Frengle

Get ready to meet you new canine crush – the Frengle. This delightful dog is the result of breeding a Beagle with a French Bulldog. The result is a compact, energetic dog that loves to snuggle. What’s not to like?

The Frengle is small in stature but big on character. They are sociable, affectionate, and eager to please, with just a hint of a stubborn streak (don’t say you weren’t warned!) When socialised as a pup, they make for a great family dog that enjoys attention and loves being around children. Another benefit of the Frengle is that the Beagle influence gives the Frenchie a slightly longer snout, which reduces the breathing difficulties associated with

About & History

In the past couple of decades, dog breeders are experimenting like never before. Instead of concentrating on keeping purebred lines pure, they are trying out-crosses. This has the potential advantage of reducing some of the health problems associated with a particular breed (in this case, the Frenchie’s flat face that can cause breathing problems). Therefore, the Frenchie is a relatively new development with no traceable history. To get to the roots of the breed, it’s best to look at their parents.

The French Bulldog

The French Bulldog, despite their name, was developed in England. The breed came about as a miniaturised version of the English Bulldog. These dogs were popular with lace workers in the lace industry around the Nottingham area. When these lace workers emigrated to France to make a better living, they took their small bulldogs with them… hence the attachment of ‘French’ to their name.

The Beagle

Likewise, the Beagle has a long and interesting history. Their ancient ancestors date back to 4 BC and Roman descriptions of dogs sounding very Beagle-like. It’s likely these small hounds spread throughout Europe and were imported into England with the invading Normans. They then breed with local hounds to produce the dog we’re familiar with today. An interesting piece of trivia is the name ‘Beagle’ is likely a derivative of a French word ‘beugler’, meaning to bellow. Strike a chord, anyone?

Appearance

As a hybrid dog, the puppies looks are influenced by both parents. This can result in puppies that lean more heavily in appearance to the Frenchie or to the Beagle side. However, the majority of the pups will be a fusion of the two and very cute indeed.

A typical Frengle is a small but stocky dog with a broad chest. They often have a wedge-shaped body (in homage to the Frenchie) that is longer than it is tall (Beagle influence). Their head usually has a longer snout than the Frenchie, but they may inherit some of those Bulldog wrinkles. The ears are a wonder to behold, being a mashup of those Frenchie bat-ears and the gorgeous velvet flaps of the Beagle. The result is often an expressive velveteen ear flap with a slight lift at the base.

As for their tail, often the Beagle genes win out, with the tail more straight flagpole than the Frenchie screw tail. Their colouring can vary tremendously and ranges from a Mastiff like fawn with a black muzzle, to the white and tan patches of the Beagle, and all shades in between.

Character & Temperament

A Frengle wants to be where the people are. These are friendly dogs that love to play and will always engage in a game. They are eager to please, which makes them a pleasure to be around, however, they can have a stubborn streak. This can make training frustrating at times, if the Frengle picks up an interesting scent, which they feel takes priority over your “Come” cue.

Frengles do need to be socialised properly as puppies. This builds their confidence in a positive way and reduces the risk of them being overly anxious or reactive. They are an active breed, and do need plenty of exercise. If this need isn’t met, they can develop bad habits, such as barking or being destructive in the house. But that said, if you aren’t already in love with the Frengle, know that they love to snuggle.

Trainability

By nature, Beagles are independent hounds and easily distracted by food or a scent. This can make them conditionally deaf to cues, leading to frustration on the part of the handler. To overcome this requires strategic use of reward based training, and an armoury of ever more tasty treats to keep the dog interested in their owner. That said, Frengle’s love to please, so approach training correctly and you’ll have a happy, obedient dog.

Health

There is not hard and fast data about the health problems to which the Frengle is predisposed. However, it’s reasonable to assume that health problems both breeds hold in common are at risk of showing up in a Frengle pup.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip Dysplasia is an inherited condition where the shape of the hip joint is poor, leading to grating, inflammation, and pain. Affected dogs can become lame at a distressingly young age. Whilst there is no cure for hip dysplasia, the condition can be managed to a certain extent.

Treatment involves avoiding excessive exercise in the growing dog and the judicious use of pain relief. In the worst cases, corrective surgery may be required, such as a total hip replacement procedure.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a seizure disorder where no underlying cause can be found. Again, this can affect young dogs, with some being symptomatic from six months of age.

It’s important a vet assesses the dog to check out other health problems that could cause seizures. If the fits are frequent or severe, then it may be appropriate to start anticonvulsant medication. This does not cure the condition, but reduces the severity of the seizures so that the dog’s quality of life is not affected.

Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)

IVDD is a form of slipped disc. When disc material protrudes into the spinal canal, compressing the spine, this leads to pain and paralysis (in the worst cases). Rest and pain relief are appropriate in most cases, whilst the worst affected need specialist surgery to remove the disc material from the spin.

Hypothyroidism

Underactive thyroid glands, or hypothyroidism, leads to symptoms, such as lack of energy, weight gain, and excessive hair loss. Reaching a diagnosis isn’t always straightforward, however, correcting the problem only requires a daily pill to supplement those low levels of thyroid hormone.

Exercise and Activity Levels

Both parent breeds are energetic dogs, it’s only the Frenchie’s breathing problems that tend to hold them back. So, with the Frengle’s longer snout, this barrier to energetic play is removed. Be prepared to give a Frengle plenty of exercise, you’ll be surprised just how active they are for a smaller dog. Indeed, when fit, they can cope just fine with hikes, swimming, or evening running with their owner.

Grooming

The dense, short, soft coat of the Frengle is a breeze to look after. For maximum softness, give them a quick glide over with a rubber grooming mitt on a daily basis. Yes, they do shed, but only moderately, and with quick brush every day you’ll catch most of that shed hair.

There’s no need to worry about tangles or matting, or expensive trips to the parlour, because these guys look super smart just as they are. But for fresh breath kisses and healthy teeth, be sure to brush their teeth every day.