Colors – Piper French Bulldogs

I am adorable and not a rare color,

Why you do NOT want a RARE COLOR

To be truly educated read all of this information. This is research of mine and other breeders who care about the breed of the French Bulldog and for those who would bring one into their life.

No Fad Colors

What is a fad color and why does it matter?

A fad color is a coat color disqualified by the FBDCA/AKC French Bulldog Breed Standard. These colors are also often referred to as rare colors. Those who intentionally breed disqualification (DQ) colors in French Bulldogs are motivated only to make money. No responsible breeder would breed against their breed standard.

FBDCA is bringing up the issue of fad colors in order to:

educate and protect the dog-buying public,
preserve our breed standard,
protect the work of the many outstanding and responsible breeders who adhere to our breed standard.

A reputable and responsible Frenchie breeder should only breed dogs conforming to his or her country’s parent club French Bulldog Breed Standard. Those irresponsible breeders who breed for and advertise rare colors are intentionally spreading unacceptable color genes through the gene pool and causing problems for reputable breeders whose main concern is to produce quality puppies that conform to our Standard. These irresponsible breeders producing fad colors are motivated by greed, since by calling their disqualified colors rare they are able to sell them for very inflated prices. Please do not intentionally buy a health problem.

For more in-depth information on this topic, please read the following:

Fad colors are not only undesirable for AKC-registered French Bulldogs. View breed standards and coat color statements by other kennel clubs, worldwide:

Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) standard specifically states, “Disqualification: Colour of coat black and tan, mouse grey, brown.”
Download the entire FCI French Bulldog Breed Standard here.
Canadian Kennel Club standard specifically states, “Disqualifications:..black and white, black and tan, liver, mouse or solid black (black means without any trace of brindle)…”
Download the entire CKC breed standard here.
New Zealand Kennel Club standard specifically states, “Very Serious Faults:
Colour of coat black and tan, mouse grey, brown.”
Read the entire NZKC breed standard here.
The Kennel Club (UK) standard specifically states in relation to coat color, “Tan, mouse and grey/blue highly undesirable.”
Read the entire KC (UK) breed standard here.
Australian National Kennel Council standard specifically states in relation to coat color, “Tan, mouse and grey/blue highly undesirable.”
Read the entire ANKC breed standard here.

Please help maintain the integrity of the French Bulldog breed by choosing only Frenchies with coat colors as allowed by the AKC breed standard. Seeking and buying dogs with disqualifying coat colors only hurts the breed, even if you have no intentions of breeding an off-color Frenchie. Demand drives the market and if there is no demand for blue, chocolate, black & tan, or other unacceptably colored French Bulldogs, there will be no reason to breed these colors. Don’t financially reward people deliberately breeding Frenchies not accepted by our breed standard.

Designer colors and Merle French Bulldogs Have More Health Issues

One of the most common problems is genetic deformities. Because this dog has a unique genetic condition, it could result in stunted limbs, blindness, or deafness. Numerous merle French bulldogs also suffer from allergies, immune disorders, heart murmurs, and hip dysplasia.

You’ll also need to keep in mind that because they have such light-colored eyes, they could have some eye abnormalities. Some of the common problems being one eye is bigger than the other, one eye is covered by a nictitating membrane, cataracts, and coloboma.

he following was contributed by Smokey Valley Kennels. thank you.

I’m seeing an alarming trend in purebred dog breeding that disturbs me: Rare colors within a breed have become trendy. This fad isn’t new, but it is gaining traction and will be the downfall of purebred dogs, through the ignorance of breeders and owners alike.

Not because they’re new, or from a hidden gene that suddenly emerged, but because they have been proven to harm the breed in some way. The same holds true with other breeds as well.

Frenchies who are all white or all black with no trace of brindle carry the deaf gene, and can produce blue-eyed dogs with eye problems. Liver or chocolate colors, as seen commonly (and safely) in Labradors

This can produce yellow-eyed Frenchies with early blindness or juvenile cataracts. These are health issues that no pet parent wants to deal with, and ones that should never be imposed on an animal because a breeder wants to make money on a “rare color” or a person wants an unusual-looking pup. A good breeder will never risk a dog’s health, and a good owner has the responsibility of researching the breed they are getting.

