In 1893 a member of the Bulldog Club in England imported French-bred dogs and exhibited them at the Kennel Club show. The breed greatly appealed to the ladies of the day with its comical 'bat' ears and it was not long before the new breed became popular and was allowed into the Kennel Club Stud Book as the 'Toy Bulldog'. With its popularity came commercial breeding; the breed degenerated and soon faded from the public eye in England. However, the French, who had disclaimed by now all connections with the English Toy breed, produced their own example of the French Bulldog, attracting the attention of American tourists in Paris who took specimens back with them to the USA. The American breeders are credited with developing the cobby, massive-headed and square-jawed specimens which have become the ideal for this breed. The French Bulldog is not a common breed. Generally a fairly sound dog, the breed has a few structural problems that need to be noted and that breeders need to be aware of. Being a brachycephalic breed that is fairly short and compact with a screw tail, the "Frenchie" is prone to the associated problems these conformational characteristics will bring. |