French Bulldog pros and cons
Owning a French Bulldog has advantages and disadvantages. One of the cons of owning a French Bulldog is the small size of the dog. Although French Bulldogs are conveniently sized, this is a sturdy dog that can be happy living in either an apartment or in a country home. French Bulldogs are popular in cities because this breed doesn't bark much and doesn't require a lot of exercise. The low exercise requirements make this breed easy to own. French Bulldogs have a calm and curious temperament that many Frenchie owners are so fond of. Another advantage of owning a French Bulldog breed is that Frenchies are friendly and make wonderful family pets. French Bulldogs are good with children and can be sociable with other pets with proper socialization. French Bulldogs make good companion dogs for the elderly. The short coat makes this breed relatively easy to care for, which is another advantage of owning a French Bulldog.
Disadvantages of owning a French Bulldog include a long list of potential health issues that this breed is susceptible to. Brachycephalic dogs such as French Bulldogs have problems with regulating their body temperature and can be vulnerable during very cold weather or during hot summer days. French Bulldogs have a short nose, and can snore during sleep. Frenchies can be difficult to train because of the stubborn streak in the breed's temperament. Another disadvantage of owning a Frenchie is that this breed is notoriously difficult to housetrain. Patience and positive motivation during training that includes treats and playtime are best approaches to training this somewhat stubborn breed. Although Frenchies do not require much exercise, they still need daily walks and mental stimulation during the day. Leaving a French Bulldog alone for long periods of time will result in various behavior problems as this companion breed requires human companionship most of the time.
French Bulldog size
French Bulldog weight:
French Bulldog male weight: from 16 to 28 lb (7 to 12 kg)
French Bulldog female weight: from 16 to 24 lb (7 to 10 kg)
French Bulldog size:
French Bulldog male height: up to 12 in (up to 30 cm)
French Bulldog female height: up to 12 in (up to 30 cm)
French Bulldog coat: short, smooth and fine
French Bulldog colors: the various shades of brindle, fawn, tan or white with brindle patches (known as "pied")
How many puppies do French Bulldogs have?
French Bulldog litter size: from 3 to 5 puppies
French Bulldog lifespan:
French Bulldog life span: from 10 to 12 years
How much does a French Bulldog cost?
French Bulldog price starts at $1,400 and up depending on many factors
 French Bulldog temperament
Pushed-in face, bat-like ears, the adorable snorting along with a charming and playful personality all belong to the irresistible French Bulldog breed. French Bulldog is the smallest type of Bulldog breed. Friendly and sociable temperament makes it easy for this small and sturdy dog to be a popular breed. French Bulldog makes a perfect pet for a family. Are French Bulldogs good with kids? French Bulldogs get along fine with older kids who can respect the dog's needs. Frenchie is a fun companion to play with, but he may be too laid back to engage in long, active games with kids that involve a lot of running. One of the biggest advantages to owning a French Bulldog is the breed's friendly and affectionate personality. Frenchies usually get along well with strangers and play nice with other dogs. Socialization with other animals and with people should start early in your French Bulldog's life. French Bulldog needs minimal exercise and as a result can be a wonderful companion for older adults. Frenchie needs an owner who is capable of showing leadership, otherwise the dog may become willful and stubborn. French Bulldogs have a tendency to be persistent and getting your French Bulldog's attention when the dog is busy with something may be a difficult task. This behavior can be corrected with proper training. French Bulldogs typically make a lot of snorting, snuffling, and wheezing noises, and they tend to snore when they sleep. French Bulldogs may be territorial when it comes to other dogs and pets. Be sure to socialize your French Bulldog starting at an early age. French Bulldogs are very popular in cities because they do really well in apartments. Though the breed doesn't need much exercise, French Bulldogs still need daily walks. Vigorous exercise is not recommended for this breed. French Bulldogs are not suitable for working families as the dog can get bored and destructive from boredom when left alone for hours on end. Keep your French Bulldog busy and entertained with dog toys. A stuffable chew toy can satisfy his desire to chew and you may throw some treats inside the toy to keep it interesting. Try a variety of dog toys to get an idea of which toys your dog prefers.
