French Bulldog: Breed Traits & Characteristics

There’s a dog breed that has taken the world by storm in recent years and captured the hearts of dog lovers: the French Bulldog! Affectionately known as Frenchies, these adorable pooches may be small but have a big heart and gentle nature, which makes them one of the best companion dogs out there. Where do they come from and what are the typical breed traits? Why are they so expensive and why you should be careful when choosing a French Bulldog breeder? If you’re just getting familiar with the breed, this detailed guide is for you!

The history of the French Bulldog

French Bulldogs were first bred as a smaller version of the English Bulldog in the 19th-century England. They were particularly popular among lacemakers in Nottinghamshire, who initially kept them to chase rats but soon fell in love with their small size and calm, friendly nature. After the Industrial Revolution, they had to move to southern France where lacemaking was still done by hand and took their dogs with them. 

Frenchies soon got popular in the circles of French artists, actors, writers in Paris as well as rich Americans visiting the city. In fact, they loved Frenchies so much that they took them to the US, where they finally got recognized by the AKC in 1898. If you’d like to learn more, read our article about the fascinating history of French Bulldogs.

French Bulldog Breed Traits 

Size and Appearance

French Bulldogs are probably one of the most distinctive and unique looking dog breeds! You can easily recognize them by their flat, heavily wrinkled faces and large, erect bat ears, which make them absolutely adorable. Despite having the strong, muscular body of a bulldog Frenchies are small in size: adult males usually weigh 20 to 28 pounds while females are 16 to 24 pounds. 

When it comes to the appearance of male and female Frenchies, we can line out some typical characteristics for both genders. Boys are usually stronger and stockier than girls, they have bigger heads and wider chests. Girl Frenchies tend to be a bit smaller and less muscular. Read more about the differences between boy and girl Frenchies.

Colors

Frenchies come in a wide variety of different colors and patterns. Standard French Bulldog colors like black, fawn, cream and patterns like pied and brindle are the only ones recognized by the American Kennel Club.  Brindle Frenchies have a base coat color like black and have fawn hairs all over their bodies resulting in light streaks. Pied French Bulldogs’ coat color is predominantly white, with clearly marked patches of another color like black or red covering parts of their head and body.

Rare and unique colors like blue and lilac, as well as patterns like tan and merle have gained more popularity in recent years. Merle French Bulldogs have mottled patches around their bodies which can be of various colors ranging from blue, black or even lilac in rarer cases. Frenchies with a tan pattern have a solid base color with red or beige markings on their paws, chest, bottom, cheek and eyebrows. Whatever your preference is, you’ll surely find your favorite as almost any combination of these colors and patterns is possible!

Fluffy French Bulldogs are also worth mentioning who have become immensely popular recently. Fluffies have longer fur than regular short-haired Frenchies giving them an amazing furry look, and they come in all colors and patterns possible from black brindle to lilac merle. Despite the popularity they are still very rare, not to mention that the more unique a French Bulldog’s coat is the more expensive they are. Check out our extensive guide of French Bulldog colors and patterns to learn more and see pictures as well!

Health

According to the AKC, the average French Bulldog lifespan is 10-12 years, which is of course hugely affected by various factors like a Frenchie’s genetics, how they are cared for in their first few weeks and the quality of their adult life. Giving only high-quality food, ensuring regular training and exercise, finding a good vet and not exposing them to too much heat is essential to provide a long and happy life for your French Bulldog. They also cannot swim so you should never leave them unattended by a pool or lake!

It’s no secret that Frenchies are prone to some health issues like skin allergies and breathing problems because of their flat faces, which doesn’t actually mean that they will develop these for certain. If you choose your Frenchie from a reputable breeder who’ll do anything to breed only healthy puppies, you can hugely reduce the risk of your dog having any of said issues. 

Personality and Temperament

French Bulldogs probably have the biggest personality among all the dog breeds and that’s one of the main reasons people love them so much! They are funny, friendly and insanely affectionate, making them the perfect companions and family dogs. They get along with basically anyone they meet: people of all ages, other dogs and even cats!

