One of the most interesting things about French Bulldogs is the wonderful variety of colors they are available in - there's literally a colour for almost everyone. All of this variety has a drawback, though - confusion over just what name applies to each colour. To try and help clear up some of the mystery, we offer you a page illustrating commonly seen colours - and a few not so commonly seen ones! Remember, colour is a VERY hotly contested topic in French Bulldogs, so I'm sure you'll find some who will disagree with my definitions, especially when it comes to the one I call "mouse".

First off, here is what the AKC standard has to say about colour:

"Acceptable colors - All brindle, fawn, white, brindle and white, and any color except those which constitute disqualification. All colors are acceptable with the exception of solid black, mouse, liver, black and tan, black and white, and white with black, which are disqualifications. Black means black without a trace of brindle."

This last definition is what leads so many people to refer to "Black" French Bulldogs - and the fact that it is a disqualification is what leads breeders to exclaim hysterically "BRINDLE! They're not black, they're BRINDLE!".

The most commonly seen colours in the USA and Canada would seem to be: Dark Brindle, Cream, Tiger Brindle, Brindle Pied, Fawn, Fawn Pied and all other colours. Those seeking pups in the more unusual colours should bear this in mind, and be prepared to wait - possibly a long time! It should also be pointed out that some color terms are subjective, with each breeder having their own opinion as to what defines 'fawn pied', 'honey pied', etc. The examples listed below should be viewed objectively, and are open to debate.

Note: it has been pointed out to me that the term 'seal brindle' should more accurately be used to describe the coats of black dogs with a brownish hue. However, I will assert that the term, as it is applied to French Bulldogs, has always been used in this breed to refer to a deep, black, very lightly brindled coat. In fact, the early versions of the French Bulldog standard mention 'seal brindle' as being one of the colors to be most highly prized in a French Bulldog. Therefore, while the vernacular might be incorrect, the historic usage is not.

 

Black brindle - also known as Seal brindle - so dark it may appear black, but closer inspection will reveal at least a few lighter colored hairs.	(Dog on the left) This color pattern is sometimes referred to as reverse brindle. It refers to the fact that fawn is more predominant than the black brindling.	Tiger brindle is a term reserved for dogs with a coat pattern comprising a fairly regular pattern of alternating fawn and black stripes, similar in appearance to the coat of a tiger.	This color and pattern are referred to as black masked fawn. The base color of the coat can vary in shade from red to tan. The mask refers to the marking pattern on the face.
This color and pattern are referred to as black masked RED fawn, due to the rich red hues of the fawn base coat. We have seen fawns in all shades, from brick red to honey to lemon yellow.	This pattern is referred to as brindle pied. Brindled areas - areas where fawn is overlaid with black striping - are interspersed with areas of white coat. Markings can be slight, or predominant.	Pale cream French Bulldog. Creams can range in hue from deep amber to rich butterscotch to palest gold. This color is generally considered to be a dilution of fawn, minus the masking gene.	Red fawn pied French Bulldogs. Paler versions are sometimes referred to as fawn pied, lemon pied or honey pied. As with all Frenchies, there may be a mask associated with this pattern.
This color can be referred to as either liver or brown - each is a disqualification within the AKC or FCI breed standards. Dog has NO brindling, and is a uniform reddish - brown, with self pigmented lips, nose, pads,etc. Eyes have a yellowish hue.	This is referred to as blue, or blue brindle. Brindle markings on this dog have a "grey" hue, and base coat color is a solid blue-grey. It has been debated whether or not this color is also what the standards refer to as 'mouse'.	A Blue Pied French Bulldog. "Blue" Frenchies are a result of the 'd' or dilute gene. In this form, the dilute factor has caused the black hairs to become blue. Pigment on nose and pads is also a greyish blue in color, and eyes are often blue or yellowish gold. Again, this color has also been referred to as mouse.	Black and tan French Bulldog. Undoubtedly the rarest of the disqualified colors, this is still an extremely striking marking pattern. It has been theorized that black and tan was initially designated a dq because it is a dominant marking pattern in canines.

 

You may have seen this color page on the Wikipedia French Bulldog entry. Note that I haven't borrowed it from there, but rather that I'm the original author of both that entry section, and this revised version. All photos on this chart are either of my own dogs, or are photos that were kindly provided to me by the owners of the dogs pictured.