Ten Best Dogs For Families

From The Reader's Digest Illustrated Book of Dogs

To watch a sensitive French Bulldog romp with children or snuggle up quietly beside an elderly master, it is difficult to believe that its ancestors were battling with bulls in England as recently as 150 years ago. The heftier British Bull dog was bred for its aggressiveness and courage, and its bloody forays in the bull-baiting rings thrilled commoners and nobility alike. Queen Elizabeth I apparently enjoyed the sport so much that she organized private spectacles for visiting ambassadors.

When a parliamentary decree put an end to bull-baiting in 1835, the British Bulldog was quickly adopted as a companion dog. It thrived especially in the English Midlands, where lace-making flourished as a local industry. Attracted by better jobs, many lace-makers moved to France around the middle of the nineteenth century, taking their Bulldogs with them. There, according to one version of the French Bulldog's ancestry, the British breed was crossed with other dogs, became smaller and more docile, and by the end of the nineteenth century was known as the Bouledogue Français, a breed that briefly reached the height of canine fashion. Some authorities, on the other hand, refer to an ancient bronze plaque dated 1625 that shows a bat-eared dog bearing a close resemblance to the French Bulldog. The plaque is inscribed 'Dogue de Burgos, España.' Burgos is the home of bullfighting. From the bullrings, it is believed, the dogs went to France where they were used to fight donkeys prior to becoming fashionable and miniaturized.

The English were at first indignant over what they regarded as stealing the name of the bulldog, the proud symbol of the British Empire. But the popularity of the 'Frenchie' quickly spread and the British Kennel Club officially recognized the breed in 1902.

This compact, muscular dog makes an ideal family pet. Highly responsive to affection and caring, it adapts itself to those around it: children love its energetic playfulness, while elderly people are comforted by its devotion.

Practical information: The French Bulldog cannot tolerate high temperatures and is susceptible to sunstroke. It must have at least three daily outings and one long walk a week. Brush the coast every day when the dog is shedding, and bathe it every two months. The eyes are prone to glaucoma and should be checked regularly. Whelping is sometimes difficult due to the puppy's large head; Caesarian sections may be called for. In this instance puppies will have to be bottle-fed. Snorting is common only among those dogs whose noses do not meet the breed standard.

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