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Black Is Back In Style: Let’s Talk About The Beautiful Black French Bulldog!

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Black French Bulldog Image
Lola, a cute Black Frenchie

Have you ever seen a Black French Bulldog? Hold on – make sure you’re not thinking about a Brindle!

“Wait a minute,” you say, “what’s a Black French Bulldog, then?”

A Black Frenchie has a solid black coat. In some cases, they have a splash of white on their bellies or light-colored patches throughout. This type of French Bulldog is both affordable and rare.

Reading that Black Frenchies are hard to find and hardly expensive made me go on a deep dive about them – and I picked up so much because of that.

Are you ready to learn about this rare type of Frenchie? Ready or not, here we go!

What’s A Black French Bulldog?

A Black Frenchie has a solid black coat. Sometimes, they have a few light-colored patches on their body. It’s one of the most affordable types of Frenchies.

What makes Black Frenchies so affordable? I wouldn’t know! This type of French Bulldog is rather rare (which made me believe buying one would be expensive – but the opposite is true).

As usual, the reason for their rarity lies in their genetic makeup, which I’ll explain in the second part of this article.

However, I stumbled upon a question over and over again that I want to clarify before moving forward – and it’s the one you’ll find below!

Are All French Bulldogs Black?

Most Frenchies are not Black but Brindle or Fawn. You’ll find French Bulldogs of all shapes, sizes, and colors out there, though.

Take a walk around your town to understand what I mean. I do advise that you resist the need to pet every Frenchie if you do – or at least ask for permission before doing so!

However, you may need quite a bit of luck if you want to meet a Black French Bulldog because they’re quite rare.

You’ll soon find out there’s more than one type of Black Frenchie!

How Many Types Of Black French Bulldogs Are There?

There are several types of Black Frenchies. You can find the solid Black Frenchie and (what I like to call) the tuxedo-wearing French Bulldog, among others.

Here’s a brief list of some Black Frenchies you can find:

  • Black. The classic Black Frenchie you often think about. It’s black from head to toe, including that tiny tail Frenchies have.
  • Black & Tan: A Black & Tan Frenchie is a type of black French Bulldog that has inherited the tan points gene (AtAt). They have a solid jet-black coat with patches of tan on the face, chest, and legs. 
  • Tuxedo (also known as Black and White). A Frenchie with a black body and a white belly. It makes it look like they’re always wearing a tuxedo and ready to go to their first ballroom dance!
  • Black Merle. It’s a Black Frenchie with merle markings around his body. The Merle pattern comes with a bit of a mystery.

However, you shouldn’t mistake one of those Frenchies for anything else! 

People often confuse Black Frenchies with Brindles. Both you and I are Frenchie lovers, so we know that a Brindle has light-colored markings on his or her body – and a Black one has none whatsoever!

At the same time, a tuxedo-wearing Frenchie is not the same as a Piebald, which is more cow-like with a white body and splashes of black throughout.

Does The AKC Recognize Black French Bulldogs?

The American Kennel Club doesn’t recognize Black French Bulldogs. This organization has strict guidelines regarding what they consider valid.

Does the AKC opinion matter? That depends! A Frenchie is a Frenchie in my books, no matter how they look. However, you may want to play by their rules if you want to participate in their dog shows.

At the same time, the AKC has a list of reputable breeders you can use when buying a French Bulldog – but only if you want a Frenchie that follows AKC’s regulations.

What Makes A Black Frenchie?

Two types of genes can make a Frenchie turn black, the K Locus Gene and the A Locus Gene. The former is the dominant black gene, while the latter is the recessive black gene. Does that sound confusing? Let’s break it down to understand it better.

Dominant Black Genes

Genetic MakeupPossible Result
One dominant K gene and one recessive K geneBlack Frenchie
Two dominant K genesBlack Frenchie
Two recessive K genesNot Black Frenchie

The Dominant K Gene is pretty straightforward. A French Bulldog only needs one dominant K Gene to be black. You can find other K Gene variants besides the dominant K, such as the brindle and the recessive non-black. 

It’s like a game: the dominant K overrules the other possible K genes, making a Frenchie turn black. In that case, the coat color can also turn out different (e.g., blue, brown, or merle, among others) depending on the rest of the genetic makeup.

