What makes Micro, Mini, Miniature, and Teacup French Bulldogs so adorable?
French Bulldogs are for many reasons considered the best apartment dogs in the World. They have gained popularity in the late years and became the city dwellers’ dogs of choice.
Since these cuties don’t require a lot of exercise and are less likely to bark than other small dog breeds, they seem to be a great fit for any type of family.
Besides these facts, there’re also many others too. French Bulldog owners are familiar with the feeling of how they can brighten up our days with their playful personalities and charming appearances. Otherwise known as ’clowns in the cloak of a philosopher’, Frenchies are surely one of the most popular dog breeds in the World.
However, can you imagine a smaller version of a French Bulldog?
There’s a growing number of people that became interested in Frenchies’ tinier version. They are Micro, Mini, Miniature, and Teacup French bulldogs.
What are the mini, micro, and miniature French bulldogs?
French Bulldogs come in an astounding variety of colors and sizes. From white and cream to blue and black, they simply can not go unnoticed wherever they appear. When we talk about miniature Frenchies, they have raised a lot of dust lately. First of all, let’s clear out the meaning of the name mini. Mini Frenchies are otherwise called micro and miniature, while teacup Frenchies are smaller in size than them. Mini French bulldogs are ‘produced’ in different ways than standard-sized Frenchies. There’s no official rule for producing such puppies, however, there’re some ways standard-sized French bulldogs get bred down to a smaller size. You will discover the answer in the continuation of our article.
What are teacup French Bulldogs?
Teacup French Bulldogs, as their name says, can fit into a cup of tea. They’re so small in size that looks like living teddy bears and fit the size of a human’s palm. Those cuddly creatures have been bred to be as small as possible. For breeders, producing a healthy teacup dog requires plenty of time, energy, and money.
Since they’re so small and gentle, you’ll need to pay special attention to their body care. Teacup French Bulldog should not be let jumping and falling from high surfaces. Their tiny bones are more susceptible to injuries than standard and mini-sized Frenchies.
Despite these facts, people still go crazy for them much because of their size and cuteness. Since they’re so sensitive and tiny, many teacup dog owners often take their dogs wherever they go. The popularity of Mini and teacup French bulldogs and other mini dog breeds has rapidly grown when the world-famous celebrities have been spotted carrying teacups and minis. Celebrity Paris Hilton was the first one who brought her mini dog to the Red Carpet Show. And, Voila- the magic happened. The world went crazy for those cuddly creatures.
Why are mini and teacup Frenchies not accepted by the AKC?
Both Miniature and Teacup French bulldogs are not accepted by the AKC for many reasons. The first standard for the French bulldog breed was established in 1898 when the French Kennel Club recognized the French bulldog breed. The standard was then renewed in 1932, and reformulated in 1986. The last and final standard for this gorgeous dog breed was modified in 2012 by the French Bulldog Club Committee. However, the Miniature French Bulldog breed is recognized by the Designer Kennel Club, the only official registry in the world.
The Miniature French Bulldog breed was modified through the last 20 years by legendary breeder, Don Chino. His infamous bloodline, Texas Brand Bloodline is the foundation of the Micro French Bulldog with over 8 working generations.
Teacup and mini Frenchies have less massive cheeks and broad and powerful teeth. Their heads also have a much round shape appearance instead of square. The reason for it was crossbred with other dog breeds or retaining certain genetic dwarfism.
As you can guess, mini and teacup Frenchies are in most cases, not purebred French bulldogs. They may have involved other breeds’ genes.
However, this fact still didn’t change people’s minds about owning those mini cuties. People went crazy for their astonishing beauty, uniqueness, size, and iconic appearances. When we talk about micro Frenchies in general, they have the same character traits as their big brothers. They are playful, enjoy learning new tricks, and are great alert dogs. Mini Frenchies are especially good with children and are capable to mop and mow for hours.
How did legendary French Bulldog breeder Don Chino make Mini and Teacup French bulldogs?
