French bulldogs are a prime example of why you shouldn't judge a dog by its appearance.
A little formidable, due to the folds and peculiar furrows on the muzzle, the appearance of the “Frenchies” does not fit in with their kindness, cheerful disposition and lack of aggression.
The multi-faceted nature of these dogs makes them wonderful life partners.
Especially for those who decide to have such a four-legged friend, however, you need to be prepared for some inconveniences.
Let's look at everything in detail.
Characteristics and breed standard
The French Bulldog is a Molosser dog, small in size, with smooth coat. The head is massive, the nose is slightly upturned, but set flat. The body is visually out of proportion with the head, short legs, massive wide body.
Height: 27 – 35 cm;
Weight : 8 -14 kg.
Color: May have random white spots; can be plain white, brown, brown-black.
Additional characteristics: the ears are small, medium wide at the base, their ends are narrowed, but slightly rounded. The neck is short, the head is pressed to the body. The body is wide, muscular, the chest is massive at the base, while the pelvis of French bulldogs is narrowed, the stomach is moderately tucked.
It is considered a disadvantage:
- Too small, narrow nose or too wide and large;
- Unclosed lips, visible incisors, malocclusion;
- Constantly protruding tongue, frequent mouth breathing;
- Suspension (the head seems to hang);
- Light eyes, too noticeable whites or eyes of completely different colors;
- Cropped ears and tail.
Will moderate severity offend a puppy?
It’s rare that someone manages to raise a dog (even if this happens, not with every pet), using only rewards. For example, these will be treats, praise. For the most part, dog owners are convinced that it is impossible to do without punishment.
If you pay attention to your puppy, play with him, spend a lot of time together, and don’t forget about appropriate praise, then he won’t even remember about strict educational measures. Dogs understand everything well, but it takes time to establish close contact.
History of the French Bulldog
The name of the breed “bulldog” speaks for itself: in ancient Greece, the ancestors of these dogs participated in tournaments - in fights with bulls. From the English “ bull ” - bull and “ dog ” - dog.
As for French bulldogs themselves, their history is quite complex and ambiguous. Before conquering the hearts of dog breeders, this breed had to overcome many difficulties.
Rumor has it that the real ancestors of the French were bred in medieval Spain (which is confirmed by some documentary facts, in particular, a bronze plate with a portrait of a dog similar to a bulldog from 1625).
Many of the data were inherited from the English bulldog, which was adopted by dog lovers already in the 18th century. But after the revolution in England, many Englishmen migrated to Europe, and especially to France. Thus, the bulldog appeared in France.
Owner reviews
Nikolai, 34 years old: “The bulldog appeared with us quite recently, but has already become everyone’s favorite. Children adore him, and he willingly plays with them. A very loyal and understanding dog."
Oksana, 27 years old: “Our Frenchman loves to eat, sleep and chew on toys. The breed is prone to obesity, so you need to monitor its diet and not give too much food, otherwise health problems may arise.”
Elena, 42 years old: “My daughter gave me a bulldog, and he immediately won me over! He behaves very well-mannered: he doesn’t chew shoes, he doesn’t bark for no reason. The only negative is poor health.”
To read: Characteristics of the Dogo Canary breed, cost of the dog
Temperament and character
The character of an adult French Bulldog is quite moderate, calm, and balanced . This breed has pros and cons.
As puppies, these little balls are lively and playful. They are so lively and playful that if you don't watch them closely, these hooligans will turn the house upside down. But with age, the “French” calm down and become more passive. They need active games, but outbursts of playfulness are rare.
A huge plus of the character of this breed is kindness, hospitality, friendliness, and love for children. If guests are on the doorstep, then this dog will not bark at them, but on the contrary, he will kindly introduce himself. The French love attention from both guests and hosts. As for other pets in the house, conflicts rarely occur.
The disadvantages of these dogs are pride. Some individuals are even vindictive, and if you offend them, they can remember this offense for the rest of their lives.
The next disadvantage is excessive laziness, which arises thanks to the owner. Of course, calmness and moderation are inherent in the breed, but at least sometimes you need to play with the dog.
The French Bulldog is good for those who are constantly busy with business and worries, and cannot devote much time to the dog. It is not for lovers of an active lifestyle : it is difficult to imagine a French bulldog on a hike or running after its owner on a bicycle.
