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New Rules for UK Breeders

Tula and Teddy

The Kennel Club of England has announced new rules for UK breeders, starting in 2012.

From a November 22cnd news release on their website:

The Kennel Club has announced that from 2012 it will normally register no more than four litters from any one bitch because of concerns that the current legal limit of six litters can potentially be detrimental to a bitch’s welfare.

The decision was made by the Kennel Club General Committee after receiving a recommendation from its Dog Health Group and will be effective for litters born on or after 1^st January 2012.

Six litters per bitch is the current legal limit enshrined in the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999.

Bill Lambert, the Kennel Club’s Health and Breeder Services Manager, said: “The Kennel Club wants to ensure that all breeders put the health and welfare of their puppies and breeding bitches first and foremost, and this decision underlines our commitment to this issue.

“Whilst the law allows bitches to have six litters in a lifetime and our registration system has previously fallen in line with this, the vast majority of responsible breeders feel that this is too high and that there is potential for this to have a negative impact on the welfare of the bitch.

“Very serious consideration has to be given to the matter if a breeder wishes a bitch to have more than four litters but the Kennel Club may grant permission for this to happen if it believes that there is good and justifiable reason for doing so on a case by case basis.”

There are also new restrictions on Caesarian Sections for bitches in the UK.

Excerpt from the news release:

The Kennel Club has had discussions with the major veterinary organisations over restrictions on the number of litters born by caesarean section which may be registered from an individual bitch from 2012.

The Kennel Club has confirmed that it will no longer register any puppies born by caesarean section from any bitch which has previously had two such operations, except for scientifically proven welfare reasons and in such cases normally provided that the application is made prior to mating. Refusal to register a third or subsequent litters of puppies born by caesarean section would occur irrespective of whether the progeny from either of the first two operations had been registered with the Club.

Following discussions with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the British Veterinary Association and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, the organisations have agreed to advise their members that any caesarean sections which they perform on a Kennel Club registered bitch should be reported to the Kennel Club.

To allow the reporting of such operations by veterinary surgeons, an additional section will be incorporated into the form which is presently completed to notify the Kennel Club of any operation which alters the natural conformation of a registered pedigree dog.

This policy will become effective for all litters born on or after 1^st January 2012. Further details relating to the timing of reporting by veterinary surgeons will be announced in due course.

In essence, bitches may have no more than 2 c section deliveries “except for scientifically proven welfare reasons and in such cases normally provided that the application is made prior to mating.”

No one seems to have any idea what defines a “scientifically proven welfare reason” is, or if it will be allowed to be applied to French Bulldogs.

As more and more countries move towards restrictions on routine c sections, it behooves us as breeders to begin breeding intentionally for dogs with the ability to free whelp. I believe that many of our North American bitches could, if allowed, actually free whelp, but fear of complications or uterine inertia causes many of us to consider c sections to be an unavoidable reality.

As someone who has lost a puppy due to uterine inertia, and has also had several successfully free whelped litters, I agree that it’s a hard call to make. C sections are horribly invasive procedures, with copious risks to both bitch and puppies, and yet it’s also true that many puppies have died due to a bitch’s inability to deliver them naturally.

As I said, tough call.

The Toy Bulldog and French Bulldog of 1906

May 14, 2009/in Historical Frenchies /by frogdogz

An interesting article on the split between Toy Bulldogs and French Bulldogs, and the differences between the French Bulldog breed standards of France, England and America in the 1900’s.

Taken from “The dog book: A popular history of the dog, with practical information as to care and management of house, kennel, and exhibition dogs; and descriptions of all the important breeds“. Written by James Watson, and Published by Doubleday, Page & company, Great Britain, 1906

The French Bulldog

At the time of the war of the ears, when all doggy society hung breathlessly while the momentous question was being decided as to whether it was to be an erect or a rose ear upon the gentleman from France it is a pity that the question of the proper name was not also taken up. At home it is the Bouledouge Francais and as it has not sufficient in common to be a bull dog proper the French name might well have been perpetuated, as it has now been in England, where there is also a toy bulldog which takes care of miniature bulldogs under 20 pounds. The English toy bulldog club was started as an opposition to the Toy Bulldog Club which had decided to recognise bat- ears and dogs up to 28 pounds. This club was recognised as the rightful one to look after the toy bulldog, but after a great deal of trouble the supporters of the bat-eared dog have received recognition and a classification has been made for the Boule-Dogue Francais. This we think is a better title for the dog than what we know it by, the propriety of translating it into English and thus making a bulldog of it being questionable.

