Frankie the Frenchie is causing quite a stir. His owner, Danielle Myers, can’t take him for a walk without being stopped by people in awe.
The five year old French bulldog tips the scales at an impressive 26kg, turning heads wherever he goes. Danielle believes Frankie might just be setting a world record, potentially outweighing any other large French bulldog known worldwide.
Living with Danielle in Eccles, Frankie weighs as much as a small adult deer and is considered “unnaturally big”. At just a few months old, Danielle noticed his “very long” body and oversized paws, and since then, he’s only continued to grow.
The massive mutt’s size has made him a local celebrity of sorts.
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Danielle, 37, who works in training and recruitment for the travel industry, now thinks Frankie could claim the title of the world’s largest Frenchie, surpassing a hefty hound in Australia. Known as Daddy Diaz, or simply Diaz, this Australian French bulldog weighs 22kg and is already known as the biggest in Australia, with ambitions to be recognized globally, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Frankie is a big boy
(Image: Kenny Brown / Manchester Evening News)
Diaz’s owner, Aden Bedot from Sydney, knew he was going to be a ‘big boy’ when Diaz was just six months old. At his last check-up, Diaz weighed more than double the average for his breed, which typically sees males at 20 to 28 pounds and females around 16 to 24 pounds, standing about 11 to 12 inches tall.
Danielle, the owner of a hefty 26kg French bulldog named Frankie, believes her pet might just snatch the title for the world’s biggest French bulldog. “He’s always been big; as a puppy, he was very long with big paws,” she shared with the Manchester Evening News.
“I never thought much of it.”
Danielle says Frankie is a big softie
(Image: Kenny Brown / Manchester Evening News)
She added, “It must be every other day someone says, ‘Oh my God, that’s the biggest French bulldog I’ve ever seen.'” Danielle insists that Frankie is purebred, stating, “People ask if he’s crossed, but I’ve got papers from both his parents. He’s not from a breeder; a family bred him. He was the fattest lump from the litter.”
She fondly recalls how Frankie was the last pup left in his litter, and how he preferred to watch his siblings play rather than join in. After a vet visit for an ear infection revealed Frankie’s impressive weight, Danielle started considering a Guinness World Record entry.
“I thought, ‘Let me see how big the biggest French bulldog is,’ the Aussie one was 22kg and one in Newcastle was 24.6kg.”
Danielle noticed Frankie’s significant growth when he was around nine months old, pleading with him to stop growing. Despite his size, Danielle describes Frankie as a “big softie” who loves cuddles and often forgets his size when trying to curl up on her lap.
Frankie is well-known around Salford
(Image: Kenny Brown / Manchester Evening News)
Frankie has become quite the local celebrity in Salford, with people recognising him during their walks. “We were in town before and even the kids knew his name,” she said.
“They shouted, ‘Frankie! ‘”.
“He’s a typical Frenchie, he’s got all the features. He’s all muscle and he’s about the size of a Staffie,” explained the dedicated dog owner. “He’s abnormally big but he doesn’t think he’s big, he thinks he’s a lap dog. He’s a big softie and he’s proper cuddly.”
The owner is often stopped by curious onlookers: “People stop me all the time. I get asked what I feed him; I don’t overfeed him, he’s just on dried food, no special diet or anything like that. He’s just unnaturally big.”
When away due to work commitments, she shares, “Sometimes I travel for work, so I have someone look after him; they always say people keep stopping us because of his size.”
Considering his unusual size, she mused, “There’s no official record for the biggest French bulldog but my dad has told me to contact the Guinness World Records. Anyone with a French bulldog is amazed when they see him.”