Breed traits
Breed traits (on a 5-point scale)
| French Bulldog | |||
| Activity | in the house | 2.3 | |
| on the street | 2.4 | ||
| Obedience | training | 2.6 | |
| strangers | 3.1 | ||
| Domination | in family | 1.4 | |
| over dogs | 3.2 | ||
| Defending your territory | from people | 1.2 | |
| from dogs | 3 | ||
| Sociability | in family | 5 | |
| with strangers | 4.8 | ||
| with dogs | 3.8 | ||
| Concentration | in family | 1.1 | |
| in front of strangers | 1.2 | ||
| with dogs | 1.7 | ||
| Aggressiveness | in family | 1.1 | |
| to strangers | 1.2 | ||
| to the dogs | 2.7 | ||
| to cats | 2.6 | ||
| Family behavior | calmness | 3.2 | |
| demand for affection | 4.4 | ||
| excitability | 3.3 | ||
| playfulness | 4.2 | ||
| excessive barking | 1.8 | ||
| behavioral breakdowns | 1.7 | ||
| Tolerance for children | up to 4 years | 4.2 | |
| over 4 years old | 4.3 | ||
| Institutional use | watchman | 3.3 | |
| bodyguard | 1.3 | ||
This breed is often compared to the following dog breeds: English Bulldog, Beagle, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Jack Russell Terrier, Pug.
Maintenance and care
The Bulldog does not require special care. To make your pet's coat shiny and smooth, simply brush the coat with a special brush. After walks, it is best to dry your dog with a damp, warm terry towel to clean up your pet and remove dust and dirt.
As for bathing itself, this procedure is best done 3-4 times a year . Also, you should pay special attention to the claws, ears, and folds on the face.
French bulldogs do not tolerate heat well , so it is best to walk them early in the morning or in the evening.
If we talk about feeding, you can use both dry food and natural food. Dry food should be exclusively premium.
Conclusion
Now you are familiar with the main features of the positive and negative qualities of the French Bulldog breed. If you have the strength, patience and desire, then feel free to purchase such a pet.
Remember - any minus of a dog can easily turn into a plus with proper care, education and endless love on your part.
What is your dog's character? Please share with us in the comments. Your opinion is important to us.
If you liked the article, please like it.
Major diseases
The health of a pet depends on nutrition, living conditions and care. Under good conditions, representatives of the breed live 10-12 years .
The French are susceptible to quite serious diseases. This applies to diseases of the spine, eyes, and skin. A congenital bone disease in the French Bulldog is osteochondrodysplasia, which is poor development of the bone skeleton in dogs; slow growth. Also, there are anomalies of the spine - curvatures, displacement of discs. Such diseases are often congenital, but can also occur as a result of a blow or fall.
Advantages of a dog
The first advantage of dogs of this breed is the compact size of the animal. Even owners of small apartments can afford to have a small pet. To keep a French bulldog, it will be enough to allocate a small corner.
Representatives of this breed will fit perfectly on their owner’s lap and will happily lie next to them on an armchair. They will be able to adapt to any conditions of detention.
But the small size of a dog does not mean limited abilities. Quite the contrary - the French bulldog will become an excellent guard, barking to report suspicious noises or the arrival of strangers.
And he will make a good defender. The serious expression of the muzzle, the muscular body and the hoarse bark of the pet will be able to scare away anyone who dares to threaten the peace of its owner. He can also prove himself in battle.
If you put some effort into raising and training a dog, then over time it will begin to show aggression only in an emergency. The rest of the time, the French Bulldog will be indifferent to other animals during a walk.
In general, dogs of this breed do not bark over trifles when at home. This is also a great advantage, especially for owners living in an apartment - there will be no unnecessary quarrels with neighbors over another sleepless night due to a noisy pet.
Among all its characteristics, the French bulldog has such an interesting feature as a naturally broken tail. Therefore, there is no need to specifically stop it (cut off a part).
Since representatives of this breed have a short coat, it will be easy to care for. Wool can be combed quickly and easily, without the use of special tools. It is enough to purchase a comb to comb out dead hairs. In addition to all this, these dogs do not need to be bathed often - their fur does not get particularly dirty, and it does not have a specific dog smell. Therefore, you can refuse the services of grooming salons.
