The colours of the French Bulldog: which are accepted and which are not
The colours of the French Bulldog: which are accepted and which are not
Written by Silvia Capelli
September 4, 2023
The French Bulldog is probably the most fashionable dog breed of the last decade.
Despite various problems typical of brachycephalic dogs, this breed has enthusiasts all around the world.
But how can one resist such clumsy charm, that cheerful little face, and such a distinctive appearance?
However, it's also true that if you wanted to buy a French Bulldog instead of adopting, you'd need to pay attention to breed standards because while it's true that you love a dog for what it is, in this case, there are some points to consider.
The FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) and ENCI only recognize certain colours in the French Bulldog, because so-called rare colours can actually be a sign of health problems.
And keep in mind that the Club du Bouledogue Français, the official breed club in France which has classified the Frenchie, was founded in 1898, so there has been plenty of time to evaluate which colours should be accepted and which excluded.
And aside from that, which is the most important issue, a dog that does not meet the colours recognized by the kennel club cannot have a pedigree, so you're buying a puppy that equates to a mongrel.
But what are the colours of the French Bulldog recognized for the pedigree, and which ones should be avoided?
Let's clarify this topic and give you some useful advice to keep Fido's ears in excellent health.
What are the colours of the French Bulldog accepted by the FCI?
The colours accepted by the Federation are the following:
Fawn (with black mask)
Fawn (without black mask)
Fawn with white patches
Brindle and white, or pied (pied means quail in French, and the coat appears white and black)
Brindle, or Tiger-striped (with stripes on the coat)
White
French Bulldog in Fawn Colour
This colour ranges from a light cream to a beautiful intense reddish fawn, and the animal may or may not have a dark mask on the muzzle.
The coat is a solid colour, without spots, and apart from the presence of the mask, it is uniform across the body.
In the fawn coat, any trace of intense black colour extending along the back is considered a fault, as is the presence of white "socks".
French Bulldog in White and Fawn Colour
The colouration is the same, from light cream to intense fawn, but part of the fur is white. In this case, there are three different colour variants:
Fawn with limited white patches, present on the chest, head, or feet. The fawn background must be predominant, and the patches are just simple spots.
Fawn with medium white patches, where the background is white and some large fawn-coloured patches are scattered across the body and head.
Fawn with invasive white patches, when the coat of the French Bulldog is entirely white with the presence of a few sporadic fawn-coloured patches on the head or body.
A white-fawn coat heavily speckled with red is considered a fault.
French Bulldog in Brindle and White, or Pied Colour
In this case, we have two colourations:
Brindle with medium white patches, where the coat is largely white but there are broad brindle patches on the body and head. If the patches cover almost the entire body, the Bulldog is defined as having a pied coat.
Brindle with invasive white patches, when the coat is almost entirely white but there is a minimal presence of small black spots, predominantly on the head or body. A pied coat heavily mottled with black is considered a fault.
French Bulldog in Brindle Colour
Dual tone in this case as well:
Brindle without any white mark, where the coat is a solid colour with more or less evident stripes, but without any white mark. The fur can appear as black brindle or fawn brindle.
Brindle with traces of white, where the white patches are not predominant on the coat but are small in size and limited to the chest, feet, and head.
In brindle coats, the presence of white "socks" is considered a fault.
French Bulldog in White
Dogs that are completely white (or defined as having a completely invasive white mark) are permitted but not sought after due to the risks associated with deafness.
The nose and eyelid rims must, however, be black, not brown, blue, or of an undefined colour.
Additional notes on accepted colours
In all accepted colours, the nose must always be black, never brown, blue, or of an undefined colour.
The eyes must always be dark and not show any trace of white when the dog looks straight ahead.
The nails must be dark, not light.
French Bulldog colours not accepted by the FCI
The following are sought-after rare colours but not accepted by the FCI and ENCI:
Blue
Merle
Fawn (in a context that suggests it's not one of the accepted shades)
Lilac
Black without marks
As beautiful as these exotic colours are, they are not accepted in Europe and therefore cannot have a pedigree.
They are also not recognized by the American Kennel Club in the United States, and even if they were accepted by some Federation in the world, the fact that they are linked to health problems should be a deterrent from purchasing.
If a breeder or private seller offers you one, they are deceiving you, because a Frenchie of these colours is equivalent to a mongrel.
Blue French Bulldog
The Blue French Bulldog is highly sought after, especially if it has blue eyes. Unfortunately, breeding Blue Frenchies can result in dogs with serious health issues.
Among these, a specific condition called canine alopecia, but there are also many other hereditary diseases.
Blue French Bulldog Merle (or Harlequin French Bulldog)
The Merle colour is due to a recessive gene and produces a mottled coat that can be of various colours.
This gene is responsible for very unique and beautiful coat colours, but unfortunately, it is considered a sub-lethal gene and can lead to the birth of puppies with serious health complications.
This coat is not accepted in the case of the Merle French Bulldog, as well as in many other breeds, precisely because of the risk it poses and the high percentage of puppies born with illnesses.
French Bulldog Black & Tan (Fawn)
A black base with fawn markings, this coat should not be confused with the fawn colour with a black mask.
The fawn markings are usually on the muzzle, chest, and feet.
Lilac French Bulldog
Like the Blue, the Lilac French Bulldog is also among the colours not accepted and therefore without a pedigree, yet it is very sought after and as popular as the Blue.
Although very unique and charming, like the other rare colours, it indicates potential genetic diseases.
Black French Bulldog
Solid black without any white marks is not accepted.
Chocolate French Bulldog
Even shades of brown that are not fawn are not accepted.
In conclusion
Beware of scams. French Bulldogs from breeders must have precise characteristics, coat colours that fall only within the accepted range, and must be tested for genetic diseases.
Those in exotic colours may look the same, have a cheerful temperament and the character of colour variants that meet breed standards, but is it worth boasting a Blue or Merle Bulldog knowing not just that the vet bills could be significant, but also that you might see your dog suffer?
With this article, we simply want to warn you that this trend can have unpleasant aspects, and that you're about to adopt a dog breed that is already challenging to manage, so why complicate your life by purchasing a potentially unhealthy dog?
If you love the breed, the shade doesn't matter, avoid complications and play it safe! This dog comes at a certain cost, if you're buying one, don't take the risk, it's not worth it!
