{"id":9720,"date":"2022-03-29T10:04:26","date_gmt":"2022-03-29T10:04:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/?p=9720"},"modified":"2023-08-01T15:33:58","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T15:33:58","slug":"where-do-french-bulldogs-come-from","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/where-do-french-bulldogs-come-from\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Do French Bulldogs Come From? Origins &#038; Fun Facts"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-14101bc2\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Where-Do-French-Bulldogs-Come-From-featured-image.webp\" alt=\"French bulldog puppy looking up\" class=\"wp-image-9730\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Where-Do-French-Bulldogs-Come-From-featured-image.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Where-Do-French-Bulldogs-Come-From-featured-image-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Where-Do-French-Bulldogs-Come-From-featured-image-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Where-Do-French-Bulldogs-Come-From-featured-image-705x397.webp 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<nav aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\" class=\"rank-math-breadcrumb\"><p><span class=\"last\">Home<\/span><\/p><\/nav>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading post_title_h1\" id=\"sc-post-title\">Where Do French Bulldogs Come From? Origins &#038; Fun Facts<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"post_info\"><strong><a   class=\"post-author-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/author\/alex\/\">Alex Vicente<\/a><\/strong> \u2022 Updated on August 1, 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"disclaimers\">\n<li><span class=\"av-icon-char\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-av_icon=\"\ue822\" data-av_iconfont=\"entypo-fontello\"><\/span> This review contains affiliate links. Read more <a href=\"\/affiliate-disclosure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"5417\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span class=\"av-icon-char\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-av_icon=\"\uf0fa\" data-av_iconfont=\"fontello\"><\/span> Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/german-shepherd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"5418\">German Shepherds<\/a>&nbsp;originated from Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Russian Black Terriers originated from Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>St. Bernards hail from Switzerland, after the Great St. Bernard Pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, it\u2019s natural to assume that French Bulldogs come from France, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might be surprised to know that French Bulldogs aren\u2019t actually French\u2014not in origin, anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This begs the question, where&nbsp;<em>do&nbsp;<\/em>French Bulldogs come from?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If they\u2019re not from France, why are they called \u201cFrench\u201d Bulldogs?<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li ><a href=\"#where-do-french-bulldogs-come-from\">Where Do French Bulldogs Come From?<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#from-rags-to-riches-the-tantalizing-history-of-french-bulldogs\">From Rags to Riches: The Tantalizing History Of French Bulldogs<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#how-french-bulldogs-were-accepted-to-society\">How French Bulldogs Were Accepted to Society<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#introduction-of-french-bulldogs-in-america\">Introduction of French Bulldogs In America<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#decline-in-popularity\">Decline In Popularity<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#sudden-rise-in-frenchie-registrations\">Sudden Rise in Frenchie Registrations<\/a><\/li><li ><a href=\"#conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where-do-french-bulldogs-come-from\">Where Do French Bulldogs Come From?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-puppy-sitting-looking-up.webp\" alt=\"French bulldog puppy sitting looking up\" class=\"wp-image-9728\" title=\"French bulldog puppy sitting looking up\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-puppy-sitting-looking-up.webp 780w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-puppy-sitting-looking-up-300x185.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-puppy-sitting-looking-up-768x473.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-puppy-sitting-looking-up-705x434.webp 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The history of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/french-bulldog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"5419\">French Bulldogs<\/a>&nbsp;is pretty interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They originated from England as descendants of English Bulldogs, were popularized in France, and were bred to \u201cperfection\u201d in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the story isn\u2019t as straightforward as just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"from-rags-to-riches-the-tantalizing-history-of-french-bulldogs\">From Rags to Riches: The Tantalizing History Of French Bulldogs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/english-bulldog-near-a-fence.webp\" alt=\"English bulldog near a fence\" class=\"wp-image-9733\" title=\"English bulldog near a fence\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/english-bulldog-near-a-fence.webp 780w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/english-bulldog-near-a-fence-300x185.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/english-bulldog-near-a-fence-768x473.