Chocolate French Bulldogs: 7 Types of These Rare Frenchies

Ever laid eyes on a Chocolate French Bulldog and thought, “Wow, that’s one fine-looking pooch!”? Well, you’re not alone! This type of a rare French bulldog is often high in price due to its rare genes. So, in case you want to own one of these pooches, there are many things to know about Chocolate frenchies.

Chocolate French Bulldogs carry a unique coat color that’s as rich and velvety as the finest bar of gourmet chocolate. But it’s not just their looks that have us swooning; it’s their lovable, goofy personalities that truly capture our hearts.

What is a chocolate French bulldog?

Before you rush off to snag one of these cocoa canines, let’s have a quick health chat. Chocolate Frenchies, like their Frenchie cousins, come with a set of health considerations. Their snort-worthy snouts (aka brachycephalic faces) mean they can sometimes sound like a tiny, snuffling freight train. And let’s not forget their propensity for acting like couch potatoes. Keeping them fit and not too fluffy is key to a long, happy life.

A chocolate French Bulldog is a variation of the French Bulldog breed, distinguished primarily by its unique coat color. The term “chocolate” refers to the rich, deep brown coloration of the dog’s fur, which is a result of specific genetic makeup. Breeding for this color is a careful process that involves understanding canine genetics, particularly the genes responsible for coat color.

How Breeders Produce Chocolate French Bulldogs

Producing a chocolate French Bulldog involves a combination of genetics and selective breeding. The key to the chocolate color is the presence of the brown (b) gene. Dogs have two alleles at each gene locus, and in the case of coat color, the brown color occurs when a dog inherits two recessive b alleles (bb). Here’s a simplified overview of the process:

Understanding Genetics: 

Breeders must have a deep understanding of canine genetics, especially the genes that influence coat color. The brown color in French Bulldogs is controlled by the B locus, where the B allele (dominant) codes for black pigment, and the b allele (recessive) codes for brown pigment. A dog must inherit the recessive allele from both parents (bb) to express the chocolate color.

Selective Breeding: 

To produce chocolate offspring, breeders typically start with dogs that are known carriers of the b allele. This usually involves breeding two carriers of the recessive b gene, ensuring a chance of producing chocolate puppies in the litter.

DNA Testing: 

Breeders often use DNA testing to determine the genetic makeup of their dogs, particularly to confirm the presence of the b allele. This helps in making informed breeding decisions to increase the likelihood of producing chocolate puppies.

Breeding Strategies: 

Some breeders may opt for line breeding, outcrossing, or other breeding strategies to maintain the desired coat color while also ensuring the health and genetic diversity of the puppies.

Physical Appearance of a Chocolate French Bulldog

Chocolate French Bulldogs share the same stocky, muscular physique characteristic of the breed, with a few distinguishing features related to their color:

• Coat Color: The most distinguishing feature of a chocolate French Bulldog is its coat color, which ranges from a light milky brown to a dark, rich chocolate. The exact shade can vary depending on the dog’s genetics.
• Eyes: Chocolate French Bulldogs often have striking eye colors that can range from golden, hazel, to green. The light coat color can make their eyes stand out more compared to darker-colored Frenchies.
• Nose and Paw Pads: They typically have lighter colored noses and paw pads, often in shades of pink or brown, which distinguishes them from French Bulldogs with darker coats.
• Size and Build: They have the characteristic bat ears, flat faces, and compact, muscular build of French Bulldogs. They usually weigh under 28 pounds and stand about 11 to 12 inches tall at the shoulder.

What Are The Types of Chocolate French Bulldogs?

Pure Chocolate

Pure chocolate French Bulldogs are a solid, deep brown from nose to tail, without any markings or patterns. This rich, uniform color can range from a lighter milk chocolate to a darker, almost cocoa-like shade. Their nose, lips, and paw pads also exhibit a brown color, creating a harmonious chocolatey appearance all over.

Behind the Scenes: To sport this luxurious coat, a Frenchie must inherit two copies of the chocolate gene (b), one from each parent, making its genetic code bb. This gene suppresses the black pigment, allowing their coat to flaunt that mesmerizing chocolate hue.

Chocolate Brindle

Chocolate brindle French Bulldogs have a beautiful base of chocolate color, overlaid with darker or lighter brindle striping. The stripes can be subtle or pronounced, creating a striking contrast against the chocolate background. This pattern adds a layer of depth and texture to their coat, making each chocolate brindle Frenchie uniquely stunning.

The Genetic Mix: Producing a chocolate brindle involves a bit more genetic creativity. Alongside the bb gene pair for the chocolate color, these dogs carry the brindle gene (Kbr). This gene causes the darker stripes to appear over the chocolate base, creating a stunning visual texture.

Chocolate and Tan

The chocolate and tan combination is one of high contrast and classic beauty. These rare Frenchies have a predominantly chocolate coat.

