Quick Links: Table of Contents
- French Bulldog Breed Overview
- History of the French Bulldog Breed. Where French Bulldogs came from
- What the French Bulldog Looks Like
- How Much is the French Bulldog Puppy?
- Best French Bulldog Breeders
- Adopting or Rescuing the French Bulldog
- French Bulldog Growth
- What Colors do French Bulldogs Have?
- The Temperament of the French Bulldog
- French Bulldog Litter Size
- How Fast French Bulldogs Can Run
- Good Names for French Bulldogs
- How Intelligent are French Bulldogs?
- How Popular are French Bulldogs with New Dog Owners?
- Health Problems in French Bulldogs and How to Prevent Them
- How to Take Care of French Bulldog
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to French Bulldogs
- Other Things to Know About French Bulldogs
French Bulldog Breed Overview
The French Bulldog is a small-sized dog.
The adult French Bulldog stands 11 to 12 inches tall at the shoulder.
The French Bulldog belongs to the Companion Dogs group.
Dogs in the Companion Dogs group, like the French Bulldog, were bred to be companions for humans. Their main goal in life is to be with people, and they will be very sad if left to themselves for long hours day after day.
The fact that the French Bulldog belongs to the Companion Dogs group is one of the reasons why French Bulldogs have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the French Bulldog is generally described as:
- Affectionate
- Alert
- Athletic
- Bright
- Easygoing
- Keen
- Lively
- Patient
- Playful
- Sociable
History of the French Bulldog Breed. Where French Bulldogs came from
Contrary to what their name suggests, the French bulldog`s origin story is not in France.
It began in England.
To keep rats away from their tiny work spaces, Nottingham lacemakers kept bulldogs of a small size.
During the Industrial Revolution, many lace workers were replaced with machines.
Many were forced to move to France, where lace is still made by hand.
After decades of crossbreeding, the French fell in love the more miniature bulldog who came along with the workers and developed the iconic bat ears.
The French bulldog was born.
The breed was loved by Parisians and became a favorite of every actor, comedian, and celebrity.
Americans who visited overseas fell in love with the miniature bulldog.
It wasn`t long before Frenchies became popular in the U.
S.
Two types of ears were common in the early days of Frenchie breeding: the American bat style and the rose-shaped ear most commonly found on bulldogs.
This ear distinction was a source of controversy for breed enthusiasts.
The Americans insisted that Frenchies must have the bat ears we know today.
British and French breeders disagreed.
The issue ended at the February 1897 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show when rose-ear Frenchies received top scores from non-American judges.
In April 1897, a group of prominent French bulldog lovers founded the French Bulldog Club of America to document and establish the breed standard.
They also demanded that the bat ear be the breed standard.
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What the French Bulldog Looks Like
Although they don`t have the same elegant look as other charming dogs the French Bulldog is undoubtedly no less charming.
Their small, compact bodies are well balanced and muscular.
The only exception is the skin around their shoulders and face.
Frenchies are most commonly available in white, cream, and fawn colors but can also be available with brindle patterns or masks.
A cute “squished-up” face complements their distinctive dark brown eyes.
They and have a shiny, smooth coat that only requires an occasional brushing.
According to the AKC, the French bulldog`s two distinctive characteristics are its bat ears, and half-flat, half-domed skull.
French Bulldogs can be white, brindle, fawn, or tan.
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How Much is the French Bulldog Puppy?
The average price of a French Bulldog puppy is $4610. The price of a French Bulldog puppy ranges from $3100 to $5000.
A lot of factors determine the price of the French Bulldog. These factors include what health records the French Bulldog puppy has, the lineage of the French Bulldog puppy, the US state the breeder is located in, etc.
To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a puppy French Bulldog based on the many factors that determine the price of the French Bulldog puppy, check out our calculator that lets you estimate how much you should expect to pay for the French Bulldog puppy based on what you want in the puppy.
When looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of the French Bulldog breed, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.
You may also consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. Adoption costs are very low compared to the price of a puppy.
Best French Bulldog Breeders
We have researched reputable French Bulldog breeders that you can buy a puppy.