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/english-bulldog-near-a-fence-705x434.webp 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Originally, English Bulldogs were bred for a brutal sport called bull-baiting, which involves pitting a bull against Pitbulls\u2014thus the name\u2014or English Bulldogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, in 1835, Britain outlawed bull-baiting. As a result, English Bulldogs were resigned to a simpler, more primitive life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of baiting bulls, they were bred with dogs like Bullenbeissers and Terriers to create smaller, more modern-looking Bulldogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the 1850s, miniature Bulldogs became somewhat of a fashion statement in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They barely resembled their Bullenbeisser ancestors, only sharing their broad facial structures and short muzzles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bulldogs that were considered too small or aesthetically undesirable, such as those with their ears pointed up, were sent over to France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These \u201cfaulty\u201d miniature Bulldogs became increasingly popular in France, so much so that special importing lines were created for the sake of trading them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The English were all too happy to send imperfect minis to France, deeming them unfit for breeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The French, on the other hand, adored the characteristics the English saw as imperfect\u2014especially the too-small bodies and erect ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They were so loved that they were officially named Bouledogue Fran\u00e7ais.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The retitled French Bulldogs became a fashion symbol of Parisian life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They were seen walking alongside famous prostitutes, respected madames, and rich elite socialites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-french-bulldogs-were-accepted-to-society\">How French Bulldogs Were Accepted to Society<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-looking-up-1.webp\" alt=\"French bulldog looking up\" class=\"wp-image-9725\" title=\"French bulldog looking up\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-looking-up-1.webp 780w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-looking-up-1-300x185.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-looking-up-1-768x473.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-looking-up-1-705x434.webp 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1893, the previously-rejected miniature Bulldogs\u2014renamed Bouledogues Fran\u00e7ais\u2014made their way back to England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite their popularity in France, English breeders didn\u2019t welcome the newly-titled breed with open arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They simply didn\u2019t fit the English Bulldog standard. They were too small, too weak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If they were to cross-breed Bouledogues Fran\u00e7ais with English Bulldogs, the result might be detrimental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of forcing Bouledogues Fran\u00e7ais into the Bulldog mainstream, individuals who loved the smaller breed formed their own kennel club in 1902.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bouledogues Fran\u00e7ais became increasingly prevalent then, so much so that even the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thekennelclub.org.uk\/search\/breeds-a-to-z\/breeds\/utility\/french-bulldog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"5420\">English Kennel Club<\/a>&nbsp;couldn\u2019t ignore their existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They officially recognized the breed in 1903 and accepted them in their ever-growing roster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By 1912, the breed\u2019s name was changed to French Bulldog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon their inclusion in the English Kennel Club, French Bulldogs became more and more desirable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When they were reintroduced to the country, only the rich could afford them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But just as Bulldogs went through a shift in identity alongside England\u2019s growing humane movement, so too did French Bulldogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With time, Frenchies belonged to all levels of society, regardless of the wage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"introduction-of-french-bulldogs-in-america\">Introduction of French Bulldogs In America<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-playing-with-ball-of-basket-on-the-grass.webp\" alt=\"French bulldog playing with ball of basket on the grass\" class=\"wp-image-9727\" title=\"French bulldog playing with ball of basket on the grass\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-playing-with-ball-of-basket-on-the-grass.webp 780w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-playing-with-ball-of-basket-on-the-grass-300x185.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-playing-with-ball-of-basket-on-the-grass-768x473.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-playing-with-ball-of-basket-on-the-grass-705x434.webp 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>French Bulldogs traveled alongside wealthy French and English socialites whenever they visited America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The American social elite instantly fell for the adorable breed and decided that they want them too, especially those with erect ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That was fine with English and French breeders, as they mostly preferred the rose-eared types anyways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Soon, influential Frenchie-owners like the J. P. Morgans and the Rockefellers petitioned the AKC to recognize the breed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.akc.org\/expert-advice\/dog-breeds\/behind-the-breed-history-french-bulldog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"5421\">AKC couldn\u2019t say no<\/a>; they added the breed in near-record time in 1898.