French Bulldogs, with their large bat ears and chunky small bodies, are much-coveted pets around the world. They resemble a Bulldog in a miniature size. This breed has a wrinkled face, extremely short nose on a head that is large and square. Generally, French Bulldog colors vary widely, and their coat is smooth and brilliant.
Their affectionate and charming personality, combined with their easy adaptability, the Frenchies have won the hearts of many city-dwellers, couples, and families. But aside from their character, Frenchies are also famous for their striking shades. Here's what you should know about this physical feature.
Early French Bulldog Colors
As you may already know, the French Bulldog roots go way back to Nottingham, England. They were a mixed breed of the English Bulldog and other terrier breeds. They were taken down to France by the lacemakers, where they become quite famous with the elite. Even the tourists took an interest in them, and soon they were taken to all corners of the world.
Throughout history, the Frenchie that are pied, and brindle ought to be the oldest colors in their breed. French Bulldogs were crossed with other toys and mini breeds; they later became more colorful. Therefore, it is no longer surprising to see rarer shades of Frenchies these days.
The French Bulldog Colors
This dog breed comes in a variety of colors. Some are approved to be standard in the breed, while others are unaccepted by breed clubs. Some typical color includes white, cream, tan, brindle, piebald, variations of fawn, and other color combinations.
As they became more popular, breeders and Frenchie parents found other surprising tints that are special and rare for this breed. These rare colors include lilac, blue, merle, chocolate, and pure black.
There is much debate on the health of rare-colored Frenchies and the fact that some of these unique colorings are not a breed standard. So let's find out more about these lovely Frenchie colors.
French Bulldog Colors Approved by the AKC
The American Kennel Club first recognized French Bulldogs in 1898. In 1911, the club established the coat color requirements for this breed. During this time, the club also approved bat-shaped ears as the standard for French Bulldogs, and this rule is still followed until today.
For show purposes, here are the AKC approved French Bulldog colors:Amongst these, brindle is the oldest and the most common color for French Bulldogs. Brindle-colored Frenchies mainly have that dark, dominant color with light strands. The AKC also approves other patterns like piebald, pied, black masks, white markings, and black shadings.
The AKC only applies these rules for Frenchie parents who wish to enter the competition. However, if you are just after having a loyal and loveable companion, these rules set by the club does not matter. What's important is that your pooch remains healthy and gets all the care and nutrition that they need.
Best and Famous French Bulldog Color
When describing a colored French Bulldog, the first one that you can think of is the brindle coat. Brindle French Bulldogs have a dominant dark color with lighter strands. It is the oldest, most dominant, and probably the most famous Frenchie coloring.
Fawn Frenchies are also common. These dogs have a tan coat that ranges from light tan to dark reddish tan. These dogs usually have a dark-colored mask, ears, and brindle streaks on their coat.
Additionally, pied-Frenchies are charming looking creatures. They have a predominantly white hue with marked dark patches all over their body. The darker shades usually are brindle and fawn.
Rarest French Bulldog Colors
Although there are only a few approved and accepted Frenchie colors, they come in more beautiful shades. The most unusual you might have heard in this breed is the Blue French Bulldog. These exceptional colored canines grew popular over the last few decades.
Rare French Bulldog colors were not approved by AKC when they first recognized and standardized the breed in 1898 and 1911, respectively. Later on, the trend of producing rare-colored Frenchies started a string of irresponsible breeding practices, which led to an overproduction of unhealthy puppies.
Why Blue-Colored French Bulldogs Very Popular
Blue Frenchies attract people the most. They have a very rare coat, and there are several opinions on owning this unusual color. Despite being a popular shade, a Blue Frenchie is not an official breed standard.
The color blue in this breed is a genetic disorder called the Color Dilution Alopecia. These canines carry a rare gene that is undesirable, and it causes the black coat and eyes to have that light bluish tint.
Despite ongoing debate on whether this color can affect the canine's overall health, responsible breeders are extremely happy when a puppy like this arrives in their litter. For many, the dog's health is not dependent upon their color, but on the condition of their parents.
Other Unusual French Bulldog Colors
Apart from the Blue, there are several more rare French Bulldog also come in fashionable, albeit unusual shades. Here are some of them.