Go to this page for our complete list of reputable French Bulldog breeders in various states in the United States.
On this page, you will see how much these breeders sell their puppies for, and how many puppies they have available.
A few of these breeders are listed below.
Ferdinand Creek French Bulldogs
Puppy Price: $5,000 to 7,000
Brandon Melanese
Puppy Price: $6500
teresa gasca
Puppy Price: $6500.00
Jeff Crouse
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Bianca Arzola
Puppy Price: Check with breeder
Adopting or Rescuing the French Bulldog
You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many dogs, French Bulldogs included, are currently available for adoption in your local dog shelters.
These helpless but adorable dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Dog adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300 or even less.
In addition to your local dog shelter, another good place to find dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.
Below is an adorable Male French Bulldog named Wayne that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely French Bulldogs like Wayne on pefinder.com.
Ruppert is the name of another French Bulldog (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new forever home.
You can find more French Bulldogs that are available for adoption on petfinder.
French Bulldog Growth
New French Bulldog owners need to know about the growth of their French Bulldogs. This will help them plan their living spaces accordingly.
Also, knowing the typical growth pattern of the French Bulldog will help new owners catch the abnormal growth of their French Bulldog early.
See our calculator for predicting how big your French Bulldog puppy will get. You will also learn about the typical weight of the French Bulldog at different ages and how to catch abnormal growth in your French Bulldog
What Colors do French Bulldogs Have?
French Bulldogs come in the following beautiful primary colors:
- Gray / Blue / Silver
- Brindle
- White / Cream
- Yellow / Tan / Blond / Fawn
- Bicolor
- Brown / Chocolate
- Apricot / Beige
- Black
- Tricolor (Brown, Black, & White)
- Merle (Blue)
- Red / Chestnut / Orange
- Golden
- Merle (Red)
The Temperament of the French Bulldog
The temperament of the French Bulldog based can be summarized as in the table below.
The table shows the scores of the French Bulldog for 13 important dog behavioral factors.
We obtained these scores by analyzing raw data from the C-BARQ dog personality survey tool. The higher the score of a dog for a factor, the worse the temperament of the dog regarding that factor.
The C-BARQ tool was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, and it is a scientific tool that is used worldwide for reliably measuring the temperament of dog breeds.
See our complete analysis of the temperament of the French Bulldog here.
| Factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Dog Rivalry | 90.6 percent |
| Stranger Directed Fear | 7.7 percent |
| Dog Directed Fear | 59.6 percent |
| Owner Directed Aggression | 56.2 percent |
| Excitability | 54.7 percent |
| Stubbornness | 54.6 percent |
| Energy Level | 52.3 percent |
| Attachment Attention Seeking | 48.7 percent |
| Separation Related Behavior | 47.7 percent |
| Dog Directed Aggression | 41.9 percent |
| Touch Sensitivity | 32.8 percent |
| Prey Drive | 25.1 percent |
| Nonsocial Fear | 20.9 percent |
| Stranger Directed Aggression | 14.4 percent |
French Bulldog Litter Size
Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 35 different French Bulldog birth litters.
From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that French Bulldogs can have is 4 puppies. Also, the French Bulldog can have as few as 1 puppies per litter and as many as 8 puppies per litter.
The number of puppies that the French Bulldog will have depends on factors such as the age of the French Bulldog, the method of pregnancy, etc.
Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your French Bulldog will have and how the litter size of the French Bulldog compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.
How Fast French Bulldogs Can Run
How fast a dog breed can run is a good measure of how athletic the dog breed is.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) regularly conducts dog running competitions. The AKC records the running speed of competing dogs in these competitions. These competitions are open to all dog breeds.
Based on our analysis of the speeds of 147 different French Bulldogs, the average speed of the French Bulldog is 17.9 mph (28.8 kmph).
The fastest speed on AKC record that the French Bulldog ran in a race is 25.12 mph (40.4 kmph) and the minimum speed on record in a race for a French Bulldog is 6.84 mph (11.0 kmph).
Click here to see how the speed of the French Bulldog compares to the speed of other dogs and other mammals such as cats, horses, humans, etc.
