The French Bulldog is a small breed of domestic dog. "Frenchies" were bred in the 1800s by lace makers first in England then in France when displaced by the Industrial Revolution. Frenchies are playful and affectionate. They are loyal, loving, and wonderful companion dogs. French Bulldogs can be a challenge to train due to their willful and stubborn nature. They require patience, repetition and early socialization. They are often referred to as 'a clown in the cloak of a philosopher'. The origin of the modern French Bulldog breed descends directly from the dogs of the Molossians, an ancient Greek tribe. The dogs were spread throughout the ancient world by Phoenician traders. British Molossian dogs were developed into the Mastiff. A sub-family of the Mastiff were the Bullenbeisser, a type of dog used for bull-baiting.