<h2 class="topline-heading" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-block: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; font-family: 'Work Sans', sans-serif; margin: 0px 4px 1.2rem 0px; color: #d8361e; text-transform: uppercase; display: inline; background-color: #fcfcfc;">TOPLINE</h2>


<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; display: inline; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; background-color: #fcfcfc;">The expensive and highly-sought after French bulldog was the most popular dog breed in the U.S. in 2022, according to American Kennel Club rankings out Wednesday, usurping Labrador retrievers, who have held the coveted top spot for the past 31 years.

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<p class="color-body light-text" style="box-sizing: inherit; overflow: hidden; margin: 0px 8px 0px 0px; height: 1em; display: inline;">Lola, a French bulldog, lies on the floor prior to the start of a St. Francis Day service at the <span class="plus" style="box-sizing: inherit; cursor: pointer;" data-ga-track="caption expand">... [+]</span>

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<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px;">The popularity of the &ldquo;smart, compact breed,&rdquo; as the AKC describes it, grew by over 1000% in the past 10 years, climbing the AKC ranks of nearly 200 breeds and making it to the number two spot in 2021.

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<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px;">The Labrador retriever, golden retriever, German shepherd and poodle rounded out the top five breeds in 2022, while sloughi, Norwegian lundehund and English foxhound were at the bottom of the list, ranking 197 through 199 respectively.

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<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem;">The AKC first recognized the French Bulldog breed in 1898.

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<h2 class="subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-block: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; font-family: 'Work Sans', sans-serif; margin: 1.2rem 0px 8px; scroll-margin-top: 64px; color: #d8361e; text-transform: uppercase; background-color: #fcfcfc;">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; background-color: #fcfcfc;">The small dogs&mdash;averaging 11 to 13 inches and 28 pounds&mdash;have become increasingly common in recent years as they do not require a lot of outdoor activity, are adaptable to a variety of home circumstances and are &ldquo;excellent watchdogs,&rdquo; the AKC said. Celebrities are among the folks making the breed so popular: Everyone from Reese Witherspoon to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has touted their frenchies on social media. The breed has not grown in popularity without criticism, as many French bulldogs suffer from a variety of health problems that stay with them for life. Because of the proportions of their bodies, puppies are typically birthed by C-section, according to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champegene&rsquo;s College of Veterinary Medicine. A 2021 study from the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics also found French bulldogs have a higher chance of being diagnosed with 20 common disorders compared with other dog breeds, largely due to the &ldquo;extreme body shape&rdquo; that defines the breed. French bulldogs have a 30-times greater chance of obstructive airways syndrome, 42-times greater chance of narrowed nostrils and a nine-times greater chance of having difficulty giving birth, the study found.

<h2 class="subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-block: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; font-family: 'Work Sans', sans-serif; margin: 1.2rem 0px 8px; scroll-margin-top: 64px; color: #d8361e; text-transform: uppercase; background-color: #fcfcfc;">CHIEF CRITIC</h2>
<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; background-color: #fcfcfc;">Because of their extensive health issues, many argue breeding French bulldogs is cruel and inhumane. Last year, a Norway court banned the breeding of bulldogs, after an animal advocacy group argued inbreeding is contributing to much of the health problems frenchies face. Meanwhile, the British Veterinary Association asked people not to buy French bulldogs after the 2021 study from the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics found their breeding causes many &ldquo;life limiting&rdquo; health problems.

<h2 class="subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-block: 0px; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px; font-family: 'Work Sans', sans-serif; margin: 1.2rem 0px 8px; scroll-margin-top: 64px; color: #d8361e; text-transform: uppercase; background-color: #fcfcfc;">SURPRISING FACT</h2>


<p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; background-color: #fcfcfc;">In 2021, Lady Gaga made headlines when her two French bulldogs were stolen from her dog walker&mdash;who was choked and shot during the attack&mdash;in Los Angeles. Days after the attack, the dogs were recovered by a woman who brought them to a Los Angeles police station claiming she found them tied to a pole and asked about the $500,000 reward Gaga promised from the dogs&rsquo; return. It was later discovered the woman had a relationship with the father of one of the men who attacked Gaga&rsquo;s dog walker, the <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Los Angeles Times reported. Five people were arrested for the attack in April 2021, and police told the <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">New York Times the suspects attacked the dog walker because they knew the dog breed was valuable.

<span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">On this page are some beneficial bits of knowledge you need to identify regarding owning the French Bulldog... </span></span><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">Franz&ouml;sische Bulldogge</span></span>