Micro and Teacup French Bulldogs require a different way of breeding from their standard-size relatives and there’re 3 ways for getting those cuties. The first type of breeding includes crossbreeding between a standard Frenchie and other smaller dog breeds. This is also the healthiest way of breeding since the breeders can crossbreed some other dog breed with a longer muzzle and fewer health issues than a Frenchie. Ethical breeders never strive to get a tiny Frenchie version at all costs. Their intention should be to get a completely healthy puppy that will have a long lifespan. That’s why both sides should be considered. Is there a possibility for breeding a Frenchie with some particular breed? Is that dog breed considered healthy and what to expect?
The second type of producing a mini and teacup Frenchie is cultivating the genetic mutation for canine dwarfism. However, this doesn’t seem like a great option since such puppies may have a higher potential for suffering from certain diseases. That’s why is important to carefully select puppies for this type of breeding.
The third type of getting a mini and teacup French bulldog is breeding from runts. Runts are the smallest dogs from the litter that should be used for further breeding for getting a Mini Frenchie. They possess all the characteristics like their standard size relatives, with one main distinction in size. Runt animals in general, are described as plucky survivors that later become famous heroes. Being the smallest puppy in the litter is not necessarily a bad thing. One of the reasons for being small was the lack of space and bad position in mom’s belly. That’s why such dogs need to get the appropriate care when get born. Stronger littermates may prevent them from getting enough mother’s milk. Runts often lose a fight with their littermates for a mother’s milk, so there’s a higher possibility for dehydration and hypothermia. Therefore, the breeder’s help is more than necessary. A runt that doesn’t get enough milk may become more susceptible to different bacterial infections in the future. Since the milk is richest in nutrition near the mother’s tail, breeders often help runts to take that place to have a meal.
What is dwarfism in teacup and mini French bulldogs and how to recognize it?
Fortunately, it’s quite easy to recognize the signs of dog dwarfism when the puppy is as young as 2 weeks old. It’s the time when the owner/breeder can notice that a dwarf puppy lags in size from other puppies in the litter. Dwarf Frenchies also tend to keep their puppy fur as they grow. In some cases, improperly bred dwarf Frenchies may have an abnormally shortened muzzle, disproportionately large jawbones, the absence of growth as well as the absence of puppy teeth falling out.
However, besides previously mentioned facts, people should also become informed about different types of dwarfism. There is a type of dog dwarfism that is considered to be completely normal in cases when breeders have been selectively bred dwarf puppies. In other cases, when a breeder didn’t expect to get a dwarf puppy, should be the time for concern. It’s also important to mention that not all dwarf puppies are considered ill. For example, the name of a Corgi dog breed means ‘dwarf dog’ in Welsh and dwarfism is one of the main features of that dog breed.
And, do you know that French bulldogs and other bulldog breeds are also considered dwarf dogs? Through the centuries, people have bred dogs to retain different mutations. Therefore, today we have 3 types of dwarfism: brachiocephalic, chondrodystrophic, and achondroplastic. Since Frenchies have been created by mating English bulldogs with pugs and other terrier dog breeds, they kept their brachiocephalic and achondroplastic dwarfism. Therefore, it’s not surprising why they have brachycephalic heads and are more prone to suffering from hip dysplasia.
Possible Health issues of Miniature French Bulldogs
Mini French bulldog owners should pay special attention to their tendency to allergies. Both mini and standard-size Frenchies are prone to develop skin allergy issues. Therefore, it’s advisable to feed your mini pooch with high-quality dog food that is free from by-products. A healthy and well-balanced diet is a pillar of everyone’s body. While some dog owners prefer homemade meals, others like buying canned or dry dog food.
Pet stores offer a great choice of dog foods with a precisely written percentage of meat. In case you own a mini French bulldog with sensitive skin, there’s a great assortment of non-allergen food. It’s advisable to always carefully read labels and to buy them only from verified manufacturers. The lowest class of food is the one where’s written ‘’by-products”-that means it contains animal heads, feet, skin, etc. Another allergy trigger is a food that contains a high percentage of corn.
Unfortunately, many producers use corn for producing dog food because it’s a rich source of carbohydrates. The other reason why they use it is the price since it’s much cheaper than meat.
Another health concern in Miniature French bulldogs is their tendency to obesity. It’s important to keep your tiny pooch in a good shape; otherwise, it may cause a set of chronic health problems. Since Frenchies, in general, are a brachycephalic dog breed, they require special care when taken outside in hot weather conditions. Like all Frenchies, Mini French bulldogs enjoy going for a walk-in cool temperature when they spend more time outside.