There’s a common misconception about bully breeds that they tend to be aggressive but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Frenchies love people especially kids more than anyone and are one of the most lovey-dovey dog breeds out there. They are like small children: simply irresistible! They always make you laugh by doing something silly, they truly are little clowns who put a smile on everyone’s face. Read more about the most beloved personality traits of French Bulldogs.

Energy Level and Training

Similarly to other small dog breeds, French Bulldogs don’t require much space and exercise. Daily walks in the nearby park will make your pup happy, the key thing is to give them a chance to be active and incorporate regular playtime into your daily routine. One of the many reasons why Frenchies are great is that they are highly adaptable: it doesn’t matter whether you live in small apartment in a big city or in a large house in the suburbs, they will get used to any lifestyle! 

French Bulldogs do best when they are surrounded by people and are exposed to a wide variety of places and situations, so socialization is very important for them. They don’t bark too much and though they can be stubborn, they want to please their owners making them rather trainable. Frenchies are very food-motivated so treats will usually do the trick! They are also highly intelligent and need a fair amount of mental stimulation. Check out our extensive tutorial of French Bulldog training. 

Grooming

Frenchies have a short and smooth coat so you might think they don’t shed as much as dogs with longer hair. The truth is actually that most Frenchies tend to shed all year long and even more so during warmer months. Before you start worrying about your furniture, we have some good news too: it’s possible to keep your French Bulldog’s shedding under control and you can learn some of the best ways from this article.

French Bulldog Prices

The average Frenchie price and the factors affecting it

When looking at French Bulldog prices you can expect them to be anywhere between 3,000 and 12,000 USD. The exact amount usually depends on various factors like the color, gender and age of a puppy as well as the breeder you get your puppy from. Breeding Frenchies requires a lot of time, effort, care and money, so those who are dedicated to only having high-quality and healthy French Bulldog puppies will ask a larger sum starting from 4,000 USD.

Colors and patterns considered common for the breed like black brindle and fawn have the lowest prices ranging from 4,000 to 5,500 USD, while blue, lilac and merle which are more unique and harder to produce come at a higher price as well ranging from 6,000 to 8,000 USD. Isabella and fluffy Frenchies are the rarest, most valuable and most expensive going up to 12,000 USD.

When it comes to age and gender, younger female Frenchies usually cost a couple of hundreds more than older male puppies. Forever blue eyes also affect the price of a Frenchie, for example we charge 500 USD per blue eye. Read more about French Bulldog prices here.

What makes a French Bulldog so expensive?

People who are looking to adopt a Frenchie and first hear about how much these dogs cost often raise their eyebrows and wonder what makes French Bulldogs so expensive. One of the main reasons is popularity. During recent years, French Bulldogs have become one of the most popular dog breeds in the US and worldwide, the AKC currently ranking them first on their list. This steep rise of popularity and the increasing demand resulted in higher prices.

Another important reason is the difficulty of breeding French Bulldogs as it requires special methods and practices from breeders. Because of their short legs and narrow hips, natural mating is rather problematic for Frenchies, so the females need to be artificially inseminated. They also need a C-section to deliver the pups in the safest possible way, which is another costly procedure. 

After the surgery, the mother needs some time to heal so it is the breeder’s sole responsibility to care for the pups in their first few weeks. They need to be fed every three hours and supervised constantly. As you can imagine, this kind of full-time care is time-consuming and expensive. As the puppies get bigger and stronger, they need to be regularly checked by a vet to make sure they are developing well and to administer the necessary shots. Health screenings like echocardiograms also need to be performed which come at a considerable cost.

Tips to find a responsible French Bulldog breeder

When you begin your research on French Bulldog breeders, you’ll inevitably come across some cheap offers starting from a couple of hundred dollars. You might be tempted by these lower prices but there’s two important things that you should consider.

