French Bulldog

Information on the French Bulldog.

The French Bulldog BOULEDOGUE FRANC. AIS

" Sir, he's a good dog, and a fair dog. Can more be said? " SHAKESPEARE.

Authorities across the Channel are of opinion that the French Bulldog is strictly a breed of French origin, yet they are willing to admit that of comparatively recent years there have been from time to time importations from England which have been used as a cross with the native dog, and that this cross has, perhaps, led to a nearer approximation to the British type than was the case prior to the admixture of British blood. M. J. Bontroue, the Secretary of the French Bulldog Club of Paris, and Secretary of the French Kennel Club, holds this opinion very strongly, as do Mr. Gordon Bennet, President of the Paris Club, and Prince de Wagram, its President d'Honneur. Mr. Max Hartenstein, of Berlin, who was first interested in the French Bulldog in 1870, and has owned and bred great numbers of them, declares that " there can be no two opinions as to the fact of the French Bulldog being a distinct French breed, with a longer history and more remote origin than is generally understood." He is aware of the introduction of small British specimens into France ; not, however, necessarily for the purpose of interbreeding, but principally because French fanciers desired to have a bright. Vivacious, bantam specimen. He is of opinion that in Paris, in 1870, the breed, as a whole, was smaller than it is to-day.

The late Mr. George R. Krehl, of London, one of the greatest authorities, with whom the subject of the French Bulldog was very thoroughly discussed by the present writer, went still further back into the past (nearly three hundred years), and from his researches built up a plausible and very probable theory as to the origin of this breed in France. In a letter written by him to the Stockkeeper Christmas Supplement, 1900,

he showed grounds for believing that the variety came originally from Spain. There was published with Mr. Krehl's letter a copy of an antique bronze placque. Dated 1625, bearing in bas-relief the head of a Bulldog with either cropped, or bat, ears, and the inscription, " Dogue de Burgos, Espana, anno MDCXXV.," the artist's name being Cazalla. This placque has been examined by a connoisseur and pronounced authentic. The historic value of this bronze will be at once appreciated, when it is remembered that Burgos is the principal town of old Castile in Spain, noted for the breeding of dogs used in the arena for bull-baiting.

" We have no generic name for this family," Mr. Krehl wrote, " but in France they are called dogucs, whence we get our own word dog, but we have corrupted the meaning of it. The heads of the group are the Spanish Bulldog, the dogue de Bordeaux and the little toy oddities of Paris, bred and reared by Lutetian bootmakers, and, lastly, the English Bulldog. It is clear to me, as an unprejudiced cynologist, entirely unaffected by what previous authorities have said on the subject, that the original home of the breed was Spain, where the dog was ' made ' for its special mission. The fair name of Spain always was, and still is, associated with sport in which the bull plays the leading role. The Spaniard fashioned a dog to suit this sport, with a firm, strong body, stout legs, and a short neck of powerful muscle, a big head with wide mouth and prominent upturned under jaw, so that the dog could still breathe while retaining his grip, and his weight would tire out the bull, which was unable to fling him off. From Spain dogs of this kind migrated to France ; it is only a short excursion to Bordeaux, where the services of the animals were in demand for fighting and for dog and donkey contests. Then they travelled up to Paris, which has always had an eye for the artistic, and where they bantamised the breed into a semblance of the modern toy Bulldog."

Mr. W. J. Stubbs wrote a little booklet in 1903 which was printed for private circulation, entitled " The History of the French Bulldog." He says as to origin, " There appears to be no doubt that the French Bulldog originated in England, and is an offshoot of the English Bulldog, not the Bulldog one sees on the bench to-day, but of the tulipeared and short underjawed specimens which were common in London, Nottingham, Birmingham, and Sheffield in the early 'fifties." As evidence of this, he goes on to relate how this type of dog was exported to France in the early 'fifties, giving the names of three breeders or dealers who were known to have been exporters. He also says, " There was a constant emigration of laceworkers from Nottingham to the coast towns of Normandy, where lace factories were springing into existence, and these immigrants frequently took a Bulldog with them to the land of their adoption."

This is as may be, and is extremely useful and interesting information ; but it requires careful consideration before it can be accepted as proving that the French Bulldog originated in England. As a matter of fact, it only proves what all the French authorities are perfectly willing to admit, namely, that at different times within the last forty years British Bulldogs have been imported into France. The inference Mr. Stubbs draws is that these imported dogs originated the breed of French Bulldogs ; whereas the contention of the French and German authorities is that these imported specimens were used only as a cross, to introduce fresh blood into the breed already in existence.