Other colors considered rare in French Bulldogs are the black and tan (like a Doberman), and the all black with no trace of brindle. These colors are so dominant that when used for breeding, will eliminate all other colors in the bloodline. It would be sad, indeed, to lose healthy fawns, brindles, creams, and pieds because a handful of unethical and uneducated people wanted blacks as well as black and tans.

The blue color is the biggest trend of all for Frenchies. They’re being bred and sold so quickly that there are waiting lists for the puppies. Blues (colored like a Weimaraner) have been more of an issue with the breed than any other fad color. This color tends to produce yellow- or green-eyed dogs, which as noted above can lead to blindness.

In addition, the color carries a genetic disorder that causes dry, scaly skin and hair loss. While this won’t be evident in a puppy, as the dog gets older problems will develop. Healthy dogs live longer, and cause less stress and worry for their pet parents. Setting yourself up for a lifetime of heartache, at your beloved pup’s expense, isn’t worth a designer color or a trending fad.

Please do your research before buying a dog of a particular breed. Sacrificing your pet’s future health, or contributing to your favorite breed’s eventual health decline, is not worth the bragging rights of having a rare dog. These are living creatures who suffer from our stupidity — not a handbag we’ll toss aside when it gets worn. Be a responsible owner, and enjoy your dog’s long healthy years as a result.

Automatic Free Link Exchange No Blue French Bulldogs allowed Breed No D. Q.colors

D.Q.color’s : ( Chocolates ) Liver , (Blue ) Mouse, Solid Black, Black/Tan, Black/white

Just so you will know there are many reasons to not breed the DQ colored dogs such as health related issues and possible color dominance and also because you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

If you breed AKC dogs then you need to breed to The Standard as best you can and color is an easy one to be able to avoid.

Anyone with the odd colored dogs in any breed are just breeding them to make money and will not be there in a few years when it all hits the fan or

when the market for them dries up.

Just like the Puggles and labradoodles etc… no difference , a glut on the market and many now out of them because they can’t sell the pups.

But there is a real concern when it comes to color dominance which is likley one of the biggest reason all those many years ago that those colors were not acceptable.

Once those colors are in the lines they take over and bring with them the problems.

The only breed I know of that has blues with no skin problems are Weimaraners and even they have two coat types and two actual colors also which is likley their saving grace for skin problems.

Black/ Tan is a VERY dominant color/coat pattern and liver and mouse are dilute colors and almost all dilutes no matter the breed have problems not to mention that they also bring with them other things like light pigment and light colored eyes, also DQ faults in almost every breed of dog.

So add those two other things to the list of not acceptable to the breed standard and there you go again, breeding just pets now with problems to sell to the ones that are least able to handle them both emotionally and financially, the pet owners.

So cute to look at they will pollute the gene pool and will make it that much harder for the folks doing all we can to have happy healthy dogs,

no matter if they are pet or show.

Also those colors also came from the out cross of several other breeds all those many many years ago and so if they didn’t allow those colors then maybe its because they knew something we don’t.

They also likley didn’t get for example, a terrier look or temperament if they don’t have any black and tan dogs in the lines.

In the blues which likley came from a mastiff type dog like the Neapolitan and the Bordeaux type dogs and we certainly don’t want those skin problems,

the size or that drool!

As for the solid black, it can likley easily become dominate and we would never have the lovely creams and fawns we all love not to mention the fawn and red pied.

So those old folks likely DID know what they were doing and we should take heed as once they are back it would take another 200 years to get rid of it!

Until the last few years as few at 5 or 7, you would never have even heard of those colors except in old info. or puppy mill stock.

Its my opinion that most ARE NOT purebred though they are likley several generations near pure now, but that does NOT make them purebreds…

once crossed or mixed always such and NEVER pure.

