So You Want A French Bulldog
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So you want a French Bulldog.
Well, you’ve come to the right place.
We’re going to discuss some of the good, the bad, and the ugly of this popular breed.
Think you know everything about the cutie-pies we call “Frenchies?”
Think again!
So You Want A French Bulldog
We know you want a French Bulldog but have you done your research. The good news is we put together this list of facts that might help you with your decision.
Here are 11 incredible French Bulldog facts you probably did not know!
1. “Frenchies” are Not Actually from France
They actually come from England!
The French Bulldog Club of America gives a detailed history of this “French” breed’s origins. French Bulldogs can trace their roots back to the older English bulldog.
This early bulldog breed was used for the sport “bull-baiting” until the sport was outlawed in 1835.
With many dogs left unemployed (and safe from this dangerous sport!) breeders began experimenting to create a smaller version of the bulldog as a companion pet.
These smaller dogs weighed between 12 and 25 pounds and were some of the earliest versions of the French bulldog.
These first French bulldogs were popular among the lace-makers in England. During the Industrial Revolution, the lace-makers left their homes seeking work.
They traveled to France, taking their tiny bulldogs with them. The people of France became so enamored of these precious little dogs, that a successful trade business was sparked between England and France.
So while the little bulldogs originated in England, it was in France that they truly gained popularity. Wealthier French citizens made the dogs fashionable and desirable.
Their first major boom in popularity was due to this high demand – christening the dogs with the name French bulldog.
Finally, in 1898 the French bulldog became an officially recognized breed with the AKC.
2. French Bulldog History Can be Traced Back to the Titanic
The French bulldog continued to remain popular among wealthy citizens in the early 20th century.
Their owners absolutely adored them. So much in fact, one wealthy French bulldog owner was willing to pay for his pup to ride on the Titanic!
Gamin de Pycombe was a French bulldog who had the honor of riding aboard the Titanic with his owner Robert Daniel.
Gamin was one of twelve dogs aboard the ship – and was the only French bulldog. The ticket price for a dog to ride the Titanic was equivalent to that of a small child.
But that price must have been worth it for Daniel. According to the French Bulldog Club of America,
Gamin de Pycombe was purchased in England for £150 – that equals $17,000 today!
Gamin the Frenchie was only two years old when he set sail on the Titanic in 1912.
Unfortunately, Gamin did not survive the sinking. But the little French bulldog’s legacy lives on.
James Cameron intended to include images of the dog aboard the ship in his film Titanic.
He even filmed a scene of the French bulldog boarding the ship with the other canine passengers along with a scene when the ship was sinking.
These scenes were cut from the final version of the film.
Here’s a clip from Titanic that ended on the cutting room floor but you catch a glimpse of the Frenchie on board: