Living with a French Bulldog has numerous advantages; its small stature, adorable expressions, and eccentric personality have made them among the most desirable dog breeds in the USA. However, prospective owners should be informed of the issues with Frenchies' tails and tail pouches before bringing one home.
French Bulldogs do have tails. The rumps, topped with a small tail, are one of the cutest features of French Bulldogs. The AKC states that a Frenchie's tail could be corkscrew-shaped or straight, but it is always short by nature. The length of a Frenchie's tail varies from birth to birth.
Most individuals are unaware that, historically, Frenchies have had long tails. However, these fuzzy gremlins now have short, thick tails due to selective breeding and to reduce the likelihood of a dog sustaining tail injury.
Frenchies Tail
A French Bulldog's snuffly nose, large doggie eyes, and the endearing snorts and snuffles it makes while frolicking with its toys or snoozing in his dog bed come to mind when you think of this breed. His tail, however, is frequently disregarded despite being crucial to his canine body. To take good care of his tail, you must comprehend its peculiarities.
The tails of French Bulldogs are not clipped; the greatest way to describe them is that they have stumpy tails. All French bulldogs' tails are short, although various alternative tail shapes are available, such as a knot, screw-shaped, or tapering. Every French Bulldog has a tail from birth.
A few seem to have had their tails docked due to their extremely small size; however, this is the result of breeding. French Bulldog tails often come in two forms: screw and straight. Both should have a strong root and a soft tip; every form of a tail is very small in length.
French Bulldogs used to have longer tails in the past; their tails have shrunk significantly over the years due to breeding. Dogs typically possess 18 to 23 tail bones that are extensions of their spine's vertebrae. French Bulldogs, however, can have as low as nine, making their tail extremely short.
The American Kennel Club's breed criteria for the Frenchie specifies that their tails should always be straight or twisted. A straight tail's base is thick and tapers off towards the tip. Screw tails feature a succession of sharp bends that sit below the root like a cinnamon roll.
Screw tail Frenchie puppies are born with flexible tails to be softly unrolled. However, when they become older, they settle into a tight bun. The Frenchie's tail sits flat against the flesh on its butt, which leaves a pocket there.
They become more susceptible to the illness intertrigo as a result. When two or more layers of surfaces rub against one another, it causes inflammation and irritation. A tail pocket infection is brought on by the injured skin acting as a site of entry for bacteria.
Antibiotics can help with certain French Bulldog tail pocket infections, but the tail must be completely amputated for persistent or severe infections. The tails of French Bulldogs cannot be wagged because there needs to be a bigger tail to wag. Instead, Frenchies frequently wag their entire scrunch bottom in happiness.
In other words, when joyful, they dance around, wiggling their entire buttocks except for a handful with a somewhat longer tail. It is a charming trait of this dog breed, adorable, amusing, and so unmistakably Frenchie-like. Naturally, they will also show you other indicators of happiness, such as snorting, sniffling, and other nonverbal cues.
Health issues in French Bulldogs are sometimes assumed to be caused by either their tail pocket or their tail type. Infections in the tail pocket are the most typical problem. Making the most of your dog's quality of life will depend on you being aware of these and keeping an eye out for any indications of issues.
Particularly if the tails are white, they are frequently prone to hereditary issues and sunburn. Dogs enjoy the sun much as people do, but occasionally they stay out too much and get sunburned. Frenchies with screw tails are frequently predisposed to hemivertebrae, a hereditary disorder.
The spine's vertebrae are compressed closer together than dogs with typical tails to form that cute short tail. Hemi-vertebrae can lead to incontinence, limb paralysis, and walking difficulties, most frequently in older dogs. It is a really bad condition.
Only a veterinarian is qualified to handle hemivertebrae cases. Surgery is frequently the only effective long-term treatment option for the most severe disorders. In less difficult situations, rest and anti-inflammatory medicines can assist.
A veterinarian is also necessary for the treatment of an infected tail pocket. An infected tail pocket will often enlarge, ooze a pus-like substance, and occasionally have an unpleasant odor. Your Frenchie could be shimmying or scratching his behind more frequently than normal since the skin becomes quite itchy.
Get your Frenchie to a vet immediately for the total abolition of the infection and antibiotic treatment, as this could be an unpleasant and life-threatening disease. In severe circumstances, surgery is required.
Do French Bulldogs Have Tails
Breed standards require French Bulldogs to possess a short tail that is robust at the base and delicate at the tip. Their tails are carried in a low position, or they dangle low. The tail type of French Bulldogs can be straight or twisted but not curly.
Straight Tail
The French Bulldog straight tail is the one that the AKC and other well-known breeding authorities recommend. Its historical tail sounds similar to this, except it is shorter. The Frenchie appears to have his tail tucked into a bun to human sight. The "knobby" tail is supposed to be the most enjoyable part of the body for Frenchies regarding pain and medical issues. Even the knob size might differ from puppy to puppy.
Twisted Or Screw Tail
A Frenchie Bulldog with a twisted or screw tail is a typical one to find on the internet or the webpages of dog breeds if you conduct a more thorough search. This tail waves back and forth from left to right or, more frequently, from right to left and, afterward, back to right. It shapes into an "s," like a screw.
Breeders like these tails; therefore, Frenchies tend to have them. Screw tails, on the other hand, are thought to hurt Frenchies. A screw tail hurts Frenchies because of the health issues it typically carries if the screw is firm or a little looser for a soft curve.
French Bulldog With Long Tail
If you ever look at a historical photo of a French Bulldog, you will see that they have a longer tail. Although the length can vary, most of them were around 3 to 5 inches. With years and breeding, the length was reduced to the nearly 2-inch long tail of the French Bulldog.
This tail frequently has a thick root and a narrow termination; typically, it will incline downward like a dog's typical tail. The tails of Bulldogs are never as long as those of, say, Labradors or Golden Retrievers. However, the tails of certain French Bulldogs are straight, making them appear longer than tails with numerous sharp bends.
The two forms of French Bulldog tails are more common in some regions than others. Both forms are acceptable in the USA, and there is no minimum length restriction for a straight tail. Since they are "cute," mating lines with twisty tails or extremely short straight tails are frequently used.
Final Thoughts
Regarding French Bulldogs and their tails, there are many considerations. In the end, it is important to remember that dogs have natural, undocked tails, and that careful examination, cleaning, and safeguarding of the tail and tail pocket can help keep you and your dog healthy and happy for a very long time.

As a freelance pet writer and blogger, Shannon is passionate about crafting knowledge-based, science-supported articles that foster healthy bonds of love and respect between people and animals. But her first and very most important job is as a dog auntie and cockatiel, tortoise, and box turtle mama.