These odd colors were not seen in other breeds either until just the last few years when the Russian and overseas markets started coming over here in large numbers,

breeding the odd colors for big money to the dumb Americans willing to pay for it.

ONLY AKC does DNA testing on dogs, no other countries do and AKC does only if you have over 8 litters a year. So most don’t reg. the dogs with AKC.

They are able they sell the pups with a different Assoc. paperwork that is able to be reg.

AKC and so if the new owner wants to do so they can. Most don’t but in time this will catch up with them but that breeder will be long gone.

And that is another time bomb waiting to catch up with someone.

We will never go there, please don’t either.

Articles of Interest: Blue Gene or Gray Frenchie

French Bulldog Club of Western Canada

If a breeder tells you that blue French Bulldog puppies are rare and worth a great deal more than an ordinary coloured Frenchie, then BEWARE. Other than the person breeding specifically for blue French Bulldogs, the colour blue has no more monetary value than any other colour. This breeder is either not knowledgeable or not interested in breeding strong healthy dogs that will enhance the breed in the future.

Blue, charcoal grey, or mouse are a disqualifying colours in every country that breeds them, and all are usually referred to as �blue�. The blue or charcoal grey colour is a dilution of black and is caused by the melanophilin gene (MLPH). A dog born thus affected is termed as �born blue� since it is present at birth.� Genetically, they are considered DD, Dd or dd. The colour can result from inbreeding.

Many breeders learn the pedigrees of their dogs, have at least an basic understanding of the genetics that produce their dogs, and therefore avoid producing disqualifying traits. Reputable breeders try to improve the health of their dogs so they breed characteristics that will enhance the breed. Light eyes are inconsistent with a dog bred as a companion and are more likely to occur through inbreeding.

Those that breed specifically for a �blue� colour overlook issues such as light eyes, skin conditions and lack of a black nose. Light eyes are inconsistent with a quality companion dog . Light eyes and the lack of a black nose are, in fact, disqualifying traits when French Bulldogs are shown. Black Hair Follicular Dysplasia and Color Dilution Alopeicia are skin conditions and are directly related to the dilute gene. These afflictions are sometimes referred to as the �Blue Dog Syndrome� and neither are a minor fault. It is also believed that a compromised immune system is related to the blue gene in more ways than just skin issues.

So it is very risky to breed for this colour in French Bulldogs, and no knowledgeable and reputable breeder actively tries to produce Blue French Bulldogs.

COLOR AND THE FRENCH BULLDOG BREED STANDARD

The Constitution of The French Bull Dog Club of America says:”The objects of

the club shall be . . .to urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the

breed as approved by the American Kennel Club as the only standard of

excellence by which French Bulldogs shall be judged

Our Standard has included basically the same color requirements and

disqualifications since they were added in 1911. During the intervening 97 years,

it has listed the following as disqualifications: solid black, black and white, black

and tan, liver and mouse color. In the FCI (F�d�ration Cynologique

Internationale) Standard, the term “mouse grey” is used (Mausgrau in German,

gris souris in French). Since our color disqualifications were added the same

year that a Conference of French Bull Dog Clubs of Europe, at which our club

participated, developed the European countries’ standard, it is clear that the

“mouse” in the US Standard referred to the mouse-grey coat color shown by

dogs expressing the recessive “blue dilution” (D/d) gene.

The genetics of canine coat color is complicated because there are several

genetic loci involved, some of which control the color and intensity of the

pigments, and some of which control the pattern of distribution of these colors.

Briefly, there are two types of pigment in dogs� a light pigment (phaeomelanin)

which may range from reddish through yellow to pale cream; and a dark pigment

(eumelanin) which is either black or brown. French bulldogs should carry only

the gene for the black type of dark pigment and therefore should have only black

noses, lips and paw pads. Brown pigment in the coat or nose/lips/pads is

unacceptable (and is the “liver” that our Standard deems a disqualification; it is

also a DQ by the FCI standard). The light pigment gives rise to a range of fawn

coat colors � all phaeomelanin, but in various degrees of concentration to

produce the range of pigmentation from red through fawn to cream. Some fawn

Frenchies have a black mask, which is a recognized and acceptable coat.

