French Bulldogs have been on the rise over the past couple of years due to their charming qualities. Who can resist their cute wrinkly faces and bat-like ears? It seems like everyone is getting a Frenchie lately!
So how do you get a dog like a Frenchie that stands out from all the rest?
You get a fluffy Frenchie! It is everything that people love in the French Bulldog except that it has long hair.
You might think this fluffy dog is not purebred because you probably have never seen one before. The fact is that French Bulldogs can naturally have long hair.
Think you want a teddy bear-like dog that you can just hug all day? Learn all about the fluffy Frenchie below.
Table of Contents
What Is A Fluffy Frenchie?
Fluffy Frenchie is the cute name that people use for a long-haired French Bulldog. This type of Bulldog is just like any other French Bulldog except that is has soft, wavy fur.
What makes fluffy Frenchies extra special is that they give a unique, adorable twist to the well-loved French Bulldog. They are like your own living teddy bear dog! Imagine having the sweet, affectionate and playful nature of the Frenchie in the fluffy body of a teddy bear.
French Bulldogs are currently the second most popular dog in America, and it is no surprise as to why. Cute, small, friendly, playful, patient, and loving, these doggies make the perfect companion!
Not many people are familiar with the long-haired version of the Frenchie, but they do exist.
These dogs are just very rare. But their rarity does not mean that they are less than the short-haired version or not purebred.
Long-haired dogs get their beautiful fur from a recessive gene, which is what makes them rare. Most of the time it will take breeding specific lines of French Bulldogs to get this amazing puppy.
If you are looking for this dog you will have to do a lot of searching for the right kind of breeder. It could take you a lot of time.
Just because some breeders breed purebred fluffy Frenchies, does not mean that all of them are purebred. Some are mixed breeds. It is possible to get them by crossbreeding French Bulldogs with breeds like the Chihuahua. However, this mix will not be a long haired Chihuahua.
These breeders are normally not reputable.
You will need to ask the breeder to provide all documentation certifying that the parents are purebred. If a breeder cannot provide you with this proof, this should be a red flag.
Are Fluffy Frenchies Purebred?
Yes, fluffy Frenchies are purebred French Bulldogs.
The long-haired gene occurs naturally in French Bulldogs so it is completely possible to breed a long-haired puppy from two purebred parents. The problem is that this gene is very rare so these dogs are not very common.
In French Bulldogs the long-haired gene is recessive to the short-haired gene. This is why you often see the short-haired type. There is a higher probability of getting short-haired Frenchies.
Just because they are purebred does not mean they are recognized by kennel clubs.
High profile kennel clubs like the American Kennel Club, Canadian Kennel Club and United Kennel Club only accept French bulldogs that have short hair. Anything longer is considered a disqualification. This means that you will not find fluffy Frenchies in dog shows or clubs.
Kennel clubs label these dogs as faulty. Faulty in this case does not mean that these dogs are less healthy or less good-natured. Long-haired individuals just do not adhere to the breed standards set by the kennel clubs.
The reason why kennel clubs do not consider them as standard is that they are not very common. Characteristics that do not show up frequently tend to be labeled as ‘undesirable’. This is true of long haired German Shepherds too.
There is much debate and stigma surrounding the fluffy frenchie. A major concern is that these dogs have been bred with another breed to produce a mixed breed.
You can get long-haired puppies by crossbreeding with a long-haired dog. But reputable breeders advertising a fluffy will be selling a puppy that is 100% purebred, it will be bred from two French Bulldog parents.
If you find a good breeder specializing in breeding fluffy puppies and are still unsure, you can always have them take a breed identification test.
Breed Appearance
Fluffy Frenchie (left) vs French Bulldog (right)Long-haired French Bulldogs are just the “fluffed-up” version of a Frenchie. They look like any other Frenchie except for their luscious long hair. The long coat is medium-length, wavy and incredibly soft and fluffy.
While they are also called “long-haired”, the fur is actually medium-length. They will not have flowing hair falling to the floor, but they will look like cute and soft teddy bears.
Their coat is completely different from the short and smooth coat of other Frenchies. A long hair has tufts of hair around its face, chest and ears which create its fluffy look. You will not find these tufts on a short-haired.
