GROUP VI: NON-SPORTING DOGS  

FRENCH BULLDOG RECOGNIZED: 1907 EffecƟve: July 2024 

The breed standard outlines the ideal characterisƟcs, temperament and appearance of a breed, and ensures that a dog can carry out  its original purpose. Breeders and judges should be mindful to prioriƟze dogs that are healthy and sound in both mind and body.  

GENERAL APPEARANCE  

The French Bulldog should have the appearance of an active, intelligent, muscular dog, of heavy bone, smooth  coat, compactly built, and of medium or small structure. The points should be well distributed and bear good  relation one to the other, no feature being in such prominence from either excess or lack of quality that the animal  appears deformed or poorly proportioned. In comparison to specimens of different sex, due allowance should be  made in favour of the bitches, which do not bear the characteristics of the breed to the same marked degree as  do the dogs.  

SIZE  

Weight: Not to exceed 12.75 kg (28 lb); over 12.75 kg (28 lb) is a disqualification.  

COAT  

The skin should be soft and loose, especially at the head and shoulders, forming wrinkles. Coat moderately fine,  brilliant, short and smooth. A coat other than short and smooth is a disqualification.  

COLOUR  

Acceptable colours and coat paƩerns are fawn, cream, white, fawn brindle, pied.  

Fawn: Solid colour, ranging from light fawn to a dark red fawn, with or without a black mask. White markings  permitted, provided that fawn predominates.  

Cream: Cream is a lightly saturated low-to-medium yellow, slightly more colour than white. White markings  permitted.  

White: Solid colour.  

Fawn Brindle: Colour pattern caused by a mixture of black hairs and fawn hairs. White markings permitted,  provided that brindle predominates. Only a trace of the brindle colour pattern in the coat is required. A solid  black without a trace of brindle colour pattern is a disqualification.  

Pied:  

• White and Fawn Brindle: A white base with brindle patches, a trace of brindle in any patch is sufficient.  (The brindle pattern as defined above.)  
• White and Fawn: A white base with fawn patches.  
• White and Fawn with a black mask.  

Ticking is acceptable but not desired. All other coat colours and patterns other than the aforementioned are a  disqualification. 

CANADIAN KENNEL CLUB • FRENCH BULLDOG  

HEAD  

The head should be large and square. The top of the skull should be flat but forehead slightly rounded. The stop  should be well defined, causing a hollow or groove between the eyes. Muzzle should be broad, deep, and well laid  back; the muscles of the cheeks well developed. The nose should be short and broad, the nostrils well open with  a well-defined line between them. The nose should be black, except in the case of fawn without a black mask and  cream, where a lighter colour of nose is acceptable. The flews should be thick and broad, hanging over the lower  jaw at the sides, meeting the underlip in front and covering the teeth, which should not be seen when the mouth  is closed. The flew edges should be black. The underjaw should be deep, square, broad, undershot and well turned  up. The top skull and width of jaw should be proportionate; a narrow jaw is a serious fault. Bottom teeth should  be straight and not overcrowded. Eyes should be wide apart, set low down in the skull, as far from the ears as  possible, round in form, of moderate size, neither sunken or bulging, and dark, brown or approaching black in  colour. No haw and no white of the eye showing when looking forward. Ears shall be a bat ear, broad at the base,  elongated, with round top, set high in the head, but not too close together, and carried erect with the orifice to  the front. The leather of the ear fine and soft.  

NECK  

The neck should be thick and well arched, with loose skin at throat.  

FOREQUARTERS  

The forelegs should be short, stout, straight and muscular, set wide apart. The feet should be moderate in size,  compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with short nails.  

BODY  

The body should be short and well rounded, slightly broader at the shoulders and narrowing at the loins, the  proportion slightly longer than the height. The back should be strong and short over the rib cage, with a slight fall  close behind the shoulders, gradually rising to the loin, which is higher than the shoulder, creating a roach over  the loin and rounding at the croup. The hind legs slightly visible from the front. The chest, broad, deep and full,  well ribbed with the belly tucked up.  

HINDQUARTERS  

The hind legs should be strong and muscular, longer than the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the  shoulders. Hocks well let down. The feet should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well  split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails; hind feet slightly longer than forefeet.  

TAIL  

The tail should be either straight or screwed (but not curly), short, hung low, thick root and fine tip; carried low in  repose.  

GAIT  

Correct gait is a “double-tracking” foot pattern with the front track wider than the rear track. The movement  should be free and flowing. The roach or rise over the loin is visible while both standing and moving. Soundness  of movement of the utmost importance.  

FAULTS  

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault  should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the  dog. 

CANADIAN KENNEL CLUB • FRENCH BULLDOG  

DISQUALIFICATIONS  

• Other than bat ears  
• All coat colours and patterns other than those specifically described under the colour section  • All eye colours other than dark, brown or approaching black  
• The nose and edges of the flews other than black (except in the case of fawn without a black mask and  cream)  
• A coat other than short and smooth  
• Harelip  
• Any cosmetic alteration  
• Over 12.75 kg (28 lb) in weight  

SCALE OF POINTS  

General Properties