This dog was born and bred in England for a warm companionship. He was also a ratter. City folks have a greater demand in the French Bulldogs.
In fact, bat eared Frenchies are smaller version of the English Bulldogs. He earned his French name moving into France where he obtained a bigger popularity.
His even temperament and little grooming requirements along with a cute appearance has immensely contributed to his celebrity status among the small dog breeds. He will accompany you in both sports and relaxation. The French Bulldog is a perfect apartment dog who seldom barks.
French Bulldog personality:
This is an adaptable and playful dog. Actually, he is there to love you. The French Bulldog likes to spend time with you. This is an attention seeker but not a jealous dog. Frankly, he does not make too much of a noise except for an emergency.
A barking dog seldom bites’ does not apply to the French Bulldog. He rarely barks and never bites. His social skills make him a true enchanter. They grow up well in any family as they are fitting companions for the old and the young alike.
You can safely make an outing with him. He behaves well with your guests and the strangers. In truth, their physical structure does not permit too much movement.
But they will follow the ball during a game. Their utmost interest rests on the sofa where he can spend hours at a stretch. The French Bulldogs are loyal to the attentive audience and his loyalty might get shifted if you fail to pay heed.
Most importantly, this dog can amicably accompany your child. Their adaptability literally knows no bounds. They will immediately get used to a completely different environment. On the stubbornness sector, Frenchies do very well. They will become headstrong only because of your indifference to their art.
Otherwise, they are even tempered. You can bring in a new pet and your Frenchie will barely make a fuss about it.
Measure French Bulldog smartness:
He is an easy going dog. His primary job is to happily staying beside you. In this regard, he has few capable competitors. He knows exactly how to put a smiling face on you.
But in an overall consideration, he does not come close to the most intelligent dog breeds. Clownish activities are the biggest weapons in his arsenal and he excels in the job. Interestingly, this dog ranks 58th position in the dog intelligence ranking prepared by Professor Stanley Coren.
Physical deformity is often a big bar in developing the capacity. His inconsiderate adaptability may spring from his indifference or inability to distinguish between two different places. This small dog knows the art of amusing children. His social encounters, on the other hand, eave a mark on the audience.
In short, French Bulldogs are bred to be the finest of the companions and they are superior social charmers.
What & how to feed:
French Bulldogs need two to four meals daily considering his age. 1-1.5 Cups of highly nutritious food is enough for his basic appetite.
You have to trim down the amount of treat you provide him based on his activities and level of metabolism. Too much food will rapidly lead him to obesity which is often fatal for them. Be especially careful on fatty items. They should have a weight below 28 pounds.
Otherwise, there will appear some genetic diseases. Protein is a vital ingredient maintaining his strength level.
The AAFCO suggests 22 and 18 percent of protein respectively for puppies and matured dogs. Dogs enjoy and thrive on meat items. Your viable options range from raw items to dry food and canned food. High quality food items do not just fill his belly up but ensures necessary supply of nutrients.
So, whatever you feed him, make sure that it is super quality food. There goes an idea that you have to provide him with up to 30 calories per pound of his weight.
Now, this is the amount a highly active, energetic and adult dog must have. So, if your dog has a poor health record or tend to be a couch potato you may slash the calorie intake. Following the meal schedule on time is an important aspect that you have to be careful about.
Measure his weight every other week so that you can get a clear picture of his requirements. Each dog has a different take on this issue. Keeping that in mind, you may consult your vet for a perfect diet plan exclusively designed for your French Bulldog.
Escape a few health issues:
When you are deciding on taking a French Bulldog, this part gives you the most significant insight. City celebrity French Bulldogs have several health issues that require your careful consideration. These ailments are not necessarily part and parcel of his life.
But you should have knowledge on this matter to undertake precautionary measures. Their genetic formation, lifestyle, age, environment and so many aspects plays distinct roles behind diseases.
Your basic awareness can save a lot of trouble for them. As a descendant of Bulldogs, this breed suffers from hip dysplasia. Overweight drives to this problem. Ancestral issues also play a role in this regard. Femoral and pelvic joint does not work smoothly anymore because of a dysfunctional ball in the joint.
As a result, pain and immobility take the life out of your dog. In a non severe occasion, it may cause arthritis in his old days.
You need to scrutinize the eye tests of the puppy parents as they suffer from cherry eye and hereditary cataract. The tear gland hidden under the eyelid takes the form of a red mass and it is called cherry eye. It requires vet consultation which occasionally ends up in a surgery.
Initially, it does not cause any pain. But sustained ailment could lead to inflammation in the gland. Syndrome is the breathing difficulties inherent to this dog.
Their nasal path is just jam packed with blocks. Those obstacles deter smooth inhalation. So, many French Bulldogs cannot tolerate excessive exercise. Their overheating problem occurs from this malfunctioning respiratory design.
Hemivertebrae, a birth defect, refers to deformed vertebrae. Spinal cord running through vertebrae communicates messages from brain to body parts and vice versa. When pressure falls upon the spinal cord because of defective vertebrae, that communication stops.
It results in paralysis, uncontrolled bladder and the most severe of the pains. Intervertebral disc disease may take place from an accident or old age. Spinal disc gets fractured or bulged in this case.
Weakness, immobility, unwillingness to cuddle and paralysis are the symptoms here.
