French Bulldog

FCI 101 . Small Molossian type Dogs

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What is the origin of "French Bulldog"?

The French Bulldog it is one of the smallest representatives of the class of molossi. Its origin is not very old, since it did not appear until the middle of the 19th century, in the Paris region. It is the only French dog breed originating from Paris.

In the 19th century, most Parisian butchers traditionally owned doguines, a breed of small dog that is now extinct. But to be fashionable, they started to buy small Bulldogs, called Toy Bulldogs. Importing Bulldogs in France had begun at the end of the 18th century.

It also seems that, parallel, between 1865 and 1880, English workers pushed by the industrial revolution to come to work in France contributed to introducing race into the French working class.

At that time, besides being popular in England, dogfighting was very popular in the Parisian suburbs and many butchers, cocheros, merchants and workers had a fighting dog. The Bulldog had not yet acquired the character of a companion dog, and still had the tenacity of the Molossoid from which it came.

At the same time, the rat dog was also very common in the Parisian suburbs, especially popular with coachmen, who used it to rid their stables of rats.

Like this, the crossing of a Buzzard with a Bulldog, to get a smaller fighting dog, laid the foundations of French Bulldog. The Bulldog he was also randomly bred with other local dogs, as the Doguins or French Terriers, and the brachycephalic character of the dog was accentuated with the help of Lilleois, a small dog from northern France derived from Pug, today extinct.

In 1880 the first French Toy Bulldog Club was formed and in 1888 a draft standard was drawn up. The goal was to have short-faced, straight-eared dogs.

In 1893, Krehl, a British breeder, imported French Toy Bulldogs to England to present to the English Kennel Club. Immediately, a dispute broke out over the paternity of the breed between the French and the English. The British considered that the breed standard had not been respected by the French, and they considered that the French Toy Bulldog was their creation. Until 1899, the Club of Bulldog refused to admit the French Bulldog in the breeding book, claiming that it did not preserve the purity of the race, before reversing his decision and finally accepting him French Bulldog together with him Bulldog.

The French preserved the paternity of the race, not without reason. “The British provided the main ingredients, but it was the French who established the final recipe that led to the French Bulldog as we know it”, escribió Françoise Girard in her book The French Bulldog.

The first breed standard was established in 1898, year in which the Société Centrale Canine recognized her. It was subsequently modified several times, in 1931-1932 and in 1948. Refurbished in 1986 por H.F. Reant and Raymond Triquet and published in 1987 by the FCI, was last corrected in 1994 by the committee of the Club of French Bulldog, with the collaboration of Raymond Triquet.

His mouth and his clown mimicry opened the French Bulldog the gates of the bourgeoisie. In the early 20th century, became the darling of the aristocracy, and the great names of the time like Colette, Mistinguett or Yves Saint-Laurent succumbed to its charms. In addition to becoming the favorite of French high society, it was also highly coveted by the aristocracy of other European countries, like English royalty or the Russian emperor's court, and had great success in the United States, where prominent American personalities, como Josephine Baker, they became infatuated with the little animal.

In summary, throughout the West, the ladies wanted to be accompanied by a French Bulldog, although the race came from the poorest strata of the population.

The austerity brought about by the world wars will be dramatic for the race, that was on the verge of extinction due to lack of breeders to produce it. We had to wait for the beginning of the eighties and the tenacity of certain passionate breeders of French Bulldog so that I would return under the lights of the wall.

for a French Bulldog in good condition, the weight must not be less of 8 kg, or more of 14 kg, the size is in proportion to the weight.

The French Bulldog is a typical small molossoid. It is a powerful dog with a stocky appearance, compact all out of proportion. They have a short, flattened face, with folds and wrinkles, and a mighty jaw. His eyes are big, dark and bulging, and his nose is necessarily black.

The coat of the French Bulldog it's short and closed, without Undercoat, and it can be tawny, solid or slightly brindle, sometimes with white spots.

Last, the French Bulldog has naturally straight and pointed ears, while his tail is short, often twisted or naturally amputated and pointed.

▷ Male size: 30 – 35 cm.
▷ Female size: 29 – 34 cm.
▷ Male weight: 8 – 14 kg
▷ Female weight: 7 – 12 kg

It is said that most dogs are sticky, and the French Bulldog confirm the rule. So much so that it is usually closer to its owner than to its companions., and sometimes he is possessive and exclusive with his dear master.

For all of it, is a happy dog, cuddly and playful.

When he's not sleeping, he is close to his master, often reproducing their actions by mimicry. To the French Bulldog he does not like to be alone, but its small size allows it to be carried to most public places, and even to work if your education has been well done.

He loves children and plays with them without showing any aggression. It also, if sometimes he barks to signal the arrival of a stranger (knowing that he rarely barks and does the minimum of guard duty, because it is not their main occupation), the real French Bulldog, well mannered, will never bite a human. Aggression is considered a defect of this breed. In fact, most French Bulldogs they are kind and respectful to everyone, with both humans and animals, but some may be reserved with strangers.

The temperament of French Bulldog also makes it a suitable dog breed for seniors.