The coat of a long-haired French Bulldog comes in just about all the same French Bulldog colors:
- Black
- Blue
- Blue Merle
- Brindle
- Brindle And White
- Chocolate
- Cream
- Fawn
- Fawn And White
- Fawn Brindle
- Lilac
- Tan
- White
- White And Brindle
- White And Fawn
Some of the rarer colors like blue are not easy to find.
Fluffy Frenchies are adored for their flattened muzzle, wrinkled forehead and their trademark bat ears.
Their body is compact and well-muscled though their added fluff might hide their toned figure. They only grow between 11 and 13 inches and weigh under 28 pounds, so they are a really small dog.
Do They Shed?
Many people think that fluffy frenchies shed more than their short-haired siblings because of their long fur. Actually, they do not shed more than other French Bulldogs.
French Bulldogs do not shed much and because they are so small you will not see too many hairs around the house.
Typically, fluffy Frenchies are brushed once a week to keep their coats healthy and to remove all the dead hairs. It is especially important to brush them consistently because you do not want their long hair to become matted or have knots in it.
Frenchies do have higher shedding periods in the Spring and Fall when their undercoats shed in preparation for the hot summer or cold winter. During this time a fluffy Frenchie’s coat might need some extra brushing.
These dogs also tend to not need much bathing.
In general, Frenchies only to be bathed once every two or three months.
Unless your fluffy Frenchie is playing out in the mud all the time or looking for any possible way to get dirty, you do not need to bathe it more frequently. Bathing it too much can actually strip its hair from all of the natural oils.
It is however important to regularly clean the folds on your Frenchie’s face so that it does not develop dermatitis.
Personality and Temperament
| Breed Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Family Friendly | ★★★★★(5) |
| Energy Levels | ★★★★★(2) |
| Ease of Training | ★★★★★(4) |
| Shedding Frequency | ★★★★★(3) |
| Price | ★★★★★(5) |
Fluffy Frenchies are not just charming on the outside, they are also just as loveable on the inside. These dogs are some of the best dogs that you can add to your family. They are super playful and loving and want nothing more than to be by your side all the time.
These cute dogs are not only easy to keep, but they do extremely well with children. They will have a blast when it comes to fooling around with the kids and are very easy-going.
Frenchies were bred to be companion dogs, and the fluffy kind is no exception to this. If it were up to them, they would be licking and kissing your face all day. Playtime is also a no-brainer for them.
As long as they have company, they will be happy.
All of this need for attention and connection does mean that they can develop separation anxiety when they are alone.
It is important that if you do decide to get a fluffy Frenchie that you are able to spend a lot of time with it. A sad Frenchie is a destructive dog, and it will surely become very unhappy when it lacks company.
While they do need frequent company, the good news is that they are easy to keep.
They are not super energetic so you won’t have to be walking with them for an hour a day. A short walk every day will be enough for them to feel like they have had enough exercise for the day. They cannot get too excited or hot or they will start having issues breathing since they are a brachycephalic breed.
Inside the house fluffy Frenchies are very intelligent.
Lots of mental stimulation will be good for them and puzzle toys like a ball that dispenses out treats when it rolls will also be a good way to keep them busy.
No matter whether you get a short or long-haired Frenchie they will be a good choice.
The length of the hair has nothing to do with its smarts or temperament!
How Are Fluffy French Bulldogs Bred?
It is thought that French Bulldogs got the long-haired gene from their terrier ancestors. When Frenchies were originally bred in France in the 1800s, they were created by crossing the toy-size English Bulldog with terriers.
Whether a French Bulldog is short or long-haired is all in their genetics.
Some people think that the long-hair gene is a mutation, like some coat colors such as the Fox Red Labrador. This is not true.
There are breeders who specialize in breeding fluffy Frenchies by crossing two purebred long-haired French Bulldogs together. This means two long-haired parents can give birth to a fluffy Frenchie, but they must have identical genes.
It is also completely possible to get these pups from purebred parents with short hair, as long as they carry the long-haired gene.
