Long Haired French Bulldog – Fluffy Frenchie Breed Traits

Long haired French Bulldogs have medium length wavy hair over their ears, head, back and chest. Giving them that characteristic fluffy Frenchie look! They are true purebred French Bulldogs, but carry two copies of a recessive long hair gene called L4. The same gene that gives Afghan Hounds and Eurasier dogs their long coats. Today we’ll look at how the long haired French Bulldog compares to the standard short coated Frenchie. We’ll share facts and information on their behavior, temperament and health.

Cute long haired French Bulldogs are playful, friendly and confident dogs, weighing 25 lbs and growing up to 12 inches in height. They usually live for around 10 years, and can suffer from some breathing difficulties and overheating issues that potential puppy parents need to be clued up on. Long haired French Bulldogs can make great pets for first time owners, apartment sized homes and even those with young kids. But there are some things you need to learn about before you make that first step.

Contents

• Standard vs long haired French Bulldogs
• Can you get pedigree long haired French Bulldogs?
• Fluffy Frenchie colors
• Long haired French Bulldog grooming and shedding
• Are long haired French Bulldogs hypoallergenic?
• Long haired French Bulldog temperament
• Are fluffy Frenchies healthy dogs?
• Long haired French Bulldog puppies and adoption

Grooming a long haired French Bulldog will be more work than the standard short coat, but they shed a similar amount. These affectionate dogs also love to bond over a good brushing session. Today we’ll check out the best places to adopt or buy long haired French Bulldog puppies, and help you to pick the perfect new puppy for your family. Dog lovers considering adopting a fluffy Frenchie need to know if the difference between long hair and short hair is more than fur deep.

Long Haired French Bulldogs

French Bulldogs have soared in popularity over the past decade. Given their popularity, it’s hardly surprising that most of us can picture what a French Bulldog looks like. Summoning to mind a long haired Frenchie is somewhat harder though. But French Bulldogs with longer coats certainly do exist!

Their coat doesn’t sweep the floor like a Lhasa Apso, but it’s long enough to appear fluffy and wavy, especially around their ears, ‘mane’, and chest.

Long Haired French Bulldogs Genetics

Long coats are a recessive trait in dogs. That means the genetic instructions for long coats are easily masked by competing genetic instructions for short coats.

The gene for long hair in Frenchies is called the c.559-560dupGG gene. But for convenience it’s more usually called the L4 gene! French Bulldogs without the L4 gene look like normal short haired Frenchies.

French Bulldogs with just one copy of the L4 gene carry it silently – they have a short coat, but they can pass it on to their puppies. But Frenchies with two copies of the L4 gene (one from their mom and one from their dad) have long coats.

The L4 gene is also responsible for the long hair on Afghan Hounds and Eurasier dogs. There are other long haired genes (L1, L2, L3 and L5) which cause long hair in other breeds.

Are Long Haired French Bulldogs Purebred?

Yes, long haired French Bulldogs can be purebred. However, they are not recognized by the official breed standard, so they can’t be entered at AKC dog shows. Purebred dogs with unusual features or mismarks often face accusations of being crossbred. And therefore fraudulent entries on the breed registry.

But the fact is that recessive traits can easily go unnoticed for generations. Unless breeders actively select in favor of a recessive gene, it only remains in a population in very low numbers. The odds of two carriers mating is low. And even if they do, only one quarter of their puppies would end up long haired, on average. Perhaps none.

Attitudes to achieving pedigree dogs used to be very different as well. Once upon a time, rogue long haired puppies in a litter would likely have been culled by their breeder. Since they were seen as worthless.

Luckily, unusual traits are far more likely to be celebrated these days, and long haired French Bulldog puppies which can’t be shown are offered as pets instead. Some breeders even specialize in selecting for the elusive L4 gene, so that they can be sure of producing litters of fluffy Frenchie puppies.

Long Haired French Bulldog Colors

The L4 gene for long hair on Frenchies is independent of any of the genes for coat color. It is not mutually exclusive with any of the standard French Bulldog colors either, which are

• white
• cream
• fawn

With or without markings including brindle, piebald, or a black mask.

Other colors, such as black, blue and liver all exist in the Frenchie population, but they aren’t accepted in the show ring. Although since a long hair Frenchie is excluded from the show ring anyway, they haven’t got anything more to lose by being a long haired blue French Bulldog!

Fluffy Frenchie Shedding and Grooming

Short haired Frenchies are a generally considered quite a low maintenance breed in terms of grooming. But do long haired French Bulldogs shed?

The answer is yes, all dogs shed to some degree, and inevitably shed hair from a long haired dog will be more obviously on your furniture than short hair.

Long hair picks up more dust and debris as well. It needs more frequent washing and brushing to keep it in good condition, and make hold onto more doggy odor in between.

