Appeared in Paris in the mid-1800s, apparently from Toy Bulldogs imported from England crossed with local Parisian ratters.

The Mastiff & Bull family. Heavy-boned guardians and the bull breeds descended from them. Powerful but often gentle at home, they need early training and socialization.

Playful, adaptable and smart.

Voice

Usually quiet; barks when there's a reason.

With kids

A family favorite that thrives around children.

Other dogs

Generally sociable with other dogs.

Home

A natural apartment dog.

Exercise. Moderate: daily walks and active play, such as a game of fetch. Puppies do better with several short sessions than one long walk, and older dogs need gentler outings.

Training. Trains at an average pace. Reward-based methods and a regular routine work best.

Short, smooth coat: a weekly once-over with a rubber curry mitt or bristle brush and an occasional bath. Moderate, seasonal shedding.

For every dog: trim nails when you can hear them click on the floor, brush teeth daily if you can (a few times a week still helps), and clean ears about once a month, drying them well after baths and swims.

Daily calories

About 500–750 kcal for a healthy adult

Dry food

Roughly 1.25–2 cups a day at ~400 kcal per cup

Puppies eat four small meals a day at 6 to 12 weeks, drop to three somewhere between 3 and 6 months, and move to two meals a day from about 6 months.

Keep treats, including training treats and table scraps, under 10% of daily calories.

Calories use the resting-energy formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual (70 × body weight in kg^0.75) times a maintenance factor of 1.4 to 1.8, so very active or working dogs may need more. Cups assume about 400 kcal per cup; check your food's label. Treat any feeding chart as a starting point and adjust to body condition.

Typical lifespan is 9–11 years. Conditions reported in the breed:

Ask breeders for health-test results from the parents (hips, eyes, and DNA tests where relevant), and schedule yearly vet checkups.

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Photos come from Wikimedia Commons and are used under the licenses shown. Only freely licensed photos appear on this site; where none is available, you'll see an illustration.

• Wikipedia: French Bulldog (opens in a new tab)
• AKC breed weight chart (opens in a new tab)
• AKC: French Bulldog ends the Lab’s 31-year run (opens in a new tab)
• AKC: Puppy feeding fundamentals (opens in a new tab), bloat (opens in a new tab), treats (opens in a new tab) and grooming (opens in a new tab)
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional requirements of small animals (opens in a new tab)

Ratings for energy, shedding and the like are our own summaries, informed by these sources. Breed facts were checked in October 2026.