13 Mind Blowing Facts About French Bulldogs

If you hadn’t had a chance to see Manny the Frenchie, I humbly suggest that you immediately get an Instagram account!

Buzzfeed hails French bulldogs as ‘’the cutest, most hilarious and famous dogs’’ in the world.

Whether they’re sleeping in adorable costumes, hitting up music festivals, or wearing sunglasses, these delightful philanthro-pups always encourage followers to maintain a positive, do-gooder outlook.

Here are some interesting facts about the French bulldogs:

#1: Frenchies Are Fashionistas

French bulldogs are making a huge wave in the dog fashion industry. Actually, it isn’t hard to notice just how popular they’ve become in the fashion world as a whole.

On top of being seen strutting labels like Woof or on leashes of Hollywood stars, they’re also huge sensations on Instagram accounts and other reputable clothing lines.

Heck even Marc Jacobs, a popular figure, has released his own line of these dog’s accessories in order to appeal to fashion enthusiasts that aren’t above squealing at the marveling site of these gorgeous four-legged guys.

With a Frenchie, everyday is perfect to play dress up. Owners are into adoring their pets in the latest dog outfits, dog accessories, and easy walk harnesses.

They strut their pups all over the city. The little lovers do not seem to mind at all. In fact, they seem to love all the attention.

Some of the top celebrities that have been seen playing with their pups include The Rock, Hugh Jackman, and Lady Gaga.

The relationship between fashion and animals isn’t anything new.

Pooches like Taraji P. Henson’s K-Ball and Madonna’s Olga are just some of the evidence of celebrity’s obsession with dogs.

Looking stylish in the latest designs is just one of the reasons why Frenchies should wear harnesses.

#2: Most Frenchies Can’t Swim

Wanna watch us around the swimming pool? Never happening! Because of their somewhat ‘’bulbous’’ bodies, most French bulldogs can’t swim. They feature heavy bones and thick muscles.

These breeds have a characteristic smooshed face called brachycephalic, meaning they boast a short, wide skull.

In addition to their weight, the other core reason why bulldogs can’t swim has to do with their brachycephaly.

Due to their short snouts, they must tilt up their faces higher to remain out of the water. Since they’re tilted up, they have more trouble staying afloat.

What’s more is that their heavy torsos and short legs aren’t conducive to floatation.

High humidity and exhaustion may also have an impact on the ability of your dog to stay above water.

The fact that these breeds are prone to rheumatism, arthritis, and chills is more reason to keep them out of water at all cost.

That’s why swimming and bullies doesn’t always go together.

In addition to Maltese, Corgis, Pugs, Dachshunds, and Basset Hounds, it may be best to leave them out of water.

If you do decide to put them in water, make sure they are wearing a proper dog life jacket.

#3: Their Origin Isn’t From France

Contrary to what many people think, French bulldogs didn’t originate from France.

Their origin is English, Nottingham to be precise. An English artisan gave these dogs their name after their breeding shifted to France.

England provided the solid foundation for the modern Frenchie – also known as the old bulldog. It’s breeders in France that developed the tiny bulldogs into the distinctly ‘’French’’ type.

American breeders on the other hand set the standard to what is today prescribed as the all-important ‘bat ears.’

The dog’s toy version drew the attention of lace makers in England. As they worked, they’d use them as lap warmers.

When the lace industry shifted from England to France, they took their pups with them.It is in France that the bulldogs from England bred with terriers to come up with the French bulldogs or bouledogues français.

#4: They’re Highly Sensitive To Criticism

Frenchie pups are very sensitive. Haha they don’t take criticism lightly. If you scold him or her, he or she is likely to mope around the house.

They respond better to encouragement and positive reinforcement.

Since they’re overly sensitive, you must be extra cautious when handling them to avoid getting on your dog’s nerves.

Some of the things you shouldn’t say to a Frenchie bulldog include:

• ‘’No more treats’’
• ‘’Go play with the other dogs’’
• ‘’Manner less dog’’
• ‘’Look at me when I’m speaking to you’’
• ‘’Meet my cat’’
• ‘’You’re a nice little fat dog’’
• ‘’Are you even French’’
• ‘’Time to go out for a jog’’
• ‘’Nice bat ears’’

Some dogs don’t mind a stern reprimand. In fact, they can let it roll off their backs. However, others like the French bulldog can’t take even a soiled look to heart!

