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Weighty Issues, Yet Again

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I am slowly but surely losing my mind in the last few days before the Jamboree. I have already asked friends to please, please  smack me in the head with a hammer if I dream up another harebrained idea like “Hey, let’s invite a great big bunch of French Bulldog people to come and spend a weekend in the middle of nowhere”. Immediately afterwards, I of course mentioned how next year I’d like to combine the Jamboree with our Regional Specialty. Hammer, meet head – Head, meet Hammer.

Weight and the Canadian French Bulldog Breed Standard

A few people were rather irate at my recent entry discussing the issue of the Canadian French Bulldog Club’s apparent proposal to change the weight portion of the Canadian standard from a disqualification to a ‘fault’.

For the record, here’s the proposed changes that the Canadian Club has considered submitting:

Size

Preferred weight 9 – 14 kgs., size being in proportion with the weight but soundness not to be sacrificed for size.

For the record, the standard currently states:

Size
A lightweight class under 22 lb. (10 kg); heavyweight class, 22 lb. and not over 28 lb. (10-13 kg).

and under disqualifications is listed:

over 28 lb. (12.7 kg) in weight.

Clearly, this indicates that the Canadian National Club fully intends to change weight from a disqualification to a (weakly worded) fault.

Personally, I object to the insinuation that a larger dog equals a sounder dog. If this rational were true, we’d have to assume that Mastiffs are the most physically sound dog breed alive, with Chihuahuas the least sound and shortest lived. Anyone else see a problem with this theory?

At any rate, whether you’re pro standard change or con, you do have to wonder if, in this time of increased scrutiny on the breed standards of all purebred dogs, and Brachycephalic breeds in particular, the most pressing issue we need to address in our standard is the question of weight.

Rather than worry about weight, how about adopting the statement in the UK standard which specifies that

Dogs showing respiratory distress highly undesirable.

There’s a change to the standard that I could personally fully support.

In other news…

The Eastern Canada French Bulldog Club (with an area of operation including Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes) is now active, and actively seeking members. The new club website, at http://www.frenchbulldogscanada.com, should be up and running by the end of next week, if I haven’t collapsed from exhaustion before then. Either way, please come and check us out! But not today – today there’s nothing much there to see 😉

Over Weight French Bulldogs and the Canadian Breed Standard

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In both Canada and the USA, there is a section in our breed standard that sets a limit on the maximum amount a dog can weigh, and still be allowed to compete in the ring.

In the USA, the standard has this to say about weight –

Weight not to exceed 28 pounds; over 28 pounds is a disqualification.

In Canada, weight is still split into two classes:

A lightweight class under 22 lb. (10 kg); heavyweight class, 22 lb. and not over 28 lb. (10-13 kg).

Weight is listed clearly among breed disqualifications:

over 28 lb. (12.7 kg) in weight.

I find it interesting that the Canadian standard calls for a division of the weight classes, because the original weight limit on French Bulldogs was, in fact, 22 lbs or under. From the original draft of the first written French Bulldog standard:

The weight shall not exceed twenty two pounds; that of the bitch twenty pounds.

Over the years, weight has crept up, as it does in many breeds. In Europe, the FCI standard of today specifies –

The weight must not be below 8 kg nor over 14 kg for a bulldog in good condition, size being in proportion with the weight.

Two things are notable about this – first, that 14 kg is slightly higher than the American and Canadian weight limits of 28 lbs or 12.7 kgs. – 14 kilograms is roughly 30.864717 pounds. The second difference is that weight is not listed in the FCI standard as a disqualification.

Personally, I think weight is a slippery slope. A limit exists to keep our dogs true to their original purpose as a lap dog and compact companion breed. While I don’t want to see tiny ‘toy’ French Bulldogs, neither do I want to see huge 40 pound Frenchies lumbering around the ring.