Long haired Frenchies also still need to have their wrinkles cleaned on a daily basis, to stop bacteria or fungal infections growing in them.

Are Fluffy Frenchies Hypoallergenic?

The long haired French Bulldog has a fairly straight, medium length coat. They shed hair liberally all year around, and will have a big shedding season at least annually too. Sadly therefore they are not a good mix for owners that have dog dander allergies.

Long Haired Frenchie Temperament

There’s no evidence that long coats are linked to temperament, so a longhaired French Bulldog will have the same general disposition as their short haired brethren. Frenchies all have their own individual personality, but classic qualities of the breed include a strong desire to spend time with their human family, playfulness and intelligence.

This means they’re best suited to households where someone will be available to keep them company and interact with them most of the time.

They are prone to separation anxiety if they are forced to spend long periods of time alone. They can also get bored and frustrated if their owners don’t provide enough outlets for playing and problem solving.

This usually manifests itself as destructive behaviors like chewing, because they need an activity to occupy themselves.

Long Haired Frenchie Health

Unfortunately, long haired Frenchies are also prone to all the same health problems as short haired Frenchies too. French Bulldogs are a brachycephalic breed. This means they have a very flattened face shape. It’s a popular look in companion dogs, but it’s linked to severe difficulty breathing, and keeping cool in hot weather.

French Bulldogs of all coat types also have a genetic predisposition to hip dysplasia (1 in 3 dogs affected) and patella luxation (1 in 20 dogs affected). These are painful joint conditions which cause lameness and often require expensive surgery to correct.

Just over a third of Frenchies also have hemivertebrae – malformed bones in the spine which cause pain and paralysis.

Approximately one third of Frenchies also suffer from allergies, which are often upsetting to witness, and frustratingly difficult to pinpoint and treat.

In short, French Bulldogs are not healthy dogs, and more often than not their quality of life is compromised in some way by a chronic health condition.

How Much Does A Long Haired French Bulldog Cost?

French Bulldogs are a very sought after breed at the moment, and their puppies frequently cost in excess of $2,000. Part of this is supply and demand – breeders can charge more for a dog breed which lots of people want to buy.

Part of it can also be attributed to the Frenchie’s body shape. They have a large head, even as puppies, and narrow hips. This means most litters are delivered by caesarean section – over 80% of litters delivered in the UK in fact.

The cost of this needs to be passed on by the breeder, to the people who buy their puppies.

Long Haired French Bulldog Puppy Price

Since very few long haired French Bulldogs are sold every year, it’s harder to estimate the price of them. A breeder who shows their dogs is likely to be disappointed by a rogue longhaired puppy, and let them go to the right parents for a ‘pet’ price which reflects the cost of safely rearing them for 8 weeks.

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Other breeders specialise in breeding long haired Frenchie litters, and may charge a premium for their puppies because they’re rare, and a novelty. And wherever people are willing to pay a little more for something no one else has, it’s a sad fact that puppy mills will attempt to breed the same dogs in horrific welfare conditions, to undercut the market.

So, research long haired Frenchie puppies careful, and beware puppies which cost very much more, or less, than average. It’s a sensitive subject, but a good breeder will be happy to break down their costs for you, if you ask tactfully, and from a position of genuine interest.

Are Long Haired French Bulldogs Good Pets?

Long haired French Bulldogs are an unusual variation on the popular Frenchie breed. They are the same as a short haired Frenchie in every respect, except their coat.

Since they can’t be entered at dog shows, and many purists regard them as “not proper Frenchies”, however, they can still be purebred, and registered as such. However, given the number of deep seated health problems in the French Bulldog breed, sadly we cannot recommend buying one as a puppy.

Doing so feeds the market for unhealthy, unhappy dogs, who are plagued by painful problems and enjoy little quality of life.

Adopting A Long Hair French Bulldog

If your heart is still set on the fluffy Frenchie, why not consider adopting one instead? There are several breed specific Frenchie rescues operating at a regional and national level in both the US and the UK.

Frenchies often find their way into non-breed specific rescues too. That’s because owners often struggle to afford the high veterinary costs associated with owning them, or a special hypoallergenic diet they need.

Do You Have A Long Hair French Bulldog?

Do you own a fluffy French Bulldog? Tell us about them in the comments box below.

More articles about Frenchies

• Do French Bulldogs Have Tails?
• Mini French Bulldog: A Guide To The Teacup Sized Miniature Frenchie
• Are French Bulldogs Hypoallergenic?
• Are French Bulldogs Smart?

References & Resources

• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
• American Kennel Club, 2018.
• Dog Coat Length, Curl and Furnishings, Veterinary Genetic Laboratory, University College Davis
• Cadieu et al, Coat variation in the domestic dog is governed by variants in three genes, Science, 2009.
• Cavanagh & Bell, Veterinary Medical Guide To Dog And Cat Breeds, CRC Press, 2012.