At the same time, a Black Frenchie may have no dominant K genes and still turn out black. That’s because of recessive black genes (not to be confused with recessive non-black genes, something you just read about above).

Recessive Black Genes

Genetic MakeupPossible Result
One recessive A geneNot Black Frenchie (could have Black Frenchie offspring)
Two recessive A genesBlack Frenchie

The recessive black genes work the opposite way. You need two recessive A Locus Genes to have a Black Frenchie. Some dogs may have one of these recessive genes, meaning their coat will be anything other than black (in that scenario, their coat color will depend on the rest of their genetic makeup).

What makes the recessive black genes so interesting? Let’s say you have two Fawn Frenchies who carry one recessive A Locus Gene each. They look anything but black (since they both are Fawn). There is a 25% chance, that these two Fawns will pass down one recessive A Locus Gene each to their puppies – meaning these puppies could be Black Frenchies!

Genetics Black French Bulldog
Infographic Black French Bulldog Genetics

That fact blew my mind! Think about it this way: Two Fawn Frenchies, which are AKC approved, can have a litter of Black Frenchies, which are not AKC approved! That is, as long both Fawns carry one recessive A Locus Gene each.

Any combination of French Bulldogs (carrying one recessive black gene each) can create a litter of Black Frenchies (i.e., it doesn’t have to be Fawns alone).

How Much Does A Black Frenchie Cost?

A Black French Bulldog is one of the most affordable Frenchies you can find. They cost anywhere between $2,000 and $4,000.

One thing about Black Frenchies that make my head spin is that they’re equal parts rare and affordable (and adorable too). In most cases, rarity makes a price tag go sky-high.

In this case, Black Frenchies are rare and cheap. At least, they’re cheap if you compare them to other Frenchies in our French Bulldog price chart:

  • A Black French Bulldog costs up to $4,000
  • A Chocolate French Bulldog costs up to twice as much at $8,000
  • A Platinum French Bulldog costs up to more than thrice as much at $15,000

And I know what you’re thinking, “Are you telling me I can get countless kisses and cuddles for $4,000? Take my money right now!” I agree!

Do Black Frenchies Have Any Specific Issues?

Black French Bulldogs have no health issues linked to their coat color. They may suffer from ailments common to all Frenchies.

Something affects black dogs in certain parts of the world (though never in my house!). It’s called Black Dog Syndrome – and it’s heartbreaking to talk about.

Black Dog Syndrome (or BDS for short) refers to a trend in which people overlook dogs with dark-colored coats when adopting or purchasing a furry little fellow. In other words, Black Frenchies may be rare because people simply refuse to make them part of their family.

Some scientific studies confirm this phenomenon, while other studies conclude coat color has little to do with adoption patterns. In fact, black dogs spend less time before being adopted in places like the Pacific Northwest.

That apparent contradiction may have to do with the fact that BDS has strong roots in certain countries.

For example, black dogs may represent bad luck in China. Other places associate black animals with misfortune because of their link to witchcraft (black cats, for example). Dogs with dark-colored coats are often linked with aggressiveness, too. 

What can you do to help fight against Black Dog Syndrome? Adopt a Black Frenchie! Or, at least, pet one when you see one. These goofballs are far from aggressive – and finding one means good fortune!

Black French Bulldog Smiling
Look at that face! How can you not want that?

What You Should Know

A Black French Bulldog has a solid black coat. Sometimes, they have a splash of white on their bellies or light-colored patches throughout. Although this type of Frenchie is one of the most affordable ones you can find, it will be difficult to find them because they’re rather rare.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much is a Black French Bulldog?

The cost of a Black French Bulldog can fluctuate depending on multiple factors like the breeder, location, and pedigree. Generally, the price range for a Black French Bulldog is between $2,000 to $4,000.

Are Black Frenchies Rare?

Black French Bulldogs with full color are considered rare due to both their genetics and the fact that they are not as popular as other colored breeds.

What Color French Bulldog is expensive? 

French Bulldogs are generally expensive, regardless of their color. However, if you’re wondering which color is the most costly, I would say that platinum, new shades, and fluffy varieties tend to be at the top of the price list.

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AUTHOR

JM is a freelance writer who focuses on all things interesting. He works part-time as a toy judge whenever Manny and Luzy, his two Frenchies, fight over the same squeaky bone.

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