The converse method was also adopted. Prior to 1902 French Bulldogs were imported into this country with the object of resuscitating the strain of bantam Bulldogs, which in course of years had been allowed to dwindle in numbers, and were in danger of becoming extinct. The small English variety was then called, somewhat erroneously, " Toy Bulldogs," their weight limit being 20 Ibs. Dogs of this weight could scarcely be called " toys." Eventually the Kennel Club sensibly decided to rename them the Miniature Bulldog.

It was this very question of weight which brought about the parting of the ways of the French Bulldog from the Toy English varieties. Previous to 1902 some of the members of the Toy Bulldog Club were of opinion that the weight limit should be raised from 20 Ib. To 22 Ibs., and Lady Lewis proposed this alteration, but her motion was lost.

On July l0th, 1902, a meeting was called at the house of the writer to consider the whole position, when it was decided to form a new Club with the sole object of promoting the breeding and importation of pure French Bulldogs, adopting practically identical weights and points with the French Bulldog Clubs of France, Germany, Austria, and America. The name chosen was " The French Bulldog Club of England." The founders were : Lady Lewis, President ; Mrs. Romilly, Hon. Treasurer ; Mrs. F. W. Cousens, Hon. Secretary ; Mrs. Charles Waterlow, Mrs. F. Bromwich, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jefferies, Mrs. Townsend Green, and Mr. F. W. Cousens.

When the foundation of this Club became an accomplished fact, there was considerable opposition, not only from the Toy Bulldog Club, but from numerous British Bulldog owners and breeders, whose princ pal opposition arose upon the two points : Was there such a breed as French Bulldogs ? Could any other dog" than the British specimen claim the name of Bulldog ? Much ink was spilt in a wordy warfare in the Kennel Press. No good object can be attained, however, in reviewing the details of past differences.

The French Bulldog Club let no grass grow under their feet ; with only twenty members, they pluckily decided to hold a show of their own, to demonstrate the soundness of their position. Their first show was accordingly held at Tattersail's, fifty-one French Bulldogs being placed on exhibition. All of these dogs were pure bred French specimens, cither imported or bred from imported ancestors. The success of this exhibition proved to a demonstration that the claims of the French Bulldog Club were based on facts, and the Kennel Club's official recognition and registration of the breed under the name of Bouledogues Franfais finally settled the disputed points.

General Appearance of French Bulldog

The following is the Club's description of the French Bulldog (published 1903) : The French Bulldog ought to have the appearance of an active, intelligent, and very muscular dog, of cobby build, and be heavy in bone for its size.

2. Head. The head is of great importance. It should be large and square, with the forehead nearly flat ; the muscles of the cheek should be well developed, but not prominent. The stop should be as deep as possible. The skin of the head should not be tight, and the forehead should be well wrinkled. The muzzle should be short, broad, turn upwards, and be very deep. The lower jaw should project considerably in front of the upper, and should turn up, but should not show the teeth.

3. Eyes. The eyes should be of moderate size and of dark colour. No white should be visible when the dog is looking straight in front of him. They should be placed low down and wide apart.

4. Nose. The nose must be black and large.

5. Ears. Bat ears ought to be of a medium size, large at the base and rounded at the tips. They should be placed high on the head and carried straight. The orifice of the ear looks forward, and the skin should be fine and soft to the touch.

6. Neck. The .neck should be thick, short, and well arched.

7. Body. The chest should be wide and well down between the legs, and the ribs well sprung. The body short and muscular, and well cut up. The back should be broad at the shoulder, tapering towards the loins, preferably well reached .

Not apply generally to other breeds. But there are special points to be tried for which at present are most noticeably lacking. If there is one fault more than another to be found in any considerable number of the breed in this country it is with their tails. Very many of these are too long, still more are carried too gaily, and set on too high. Again, the shape of the tail is not always correct.

8. Tail. The tail ought to be set on low and be short ; thick at the root, tapering to a point, and not carried above the level of the bask.

9. Legs. The forelegs should be short, straight, and muscular. The hind-quarters, though strong, should be lighter in proportion to the fore-quarters. The hocks ought to be well let down, and the feet compact and strong.

10. Coat. -The coat should be of medium density ; black in colour is very undesirable.

There is nothing of special importance to be said in respect to breeding which does broad at the base and tapering to a fine point, they are too small at the base, too much the same size throughout, and have no fine point. Another fault of a less glaring character is the too great length of body, instead of the smart cobby body which is desirable. A little more attention should also be paid to breadth of chest and " cut up " in loin, so many dogs showing the same diameter of bcdy at any part of the barrel. Personally, I am very partial to a nice " roach " back, but one must acknowledge that the French do not cultivate this feature to any marked extent.

