French bulldogs have been a super trendy breed for more than a decade, and have always held a place of honor as a favorite breed amongst the world’s most rich and famous. Undeniably adorable with their squishy faces, bat ears, and rolly-polly bodies, French bulldogs were the #2 most popular dog breed in the US in 2021.
While you’re probably used to seeing Frenchies by now, how would you react if you saw one with fuzzy, wild hair? That’s right, there are fluffy Frenchies out there just waiting to be discovered, and these feathery versions of their smooth-coated cousins are every bit as adorable as they sound.
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Insta-Famous Fluffy Frenchies
Let’s dive right into the fluffy Frenchie universe by checking out five insanely cute fluffy Frenchies that are racking up the likes on Instagram.
1. Banjo the Fluffy Frenchie
Banjo’s ears are the main attraction wherever he goes, and this handsome one-year-old devil parades his stuff all over LA. A purebred with certified lines and tested genetics, this little man is a great example of the breed.
2. Fletcher the Fluffy Frenchie
Fletcher’s long fur is all over his body, and he even has curly chest hair! Fletcher’s little legs look like he’s wearing feathered boots, but don’t let his gorgeous exterior fool you: this guy likes to get into everything!
3. Enzo the Fluffy Frenchie
Enzo is an example of a fluffy Frenchie that carries most of their fluff around the face and ears. A subtle example of the breed, we love the serious look Enzo always seems to be sporting!
4. Barney the Fluffy Frenchie
Barney is a certified and experienced stud who is currently awaiting a new litter with his girlfriend! A gorgeous little fluffy Frenchie, Barnie almost has corgi-like fur and coloring, and we’re obsessed.
5. Burney the Long-Haired Frenchie
Coming to us from London, England, Burney is a great example of just how long long-haired Frenchie fur can get! A total fuzz-bucket, Burney is almost 8 years old and loves a good adventure or a nap in the bed.
Long-Haired French Bulldog Basic Info
Wondering what it would be like to have a fluffy Frenchie of your very own? Here’s what these little dogs are like, and what you can expect when buying one.
What Is a Fluffy Frenchie?
A fluffy Frenchie (or a long-haired Frenchie bulldog) is a French bulldog that visibly displays a recessive long-coated gene. In other words, fluffy Frenchies are just like regular Frenchies, but with long fur. Beyond fur type, there is no difference between the standard smooth-coated Frenchie and the fluffy Frenchie.
How Do Breeders Produce Fluffy Frenchies?
To produce a fluffy Frenchie, breeders must cross two French bulldogs both carrying a recessive gene called Fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5). While this gene has been present within the French bulldog breed for some time, breeders have only semi-recently begun purposefully testing for the gene in order to produce long-haired puppies.
A Frenchie will inherit a genetic marker for fur length from each parent, but because the FGF5 gene is recessive, a Frenchie must inherit it from both parents in order to be visually long-haired. A dog with two FGF5 gene markers is called a “visual long-hair” and will have fluffy fur, while a dog that has one copy of the gene is called a “long-hair gene carrier” and will not have fluffy fur, but can pass on the trait to offspring. A dog that does not carry any copies of the FGF5 gene is called a “short hair”.
Remember Punnett squares from high-school biology? It’s time to refresh those memories!
Short-Hair X Visual Long-Hair:
| Long-Hair | Long-Hair | |
| Short-Hair | Long-Hair Gene Carrier w. Short-Hair | Long-Hair Gene Carrier w. Short-Hair |
| Short-Hair | Long-Hair Gene Carrier w. Short-Hair | Long-Hair Gene Carrier w. Short-Hair |
When you cross a short hair Frenchie with visual long hair with a short-hair dog that does not carry the FGF5 gene, 100% of the offspring will have short hair and carry the long-hair gene marker.
Long-Hair Gene Carrier x Long-Hair Gene Carrier:
| Short-Hair | Long-Hair | |
| Short-Hair | Short-Hair | Long-Hair Gene Carrier w. Short-Hair |
| Long-Hair | Long-Hair Gene Carrier w. Short-Hair | Long-Hair |
When you cross two long-hair gene carrying French bulldogs, there is a 25% chance their offspring will have short hair and no FGF5 marker, a 50% they will be long-hair gene carriers with short hair, and a 25% chance they will be visual long-haired Frenchies.