While this breed is very sensitive, you have to note that the dog is an incredible attention seeker. The pup craves constant companionship and loves people.

#5: They Make Amazing Baby Sitters

This dog race is perfect with children. They are a great protector over little ones. The two of them will make great buddies. 

In addition to loving kids, frenchies are delicate with them.

From the first minute they meet, they become friends. The dogs are great at forming friendship relationships. They really know how to love.

Here are some of traits that make them a great baby sitter:

• They’re a guardian and protector dog
• They are a faithful and loyal partner
• The dog is playful and fun
• They’re easy to train and very intelligent
• Calmness and patience are his greatest virtues

There’s no doubt that frenchies are affectionate. It seems these friendly dogs were bred specifically for companionship.

While they might be slow to be housebroken, the dogs tend to get along pretty well with others.

They’re the best if you don’t need big barkers.

We love them because they hardly need much exercise, meaning they’re just fine in small areas. Frenchies also enjoy a crate’s safety.

#6: Their Ears Come In Two Shapes

Most French dogs are popularly known due to their ‘’swat’’ ears.

Originally, the French ones had rose-shaped ears, which is almost the same to their larger English relatives.

The thing is, English breeders preferred the shape, but their American counterparts liked the distinct bat ears.

One of the most common concerns and fears among new French bulldog owners is wondering whether their dog is destined to have erect or floppy ears.

The truth is watching these dog’s ears go up is both an interesting and entertaining process.

When the ears begin to go up, in most instances, they don’t do it at the same time. The ears do seemingly do all sorts of wonky things especially during the teething stage.

For instance, one ear can be up while another one down, and then the following day, the opposite ears will stand and/or lay down.

One ear might be up for weeks before the other one stands up. When they begin standing up, often, they aren’t completely erect. They resemble airplane wings.

The point is, when your dog is done teething, generally, his or her ears will stand correctly.

#7: They Have A Strict Weight Limit

Yes, you read that right!

The weight of your French bulldog shouldn’t pass the 28-pound weight limit. Well, it can, but exceeding it is an automatic disqualification according to AKC’s breed standard for a show dog.

Since this breed of dogs loves to eat and can thus become obese easily, it’s prudent to closely monitor the feeding habits of your pet.

Doing so will go miles in making sure that he or she doesn’t exceed the recommended weight.

The male French pups should weigh 9 – 13 kgs (20 – 28 pounds) while the female ones should weight 8 – 12 kgs (18 – 26 pounds).

In term of height, both the female and male ones should measure 28 – 30 centimeters or 11 – 12 inches.

The ideal weight of your dog is dependent on a number of factors, chief among them being body weight and genetics.

So how do you if your French bulldog is overweight?

The following basic signs should give you a clue:

• No muscle definition
• Inability to groom himself or herself properly
• Heavy breathing even after little exercise

Since they’re very playful dogs, if you notice that he or she gets tired even after some little play, it could be an indication that it’s time he or she sheds some weight.

To tell if your dog is underweight, you need to look at his or her rib cage. You must be able to feel every individual rib. Nevertheless, you should not be able to view every rib too easily.

Check out this visual from Wiley for a guide on how your dog should look from various angles.

The health implications of being overweight or underweight are countless.

If he or she is overweight, he or she can be susceptible to an array of diseases such as heart ailments and diabetes. The dog can also experience respiratory issues and joint problems.

An underweight dog can be suffering from gastrointestinal disease or kidney disease.

To get your dog to shed or gain weight, you can employ a number of strategies. If it’s underweight, obviously you need to feed him more and vice versa if he’s overweight.

Alternatively, you could try different types of foods to see if he or she will loss or gain weight.

Exercises are handy to overweight bulldogs.

If you apply different strategies and your dog is still overweight or underweight, you need to take him or her to a veterinarian to get professional advice on what to do.  

#8: It Was A Darling Pet Of Romanov Family

The Romanovs were pet aficionados. They owned a menagerie of pets. Chief among them might have been Ortino, Tatiana Romanov’s most beloved and cherished French bulldog.

Tatiana gave her dog the run of the household. What’s more is that she allowed her pet to sleep on her bed in spite of his loud snoring.

When the entire Romanov family was murdered in cold blood during the Russian Revolution, Ortino was still alive.

To date, Ortino’s ultimate fate remains unknown.

