The Breed Standard

Breed Standard: A description of the ideal dog of each recognized breed, to serve as an ideal against which dogs are judged at shows, originally laid down by a parent breed club and accepted officially by national or international bodies.VIEW FULL BREED STANDARD >

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About the Breed

The one-of-a-kind French Bulldog, with his large bat ears and even disposition, is one of the world’s most popular small-dog breeds, especially among city dwellers. The Frenchie is playful, alert, adaptable, and completely irresistible.
The French Bulldog resembles a Bulldog in miniature, except for the large, erect ‘bat ears’ that are the breed’s trademark feature. The head is large and square, with heavy wrinkles rolled above the extremely short nose. The body beneath the smooth, brilliant coat is compact and muscular. The bright, affectionate Frenchie is a charmer. Dogs of few words, Frenchies don’t bark much’but their alertness makes them excellent watchdogs. They happily adapt to life with singles, couples, or families, and do not require a lot of outdoor exercise. They get on well with other animals and enjoy making new friends of the human variety. It is no wonder that city folk from Paris to Peoria swear by this vastly amusing and companionable breed.
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National Breed Club & Rescue

Want to connect with other people who love the same breed as much as you do? We have plenty of opportunities to get involved in your local community thanks to AKC Breed Clubs located in every state and more than 450 AKC Rescue Network groups across the country. The first specialty club to represent this breed was the French Bull Dog Club of America.FRENCH BULLDOG CLUB OF AMERICACLUB FLYERFIND RESCUES

What To Expect When Caring For a French Bulldog

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

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Find French Bulldog Puppies

French Bulldog puppy standing in the grass holding a ball in its mouth.

AKC Marketplace is the only site to exclusively list 100% AKC puppies from AKC-Registered litters and the breeders who have cared for and raised these puppies are required to follow rules and regulations established by the AKC.LOOK FOR YOUR PUPPY

History

In the mid-1800s, a toy-size Bulldog found favor in some English cities, including Nottingham, then a center for lace making. The toy Bulldog became something of a mascot for Nottingham’s lace makers. This was the height of the Industrial Revolution…Read More

A vintage photograph of a French Bulldog standing for a portrait at a conformation competition.
Credits to Courtesy of the AKC Library and Archives

Did You Know?

Two distinctive features of the French Bulldog are its bat ears and half-flat, half-domed skull.Had it not been for the objections of American fanciers, the bat ear of the French Bulldog would have been bred out of the breed and replaced with a rose ear, resulting in a miniaturized version of the English Bulldog.While bred primarily as pets and companions, Frenchies are remarkably intelligent and serve as good watchdogs.It is fairly well established that one of the ancestors of the French Bulldog is, not surprisingly, the English Bulldog (most likely one of the toy variety).Originally called the Boule-Dog Francais, though the english later scoffed at the idea of calling an English dog by a French name.Two distinctive features of the French Bulldog are its bat ears and half-flat, half-domed skull.Had it not been for the objections of American fanciers, the bat ear of the French Bulldog would have been bred out of the breed and replaced with a rose ear, resulting in a miniaturized version of the English Bulldog.While bred primarily as pets and companions, Frenchies are remarkably intelligent and serve as good watchdogs.It is fairly well established that one of the ancestors of the French Bulldog is, not surprisingly, the English Bulldog (most likely one of the toy variety).Originally called the Boule-Dog Francais, though the english later scoffed at the idea of calling an English dog by a French name.Two distinctive features of the French Bulldog are its bat ears and half-flat, half-domed skull.Had it not been for the objections of American fanciers, the bat ear of the French Bulldog would have been bred out of the breed and replaced with a rose ear, resulting in a miniaturized version of the English Bulldog.While bred primarily as pets and companions, Frenchies are remarkably intelligent and serve as good watchdogs.

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Compare Breeds

See how the French Bulldog stacks up to other breeds by comparing traits.

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BOSTON TERRIERFriendly, Bright, Amusing

BULL TERRIERPlayful, Charming, Mischievous

BULLDOGCalm, Courageous, Friendly

French Bulldog

The one-of-a-kind French Bulldog, with his large bat ears and even disposition, is one of the world’s most popular small-dog breeds, especially among city dwellers. The Frenchie is playful, alert, adaptable, and completely irresistible.MORE TO EXPLORE

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