Pure Earth Pets Loves the Quirky French Bulldog

Here at Pure Earth Pets, we love Frenchies! You might remember that our own forever dog, Dover, is a big, fluffy dog, nothing like a Frenchie, and that is just fine with us. Dover is perfect the way he is, and we get to love up on other people’s French Bulldogs whenever we get the chance! It is win-win for everyone! In this blog we are going to talk about this silly, quirky breed and share how our products can help with some of the common French Bulldog health concerns.

A Brief History of the French Bulldog

French Bulldogs, or Frenchies as they are called by their fans, are descendants of the Olde English Bulldoge, which is now extinct. Frenchies were developed around 1800 and became popular first in the French countryside, and then in Paris. In the early 1900s, Americans started to bring the Frenchie to the United States and developed the “bat ear” that the French Bulldog sports today. If it had not been for American Breeders, the Frenchie would still have the rose shaped ear of the English Bulldog.

The Lovable, Quirky French Bulldog

Two centuries later, we still love the quirky French Bulldog. Even the breed standard, which is maintained by the French Bulldog Club of America, mentions their playful nature. The breed standard states that the Frenchie’s temperament should be, “Well behaved, adaptable, and comfortable companions with an affectionate nature and even disposition; generally active, alert, and playful, but not unduly boisterous.”

We also checked in with two French Bulldog owners and asked for their input on what makes their Frenchies so special. Tiffany, who is mom to Frenchies Clementine and Moxie (smaller of the 2 pictured) and lives in Colorado, says, "They look serious, but they’re really such goofballs. They are little dogs with a big dog attitude, and a mischievous sense of humor. They’re amazing family dogs that make us laugh constantly."

Tiffany also explained, "Because Frenchies don’t have tails, you can’t tell if they’re happy or excited in the same way that you would with a Lab or a Golden Retriever. Frenchies don’t wag their tails because they physically can’t. You learn pretty quickly, though, to read their emotions through how they hold their ears: perked up when they’re curious, slicked back when they’re happy, and so on. It takes some getting used to, but it’s easy to learn their language. Every once in a while, if you’re lucky, you might get a teeny tiny hint of a wag from the little nub where their tail should be. If that happens, you know they’re over-the-moon excited. If it doesn’t, you can still tell everything you need to know from their big Frenchie ears."

Linda from Nashville, Tennessee, is dog mom to Pearl, a three-and-a-half-year-old French Bulldog who she adopted after Pearl’s elderly owner became ill and could no longer care for her. Pearl quickly fit in with Linda’s other dogs, Sky, an American Bulldog and Opie, a Bulldog/Boxer mix. After living with large dogs her whole adult life, Linda shared, “If I am sitting, she’s sitting in my lap. If I’m in bed, she’s curled up. If I’m at the table, she’s at my feet. She’s wonderful, and I just lucked into her. Everything that people told me early on about how loyal and cuddly Frenchies are is true. I can take her with me when I go places, and she fits in everywhere I go.”

Linda also shared, “We call her Piglet because when she gets excited, she gets all snorty. It’s adorable! She snores, the loudest of the three dogs. We are mindful of making sure that she can breathe ok, she gets Benadryl when she needs it at the direction of our vet. She loves being outside and running up and down the hill in our back yard, so when it’s hot I really have to be careful with her. If we go out at lunchtime, I always put a cool, damp towel on her to cool her down because they overheat quickly. There is always fresh water, and I rub her down with a cool, damp towel.

Zoe the San Francisco 49ers Emotional Support Dog

Another French Bulldog who we love here at Pure Earth Pets is Zoe, the San Francisco 49ers Emotional Support Dog. Zoe’s owner is Austin Moss, the 49ers Director of Player Engagement. Each day she goes to work with him, but she has her own job to do: lounge around the team’s training facility and get lots of love from the players and coaches. We sent Zoe one of our very first Pure Earth Pet subscription boxes to make sure she’s got plenty of healthy snacks when she is doing the serious work of spreading love and happiness to the team.

See Zoe with her Pure Earth Pets Box HERE

Common French Bulldog Health Concerns

 One of the best things about running a business like Pure Earth Pets is that we have learned that our products can help owners of breeds with special needs in a variety of ways. Frenchies are prone to several genetic health problems and supplying the best quality food and treats can help you avoid some of these issues.

French Bulldogs are prone to skin issues because of the folds of their skin. They can develop something called lip-fold pyoderma when dirt and bacteria accumulate in the folds of their faces. Frenchies are also more prone to mange and skin allergies than other breeds. You can help your Frenchie by avoiding some of the common foods that make allergies worse. We offer treats with novel proteins like crickets, and without corn, soy, wheat, and white potatoes, which are common allergens.

It is also extremely important to keep your French Bulldog at a healthy weight. Obesity can worsen issues like back problems, disc injuries, and joint problems in the knees, hips, and elbows. We have plenty of eco-friendly toys to keep your Frenchie engaged and playful. Of course, it is important to always watch your French Bulldog when exercising to ensure that he/she does not experience respiratory distress.

Do you have a Frenchie in your house? Head over to our Facebook page and share a photo or tag us on Instagram using @pureearthpets.