Credit 📸: @rocko_and_reggie
What do you get when you mix an unmovable couch potato and an unstoppable good boy? A French Pitbull!
What’s a French Pitbull?
It’s a
I own two Frenchies. I also have a few family members who own Pitbulls. I have never seen both combined, so this was a treat to read about (but don’t say treat out loud because my Frenchies will want one).
Let’s talk about this unusual combination below!
Table of Contents
What’s a French Bulldog Pitbull Mix Called?
A
Calling them Frenchie Pitties would be a little over the top!
Regardless of their name, I’m talking about a cute dog with the body of a Pitbull, the ears of a Frenchie, and the playful attitude of both. This rare breed has a few quirks, a handful of shared features, and lots of love to give.
The best thing about French Pitbulls is that the personality of their parents mixes incredibly well together: Pitbulls have lots of energy. At the same time, Frenchies spend lots of time on the couch, so a French Pittie is right in the middle!
Three Quick Things About French Pitties
- They Look Like Pitbulls. French Pitties look more Pittie than Frenchie: they have long tails (unlike Frenchies), muscular bodies, and faces like Pitbulls. However, there’s a goofy surprise on their head: they have long Frenchie ears!
- They Act Like Frenchies (On Steroids). You probably know Frenchies: they love to play, eat, and cuddle – most of the time, in that order! They are also low on energy and need lots of naps. French Pitties are not like that. They prefer to continue playing rather than coming down to the couch!
- They Bring The Best Of Both Worlds. A simple way to explain French Pitbulls is to talk about a Pitbull-shaped Frenchie. They have a
French Bulldog ’s funny personality and a Pitbull’s face and energy.
Is a French Bulldog a Pitbull?
Frenchies are not Pitbulls! If French Pitbulls are common where you live, you may confuse one with the other (or start to believe they’re the same). However, they’re two different breeds.
Frenchies are smaller than Pitbulls (and they certainly have less energy to spare). Personality-wise, they both have plenty of love to give.
The most significant difference between Pitbulls and French Bulldogs is their physical ability. A Pitbull is like a natural-born athlete: he can jump, play, and run without skipping a beat; a Frenchie can’t – but they do their best before taking their fourth nap of the day!
French Pitties are half Frenchies, so confusing the two is easy. That’s why I prepared this quick table to compare (and differentiate) both!
French Bulldog vs. French Pitbull
| Type | French Bulldog | French Pitbull |
| Height | 11 to 13 inches tall. | 14 to 20 inches tall (females are a bit shorter). |
| Weight | Up to 28 pounds | 28 to 40 pounds. |
| Size | Smallish to mid-sized dog. | Mid-sized dog (bigger than a Frenchie but smaller than a Pittie). |
| Features | A straight-up goofball-looking dog you can’t help but kiss: long ears, short tails, and a small body. | A dog who shares most features with their Pitbull counterpart (and is almost as cute as Frenchies). They have the body, face, and tail of a Pitbull and ears of a Frenchie. |
| Exercise | 15 to 20 minutes of daily exercise, tops. Frenchies don’t have the best bodies to deal with lots of physical activity. | At least 60 minutes of daily exercise, preferably done in three 20-minute walks spread throughout the day. |
| Diet | You have to watch what your Frenchie eats: they love food and can quickly get fat because of that (which leads to health issues). | French Pitties tend to be larger and far more active than their |
| Life Expectancy | 10 to 12 years | 12 to 15 years |
The Main Difference Between French Bulldogs And French Pitbulls
One thing you should know about French Pitties is how high their energy level is. They need lots and lots of stimulus – or they become wrecking-ball-like!
Take a quick look at the table above. French Pitbulls need three times more exercise than Frenchies. That means you must walk them for 20 minutes at least thrice daily.
French Bulldogs are great apartment dogs because they can live everywhere (as long as their owner loves them and feeds them delicious food). French Pitties need plenty of space to run around, play, and use their energy. Otherwise, they’ll start acting up and may destroy your furniture!
At the same time, they need to be with their owners all the time. All the time! They suffer from intense bouts of separation anxiety otherwise – and may destroy your furniture when lashing out (I’m starting to believe they hate chairs).
The American French Bull Terrier History
There’s little information about how the Pitbull
What’s a designer dog? It’s a dog who descends from two different purebred dogs. These puppies are purposely bred to create a litter with specific features.
It’s a term I’m not too fond of (because it implies you can treat dog breeds as handbags) – but there’s not much I can do about that!
Anyway, French Pitties are probably the result of breeders wanting a dog as strong as a Pitbull and goofy as a Frenchie!
In a way, the French Pittie is one of the most recent chapters in Frenchie history (and Pitbull history, too).
What’s A French Pitbull Like?
Credit 📸: @novadots_031120
French Pitties are energetic goofballs who love to be the life of the party. They will play, play, and play until they have to take a quick nap (in which they’ll dream about playing), wake up, and start again!
Let’s put it this way. French Pitties are what French Bulldogs would be like if they didn’t like to nap ten times daily.