There is a “pattern” genetic locus that gives rise to brindle coats. Brindle

Frenchies have a base coat of fawn hairs through which black hairs extend in

bands to produce a coat ranging from a “tiger” brindle in which the fawn hairs

predominate, to the more common dark brindles in which the black hairs

predominate. In some of the latter, the black hairs are so numerous that there

may be only a small number of fawn hairs arranged in one or more bands. Our

standard refers to “a trace of brindle,” which should have enough fawn hairs to

demonstrate this pattern. There is no such thing as a “brindle hair” since brindle

is a pattern consisting of a mixture of black hairs and fawn hairs.

Another ‘pattern” gene produces pied (piebald) in which the coat is white with

pigmented patches most commonly located on the head, tail base, and “saddle”.

The pigmented patches may be either fawn or brindle, but in a brindle pied dog

there must be enough fawn hairs visible in at least one of the pigmented patches

to provide the brindle pattern, so that it is not the disqualified “white with black.”

Another pattern gene gives rise to black-and-tan (black with tan points), also a

disqualification in both the US and the FCI standard. While there have been

some black and tan Frenchies, these are rarely seen.

The color that has become more widespread in recent years, and which some

are promoting as “rare,” is the “blue” coloration caused by the recessive gene

called “Blue Dilution” (D/d). This gene can act on both the dark (black or brown)

and light (red to yellow) pigments.

In a brindle or a brindle pied dog, what should be black hairs (as well as black

pigment on the nose, and paws) is a slatey blue-grey color. In a fawn or fawn

pied (white with fawn markings) dog, the fawn hairs are a silvery fawn and the

nose, the dark mask (if there is one) and paw pads are slatey blue-grey. Any

French Bulldog that has mouse colored hair – whether on a brindle or a fawn dog

– should be disqualified as mouse. The coat color constitutes a disqualification –

as does the nose color.

Although some people find blue Frenchies attractive, neither they nor their

offspring should be sold for show or for breeding, as they all carry a disqualifying

genetic fault. If a blue dog (d/d, with two copies of the recessive “blue gene”) is

bred to another blue (d/d), all of the resulting puppies will also be blue (d/d). If a

blue dog (d/d) is bred to a non-blue who is NOT a carrier of the blue gene (D/D),

ALL of the puppies will be carriers of, but will not express, the blue gene (D/d). If

a carrier of the blue gene (D/d), is bred to a non-carrier (D/D), 1/2 of the puppies

will be normal non-carriers (D/D) and 1/2 will be carriers (D/d). If two carriers are

bred together (D/d X D/d), 1/4 of the puppies will be blue (d/d), 1/2 will be

carriers (D/d), and 1/4 will be normal non-carriers (D/D).

Some people mistakenly believe that even though a dog may have a blue dog in

its ancestry, that if no blues have been produced in several generations that

means that their dog can�t be carrying the blue gene. This is wrong. It is not like

mixing paint in a bucket, progressively diluting out the undesirable gene. A

recessive gene will keep passing hidden and unchanged through an infinite

number of generations of carriers. The insidious thing about a recessive gene is

that carriers pass the gene on to about 1/2 of their offspring, producing another

generation of carriers; then those carriers pass it on to 1/2 of their offspring, and

so forth, so that the gene spreads unnoticed through the gene pool as people

unaware of an affected ancestor breed its descendents. It will only surface when

a carrier is bred to another carrier (or to a blue), which happens when people do

linebreeding. This is one of the beneficial things about linebreeding; it exposes

the presence of undesirable recessive genes in a line, so that responsible

breeders can undertake to eliminate them.

French Bull Dog Club of America

Founded 1897

Interpretation of the French Bulldog Standard on Color:

The French Bull Dog Club of America would like to clarify what our standard lists

as acceptable colors and disqualifying colors.

