GENERAL APPEARANCE: Sturdy, compact, solid, small dog with good bone, short, smooth coat.
No point exaggerated, balance essential. Dogs showing respiratory distress highly undesirable.

CHARACTERISTICS: Full of courage, yet with clown - like qualities. Bat ears and short undocked tail
essential features of the breed.

TEMPERAMENT: Vivacious, deeply affectionate, intelligent.

HEAD AND SKULL: Head square, large and broad but in proportion to dog’s size. Skull nearly flat between ears, domed forehead, loose skin forming symmetrical wrinkles. Muzzle broad, deep and set well back, muscles of cheeks well developed; nose and lips black. Stop well defined. Lower jaw deep, square, broad, slightly undershot and well turned up. Nose extremely short, black and wide, with open nostrils and line between well defined. Lips thick, meeting each other in centre, completely hiding teeth Upper lip covers lower on each side with plenty of cushion, never so exaggerated as to hang too much below level of lower jaw.

EYES: Preferably dark and matching. Moderate size, round, neither sunken nor prominent, showing no white when looking straight forward; set wide apart and low down in skull.

EARS: ‘Bat ears’, of medium size, wide at base, rounded at top; set high, carried upright and parallel, a sufficient width of skull preventing them being too close together; skin soft and fine, orifice as seen from the front, showing entirely.

MOUTH: Slightly undershot. Teeth sound and regular, but not visible when the mouth is closed. Tongue must not protrude.

NECK: Powerful, with loose skin at throat, but not exaggerated. Well arched and thick, but not too short.

FOREQUARTERS: Legs set wide apart, straight -boned, strong, muscular and short.

BODY: Short, cobby, muscular and well rounded with deep, wide brisket; roach back; strong; wide at shoulders and narrowing at loins; good ‘cut up’, ribs well sprung.

HINDQUARTERS: Legs strong, muscular and longer than forelegs, thus raising loins above shoulders. Hocks well let down.

FEET: Small, compact and placed in continuation of line of leg, with absolutely sound pasterns. Hindfeet rather longer than forefeet. Toes compact; well knuckled; nails short, thick and preferably black.

TAIL: Undocked, very short, set low, thick at root, tapering quickly towards tip, either straight or kinked, never curling over back nor carried gaily.

GAIT/MOVEMENT: Free and flowing. Soundness of movement of the utmost importance

COAT: Texture fine, smooth, lustrous, short and close.

COLOUR: Brindle, pied or fawn. Tan, mouse and grey/blue highly undesirable.

BRINDLE: a mixture of black and coloured hairs. May contain white provided brindle predominates.

PIED: white predominates over brindle. Whites are classified with pieds for show purposes; but their eyelashes and eye rims should be black. In pieds the white should be clear with definite brindle patches and no ticking or black spots.

FAWN: may contain brindle hairs but must have black eyelashes and eye rims.

SIZE: Ideal weight: dogs: 12.7 kg (28 Ib); bitches:10.9 kg (24 Ib). Soundness not to be sacrificed to smallness.

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

NOTE: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

French Bulldog Characteristics from the FBCE

It is generally recognised that the French Bulldog of today is a descendant of the Toy Bulldogs of the 1850s. By 1890, a strain had emerged in France which later became known as the French Bulldog.

The Frenchie, as he is known, is active, intelligent, sweet-tempered and full of fun. He makes an ideal companion and is a discretely silent house-dog, disinclined to make friends with strangers. He has a retentive memory, unflinching gaze and is quite fearless. He seems to possess a special power by which he gains the unswerving affection of his owner.

His body should be sturdy and compact. An essential feature is his erect ear carriage. Equally important are his round, dark eyes. An overall balance is another essential quality of the breed. A unique feature of the Frenchman is that his tail is naturally short and undocked. His coat must be short and fine and Brindled, Pied (in which white dominates the brindling) or Fawn in colour.

A French Bulldog is very dependant upon human companionship. He should never be left alone for long periods or left in the care of young children. As far as is possible, his life should follow a well-regulated pattern. He flourishes in warm, comfortable surroundings. The Frenchie enjoys a daily walk of moderate length. In summer, this should be taken early or late - NEVER in the heat of the day. NEVER, EVER leave him alone in your car in hot weather. When travelling in summer, take plenty of water, towels and ice. If he overheats, cool his body surfaces, give ice to lick but do NOT give him large quantities of water to drink. If necessary, abort your journey.

Although he has an easy care coat, it does need regular attention. His facial wrinkles and area round the base of his little tail must be kept clean. Particular attention must be paid to his bat ears. It is really important that the orifices are kept clear and thoroughly clean. Never let them dry out so that the inner surfaces come together.

The French Bulldog is a wonderful companion. His vivacity, comic ways and quaint clown-like appearance give him a unique character.