern 
Europe, the so-called Molossern. These dog-like dog breeds, which include, for 
example, the Dogue de Bordeaux, the Great Dane or the Boxer, were originally 
much larger than the French Bulldog. Aside from the height of the body, French 
Bulldogs have retained the original Molosser body shape. 

One of the first clubs for the French Bulldog was founded around 1880 in Paris. 
First breeding books and breed standards were created between 1885 and 1898. 
Since then, there have been a number of changes and revisions to the standard. 
The current FCI stand is based on a provisional last draft of 1994. 

Wanted: What is the breed standard of the French Bulldog? 

A healthy, bred French Bulldog, in line with the FCI breed standard, measures 
slightly more than the height at the withers. Special attention is paid to the head: 
this is ideally wide and strong with a flat skull and arched forehead. The 
so-called nose sponge was supposed to be black, broad, and thrown up; the 
nostrils symmetrical and well opened. Passionate breeders know: Characteristic 
of the French Bulldog is the shortened upper jaw and nose area; the cheeks are 
well formed. The eyes convey a remarkably vivid impression. The ears are wide 
in their approach and set high on the head, with the auricle open to the front. 
The head is followed by a short, strong neck, which widened towards the 
shoulders. 

The French Bulldog is one of the brachycephalic dog breeds 

Due to the short nose can be found in some dogs of this breed the so-called 
brachycephalic syndrome. What does that mean? Under this term, dog breeds 
are summarized with a short, broad skull and a correspondingly short snout. 
These properties can cause airflow obstruction to the lungs. A consequence of 

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 this may be grunting, snoring or wheezing sounds during breathing. 

These signs should not be taken lightly because they may indicate signs of 
serious dysfunction in the respiratory tract of the dogs. In the long term, they 
can affect your health and even lead to chronic diseases of the lungs and heart. It 
is advisable to have such animals examined by a veterinarian or to check before 
purchasing if there is a particularly pronounced brachycephaly. 

Health: Cheerful with the right food 

The French Bulldog distinguishes itself by different characteristics of other dog 

breeds. Therefore, she also makes special demands on her diet. ROYAL CANIN 
has developed diets that address these needs. For example, a special dry-feed 
croquette for the brachycephalic jaw was designed, which facilitates the intake 
of food and stimulates intense chewing. In addition, the formula helps to reduce 
fermentation processes in the intestine, which are often the cause of indigestion 
and flatulence. The customized formula also supports the barrier function of the 
skin, contributing to a shiny coat and healthy skin. 

French Bulldogs: Popular companion dog for celebrities 

The French bulldog is a pretty popular dog breed today, almost a fashion dog. 
And so there are many celebrities who have found a true friend in the French 
Bulldog. Famous owners include Reese Witherspoon, Coco Chanel, Victoria 
Beckham, and Hugh Jackman. Django is the name of the French Bulldog by 
Leonardo DiCaprio, which is his pride and joy. However, the dogs were also 
popular a few centuries ago: when the English King Edward VII grew a male in 
1898, the breed was officially recognized. 

Did you know? 

The name of the French Bulldog comes from the fact that ancestors of this breed 

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 were used for bullfighting - hard to believe, considering that the four-legged 
today often live in families! The first breeders of the breed put special emphasis 
on a short muzzle with a broad jaw and a nose behind. The little mastiff should 
bite as hard as possible in the bull without having problems with breathing. 
Thanks to his nose, the dog was able to breathe well. 

Due to the rather thin coat dress - without undercoat - the French Bulldog gets 
hot quickly in summer. In winter, she can keep her body temperature heavier 
than dogs with a dense or long coat. The care of these dogs is very simple: It is 
enough to brush a French bulldog occasionally. Only to change the coat should 
be brushed more frequently to avoid excessive hair in the home. 

Popular mixes and introductions 

A mix of French Bulldog and another breed is more common. Widely used are 
mixes of French Bulldog and Jack Russel Terrier. Also common is the crossing 
with a pug. The French Dwarf Dog is a mating of Zwergspitz and French Bulldog. 
Particularly popular are mixtures with the French Bullweiler, Chihuahua, 
Miniature Pinscher, Beagle, and the Chow Chow, as these dog breeds are about 
the same height. 

Spout and life in the apartment 

One should not underestimate the urge to move of this small dog breed. They 
love regular walks and varied employment. However, make sure that the 
pedigree dog is not overloaded and has enough rest. The French Bulldog does not 
tend to give the frequent sound and therefore gets along well in a city 
apartment. Frenchies feel just as comfortable in the city as in the countryside, a 
small apartment is enough. The prerequisite is that they are much with their 
human and also have contact with other dogs. 

Dog sports 

For sports lovers and as a companion for jogging, the French Bulldog is not 
likely. Also cycling on short distances and at a reasonable speed is difficult with a 

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 bully because the shortness of breath and the anatomy make him unsuitable for 
such endurance sports. Extensive walks and romping and playing with other 
dogs are no problem, the French Bulldog even loves it. It should be noted that the 
French Bulldog is not a good swimmer. This fact is clearly due to the compact 
physique: The short legs and the forward center of gravity make it difficult for 
the dog to stay afloat. 

Care: coat and fleas 

The coat of the French Bulldog is very easy to clean and hairless, but should still 
be brushed regularly. The dog is best used as a puppy to regular grooming by 
brushing and combing. By brushing it is noticed at an early stage whether the 
dog is plagued by ticks, fleas or eczema. In addition, body contact is good for the 
relationship between owner and dog. 

In the French bulldog, it is important that the eye wrinkles are regularly cleaned 
so that no infection occurs. 

Suitable for allergy sufferers? 

There is no dog breed that can be recommended to any allergic person without 
restrictions. Each person reacts differently to the different races. Even within the 
breed, it can vary from French Bulldog to French Bulldog, whether and how 
strongly an allergic to the respective dog reacts. It is safest if the personal allergy 
potential is tested by a doctor before purchasing. 

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