If you are looking for a bulldog but you find English Bulldogs to be a bit big, then you have the pointy-eared relative as an alternative. You can have the Frenchies if you only have a small apartment.

Frenchies were bred in the 1800s by mating English Bulldogs and the already extinct toy bulldogs. French Bulldogs have become popular over the years. Just take a look at the hashtag “French Bulldog” on Instagram and you see millions of French Bulldog posts. But before you go crazy and get one for yourself, there are many things that you need to consider.

French Bulldogs are Expensive

Because of the popularity of French Bulldogs, you get to see a lot of breeders selling these dogs for a lot of money. These French Bulldogs could easily cost more than $1000. And given the traction that it is having on social media, don’t expect the demand to slow down any time soon.

They are independent-minded

A lot of French Bulldogs tend to be very independent. Don’t be too surprised if your dog suddenly knows how to entertain himself or herself. Just give the Frenchie a toy and you can already leave them alone. When it comes to other dogs, they are also playful but compared to other breeds, they can easily be entertained even if you leave them alone.

They chew a lot

They are also chewers. If you want to avoid this scenario from happening, you must provide them with something that they can chew. Perhaps, you might want to buy a lot of tennis balls. They can destroy tennis balls quite fast. However, this can save your furniture.

Can weigh up to 50 pounds

Though they look small, they are heavy. A lot of French Bulldogs can weigh from 40 to 50 pounds. On top of that, they are also prone to being obese because of their appetite. You want to make sure that you don’t overfeed them and to give them enough exercise because their hips are also prone to injuries.

They fart a lot

If you are a new dog owner, don’t be surprised if the dogs tend to fart a lot. Some factors contribute to this problem. First, you have the brachycephalic structure of French Bulldogs. It means that they tend to breathe via their mouths. Air enters their stomach and therefore, this explains why they are a bit airy. Next, they have sensitive stomachs and food goes down pretty fast compared to other breeds.

Life Expectancy

The life expectancy for Frenchies is only from 8 to 10 years. So if you are looking for a dog that will last more than a decade, then this might not be it.

If you are considering to have a Frenchie, this can be a good decision. They are small plus they don’t need to be walked around the neighborhood a lot. They easily get tired just by playing around the house. Apart from being nice to children and other dogs, they are also cuddly and cute which makes them popular nowadays.

If you are new to having a French Bulldog, one of the things that you may have noticed is that they fart a lot. Flatulence is innate not only to Frenchies but also to English Bulldogs. The reason behind this is their extremely sensitive stomachs. Compared to other breeds, French Bulldogs are known for this. Some things can exacerbate the situation. For instance, if you are going to change their diet, you’d notice that they tend to fart a lot. And also, they are known for having their food to come down faster than other breeds.

You can also blame the brachycephalic breeds’ structure for this characteristic among bulldogs. These types of dogs have flat and shushed faces and they tend to swallow a lot of air too. Combined by the fact that they tend to get their food down faster than most breeds, then you have a recipe for a lot of farting episodes.

Though this is the case, bulldogs are fun to be around with. French bulldogs in particular are friendly to children and other dogs. They are also not picky eaters. You can easily tweak their diet to make sure that they aren’t too gassy.

If you will look at social media and Instagram, you’ll notice that there are lots of people posting their Frenchie or French Bulldog. But what makes it so popular? Why should you be going for a French Bulldog?

First, they are relatively small. Even if they can be considered a medium-sized dog, they are still at the bottom of the spectrum. Next, they don’t require a lot of outdoor exercises. You don’t have to walk them every day. You can easily give them some toys at home and they already have their dose of exercise for the day.

Another reason why you should get a Frenchie is that they require minimal grooming. They don’t shed a lot which makes them ideal for those who want to maintain a clean apartment. You don’t need to visit the groomer every now and then.

Unfortunately, they are prone to obesity. You will have to make sure that you watch out what they eat to make sure that they don’t suffer especially during their senior years. Their meals should be high protein but low in fat.

Apart from being friendly, cute, and cuddly, the Frenchie is a perfect dog for those who don’t have any experience with dogs before. They are fun to be with and require only a few things.