Playful, smart, adaptable, and completely irresistible, just a few choice words that
accurately describe the French Bulldog.
The Frenchie will make you laugh.
He's a charming, clever dog with a sense of humor and a stubborn streak.
Bred for centuries as a companion, he's gained so much popularity that he’s fast becoming
the city-dwellers' dog of choice.
Hi, welcome to Animal Facts.
Today, we look at the Bat-eared but oddly beautiful, French Bulldog.
Let’s get started.
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10.
The “bouldogge Francais,” as he is known in his adopted home country of France, actually
originated in England, in the city of Nottingham.
Small bulldogs were popular pets with the local laceworkers, keeping them company and
ridding their workrooms of rats.
After the industrial revolution, lacemaking became mechanized and many of the laceworkers
lost their jobs.
Some of them moved to France, where their skills were in demand, and of course, they
took their beloved dogs with them.
The dogs were equally popular with French shopkeepers and eventually took on the name
of their new country.
9.
The French Bulldog is known for his "bat" ears.
Early in the breed's history, though, one could find many Frenchies with "rose" ears,
folded over like an English bulldog's.
American breeders decided early on that bat ears should be considered the standard, because
they are more distinctive.
Since then, rose ears on a French bulldog have been a disqualifying characteristic according
to the American Kennel Club's breed standard.
8.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the French Bulldog became popular with members
of the Paris bohemian class: ladies of the night, artists, writers such as the novelist
Colette, and wealthy Americans doing the Grand Tour.
Impressionist artist Toulouse Lautrec even put a Frenchie in one of his paintings, “Le
Marchand des Marrons.”
The Frenchie has gained rapidly in popularity in more recently.
Today, the breed ranks 6th among the breeds registered by the American Kennel Club, up
from 71st in 2000, a testament to his qualities as a companion.
7.
He didn’t always have it so easy though.
The Great Depression was rather tough on purebred dogs in general and Frenchies in particular.
The breed dwindled to just a handful of registered dogs by 1940 and it was another forty years
before they recovered fully.
After World War I the decline of the breed was swift, partly due to the rise of a hardier
breed less susceptible to heat and that had similar looks and charm: the Boston terrier.
By the 1980s new breeders came to the forefront, energizing the show world and registrations
rose exponentially.
6.
A French bulldog is able to be happy in any housing.
This breed is suitable for city life because no large yard is required.
He is not meant to be a jogging companion, but he is always willing to go for a brisk
walk.
The French bulldog does not require a lot of food, and his short coat is easy to keep
clean.
The Frenchie snorts and snores, but somehow it's part of his appeal.
5.
Hollywood seems to be cashing in on the irresistible appeal of French bulldogs.
The breed can be found in lots of movies and TV shows from the past decade or so.
The list includes "From Hell" (2001), "Bringing Down the House" (2003), "Secondhand Lions"
(2003) and "Due Date" (2010).
A French Bulldog even portrayed Gamin de Pycombe in James Cameron's mega-popular "Titanic"
film.
Gamin de Pycombe was a champion show dog that unfortunately perished with the sinking of
the real RMS Titanic.
4.
Frenchies find themselves on the no-fly list.
French Bulldogs are a brachycephalic breed, like English Bulldogs and Boston Terriers,
meaning they have shorter snouts than other dogs.
These pushed-in faces can lead to a variety of breathing and overheating problems.
This facial structure, coupled with high stress and uncomfortably warm temperatures, can lead
to fatal situations for dogs with smaller snouts.
Many breeds like bulldogs and pugs have perished while flying, so as a result, many airlines
have banned them.
3.
His love of play and relaxed attitude carry over into his training sessions.
The French Bulldog is intelligent, and training him is easy as long as you make it seem like
a game and keep it fun.
He is a free thinker and is not an ideal breed for competing in obedience or agility, although
some have risen to the challenge.
This freethinking approach can also lead to a stubborn nature, and if he decides to dig
in his heels there is no budging him.
2.
The French Bulldogs makes a wonderful watchdog, but he can become territorial.
He also likes being the center of attention, which can lead to behavioral problems if he
is overindulged.
1.
When a baby orangutan named Malone was abandoned by his mother, the Twycross Zoo in England
didn’t know if he would make it.
Luckily, a 9-year-old French bulldog named Bugsy stepped in and took care of the little
guy.
The pair became fast friends and would even fall asleep together.
When Malone was big enough, he joined the other orangutans at the zoo.
Well, there ya have it.
Wow, what an incredible breed with such an interesting past.
We love hearing about your pooches, so tell us all about your Frenchie in the comments
below.
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