The French Bulldog
Health and FAQ

By Dr Karen Hedberg BVSc

General - The French Bulldog, is on the whole, a fairly sound dog with a few structural problems that need to be noted and that breeders need to be aware of. Being a brachycephalic breed that is fairly short and compact with a screw tail, the “Frenchie” is prone to the associated problems these conformational characteristics will bring.

 Body - While small in size, the Frenchie is incredibly solid for its height and weight, which to the uninitiated, can be very deceptive. The breed is a miniature mollossoid (mastiff), in that a large head and solid body is called for. The height at the shoulder relative to the bone and muscle weight ratio is phenomenal when comparing this breed to almost any other. Males ideally should weight around 12.5kgs, bitches around 11kg.

Despite their small stature, the strength of the Frenchie holds it in very good stead. The strength of bone and generally good ligament strength makes them quite a hardy breed, unlikely to break bones or injure themselves, even though they play fairly hard. Launching off beds and chairs even while quite young, rarely causes any damage – only heart attacks to the owners!

The French Bulldog is also incredibly agile on the whole, able to spring up onto sofas, chairs, lounges, beds etc in a single bound – usually without having to back off and take a run at it. In play, they often jump up in mid air, turn 180 degrees and come down facing the other direction. Chasing and playing with bigger dogs is no problem. As they are fairly easy going, they don’t generally start fights, but are quite willing to give an opinion on whom they are backing and will line up in support.

When lifting this breed, one should be careful to shift the majority of the lift to just behind the shoulders due to the front-heavy head and chest of the breed. As they trust you totally, they are very good at throwing themselves forwards in your arms – be prepared and have them securely held at all times.

Temperament - The breed was developed to be a comical and affectionate companion – whether you wish to put affection before the humour is your decision! These are incredibly easy going dogs and are very easy to live with, once the stubborn little darlings are fully house trained! They are easily spoiled rotten and are good natured enough to deal with this very well, and take it as their due. This should not however, extend to you being unable to hold them for an ear clean or nail cut – some discipline is needed, and you will need to be firm at these times – teach them early or it won’t sink in.

Lifespan - The Frenchie is on the whole, a reasonably healthy breed and lives between 12-16 years of age, and usually has a good old age with minimal diseases.

Breed Problems/Conditions

Our Main concern and priority of all our breeding program is the health of our French Bulldogs. We will endevour to health test each and every one of our French Bulldogs as per the "Fit for Function Fit For LIfe French Bulldog Health Scheme.

French Bulldog Health Scheme

How our French Bulldogs participate:

Step 1. Health Report

By booking an appointment with our French Bulldog Club we are given a health report by a designated vet.

Step 2. Bronze Level Certificate.

Our French Bulldogs will be eligible for the Bronze Certificate, he/she must meet the following criteria -

• KC Registration
• Micro Chip / permanent tattoo identification
• Normal results achieved for the basic Heart, Breathing and Hearing tests during initial ‘Health Report’ examination.

Step 3. Silver Level Certificate

For Our French Bulldogs to be eligible for the Silver Certificate, he/she must meet the following criteria -

• To have obtained the Bronze Certificate
• DNA test HC HSF4 for Hereditary Cataracts (Clear result)
• Putnam Patella test score (0, 1 or 2 scores acceptable at present)

Cardiologist Heart test. (normal)

All Our French bulldogs WILL be tested at the Silver Level Prior to breeding!

 

What is a French Bulldog like?

He's been called "the clown in the cloak of a philosopher," and this loveable little companion dog is exceptionally good-natured. He is particularly affectionate toward his master and the children, and can even be a bit possessive. They are excellent with children! He will need to be a part of the family and will want to be in close contact with you. Each "frenchie" possesses his own unique personality, but they are usually independent thinkers, intelligent, with a bit of a mischievous side. They are usually well-behaved if trained to be. They are trainable, but stubborn, and do best when they are convinced that they are interested in the task at hand. Their favorite task, of course, is that of lap-warmer, and that requires little to no training. You will need to be willing to share your favorite chair. They are compatible with other pets, but sometimes struggle with cats. They are active, alert, and playful, but they don't require a lot of exercise. They will have short bursts of high energy, but these are combined with long periods of napping and lounging around. Because of their short nose, you have to be careful that you don't exercise them to the point that they overheat. They also don't do well in high temperatures and they do best with being kept cool on hot days. They can be territorial and protective, and will "sometimes" alert their owners to danger, but not all the time. Some frenchies never bark at intruders. They are typically a quiet breed and are not excessive barkers. These loyal little guys are the ideal housedog, except for the fact that they drool and slobber quite a bit, are frequently gassy (have flatulence), and snore loudly.