Introduction

• Let’s face it, the French Bulldog is one of the most gorgeous, entertaining, and loving companion dogs in existence, and one of their features that is most endearing is that they come in a myriad of gorgeous colors.

• One of the colors they come in is cream, and it is actually considered a standard color by the AKC.

Is a cream Frenchie and a white Frenchie the same thing?

• Although similar in appearance, cream Frenchies and white Frenchies are totally different colored Frenchies.

• Piebald (pied) Frenchies have a base coat of white, but they have darker colored patches of color on their coats of various numbers, shapes, and sizes.  Some pied Frenchies have more of the darker color than white, and they are called heavy or blanket pieds.  Those with much more white than the darker color are called extreme pieds.  

• Piedness is a recessive characteristic, so a puppy must inherit a copy of the pied gene (“S”) from both mom and dad to express piedness.  Each pied will be different from every other pied in the amount of white that is expressed.

• Except for very rare albino Frenchies, white Frenchies are actually VERY extreme pied Frenchies with almost no darker colored areas on their bodies.   

• Cream Frenchies, on the other hand, are created from a double copy of “e” on the E-locus.  This is also a recessive gene, so a puppy must inherit a copy of this gene from both mom and dad.

• The E-locus is the first gene that determines the color of a Frenchie.  If a Frenchie is e/e, it will be a cream, regardless of the other color genes that this puppy carries.  If a puppy is e/e, and it is also s/s, it will be a cream pied, which means it will have a base white coat, with cream colored patches.

• Creams come in different shades, from an eggshell color to a yellowish orange, especially on the upper body where the darker shading will be most evident.  All are gorgeous and unique.

What is the difference between cream and fawn Frenchies?

• Cream and fawn Frenchies have completely different color genetics, even though very light fawn Frenchies (especially blue, chocolate, and lilac fawn Frenchies) can look quite similar in appearance to creams.

• All fawn Frenchies are either E/E or E/e on the E-locus, and they are Ky/Ky on the K-locus, meaning they do not carry a copy of the brindle gene (Kbr) or the dominant black gene (Kb).  They must also carry at least one copy of Ay on the A-locus (At/At and At/a create a puppy with tan points, and a/a creates a puppy with a darker pure coat).

• Standard fawn Frenchies can range from a very light honey color to a darker reddish color.

• If fawn Frenchies carry a double copy of the dilute (blue gene), they will be blue fawns.  If they carry a double copy of the chocolate (coco) gene, they will be chocolate fawns.  If they carry a double copy of both blue and chocolate, they will be lilac fawns.

• Fawns will vary in the shading of their coats, even more so than creams, but all shades of both are gorgeous and unique.

Aside from color, are there any differences between cream Frenchies and other colored Frenchies ?

• Experienced breeders, like BlueHaven French Bulldogs, produce quite a few creams, because they are so beautiful and popular.  There is no indication, either by research or experience, that cream Frenchies are any more susceptible to health issues than other standard colored or rare colored Frenchies. 

• Cream Frenchies are just like Frenchies of any other color, which means that they are loyal, charming, playful, sweet, entertaining, smart, quiet, and loving dogs (that can be a bit on the lazy and stubborn side :-), that make wonderful companions for virtually any family situation.

Can Breeders specifically breed for cream colored Frenchies ?

• With the right genetics in their breeding gene pool, an experienced Frenchie breeder can produce Frenchie of any possible color desired, including creams.

• An experienced breeder will know the color genetics (as well as the health genetics) of each of their breeding males and females, and they can use these genetics, in part, to determine breeding pairs.  I should be noted that color is the least important characteristic of any litter of puppies.  The most important are health, conformation, temperament, and size.

• Because the cream gene is the first gene that determines color in Frenchies, when two cream Frenchies are bred together, all of their puppies will be creams.

• If a cream male is bred to a cream carrying female, or vice versa, on average half of the puppies will be creams.

• If two cream carrying Frenchies are bred, on average 25% of the puppies will be creams.

• If either the male or female do not carry the cream gene (“e”), it is impossible for them to produce a cream puppy.

Do you need to work with a reputable breeder to obtain a cream Frenchie ?

• Any person looking to purchase a cream Frenchie, or a Frenchie of any color, is smart to work with an experienced and highly reputable breeder. 

• First of all, there are so many scammers and unscrupulous breeders out there that it is scary.

•  Secondly, because the Frenchie is both a brachycephalic (flat-faced) and chondrodystrophic (dwarf) breed, poorly bred Frenchies are susceptible to several health issues.  You definitely want to work with a breeder who has spent years improving the breed through careful and selective breeding practices.

• If you do this, there is a strong probability that you will obtain a high-quality Frenchie who will be a delight for your family for many years, and if there is an issue, there will be someone there to help.  If you don’t, you are rolling the dice.

• Experienced and reputable breeders, like BlueHaven French Bulldogs, would love to help you obtain a high-quality cream Frenchie, or one in any of the other gorgeous colors.  Give us a call or send a text or email.