French Bulldog
Great in a flat, but airway, spine and skin problems stack up — budget for vet bills.
About the French Bulldog
The French Bulldog is a French breed of companion dog or toy dog. It appeared in Paris in the mid-nineteenth century, apparently the result of cross-breeding of Toy Bulldogs imported from England and local Parisian ratters. It is commonly kept as a pet and is among the most frequently registered dogs in a number of countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The breed is susceptible to various health problems due to being bred for its distinctive flat face and skin wrinkles.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Key facts
- Origin
- France
- Weight
- 8–13 kg
- Height
- 28–33 cm
- Lifespan
- 10–12 years
- Est. monthly cost
- $73 (≈ $876 per year)
- Purchase price
- $1,700–$3,000 from a breeder
Where the monthly cost comes from
Routine care for a French Bulldog averages about $73 a month, or roughly $876 a year. That figure is summed from the measured US line items below — food is scaled to this breed's body weight and grooming to its coat — not quoted from any single clinic or breeder.
| Category | Per month |
|---|---|
| Food (scaled to 11 kg) | $168.25 |
| Treats | $60.00 |
| Routine veterinary care (adjusted for this breed's known issues) | $347.55 |
| Medications (flea, tick, heartworm) | $101.85 |
| Grooming (2/5 coat requirement) | $150.00 |
| Toys | $37.00 |
| Licence | $15.00 |
| Total | $73 |
Pet insurance is not in that total. The average US accident-and-illness premium is $676 a year for a dog, but most pets are not insured, so adding it to every breed would overstate what a typical owner pays.
If you insure, board and budget for emergencies
Owners who carry insurance, leave the pet boarded when travelling and set money aside for emergencies land near $175 a month — about $2,106 a year. This is a modelled budget, not a survey result:
| Item | Per year |
|---|---|
| Routine care, as itemised above | $876 |
| Pet insurance (NAPHIA average premium) | $676 |
| Boarding (10 days at $25/day) | $250 |
| Emergency fund (one ~$900 event every 3 years) | $300 |
| Fully-loaded total | $2,106 |
Boarding rate from MarketWatch ($25/day). Emergency allowance modelled on Rover's finding that a typical emergency visit starts near $300 and reaches $4,000 with diagnostics and an overnight stay. The number of boarded days and the once-in-three-years emergency frequency are our own planning assumptions, stated here so you can substitute your own.
Includes routine vet visits, food, grooming and supplies. Excludes emergencies, training, boarding and the purchase price above. Method and sources: data sources.
Temperament and care profile
Health issues to watch
How it compares
Pick a second breed to see a side-by-side breakdown of cost, size, shedding and lifestyle fit.
- French Bulldog vs Beagle
- French Bulldog vs Pug
- French Bulldog vs Dachshund
- French Bulldog vs Chinese Rural Dog
- French Bulldog vs Greyhound
- French Bulldog vs Chihuahua
- French Bulldog vs Doberman Pinscher
- French Bulldog vs Shiba Inu
- French Bulldog vs Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- French Bulldog vs Boston Terrier
- French Bulldog vs Pomeranian
- French Bulldog vs Miniature Schnauzer
Breeds closest to this one
Ranked by measured similarity across shedding, grooming, energy, trainability, apartment fit, child friendliness, vocalisation and adult weight.
- Pug — about $1/month less
- Shiba Inu — about $11/month more
- Dachshund — about $2/month less
- Boston Terrier — about $15/month less
- Chinese Rural Dog — about $6/month more
- Maltese — about $29/month more
- Pomeranian — about $16/month more
- Chihuahua — about $9/month less