French Bulldog

The French bulldog, or simply a Frenchie, is a small breed of dog that actually came from England.  During the Industrial Revolution, English artisan workers especially lace makers wanted little companions around to improve the quality of their lives.  So, they crossed a dwarf English bulldog with a pug and a terrier and produced the French bulldog.

To be honest, I don’t really like Frenchies and pugs, perhaps because I see too many of them these days.  Whenever I see a pushed face dog, I feel uncomfortable and the dog looks uncomfortable, too.  I feel bad to hear their heavy breathing and snorting.

 

A few weeks ago, I was in an elevator with a guy and his little dog with a pushed in face.  If you know me, whenever I see a dog, I seek opportunities to interact with that dog, though I have failed numerous times.  So that day, I asked the owner, “So cute, is she a pug?”  Then the sassy owner looked offended and said, “No, she’s a Frenchie.  Pugs are ugly,” as he got off the elevator with his “pretty” Frenchie.

Frenchies come in many different colors.  They are small dogs and shouldn’t weigh over 28 pounds.  Their face wrinkles and bat ears are some key characteristics.  And because they only need little exercise, they are perfect for apartment living.  Plus, their short hair makes grooming super easy.  But, Frenchies are stubborn and can be difficult to train.

 

Are they cute?

Unfortunately, because they are so top heavy, they have serious reproductive challenges.  In fact, they cannot naturally reproduce.  Because they have such narrow hips and weak legs, the males cannot successfully go on top of the females.  This makes breeding very difficult and expensive.  Frenchies also have a very short nose and head.  Because of their pushed faces, they tend to have a lot of health issues.  They can’t breathe very well so they can’t be in heat or do rigorous exercise.  They can even be prone to thyroid conditions, eye irritations and spinal diseases.