You can remove some of the diseases by adopting a puppy from caring breeders. Checking the clearance certificates is always a better way. Some of the vicious diseases crawl into your pup from its parents.
Vets are also ready to inspect the parental genetic formation and previous records in order to ensure a better stock. These diseases often prove too costly to cover. So, prepare yourself before you take the final decision.
Insightful care program:
French Bulldog has a grave body temperature issue. Too much work or exercise leads to this problem. As part of summer management, you have to pay extra attention to him. Do not take him out unless the weather is cool enough.
Frenchies have trademark facial wrinkles which are big traps for all kind of dirt such as mucous, dander, food grains, dust and so on. The dog develops stinky smell from these wrinkles. Check it out regularly and clean it with soft clothes or tissue paper.
Intelligent French Bulldogs may not listen to your repeated commands which behavior can easily be translated into stubbornness. In such a case, do not hold him responsible or punish him. Just change the method of your training tactics. It will surely bear fruits.
Moreover, they are ardent food lovers. A treat will submit them quite effortlessly.
Feeding technique has a lot to say on his health. You have to find the perfect menu for your dog as each dog develops an individual taste. The plate size is vital. It will obstruct him from rapidly gulping down the food and thus prevents bloat. He does not need a big open ground for exercise.
But be alert to keep the dog away from harmful substances. You have to clean his ears and trim the nails regularly. Moreover, 2-3 tooth brush sessions per week do him a world of good.
Proper exercise method:
Speaking of enduring strength, French Bulldogs score poorly. They are the least active breed among dogs. But a Frenchie needs regular exercise to stave off obesity which is very common to this breed. A brief walk or a short play session will suffice his requirements.
As they do not mind living on the couch for days, you have to take him out regularly. He is quite a low energy dog.
So, you must put a limit to his activities. When you go to the shop or pay a nearby neighborhood visit, let him be with you. He is an amicable dog who loves socializing. Thus you can kill two birds with one stone. 15-20 minutes of walk is fine for his well being.
Another idea is to have two French Bulldogs. They will occupy each other and will keep themselves busy while playing. Indoor exercise can meet his demands too. Then, you do not need to worry about it. Manage a fenced yard. The dog may go for a run in that enclosed area.
The exercise session should not hit anywhere near the intensity button. This dog is susceptible to heat exhaustion and high body temperature may lead to the problem.
The weather is somewhat cooler in the morning and the evening. Choose either of these periods for the activities. Exhaustive physical tasks will render him with breathing difficulties. So, slack the schedule for his comfort if he is unable to cope up with your current routine.
French Bulldog training cues:
The French Bulldogs like to think for themselves. Their independent streak makes them a bit difficult breed to train. But they are intelligent and devoted too. As a result, the process is often a mixed experience and calls for some French Bulldog training tricks.
Their big personality asks for a repetition of commands leaving you bored to some extent. From the very beginning you need to stand strong as regularity and consistency will soon bring him under control.
The French Bulldog knows that a leader must be respected properly. Establish your command rapidly and your dog will pay greater attention to your signals. Put an acceptable limit to your expectations. Otherwise, the relationship may sour soon.
Essential French Bulldog training includes socialization, crate training, potty training and so on. Hold on to the schedule strictly. Take him to places at the tender age for his socialization.
As part of the French Bulldog crate training, start using it from the very first day as you bring him home. Do not allow him in your bed. After a rigorous beginning, you may slack the rules a bit. But you have to keep your cool at the early period.
Crate can be used as his personal time away from all the duties he performs. And he will duly understand the necessity of his own time. It will also protect him from untoward incidents when you cannot supervise him.
Most importantly, crates help you handle separation anxiety. They are adorable and return you the love you show them. So, praising words will have strong impact on his behaviors. If he follows your directions, lavishly appreciate him. It will motivate him further.
French Bulldog origin:
Our beloved French Bulldog is the shorter and smaller version of the English Bulldogs.
England is the country of their origin. To be a little more specific, we must mention the contribution of the lace makers of Nottingham in the 1850’s.
Industrial Revolution drove them to France for a better living condition. They brought their cherished toy Bulldogs with them. French breeders took immense pain to develop the breed. French Bulldogs started grabbing hearts in the countryside where the lace makers chose to reside.
Later on, Frenchies started obtaining a distinct place in the ladies’ hearts and that of the city folks as a result of the breeders’ tremendous effort. Their crossbreeding led to famous bat ears which is a breed trademark.
Apart from England and France, America is the third significant country to chip in the breeding process. English breeders paid less attention to this dog while they were making a revolution in the streets of Paris.
The English considered French Bulldog as an infringement upon their sweet English Bulldog. But with the passage of time and a fast growing popularity, they were bound to retract their attitude.
Americans, having a tour in France, began to take immense interest in the French Bulldog. They were heavily into the bat eared dogs. As the French had a liking for the rose eared dogs, French breeders did not mind the American interest.
In the meantime, English specimen cared only for the rose eared Frenchies and completely ignored the bat eared dogs. This English disregard enraged Americans a lot and they held up a standard of their own which recognizes only the bat eared French Bulldogs.
In 1896, the first French Bulldog show took place in the USA in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The events of the First World War had a prolonged negative impact on the growth of this breed.
After a fifty year long pause, this dog surged in popularity due to safer and easier caesarean operation availability.
Nowadays, the French Bulldog has taken a strong position in people’s mind and is thriving rapidly because of his cute disposition and mild nature.