Piebald / Pied French Bulldog Guide

What is a Piebald French Bulldog?

With so many Frenchie colors & patterns, it can be hard to know what’s what.

A Blue Frenchie? A Lilac Frenchie?? A Fluffy Frenchie???

What’s next?!

Meet the Piebald Frenchie — the cow-print-like Frenchie pattern.

They don’t look anything like Pie

The term “pie” in “piebald” originally referred to the magpie bird, which has black and white feathers.

In this context, “pie” was used as an adjective to describe anything that had black and white patches or spots, just like the feathers of the magpie.

And they certainly aren’t bald

The “bald” part of Piebald comes from an older sense of the word “bald”.

It meant “having white patches or spots”…

Rather than “having no hair”.

So then what does a Piebald or Pied Frenchie look like?

Pied French Bulldogs have primary white coats (at least 50%) with patches of another color throughout the coat.

The color of the patches are usually black, but can be seen in other colors as well.

A Piebald coat is characterized by…

1. Predominantly white base: The majority of the coat is white, providing a contrasting background for the colored patches.
2. Colored patches: The piebald coat features irregularly shaped patches of color that can vary in size, shape, and location. Common colors for these patches include black, brown, brindle, fawn, and grey, depending on the breed. The most common patch color is black.
3. Symmetry: Piebald patterns are often asymmetrical, with colored patches appearing in different positions on each side of the dog’s body.
4. Ticking: Some Piebald dogs may also exhibit small spots or flecks of color, known as ticking, within the white areas of their coat.

What gives Piebald French Bulldogs their appearance?

The piebald coat color in dogs is caused by a gene mutation of the MITF gene.

This gene is recessive which means it can skip generations — this means that two dogs that aren’t Piebald can produce a Piebald puppy.

The piebald gene must be inherited from both parents in order for a dog to display the piebald coat color.

This means that two dogs that are not piebald can only produce a piebald puppy if they both carry the piebald gene.

Pigment is usually distributed evenly

Normally, pigment is evenly distributed throughout the animal’s fur, giving it a uniform color.

However, in piebald animals, the pigment is concentrated in certain areas, creating patches of color that contrast with the base color of the coat.

An absence of pigment

The white patches in a Piebald Frenchie’s coat are caused by the absence of pigment, which is why they stand out so prominently against the darker areas of the coat.

The color of the patches can vary

The specific colors of the patches can vary depending on the Frenchie’s genetics, and can range from black and white to brown and white or even gray and white.

The types of Piebald French Bulldogs

• Black and white piebald: This is one of the most common types of Pied Frenchies, and features black patches on a white coat. The black patches can vary in size and shape, and can appear anywhere on the Frenchie’s body.
• Brown and white piebald: This type of Pied Frenchie features brown or fawn patches on a white coat. The brown patches can range from light tan to dark chocolate, and can appear in various shapes and sizes.
• Gray and white piebald: This type of Pied Frenchie features gray or silver patches on a white coat. The gray patches can range from light silver to dark charcoal, and can appear in various shapes and sizes.
• Brindle and white piebald: This type of Pied Frenchie features brindle patches on a white coat. Brindle is a coat pattern that features a mix of brown or fawn hairs with black or gray hairs, creating a distinctive striped appearance. The brindle patches can appear in various sizes and shapes.
• Fawn and white piebald: This type of Piebald Frenchie features fawn or light tan patches on a white coat. Fawn is a common coat color in Frenchies that ranges from a pale beige to a deeper caramel color. The fawn patches can vary in size and shape and can appear anywhere on the Frenchie’s body, creating a distinctive Piebald pattern.

How much are Piebald French Bulldogs?

Generally, you can expect to pay $3,500–$5,500 for a Pied French Bulldog from a reputable breeder.

A White Frenchie costs $5,500 on average — as Piebald Frenchies are mostly white, you can expect their price to be somewhere around that of a White French Bulldog.

As you probably know by now, Frenchies are pretty expensive — here’s why Frenchies cost so much.

Piebald French Bulldog Health Problems

Fortunately, Piebald Frenchies don’t have any color-specific health issues.

Some colors do have health issues

Believe it or not, some colors are actually associated with certain health problems.

What colors have health issues?

Blue, Merle, and Lilac Frenchies are known to have certain health issues not seen in other colors. This is not the case with Pied Frenchies.

For example, Blue Frenchies are prone to a condition known as Color Dilution Alopecia which causes hair follicles to become weakened due to the dilution of pigment, leading to hair loss and skin inflammation.

Regular Frenchie Health Issues

Regular Frenchie Health Issues

French Bulldogs in general are prone to a whole bunch of health issues…

Among Frenchies’ many health issues, joint & breathing problems are the most common.

1. Allergies: French Bulldogs can develop allergies to environmental factors such as pollen, dust, and certain types of food. Common symptoms of allergies in dogs include itching, skin irritation, and digestive issues.
2. Breathing issues: Due to their short snouts and flat faces, French Bulldogs can experience breathing problems. Stenotic nares (narrowed nostrils), elongated soft palate (a condition where the soft palate obstructs the airway), and tracheal collapse (when the trachea collapses or flattens) are all common respiratory problems in Frenchies.
3. Joint problems: Joint problems are among the most common health issues in French Bulldogs. Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation (knee joint dislocation), and arthritis are all conditions that can affect Frenchies and cause pain and mobility issues.
4. Spinal issues: French Bulldogs can also be prone to spinal problems such as hemivertebrae (a spinal deformity), intervertebral disc disease (a condition where the discs between the vertebrae in the spine degenerate or rupture), and degenerative myelopathy (a progressive disease that affects the spinal cord).
5. Eye problems: Cherry eye (a condition where the tear gland in the eye protrudes from its normal position), cataracts (cloudiness in the lens of the eye), entropion (a condition where the eyelid rolls inward), and distichiasis (an abnormal eyelash growing from the wrong location) are all eye problems that can affect Frenchies.

Frequently Asked Questions