Possible health issues of Teacup French bulldogs
Both Teacup French bulldogs and their Mini relatives require special nutrition. Excessive weight can cause them to have issues with breathing and getting tired quickly. Since they have a tiny body structure, it’s advisable for teacup French bulldog owners to prevent them from sudden jumping and falling from high surfaces. There’s a higher possibility of getting hurt in such situations.
Hemivertebrae comes to third place. The French bulldog’s curled tail is often associated with a spinal deformity otherwise called hemivertebrae. However, in the case when teacup Frenchie was properly bred, the chances of suffering from this issue are very low. When a teacup pooch suffers from hemivertebrae, its spinal bones are malformed which actually may lead to a painful compression of the spinal cord.
Teacup French Bulldogs
Care requirement of Micro and Teacup French Bulldogs
As a French bulldog owner, you’re probably familiar with their tendency to hypothermia and overheating. Since Mini and Teacup Frenchies are slightly smaller in size from standard-sized French bulldogs, it’s of high importance to provide them with the appropriate clothes in winter weather conditions.
Teacup Frenchies
Those tiny, little bodies are unable to maintain normal body temperature when spending time in cold weather. Therefore, it isn’t surprising to see small dog breeds wearing sweaters and jackets in winter. When buying clothes for your teacup Frenchie, it’s desirable to find a waterproof and windproof jacket or vest that will save him/her from getting their fur wet. Otherwise, a dog can catch a cold.
Teacup and Micro French bulldog owners should also pay attention to their sensitive paws. Since they are so tiny and sensitive, it’s advisable to protect them with appropriate boots or socks in winter weather conditions. The same rule applies in summer too. It can be very uncomfortable for them to walk on hot pavements, therefore, some cotton small socks may be one of the solutions.
Soothing and cleaning their paws with baby wet wipes are also preferable since in that way you’ll make sure you’ve removed all outside allergens and dirt. Baby wet wipes seem like the best product for quick paw cleaning every time you get back from a walk and are especially suitable when traveling. They are also free of alcohol, and usually rich in different oils.
Micro French bulldog Mixes
As we previously mentioned, this presents one of the types of producing a mini French bulldog. When breeders mate a French bulldog with some other dog breed, it’s important to take dogs from completely healthy breeding stocks. They have to be cleared of all potential diseases. Since it’s not ethical and possible to breed dogs with a big difference in size, both dog breeds need to be carefully chosen. Here’re some of the most common mini French bulldog mixes:
the Frenchie Doodle was created by legendary French Bulldog breeder Don Chino.
Crossing a French bulldog with a Poodle may be a healthier option for getting also an allergy-free puppy. Since Poodle has a longer muzzle, the mixed dog may result having fewer problems with breathing. When we talk about their personalities, both Poodle and Frenchie are considered playful and smart dogs that like to be involved in their families.
Boston terriers are often mistaken for French bulldogs due to their similar appearance. However, Bosties have slightly longer and elegant-looking legs. Their heads are also round unlike the square-shaped heads of Frenchies. Unfortunately, both dog breeds have shortened muzzles that may lead to issues with breathing. Frenchtons are generally speaking great family dogs and huge kid lovers. Frenchtons can be registered with the Designer Kennel Club.
Frug
Frug is a mix of a French bulldog and Pug dog breed. This wonderful hybrid dog always likes to be around its owners and follow them through the house. Frug will always look for a way to make you happy and entertained. By crossing a Frenchie with a Pug, you may expect of getting a dog without bat-shaped ears, a Frenchie-like muzzle, and a compact bodybuilding.
Pomerdog
Pomerdog seems to be the most adorable choice for getting a mini Frenchie mix. Breeders produce Pomerdogs by crossing French bulldogs with Pomeranian that have a much longer muzzle than Frenchies. The result of mating these 2 cuties is a fluffy and long-haired dog with bat-shaped ears. Since the Pomerdog has a slightly different muzzle from a Frenchie, you may expect to have a dog that will be less prone to overheating and allergies. When we talk about their personalities, Pomeranians act very suspiciously to strangers, unlike French bulldogs.
