It’s hard not to fall in love with the French Bulldog breed. Often affectionately called the Frenchie, this pooch looks a lot like the smaller version of your typical Bulldog except that he’s got bat-like ears.
No matter what coat color the Frenchie has, he’s bluntly one of the most recognizable faces in the world. In the United States alone, the Frenchie bags the 4th spot out of 204 dog breeds in terms of popularity.
You’ll be in for a surprise, however, how some other dogs can look similar to the French Bulldog. Avoid the confusion as we introduce to you 12 other breeds akin to the Frenchie along with what makes each of them distinct.
1. Boston Terrier
Talking about Frenchie clones, the first one to ever look so similar to him is the Boston Terrier. Though he may have been originally bred to be a pit-fighter, the dog is more lovable than a war freak, but males may show their Terrier ancestry as they exhibit a certain posture when someone gets in their territory.
Boston Terriers have a boxy appearance, a slightly arched neck, two upright ears (like the Frenchie), and heads held high at all times. People do notice as well his regular tuxedo coat that comes in different colors such as dark brown, brindle, or black.
If there’d be any difference between him and the Frenchie, that probably would be the wrinkles. He usually has a smoother facial appearance, but when it comes to the muzzle and eyes, they’re not that far from looking so similar.
2. French Bullhuahua
The name of this pooch might be a bit of a stretch, but it definitely isn’t the case when it comes to appearance. As the name suggests, the French Bullhuahua is a cross between the Frenchie and the Chihuahua. This mix would usually result in a healthy balance in the looks of both his parents.
French Bullhuahuas retain the large, alert ears which are evident from a Frenchie and a Chihuahua, have a generally Frenchie face with subtle features from the other parent, and moderately large and rounded dark brown eyes.
The personality of the Bullhuahua may vary a lot but he’s not at all unpredictable. Although he’s a great family dog, he does better with small families or single dog lovers.
3. Boxer
The modern-day Boxer breed is not considered a Bulldog, but if we inspect its history, both of them are actually related as they have a common ancestor. This probably somehow paved the way for the Frenchie and the Boxer to share similar traits and physical features.
Out of all his outside characteristics, the most valued would be his distinctive head. It’s square-ish or boxy and the muzzle puts him under brachycephalic breeds. The ears may be cropped or natural and the tails are docked according to the breed standards.
These aesthetic practices are only deemed necessary only if the Boxer is a working dog.
4. Brussels Griffon
The Brussels Griffon breed comes in rough or smooth coats and should we talk about which one looks close to the Frenchie, that would be the smooth-coated one.
He’s got a square body, a head that is large and round, and a short muzzle. Two of the last ones mentioned are evident to the Frenchie that is until we put our focus on his ears which are gracefully floppy.
In order not to confuse this breed for the other, simply observe his coat colors. The Brussels Griffon shouldn’t exhibit any markings whereas the Frenchie has several.
5. Bulldog
Fun fact, the Frenchie was actually developed in England to become a miniature Bulldog. Hence why it’s just reasonable to include the Bulldog on this list. Frenchies once accompanied their English lacemakers to France and that’s how the breed got its nickname.
In the description, the Bulldog breed is short, stocky, and has a large, heavy head on top of his broad shoulders. The nose is short and there is an abundance of wrinkles all over his face while the ears are rested to be somewhat folded to the back.
Bulldogs are a better option for those who yearn to have a pet that looks like a Frenchie but comes in a larger size. These are exceptional cuddlers, chunky, and fun to chill with on the couch.
6. Dogue de Bordeaux
The indigenous French breed, Dogue de Bordeaux, is believed to be closely related to other Mastiffs namely the Tibetan, Neapolitan, and English Mastiffs. He would also be referred to as the Bordeaux Bulldog, simply implying he’s got the Bulldog ancestry.
With that, it’s not a shocking statement that he and the Frenchie look similar in several ways. The wrinkle patterns, the head, and the build are not too distinct from each other. The French Mastiff, however, makes himself more distinguishable through his enormous size.
