New Shade Frenchies: The French Bulldog (or “Frenchie”) remains, without doubt, one of, if not, the most sought-after and adorable breed of dog. It is friendly, sociable, easy to look after and has a cuteness factor that endears itself to everyone it meets, young and old alike.

You will no doubt be familiar with the Frenchie’s typical coat colouration - black, brindle, cream, fawn, piebald and white. However, they also now come in some quite rare, if not unusual, and perhaps even referred to as exotic colours.

Some of the rarer Frenchie colours include Chocolate, Isabella and Lilac, with Isabella seemingly generating the greatest interest among Frenchie fanciers. However, to many, Isabella does not necessarily signify a colour. So, to explain:

So what is an “Isabella colour” in a French Bulldog?

Isabella is a French Bulldog with a somewhat pale red-brown coat that exhibits a greyish-blueish tint. For the technically-minded, if both parents carry the necessary rare recessive gene combination, the brown colouration of the offspring will be diluted. You will also notice that Isabella Frenchies are usually somewhat smaller when compared with the standard Frenchie.

And what about “New Shade Frenchies”?

There is also the Lilac Isabella. This Frenchie a further and additional pairing of recessive genes resulting in a similar light brown coat, but with a more blueish accent. It is this colouration which is termed New Shade. This in essence refers to the triple gene dilution that has occurred.

With Isabella-coloured Frenchies being rare due to both genetic makeup and French Bulldogs typically producing only very small litters, this implies that new-shade Frenchies are even rarer.

New Shade Frenchies can have either traditional short hair or fluffy hair coats. The fluffy Frenchie will typically exhibit longer hair around the face and ears.

So, do they make good pets?

New Shade Frenchies have precisely the same personality and temperament as regular Frenchies - they are friendly, affectionate, inquisitive, playful and really easy-going, lacking any form of aggressiveness. They are totally at ease with not only children, but with existing family pets, and adore human company and the offer of being made a fuss of combined with a good, old-fashioned cuddle.

Frenchies are known to be rather clever, but they do have a somewhat stubborn streak. Sensible “positive reinforcement” training in their very early years will prove very beneficial in later years.

They like a relatively short walk, and like all Frenchies, are not too keen on very hot weather (they do need to be kept cool during hot spells) and they aren’t swimmers.

With their sensitive skin, they only need a bath once a month, they will need a brush down a few times a week (more deeply during the hair-shedding season), and you must keep their face folds and ears clean with a daily check and wipe. You can also use a special doggy toothpaste a few times a week. Also, ensure Shade Frenchies' nails are kept short if you don’t otherwise regularly walk Shade Frenchies on pavements, which can help naturally with this.

Don’t forget that with their brachycephalic flat faces and short noses can mean they are more vulnerable to respiratory illnesses, so keeping the house dust free and not smoking or vaping around them will certainly help enormously.

Bear in mind that at certain times, Fenchies will breathe more regularly through their mouths than other dog breeds, so excessive “gas” in the digestive system, can at times lead to excessive wind.

The main words of caution are you must never buy a New Shade Frenchies (or any Frenchie) “at a discount” or “good bargain price”. This shouts puppy farm and a lack of ethics, leaving you with no come-back in the event of any problems. Ensure you use a recognised, accredited French Bulldog breeder such as Regents Kennels.

The Fluffy French Bulldog, despite not being very common in France, was referred to as the “Toy” Bulldog and was associated more with England than France. While Frenchies, as they are called, have gained in popularity, obtaining one, especially bred correctly and ethically, as in the manner with which Regents Kennel breed all their dogs, can be difficult. Added to this, the more incomparable the coat of a Frenchie is, despite the availability of a vast range of patterns and colours, the more expensive it will be.

It is considered the crème de la crème of the French Bulldog breed, because coupled with its longer coat hair is now very much more sought after. The fact they are not often seen is a major plus for proud owners who like their family pet to be a little different and stand out from the crowd, something the coat hair around their ears alone demonstrates.

With their loyalty and incredible affection, Frenchies make superb family pets and companions dogs. They seem to get along with just about everyone and everything, most noticeably children and existing family pet dogs and cats. They just love being with people.

They are also very easy to care for, although as for any pet, you do need to plan carefully, and you do have to take into account any health issues, especially those associated with the ownership of any short-nosed (Brachycephalic) breed of dog, including eye care and skin conditions such as eczema.

Fluffy French Bulldog: Frenchie facts

They are superb companion dogs – they like, and get on, with anyone of any age, are loyal, mild-mannered and affectionate, don’t need too much exercise and are easy to groom. They are great with children and other animals, and rarely if ever show any aggressive traits. They just want to be a part of the family, but they don’t like to be alone for too great a length of time.

They can live anywhere – they are not an especially active dog, so a regular short to medium walk and a play outdoors will keep them happy and healthy. Remember, the Fluffy Frenchie is a small dog, so regular exercise coupled with the appropriate diet will prevent obesity and help maintain their health.

Frenchies are not hard to train – yes, some may say Frenchies have a stubborn streak, but they do love attention and like to please their owners. With a modicum of patience, they are very willing to learn, although this can be slightly lengthier than for some of the more active breeds, such as Terriers or those who learn by reward.

Watchdogs, not really – they are not the guard dog type and tend to be rather quiet and laid-back. Some will let you know if there is an unexpected visitor lurking. And yes, they can be somewhat territorial by nature.

Grab it and run – Fluffy French Bulldog need quite durable toys, and they do enjoy getting their teeth into a game of tug-of-war. They love to play, run around as well as socialise with other dogs.

Short-noses need watching - with their short face and much smaller nose, mention has to be made that as they don’t like the heat that much, they need to be kept cool when it’s hot and not over-exercised. And when they sleep, expect some snoring, which can actually be rather amusing. They just need that extra care and attention to prevent potential health issues, and regular visits to the vet as a preventative measure is advised.

Your pet’s grooming, welfare and care – while the hair of a Fluffy French Bulldog is somewhat longer than other Fluppy French Bulldogs, all that is needed is a weekly brush and the odd bath. However, a daily wipe-down of the face to rid those wrinkles of moisture and dirt is to be solidly recommended.

Here's a video of the lovely Chewbacca you may care to enjoy. Those eyebrow "buttons" are just so cute!