How old do French Bulldogs live? (+ Tips for a long life)
French Bulldogs are one of the most popular dogs in Germany and worldwide. What is rarely thought about before buying is the life expectancy of French Bulldogs?
Dogs don’t live as long as humans do, so we all have to say goodbye to our faithful companions. Ideally, that’s when the French Bulldog is old and has had a wonderful life, not when it’s sick.
But how old do French Bulldogs get? I go into more detail about that in this post and what you can do to extend the life expectancy of your French Bulldog.
French Bulldogs can live 12 years and older if they come from healthy breeding. Bullies from dubious breeders, on the other hand, often only have a life expectancy of 6 to 8 years. French Bulldogs are considered to be a so-called torture breed. Due to questionable breeding goals, they suffer from brachycephaly (short-headedness) which causes them to have bad breath and breathing problems. However, the trend of serious breeders is to breed healthy dogs again and not to chase any “beauty ideal,” which significantly increases life expectancy.
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Life expectancy French Bulldog!
For a long time, the life expectancy of the French Bulldog was relatively low for a dog of this size, at 8 to 10 years.
But the awareness of serious breeders to breed again a dog where health and no questionable breed standards are in the first place gives the little Bully gradually better health and thus higher life expectancy.
French Bulldogs today can live up to 12 years or more if you have them from a breeder with a healthy dog as the primary breeding goal.
French Bulldogs, like all purebred dogs, have their price. Who wants to save money at the wrong end and gets his Bully from a “breeder” (multiplier) who only wants to earn money with the dogs and does not care if the breeding dogs are healthy or not should not be surprised if he gets a sick French Bulldog with a low life expectancy.
Why do French Bulldogs not get old?
French Bulldogs have one big problem, and that is their health. However, they only have this problem because humans have a specific appearance in their minds and modify the dog to fulfill it.
According to the standard, the French Bulldog should have a short, snub-nosed face and a broad, square head. The body should be short, compact, and stocky.
This inevitably led to the French Bulldog being bred more and more extreme. Among other things, she had trouble breathing because the nose bred shorter and the shorter airways had shortened.
Hot weather also causes problems for Bullies due to the shape of their heads, as they cannot breathe freely and thus have problems controlling and regulating their temperature. On warm days, you should protect your Bully from heat.
The long soft palate and shortened airways are why they snore and rattle on exertion.
When you see and hear a standardbred French Bulldog, you know why these animals can’t grow very old. Those who have problems breathing cannot live a long and healthy life.
Tips on how French Bulldogs can grow old!
Look for a good breeder who does not care more about show results than the dogs’ health.
Meanwhile, some breeders turn away from official standards and breed French Bulldogs with more noses, a longer back, and standard necks.
If you have a healthy Bully from responsible breeding, you have set the foundation for a French Bulldog with a long life expectancy.
In my opinion, food is the most crucial factor in how old French Bulldogs live.
If you feed cheap food packed with fillers and artificial additives that have no place in dog food, your French Bulldog cannot grow old.
The problem is that many dog owners think that as long as the dog eats the food, it is suitable for him. Conversely, fast food would benefit us because we like it and eat it. I have no idea how people come to that statement.
Good dog food should have as much meat as possible and no artificial additives. Be careful with terms like animal by-products. That’s just a nicer term for garbage.
Besides good genetics and sensible food, exercise is another thing that will help your French Bulldog grow old.
Make sure your French Bulldog gets enough exercise and doesn’t get fat. If dogs have problems breathing, every kilogram of too much on the ribs is harmful.
To avoid unnecessary infections, you should put a coat on your French Bulldog in winter. If your Bulldog catches a cold, he will have additional breathing problems.
Typical diseases of the French Bulldog
Even if the trend is to breed healthy French Bulldogs again, the following diseases can occur:
Von Willebrand Disease: blood in the urine, bleeding gums, nosebleeds.
Brachycephaly: breathing problems, headaches, long soft palate (snoring, rattling), skin folds on the face, which can become inflamed.
Thyroid disorders: Skin disorders
HD/ED (hip joint-elbow dysplasia): Pain, lameness, muscles regress, problems standing up.
Achondroplasia: ossification of the growth zones
Clogged anal glands: French Bulldogs stink when the anal gland is full and leaking.
Conclusion: How long do French Bulldogs live?
French Bulldogs can live 12 years or more if they come from a reputable breeder whose breeding goal is health. Thanks to exemplary breeders, the life expectancy of small bulldogs has increased from 8 to 12 years. Unfortunately, breeders still push the sick image of the short-nosed Bulldog to the extreme. These French Bulldogs usually have a lower life expectancy.
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