Mary Allen
The French Bulldog is muscular, agile, and wiry, but significantly smaller than its British counterpart, the English Bulldog. A special feature is their protruding bat ears. In addition, the dog, which weighs around 8 to 14 kilograms, is characterized by a short tail, a short muzzle, and a broad, square head. Unfortunately, the French bulldog is one of the so-called brachycephalic breeds (brachycephalic syndrome = impaired breathing, mainly due to the short head) and is affected – to an individually varying degree – by associated health problems. The life expectancy of the animals, when healthy, is 10 to 12 years.
#1 In winter, the dogs might need a coat or other protective clothing because of their short fur, otherwise they get cold easily because of their short fur.
In general, these dogs were not bred to be kept outdoors. While they enjoy having a yard at their disposal, they should always be able to rest indoors in a well-tempered environment.
#2 The French bulldog actually owes its name to a very special class of the population – French prostitutes.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, these ladies of the night especially appreciated the cute bulldogs as companions. The scantily clad ladies can also be seen posing with their dogs on suggestive postcards. Because of this, the dogs were soon dubbed “Bouledogue français” even though the breed originally came from England.
#3 Most French bulldog litters are achieved through artificial insemination – because the lazy dogs tend to become exhausted before they can complete their act.
Their unique physique also makes it difficult for the dogs to copulate with each other. Of course, this drives up the price for the puppies – because artificial insemination is not cheap.