We should endeavour to breed out the large, awkward ears which incline to hang outwards instead of being erect. These heavy ears, with incorrect carriage, spoil and change the entire appearance, which should be bright, crisp, and vivacious, rather than heavy and sluggish. There is a tendency also to pay too little attention to eyes, which should not be full like those of a toy Spaniel nor bulging like those of many Pugs. The full eye is a fault ; the bulging eye is an abomination.

As will be seen in the illustration of the French and English skulls, there is a great fundamental difference in formation. They are both skulls of bitches ; the French one is from a bitch bred by Mrs. F. W. Cousens by her imported dog Napoleon Buonaparte ex Coralie by Champion Polo de Bagatelle ; the English from a prize-winning bitch of championship pedigree on both sides.

The question of underjaw is the one point on which fanciers of the breed in France differ seriously with some few of the English breeders. The French Bulldog Club of England stated in their 1903 description of the breed that " the lower jaw should project considerably in front of the upper," and ten points in a hundred were given for underjaw in their standard of points. On this side of the Channel we have been so accustomed to regard a prominent underjaw in a Bulldog as absolutely necessary to salvation, that directly we begin to import and breed French Bulldogs we do not stop to ask what is correct, but finding a Bulldog with a comparatively small underjaw we proceed to put on a bigger one as fast as possible. I must own to a little weakness in this direction myself ; but, after all, one's personal fancies should not be made the standard for altering a foreign breed, and I think it would be a great pity, even a calamity, to allow our very natural love of underjaw to alter the appearance which the French Bulldog should possess. It cannot be said too often or too forcibly that a French Bulldog is not by any manner of means a small English dog with bat ears ; and if we wish to preserve the quaint characteristics of the breed we must not presume to make fundamental structural alterations.

Perhaps a word against the heavy pendulous lips and the equally pendulous skin on the throat of a few specimens will be enough to warn breeders that they must not emulate the flews, or dewlap, of a Bloodhound. If the lips weircover the teeth and the sides of the upper lips slightly overlap the under, that is correct ; the skin on the throat should be loose, but not pendulous.

The question of rickets looms large in all Bulldog breeding, the English variety being, perhaps, the more generally affected. If breeders would carefully avoid using rickety subjects, and pay more careful attention to diet from weaning-time until maturity, the race would materially benefit in health and appearance, and would be much easier to breed and rear.

The quarantine regulations in force at the present time rather handicap the breeders of French Bulldogs, limiting their supply very considerably, partly on account of the six months' detention, and partly because of the inevitable expense attached to the arrangements. There is, however, a sufficient number of the breed now in Great Britain to obviate the necessity of inbreeding to any disastrous extent. It behoves those who have the interest of this little dog at heart to continue the importation of fresh blood not only from France, but, where possible, from Germany, Austria, and America. By introducing entirely fresh blood, or even blood of the same strain that has been in a totally different climate for several generations, the stamina and physique is improved, and type is not sacrificed ; also by doing this greater facilities are afforded for legitimate in-breeding, which, in some cases, is undeniably necessary to procure or retain certain special characteristics.

All breeders of the French Bulldog know to their cost the difficulties to be encountered in rearing puppies. Unless a bitch has proved herself a good mother, it is always advisable to have a foster-mother in readiness by preference one who has had her puppies a day or two in advance. For one or two small puppies a cat makes an excellent mother.

If the pups have to be fed by hand Plasmon and milk, with a teaspoonful of cream to every half pint, is the best substitute for bitches' milk, being, indeed, the chemical equivalent. Warmth is very essential for the first fortnight ; the use of blankets and hot water bottles must be employed unless the pups are well mothered by their own dam or a foster-mother, or if the weather be cold. Directly the puppies are weaned a certain proportion of lean, raw, scraped meat should be given, as well as Benger's Food made with milk, Plasmon wholemeal biscuits soaked in milk, Force and milk, and bread and milk. Feed every two or three hours at first, keeping the puppies warm and dry. At four months old three meals a day should suffice, then give Spratt's puppy biscuits dry and broken up, good gravy or soup poured over stale bread crumbs, and one meal of lean raw meat.

Watch for worms ; keep a look-out when teething, and allow a large bone for the puppies to gnaw, but not eat.

The pups which one does not wish to keep should be sold at the age of six weeks.

Although to my knowledge many French Bulldogs are good ratters, and some few can account for a rabbit, they are by no means a sporting breed ; they are essentially dogs to be used as companions and household pets, being very quaint, jolly, engaging little personages, who are full of life and vivacity. Their size and temperament render them particularly suitable for living in a house or flat ; they are quiet and yet bright, full of life yet not too boisterous.

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