Currently, there is rumor of a movement to change the 28 lb. (12.7 kg) weight limit in the Canadian standard from a Disqualification to a ‘fault’. This slight change in wording would give judges licence to reward dogs who weigh in excess of 28 lbs, if the judge finds them to be the superior dog in the ring.

Personally, I think that this change would spell the end of co operation between US and Canadian breeders. American breeders aren’t going to want to breed into Canadian lines that they feel tend to be over sized – few things, after all, are more frustrating that bringing along an excellent show prospect, only to have them weigh 29 pounds at eight months.

How do you feel about this? Do you think it’s time to raise the weight limit on Frenchies, or do you feel that breeders should conform their breeding programs to the current standard as it is written? I’ve created a poll to let you express your opinion – two polls, actually. One is for breeders in Canada, and the other is for anyone in the world, breeder or not (that’s the one you’ll see below). If you’re in Canada and a French Bulldog breeder, please click here for the alternate poll.

Big News in 1897 – French Bull Dog Club Formed

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From the New York Times, April 7, 1897 –

A French bulldog club was organized at a meeting held by dog fanciers at Delmonico’s Monday evening. Messrs; H G Riggs, G M Phelps, J L Kernochan, Walter W Watrous, J R Buchanan, F G Davis and G L Hepton met a few days ago for the purpose of forming such a club and establishing a definite type of the breed. At the meeting a committee was appointed to draw up a standard of points to be based upon French winning type. The committee were to have reported Monday evening, but did not get in their report until yesterday evening.

The meeting held Monday evening was a very enthusiastic one.  The following officers were elected: President – Walter W. Watrous; Vice-President – G. N. Phelps; Treasurer – R H Hunt; Secretary – J R Buchan; Executive committe – Blakely Hall, JL Kernochan, GL Ronalds Jr, R H Hunt, GN Phelps, JR Buchn.

A number of contributions were received and twenty one members were elected.

The following standards of points was agreed upon:

The general appearance should be that of an active, intelligent, and muscular dog. The dog should have a smooth coat, should be compactly built, and of small stature. The weight shall not exceed twenty two pounds; that of the bitch twenty pounds. The ear shall hereafter be known as the “bat” ear.

This final paragraph is, in effect, the first ever written standard for the French Bulldog breed ever published in the world. Most notably, it set the “bat” ear as correct (previously, bat or rose ears had both been acceptable in the ring). Also notable was the weight restriction of twenty two pounds or less for dogs, twenty for bitches. Later standards would create two weight classes, and even later ones would set a top weight limit of twenty eight pounds – still present in the US Standard today.

Evolution of the French Bulldog Breed Standard – Part 2

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Today, two versions of the AKC French Bulldog standard are available – the standard written version, which is reproduced below, or the ‘illustrated’ version distributed by the French Bull Dog Club of America. You can download a copy of the illustrated standard here.

The French Bulldog Breed standard, 2005

Classification: Non Sporting Group – Group Six

General Appearance
The French Bulldog has the appearance of an active, intelligent, muscular dog of heavy bone, smooth coat, compactly built, and of medium or small structure. Expression alert, curious, and interested. Any alteration other than removal of dewclaws is considered mutilation and is a disqualification.

Proportion and Symmetry–All points are 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 poorly proportioned.

Influence of Sex–In comparing specimens of different sex, due allowance is to be made in favor of bitches, which do not bear the characteristics of the breed to the same marked degree as do the dogs.

Size, Proportion, Substance
Weight not to exceed 28 pounds; over 28 pounds is a disqualification. Proportion–Distance from withers to ground in good relation to distance from withers to onset of tail, so that animal appears compact, well balanced and in good proportion. Substance–Muscular, heavy bone.

Head
Head large and square. Eyes dark in color, wide apart, set low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible, round in form, of moderate size, neither sunken nor bulging. In lighter colored dogs, lighter colored eyes are acceptable. No haw and no white of the eye showing when looking forward. Ears Known as the bat ear, broad at the base, elongated, with round top, set high on the head but not too close together, and carried erect with the orifice to the front. The leather of the ear fine and soft. Other than bat ears is a disqualification.

