dogage.co
MediumNon-Sporting Group

French Bulldog

The French Bulldog descends from Toy Bulldogs brought to France by English lacemakers in the 1860s, refined in Paris into modern type with the bat-ear variant selected over the rose ear.

Calculate French Bulldog age
Lifespan9.8 yrrange 9–11
SizeMediumNon-Sporting Group
Weight14–28 lb6.4–12.7 kg
Senior at7 yrgeriatric at 11

Gallery (3)

About

About the French Bulldog

The French Bulldog descends from Toy Bulldogs brought to France by English lacemakers in the 1860s, refined in Paris into modern type with the bat-ear variant selected over the rose ear. Currently AKC rank 1 — the first breed to displace Labrador Retrievers in 30 years.

Aging

How French Bulldogs age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 9.8 years (n=14,316) — among the shortest-lived companion breeds. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome is the defining welfare concern; IVDD, corneal ulcers, and ear infections compound the breed's disease burden.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 9.8 yr · range 9–11Senior careSenior at 7 · geriatric at 11Common health issues11 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
14–28 lb(6.4–12.7 kg)
Height
11–13 in(27.9–33 cm)
Coat type
Short
Colors
BrindleBrindle & WhiteCreamFawnFawn & WhiteFawn BrindleWhiteWhite & BrindleFawn Brindle & WhiteWhite & FawnBlack*Black & Fawn*
Temperament

Temperament

How French Bulldogs tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

playfuladaptablesmartalert
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • High prevalencetypical onset ~5 yr

    Intervertebral Disc Disease

    Description and veterinary guidance for Intervertebral Disc Disease land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~5 yr

    Periodontal Disease

    Description and veterinary guidance for Periodontal Disease land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
45min
per day

French Bulldogs are satisfied by around 45 minutes of daily activity (energy level 3/5). Short, regular outings beat one long session.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

Compare

Compare French Bulldog to another breed

Pick any of the 200 breeds in the library and we'll open a side-by-side comparison.

Start typing a breed name.

References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.