Appearance
French Bulldogs are a compact, muscular dog, with a smooth coat, snub nose, and solid bone. Their physical appearance is characterized by "bat ears" that are wide at the base and rounded at the top. Their tails are naturally short, and are either straight or screwed. Their neck is thick with loose skin at the throat. Their forelegs are muscular, short, stout, straight, and set wide apart. Their hind legs are strong and muscular as well, and longer than the forelegs, to elevate the loins above the shoulders.The American Kennel Club Breed Standard describes the French Bulldog as "an active, intelligent, muscular dog of heavy bone, compactly built, and of medium or small structure. Expression alert, curious, and interested." Under the AKC standards, weight is not to exceed 28 pounds. In general, females range in weight between 16 and 24 pounds, and males between 20 and 28 pounds.
General Care
French Bulldogs don't require an excessive amount of exercise or grooming. An occasional brushing will help keep their coat shiny and an occasional walk will be much appreciated. That is one reason they make such great apartment dogs. Cleaning their ears, trimming their nails, and cleaning of their deep facial folds, will help prevent problems. If you notice their nose becoming dry or cracked apply a small amount of vitamin E oil to shine and moisten it right back up.Choosing a high quality dog food, to provide your Frenchie with all the essential nutrients is very important. I personally have decided after much research to feed my Frenchies a combination of a quality commercial dog food and a real cooked diet (see The Healthy Dog Cookbook). By doing this I feel they will truly get the protein and natural unprocessed vitamins and nutrients they need. It is not hard and can be done several times a week as an alternation between their dry dog food. Please consult a vet or approved pet cookbook; table scraps are not the same as a fresh lean meal with dogs nutritional needs in mind. Remember Frenchies are prone to gassy stomachs and finding a dog food that is easily digestible will be good for them and you and your flatulant free home, lol.Most Frenchies cannot swim, and should never be left unattended around water. However, some do like the water! In fact mine love bath time and jump right in the bathtub. If wanting to take a Frenchie to the beach a lifevest is highly recommended. In warm climates, air conditioning is a must. Frenchies love rawhide chews, but if given supervision is needed. When the chews soften, they can become lodged in a Frenchies pallet and throat. Note just like any other breed some Frenchies can become territorial over bones if mulitple dogs are in the house. I prefer to use the NYLAR bones (found at most pet stores) that last forever and cannot become lodged in their throats or stomachs. My babies love them and I can leave them unsupervised with them as well.Frenchies are not a noisy, barking breed. They are very fond of people and love to act as clowns, seeking all of the attention they can get. They should never be allowed to run free. When outside, a fenced yard or leash is highly recommended.
Health Care
As a short-faced breed, French Bulldogs have some health concerns that you should be aware of. Frenchies have less tolerance to heat, exercise, and stress, compared to the long-nosed breeds. Keep your French Bulldog cool in warm weather (to avoid overheating), warm in cool weather, and avoid strenuous exercise (over exhaustion). If your dog has noisy breathing or spitting up foam, due to overheating or becoming stressed too easily, consult your vet for possible pinched nostrils, or an elongated soft palate.Find a good veterinarian, preferably one who has worked with other short-faced breeds before.