The top of the skull flat between the ears; the forehead is not flat but slightly rounded. The muzzle broad, deep and well laid back; the muscles of the cheeks well developed. The stop well defined, causing a hollow groove between the eyes with heavy wrinkles forming a soft roll over the extremely short nose; nostrils broad with a well defined line between them. Nose black. Nose other than black is a disqualification, except in the case of the lighter colored dogs, where a lighter colored nose is acceptable but not desirable. Flews black, thick and broad, hanging over the lower jaw at the sides, meeting the underlip in front and covering the teeth, which are not seen when the mouth is closed. The underjaw is deep, square, broad, undershot and well turned up.

Neck, Topline, Body
The neck is thick and well arched with loose skin at the throat. The back is a roach back with a slight fall close behind the shoulders; strong and short, broad at the shoulders and narrowing at the loins. The body is short and well rounded. The chest is broad, deep, and full; well ribbed with the belly tucked up. The tail is either straight or screwed (but not curly), short, hung low, thick root and fine tip; carried low in repose.

Forequarters
Forelegs are short, stout, straight, muscular and set wide apart. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet are moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails.

Hindquarters
Hind legs are strong and muscular, longer than the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. Hocks well let down. Feet are 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.

Coat
Coat is moderately fine, brilliant, short and smooth. Skin is soft and loose, especially at the head and shoulders, forming wrinkles.

Color
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.

Gait
Correct gait is double tracking with reach and drive; the action is unrestrained, free and vigorous.

Temperament
Well behaved, adaptable, and comfortable companions with an affectionate nature and even disposition; generally active, alert, and playful, but not unduly boisterous.

Disqualifications
Any alteration other than removal of dewclaws.
Over 28 pounds in weight.
Other than bat ears.
Nose other than black, except in the case of lighter colored dogs, where a lighter colored nose is acceptable.
Solid black, mouse, liver, black and tan, black and white, and white with black. Black means black without a trace of brindle.

The evolution of the French Bulldog Breed Standard – Part 1

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The breed standard is the written blue print of the breed. It is the master plan that instructs breeders on what their ultimate goals are to be, in terms of structure, when evaluating their own dogs or planning a breeding. It is also the guide which judges are to use when evaluating French Bulldogs at breed shows.

Often times, breeders treat the standard as if it is graven in stone – un changeable, and to be adhered to rigidly. This isn’t really true.

Standards are mutable, and change over time. What follows are three versions of the French Bulldog breed standard – one from 1901, one from 1923, and one from 2005.

Reading it closely, you’ll see the changes that occur over time to various aspects of the breed. In particular, pay attention to the sections on color. This is interesting to us today, as one of the reason often given for fighting against disallowed colors is that they aren’t ‘true’ to the standard – but which version of the standard are they untrue to? Should we adhere to what the originators of the breed sought in terms of consistency, or to the more modern versions?

Food for thought.

This will be posted in three parts, for the sake of brevity.

The French Bull Dog Breed Standard, 1901

General Appearance. — The general appearance of the French bulldog
should be that of an active, intelligent, muscular dog; smooth-coated,
compactly built and of small stature.
Head. — Large, si]nare and broad, craninm almost flat, jaws large,
powerful, deep, square, and undershot; the muscles of the cheek well
developed ; the face extremely short, broad and very deep. Stop strongly
defined, causing a hollow or groove between the eyes, and extending well
up the forehead.
Eyes. — Wide apart, set low in skull, as far from the ears as possible,
round, of moderate size, neither sunken nor bulging, and very dark. No
haw and no white of eye should be visible when looking forward.
Nose, etc. — Muzzle, nose and lips should be black. The lips thick,
and nose deep, and nostrils broad. Neck short, thick and well arched.

