What You Should Know Before Adopting a French Bulldog

Any time you're planning to adopt a new dog, you're in for a great time. Nothing is better in life than adopting and caring for a loving, loyal, and rambunctious new dog!

Unfortunately, there are always challenges along the way. Different dog breeds have different unique considerations, health issues, behavioral inclinations, and care instructions. Going into things unprepared can mean you miss key training early, you run into common problems you could have avoided, or you are just unprepared for a health issue.

At the same time, remember that your dog is going to be an individual all their own, and breed stereotypes are not necessarily reflective of the dog you'll raise. While there are some breed-based inclinations and some undeniable facts of genetics, every dog has a unique personality.

French bulldogs are a great breed to adopt, so let's talk about what you should know ahead of time and how you can be prepared for a wonderful life with a new pup.

What is the History of the French Bulldog?

French bulldogs are an extremely common and popular breed. They're a beloved companion dog and a toy breed, which means they're smaller than your average doggo.

The French bulldog is a descendant of the English bulldog, which itself is a descendant of the now-extinct old English bulldog. The old English bulldog was a large and muscular breed, often used for bloodsports like bull-baiting. In fact, the name "bull dog" comes from that purpose.

When bull-baiting was rightly outlawed, breeders started to adapt the breed for other purposes. Some were crossbred with other breeds (eventually producing dogs like the pit bull), while others were bred for other purposes.

The French bulldog started to appear in the mid-1800s, just a few decades after bull-baiting was banned. They were bred to be small, loyal, and amicable dogs that were immediately – and immensely – popular in France. In fact, they were so popular that, despite originating in England, they were almost entirely absent from the country because France adopted them all.

This is actually where the history of the French bulldog gets a little muddled. While English kennel clubs kept good track of their breeds, the French didn't. We know that the French bulldog has some elements of terrier, which is why they have those adorably perky, upright ears rather than the floppier ears of traditional bulldogs.

These days, French bulldogs are extremely popular as pets for a few reasons. They're relatively small, they're generally quite pleasant and amicable dogs, and they hold a sort of iconic historical significance among dog lovers.

Primary Breed Characteristics of French Bulldogs

What makes a Frenchie a Frenchie? As a toy breed, they share a lot of the characteristics of their ancestors, just on a smaller scale.

The Physical Characteristics

French bulldogs are a toy breed. Kennel club definitions for purebred French bulldogs stipulate that they're under 28 pounds and are only around a foot tall. They aren't the smallest dogs around, but they are very far from the largest.

Generally speaking, the French bulldog also has a few specific physical characteristics. They have square-shaped heads and perky bat ears, they have loose skin that forms wrinkles, and they have a short, brachycephalic snout. It's not as short a snoot as something like a pug, but they are one of the shorter-faced dogs out there.

The French bulldog also has a short, silky coat that doesn't shed too much, and they come in a wide variety of colors, including brindle, pied, fawn, gray, black, and cream. Colors and patterns outside the norm might indicate a non-purebred bulldog, at least as far as the kennel clubs are concerned.

Health and Wellness

One of the biggest downsides to adopting a French bulldog is their health issues. As a toy breed with a brachycephalic face, they are prone to a lot of problems. Surveys looking into the prevalence of 43 common dog health problems found that French bulldogs were higher than average in 20 of them!

Many of these issues stem from their loose skin and their short faces.

• Brachycephaly, the short, compressed snout, is a deformation that can lead to difficulty breathing. French bulldogs are more prone to obstructions in their airways, a higher incidence of respiratory infections, and a whole host of airway disorders like stridor, vomiting, and even laryngeal collapse.

• Because of the brachycephaly, French bulldogs have a harder time with anesthesia. There's a greater risk of complications when they undergo any sedated procedure.

• Overheating. Another side effect of the shorter snout and complicated breathing is that French bulldogs have a harder time effectively panting to keep themselves cool, so they're more prone to overheating.

• Breeding difficulties. While French bulldogs don't necessarily have trouble creating new puppies, they do frequently require C-section delivery. Over 80% of French bulldog litters need to be delivered this way. Combined with possible anesthesia complications, this becomes risky.

• Skin irritation. Skin folds need to be properly cared for. Otherwise, a French bulldog can develop dermatitis and potentially even skin infections if it's left alone.

With all of this in mind, any prospective parent of a French bulldog needs to know what to look for with health issues and be aware that they will likely need to care for their Frenchie more than some other breeds.

When well cared for, a French bulldog has an average life expectancy of around 10-11 years. There were some surveys a number of years ago that said something dire like 4-5 years, but those were skewed surveys; more recent and modern studies have shown that 10-11 is more standard. It's still a little shorter than a lot of other breeds, but a decade is still a long time to enjoy with your Frenchie.

Mentality and Personality

The stereotype of a bulldog is a strong, independent, standoffish, and powerful dog. A lot of that stereotype, however, likely comes from the ancient old English bulldog rather than the more modern iterations of the breed.

