French bulldog standards

Mandatory tail docking for French Bulldogs was abolished in 1992. when the member countries of the European Union adopted the Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals. In Russia, this document has not been ratified, and owners continue to cut their dogs' tails. This is often required for medical reasons. The procedure is carried out at 3 days of age.

The French Bulldog belongs to the group of companion dogs. Compliance with breed standards is usually required for exhibition. Standard characteristics for the French are set by the FCI. They describe and establish requirements not only for the dog’s physique and coat color.

The bulldog standard describes:

coat structure;
color of the iris, nose and claws;
ear shape;
tail shape;
dog movements;
features of behavior and character, etc.

In addition, the international standard establishes a list of deficiencies and disqualifying defects. Further in the article, what a standard French bulldog should look like.

Breed parameters (weight, height)

The Frenchie's body weight depends on gender. Thus, males can weigh from 9 to 14 kilograms, and females - from 8 to 13 kilograms. In this case, a slight excess of 300-500 grams is acceptable.

The height at the withers of male Frenchies ranges from 26 to 35 centimeters. The height of females is from 23 to 32 centimeters. As in the case of weight, it is allowed to exceed or decrease the indicator within one centimeter.

Exterior

Head

The French Bulldog can have three types of skull – square, narrow and heavy. In this case, only a square head fits the standard. In addition, folds and wrinkles should be clearly visible. In the place where the ears are located, the skull is wider. The forehead of a standard Frenchman is rounded, resembling a dome in shape.

Muzzle

The muzzle of a purebred dog is short and wide. Symmetrical folds are distributed over the surface of the muzzle.

Bite

According to the standard, the French must have an overbite - a bite characterized by the location of the lower incisors in front of the upper ones. Another name for this bite is “bulldog jaw.” The only thing is that it is unacceptable for the teeth to be visible.

Powerful jaws (both upper and lower) combined with a short, strong neck provide the bulldog with amazing grip strength. Franz is capable of clenching his jaw for a very long time, holding some “victim” in his teeth. Only the owner's command forces them to loosen their grip.

Front legs

According to the standard, the front paws of a bulldog have the following characteristics:

Short length. There cannot be a standard French Bulldog with long legs.
The paws are parallel and widely spaced. When standing, they are slightly moved to the sides.
The muscles of the forelimbs are powerful.
Elbows are pressed to the body.
The paws are round, collected in a “lump”.
The claws are strong. The color of the claws depends on the color of the coat: in brindle Frenchies they are black, and in fawn or spotted ones they are light.

This structure of the front paws leads to rapid fatigue of the Frenchie after walking. The fact is that the load that is intended for the bones is transferred to the muscles.

Hind legs

The bulldog's hind legs are longer than the front legs. The muscles are also well defined. Due to the difference in paw length, the back of the Frenchie's body is slightly higher.

If you examine the Frenchie's hind legs from behind, you will notice:

muscularity of the thighs. In addition, they are wide;
hock joints set low;
paws less rounded.

Back

The Frenchman's back is wide at the shoulders, harmoniously tapering towards the hips. When viewed from above, the back is pear-shaped. The length of the back ranges from 27 to 40 centimeters. It depends on the gender and age of the dog.

Tail

French Bulldogs are born with a short tail. The shape of the tail depends on the location of the vertebrae and can be different. For example, the tail can be a “corkscrew”, “knot”, etc.

According to the standard, it is not the shape of the tail that is more important, but its location. So, the correct tail is set low. If, during an excited state, the Frenchie's tail begins to rise higher than the back line, this is a fault in the breed.

Coat color

The bulldog's coat should lie close to the body, be short and thick. The wool is soft to the touch. Wavy or long fur is not allowed.

The standard provides for three types of correct color for a Frenchie:

Pale yellow. This is a whole group of colors, which includes all sorts of shades from bright red to coffee.
Spotted. With this color, the main color of the Frenchie is white. The spots should be large. At the same time, dogs with pure white fur are also considered spotted.
Brindle. Tiger fur is a mixture of red and black of varying intensities. In this case, different degrees of displacement of one color by another are acceptable.

Behavior and character

French bulldogs are dogs with a balanced disposition. Even despite the occasional desire to get involved in a fight, the French are peace-loving dogs. But lack of education or improper training will lead to the pet being either cowardly or overly aggressive.

In addition, the Frenchman cannot stand being alone for long periods of time and always misses his owner. This is a sociable dog who loves to spend time with his family. Even if the dog is offended, it is easy to appease him with affection and love.

Frenchies get along easily with small children and other pets. However, male Frenchies are not averse to getting into a fight. The small size of a dog does not mean small strength. In fact, the French bulldog is a very strong and loyal dog.

Vitamins for health

For the healthy development of a dog, vitamins are necessary:

Vitamins E, H, C. Responsible for normalizing the reproductive ability of the body, tidying up the skin and fat metabolism processes.
Vitamin A. Promotes puppy growth, improved vision and nervous system function.
Vitamin B9. Allows coat development, prevents anemia, increases hematopoietic processes.
Vitamin B6. Improves protein metabolism, maintains the optimal amount of hemoglobin.
Vitamin D. Promotes optimal bone development, takes part in phosphorus-calcium metabolism.

