How to Identify a French Bulldog

Easy ways to spot a purebred French Bulldog

Co-authored by Kateryna Zabashta

Last Updated: February 12, 2023 References

Body Structure

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Coat

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Temperament

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Distinguishing Between Similar Breeds

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Q&A

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Tips

The French bulldog, one of the most popular dog breeds in the world,^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source} is a non-sporting breed. Known for their "bat ears" and other key traits, they can be distinguished from other dog breeds as long as you know what to look for. By understanding the breed's general appearance and temperament, you can get a better idea of whether or not a dog is a French bulldog.

Things You Should Know

Look for a French Bulldog's signature "bat ears" and short tails. Purebred French Bulldogs are typically muscular and short.
Check for short, smooth fur, in either white, fawn, or cream. Some French Bulldogs have black or brown spots as well.
See how affectionate the dog is and how well they do around strangers. French Bulldogs are typically loving and easygoing, and aren't hyperactive.
Don't mix up French Bulldogs with similar breeds, like English Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, or pugs.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Body Structure

1
Notice the dog's size. French bulldogs are fairly small, having a height of about 11–13 inches (28–33 cm).^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source} They typically weigh under 28 pounds (13 kg).^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source}
2
Check for "bat ears". French bulldogs have recognizable perked ears with wide bases and rounded tips.^{[4]
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Research source} The ears are not too close together and rest high atop the dog's head.^{[5]
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Research source} A purebred French bulldog will almost certainly have bat ears.

Did you know? French bulldogs were originally bred from toy bulldogs, likely mixed with some other terrier and small breeds, and developed their characteristic ears somewhere in the process. When Americans in the early 1900s insisted that the proper French bulldog ear was this "bat ear" instead of the more common "rose ear" of the English bulldog, this became a trademark of the breed.^{[6]
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Trustworthy Source
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
Go to source}

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3
Look at the eyes. Brown eyes are a common trait in French bulldogs, especially dark, almost black eyes. These are most desirable, though a French bulldog may also have light, brown eyes.^{[7]
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4
See if the dog has a short tail. French bulldogs are seen with short tails that can be straight or screwed.^{[8]
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Research source} Their tails are thick at the base but have fine tips.^{[9]
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Research source} They hang low below the back.
5
Pay attention to the dog's overall build. The build of a French bulldog is fairly muscular. They have short, well-rounded bodies.^{[10]
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Research source} Their gait is described as being vigorous and unrestrained.^{[11]
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- You should see the parents and family that bring the dog in person. You cannot invest in an animal without seeing it.
- See whether the animal is kept in a crate or is a part of the family.
- Inquire about the food given to the parents. They could be fed store-bought products like kibble or raw natural food.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Coat

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Check for short fur. The coat of a French bulldog is short and smooth.^{[12]
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Research source} Their skin is loose and soft, which oftentimes can form wrinkles on the dog, especially around the head and shoulders.^{[13]
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Look at the color of the coat. French bulldogs typically have light coat base colors. Their base color can be white, fawn, or cream, including any combinations of these colors.^{[14]
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3
Know common coat patterns. Though the base is usually white, fawn, or cream, French bulldogs can have other colors seen in pattern form. Coat patterns seen in French bulldogs include brindle, piebald, black masks, black shading, and white markings.^{[15]
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- French bulldogs commonly have brindle coats. This brindle pattern can range from "sparse but clearly defined" to "such heavy concentration" that the base color is almost completely hidden.^{[16]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Temperament

1
Watch for affection. French bulldogs are highly affectionate. They tend to show much loving towards people. Because of this, they can make great family pets.^{[17]
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See if the dog is alert. French bulldogs are commonly very alert dogs. They can show attentiveness, though they aren't overly energetic.^{[18]
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Check for patience. Unlike many dog breeds, French bulldogs demonstrate fine levels of patience. Even as puppies, they tend to be calmer, which can ease the training process.^{[19]
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Look at the dog's social levels. French bulldogs are typically welcoming toward strangers. They are well-behaved around new animals and people, being fairly adaptable.^{[20]
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Notice if the dog is easygoing. French bulldogs are overall quite easygoing. They aren't overly excited and can have fine energy levels. They may even appear calm.^{[21]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Distinguishing Between Similar Breeds

There are several dog breeds that have similar appearances to French bulldogs. However, if you know how to spot the differences, it may be easier to tell whether a dog is a French bulldog.

1
Spot differences between French bulldogs and English bulldogs. Both types of bulldogs, French bulldogs and English bulldogs naturally have many similarities. Both are fairly muscular and have short fur and wrinkles. However, English bulldogs tend to be the bigger of the two, weighing as much as 40–50 pounds (18–23 kg).^{[22]
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Research source} English bulldogs do not have bat ears; their ears slightly fold down.
2
See how French bulldogs and Boston terriers differ. Boston terriers and French bulldogs are commonly confused for one another due to their strikingly similar appearances. However, there are a couple differences between the breeds. Boston terriers are taller than French bulldogs, being 15–17 inches (38–43 cm), though French bulldogs weigh more.^{[23]
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Research source} French bulldogs are seen in white, fawn, cream, brindle, and piebald, while Boston terriers may be brindle, seal, or black.^{[24]
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3
Differentiate between French bulldogs and pugs. Pugs and French bulldogs are both wrinkly, fairly small breeds. Pugs, however, are toy breeds and smaller than French bulldogs. They are roughly 10–14 inches (25–36 cm).^{[25]
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Research source} Pugs have folded ears rather than bat ears and are seen with curly tails rather than short tails.
4
Tell how French bulldogs and pitbulls differ. American Pit Bull Terriers are a common "pitbull" breed and have some things in common with French bulldogs. Pit Bull Terriers can weigh as much as 78 pounds (35 kg), however, and are larger than French bulldogs.^{[26]
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Research source} Both breeds have fine coats, though Pit Bull Terriers can be seen in blue, gray, white, tan, brown, red, yellow, or black.^{[27]
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Understand differences between French bulldogs and bull terriers. Bull terriers and French bulldogs have some similarities between them, such as having perked ears. Bull terriers, however, are much larger than French bulldogs, being as much as 45–80 pounds (20–36 kg).^{[28]
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Research source} Bull terriers can be seen with brown, white, brindle, tricolor, or black coats that are smooth and dense.^{[29]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can French bulldogs have drop ears and 7 inch tails?

Linnie

Top Answerer

No purebred French bulldog would have these traits. French bulldogs always have erect "bat" ears - this is what distinguishes them from other bulldogs. They're also characterized by their small corkscrew tails. A dog with drop ears and a long tail is not a French bulldog.