French Bulldog

The bulldog or French bulldog is a canine breed of the molosser breed which first appeared in the East with the Sumer molosser whose main characteristics are a very developed skull and an imposing musculature. It descends from the Tibetan mastiff, ancestor of all molosser-type dogs and from which it derives certain particularities, such as the flattened muzzle and the powerful jaw. The hair is quite short, usually brindle in color. The size of the bulldog is medium, and makes it a relatively small type of mastiff.

Fossils that could help locate the original location of dogs of this type are rare. On the other hand, there are ancient indications of their existence: the Assyrians left bas-reliefs dated from the 10th century BC. J.-C., where appear dogs of this type, close to the dog of Tibet. Their natural abilities for combat made them prized auxiliaries to groups of barbarian warriors from the eastern regions. The initial breed, present for about 5,000 years in the Tibet region and used mainly as a weapon and as an assistant for hunting big game, evolved a lot along its route to Europe, due to the constraints of life. nomadic and crosses with local breeds. Their use as fighting animals, against other dogs or against beasts (bears, lions, bulls, etc.) is also attested, arousing admiration for their courage. These practices did not begin to decline in the United Kingdom until 1835, when a law prohibited them: they nevertheless continued underground for at least half a century. It is these practices that gave it its name: bull-dog (bull, in English, means bull), then Frenchified in bulldog. The average size decreased regularly between their introduction in Europe and the end of the XIXth century, at the same time as other morphological variations, by selection of the less imposing individuals. Their use later evolved into rodent hunting, through crossbreeding with terrier-type dogs, which helped improve their tenacity. These successive interbreedings undoubtedly produced individuals with erect ears. The French bulldog in particular It was around 1850 that this dog was imported into France by British workers. He met with some success as a ratter dog with traders. It is only later after this francization that he becomes a companion dog appreciated by Westerners on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. At the end of the 19th century, the Kennel Club already accepted as canon toy bulldogs, close to French bulldogs. This was the subject of endless discussions between the French and the British… Nevertheless the French maintain the idea that the canon of the breed belongs to them and that the breed existed long before. It is probable that these toy bulldogs mated with small French ratters and that from these crossings appeared this small dog of 11 kg, closer to the bulldog than to the ratter. A selection had to give preference to erect rather than folded ears and a stockier body. These dogs were used both for hunting undesirable rodents and as companion dogs, especially with butchers in the districts of Villette and Les Halles in Paris, or with women of little virtue among whom their originality seduced visitors. At that time, Toulouse-Lautrec adored these playful, cheeky little dogs with a remarkable face. The popularity of this dog grew with certain amateurs like Edward VII of the United Kingdom who can be seen on certain photographs in the company of his French bulldog called Peter. The French bulldog was also the darling of Mistinguett, Colette and Yves Saint-Laurent. The breed was a resounding success as far as the United States where personalities like Josephine Baker fell in love with their little animal. With the difficulties and horrors of the world wars, many dog ​​breeders abandoned their breeding, so that this breed gradually lost its notoriety. However, from 1980 onwards, there was a resurgence in French bulldog breeding. French Bulldogs are sometimes referred to as "Dondon" or "Boulis" by enthusiasts.