The length of their tails is the first feature that immediately jumps out at you when you think of some of the first French bulldogs that were ever created. There is no question that bulldogs selected for breeding did have the shortest tails, or that tails were docked for one of the following reasons: French bulldogs of the past had tails that were significantly longer than those of the dogs of today; however, there is no question that modern bulldogs have shorter tails than their ancestors did.
* As a way to avoid paying tax.
* To strengthen the back and increase the speed.
* To help prevent the tail being bitten while the dog was “ratting”.
* To make better sport when bear baiting or fighting.
It is thought that the longer tails were at one time a natural part of genes inherited by the frenchie, but that over a period of time frenchie breeders went for a shorter and shorter tail. The breed standard in 1937 stated that “the tail should be short and set low, lying flat on the buttocks, thick at the base, naturally broken and should be tapering at the ends”.
It also mentions that the tail shouldn’t be raised or too long, not reaching much beyond the thigh this therefore gives us the indication that the French bulldog tail in those days was longer than that of in the breed today. By 1950 however the wording for the standard was changed to match almost what we see in the frenchie today, “very short, set low, and thick at the root while tapering quickly to the tip.”
“Today most frenchies do indeed have a very very short tail which sometimes doesn’t even cover the anus. The breed’s standard of today however does state that the tail should be “undocked, low, and thick at the root while tapering quickly towards the tip”, so how short is short? Do today’s breeders take short to the extreme and could this be having an undesirable effect on the overall health of the French bulldog?
The actual importance of the tail itself is to act as a counter balance when the dog is carrying out movements such as leaping, walking along narrow structures or climbing. Their tail muscles are also used in stabilising the vertebral column and supporting the extensor muscles of the back as well as those of the buttocks.
Other aspects of the tail are its ability to show pleasure by wagging the tail and its movement relating to showing weakness, anger, dominance or fear to its fellow animals. Thought should be given to this aspect when we think about breeding for shorter and shorter tails, while it might not seem significant to us, the tail plays a significant part of who the dog is.
😍 These gadgets are on my Frenchie’s wishlist, maybe your Frenchie needs them too? 🥰
✅ My Frenchie has been self-conscious about his hair for years. He finally has the confidence to go on walks now. Other dogs don’t even know it’s a wig! What a steal!! LOL
✅ These matching sweaters are absolutely adorable. Fits my 22lb French bulldog like a glove, his shirt is super soft.
✅ Lots of folks said it was the cutest thing they had seen in a long time! It came with adjustable straps just in case the Frenchie gains weight (again.)
✅ Safety first, right? My Frenchie loves bike rides in the backpack but not so much in the rain, this Goggle/Hemlet set really helps keep the rain out of the eyes and ears.
✅ The hoodie is really well made and super soft fleece-lined! My Frenchie has been in it for hours, which is not common… safe to say it is puppy approved!
✅ You only need this one high-quality water-resistant jacket for Winter. Necessary piece. Make sure you check out the reviews to get the right size instead of keeping returning.
✅ There are built-in ear holes for comfort, which is how my Frenchie usually wears it, but sometimes we just have to keep those ears covered up and keep the heat in on the super-cold days.
✅ No animal should have to sleep on the floor and hurt or be cold. I asked my Frenchie for a review – unfortunately he’s too busy snoring, farting and sleeping on it to answer me…lol
✅ This is a fantastic car seat w lots of clever features. The entire seat can collapse to fit into its own carrying bag, though it’s easily put together again in 30 sec. The cover that the dogs rest on is silky soft faux fur which doesn’t seem to snag dirt and debris. It easily zips out for washing, and during the summer you can reverse the cover so the canvas side is up and not the fur. The pillow that boosts the dogs up in the seat has a soft foam side akin to memory foam. It’s very roomy and well made for a small Frenchie.
✅ The couch is stylish and lightweight but definitely sturdy. As an added bonus the legs have non-skid pads on the bottom so it won’t slide when he gets in and out of it. Holding up pretty good even when Frenchie digs in it…
✅ Let me do you a favor and let you know that you NEED this NOW!!! It was very comfortable for me at this height. No pain or awkward positions and I didn’t get soaked.
✅ I don’t remember seeing any other pet strollers using this kind of high-end wheels. Perfect for the small puppy that is old or can’t walk much.