But that’s not to say they’re not couch potatoes! They still are half French Bulldogs, so you know they have a soft spot for comfy places in their heart.
One downside of having so much energy and wanting to play so much is some people may mistake them for aggressive dogs!
Are French Pitties Aggressive?
French Pitties are far from aggressive! They are full of energy and need proper socialization to thrive with other pets and young people – but that doesn’t make them hostile.
It’s important to understand there are no aggressive dogs. It’s all about how you train and behave around them. In other words, aggressive owners make aggressive dogs, not the other way around.
Yes, Pitbulls have a bad name for themselves. That has more to do with the people who own them than with the dogs themselves.
French Pitties are the same way. You can have one full of anger issues or one sweet as an angel – it’s up to you!
Do Pitbull French Bulldogs Look Like Frenchies Or Pitbulls?
Credit 📸: @honeyandklodi
More often than not, French Pitties look more like Pitbulls than Frenchies – but that varies on a case-by-case basis.
Yes, the wild world of dog genetics is not as linear as one would think!
You may breed a Frenchie and a Pittie and expect small Pitbulls sporting
Most French Pitbulls look a certain way, though. They look like smaller versions of Pitbulls with
The Many Colors Of A French Pittie
French Pitbulls can inherit the color of their parent, mother, or a combination of both. The same thing happens with purebred French Bulldogs!
You can bet a French Pittie can look half like a Frenchie and half like a Pitbull (yes, I’m saying that you could even have a Fluffy French Pittie!).
The fun part is that Pitbulls bring a fun color to the table that no Frenchie has. I’m talking about Red ones! Frenchies can look similar to a light red Pittie when they’re Fawn – but a Red French Pittie is a sight to see!
Do French Pitbulls Have Any Health Issues?
Unfortunately, French Pitbulls share many health issues with their parents. In some cases, they experience improvements, such as having milder brachycephalic symptoms, thanks to their less flattened face.
These issues could range from allergies to rashes and everything in between, including more severe ailments like hip dysplasia.
Fortunately, most French Pitties come from reputed breeders who screen their puppies before selling them. Hence, the chances of buying a pup with severe problems are low.
Are French Pitties Rare?
French Pitties are somewhat rare – and there’s a reason for that.
Breeders tend to sell dogs they are passionate about as long as they’re profitable. Most
These two types of breeders hardly work together, so Frenchies and Pitties barely cross paths.
Why’s that? Because
Since you Frenchies can’t reproduce by themselves, you need a qualified breeder to have a litter of French Pitties. As I’ve explained, their price makes it an unappealing business idea.
How Much Does A French Pitbull Cost?
It’s hard to say how much a French Pitbull will cost. It could be between a couple of hundred dollars and a few thousand.
The price of a French Bulldog can vary between $2,000 and several thousand dollars. Pitbulls are more affordable at $3,000 tops (give or take).
More often than not, you’ll find French Pitties to cost less than a
Of course, that price may go up or down depending on where you live, the demand for these dogs, and how many of them are for sale at that time.
Where Can You Get A French Pitbull?
Specialized breeders and rescue groups are where you can get a French Pitbull.
It will be challenging to look for French Pitties, though. They’re rare and not as profitable as selling purebred French Bulldogs.
Most of the time, you’ll find breeders who sell Frenchies but not French Pitties.
Be mindful of anyone putting profit over puppies: Always vet breeders before doing business with them.
How To Find French Pitbulls For Adoption
Credit 📸: @mspca.angell
Some rescue groups tend to focus on specific breeds. The French Bulldog Rescue Network and Short Noses Only Rescue Team work with Frenchies and other species.
They may have a French Pittie waiting for you if you’re lucky. I should warn you that adopting a dog from these organizations takes energy and time (because they want to find the perfect home for their pups).
Speaking of a perfect home for French Pitties, you should ensure your house is ready to receive one!
What’s The Perfect Place For A French Pittie?
French Bulldogs are cool pretty much everywhere and with everyone (I’m talking from experience!). Pitbulls are great pets as long as they’re properly socialized.
French Pitties are somewhat in the middle: solid and energetic dogs who should be supervised when toddlers are around but are great pets if adequately trained. The key here is early socialization, as it is with every dog (Frenchies included!)
So, French Pitties tend to thrive when they’re the only pets in the house and living with people past a certain age (i.e., teens and older).
Why should you take extra care with Pitbulls and French Pitties? These two descend from fighting breeds, so they may have certain instincts that will kick in when around pets, for example.
That’s not to say French Pitties or Pitbulls will jump at any chance of harming another dog – quite the contrary! But it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
In contrast, when a
What You Should Know
Credit 📸: @deebo_the_frenchpitbull
French Pitbulls descend from French Bulldogs and Pitbulls. They’re designer dogs and somewhat hard to find. You could easily confuse one for a Frenchie or a Pittie – however, they often have the facial and body features of a Pitbull and the ears and playful personality of a