Another thing that the club of this country has done is to draw up a standard of its own, making alterations from that of the home club in Paris. When writing on other breeds we have held that the home club is the rightful one to formulate the standard and keep it up to date and that it is not proper for a foreign club to make material alterations so long as the home standard is lived up to at the headquarters of the breed. The Paris club does not grade the colours, merely stating the preference for brindles, and it does distinctly state that black and tans are to be disqualified. Here we have graded colours and anything can be shown. A cut tail is a disqualification in Paris while here it is merely “not desirable.” A cut tailed dog in a breed where cut or docked tails are not proper is a “faked” dog and we are at a loss to know under what circumstances the French bulldog club of this country countenanced the docking of a tail which should be shown naturally

and is only docked when it is not correct in shape or carnage. In the matter of weight our club has also taken upon itself to ignore the French standard. The latter calls for dogs under ten kilogrammes and bitches under nine kilogrammes. The English club while following the French standard very closely did not divide the sexes and says that the weight should be under 24 pounds. The American club has gone on a tack of its own entirely and divided by weight in place of by sex, under 22 pounds for the lightweight class and 22 pounds and over for the heavyweight class. According to that a dog of 26 or 28 pounds is eligible here whereas he would be disqualified in any country in Europe. Alterations such as these cannot be defended and we are left to surmise what the object was in making them.

Whether the boule-dogue Fran9ais owes as much to introductions of toy English bulldog blood as the English writers say is the case we are not prepared to say. What is very evident is that there is a marked difference in certain respects between the boule-dogue and the miniature bulldog as the small English toy bulldog is now called, a term which well expresses what the little dog is. The boule-dogue is not a miniature bulldog any more than the Boston terrier, and the latter in some respects has quite a resemblance to the Parisian dog. So much have they in common that it would not take long to transform one into the other, and that French blood has been introduced into the Boston is more probable than Boston breeders are willing to admit. Knowing what the breeders in Boston have done with the crude material from which they have built up the Boston terrier we do not place a great deal of value upon the claims of English origin as against French cultivation and development of an ideal dog.

From some of the illustrations of English dogs it is evident that many of the breeders and fanciers of that country have not been able to get away from the toy bulldog idea in connection with the French dog and in many of them the rose ear and the receding upper jaw, or protruding under jaw, show the bent of the fancy toward the English toy or miniature bulldog. The establishment of the two clubs in England and the title for the home dog will, however, straighten this matter out and divide the varieties properly. It is somewhat singular that the American club has almost ignored the question of make and shape of the muzzle and jaws, summing all that very important section of the dog in eight words—”jaws large and powerful, deep, square and undershot.” This with the information that the nose must be extremely short and also be very deep from the corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth is all the guide we have to one of the most

important features of the dog in its individuality as distinct from the bulldog. -No person who had not an illustration to guide him could by any possibility- construct in his imagination the dog this standard is supposed to represent in head and any five dog men capable of drawing a dog’s head would all differ from each other in the design they would produce with such a guide. With the illustrations of good dogs as a guide the difficulty is solvable and it will be seen that the muzzle is much on the order of the Boston terrier and has no bulldog lay back or curled up under jaw.

The French bulldog, as we miscall it, has been quite a prominent feature in the toy section of American dogdom for the past fifteen years and the best evidence of his being a good dog about the house is the way those who take up the breed stick to it. Fanciers of the boule-dogue are anything but butterflies but hold to their pets with a persistence that might well be copied by the men who disturb other breeds by getting out before they have hardly had time to settle in the fancy. Not quite so rompy and active as the Boston terrier the boule-dogue is nevertheless as lively in his movements as any dog needs to be about the house, possessing some of the sedateness of the pug in his temperament and disposition. He possesses the advantage which all short coated dogs have of being easily kept clean and fit for the house, requiring only good daily grooming to that end.

Close upon one hundred French bulldogs were benched at the New York show of 1906 and half of these were of American breeding, figures which clearly show the progress and good standing of the breed. That «t is one of the best established was shown by the entries of puppies, 12. dogs and bitches, so there will be no lack of competitors in the immediate future. While competition is close and the quality of the exhibits of a high class there is no preponderating kennel, the prize list being “well broken up ” which is one of the best things for the progress of a breed.

In view of the remarks upon the standards of the French and the American clubs we give that which governs at the home of the breed (ed note: the standard below is the 1906 version of the French Bulldog Standard in France, ie; “That which governs at the home of the breed”).

