Last Updated on January 4, 2022 by Griselda M.
Bulldogs are some of the most popular dog breeds in the world, but many owners would like bulldogs that stay small! Between the American, the French, and the English Bulldog, you have quite a choice to make. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the smallest of the Bulldog breeds, deciding which one is right for you!
Types Of Bulldogs
If you Google the term “Bulldog breeds”, you’ll typically find four. The French Bulldog, the American Bulldog, the Old English Bulldog, and the English Bulldog. There is, however, another Bulldog breed that is yet to be recognized by the American Kennel Society.
Out of all these Bulldogs, the French Bulldog is the smallest one!
Standard Bulldogs
When someone says that they own a Bulldog, they usually refer to the English Bulldog. This is, according to some experts, the most widespread of all the Bulldogs! The Old English Bulldog is an ancestor of the breed! These dogs were a common sight in deathmatches with bulls. With time, however, this sport was banned, and Bulldogs lost their large appearance and tenacity.
The English Bulldog is much smaller than the Old English Bulldog, and it’s nowhere as near as strong nor dangerous.
On the contrary, the American Bulldog is a large dog. They usually weigh around 120 pounds, and they’re physically much more developed than their French and English cousins. So, if you’re looking for the smallest Bulldog possible, the American breed isn’t going to cut it.
Then, we have the French Bulldog. Out of these three living breeds, they’re the smallest ones. They typically don’t grow to be taller than 12 inches, in comparison to the English Bulldog, which grows to a height of 15 inches. They’re also pretty light, weighing no more than 30 pounds maximum, while the English Bulldog can weigh up to 60 pounds!
The French Bulldog also has genetics on its side, as its life span can prolong to 14 years, with the English Bulldog’s lifespan being only 10 years. However, both of these breeds have problems with their respiratory system because of their unhealthy anatomy.
The Miniature English Bulldog
The Miniature English Bulldog is also known as the Teacup Bulldog or the Bullpug. If we’re discussing the smallest Bulldog, then we have to mention this, still unrecognized breed. This breed is a cross of the standard English Bulldog and the Pug. You might have drawn the very obvious connection between the Pug and the Bulldog by now.
Well, at some point, someone wanted to make the English Bulldog even smaller. To do that, they crossed the Pug with the English Bulldog and got the Miniature English Bulldog.
This dog is virtually identical to the English Bulldog, but it’s shorter – not growing to be larger than 14 inches, usually even less than that. They’re also lighter, as they can weigh anything from 25 to 40 pounds.
Now, even though they’re shorter and lighter than the English Bulldog, they aren’t necessarily tiny.
Health Issues In Bulldogs
Another thing that absolutely has to be addressed is this: these Bulldogs aren’t healthy!
As a matter of fact, no Bulldog is healthy!
This breed is, unfortunately, genetically lacking in many fields. They have stocky bodies with short legs, meaning that they have difficulty walking and moving around. Getting up the stairs is already difficult enough for them, let alone walking for a long time! In this department, the American Bulldog is the healthiest of all the Bulldogs, because it’s large and physically more developed.
However, this isn’t even the biggest problem with Bulldogs! These dogs suffer from brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. To avoid going into the very deep anatomical description of this, let’s just say that they have a genetic predisposition to develop a messed-up airway. This means that they have trouble breathing.
Obviously, this translates to other things: they have trouble cooling down when it’s hot outside or during exercise, they avoid exercise because they tire very quickly, they can develop problems with their spine and joints, they develop early-onset arthritis, etc.
These problems are incredibly common with all Bulldogs (they’re considerably less common with the American Bulldog). The Bullpug, however, is even tinier and rounder than its cousins. This means that it’s even more physically incapable and clumsy. This means that you’re going to be spending a lot of time and money on visits to the vet, not to mention that you’re going to have to witness your pup struggling its whole life!
A Comparison
If we’re comparing small Bulldogs breeds, then we need to compare the English and the French Bulldog, since we ethically can’t recommend buying the Bullpug.
As we know, the French Bulldog is considerably smaller than the English Bulldog, but both species suffer from respiratory issues. Let’s rather concentrate on other similarities and differences between these dogs.
Both of these breeds are very sociable and they love spending time with their humans. For this reason, they don’t like spending time alone, so perhaps neither of these dogs will be a good fit for you if you don’t spend a lot of time at home. The English Bulldog is much more laid-back than its French cousin, who is a more active dog.
There are vast differences when it comes to training, however. The English Bulldog is incredibly stubborn, while the French Bulldog is very trainable. They both require very little exercise, though.
Finally, the French Bulldog is much smaller than the English Bulldog (and they eat much less), meaning that they’re a better fit if you’re looking for a small dog.
In conclusion, the French Bulldog is the smallest breed of all Bulldogs. The English Bulldog is fairly larger, with the American Bulldog being the largest out of all the Bulldogs. There is also the Bullpug or the Miniature English Bulldog, but that breed is not yet recognized and it suffers from even more health problems than the French Bulldog, which is why we don’t recommend buying it.
The French Bulldog might be the best option if you’re looking for a small Bulldog that’s trainable and loving!
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