French Bulldog
The bat ears came over with English lace makers' small bulldogs when the trade moved to France. Front heavy and flat faced, so it cannot swim at all.
Photo by Xvacv10 at cs.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Overview
The French Bulldog descends from small bulldogs taken to France by Nottingham lace makers in the nineteenth century, where they were crossed with local terriers and became a Parisian fashion. It is now among the most popular breeds in the world.
UK data gives it a life expectancy at birth of 4.53 years, which is the shortest of any breed studied, against an overall figure for UK dogs of 11.23 years. That number is the most important thing on this page.
Temperament
Affectionate, comic and thoroughly people oriented. Frenchies are good with children, playful without being energetic, and they are excellent company.
They are stubborn and not especially trainable, responding to food and patience. They are also velcro dogs that struggle badly when left alone. Nothing about the temperament is the problem with this breed, which is precisely why the health picture needs stating plainly.
Care and grooming
A short coat with a weekly brush, plus daily cleaning of the facial folds and, in many dogs, the tail pocket.
Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome is common and often needs surgery. The screw tail is associated with vertebral malformations and spinal disease. Intervertebral disc disease occurs at high rates, as does skin disease and eye ulceration. Most litters are delivered by caesarean.
Living and exercise
Twenty to thirty minutes a day, split, and never in heat. Frenchies overheat fast and they cannot swim, sinking rather than floating.
If you want this breed, the buying decision is the whole decision. Look for a longer muzzle, open nostrils, a dog that can exercise without noise, and a breeder who health tests and will discuss BOAS grading. Those dogs exist and they live longer.
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