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the Gilded Age, French Bulldogs became a highly fashionable \u201cprop\u201d in American society, particularly among wealthy ladies who wanted to jump on the Paris fashion bandwagon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perky-eared Bulldogs were sold up to $3,000, urging criminals to steal and sell to the highest bidder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since perky-eared Frenchies were more desirable than rose-eased Frenchies in America, American breeders drew up a breed standard that allows only perky-eared or bat-eared Bulldogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"decline-in-popularity\">Decline In Popularity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-on-the-grass-looking-back.webp\" alt=\"French bulldog on the grass looking back\" class=\"wp-image-9726\" title=\"French bulldog on the grass looking back\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-on-the-grass-looking-back.webp 780w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-on-the-grass-looking-back-300x185.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-on-the-grass-looking-back-768x473.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-on-the-grass-looking-back-705x434.webp 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>World War I left devastation in its wake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It affected nearly everyone in the world\u2014including French Bulldogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the next 50 years, the breed\u2019s popularity slowly declined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps this is due to the rise of Boston Terriers, a small brachycephalic breed that originated in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019re similar to French Bulldogs, except they\u2019re taller and a bit leggier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They were hailed as the first non-sporting breed in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another possible reason is that French Bulldogs always seemed sickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They had problems whelping naturally, resulting in a lot of early deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Safe veterinary cesarean didn\u2019t exist back then, so owners had to cross their fingers and hope for the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By 1940, French Bulldogs went from \u201cimmensely popular\u201d to \u201cimmensely rare.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There were only around 100 registered French Bulldogs in the AKC and a selected number of breeders in the US and across Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, they were insanely expensive, which dwindled their chance of being bought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sudden-rise-in-frenchie-registrations\">Sudden Rise in Frenchie Registrations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/two-French-bulldog-being-walked-by-owner.webp\" alt=\"two French bulldog being walked by owner\" class=\"wp-image-9729\" title=\"two French bulldog being walked by owner\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/two-French-bulldog-being-walked-by-owner.webp 780w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/two-French-bulldog-being-walked-by-owner-300x185.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/two-French-bulldog-being-walked-by-owner-768x473.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/two-French-bulldog-being-walked-by-owner-705x434.webp 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1987, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/frenchbulldogclub.org\/french-bulldog-breeder-listing-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"5422\">French Bulldog Club of America<\/a>&nbsp;(FBDCA) was created to promote the safe and healthy breeding of purebred French Bulldogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon its inception, around 170 French Bulldogs were registered. By 1990, the numbers rose to a staggering amount of 632 registrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since then, the breed\u2019s stability has solidified. By 2006, over 5,500 dogs were registered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, there are approximately 66,500 registered French bulldogs in the AKC alone. According to the club, the registrations rose 20% in 2020 and still continue to rise today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-laying-down-on-the-floor-looking.webp\" alt=\"French bulldog laying down on the floor looking\" class=\"wp-image-9734\" title=\"French bulldog laying down on the floor looking\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-laying-down-on-the-floor-looking.webp 780w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-laying-down-on-the-floor-looking-300x185.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-laying-down-on-the-floor-looking-768x473.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/french-bulldog-laying-down-on-the-floor-looking-705x434.webp 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the namesake, French Bulldogs didn\u2019t originate in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They were bred as the toy-sized version of the Bulldog in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>England exported runts of the litter to France, who adored the \u201cimperfections\u201d the English detested and named them Bouledogues Fran\u00e7ais.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Later, French Bulldogs found their way to the US alongside wealthy Europeans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>America fell in love with them and started breeding bat-eared Frenchies in the country, which is now the most popular \u201ctype\u201d of French Bulldog in the US.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wondering where do french bulldogs come from? Learn some of the history behind this popular breed, about its origins and also some fun facts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9730,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[130],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9720"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9720\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pawsinsider.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}