Appearance

They are sturdy, compact, stocky little dogs. They have a large square head that has a rounded forehead. Their muzzle is short, broad, and deep with a well defined stop. Their noses are black, while some have a lighter shade. The upper lips hand down and over the lower lips. The teeth meet in an under bite.

History

The Molossians, an ancient Greek tribe started breeding of what would become the ancestors of the French Bulldogs, although other authorities would disagree with this claims. But one thing is for certain that one of their ancestors must have been the English Bulldog. Around the 1800s, English Bulldogs became popular in France when England banned blood sports such as “bull baiting.” These “unemployed” bulldogs were cross bred with other breeds, and thus were given the name Boule-Dog Francais . These dogs were then imported to North America, and in 1885 an American Based breed program was established. The American Kennel Club officially recognized the breed after the French Bulldog Club of America was formed, and by 1906 it became the 5th most popular dog breed in America.