Isabella French Bulldog
Isabella French Bulldogs are the most rare color of French Bulldog for enthusiast at the moment. This rare color is predominantly owned by breeders and used for adding more offspring to the French Bulldog gene pool. An Isabella Lilac Frenchie carries two copies of the dilute D-Locus d/d and two copies of the recessive B-Locus b/b (testable chocolate). If the Frenchie at hand does not carry this dna combination, it is not an Isabella. The shade of these Frenchies can visually be tricky. They have a purple/chocolate tint depending how the coat appears. Some have a base color of blue within the hair and the tips chocolate giving it a more shimmery look. Others may have base of chocolate with the hair and tips being blue, which makes the Frenchie appear more like champagne shade with a purple tint. A Isabella Lilac Frenchie currently ranges from $5,000 to $100,000. Again, these rare shades are owned by breeders and still in the early stages of refining the quality of these rare French Bulldogs.
Isabella French Bulldog Price
Isabella French Bulldog prices vary significantly based on DNA, color variant, and breeder. Current market pricing: - Isabella Lilac (standard): $5,000 – $15,000 - Isabella Lilac/Tan: $10,000 – $30,000 - Isabella Merle: $15,000 – $50,000 - Isabella Fluffy: $20,000 – $60,000 - New Shade Isabella: $30,000 – $100,000+ Prices reflect the rarity of the required DNA combination (d/d + b/b) and demand in the current market. Contact a verified breeder on FrenchBulldog.com for current availability and pricing.
The Isabella Lilac Color Frenchie Family includes the following colors & patterns:
-
Isabella Lilac, light beige w/ purple tint, very little white on face or feet
-
Isabella Lilac Piebald, light beige purple tint patches and body being predominantly white
-
Isabella Lilac Brindle, light beige, purple tint with brindle stripes on top
-
Isabella Lilac Fawn, light fawn purple tint with a light beige purple haze body, beige smokey mask on face
-
Isabella Lilac/Tan, light beige purple tint base with tan points, tan point eyebrows, cheek, and feet or “socks”
-
Isabella Lilac/Tan Piebald, predominantly white body with light beige purple tint patches along with tan point eyebrows, cheek and feet
-
Isabella Lilac “Irish Piebald”, the appearance of a piebald but does not carry the piebald allele gene in a dna test
New Shade Isabella French Bulldog
The New Shade Isabella is the rarest and most recently developed variant of the Isabella color family. New Shade Isabellas carry the same d/d and b/b DNA combination as standard Isabella Lilac Frenchies but express a noticeably lighter, more uniform coat — often described as a warm champagne or platinum tone with less visible purple tint than classic Isabella.
New Shade Isabellas are currently among the highest-priced French Bulldogs on the market, with some specimens selling for $50,000 to $100,000 or more depending on additional traits such as fluffy coat (L4 gene) or tan points.
Isabella vs Lilac French Bulldog
What's the Difference? The Isabella and Lilac French Bulldog are often confused because both carry dilute coloring and can appear similar to the untrained eye. The key difference is DNA:
- Lilac French Bulldog: carries d/d (two copies dilute) + b/b (two copies chocolate) — same as Isabella
- Isabella Lilac French Bulldog: same DNA base (d/d + b/b) but expresses a more refined purple/chocolate coat tone that breeders classify separately based on visual expression and breeding line.
In practice, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably in the market. A DNA test is the only reliable way to confirm whether a dog carries the full Isabella genetic profile. Prices for true Isabella Frenchies are typically higher than standard Lilac due to rarity and demand.
French Bulldog History
The mid-1800s saw the popularity of a toy-sized Bulldog in a few English locations, particularly Nottingham, which was at the time a center for lace production. The Bulldog plush toy was adopted as a sort of mascot by Nottingham’s lace manufacturers. In England, the Industrial Revolution was at its height at the time, and “cottage industries” like lacemaking were coming under growing threat. Several people who worked in the lace industry moved to northern France, and they of course took their doll Ies with them.
The small dogs gained popularity among lace manufacturers who settled in the French countryside. The toy Bulldogs were bred with other breeds over a period of decades, maybe terriers and pugs, and along the line, they gained their now-famous bat ears. They were given the French name Bouledogue.
The adorable new breed was eventually discovered in Paris, which marked the start of the Frenchie’s status as the quintessential city dog. The breed became linked with the elegant ladies and bon vivants who sought out nighttime pleasures at Parisian dancehalls, as well as with café culture in the city. The Frenchie was portrayed by Toulouse-Lautrec and Edgar Degas in their works of the Paris demimonde.
By the 19th century’s close, the Frenchie was well-liked in both Europe and America. In England, it was harder to sell the breed. Many Brits found it offensive that their long-time enemies, the French, would dare use the Bulldog for their own purposes because it was a national symbol.
Early 1900s American aficionados helped shape the breed by arguing that the bat ear, not the “rose ear,” was the proper Frenchie form. The Frenchie is readily identifiable throughout the world thanks to this distinguishing characteristic.
Starting the 2000s, a world renown French Bulldog breeder named Don Chino introduced the “Modern French Bulldog”. The modern French Bulldog colors consist of blue, lilac, chocolate, rojo chocolate, and isabella Frenchies. By 2015, these Frenchie colors became extremely popular with middle to high class family households and celebrities such Reese Witherspoon, The Rock Dewayne Johnson, and Lady Gaga from the presence of social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Don Chino's role in the popularity of the modern French Bulldog has been widely recognized across the breeder community. Breeders in the Frenchie community say the social media impact is well over one million impressions a day reaching a worldwide audience. In 2018, Don Chino created the “Miniature French Bulldog” officially recognized by the Designer Kennel Club. The only dog registry that recognizes these small bulldogs. In 2022, Don Chino introduced the Fluffy French Bulldog and the first Hypoallergenic French Bulldog.
Designer Kennel Club: Register your French Bulldog or Doodle breeds with Designer Kennel Club DKC. Designer Kennel Club is a designer dog breed registry recognized by FrenchBulldog.com
Frenchie Gifts: Shop for French Bulldog accessories, Frenchie themed jewelry for women, and dog accessories on LiberatoStile.com
Isabella French Bulldog — Questions & Answers
Can you register an Isabella French Bulldog?
Yes, you can register your puppy or dog with the Designer Kennel Club. The DKC is a registry specializing in designer dog breeds including Isabella French Bulldogs.
Can I get papers for an Isabella French Bulldog?
Yes — you can receive registration papers for your puppy or dog through the Designer Kennel Club. Register your puppy as a Foundation dog.
Can I register my Isabella French Bulldog puppy litter?
Yes — litter registration is offered by the Designer Kennel Club. To register your litter, first register both parents as Foundation dogs, then register the litter.
Can I register my dog without AKC papers?
Yes — you can register your dog as a Foundation dog with the Designer Kennel Club without AKC papers.
How do I prove my dog is purebred without papers?
Registration papers from a recognized registry such as the Designer Kennel Club provide proof of breed and ownership for designer dog breeds.
What is an Isabella French Bulldog?
An Isabella French Bulldog is a rare color variant that carries two copies of the dilute D-Locus (d/d) and two copies of the recessive B-Locus (b/b testable chocolate). This specific DNA combination produces the Isabella Lilac coat — a purple/chocolate tint that varies in appearance depending on the individual dog's coat expression.
What is the price of an Isabella French Bulldog?
Isabella French Bulldogs range from $5,000 to $100,000+ depending on color variant, DNA, and breeder. New Shade Isabella and Fluffy Isabella variants command the highest prices in the current market.