Are French Bulldog Tails Docked?

Are French Bulldog tails docked? Nope!

That chubby little poop door is a natural trait of the breed. It’s likely that the tail was achieved through early cross-breeding/interbreeding with other short-tailed dogs like terriers and pugs, during the early days of the French Bulldog in Britain and France.

French bulldog tails are naturally short and sit right over their rectum, providing an obstacle each time they go for a wilderness poo. It’s not uncommon to have to wipe your Frenchie’s fanny with a human/dog approved moist wipe (baby wipe) in order to prevent any remaining…detritus…from sticking around in there after they do the deed. Frenchies are talented poopers and strike a hilarious pose when they go.

The Origin of the French Bulldog Tail

The French Bulldog tail is likely a holdover from breeding miniature bulldogs with “ratters”. Ratters were any breed of short-haired, smooth coat dogs like “rat” terriers, miniature pinschers, and other smaller breeds. These breeds were referred to as ratters because, you guessed it, they were used to catch rodents and other vermin. Interestingly enough, early “ratter” breeders preferred breeds with ears that stood up, like yorkies and other terriers. The common element between these breeds and the French Bulldog is the stumpy little tail. “Ratters” were required to have a short, very sturdy tail that could be easily gripped in order to hoist the dog down into a small space to catch vermin, such as early manholes and other infrastructure spaces slightly too small for humans. Holding a ratter dog by his tail caused no pain and was commonplace in the late 1880s. However, note, DO NOT try to pick or maneuver a French Bulldog by their tail, EVER. You can seriously harm your companion by doing this. French Bulldogs were never intended to be ratters, they merely received the tiny, stumpy tail from their ratter counterparts. Their tails are not meant to be a point of pressure or tension, ever.

So there you have it! The french bulldog tail is not docked when it is a puppy. It’s a naturally occuring little stump on their butt!