Descriptive Particulars

General appearance. An active and intelligent dog, very muscular, of compact structure and fairly large bone for its size.

Head.-Very large, broad and square. Skull almost flat; cheek- muscles well developed but not protruding. Eyebrows prominent and separated by a strongly marked furrow; stop very deep. The skin of the head loose, forming almost symmetrical wrinkles and folds.

“Jaws.—Broad, square and powerful, they should never be pointed or pinched. The lower jaw projects, but if too prominent it is a serious fault. The lips should cover the teeth in front and the upper lips or flews should fall below the lower lips at the sides.*

Eyes.—Dark, fairly large, neither sunken nor too prominent, and showing no white when turned toward you. Placed low, wide apart and there should be a good distance from eye to ear. Light coloured eyes are a bad fault, and eyes of different colours are a disqualification.

Nose.—Black, like the lips and muzzle.

Ears.—Erect, known by the name of bat-ears. Medium size, wide at the base and rounded at the points. Placed high on the head, but not too close together and always carried erect. The entire orifice should be seen from the front. Leather soft and fine. Rose ears not admissable.

Chest.—Broad and deep.

Back.—Short, broad and muscular, showing a graceful curve, with the highest point at the loins, and dropping quickly to the tail.

Loins.—Short and muscular, giving plenty of liberty to the movement.

Belly.—Tucked up at the loins; not fat or drooping.

Legs.—Forelegs short, wide apart, straight and muscular. Hindlegs strong and muscular, with hocks well let down.

Feet.—Small, compact and slightly turned out. Toes close and well knuckled up. Short thick nails. Hind feet slightly longer than forefeet.

Tail.—Set on low, thick at root, short and tapering, either straight or screwed and devoid of feather. A gay carriage of tail is a serious fault.

Coat.—Short, close and soft. Should be neither hard nor thin.

Colour.—Dark brindle preferred. Black and tan a disqualification.

Height.—12 inches at the withers.

Weight.—Dogs under 22 pounds; bitches under 20 pounds.

Flews should be pendulous.—J.W.

French Bulldog Coat Colors – or lack thereof

February 26, 2008/5 Comments/in French Bulldog Stuff /by frogdogz

I thought I’d write a second part to my article on French Bulldog coat colors, since it gives me a chance to get a terrible burden off of my chest –

I’ve been perpetuating a lie.

Yes, it’s true. All over the web, you’ll find sites parroting this line, from my initial article on coat colors and the French Bulldog FAQ –

“French Bulldogs come in a myriad of colors”

This is, I’m afraid, completely untrue. French Bulldogs, in actual fact, only come in one single coat color – the Golden Sabel/Dominant yellow of the Agouti or ‘A’ series. It’s carried as ay. Everything else we see, from brindle pied to fawn pied to ‘tiger’ brindle to blue fawn to ‘white’, is not a color, but a marking pattern, overlaying or somehow modifying that base coat color of Golden Sable.

It’s true. The genetic ‘base color’ of the French Bulldog is golden sable – think deep golden cream. All of the varying shades and colors in between – from vivid reds to pale buttery yellows to black tipped sable, are just variations on this initial color, thanks to modifiers such as the E Extension series or D Dilute series. It’s theorized that so called ‘blue’ or ‘mouse’ French Bulldogs are a result of the D series dilute gene (dd), but this is just conjecture.

While French Bulldogs might not have a wide variety of colors, what we do indeed have is a staggeringly large variety of marking patterns and modifiers to change the appearance of this one color. The basic patterns are –

Brindle, then, is a pattern of black stripes of varying thickness and degree of repetition, overlaying this base golden color.

Pied is a pattern of white markings interspersed with either self colored areas (fawn pied) or brindled areas (brindle pieds)

Heavily marked brindle or fawn dogs, which seem to sit on the fence between dogs with white markings, and pieds, are likely dogs carrying the si or Irish Spotting allele of the S series.

Black masked dogs are dogs of whichever color/pattern, carrying the black masking gene.

Of course, since Frenchies are Frenchies, and nothing can ever be simple in this breed, we have to deal with the appearance of Liver colored dogs, as well as those of Black and Tans. Both patterns are beyond my scope, or that of my outdated “Genetics of the Dog’ reference book, to explain, but I’m sure someone out there can give us a possible explanation for their occasional appearance.

All of what we know about French Bulldog coat color genetics is currently up in the air. Old theories are being overturned, new ones posited, and differences of opinion over the placement and indeed actions of the various alleles are apparently now commonplace.