Unethical Frenchie breeders

During recent years Frenchies have become one of the most popular dog breeds and unethical breeders saw the increasing demand and higher prices as an opportunity to start breeding Frenchies merely for the profit. Due to the low selling prices they can’t afford the best quality food, vet, shots and vitamins for the puppies who are kept in tiny places where they are not even able to learn how to run.

They don’t even do health checks on their dogs before starting to breed them either, resulting in some serious health issues. So, you might save money at first by choosing a cheap puppy, but later on you will leave a fortune at the vet, not to mention the stress both of you will go through. 

French Bulldog scammers

In addition to unethical breeders there are lots of scammers out there who use amazing deals to trick innocent people into buying a Frenchie that doesn’t even exist. They know all the little tricks to look real, from fake photos to reviews! At TomKings Puppies we make serious efforts to fight against scammers and unethical breeders and educate puppy parents on how to recognize false intentions. 

Follow these 5 steps when buying a French Bulldog

Now that you’re familiar with the dangers that you might face when adopting a Frenchie, you’re probably wondering what you can do to avoid them. We’ll share 5 important steps here that you should follow when buying a Frenchie, make sure to also check out our ultimate checklist to choose the right French Bulldog breeder!

1. Ask for references

One of the first things you should do is check the reviews of the breeder and ask for references once you contact them. The best is if you can see the puppies previously sold by the breeder on social media like in our Facebook group and ask the owners directly.

2. Check how helpful the breeder is

The breeder should be ready to inform you about the process, answer your questions and help you find the best match. They should offer you to send several pictures and videos of the Frenchie pup or even show them on FaceTime.

3. Ask about the papers

The breeder should be able to provide you with the Frenchie’s pedigree for registration with the American Kennel Club and give you a health guarantee against genetic illnesses.

4. Avoid cheap puppies

We have already explained why French Bulldogs cost more than other dog breeds and why it is essential that you avoid cheap puppies. Always be suspicious if you see offers in the range of $1,000-1,500! You’ll probably agree that when you’re looking for a healthy family member for at least a decade it’s not worth saving on the price.  

5. Look for a breeder who is not just a seller

The best breeders think of puppies as part of their family and would like to make sure the dog is joining a loving environment. They are experts of French Bulldogs and are available for help even after you bought your Frenchie. Pay attention to how they speak about their pups: if they consider them more like a product that’s definitely a red flag!

5 reasons why we love Frenchies and why you should adopt one too

The list of why we think Frenchies are the most amazing dogs is endless: we could literally go on about it for hours! We still tried to narrow it down and here we’ll only list 5 things that are probably the best about having a Frenchie.

1. Frenchies are fun and adorable

We’ve mentioned this already: if you’re looking for a dog with a big personality, a Frenchie is definitely the one for you! They are little clowns who always do something silly to make you smile. Sweet, cuddly, playful, fun, cute… the list could go on. They are impossible not to love!

2. Frenchies get along with everyone

Frenchies are very sociable who get along with all family members from children to grandparents, from other dogs to cats. If you’re looking for a furry sibling for your kid or yor pet, a Frenchie is your best choice.

3. Frenchies are low-maintenance

Frenchies have short fur and they only require occasional grooming. This makes them ideal companions for those who live in an apartment.

4. Frenchies don’t need much space

Because of their relatively short size, Frenchies don’t need a big garden to run around all day. They are perfectly happy lying on the sofa all day and require little exercise during the day.

5. Frenchies are the best companions

Dogs are known to be loyal in general, but Frenchies take this to a next level! They are insanely affectionate and become very attached to their owners. They would spend every minute of their time with their parents if they could!

If you’d like to learn more about Frenchies, join our Facebook group called TomKings Frenchie Family to read our Frenchie parents’ experiences! 

FAQs

The article is based on the expert knowledge of the TomKings Puppies team who have been breeding French Bulldogs for 10 years on their farm. All the pictures in the post belong to them and their customers, and show puppies from their breed. Check their available French Bulldog puppies, or if you have any questions or comments let us know below the article.