With French Bulldogs set to take center stage in the release of “Due Date,” the American Kennel Club® (AKC®) and the French Bull Dog Club of America would like to remind moviegoers about the importance of making wise, educated decisions when it comes to adding a dog to the home.

“The French Bull Dog Club of America hopes that anyone who sees this movie and becomes interested in having a “Frenchie” as a family companion does their research to make sure it’s the right breed for their lifestyle,” said Jan Grebe, President of the French Bull Dog Club of America.  “While these adorable pets are prized for their affectionate natures and even dispositions, potential owners need to remember just because you see a highly-trained canine actor do something on the silver screen doesn’t mean it is appropriate for pet owners to do the same with their dogs.”

The movie, distributed by Warner Brothers which opens on Nov. 3, follows the story of high-strung father-to-be Peter Highman, who is forced to hitch a ride with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay and his French Bulldog across the country.  Often described as “a clown in the cloak of a philosopher,” the French Bulldog originated as, and continues to be used as a companion dog. The breed is small and muscular with heavy bone structure, a smooth coat, a short face and trademark “bat” ears.

French Bulldogs have played an important role in pop culture and our lives throughout the years.  Here are a few fun facts from the AKC:

• Some movies staring Frenchies include: “From Hell” with Johnny Depp, “Secondhand Lions” with Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, and “Bringing Down the House” with Steve Martin and Queen Latifah. There is a shot of a French Bulldog in the movie “Titanic”. The dog is portraying the Frenchie that really was on the doomed ship.

• While most people picture “Toto” from “The Wizard of Oz” to be a Cairn Terrier, in literature the dog was illustrated as a French Bulldog. R.A. Neill, who drew the pictures for the books “The Road to Oz” and “The Emerald City”, pictured Toto as a French Bulldog.

• A member of the Non-Sporting Group, the French Bulldog is the 24th most popular breed in the United States, according to the 2009 American Kennel Club registration statistics. 

• One of the French Bulldog’s ancestors was the English Bulldog. A large number of toy English Bulldogs were sent to France around 1860 and crossed with various other breeds to create what we now know as the Frenchie.

For those looking to add a French Bulldog to their home, AKC recommends that potential dog owners contact the French Bull Dog Club of America to obtain information about responsible breeders in their area at www.frenchbulldogclub.org.

If you are in the Long Beach, CA area this December come meet “Frenchies” at the AKC / Eukanuba National Championship on December 4-5 at the Long Beach Convention Center.  Visit www.akc.org/aenc for more details.

For more information about getting a dog from a responsible breeder visit: https://www.akc.org/puppybuyerinfo/