The breed standard has included the same color requirements since the 1911

standard was approved by the AKC. It lists as acceptable colors all brindle, fawn,

white, brindle and white, and any other color except those which constitute

disqualification. The following colors are listed as disqualifications: solid black,

mouse, liver, black and tan, black and white, and white with black.

Brindle is one of the most common colors in the French Bulldog. Brindle

Frenchies have a base coat of fawn hairs through which black hairs extend in bands

to produce a coat that can range from a tiger brindle in which fawn hairs

predominate to the more common dark brindles in which the black hairs

predominate. In some dogs, the black hairs are so numerous there may only be

what the French Bulldog standard refers to as a “trace of brindle.” This trace

should have enough fawn hairs to demonstrate the brindle pattern. It may be

located in a part of the body that is not visible so if a judge has any concern on

where the trace is, he should ask the exhibitor to point it out. A solid black French

Bulldog without any brindle trace should be disqualified as being black. A dog

with white on the chest, toes, or head and no trace of brindle in the black coat

should be disqualified as being black and white. In the brindle pied dogs

(registered with the AKC as white and brindle) one of the pigmented patches must

have a trace of brindle; otherwise the dog should be disqualified as white with

black. A brindle, brindle and white or white and brindle (brindle pied) French

Bulldog must have a black nose. If a French Bulldogs of any these colors doesn�t

have a solid black nose he must be disqualified.

Fawn in the French Bulldog can range from a reddish color through yellow to a

pale cream. In the lighter colored fawns a lighter colored nose is acceptable but not

desirable. Some fawn Frenchies have a black mask; this is recognized and

accepted.

The disqualifying colors of black and tan and of liver do occur in French Bulldogs

but can be truly described as rare and are unlikely to appear in the show ring.

The color “mouse” in the AKC standard refers to the mouse-grey coat shown by

dogs expressing the recessive �blue dilution� (D/d) gene. Many people call this

color blue. It has become quite widespread and it�s possible a judge might see a

French Bulldog with this disqualifying color.

In dogs expressing the “blue” gene that produces the color that our standard

calls “mouse,”

� what should be the black hairs on a brindle dog (as well as black

pigment on the nose and paws) are a slatey blue-grey “mouse” color.

� the fawn hairs on a fawn or fawn pied (white with fawn markings)

dog, are a silvery fawn “mouse” and the nose, the dark mask (if there

is one) and paw pads are slatey blue-grey.

� Any French Bulldog that has mouse colored hairs should be

disqualified as mouse.

Mouse can occur as a solid, brindle, pied, fawn and dark masked fawn. The coat

color constitutes a disqualification – as does the nose color.

The French Bull Dog Club of America has a CD that is used as part of our judges

education program that goes into detail on what are acceptable and disqualifying

colors and includes representative photos of these colors.

CAUTION: Please click here to read our Breed Standard, which tells you what characteristics are desirable, and which are considered disqualifications.

A reputable breeder will NOT breed or sell dogs with disqualifying colors. These include “blue,” “liver,” and black-and-tan (the coat that some dachshunds and that dobermans have).

Although some people advertise and sell (usually for a very inflated price) Frenchies with what they call “rare” colors, particularly “blue,” this is considered unacceptable by the FBDCA

and we recommend that you seek out breeders who breed to our Standard.
Disqualifying Colors: All the Rave or All the Ruin

Even some good breeders seem to be getting the colors wrong. It is important that all breeders recognize the proper colors and resist the urge to breed for or celebrate an off color. Novelty isn�t the most important thing in a breeding program, health and welfare of the breed are.

