The French Bulldog is a rare dog breed, with bat-like ears yet oddly beautiful. You won’t believe how comical, entertaining and dependably amiable they are despite having the glum look! The French Bulldog thrives on attention. In fact, he demands it! If you’re single and considering getting a dog, this dog might be ideal because he may compete for your attention with other members of the family. Interestingly, he never barks, unless he finds a real cause for excitement. Having visitors at home? These French Bulldogs will bark and announce that they are at your doorstep!
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As these dog owners lovingly call them “Frenchies”, they are the perfect companion dog anyone could ever have. Although it’s not always about rainbows and sunshine, the Frenchies can sometimes be a little stubborn. They are a great addition to your family, and are the happiest creatures on earth when taken for a short walk and a few trips outside per day and your company. These little bursts of energy get in on any game that includes a ball, including your one-on-one game of basketball!
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You may have heard that young Frenchies are mischievous, fun-loving and hyper, but with growing age, they make the best couch potatoes and love to snuggle beside you as you read your book or watch your favorite series. Each of these dogs have their own unique personality and bring out the best from you. If you own one, you automatically leave an impression of being an elegant and sociable person.
Many dog breeds come with a notable amount of health and potential problems. The good part is, the French bulldog is considered among the healthiest of the bulldog breeds, but they may suffer from Von Willebrand’s disease, which is a bleeding disorder. However, they’re small, cute creatures with a lifespan of 10-12 years.
Some Quick Facts
- Frenchies don’t actually come from France! Their roots can be traced back to England. A short sneak-peak at the history tells us that Frenchies came into existence all the way back in the 1800s due to cross-breeding between bulldog ancestors imported from England and local ratters in Paris, France.
- Keep them away from water. Unlike some dogs, French bulldogs can’t swim at all. So, keep an eye on them if you and your furry friend are around a pool and during beach vacations.
- These pushed-in-faces have trouble breathing due to which flying is a problem for them. They suffer from both high pressure and awkwardly warm temperatures, which can bring about deadly consequences for their small snouts.
- Frenchies are talkative! Yes, they do talk to you using a complex system of yawns, yips, and gargles, so give attention to them and communicate!
- They have a lot of emotions. They always want to please you and do not take criticisms well. So, reward your Frenchie with praise and love rather than speaking harshly to them when they are bad.
- Try not to feed your Frenchie too much because if a Frenchie gets too fat, it may have trouble breathing due to its increased abdominal volume.
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Temperament
The French Bulldog is a tiny little dog with the most dynamic personality. It is playful, lively, affectionate and easygoing. If you are already adopting one, you should know how incredibly energetic they are, and many have a knack for trouble! Being a Frenchie owner, you might encounter difficulty in being friendly with another dog because of how possessive they are of their owners.
This small dog breed has a soft character and needs minimal exercising. Thinking of gifting your grandparents something unique? A French Bulldog is something they would love as it is ideal for the elderly or for those who live in an apartment. Their calm and peacekeeping nature make them an ideal fit for apartment dwellers. The independent French Bulldog doesn’t like to be among other dogs and needs to be spoiled with everyone’s attention. They can never stand their owner’s sharing their attention or affection with another dog.
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Even though they are a bulldog, Frenchies are vivacious. Humor is among their qualities too, but their behavioral traits depend on the type of environment they were raised and had lived in their early lives as a pup. However, these intelligent creatures are very sensitive and require fairly minimal physical activities.
Things You Should Know
Although the French Bulldog is a playful, affectionate and intelligent breed, there are certain things that you must know about if you’re really considering getting one for yourself:
- Trainability
Let’s start with this. French Bulldogs love being a part of your family. Never misunderstand them that their bad behaviors being them disliking your house environment. They are at their best behavior once they are properly trained.
Since Frenchies are a bit stubborn, training them requires a lot of patience and consistency. Also, they are hard to train because of their tendency to be lazy and nap almost all the time. This makes them slow at getting hold of new commands. But be sure of one thing, if you can influence your Frenchie to become interested in the training game, there will catch up real fast.
In addition, take note of the fact that the French bulldogs are very active and alert pets. Do try to take them for walks at least once a day to drain their energy. In that way, they will also learn simple commands like sit, stay and come. Make sure to keep an eye on your Frenchie as these hyperactive creatures tend to run around leaving its owner behind.
- Grooming
This part is easy and you can do it at home too. All you need to do is, brush your Frenchie at least once a week to keep the shedding of its fur at its minimal. The fun part is their bathing. You can simply bath them in your kitchen sink or bathtub, with very less fuss from the Frenchie.
When it comes to brushing their teeth, try to brush it several times a week to avoid any gum related infections or tooth loss in future. Clean their bat-like-ears very frequently with a damp or a warm cloth. Do not, we repeat, do not use cotton swabs in your Frenchie’s ears. Sometimes in cold weather, the edges of their ears might be get dried up. Dab a little baby oil onto your palm and gently rub it on their ears. The dry edges will get healed soon. You may also apply this method on their dry nose.
Take a look at our guides on Dog Bath Tub, Tear Stain Remover for Dogs, and Dog Brush for Shedding.
Health Issues
You might see a very healthy French Bulldog on the outside. Little did you know that these tiny furry creatures might be suffering from a long-term serious medical illness.
To begin with, the most common form of illness among Frenchies are hereditary deafness. This develops from a very early stage of their life, and as a Frenchie owner, you may realize this when your pup would not respond to you calling them or would have an undisturbed sleep. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this as of now. But you can help your pup with a specialized training to help your dog’s communications.
Additionally, they are prone to hip dysplasia. This happens when the ball-in-socket joint no longer resides in the socket of the pelvis. Due to this condition, the hip of the dog cannot function properly, unable to participate in their daily activities. Although advanced veterinary has not found a solution to this health problem, most vets advise the dog owners not to let their dogs carry the extra weight of any kind!
The French Bulldog has beautiful eyes. They are what we call actual puppy eyes. Having three eyelids, when the third eyelid sticks out, their eyes become pink. This condition is called cherry eyes. As per vets, it is not painful for the dog, but the exposed gland might become infected. Worst comes to worst, your Frenchie might have to undergo a short surgery, which can later lead to dry eye.
The French Bulldog is an excellent choice of pet if you’re someone, who wants a dog that is:
- Hyperactive, a pet that is always up for a game
- Easy to groom and can be done at home
- Discretely silent home dog
- Full of fun
- Sweet-tempered
- Small and chubby
- Soft and furry
Unfortunately, a Frenchie is not for you if you:
- Want to keep your dog outside of the house in the garden
- Don’t like to spend much time with your pet, it’s like, they’re just there when you need them
- Impatient to train your pet
- Have temper issues
- Don’t recognize the strengths of your pet
Now that you all about the magnificent French bulldog, what are you waiting for? Get one for yourself right away!
Sources:
- French Bulldog, Vetstreet
- French Bulldog Breed, PetMD
- French Bulldog Dog Breed Information, VCA Hospitals
Interested I a young rescue French bulldog. 15 years English bulldog experience. Retired and husband works from home