Tired of Fake News About Blue and Lilac Bulldogs? Let’s Set the Record Straight.

Fed up with reading or hearing false claims and nonsense about a supposed disease affecting blue or lilac French Bulldogs—or any dogs with coat colors not recognized by the standard—we decided to write this post to debunk the assertions of those who, either out of ignorance or for reasons unrelated to the dogs’ health, have for years tried to discredit this category of dogs.

First, let’s clarify: Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA) is not simply caused by coat color. It occurs only when a dog carries a specific pair of recessive genes, acda, which are the true cause of the disease. These genes are testable, so breeders can prevent their presence in dogs used for mating. This ensures health even for blue or lilac dogs in breeds susceptible to the problem.

In fact, CDA does not affect all breeds, but is particularly documented in Dobermans and has also been observed in other breeds listed in Dr. Robin Dowing’s article, which you can read here: https://urly.it/35fr1

Even for non-English speakers, it’s easy to see that Bulldogs are not on the list!

So we can state with certainty: Bulldogs are not affected by CDA.

Then where does the image of the “blue caille” French Bulldog come from, the one detractors always show when talking about CDA in French Bulldogs?
The incriminated photo is Photo 1 of this post. As you can see, the skin condition of this dog is identical to that of standard-colored Bulldogs in Photos 2 and 3.

How do we explain this mystery if standard Bulldogs should not be affected by CDA?
Simple: it is not CDA, but an advanced case of Demodectic Mange (Red Mange), a very common disease that can affect any dog. Only if left untreated, neglected, or occurring in dogs with severe immune deficiencies does it cause skin damage similar to what is seen in the three photos.

It’s clear, then, that since there is no photographic documentation of blue Bulldogs affected by CDA, some tried to use this single photo of a Demodectic dog to claim that all blue Bulldogs are potentially sick.

In the age of the internet, fake news is a widely used tool to discredit opponents or those with different opinions. Unfortunately, it often works, because it appeals to emotions (anger, fear, etc.) rather than reason or a desire to seek the truth.

However, these myths only influence ignorant, uninformed, or superficial people. If many diluted-colored Bulldogs really had CDA, there would be abundant images online—but there are none.

Photo 4 shows how the disease appears in a Doberman. It may seem less aggressive at first glance, but it is far more dangerous than Demodectic Mange because there is currently no effective cure, and the dog’s skin, unprotected by hair, is constantly exposed to infections and harmful external agents.

When CDA first appeared and little was known beyond the fact that it affected some dogs with diluted coat colors, it was logical and ethically correct to exclude all blue or lilac dogs from breeding. But now that the disease is fully understood, why continue to consider diluted-colored dogs of immune breeds like Bulldogs potentially sick?

And why exclude colors such as total black, chocolate, and their Tan variants from the standard when they do not carry the dd dilution genes?

For those of us in the field, the answer is simple. Unlike those unwilling to accept reason, we prefer to avoid direct confrontation with people, categories, or associations. Our goal is to create clarity and spread well-documented, reliable information, so that Bulldog lovers understand the real strengths—and weaknesses—of this wonderful breed we all love.

By Paolo Claudio Rossini fondatore AA Allevatori Arcobaleno