To understand why breeding for disqualifying colors is not done or maybe even unethical, one must first understand why the Original Breed Standard decided some colors were not allowed. Blue and Mouse have been genetically link to corresponding health problems. Allergies, skin conditions, deafness, blindness and others have all been shown to appear with alarming commonness in some of these colors, no matter the breed. The disqualifying colored dogs also carry with them several other disqualify faults in almost all cases, no matter what color or color combinations. Examples of this include light eyes, lack of proper color pigment and over sized dogs. If a person is breeding for the betterment of the breed, as any breeder should be, then ignoring obvious disqualifying faults would be using a double standard. Using a faulted dog in a breeding program with other quality standard dogs is nonsensical. Some may state that faulted dogs will get better in time, which could be true, but not until they have polluted in great numbers the breeds gene pool and weakened the health and reputation of the entire breed. Some also state that they are trying to �reintroduce� these colors in hopes of getting them recognized. There is no official, serious work towards this except for breeding more of them! Sadly, the motivation behind breeding these disqualifying colors seems to be to sell them at inflated prices to the novices, unlucky or unwise enough to know any better.

We need to trust in the decisions and the work the founders of this breed did and their reasons for not accepting those colors.

French Bulldogs were surely started with a combination of several breeds, some of which will never be known for sure. The black and tan terrier of the times is thought to be one of them. It�s possible that the dogs with those markings carried a more aggressive temperament or were more Terrier in appearance. The blues could have come from either the Italian Grey Hound, thought to be a contributor in our breed�s beginnings, or a Mastiff. Maybe those with the small greyhound lineage had poor bone and body mass and the Mastiffs influenced ones were too large or had aggressive tendencies and skin problems.

Who are we to now know better than the founders and start a mess that can never be taken back? Once these Fad colors with their accompanying faults are intermixed into healthy, breed standard correct bloodlines it will be too late to ever go back. Over all there are NO legitimate reasons to add or accept these colors into the breed standard, just a very few who want to breed them strictly for profit. The market for these colors will soon be gone, leaving the breed possibility forever damaged.

The following pictures show many disqualifying colors according to the French Bulldog Club of America and AKC Breed Standard, our breed�s Standard of Excellence. None of these colors are allowed.

You�ll see a description of the color along with possible effects it could have.

Solid Black

No brindle or lighter colored hairs, shiny like a Pug or Lab. This could become the dominate color in the breed to the exclusion of many others.

Solid Blue

This is a self pigmented dog, meaning that the skin, lips, eye rims, and pads are all that color. If they don�t have that then they are NOT a Blue. A solid dog will not have any brindle here either. If this is a dilute of black as many claim then it can cause all sorts of trouble. Blue is Mouse and is not allowed. It�s linked to the deaf gene and early blindness. This color also carries dermatological skin diseases and there are dysfunctions in many other breeds where this color exists, such as Dobermans and Neapolitan Mastiffs.

Black Masked Blue Fawn

This is a muddy color that comes in several shades with a black mask. It may make it impossible in time to get the wonderful clean clear, blonde fawns we now enjoy. Blue is not fawn and this is not an acceptable color and so should never be bred for. It can have the same problems as blues.

Blue With White Markings

As clearly stated in the name, just because your blue puppy can see and hear now doesn�t mean it won�t lose its vision or hearing as it gets older, even an unaffected dog can pass this to its offspring.

Blue Pied

Just at it states, a white dog with blue spots. Again it is a blue and also a white so can carry both possible problem genes. Why introduce that into any breeding program? This can carry any problem that an all white dog might carry or add to this mix, such as deafness and blindness and lack of pigment.

Chocolate- Liver

This is a self pigmented dog, meaning that the skin and lips eye rims, pads etc are all that color. If they don�t have that then they are NOT a Chocolate or Liver. Many are passing off brindle dogs as the rare chocolates. Early blindness and juvenile cataracts genes, again also skin problems reported in other breeds where this color exists

Black and Tan

Just as this name implies it�s a dog with those markings, in several color combinations, like those common to a Doberman Pincher. TOO Dominate a color/pattern, in all breeds this color shows up usually to the exclusion of all others or in combination with other colors as it is impossible to get rid of once introduced.

Enjoy a photo of the only Purebred French bulldog I have even seen in person with down ears. Have seen a couple more of questionable lineage on the internet and being used in breeding programs, a BIG DQ fault in our breed. Shame on them!