Having said that, although they are capable of being the calmest companions, they need to expend their energy daily, otherwise their owners may encounter some mischief, like destruction and damage to the house.

How to educate a "French Bulldog"?

Despite his cute looks, do not forget the roots of this dog. So, their ability to be dominant must be controlled from a very early age through gentle upbringing, firm and consistent. In fact, a little rigorous education could have bad repercussions in the daily life and the coexistence between the dog and its humans.

On the other hand, the French Bulldog can easily get angry if his upbringing is too aggressive, While, on the other hand, a well-balanced firmness in the voice allows you to quickly and easily incorporate the rules of the house.

Unlike many races, the French Bulldog do not have any recurring genetic defects.

But, your health needs to be closely monitored to prevent or identify the most common problems as soon as possible:

The French Bulldogs they are very sensitive to heat. From about 25° and especially on sunny days, the risks of heat stroke and heat stroke can occur very quickly, and even cause the death of the dog. As much as saying that the French Bulldog cannot live abroad.

The dehydration of the intervertebral disc, which plays the role of buffer between 2 vertebrae, is a real danger for him French Bulldog. The intervertebral disc becomes cartilaginous and ends up ossifying little by little. It no longer performs its role as a shock absorber and tends to be expelled to the outside. This ossification may be followed by compression of the spinal cord., at risk of nerve tissue injury and paralysis.

The herniated disc is another classic disorder in the French Bulldog. Appears with premature wear of cartilage. This condition most often affects individuals who have been jumped on their hind legs during their youth.. Dogs with this disease experience severe muscle pain when they move. They walk with their heads down, with contracted neck muscles. In severe cases, this can lead to hind limb paralysis.

The chondrodystrophy, less common, causes a shortening of the bones, which can cause significant locomotion problems.

Last, the French Bulldog can also suffer Hip Dysplasia, elbow dysplasia or dislocation of patella.

The French Bulldog may be exposed to different types of airway obstruction problems, call brachycephalic syndrome.

First of all, the nasal stenosis (also called “pinched nostril”) corresponds to a collapse of the alar cartilage, too soft. This causes respiratory discomfort that can force the dog to breathe through the mouth to compensate for the lack of oxygen. The condition is noticeable by the line of the nostrils, which is then straight instead of comma-shaped. In this case, the only remedy is surgery.

The soft palate is too long and may cause compression of the larynx. This condition is not detectable in young puppies, but there are some symptoms that should set off the alarm. But, you have to notice certain symptoms, like a very pronounced snoring, or fatigue and shortness of breath that occur quickly when walking. A bluish discoloration of the mucous membranes and tongue may also be noted., bloodshot eyes and, sometimes, rickets.

The edema of the larynx, what is a specific disorder, appears especially in case of stress or heat stroke, or even both combined. The dog then gasps and scratches when inhaling. This situation requires quick intervention, placing the dog in a cool place as much as possible and cooling it, for example, spraying it with plenty of cold water. The first priority is to calm the animal, before taking him to the vet for an emergency cortisone injection.

The French Bulldogs can be victims of Nictitating gland dislocation. This gland tends to stick out of the corner of the eye and can grow rapidly to the size of a blackberry.. This condition is common in Bulldogs growing, but it can also be the result of an eye infection.

In general, the prominence of the eyes of the French Bulldog makes them particularly fragile in this area. But, it is possible to protect them thanks to glasses perfectly adapted for them.

Hermaphroditism in the French Bulldog It is rare, but its existence deserves to be informed.

The coat of the French Bulldog does not require very difficult maintenance. Regular brushing (two or three times a week) it is enough to remove its many dead hairs, and a bath once a month with a dog shampoo will keep their coat shiny. It also, has a light that spills.

On the other hand, the folds of your face should be cleansed at least twice a week and kept with cream, to avoid infection. You also have to clean his ears at least once a week.

It also, you have to clean the eyes regularly with an anti-inflammatory eye drops and be careful with the blows. His eyes are particularly fragile, and any tearing, either regular or excessive, may be a sign of a disease. At this level, great vigilance is necessary.

Last, you also have to take care of the area under your tail, since the fact that it is located on your buttocks causes dirt to accumulate, and the morphology of the animal does not allow it to clean itself properly.

Due to his brachycephalic head, the French Bulldog tends to swallow food without chewing it, which causes digestive sensitivity and causes rumbling in the stomach and flatulence. So, you need a diet that allows you to maintain your weight and offers good digestibility, without excess fat, but with a sufficient enrichment in essential fatty acids, amino acids and vitamins of group B.

It is advisable to give two meals a day, one in the morning and one at night.

The French Bulldog is primarily a companion and indoor dog, but it can also be a good guard and defense dog.

On the other hand, because of your bad breath, it is not a sporting dog. Like this, although I appreciate the walks, that are good for maintaining your powerful muscles, jogging with him is not recommended.

Also be careful with the waterways and the pool. In effect, because of his stocky body and heavy head, the French Bulldog is not a very good swimmer, and you risk drowning.