The truth of the matter is that French bulldogs are extremely affectionate and loving with their families. They're extremely pleasant, friendly, and patient with children, and they love to interact with other dogs.

While they are somewhat loyal, they're so friendly with strangers that they certainly don't make good guard dogs. They also don't bark all that much; they're more likely to come out to say hi than warn you that the mailman is stopping by.

Despite their small size and difficulty breathing, French bulldogs are moderately energetic and playful dogs. They would happily spend all day playing, up to the point where they physically struggle to keep up with what their mind wants. To that end, you really benefit from having more mentally engaging means of play to wear out their minds as much as their bodies.

Luckily, they also like training and take to new tricks relatively quickly. Teaching them something new is a great way to keep them engaged and put some purpose behind the play.

French bulldogs are also very adaptable. They take pretty much everything in stride, and a change in routine, location, or people is more likely to bring out their social side than send them into hiding.

Some people have issues with French bulldogs because they tend to have more separation anxiety. They want to be with you at all times, and they're often not the kind of dog you can leave at home for eight hours a day while you go to work. You can get around these issues, but you need a strong foundation to do it.

Tips for Caring For a French Bulldog

If you think you're ready to adopt a new French bulldog puppy, what can you do to make sure it all goes well and you're prepared for the present and future?

Pay attention to their diet.

Like all dogs, diet is critical. Obesity is a problem for nearly any breed, but since French bulldogs are so small, just a few pounds can make a ton of difference.

More importantly, the more overweight they are, the more likely they are to have breathing problems because of it, which adds to their brachycephalic nature to make it even worse.

Healthy food, a solid diet, and a firm No to the table scraps are all required to care for a French bulldog.

Build a regular care routine.

All dogs need some kind of routine maintenance, but different breeds have different needs.

With French bulldogs, you're in for a higher-maintenance dog for a variety of reasons.

The good news is, there's not a lot of grooming you need to do, at least in terms of brushing. You need to check their skin folds to watch for irritation or infection, but their fur is usually fine with a weekly brushing.

Definitely make sure to check their teeth and gums regularly to watch for signs of dental infection or broken teeth.

Clean their ears regularly, at least weekly. Ear infections are distressingly common with French bulldogs.

Establish regular vet visits.

This is another commonality with most dogs, but you really do need routine vet visits to make sure your French bulldog is doing alright.

The vet knows all of the many potential health issues that can crop up in the breed and will be able to help catch, monitor, and address the problems before they become serious.

Beat the heat.

Brachycephalic dogs like French bulldogs often have a harder time keeping themselves cool because they can't pant and breathe as well as other breeds.

When they're playing, especially outside, and especially in the summer and in hot areas, make sure you have plenty of water, shade, and some way to keep them cool. Learn the signs of heat stress and react quickly if you see them.

View the Frenchie as a toddler.

Many people think of French bulldogs as precocious toddlers that never grow out of it the way children do.

In fact, many of the same considerations for French bulldogs and for little humans apply.

• Keep stuff off the floor and out of their reach because they can and will put it in their mouths and possibly choke or swallow things they shouldn't.

• Use closed doors or baby gates to block off areas where your pup shouldn't be. They're too small to get over and can't reach to open these kinds of barriers.

• Be observant of their physical condition. When they reach a point where they've had too much, you may have to stop them because they might not have the restraint to stop themselves.

When handled properly, you can keep a Frenchie out of trouble, but if you let them, they will try to escape or get into things they shouldn't. Keep an eye on them as much as you can!

Know the warning signs of health problems.

Since French bulldogs are very prone to health problems, you really need to know what to look for and when to make that trip to the emergency vet.

They have enough issues that I could write a whole post about them, so I'll just be brief here. In broad terms, anything out of the ordinary can be a sign of something serious, so you should probably have your vet on speed dial.

Appointment-worthy symptoms include:

• Changes in drinking or eating.

• Signs of dental problems like bad breath, broken teeth, or red gums.

• Excessive itching, scratching, licking, or hair loss.

• Excessive sleeping or lethargy.

• Behavioral changes outside of the norm or with no clear cause.

Emergency symptoms can include:

• Ear discharge, shaking of the head, or tender ears.

• Discolored urine or difficulty peeing.

• Eye redness, cloudiness, or itching.

• Reluctance to run, play, or engage in physical activity.

• Excessively loud breathing and low stamina.

• Leg weakness, inability to stand, sit, or run, or bunny hopping.

As your French bulldog gets older, your vet will narrow down the kinds of issues they're likely to have and can give you more specific warning signs to watch for, as well.

Adopt, don't shop.

I always add this to any discussion of picking up a new dog. Shelters across the country are packed, and there are an unconscionable number of dogs struggling, suffering, or stuck in shelters while breeders simply breed more.

Since French bulldogs are so popular, there are bound to be some available near you if you're willing to look.

Do you have any questions about French bulldogs that I haven't covered in this article? If so, be sure to let me know in the comments section, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!

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