Long-Hair Gene Carrier x Visual Long-Hair
| Long-Hair | Long-Hair | |
| Short-Hair | Long-Hair Gene Carrier w. Short-Hair | Long-Hair Gene Carrier w. Short-Hair |
| Long-Hair | Long-Hair | Long-Hair |
When you cross a long-hair gene carrying Frenchie with a visual long-haired Frenchie, their offspring will have a 50% chance of having short-hair and carrying the FGF5 gene, and a 50% chance of being visual long-haired dogs.
Visual Long-Hair x Visual Long-Hair:
| Long-Hair | Long-Hair | |
| Long-Hair | Long-Hair | Long-Hair |
| Long-Hair | Long-Hair | Long-Hair |
When you cross two visual long-hair Frenchies, 100% of the offspring will be visual long-hairs. This is the most certain way for breeders to produce fluffy Frenchies!
Fluffy Frenchie Temperament
Fluffy Frenchie’s temperament is identical to their short-haired, smooth-coated cousins! Known as little clowns, French bulldogs are goofy dogs with a fabulous temperament, as long as they are given plenty of positive experiences with people and other dogs. Some of the key features of the Frenchie temperament are:
- Playfulness
- Friendliness
- Mild territorial behavior
- Medium energy
- Sometimes independent
Fluffy Frenchie Size
Like the standard smooth-coated French bulldog, well-bred fluffy Frenchies should be between 16-28 pounds, and stand around 10-13 inches at the shoulder.
Fluffy Frenchie Health
Being a small dog breed, Frenchies have a relatively short life expectancy, typically living between 10-14 years, while other small breeds regularly live to 12-18 years. The reason for the slightly shorter lifespan of the Frenchie is due to their predisposition to medical issues. Many Frenchies experience severe medical conditions, either due to poor genetic pairings or simply because of their breed.
The most significant health factor to consider when getting a fluffy Frenchie is the face. Fluffy Frenchies are brachycephalic dogs, which means they have short, squished faces. This physical mutation is the result of intentional and selective breeding, but it doesn’t really do any favors for these breeds other than cosmetics.
Other than looking cute, the short face can be a hazardous feature, making Frenchies more prone to issues like asthma, allergies, and other respiratory issues. Because of the risk of breathing problems, many airlines do not allow brachycephalic dogs on board airplanes.
French bulldogs may also require regular facial cleaning to prevent their folds from becoming infected, and the breed is also known for regularly developing skin rashes and allergies.
Where Can You Get a Fluffy Frenchie?
The best place to get a fluffy Frenchie is from a certified and well-known Frenchie breeder who specializes in the FGF5 gene. We’ve covered how to choose a reputable breeder before, but here are a few key pieces of advice:
- Always ask to meet the parents to verify that they look the same as they do in their photos, and have a pleasant personality.
- Always ask for genetic testing and genealogy results. A breeder that refuses has likely not gone through the proper procedures to determine whether the dogs they are breeding have desirable traits.
- Never buy a dog from Craigslist, Facebook, Instagram, or other social media sites. A reputable breeder will have an established website where you can find all the information you need about their dogs.
Fluffy Frenchie FAQ
You’ve got more questions and we’ve got more answers about the fluffy Frenchie!
Are Fluffy Frenchies Purebred?
Yes! Fluffy Frenchies are purebred French bulldogs with two copies of the FGF5 gene.
How Much Are Fluffy French Bulldogs?
Because fluffy Frenchies are rarer than the standard smooth-coat Frenchie, you can expect to pay premium prices for these pups. Most breeder rates for fluffy Frenchies start at at least $8,000, with some examples of the breed going for as much as $20,000.
What Breed Is A Fluffy French Bulldog?
Fluffy French bulldogs are purebred French bulldogs.
Is A Fluffy French Bulldog Rare?
Sort of. While breeders can specifically breed for these traits, the FGF5 gene is recessive, and not carried by all Frenchies.
What Is A Fluffy Frenchie Crossed With?
Nothing! Fluffy Frenchies are purebred French bulldogs.
Find out more about French Bulldogs here.
