At the beginning of the 19th century, lacemakers from England left for France in search of work. They brought the smaller bulldogs with them to keep on farms for company and to keep rats away. In those farming communities of northern France, the popularity of this robust dog rose immediately. In fact, England's established bulldog breeders were content to perpetuate this "new" breed by bringing their undersized dogs to the French.

This dog is well known for being a very fashionable domestic companion present in high-class and royal homes. A French bulldog, insured for an incredible (at the time) $750, traveled aboard the Titanic. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the French bulldog would become a high-society dog; the breed continues to attract people who appreciate elegance above all else.