Ears. — Ears bat ears, large in size, broad at base, well elongated, with
rounded top, set high on head, but not too close, yet carried erect, with
orifice plainly visible when seen from the front.

Body. — Short, well rounded, well let down between shoulders and fore-legs, chest deep, broad, full, well-ribbed, with belly well tucked up. Back short, strong, broad at shoulders and narrowing at loins. Fore-legs short, stout, straight, and muscular, set wide apart ; hind-legs longer than fore-legs so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. Feet compact and
firmly set, turning slightly outward. Toes compact, with high knuckles and
short nails. The tail can be either straight or screwed (not curl), short,
hung low, downward carriage, thick root and fine tip. Preference given to
short, straight tail.
Color. — Uniform, pure of its kind, and brilliant; preference given to
dark brindle, dark brindle and white ; all other brindles, all other colors.
Skin soft and loose, especially at head, forming wrinkles.
Coat. — Moderately fine, short and smooth.
Disqualifications. — Docked tails, mutilated, and other than bat ears are
disqualifying.
SCALE OF POINTS.
General appearance 15
Skull 15
Eyes 5
Muzzle 5
Ears 10 Neck 5 Body 15 Legs and feet 10 Tail 10 Color, skin and coat 10
Total 100

French Bulldog Breed Standard, 1923

The following is the description of the breed as approved by the French Bulldog Club of America:

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 stature.

PROPORTION AND SYMMETRY. — 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 ill proportioned.

INFLUENCE OF SEX.— In comparison of specimens of different sex, due allowance should be made in favor of the bitches, which do not bear the characteristics of the breed to the same marked degree as do the dogs.

WEIGHT. — A lightweight class under 22 pounds; heavyweight class, 22 pounds, and not over 28 pounds.

HEAD. — The head should be large, square, and broad, cranium almost flat; the underjaw large and powerful, deep, square, broad, undershot, and well turned up. The muzzle should be well laid back and the muscles of the cheeks well developed. The stop should be strongly defined, causing a hollow or groove between the eyes and extending up in the forehead. The nose should be extremely short, broad, and very deep; nostrils broad and black, with well-defined line between them. (Dish-face undesirable.) The nose and flews should be black. The flews should be thick, broad, pendant, and very deep, hanging over the lower jaw at sides. Tusks must not show. Front teeth may show slightly.
EYES. — The 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 nor bulging, and in color dark. No haw and no white of the eye showing when looking forward.
NECK. — The neck should be thick and well arched, with loose skin at throat.

EARS. — The ears shall hereafter be known as the 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.
BODY. — The body should be short and well rounded. The chest broad, deep, and full, well ribbed, with the belly tucked up. The back should be a roach back, with a slight fall close behind the shoulders. It should be strong and short, broad at the shoulders and narrowing at the loins.
LEGS. — The forelegs should be short, stout, straight, and muscular, set wide apart. 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.
FEET. — 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.
COLOR, SKIN, AND COAT. — Acceptable colors are: All brindle (dark preferred) and any color except the following, which constitute disqualification: Solid black, black and white, black and tan, liver and mouse color. (Black as used in the standard means black without any trace of brindle.) The skin should be soft and loose, especially at head and shoulders, forming wrinkles. Coat moderately fine, brilliant, short and smooth.

Disqualification. — Other than bat ears, any mutilation, solid black, black and white, black and tan, liver and mouse color, eyes of different color, nose other than black, and hare lip.

VALUE OF POINTS. —

Proportion and symmetry, 5;
expression, 5; gait, 4; color, 4; coat, 2; skull, 6;
cheeks and chops, 2; stop, 5; ears, 8; eyes, 4; wrinkles,
4; nose, 3; jaws, 6; teeth, 2; shoulders, 5; back,
5; neck, 4; chest, 3; ribs, 4; brisket, 3; belly, 2;
forelegs, 4; hindlegs, 3; feet, 3; tail, 4.

Total, 100