You may already be familiar with the French Bulldog. This breed is naturally super playful, adaptable, and are known for their adorable and expressive faces and short statures.
If you end up adopting a French Bulldog, also known as a Frenchie, you’ll quickly fall in love with their playful antics and larger-than-life personalities.
Frenchies have a very distinctive physical appearance. Short, sturdy, and compactly built, it’s hard to mistake this breed for any other.
Most people know Frenchies to have short, shiny fur. This is indeed the most common fur type for this breed, and is the only type acceptable by AKC standard. But you may be surprised to learn that there is a longer-haired version.
The Fluffy Frenchie or the Long-Haired Frenchie is exactly like a regular Frenchie in every way except for their longer fur. So what exactly is a Fully Frenchie? And why do they have longer fur?
Here, you’ll get to learn more about why Fluffy Frenchies exist, and whether or not they are true Frenchies.
What Is a Fluffy Frenchie?
You already know regular Frenchies to have short, smooth, and fine fur over their wrinkly and loose skin. Frenchies can come in a wide variety of colors including black, cream, brindle, and fawn.
Some French Bulldogs, however, have longer fur. While this fur may not be super long and flowing, it is noticeably longer than regular Frenchies, thus earning them the name Fluffy Frenchies.
A Frenchie with longer fur is not considered acceptable by the AKC and therefore Fluffy French Bulldog cannot compete in shows. But that doesn’t mean that these dogs don’t occur naturally.
Fluffy Frenchies are a result of both the dog’s mother and father carrying a recessive gene. This causes longer fur than is normal to grow on the dog’s body.
How Does the Longhaired Gene Work?
You may already know the basics of how genes work. A gene is a section of a DNA molecule, and it is responsible for the way you look, your health, and many other things about your existence.
Genes can be either dominant or recessive. Every animal carries two copies of each gene, one from their mother and one from their father. Genes that can differ from each other are called alleles.
A dominant gene shows its effect even when there is only one copy of the allele instead of two. A recessive gene will only show its effects if there are two copies of the allele.
Some French Bulldogs carry the longhaired allele, which is a recessive gene. This allele is called the Fibroblast Growth Factor 5 gene. If a Frenchie’s mother, for example, carries the gene but his father does not, then the babies will be shorthaired because that is the dominant allele.
If, however, both parents carry the recessive allele, even if they are both shorthaired they may still produce a litter of longhaired babies.
Is the Fluffy Frenchie a Purebred Frenchie?
There are some misconceptions centered around the Fluffy Frenchie. The main one is that the Fluffy French Bulldog is not a purebred French Bulldog.
Some people mistakenly believe that the Fluffy Frenchie is a hybrid breed, which is a dog created by purposefully breed two other purebreds together.
However, the Fluffy Frenchie is, in fact, a purebred Frenchie. As we know now, long hair is simply a result of recessive genes.
That said, if you are looking for a Fluffy Frenchie, make sure to go through a reputable breeder. Not all breeders will be honest about their practices, and may actually be breeding their Frenchies with other longhaired breeds.
Always do your research when it comes to breeders to make sure you’re getting what you pay for. This will also ensure that you get a healthy puppy.
How Rare are Fluffy Frenchies?
It’s not often that you’ll see a Fluffy Frenchie out and about in the world. Because the longhaired gene is recessive, it’s rare for a Fluffy Frenchie to be born.
The Fluffy Frenchie is also not an AKC-approved variation of the breed, which means they are not desirable for those looking to compete in shows. This, in turn, means that they are unlikely to be mated for future breeding.
However, Fluffy Frenchies are beginning to gain traction among the general population. It’s not hard to see why, with their unique looks! As people become more aware of this variation of the breed, they may become more popular, which means you may see more of them in the future.
How Is a Fluffy Frenchie Different from a Regular Frenchie?
Fluffy Frenchies are exactly the same as regular Frenchies in all ways except for their fur. If you manage to find yourself with a Fluffy Frenchie, you’ll still get the same playful, rambunctious, and at times stubborn personalities.
They also face the same general health conditions like brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome and difficulty regulating their temperatures because of their squat noses. Even longhaired Frenchie may have difficulty staying warm in the winter.
Although the Fluffy Frenchie’s fur is slightly longer than a regular Frenchies, grooming these dogs is still very simple. Compared to other longhaired breeds, the fur will still be relatively short and not prone to getting matted on tangled. You’ll only need to brush them two or three times a week to keep their coats nice and healthy and remove the fur being shed.
You may find that at different points in the year, especially when seasons change, your dog sheds slightly more than usual. During these times, you may want to brush a little more frequently.
Otherwise, the Fluffy Frenchie’s grooming needs will be the same as a regular Frenchie. You may want to bathe your Frenchie every once in a while, though not too frequently as this will strip their coats of their natural protective oils. About twice a year should be enough for your French Bulldog.
Because these dogs have a lot of loose skin, they tend to be pretty wrinkly especially on their faces. You’ll want to make sure to get into these folds to clean them and prevent potential skin issues.