What’s heartening is that new genetic testing is becoming available which will soon allow us to run a simple test and determine what color and patterns our dogs are without having to rely on the subjective appearance a dog seems to be – something that no two breeders can ever seem to agree on.

Perhaps soon, when asked what ‘color’ my dog is, I can reply by handing you a copy of his genetic blueprint. It would sure save a lot of arguing!

Coat Colors? – Them's fightin' words!

February 24, 2008/7 Comments/in French Bulldog Stuff /by frogdogz

Want to start a fight on a French Bulldog discussion list? Bring up the topic of French Bulldog coat colors. There are few other topics more guaranteed to get threads going of 75 or more responses, or more promising of exchanges like ‘oh yeah? Sez you’ and ‘You wouldn’t know medelian genetics if it jumped up and bit you in the face’.

There’s a fairly simple reason for this, actually – complexity. Few if any breeds come in the staggering array of allowable colors and patterns seen in French Bulldogs. Our standard in North America pretty much states ‘except for these few disallowed colors, have at it, dog breeders!’. To be more precise, the American Kennel Club standard for the French Bulldog says –

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.

Read that again, carefully –

any color except those which constitute disqualification

That means that if I can genetically engineer myself a glow in the dark pink Frenchie, I could register and show it.

Night shows would be particularly interesting to show one at, don’t you think?

The European standards are a bit tougher on colors, with the FCI standard stating –

– Uniformly fawn, brindled or not , or with limited patching (pied).
– Brindled fawn or not, with medium or large patching.

All the fawn shades are admitted, from the red to light brown (café au lait) colour. The entirely white dogs are classified in “brindled fawn with large white patching”. When a dog has a very dark nose, dark eyes with dark eyelids, certain depigmentations of the face may exceptionally be tolerated in very beautiful subjects.

The FCI standard doesn’t need to list specific DQs (or disqualifications), as their standard has a short, concise list of allowable colors, instead. So, rather than the American standard, which tells us ‘anything other than these few colors is allowed’, the FCI standard says ‘nothing other than these few colors is allowed’.

Over in the UK, the standard says –

Brindle, pied or fawn. Tan, mouse and grey/blue highly undesirable.
Brindle: a mixture of black and coloured hairs. May contain white provided brindle predominates.
Pied: white predominates over brindle. Whites are classified with pieds for show purposes; but their eyelashes and eye rims should be black. In pieds the white should be clear with definite brindle patches and no ticking or black spots.
Fawn: may contain brindle hairs but must have black eye lashes and eye rims.

Reading this, one would assume that ‘cream’, as an ee expression of fawn, would be allowed. One would, however, be wrong. The British French Bulldog breeders are almost completely uniform in their rejection of anything other than what we refer to as ‘Black Masked Fawn’ – those smutty, tan colored dogs, with the clear black masks. Even the masked red fawns and red fawn pieds are still rejected. In fact, the predominance of the red fawn pied dogs we see in North America can be traced to a handful of UK dogs exported to the US, dogs which were sold mainly because their color was not showable in the UK.

These ‘DQs’ might not be specified in the standard, but they are still accepted as the norm – and if I’m wrong about this, and attitudes are changing, I’d love to hear about it.

The issue of cream versus fawn versus black masked fawn is of particular interest to most North American French Bulldog breeders, where the exact method of inheritance is still open to debate. I’ll discuss further on the vagaries of coat color genetics another time.

For now, I’ll leave you with the color example chart I created for Wikipedia, and which you can also find on French Bulldog Z. As I state repeatedly on both sites, these photos and their corresponding color descriptions are listed as examples only, and are open to debate. The only truism when it comes to French Bulldog coat colors is there are more descriptive color names than there are colors, and everyone has their own preference.

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. In other words, don’t bother sending me snippy letters if you disagree with my descriptions, as I already have a file of about 200 of those. Polite debate, however, is welcomed.

Click thumbnails to see full sized images.


	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.

	This color pattern is sometimes referred to as reverse brindle. It refers to the fact that fawn is more predominant than the black brindling. In the dog shown, there is also a black mask present.

	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.

	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.

	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 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 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.

	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.

	Ticked Pied. Dog has obvious freckled markings among the white areas of the body. Only the KCofE standard specifies ‘ticking’ as a DQ, but this pattern still tends to be heavily penalized in show rings everywhere.

	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.

	Blue-Fawn A variation of blue, with coloring being seen most clearly in the masking points on the face. Typically they have green/grey eyes. It is said that they are usually produced by a fawn or red fawn parent.

	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.

	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