The French Bulldog is a charming breed, but what about if this is all compacted down into a miniature dog?
The mini French Bulldog gives us a heavy boned breed in an even smaller body whilst carrying all of the desirable and charming characteristics of the regular-sized French Bulldog.
Highly affectionate and easy-going, the miniature French Bulldog makes a great addition to any family.
This puppy is highly adaptable, meaning almost anyone can own this breed, as they are suited to all different types of homes!
Luckily their exercise needs are limited, even more so because of their petit size, but what else is there to know about this breed?
Let us share with you 10 things every dog lover should know about this charming and miniature sized…
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- 10. Lady Gaga Owns A Mini French Bulldog
- 9. They Must Be Smaller Than 13 Inches In Height
- 7. This Breed Is An Excellent Family Pet
- 6. The Mini French Bulldog Has Breathing Problems
- 5. These Pooches Are City Dwellers!
- 4. A Mini French Bulldog Costs From $2,000 To $8,000 USD
- 3. They Are VERY Stubborn
- 2. They Require Little Grooming and Exercise
- 1. The Mini French Bulldog Is Not Officially Recognized By The AKC
- Summary
10. Lady Gaga Owns A Mini French Bulldog
This breed’s popularity is emphasized by their popularity amongst A-list celebrities.
Celebrity owners of this dog include: Lady Gaga, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Leonardo DiCaprio and the witty Chrissy Teigen!
Even Martha Stewart has a love for her French Bulldogs.
With their celebrity status, it is no wonder that the demand for a Mini French Bulldog has taken off!
9. They Must Be Smaller Than 13 Inches In Height
Identifying a mini French Bulldog is easy, just look for a smaller version of the already adorable French Bulldog.
As a part of the Bulldog family, the mini Frenchie has a distinct appearance with a compact and muscular build whilst being very stocky.
As the mini French Bulldog is not an official breed there are no specific sizing guidelines.
However, at a minimum, they must be smaller than their French Bulldog siblings by reaching a maximum of 13 inches in height and a maximum weight of 28 pounds.
They have big bat-like ears, which are erect and sit on the top of their head, and their large round eyes make it hard to not to let their stubbornness take over.
Their short muzzle adds to their adorable appearance, but may carry health concerns of its own (see fact 6 below).
The coat color of this breed is similar to their standard sized cousins, including:
| Fawn | White | Gray |
| Black | Brindle | White & Tan |
| White & Black | Gray & White |
8. The Mini French Bulldog Suffers From Heat ExhaustionBoth the miniature and standard sized Frenchies are unique and popular in their appearance making them very easy to identify.
If you are looking for a fitness pal or running buddy, then the miniature French Bulldog may not be the breed for you.
This breed is sensitive to heat exhaustion and exercise induced collapse.
In part, this may be due to their short muzzle and impaired respiratory flow.
Whatever the cause, this dog is quick to over exert themselves during intense playtime or long runs, and is best suited for 20 to 30-minute walks per day.
If you see your mini Frenchie breathing too heavily, or too fast, try taking a break or slow things down.
7. This Breed Is An Excellent Family Pet
This breed usually gets along well with other family pets and animals.
However, they have a prey drive, so are known to chase cats or rabbits. Their stubbornness may make this habit quite hard to kick too!
When it comes to other dogs, if socialized early from a young age, there is no reason for why your Frenchie can not be good friends with other canine family members.
Socialization goes a long way for any adult dog. You should keep your puppy well socialized to ensure they grow up to be a well-behaved and well-mannered canine.
The mini French Bulldog is a fun-loving and playful canine addition.
Due to their friendly personality (and small size) the miniature is not a great guard dog. They may warn you about visitors and strangers, but they quickly warm up to people and consistent barking should not be an issue.
6. The Mini French Bulldog Has Breathing Problems
The short muzzle of the mini French Bulldog may look cute, however, it comes with health concerns.
Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome is caused by the shortened jaw and nose of the French Bulldog.
Whilst the bone structure leading to the respiratory tract is shortened, the amount of soft tissues remain the same.
These tissues are then squished into limited spacing causing an obstruction in the airway and troubled breathing.
It’s this same tissue that will cause this mini breed to snooze and snore. However, Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome may be more serious, causing discomfort, distress and even death.
