The French Bulldog originated in England and was created to be a toy-size version of the Bulldog. … The United States saw its first French Bulldog at the Westminster Kennel Club show in 1896. The breed was quickly nicknamed “Frenchie,” and it is still an affectionate name that is used today
French Bulldogs are the perfect companion dogs much preferring to be around people than being left on their own. They crave human contact and enjoy nothing more than acting “the clown” whenever they can. They are considered to be of average intelligence but are able to learn new commands readily, once you get passed their stubborn streak. They are known to be easy-going and loyal companions to live with thanks to their sweet and affectionate natures. They are a good choice for people who live in smaller homes and apartments with the good news being they are not known to be “barkers” although they don’t like being left on their own.
The French Bulldog is an ideal choice of pet for people who lead quieter lives because they will quite happily sit on the couch with their owner. However, these little dogs need to be given regular daily exercise and ideally this needs to be at least 1 hour a day otherwise, French Bulldogs have a tendency to plough on the pounds. Obesity is a real problem for the breed which results in dogs developing all sorts of health issues and can shorten their lifespans considerably, so careful and strict dietary regimes must be followed.
As previously mentioned, Frenchies are intelligent little dogs. They love to please which means they are quite easy to train, as long as their stubborn streak does not rear its ugly head. It pays to take things slowly and surely when training a Frenchie and being very patient will pay off in the end. Frenchies can be taught to do all sorts of things, some of which are highly amusing which adds to their label of being the “clowns of the dog world”
Positive reinforcement training is essential, but you have to monitor how many rewards you give a Frenchie during their education to ensure a dog does not put on too much weight, especially when they are still puppies or young dogs. Carrying too much weight puts extra pressure on growing joints and not fully developed ligaments which can lead to all sorts of bone deformities, a problem the breed is already known to suffer from anyway.
Is The French Bulldog (Frenchie) the Dog for You?
The French Bulldog can claim part of its ancestry in Great Britain, going back to the 1850s when a dwarf Bulldog breed known as the Toy Bulldog was popular in some parts of the country.
Nottingham lace makers, threatened by redundancy in the Industrial Revolution, emigrated to Northern France, taking their dogs with them. They became popular in some localised areas. It is thought that some crosses were made to other short-faced breeds and after three decades a new breed known as the French Bulldog had evolved.
Unlike other Bulldog breeds, the French Bulldog has large ‘Bat Ears’ (a term used as a nickname for the breed) giving him a clownish appearance. Soon this was the fashionable breed, popular in artistic society in Paris and portrayed by Degas and Toulouse Lautrec in portraits of Parisian life.
The return of the breed to Britain in the last years of the 19th Century brought some antagonism from the traditionalists, but in 1902 the French Bulldog Club of England was formed. In 1906 the Kennel Club gave official recognition to the breed.
In recent years the breed has seen a meteoric rise in popularity. From 2009 to 2015 the registrations for the breed increased 10 fold and in 2015 the French Bulldog was ranked third most popular breed in the UK
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