The bulldog's diet includes fish oil and mineral supplements added to the dog's food. With a natural diet, an additional vitamin course may be required. It is better to consult a veterinarian about the usefulness of the products.

Advantages and disadvantages of bulldogs

This breed has many advantages:

Possibility of living in apartment conditions. The French Bulldog is a toy dog, so it does not require a huge amount of space.
Ease of transportation. Compact sizes make it easy to hold the dog in your arms.
Love of life and activity.
Developed ingenuity.
Adaptation to any conditions of detention.
Vigilance and attentiveness. The French Bulldog is a real live alarm. The dog will always let the owner know if he hears strange and suspicious sounds.
Franz is trainable. This is a smart breed. And the bulldog’s fighting origins and muscular body create the image of a real defender. With proper training, you can keep your dog's aggression under control and direct it in the right direction.
Ease of care. Since the bulldog has short hair, it practically does not get dirty and does not smell. And combing a short coat of fur is very easy.

Of course, like any breed, the French Bulldog has several disadvantages:

The Frenchman does not tolerate frost and heat well. Therefore, in hot weather, the bulldog is not walked, and in cold weather, warm suits are put on the dog.
Tendency to fungus. If you do not inspect the folds and deep wrinkles on the Frenchie's face, they may develop fungus or skin diseases. You need to regularly wipe hard-to-reach places with a damp cloth.
The special structure of the respiratory system leads to constant snoring. In addition, the French are prone to flatulence and excessive salivation.
Milk intolerance.
Due to its heavy skull, the French Bulldog is a poor swimmer.
Intolerance of loneliness. If the owner pays little attention to the pet, he will begin to take revenge. For example, he will make a mess in the apartment and start biting.
Often fights with other animals.

Aftercare

If the tail is cut off on a tiny puppy, the wound will heal quickly.
In this case, special care is not needed.

But it is better to keep puppies separate from their mother, bringing them for food.

This is necessary to prevent the dog from licking the wound at the docking site.

For the bed, disposable multi-layer diapers are used. Light ones are better, because they will be noticeable if the wound starts to bleed. Then you need to treat the area with hydrogen peroxide. If the operation was performed under general anesthesia, then the animal must be monitored for two to three hours.

Consequences may include vomiting, convulsions and trembling. Then you need to put the dog on its side, cover it, monitor its condition, put a bowl of water next to it - the dog will be thirsty. If the healing process goes well, the sutures are removed after two weeks. The owner must constantly monitor the condition of the stump and treat the wound, disinfecting it. If there is blood, inflammation, or fever, you should contact a veterinarian. It is also recommended to put a special “Catherine’s” collar on the dog; it will prevent the wound from being licked and getting infected in this way.

Disqualifying vices of the French

The presence of the following external defects will not allow the French Bulldog to participate in dog shows:

different colors of irises;
the nose is not black;
malocclusion: straight, scissor;
when the jaws close, fangs are visible;
cleft lip;
the ears are not standing;
dewclaws. Typically, the dewclaw is the thumb, which is located above the foot. It is a vestigial part of the body, that is, it does not perform any functions;
incorrect coat color;
no tail or docked tail;
cryptorchidism (both bilateral and unilateral).

Behavior, temperament

French bulldogs are easy-going, sociable and kind dogs. They learn basic commands very well. They get along quite well with other pets if they are properly raised from an early age.

Until 5-6 years of age, these are very active and curious creatures; in maturity they become calmer and quieter.

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Questions and answers

What should a French Bulldog be like?
By standard, the French Bulldog is a stocky, compact dog with powerful short legs, a large skull and a wrinkled muzzle. The normal bite of a Frenchie is an underbite. There should also be erect ears and short hair that lies close to the body.

What kind of tail should a French Bulldog have?

French Bulldogs are born with a short tail. The tail can be a “corkscrew”, “knot”, etc. But according to the standard, it is not the shape of the tail that is more important, but its location. The correct tail is set low.

Historical reference

More recently, namely on April 9, 2015, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) released a new standard for the French Bulldog breed. The history of the origin of this breed is very confusing. According to one version, it traces its roots to the Molossians, widely known since the times of the Roman Empire . It is also believed that the English Alans are related to its origin.

This is interesting! The French Bulldog we know today is the result of numerous breedings carried out by enthusiastic breeders in poor areas of Paris in the 1880s. In those days, the ancestors of these dogs were kept by porters and traders in Parisian markets, butchers and coachmen. These dogs warned of strangers with loud barks and also successfully caught rats.

But soon, thanks to their exotic appearance and flexible character, they were able to gain popularity among representatives of high society and artistic bohemia. The popularity of the breed grew rapidly and spread very quickly outside of France.

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