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Lilac French Bulldog (Isabella Frenchie): Info, Pictures, Traits & Facts

Kathryn Copeland

By Kathryn Copeland

pregnant french bulldog

The French Bulldog is one of the world’s most popular breeds, and it’s not really a surprise. They have adorable squishy faces, large bat ears, and amazing personalities!

The American Kennel Club (AKC) lists nine official colors for Frenchies, but there are more than that. Here, we focus on one of the rarest Frenchie colors: the gorgeous lilac!

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The Earliest Records of Lilac French Bulldogs in History

The French Bulldog had their origins in England in the middle of the 1800s. These toy-sized Bulldogs were centered around the Nottingham area, which was famous for its lace-making.

Some of the lace makers moved to northern France during the Industrial Revolution. They brought their little Bulldog mascots, where they became even more popular.

Over time, these toy Bulldogs were bred with other breeds (believed to be Pugs and Terriers) which is when they developed those adorable bat ears. Here, they were named the Bouledogue Français, or the French Bulldog.

The Lilac Bulldog, also known as the Isabella Bulldog, gets their unique color from specific genes from both parents. It’s a more recent genetic color and its origin is unknown.

How Lilac French Bulldogs Gained Popularity

French Bulldogs became all the rage in Paris. They even made it into some of the paintings of Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec and solidified their popularity as city dogs. In the late 1800s, Frenchies had become popular across Europe and eventually found their way to North America.

In the early 1900s, American breeders insisted that the bat ear shape of the Frenchie was the only acceptable option over the rose ear (ears that stand erect at the base but fold back a little). It’s these distinctive ears that truly distinguish the Frenchie from other breeds and that give us the amazing dogs that we know and love today.

Formal Recognition of the Lilac French Bulldog

Here’s where it gets tricky. In 1896, the first French Bulldogs were shown at the Westminster Dog Show. Also that year, the first ever club dedicated to the Frenchie, the French Bull Dog Club of America, was started. Following this, Frenchies were an officially recognized breed by the AKC.

These dogs have quickly climbed in popularity and were ranked as the most popular breed in the U.S. in 2022, beating out the Labrador Retriever who had been in first place for over a decade.

However, the AKC recognizes nine colors for the Frenchie, and lilac isn’t one of them. Not only is the Lilac French Bulldog not recognized as an individual breed, but the color itself is considered a mutation.

french bulldog with collar
Image by: speckfechta, Unsplash

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Top 6 Unique Facts About Lilac French Bulldogs

1. The lilac color comes from both parents carrying the same recessive gene.

One parent is chocolate or liver-colored, and the other carries the blue DNA gene. The puppy is typically born with a dark coat that lightens as they age. Lilac is a diluted coat color.


2. There’s a way to tell the difference between lilac and blue Frenchies.

Blue Frenchies are a diluted black and lilac Frenchies are a diluted chocolate.


3. Lilac is much rarer than blue for coat colors.

A merle-colored Frenchie is the rarest, though.


4. French Bulldogs can’t reproduce the old-fashioned way.

Due to their bodies, they need to be artificially inseminated and often require a C-section. This is also why Frenchies are expensive.


5. Frenchies make popular pets with celebrities.

Many celebrities have fallen in love with the French Bulldog, including Martha Stewart, Lady Gaga, Reece Witherspoon, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.


6. Frenchies can’t swim.

Due to their frames and head size, Frenchies have trouble swimming.

Does the Lilac French Bulldog Make a Good Pet?

Lilac French Bulldogs are just like any Frenchie, regardless of the color. So, yes, Lilac Frenchies make excellent pets! Their popularity around the world is an excellent testament to how amazing these little dogs are!

They are adorable, and the lilac color is unique and eye-catching. They are also affectionate and bright dogs that are playful and quite easy to train. If you’re hoping for a friendly and social dog that isn’t prone to barking, the Frenchie is a great choice! Their quiet, easygoing nature, combined with their compact size, makes them an ideal dog for people living in apartments or condos.

However, there are definitely issues with their health that you need to be aware of. They are flat-faced dogs, which also means they can have breathing issues, problems with their eyes and skin, and dental problems.

Other than not being able to breed them the traditional way and lacking the physical ability to swim, Frenchies also have trouble with stairs. You also need to be careful to not overexert them.

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Conclusion

While owning a Lilac French Bulldog would be a fantastic way to receive attention from occasional passersby, your focus should be on finding the right breeder and the right dog that will suit your home life.

Additionally, French Bulldogs are expensive, and you can be sure that you’ll be paying even more for a Lilac Frenchie, due to their rarity.

But French Bulldogs make incredible family pets, and you won’t go wrong if you bring one of these remarkable dogs home.


Featured Image Credit: Firn, Shutterstock

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