In the past, the French Mastiff would often be seen in elite homes, guarding and alerting his owners of strangers. This transitioned dramatically into him becoming an affectionate family companion.
7. Pug
Pugs and Frenchies might make you think they share the same lineage, but in all actuality, the Pug has no relations with the Bulldog but rather the Pekingese. The assumption may have been mostly based on how they share similar facial traits like round heads, wrinkles, round eyes, and stocky shapes.
Of course, in regard to appearance, they are downright indistinguishable, except for the ears and colors as the Pug only has black and fawn as its available coat shades. Do notice their tails too.
Frenchies are born with stumpy rears as opposed to the curly tail of the Pug. This Pug tail trait has been turned from a deficit to an asset and is now deemed a breed standard.
8. Australian Bulldog
As the name implies, the Australian Bulldog is an English Bulldog counterpart that’s located “down under”. His strong similarity to the typical Bulldog and ultimately, to the Frenchie, is uncanny but there are a few key differences.
The Aussie Bulldog is generally influenced by other breeds like the Bullmastiff and the Boxer. He’s intentionally developed to adapt to the conditions in Australia as well as act functional rather than just be a mere display. That means, he has more energy than the standard Bulldog.
This chunky Aussie dog is more sizable than the Frenchie indeed and they both look alike only if we exclude their dissimilarities in size as well as ear shape.
9. Victorian Bulldog
The Victorian Bulldog is an outcome of an attempt done by Ken Molett to bring back the English Bulldog in its more sturdy 1800s form. Out of most Bulldogs, this one is the healthiest, making him a much better choice for owners who wish to have their dogs for a longer period.
Some of the characteristics of the Victorian Bulldog are not far from alike in comparison to the standard pooch or even the Aussie one. However, his head is obviously chunkier than the Frenchie and he comes in a more sizable form.
He also looks grumpy but this doesn’t make him less adorable than the Frenchie. Although he has this imposing, stern facial expression, getting to know him will surprise you with his sweetness, loyalty, and loving attitude.
10. Bullmastiff
Next up is another AKC-recognized breed known as the Bullmastiff. In the past, he has been widely used in certain parts of England to run after and hold down poachers. This muscular brachycephalic breed shares the same snout feature, though not extreme, as the Frenchie.
He also exhibits some wrinkles here and there and his dark brown eyes are described to be soulful and loving. The key distinction would be his slightly small ears and body shape which is not stubby and stout as the Frenchie.
Nonetheless, he’s a good larger version of the Frenchie suitable for dog lovers who have wider spaces at home and a yard.
11. Frug
Photo from: versace_thefrug (IG)Crossbreeding two of the most in-demand dogs resulted in us having the Frug! This is a mix between the Frenchie and the adorable Pug. The goofy expression evident on both its parents are retained, and despite having two different lineages, he doesn’t really seem to look like another distinct-looking pooch.
Of course, with its wider gene pool, the Frug may look more like a Frenchie, a Pug, or somewhere in between. Some may have the coat of a Pug with a Frenchie face too, not to mention the perky bat ears.
There’s no standard or consistent look for this compact dog. You have to see a Frug puppy in person and find out which one suits your preferences more.
12. Frenchton
Photo from: snak_2104 (IG)The last mix to complete this list is the Frenchton. A seemingly popular crossbred dog whose parents are the Frenchie and the Boston Terrier. Since the parents are not too distinct in looks, the offspring’s facial features won’t come off as too unique-looking.
As a hybrid dog, his looks will have several possibilities. With that being said, there will always be a chance of a puppy in the litter looking more like a Frenchie than the Boston Terrier or vice versa.
With the right upbringing and socialization, the Frenchton will find it easy to make friends with other dogs, pets, and humans. It’s never boring to have him around as he’s typically goofy, wacky, and entertaining!