Constant respiratory distress will impact your dog’s welfare and restricts them in terms of playtime and exercise (see fact 7 above).
This is an inherited defect and can be seen in a majority of mini French Bulldogs, although, the severity of each case may be different.
5. These Pooches Are City Dwellers!
Their small size, and limited maintenance requirements, makes them very portable and adaptable companions.
The mini French Bulldog is a very adaptable companion, who does not require a large back yard and can easily be kept in a smaller home.
Because they can easily adapt to rural settings or even apartment style living, they are commonly seen as a city dweller and you may see a Frenchie roaming the streets of New York!
4. A Mini French Bulldog Costs From $2,000 To $8,000 USD
They utterly love attention, especially their owners and the mini French Bulldog can be quite the charmer. But because of this, they have a huge price tag.
This is a great dog for late nights by the fire and is known to follow their owner around the house.
As long as you give them attention and affection then they are happy and fun-loving canines.
This is a breed that does not do well on its own for long periods of time.
They are extremely loving and this means that too much time away from their loved ones may lead to problematic behaviors such as restlessness or even separation anxiety.
Doggy day-care is also a great solution for those working long days. However, if your work requires constant time away and travel then this may not be the right breed for you.
3. They Are VERY Stubborn
Both the French Bulldog and mini French Bulldog are known to have a stubborn streak.
This little stubborn streak may be quite amusing, but it can mean that training them may require a little extra time, effort and patience!
Our advice is to keep the French Bulldog training simple.
The more bored your puppy gets, the more resilient they will be to listen!
Stick only to positive reinforcement methods. Praise, reward and praise again, let your pooch know they are doing a great job with cheering, praise and healthy treats.
They are known to be quite the food motivated breed.
2. They Require Little Grooming and Exercise
The mini French Bulldog does require some grooming (and bathing) to ensure their coat and skin is kept healthy, however, this is quite easy due to their small size.
Proper nail care and dental care is also important. Try to accustom your puppy to having their mouths and toes touched from a young age (this will make foundation grooming a lot easier).
Due to their single coat, the miniature French Bulldog is not a massive shedder, however, this is not a hypoallergenic breed; they just have short fur.
It is their minimal grooming requirements combined with their minimal exercise requirements which makes this breed perfect for the “more relaxed” dog owner.
1. The Mini French Bulldog Is Not Officially Recognized By The AKC
The miniature variety of the French Bulldog is not officially recognized by the American Kennel Club.
Miniaturizing popular breeds is very quickly growing in popularity due to their minimal maintenance requirements, adorable appearance and portability.
Breeding miniaturized French Bulldogs may occur in three different ways:
- The Breeding of Litter Runts
The breeding of the mini French Bulldog may occur by the breeding of “litter runts”. Every litter has a runt, this being the smallest puppy in the litter.
In order to breed miniaturized Frenchies, sometimes the runts are taken from litters and bred together in the hopes that their small size will carry onto their puppies.
Unfortunately, breeding from litter runts may come with health risks.
- Cross Breeding with Toy Dogs
Another manner in which a mini French Bulldogs are bred is from the cross breeding of a standard sized parent with a smaller dog breed.
This may mean that your Frenchie loses their “pure bred” status, but it may be the best option in terms of their health.
In fact, cross-breeding has been known to eliminate health problems passed down from pure bred parents (e.g. their shortened muzzle).
It’s important to know your breeder and to research the other breed’s temperament in this instance.
- Dwarfism
Dwarfism is a mutation that can occur in the genetic makeup of the French Bulldog.
This results in a small French Bulldog with limited growth and shortened limbs.
Breeders sometimes try profit on this genetic impairment by finding other Frenchies with the same genetic defect and breeding them in the hopes that canine dwarfism will also occur within the litter.
But, being a skeletal disorder, dwarfism can lead to chronic pain in the puppy.
Summary
There you have it; 10 things every dog lover should know about the mini French Bulldog.
A breed designed for companionship, love and charm; it’s not hard to fall in love with this miniature sized breed.
A little stubborn, stocky and demanding, but full of love, loyalty and charisma, this breeds easy-going personality and high adaptability makes them the perfect companion for both country and city dwellers.
What’s your take? Let us know below!
where can I purchase a small frenchie that is very healthy