French bulldogs are small, compact dogs that are quite active, even if not sporty, and their distinctive characteristics are the “bat ears”. The French Bull dog is one of the very few breeds of dogs that have naturally short tails that can be straight or screwed. They appear to be sturdy, due to their muscular body and solid bone structure. Another thing that sets them apart even from their cousins the English and American bull dogs is their weight, varying from 15 to 36 pounds, thus making them excellent as family dogs. Unfortunately, have the shortest life span among the three breeds, about 8 to 10 years.
The French Bull dog, just like any other pet, needs a lot of human interaction as well as daily walks to help keep in shape. Up to this point this breed, is exactly what you need in an animal companion. However, you must keep a sharp eye on their health status. The first thing to be aware of is their flat face, which causes breathing complications. A direct consequence of this is that this breed cannot live outdoors. Their inefficient breathing apparatus makes it impossible to regulate temperature efficiently. This requires extra caution from the owner when taking him out for physical exercise or when on hot or humid weather. There have been cases of suffocation during these cases caused by the owner's irresponsible behavior.
Other afflictions include back and spinal ailments. It is presumed that the reasons why these dogs are prone to these conditions is the fact that they were selected from the dwarf examples of the bull dog breed. These is some debate concerning this aspect as some breeders consider that only dogs who have been X-rayed should be allowed to reproduce. Other feel that such decisions are best left in the care of veterinarians, to avoid anything going wrong or unnecessary euthanasia.
There is a more delicate issue that few are aware of: the French Bull dog is most often than not unable to reproduce naturally. Most females require a caesarean section in order to give birth, almost 80 % of cubs being born this way. As for the males, due to their very slim hips, many of them find it impossible to mount the female - therefore, breeders must undertake artificial insemination.
All of the above are factors to take into consideration before adopting a representative of this breed as a companion. However, when properly taken care of, a French Bull dog is an adorable thing to have around you as it will lighten your mood and make the family happy as well - it is really worth all the effort involved.