They can have tan markings on their cheeks, around eyes and on their bellies. This pattern closely resembles the traditional markings you’d see on a Doberman or Rottweiler but with the irresistible charm of a Frenchie.

Genetic Recipe: To get this adorable coloration, our Frenchie friends need two chocolate genes (bb) plus a dash of the at gene. The at gene is responsible for the tan points, highlighting areas like the legs, under the tail, face, and chest.

Chocolate Fawn

Chocolate fawn French Bulldogs are primarily chocolate, but with a noticeable fawn (light brown, beige, or golden) hue overlaying the base color. This gives them a softer, warmer appearance, with the fawn color adding a gentle contrast to the darker chocolate areas. The overall effect is a cozy, inviting look that’s very appealing.

Crafting the Color: Fawns carry the chocolate gene (bb), but what gives them that unique overlay is the fawn or sable gene (ay). This gene dilutes the chocolate, adding a glow to their coat that’s undeniably gorgeous.

Chocolate Merle

Merle is a genetic pattern that creates mottled patches of color in a dog’s coat. Chocolate merle French Bulldogs have a base of chocolate color, with irregular patches and swirls of lighter or darker shades. This can include spots of pure chocolate, lighter brown, or even areas that look almost blue or gray. Their eyes may also show heterochromia (different colored eyes), adding to their mystical appearance.

The Genetic Galaxy: Merle is a bit of a wildcard gene (M). When paired with the chocolate gene (bb), it scatters lighter patches throughout the coat. It’s important to note that breeding merles should be done with utmost care, as the merle gene can lead to health issues if not managed responsibly.

Chocolate Pied

Pied, or piebald, refers to a coat pattern that features large patches of color on a white base. Chocolate pied French Bulldogs have large, irregular patches of chocolate on a predominantly white coat. The placement and size of the patches can vary greatly, making each chocolate pied Frenchie distinct. Their striking contrast and patchwork appearance make them particularly eye-catching.

Chocolate Blue

Chocolate blue French Bulldogs carry a unique dilution gene that modifies the chocolate color to have a subtle bluish tint. This gives their coat a distinctive, almost surreal look that can vary under different lighting conditions. The blue dilution also affects their nose and paw pads, which may appear more slate gray than brown.

The Magic Behind the Color: Crafting the chocolate blue Frenchie is a fascinating genetic process. These dogs carry both the chocolate gene (bb) and the dilution gene (dd). The chocolate gene gives them their rich base color, while the dilution gene works its magic to overlay that chocolate with a dreamy blue hue. This combination results in the chocolate blue color, a rare and sought-after shade that’s as captivating as it sounds.

Breeder’s Blueprint: To get a chocolate blue French Bulldog, breeders carefully select parents that can pass on the necessary genes. One parent must carry two copies of the chocolate gene, and the other, or ideally both, must carry two copies of the dilution gene. It’s a bit like mixing paints to get the perfect shade, but with genetics.

What are Testable and Non-Testable Chocolate French Bulldogs?

Testable Chocolate French Bulldogs

The Science Bit: Testable chocolate in French Bulldogs refers to the chocolate color caused by a specific gene known as the “b” gene. This gene is part of the B locus, which controls the type of brown pigment produced. The term “testable” comes from the fact that this gene can be easily identified through genetic testing.

What Makes Them Special: Testable chocolates carry two copies of the recessive “b” gene (bb), meaning both parents must either carry or express this gene to produce testable chocolate offspring. This gene suppresses the black pigment in the coat, allowing the chocolate color to shine through.

Non-Testable Chocolate French Bulldogs

A Bit More Complex: Non-testable chocolate refers to a different genetic variant that results in a chocolate coat color, but this variant is not detected by the standard genetic tests for the “b” gene. This is often related to the cocoa gene (co), a relatively newer discovery in the canine genetic world.

The Unique Twist: The cocoa gene (co) produces a chocolate color that is similar but genetically distinct from the “b” gene. It’s called non-testable because, until recently, there weren’t widely available tests to identify this gene, although that’s changing as genetic testing evolves.

Breeding and Health Implications

Breeding Practices:

Understanding whether a chocolate Frenchie is testable or non-testable is crucial for breeders. It helps in predicting the coat colors of potential offspring and maintaining genetic diversity within the breed. It also ensures breeders can avoid health issues associated with certain color genes, such as the potential for skin and coat problems.

Health First:

Whether testable or non-testable, breeders need to prioritize the health and well-being of the dogs over color. Reputable French bulldog breeders will conduct comprehensive health screenings and genetic testing to ensure their chocolate Frenchies are healthy, regardless of their coat color.

Choosing a Chocolate French bulldog: Wrapping up

We all agree that rare French bulldogs definitely catch everyone’s eyes. They are exotic, unique and often high in price. Regardless of whether you prefer a platinum French bulldog or a chocolate French bulldogs, one thing is for sure. They are one of the rarest and most beautiful looking dogs in the world.