#9: Ranked #1 In The U.K, #4 In the U.S and #1 In The World

In terms of popularity, the Labrador retriever and German shepherd have always stolen headlines throughout the world. However, times are changing.

Frenchies’ rising popularity can be attributed to the fact that countless professional athletes and celebrities not only own them, but they also film themselves playing with these cuties.

Their recent popularity has resulted in a soar in their price. From the normal colored to the exotic ones, all types of frenchies are costly.

For instance, the exotic colors cost around $3000 - $8000. The mini frenchies tend to be relatively affordable compared to the normal sized ones.

Their pricey price tag is also attributed to the fact that they don’t breed naturally – they need to be artificially inseminated.

#10: They Only Breed Through Artificial Insemination

French bulldogs don’t breed naturally. To give birth, they need artificial insemination coupled with caesarean section.

In fact, more than 80% of litters are delivered this way.

Their inability to natural breeding is due to them having slim hips, which makes the male one unable to mount their partners and reproduce naturally.

Consequently, breeders need to undertake artificial insemination of their female dogs.

The average French pup averages three puppies per litter. Sometimes, in one litter, the French bulldog has 7 – 8 puppies. However, it only happens in rare instances.

At times, bulldogs have ‘silent’ or erratic heats that might be a side effect of impaired thyroid or thyroid disease.

#11: A French Bulldog Was Onboard The Titanic

What an interesting fact to know that there was a French bulldog aboard the Titanic?

Robert W. Daniel boarded the cruise ship with his Frenchie pup. He didn’t carry just any dog to the ill-fated cruise, but a 2-year-old dog that was a champion show pup.

At the time, the dog had cost Daniel an equivalent of $20,000 today.

While Daniel survived the fatal disaster and even lived until 1940, his little buddy wasn’t as fortunate.

The poor little dog was last seen swimming futilely for his life in the ice-cold water.

#12: They Fart So Much

One of the most notable and funny attributes of French bulldogs is that they fart so much!

The fart – stenchy ones are without a doubt a Frenchie thing. However, the excess farting is not exclusive to this breed only.

Other breeds such as the Pugs and Boxers are also notorious when it comes to farting.

So what makes bulldogs prone to stench bombs and gas?

Their anatomy explains it all! Their farting behavior emanates from their sensitive stomachs, which do not digest their food well.

The dog’s skull shape also affects their intake of food. They have a flat face and short nose, which makes it challenging to eat at the correct pace.

Due to eating food fast, it results to excess air inside their intestines.

Digestion might be a reason why bulldogs fart so much. The following foods can extend your dog’s farting spree:

• Grains – Grains such as corn or what can contribute to farting issues.
• High-fermentable foods – Soy, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and beans are highly fermentable. They can cause farting to your dog.
• Dairy products – Dogs are lactose intolerant too. Dairy products such as milk and cheese may cause flatulence in dogs.
• Table scraps or left over foods – At times, a dog’s begging face can be hard to resist. While that might be the case, giving him or her leftovers is a sure to cause gas and you can bet it won’t smell nice.
• Excess carbohydrates – Most commercial dog foods are full of carbohydrates, which contain starch and sugar, which can end up fermenting the intestines which results to too much farts.
• Inexpensive and poor-quality dog food – The last thing you want is to give your Frenchie pup cheap dog food. A good number of them are low in quality. Unfortunately, even some costly foods can lead to farting especially if the ingredients do not augur well with your dog.

Give your bulldog the following to lessen or stop farting:

• Anti-fat dog cookies
• Herbs
• Dog foods rich in fiber
• Top quality dog food

#13: They’re Great at Making Frog Impressions

The adorable French weirdos are also known as ‘’Frog Dogs’’ based on how strangely they lay on their stomachs and splay their legs comfortably behind them just like a frog.

While it’s very strange, it’s certainly cute!

Their fun loving temperament have earned them the nickname ‘’clown dogs.’’

Final Words

The French bulldog enjoys a famous and long past. Indeed, they’re one of the best and most loved dogs in the world.

While there are countless breeds of dogs across the world, their difference and unique nature makes them a darling of many.

They’re happy, loyal, affectionate, and protective.

The Frenchies boast a host of interesting or mind blowing facts. The above are just some of them.

If you're interested in learning about different breeds, we've put together a Pugs 101 guide and Poodles 101 guide! If you're also a first time dog parent, make sure you check out our complete guide on how to prepare for a puppy.