French Bulldog potty training
One of the cons of owning a French Bulldog is that this breed is not the easiest to potty train. House training should start the moment you bring the dog home. Pay close attention to French Bulldog's behavior and if you notice that the dog is pacing around in circles and sniffing the floor, immediately take the dog to the designated potty area where he can relieve himself. Praise the dog after he is done and give him a small treat right away to speed up the potty training process. During potty training expect accidents to happen. Do not punish the French Bulldog in case of an accident and casually clean up the mess. Punishing the dog will only result in slowing the housetraining process. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any accidents as any trace of dog urine smell will indicate to the dog that the area can be used as his toilet.
Be on the lookout for the dog's readiness for potty and continue to reward him when he relieves himelf in the designated dog toilet. Be patient as housetraining may take a while with a French Bulldog. Stay consistent and you will achieve good results. Most French Bulldog owners fail to housetrain their dog because they give up too soon. It takes at least a few weeks of consistent potty training to get the dog to understand what is required.
French Bulldog owners who live in an apartment may find that using an indoor dog toilet is a very convenient way to let your dog take care of his needs whenever he has to use a potty.
French Bulldog training
Before you bring a French Bulldog home, establish house rules and discuss these with all family members so that everyone is on the same page. Once your dog arrives, gently guide him to understand what he can and can not do in your house. For example, owners who do not want the dog on the couch need to be firm and there should be no exceptions to the rule. Allowing the dog on a couch one day and then not allowing the dog on the couch the following day can be confusing for the dog.
French Bulldogs can be stubborn and as a result they are not easily trainable. As with most dog breeds, males may be slightly more dominant in personality and may be slightly more stubborn than females. French Bulldogs respond well to positive training tactics, including small treats as rewards.
As with any dog breed, French Bulldog will benefit from learning the basic obedience commands such as "No!", "Sit", "Down", "Heal", etc. French Bulldogs are much easier to train when the trainer is seen as a pack leader, otherwise you will witness a lot of resistance to being trained. Stubborn and easily bored French Bulldogs need a very patient trainer. Walk your French Bulldog prior to training to get a better attention span from your dog. Keep training sessions short and positive. Do not get discouraged with a slow training progress. It does take a lot of patience to get your French Bulldog trained and starting basic obedience when the dog is still a puppy can make the job easier for you and for your dog. Do not give up because your persistence and consistence will eventually pay off. It is truly a pleasure to own a well-mannered French Bulldog.
If you are planning to get a crate for your French Bulldog, there are many options on the market. French Bulldog crate size should be large enough for the dog to easily turn around and stand in. The dog should be able to stretch out comfortably in the crate. If a crate is too big, the dog may be tempted to use the extra space as his toilet, which is not desirable. A puppy may not need as much space in a crate as an adult French Bulldog and you can use a separator to decrease the amount of space for the puppy if you got a crate that fits an adult Frenchie. Crate should be used as the dog's sleeping area, where the dog can relax and enjoy peaceful rest. Do not leave the dog locked in the crate for more than a couple of hours at a time. Walk the French Bulldog before you put him in the crate to give the dog a chance to relieve himself. Provide the dog with some chewing toys so he can get some entertainment. Never place your dog in the crate as a punishment as the dog will get a negative association with the crate. The crate is used as his safe haven and not as a way to punish the dog. Traveling with a pet is much easier if the French Bulldog is crate trained. A crate trained French Bulldog is usually less stressed out by the trip because he is traveling in a familiar environment. The dog is also safer in a crate during travel as he is in an enclosed area.
French Bulldog shedding
Do French Bulldogs shed? French Bulldogs do shed, but their shedding is not as abundant compared to many other dog breeds, which is a significant advantage to owning this breed. Grooming your French Bulldog is relatively easy. To manage French Bulldog's shedding, be sure to brush his coat once every two or three days. Brushing the dog's coat helps to remove the dead hairs and to distribute the natural coat oils that make the coat look healthy and shiny. There are excellent tools available on the market that will help you manage and control your Frenchie's shedding.
A furminator deshedding tool for dogs with short coat is among the most useful tools for managing French Bulldog's shedding.
French Bulldog care
Brush your French Bulldog's teeth every day to keep his teeth healthy for years to come. More than fifty percent of all dogs develop dental issues by the age of two years old. Healthy teeth are important for your dog's overall health. Brushing your Frenchie's teeth doesn't just help to freshen his breath but also removes the unsightly plaque that will eventually harden into a yellow crust, called tartar. Tartar harbors plenty of harmful bacteria and will negatively affect your dog's dental and overall health. To prevent tartar from forming, start getting your dog accustomed to having his teeth brushed from puppyhood.
