Body

Strong and muscular. Roach back. The roach provides agility for cornering and speed.  Frenchies can jump high, run really fast and corner on a dime

.

Faults

Brisket should begin to arch up at the division between the ribs and the abdominal cavity in a convex curve creating a well tucked up waist, which follows the contours of the roach top line.
Chest deep and capacious.
Ribs well rounded and well let down between the forelegs.
The back between withers and loin is short, while the overall body length (withers to tail set) approximates the height at the withers.
Croup rounding and sloping off.
Broad across the shoulders, tapering beyond the ribs. Narrowing at the loins but still stocky and broad.

Hindquarters

Rear legs strong with moderate angulation and firm elongated muscle, longer than the forelegs, raising the loin above the level of the shoulder. Short hocks well let down, parallel and vertical as viewed from the rear or side.  If a vertical line were drawn down from the rump it would touch the front surface of the rear pastern, with the tips of the toes in line with the set on of tail.  Correct rear is absolutely essential to any leaping ability but in combination with a roach transfers power like a spring. The pelvis slopes off at a relatively steep angle.  The hind feet must converge on the move so as to pass between the forefeet.  Rear legs must therefore NOT be set wide apart. No looseness of joints is permitted nor are rear dewclaws.

Faults

Tail

A short, natural (undocked tail). Low set, thick at root, tapering quickly towards the tip.  Close to, but not tightly clamped against the rear. Straight (Spike tail) carried in line with the curvature of the body. The ideal length being just sufficient to cover the anal orifice.  Longer tails are acceptable providing they do not extend beyond the groin and do not cause a visual imbalance to the dog. The tail must not be carried above the horizontal even when moving. Kinked tail permitted but not preferred. Knotted or lack of a tail, are undesirable features.

Spike tail carriage when in motion or alert

Movement

From the side there should be obvious reach to the front legs, with the rear driving in a balanced corresponding fashion, using forelegs and rear legs with equal efficiency.  Properly gaited the French Bulldog will propel itself forward, head held up naturally with a smooth, lively gait and in such a fashion as to leave the impression it could move this way indefinitely.  The front legs move striaght through on a direct line without deviation and remain almost parallel to each other.   Light on their feet for a heavy built dog, the gait is flowing, quick and vigorous.  Rear feet travel inside the line of the front and are visible through the front legs when coming forward.   There is a spring in the step, creating a gentle sway to the rear.  Viewed from the side there is no undue undulation.

Coat

Short, close, smooth and fine.

Colour

The French Bulldog comes in brindle and fawn with or without white.  Where white predominates this is termed pied.
Fawn, palest cream to deep mahogany. May contain brindle hair, but not solid black patches on the body.  Clear coat preferred.
Brindle is a black pattern of stripes overlapping any of the fawn colours, creating a mixture of black and coloured hair.  Lighter or heavier black overlay perfectly acceptable.
Pied white predominates. Whites are classified with pieds, but eye rims should be black.  The white of pieds should be clear without ticking or black spots.  However very minor imperfections may be tolerated in an otherwise outstanding specimen.
Black mask in any colour is perfectly acceptable and can enhance the visual appearance.

Size

Balanced and in proportion is most important and must be maintained regardless of weight which is a variable requirement depending on which standard is being used.

A 20lb Frenchie meeting the above would be in the vicinity of 10 inches, whereas a dog towards the upper end of the weight range could be nearer 13 inches.  While agreement is unlikely on a universal standard in relation to weight a Frenchie in the mid range between the 20 and 30lb would appear to fit in with the overall perception of a breed without extremes.

Faults

Any dog not complying with the requirements of the breed characteristics should be viewed as not being a true representative of the breed.

The French Bulldog should be presented in its natural form and any trimming is to be discouraged.  Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness should be in direct relation to its degree.

back