French Bulldog Information & Dog Breed Facts

From the Molossus breed came a sub-family of breeds and from those sub-families several other breeds such as the Bullenbeisser. The Bullenbeisser was used for bull-batting, a blood sport where the dog would attempt to immobilize a bull by latching its strong jaws into the bull’s snout. These dogs gave away to the modern-day breed we know as “bulldogs”, such as the Old English Bulldog, the American Bulldog, and the French Bulldog.

However, let’s focus on the French Bulldog. Originally it was England who provided the foundation for our modern Frenchie in the 18^th century. The ancestral type wasn’t quite what our modern bulldogs look like, but a strong, athletic dog, high on the leg and was being used in that barbarous activity mentioned above, the “bull-baiting” (thus, the name “bulldog”). In 1835, when England outlawed the brutal sport many breeders began to change the breed to a bigger, heavier type of dog.

Others crossed them with terriers resulting in the bull-and-terrier breeds that were used for dogfighting, ratting, and so on. However, another group of breeders started to create a smaller version of the bulldog, around 7-12kgs in weight, having either upright or rose ears, round foreheads, and short underjaws.

These smaller types of bulldogs became quite popular among workers in the English midlands, particularly the artisans in the lace-making industry in Nottingham. 

However, when the Industrial Revolution came, it closed down many of the small craft shops and the English lace-makers relocated to Normandy and France and they took their little bulldogs with them. Also, Bulldogs who stayed in England were deemed unfit for breeding so they were happy to sell the dogs to the French since there was little market left for them in Britain.

The French were so charmed by their toy bulldogs, they loved the characteristics of them that the English deplored, including being small and having ears that stood up. Although these dogs weren’t originated from France, it was the French that developed the breed into what it is today. After exporting the small bulldogs to France, they began to be called ‘Bouledogues Français’.

They became the favorites of ordinary people in Paris, such as café owners and butchers. The famous artist, Toulouse Lautrec, painted a Frenchie several times, owned by Madame Palmyre who was the owner of a favorite restaurant, “La Souris”. Furthermore, when wealthy Americans started traveling to Europe they fell in love with these endearing little dogs and started bringing them back to the USA. For example, society ladies first exhibited Frenchies in 1896 at Westminster.

Two years later a Frenchie was put on the cover of the 1897 Westminster catalog, even though the breed was not officially approved AKC breed yet. However, after World War I the breed’s popularity began to decline which lasted for the next fifty years. According to researchers the popularity of another small breed, the Boston Terrier also contributed to this.

A small group of Frenchie breeders in America and Europe kept the flame alive but by the 1940s French Bulldogs were considered a rare breed and only 100 were registered with the AKC. As it was difficult for everyone it was difficult for all dog breeders in World War II as well, especially for those in Europe where many fine dogs starved and were put down.

Overall the French Bulldog has always been known as a beloved companion and was one of the earliest dogs that were owned purely for the joy of owning a dog. The breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1898 and has become more popular ever since, rising to a top 10.