It is important to only use canine toothpaste as human toothpaste is not safe for dogs.
Bathe the French Bulldog when needed and use canine shampoo for washing your French Bulldog. Human shampoo has a different pH balance and may irritate a dog's skin.
Keep the facial wrinkles dry, wipe the skin folds every day with a soft tissue. French Bulldog skin folds may harbor bacteria that needs to be removed regularly to prevent skin infections or irritation from developing. See video below to learn how to care for your Frenchie's wrinkles and how to remove his eye stains.
French Bulldog wrinkles can be wiped with pet wipes designed to take care of the facial folds on dogs such as the French Bulldog.
Some dogs experience dry nose during cold winter months. If you notice that your French Bulldog's nose is getting dry, a nose butter for dogs can help.
French Bulldog is an indoor breed and is not heat tolerant. This breed should not be exposed to high temperatures as they can not efficiently cool themselves off and regulate their body temperature due to short muzzle. French Bulldogs are banned from Airlines after some of the dogs died in-flight. Frenchie is a brachycephalic breed, meaning it is flat-faced and as a result it can not regulate its body temperature well.
Just like their distant cousins English Bulldogs, the French Bulldogs can not swim. If you have a swimming pool, be sure to supervise your dog at all times.
French Bulldog clothes
French Bulldog's single short coat makes the breed vulnerable to cold weather. Be sure to dress your dog in a winter coat that will keep the dog warm during the cold winter weather.
To protect your French Bulldog's feet from ice and chemicals during the winter, keep his feet in water resistant dog shoes. If your dog doesn't have winter shoes, be sure to wipe his feet with a wet towel after the dog walks on roads covered with ice melting chemicals. The ice melting chemicals may burn skin on the dog's feet and it is important to wipe the French Bulldog's feet after each walk.
French Bulldog health issues
Why are French Bulldogs so expensive? Here are some of the reasons contributing the the high price of French Bulldogs. French Bulldogs need to be artificially inseminated as the physiology doesn't allow for the male dog to successfully mount the female. Inability to naturally give birth is something that each French Bulldog owner needs to be aware of. Your veterinarian will need to perform a C-section once your female French Bulldog is ready to give birth. All these factors make the breeding more difficult and as a result more expensive.
French Bulldogs are also predisposed to back problems such as Intervertebral disc disease. The disease occurs when the cushion between one or more vertebrae slips or ruptures. This causes the disc to press on the spinal cord. If your dog is suddenly unable or unwilling to jump up, go up stairs, is reluctant to move around, has a hunched back, cries out, or refuses to eat or go potty, the animal is likely in severe pain. Some dogs may even drag back feet or be suddenly paralyzed and unable to get up or use back legs. If you see symptoms, get in touch with your veterinarian immediately.
Best dog food for French Bulldogs
Feed your French Bulldog a high-quality age-appropriate dog food. There are breed specific dog food options for French Bulldogs that address the dog's nutritional needs.
Avoid feeding your dog with human food as human food does not provide the dog with all the nutrients that the dog needs to stay healthy. Do not overfeed your French Bulldog. If your French Bulldog is overweight, an easy way to reduce portion size is to replace up to one-third of a meal with a vegetable, such as green beans. It will fill his belly but with less calories.
French Bulldog origin
Surprisingly, the French Bulldog breed actually comes from England. During the industrial revolution, English artisan workers, especially the lace makers wanted little companions around to improve the quality of their lives. They turned first to the dwarf version of the English Bulldog. Then crossed that with a Pug and a Terrier. The resulting breed was named the French Bulldog because when the Industrial Revolution started and businesses started to rely on machines more and more, the lace makers started to move to France. They took their French Bulldogs with them when they moved to France and named the breed the French Bulldog. This breed was a popular pet of Parisian prostitutes and then became popular with fashionable ladies who considered it daring to have a prostitute's dog.
American Kennel Club ranked the French Bulldog as the eleventh most popular dog breed in the United States in 2013. The rise in popularity was truly dramatic from fifty fourth place only a decade before.
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