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| Photos and article by Rommel Juan. |
DID YOU KNOW that the French Bulldog is a small breed of domestic dog, related to the English Bulldogand American Bulldog? The origin of the modern French Bulldog breed descends directly from the dogs of the Molossians, an ancient Greek tribe.
Bulldogs were very popular in the past. Some Bulldogs were crossed with terriers, while others were bred for reduced size. This small bulldog type gradually became thought of as a breed, and received a name, the Bouledogue Francais or simply “Frenchie".
Jonathan Tabisaura was one of the pioneers in showing the French Bulldog in the Philippines. The move started a growing trend in the canine hobby in the country. The other popular breeds of dogs simply did not appeal to Jonathan anymore; German Shepherds and Labradors are too big, Pitbulls and Dobermans are too moody. In his search for the perfect pet, he stumbled upon French bulldogs. He found out that the regal French Bulldog is the ideal house pet as it isn't as noisy as a Chihuahua but is small enough to be a convenient house pet.
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In an interview, Jonathan describes his fondness for Frenchies. “The French Bulldog has been gaining popularity over the last few years in the Philippines. Its characteristic as an excellent companion and being sweet are probably the reasons why they are getting popular. They are very good with children and do not bark a lot which eliminates the annoying element. However, they are also good watch-dogs as they bark differently to strangers. They are classified as a non-sporting dog which requires minimal exercise compared to the other breeds.”
“Frenchies born locally can easily adjust to our tropical climate. However, I would still recommend putting them in a cool place during the day. They have a snub nose which makes them difficult to breathe when it is hot. In a very busy urban society, I believe, a very good stress reliever, aside from your family of course, is seeing a dog wagging his tail when he sees his master. Its playfulness and affection bring unexplainable joy to his friend and owner,” he adds.
Jonathan presently owns 5 French bulldogs, 3 of which were imported from US and Thailand. “Timmy, Taylor and Uma were some of my local breedings but both parents are imported and titled as Grand Champions. Tyrone and Tiger were imported from prestigious kennels abroad,” he says.
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| French Bulldogs are nice to children. Picture shows a French Bulldog with 8-year-old Lyan Tabisaura. |
Jonathan adds, “Breeding French bulldogs can have good returns on your investments specially when you have started it right. Being popular as a breed commands a higher price tag for the quality ones so commercial breeders can and might take advantage of this situation. "
He recently organized a breeding seminar which which taught enthusiasts the dos and don’ts of French Bulldogbreeding. Slated on May 5, 2012 at the Max's Restaurant in Scout Tuazon, Quezon City, the event was beneficial to the people who love dogs, and the newest breed on the block, the FrenchBulldog