The French Bulldog easily gets along with children and loves to play with them, but within reason. It is better to keep an eye on such games so that no one gets hurt.
Nature has endowed dogs of this breed with intelligence, curiosity and ingenuity. This, combined with their calm nature, makes them smart friends, loyal and obedient. Of course, if laziness and stubbornness do not prevail in the animal’s character. But this can be solved with the help of timely education and training with the obligatory element of reward in the form of treats.
Among the positive characteristics of the French Bulldog, it is worth noting that he has a sense of humor. If the owner is sad, the pet will be able to feel it and try to cheer him up.
It would take a long time to list the advantages of the French Bulldog breed. Especially if you describe each pet individually: some have certain characteristics, others have others. But, unfortunately, there are no animals without disadvantages. Now let's look at the negative qualities of this breed.
Loyalty to the owner
Like all other molossoids, French bulldogs are characterized by exceptional devotion to their owners. Having become attached to someone with their soul and all their small, but faithful and brave hearts, these dogs will be faithful to this person until the last minute of their lives. They will miss their owner when he goes to work or study, and upon his return he will be greeted as joyfully as if he had spent many years apart from his owner.
These dogs do not take well to foster care or living in a dog boarding house, and they also do not like to be left alone.
Bulldogs are so sociable that they are ready to accept signs of favor towards their person not only from their owners, but also from guests who come to the house, or from passers-by on the street. Not all owners like this attitude towards strangers, and some owners of “Frenchies” even consider their dogs “traitors.” But, in fact, the bulldog still values his owner very much. Simply, the desire to be in the center of attention makes him very open to communication with strangers.
Determining your role in the pack
Regardless of its age, the dog perceives the family of its owners as a pack that must have a leader. In her understanding, it is impossible for a pack to survive without a leader. Therefore, to ensure all members survive and achieve a better life, the pet strives to take the place of leader.
Natural instincts make a dog challenge you to see if you are strong enough to deserve to be the leader. The puppy first tries to find out his chances of leadership at approximately 4-6 months of age. For example, he may growl when wiping his paws after a walk or when his owners approach a bowl of food. Sometimes the dog may even “signalize” the bite. There is no need to be afraid of this behavior - this is done to find out who is in charge in the pack. Only a strong leader can ensure survival and protection.
Although the determination of leadership is a natural phenomenon for dogs, this does not mean that coexistence will turn into a struggle for dominance in the family. You just need to always get what you want from your pet. It is important to maintain self-confidence. Dogs do not like weak-willed individuals who do not have their own opinions.
Security qualities
A French bulldog can become a good guard for an apartment . Indeed, despite its small size, it is fearless, and its hoarse bark, reminiscent of the voice of a large dog, can scare off an intruder who encroaches on the safety of the owner or the safety of his property. Bulldogs are not inclined to bark at the slightest noise, and if an intruder decides to break into the house, most likely, the dog will not waste time barking at him, but will immediately try to bite.
At the same time, in ordinary life the “French” are not at all malicious. They will never attack passers-by on the street or guests who come to the house. These dogs understand perfectly well when aggression is appropriate and when such actions should be refrained.
French bulldogs do not know how to correctly assess the degree of danger and often get into fights with larger dogs or other obviously stronger opponents.
Therefore, the owner, if he is nearby at the time of the conflict and sees that the pet can be seriously injured in a fight, needs to intervene and stop him.
Intelligence
French Bulldogs are smart enough to understand commands they learn. But they are in no hurry to carry them out as soon as they hear them. And the point here is not stubbornness or, especially, harmful character. Simply, this breed was bred not as a service breed, but as a companion, focused primarily on communicating with the owner.
One of the main qualities that confirms the high intelligence of the “French” is their unique sense of humor, which is why they are often called “the clowns of the dog world.”
Even the fact that these dogs bark only out of necessity, when, for example, they need to draw the attention of their owners to something, is a sign that they are characterized by intelligence and intelligence. Yes, the French Bulldog will never make a working dog that flawlessly follows commands as soon as it hears them. But on the other hand, he perfectly knows how to understand life situations and, in accordance with this, builds his behavior and full communication with people.