A short-haired Frenchie will occasionally produce long-haired pups when bred with a long hair. This will happen because the long hair gene is masked by their short hair gene. The chances of a fluffy Frenchie appearing in their litter is not very high (around 25%).
In dogs there are variations of genes that are associated with long hair.
The long-haired gene that gives them their beautiful coat is recessive to the short-hair gene. This means a fluffy Frenchie must have two identical long-haired genes (i.e. homozygous), one from each parent, to have long hair.
Sometimes the long-haired gene could skip a few generations until it finally appears in a puppy.
To make it a bit clearer below is a table showing the modes of gene inheritance:
| Parents | Long-Haired Puppy |
|---|---|
| One short hair and one long hair heterozygous parents | 25% chance |
| Two long hair homozygous parents | 100% chance |
Litter size is another reason why fluffy Frenchies are so rare.
French Bulldogs typically can only give birth to three puppies because of how small they are and their narrow hips. With a litter size of three, it is very unlikely that one will appear.
Are Puppies Hard To Find?
Long-haired French Bulldogs are hard to breed and in high demand. French Bulldogs are expensive dogs, but the long-haired variety is much more so.
The normal price for a fluffy Frenchie is between $5,000 and $10,000. You will not be paying as much for short-haired Frenchies as a fluffy, since a standard French Bulldog will cost around $1,500.
Dogs that are of rarer colors or coats will typically cost more.
For French Bulldogs specifically, what makes them so expensive is their high demand and difficulty in breeding. For fluffy Frenchies, this problem is exacerbated because of how rare they are.
It is not easy to get French Bulldogs to express the long-haired trait in the first place.
The probability of getting a fluffy puppy is only 25%. In a typical litter of three puppies it is highly likely that there would only be standard puppies. This is why the long-haired gene can skip generations and what makes them so hard to find.
If the breeder is not specifically breeding long-haired puppies, they will not often see one in their litter. When the breeder does get one in their litter it will be pretty obvious. The puppy will have tufts of long fur around its ears, face and chest.
Finding a reputable French bulldog breeder is hard. Finding a reputable breeder that specializes in long-haired puppies is even harder.
A good place to start is the AKC Marketplace. These dogs cannot be registered with the AKC, but it is worth contacting breeders to see if they have a long-haired puppy available. Sometimes it can take months until you are able to find the fluffy Frenchie you want.
Health Issues
The flat-face of a fluffy Frenchie is cute, but unfortunately it does cause many health problems.
All French bulldogs will have breathing problems to some degree. This is why you can hear them frequently snorting and why they cannot over-exercise or become too hot.
Long-haired French bulldogs are also susceptible to brachycephalic airway syndrome.
Brachycephalic airway syndrome does not mean that your Frenchie cannot live a happy life. Many dogs can live just fine with brachycephalic airway syndrome. It does mean that you should find a reputable breeder and be aware of it.
Reputable breeders will screen and grade the parents before breeding to try to avoid passing on some of these health issues. They will only breed dogs that have a score of zero.
Long-haired frenchies are also susceptible to the same health problems that other Frenchies have.
The most common health issues that affect these dogs are hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, intervertebral disc disease, conjunctivitis or pink eye, ear infections due to allergies, stomach problems, and skin fold dermatitis due to the folds on the Frenchie’s face.
Having the long-hair gene is not related in any way to health.
As long as these puppies are born from responsible breeding practices, they will not be unhealthier than other Frenchies and should live for 10 to 14 years.
Summary
Fluffy Frenchies are the long-haired variety of the French Bulldog.
They make excellent pets for families because of their incredible friendliness, affection and patience. This is why they have become so popular over the last few years.
French Bulldogs are currently the second most popular dog in America, overtaking the Golden Retriever in 2020.
What makes fluffy Frenchies stand-out is their soft and wavy long hair. Their fur is usually tufty and denser around the chest, face and ears.
These dogs are the definition of luxury.
You will be spending anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000 for a long-haired French Bulldog.
Even if you have the money there is no guarantee you will get one. Fluffy Frenchies are hard to find and you could be searching for months to get one from a reputable breeder.
If you do manage to find one, know that you will be in for a very special breed.
Looking for another fluffy dog breed? Why not read 26 white and fluffy dog breeds.