- Cream - Frenchies with this hue have an eggshell-type of coloring. They have darker colored lips and eye rims. These dogs typically look dusky.
- Chocolate - this rare coat color comes from a recessive gene that a puppy inherits from both parents. The colors can vary from dark chocolate to lighter versions. More so, these Frenchies can have golden, brown, bright yellow, and green eyes.
- Merle - for many, Merle-colored French Bulldogs are the most unique and strange. These dogs have hundreds of markings in their typical dark brown or black coat. Light hues such as fawn, cream, or white dominate the darker colors in the mix.
- Lilac - this is another popular Frenchie colors. Often French Bulldogs with this shade fetch a very high price. These dogs carry a recessive gene, and they often look like blue-colored Frenchies. Lilac pooches may also display light-colored eyes like light brown, yellow and blue. When the pups grow into adults, their coats become lighter.
- Pure black - these pooches look stunning, powerful, and unique. Pure black pups are also very rare, and the American Kennel Club does not yet accept them. This hue is very desirable on the market because of its simplicity and rarity.
- Isabella - these pooches have an amazing and unusual coat color. The combination of their light-colored eyes such as grey, yellow, light blue, and green, making them a highly-coveted unique Frenchie color. Generally, Isabella pups have white or cream markings on the chest, pink skin around their eyes, noses, and mouth.
- Sable - another unusual and popular coloring is the sable French Bulldogs. They carry a reddish type of pigment on their primary fawn shade. They vary from light tan to darker variations, and these pooches can have black or black-tipped hair. This coat color is one of the most special that you can get in a Frenchie litter.
French Bulldog Colors and Patterns
Dogs with combined colors also look adorable and desirable. Some coat combinations are not rare in other breeds, but for French Bulldogs, it is a different story.
Black and tan-colored French Bulldogs are also very rare, and they can look gorgeous anywhere you see them. These pooches have black fur and light-colored markings that can range from tan, cream, or reddish. They have these markings above their eyes, inside the legs, cheeks, or bellies.
Blue and tan Frenchies are an even rarer combination. The blue tint as the dominant color and lighter colors of white, fawn, or cream are present above the eyes, legs, bellies, and cheeks. Similar to other unique shades, these beauties have a recessive dilute gene that they inherited from their parents.
And lastly, we have French Bulldogs colors fawn variations. These dogs have coat variations, which may range from light tan to reddish and golden tan. Typically, these dogs have visible black masks, which makes them look extra adorable.
Other color combinations for Frenchies include black and white, mouse and tan, black tan liver, tan mouse grey, and many others.
French Bulldog Colors, Health and Genetics
Reputable breeders rely on a Frenchie Bulldog color genetics chart for guidance and to track their breeding efforts. It is especially helpful for breeders who are specializing in a specific Frenchie color pattern. It is also essential to pay attention to a French Bulldog color DNA to ensure that breeding rare colored puppies.
Often, the same genes that influence a Frenchie's coloring and markings also influence the pup's developmental processes. Their color DNA will affect the health of their hearing or vision. For instance, an all white-coloring is associated with canine deafness.
Do Rare-Colored French Bulldogs Require More Care?
And the reason for this is simple.Generally, rare coat colors in bulldog French are associated with abnormalities in their pigment distribution into the hair and skin. There are severe cases, but many pet owners have healthy and happy Frenchies with unique colorings.
The French Bulldog breed has sensitive skin and that they are prone to having allergies. If you have unusually-colored Frenchie, conditions such as stunted fur growth and hair loss may be inevitable. And with hairless spots, Frenchies become susceptible to secondary skin infections.
Therefore, you must avoid grooming products with harsh chemicals and ingredients. You should also check with your veterinarian on possible food options to ensure that your pooch's skin remains healthy and free from allergic reactions.
Conclusion
Welcoming a French Bulldog into the family promises years of loyalty, fun, and endearing companionship. This breed is the best there is when it comes to having a considerate, smart, and loving pet. Interested Frenchie owners should seriously consider their expectations from their canines. Whatever French Bulldog coat colors you have, their personalities, temperaments, and your relationship with them are indeed what matters the most.