French Bulldog dog breed profile
French Bulldogs make great family pets because of their friendly nature.
Whether your dog is a purebred French Bulldog, or a French Bulldog mix, learning about their breed can explain a lot about your pet’s personality, habits and overall health. Or maybe you're looking to adopt a French Bulldog and want to do a bit of research first — we can help with that.
French Bulldogs are a very popular choice for those looking for a dog, but like any breed, being a parent to a Frenchie comes with a whole new set of responsibilities. The breed sometimes requires more care and medical treatment than other dogs to make sure their health is in tip-top shape.
What do French Bulldogs look like?
French Bulldogs are the smaller versions of English Bulldogs, which they originally stemmed from.
“Frenchies share a lot of physical characteristics with English Bulldogs,” Dr. Emily Singler, VMD, a veterinary consultant for Fetch, says.
When fully grown, this breed can weigh up to 28 pounds. They’re small but look mighty with their muscular body and wrinkled face.
What are French Bulldogs’ temperament like?
French bulldogs are usually calm, even-tempered and don’t have aggressive tendencies, Dr. Singler says. They’re naturally good around strangers because of their friendly, playful and adaptable nature but would also benefit from training sessions, too.
If your house has other dogs or young children, don’t fret about this dog breed. Because of their friendly nature, they’ll likely get along well with other pets or kids.
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What health issues do French Bulldogs face?
French Bulldogs, like most dogs, are known for having health issues that are susceptible to their breed. Knowing about these potential risks helps you to have informed conversations with your vet about your pet’s current health status and preventive measures.
“These dogs are brachycephalic, meaning they are a flat-faced breed,” Dr. Singler says. “This often results in very narrow nostrils, an elongated soft palate, collapse of the larynx, which is the voice box, and sometimes a narrow trachea, or the windpipe.”
Because of these possible issues, breathing can be more challenging for Frenchies, making it harder to regulate their body temperature.
“The severity of these difficulties varies a lot from dog to dog,” Dr. Singler shares. “Some Frenchies will only have problems when they’re very excited or stressed, and some will have breathing issues all the time.”
If a French Bulldog has these types of breathing issues, they may need to have surgery to correct them. To help this breed avoid these issues, parents can keep them at a healthy weight and avoid stress, overexertion and overheating, Dr. Singler suggests.
Another predisposed health condition for French Bulldogs is skin allergies from both environmental and food allergies.
French Bulldogs are also at increased risk for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation and facial skin fold dermatitis — “a condition where the skin gets moist, irritated and sometimes infected,” Dr. Singler says. “Frenchies likely need to have their skin folds cleaned daily to prevent dermatitis and infection.
For some French Bulldogs, allergy testing, immunotherapy and prescription allergy medication is needed to keep them healthy.
French Bulldogs for adoption
Are you interested in adopting a French Bulldog, French Bulldog mix or any pet at all? We think every pet deserves a home and encourage you to check out our shelter partners.
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The Dig, Fetch Pet Insurance's expert-backed editorial, answers all of the questions you forget to ask your vet or are too embarrassed to ask at the dog park. We help make sure you and your best friend have more good days, but we’re there on bad days, too.
