French Bulldog

Introduction

Toward the end of the 19th century, on a fine day, a phaeton drawn by two high stepping horses could be seen promenading along the Champs Elysees, driven by a no less elegant dandy in top hat, black coat and checked trousers.
His liveried groom, with leather trousers and boots, shone like the varnished carrriage.
Between these two a pied Frenchie with a black patch covering one eye and one ear sat, proudly supervising the pageant.
All the caricaturists of the day limned this legendary trident.

The Origins of a Breed

A person chooses an animal that he likes owing to a given peculiarity. He takes greater pains in crossing this animal with another of similar characteristics and so obtains something close to the desired objective.. These animals slowly spread throughout the local environment. Can they be called a separate breed? Who remembers these animals? This can be said of the majority of breeds at their beginning. They seem to hold little interest other than for a small group of enthusiasts. Such was the case with the French Bulldog. It would be difficult to give an exact date for its appearance. These dogs originate through the choosing of animals with special characteristics that were later crossed.. The results of these crosses were again selected, and in turn bred from.
In principle it is not in dispute that the breed emerged from a cross of Terrier and English Bulldog. Not the large bulldog of today but his much lighter ancestor of the 1840’s that can be seen in some engravings along with terriers.( was this intentional?) However our type of French Bulldog and his distinguishing characteristics ( bat ears, amongst others) that played such an important part in his development, are the result of the careful and laborious work of the early breeders. They had a perfect ideal of the dog they wanted to create . The Americans were surprised that a breed of such recent origins and notable development had no authoritative eyewitnesses that could testify to its origins:
“ This proves , they said, that the origins of this breed raised no interest in France worthy of consideration, and that the development of the breed was left to chance, indifference and even abandonment".
It may be said that this “butchers’ dog” as it was called by the French canine society of the day, was in fact disdained by the greater public. The fashion was for Poodles, Bichon, Toy Teriers etc. The parisian dog enthusiasts of the time were unable to see the beauty of this rough little monster with his proud, cocky air. He was tolerated if at all in the stables as a ratcatcher. In fact he has never got further than the stables, but a mere twenty years later he was to become the “ chouchou” of choice of the ladies.
The Americans on the other hand, lovers of the breed, found it hard to accept that the F.B could be undervalued in such a way. They had no doubts that men in their 60’s and 70’s could give them the imformation that they had been seeking in vain.