Good Names for French Bulldogs
Here are some really good names that are typical for the French Bulldog ranked by popularity:
- Hank
- Koda
- Pierre
- French
- Jasper
- Diesel
- Dog
- Manhattan
- Floyd
- Albert
How Intelligent are French Bulldogs?
| French Bulldog | |
|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 58 out of 130 dog breeds |
| Trainability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 40 To 80 Repetitions! |
According to Prof. Stanley Coren, a Canadian psychology professor/dog trainer, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:
- Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence that comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that have been historically bred to be guard dogs will have a high `guarding` intelligence compared to dogs that were not bred for guarding.
- Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. You can improve your dog`s adaptive intelligence by investing time to train your dog.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence: This type of intelligence is breed-specific. Certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. This type of intelligence can be measured for each dog breed and compared to that of other dog breeds.
Professor Stanley Coren measured and ranked the working intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.
Prof. Coren found that the French Bulldog has an obedience intelligence rank of 58 out of 130 dog breeds. Thus, Prof. Coren put French Bulldogs in the `Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that French Bulldogs tend to learn new commands after 40 to 80 repetitions!.
However, we should mention that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone. There are other important factors you need to consider when deciding on which dog breed to get. These other factors include sociability, adorability, and compatibility of the dog breed with your lifestyle.
See the intelligence ranking of some other dog breeds below:
| Breed | Intelligence Rank |
|---|---|
| Border Collie | 1 |
| German Shepherd Dog | 3 |
| Miniature Schnauzer | 12 |
| Belgian Tervuren | 14 |
| Belgian Sheepdog | 15 |
| Brittany | 19 |
| Weimaraner | 21 |
| Irish Water Spaniel | 24 |
| Giant Schnauzer | 28 |
| Alaskan Malamute | 50 |
| Pug | 57 |
| French Bulldog | 58 |
| Old English Sheepdog | 63 |
| Bull Terrier | 66 |
| Chihuahua | 67 |
| Bullmastiff | 69 |
| Beagle | 72 |
| Bloodhound | 74 |
| Chow Chow | 76 |
| Basenji | 78 |
How Popular are French Bulldogs with New Dog Owners?
Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds.
The graph below shows the popularity trend of the French Bulldog.
The popularity of the French Bulldog averaged over the years is Number 5 out of about 200 dog breeds.
Do not get a dog breed just because it is a popular dog breed. And do not reject a dog breed just because it is an unpopular breed.
Health Problems in French Bulldogs and How to Prevent Them
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
The French Bulldog is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.
From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.
Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
If you want a French Bulldog puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your French Bulldog breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen French Bulldogs for:
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis
- Cardiac Evaluation
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Eye Examination- Annual recertification recommended
- Hip Dysplasia
- Patellar Luxation
- Tracheal Hypoplasia
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for French Bulldogs here.
How to Take Care of French Bulldog
To take good care of your French Bulldog, you need to make sure that you groom your French Bulldog regularly.
Secondly, you need to find a veterinarian in your area that will routinely check the health status of your French Bulldog regularly, and give you appropriate recommendations on your French Bulldog`s preventative care.
Thirdly, you need to commit some time to exercise your French Bulldog daily. Regular exercise helps improve the health and quality of life of your French Bulldog.
Also, you need to feed your French Bulldog high-quality dog food, and the food should be of the right amount to prevent your French Bulldog from getting overweight or underweight.
See our recommendations on what to feed the French Bulldog and how much food to feed the French Bulldog at different life stages.
Finally, you need to make sure that your French Bulldog has access to clean water all the time. See our recommendations on how much water your French Bulldog needs to drink at different ages.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to French Bulldogs
If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the French Bulldog.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the French Bulldog:
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (75 percent match with French Bulldog). Learn more about the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel here.
- Beaglier (74 percent match with French Bulldog). Learn more about the Beaglier here.
- Chihuahua (74 percent match with French Bulldog). Learn more about the Chihuahua here.
- Pug (83 percent match with French Bulldog). Learn more about the Pug here.
Other Things to Know About French Bulldogs
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the French Bulldog that you need to know about the French Bulldog breed:
