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The French Bulldog is a dog breed that first emerged in France in the mid- to late 19th century. The French Bulldog is a smaller companion dog breed recognized by the major kennel clubs. Per the FCI, in Europe it falls under the domain of France as the country of origin. Other breed historians argue that the Americans and British played a larger part in development of the breed. The breed is commonly referred to as the Frenchie.
Appearance: French Bulldogs average 22 to 25 pounds (10
to 12 kg) and are considered out-of-breed if they are over 28
pounds (13 kg). Their physical appearance is characterized by
naturally occurring 'bat ears' that are pointy and stick
straight up. Their tails are naturally short, not cropped.
Otherwise, their body shape is similar to that of an English
Bulldog.
There are several color variations allowed by the AKC that
are disallowed in Europe, including the cream color. French
Bulldogs have their own variations in the amount of brindle,
darkness of their coat, and amount of white areas. French Bulldogs come in a variety of colors and coat patterns. Here is what the AKC standard has to say about color:
"Acceptable colors - All brindle, fawn, white, brindle and white, and any color except those which constitute disqualification. All colors are acceptable with the exception of solid black, mouse, liver, black and tan, black and white, and white with black, which are disqualifications. Black means black without a trace of brindle."
The FCI standard disallowed fawn until the mid nineties. Color disqualifications under the current FCI standard are "black and tan, mouse grey, brown". All of this variety has a drawback, however - confusion over just what name applies to each color or color pattern.
In its most simple forms, French Bulldog coat color can be simply described as fawn, with a variety of possible marking patterns and dilutions possible. Fawn can range in shade from deep red to cafe au lait to pale golden cream. The differences in appearance from here are all due to variants in marking patterns, which range from brindle - black stripes in varying degrees of repetition and thickness overlying the fawn base coat, to pied - varying patches of brindle overlaying fawn interspersed with white markings, to black masked fawn - fawn in differing shades with a classic 'masking' pattern on the face and dorsal area of the body. There are a myriad of variants of marking type, pattern, size and placement possible within these parameters.
Here are a few examples of common - and not so common - coat patterns and colors within French Bulldogs. All terms should be taken objectively, as there is a great deal of difference of opinion within the Frenchie community as to which term defines which color.
Temperament: The French Bulldog is a gentle breed
that typically has a happy-go-lucky attitude. Like many other
companion dog breeds they require close contact with humans.
They usually do well around other dogs and children, though
they should be monitored closely during their initial
encounters.
They tend to "bulldoze" small children, and may
knock them down unintentionally. They tend to not bark a lot
and are of manageable size; these qualities may make them a
good candidate for apartment living. Although they are
sensitive to heat and need to live indoors, they require
regular exercise and are more athletic than they appear upon
first glance.
Health: French bulldogs frequently require Caesarean
section to give birth. Due to the nature of short windpipe,
they tend to have breathing difficulties, and can easily
suffer problems in hot weather as a result. For this reason,
veterinarians consider them difficult to intubate for surgery.
They should only be anesthetized if absolutely necessary, as
they can also be overly sensitive to anesthesia.
Frenchies can have other problems related to breathing,
such as elongated soft palates or cleft palates, but these
problems are unusual. French bulldogs can be prone to spinal
issues, such as herniated disks. Otherwise, they are generally
considered a healthier breed than the English Bulldog, with a
lower occurrence of problems such as hip dysplasia. Like their
larger cousin the English Bulldog, French Bulldogs are prone
to gastro-intestinal problems such as gas. The facial wrinkles
often trap dirt, tears, and mucous, and can become irritated
and infected. Life expectancy is 10 to 12 years.
History: The breed emerged as English Bulldogs were
bred with Toy Bulldogs by the artistic community in Paris,
after Toy Bulldogs were marginalized by British kennel clubs
as weakening the English Bulldog breed.
Toy Bulldogs were popular amongst the artistic and gay
communities in Britain. The breeding of the minuscule Toy
Bulldog (averaging 8 pounds (3.5 kg)) and the English Bulldog
(which can vary in size, but is usually around 50 pounds (23
kg)) produced the medium-sized French Bulldog.
French ladies of the evening were known to carry French
bulldogs around town as a discreet sign of their profession.
The Tsar's family in Russia is believed to have had a French
bulldog as a beloved family pet at the time of their
overthrow.
While theories abound about the exact origin of the French Bulldog, the most prevalent opinion is that around the mid 1800s Normandy lace workers from England took smaller bulldogs with them when they sought work in France. In the farming communities north of France that the lace workers settled in, the little Bulldogs became very popular as ratters and loyal family companions and their population began to swell. These little bulldogs were in fact "culls" of the established Bulldog Breeders in England, who were generally more than happy to sell these undersized examples of their breed to fanciers of the "new" breed in England. This was especially true of the "tulip" eared puppies that cropped up at times in Bulldog litters. French Bulldogs were originally bred as ratters, but are now bred as lap dogs and companions.
As the new, smaller Bulldogs gained popularity in France, they became favorites of the Parisian "Belles De Nuit" - the street walkers. One reason for this is that when strolled, the exotic looking dogs brought attention to their owner, and gave potential customers a legitimate reason to chat with her. Another is that the docile breed was content to nap for short stretches when brought to hotel rooms, without making a fuss. Breed historians can still sometimes turn up notorious "French Postcards" bearing images of scantily clad French prostitutes posing with their little "Bouledogues Francais." The aura of notoriety that ownership of the little dogs conveyed made them a fashionable way for the well to do classes to show off how daring they could be, and they soon became favorites of the "artistic" set across Europe.
Photos dating to around this time show photos of the Russian Royal family posing alongside their French Bulldogs, and they imported several of the little dogs from France. Other famous fanciers included Toulouse-Lautrec, the author Colette and King Edward VII. As a point of historic interest, a French Bulldog, insured for the at that time astronomical sum of $750, was on board the ill fated Titanic.
It is inarguable that without the influence of dedicated, turn of the century American fanciers the breed would not be what it is today. It is they that organized the very first French Bulldog Club in the world, and it was they who insisted that the "bat" ear so associated with the breed today was correct. Until that time, French Bulldogs were shown with either the "bat" or "rose" ear.
All in all, French Bulldogs truly are an International Breed, with fanciers of many nations being responsible for the creation of the loving dogs we know today.
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