I have to admit that the attention I got when I first bought my Frenchie puppy “Buster” was both a pro and a con. At the time French bulldogs weren’t as popular as they are now, he drew a lot of sometimes unwelcome attention. What are the pros and cons of owning a French bulldog?
Many people commented on his unusual features, and others simply couldn’t keep their hands off him.
Being an overly protective Father, I found this difficult at first. Once I got used to the attention, I saw it as a positive.
As more people fell in love with him, they began to seriously think about getting a Frenchie of their own.
As a French bulldog enthusiast, I’m happy to help inform people about this amazing breed of dog.
However, one thing I always tell people is that it’s essential that you do a lot of research before you settle on a puppy you want to purchase.
Frenchies are not without their pros and cons. It’s vital that you do extensive research to fully understand every aspect of the breed.
Central to this process is choosing a reputable breeder so you can make the most informed decision possible.
In this article, I will highlight the pros and cons of owning a Frenchie and also help you identify a reputable breeder to deal with.
What are the pros of owning a French Bulldog
Their cuteness
On rare occasions, I meet people who aren’t a fan of how cute these dogs are, but to be honest this is something I just can’t fathom. Frenchies are massively popular because of their squishy good looks and lovable natures.
Loving companions
If you want a sloppy cuddly companion, then look no further than a French bulldog as they tick all the boxes
A source of comic relief
Frenchies have unique personalities and are constantly making unusual noises and pulling hilarious facial expressions. One thing you be sure of is that your Frenchie will keep you smiling.
They are the perfect sized pet
One of the first things that drew me to French bulldogs is that they’re neither too big nor too small. They’re perfectly manageable size which makes them an excellent choice for an indoor dog.
They aren’t known as barkers
When I first purchased “Buster”, I lived in an apartment complex with particularly thin walls. Because of this, I wanted to ensure that any dog I purchased wouldn’t be too noisy.
After researching Frenchies, I was delighted to hear that they’re not likely to bark unnecessarily and this is proven very true for “Buster”.
It’s easy to find friends for him
As French bulldogs become increasingly popular, there’s a growing community of Frenchie enthusiasts.
This means if I’m looking for someone for “Buster” to hang out with and have fun, to share stories, get advice, and even pose for a photo.
Facebook and other social media platforms are full of French bulldog lovers. We even have a Frenchie appreciation club, who meet up once a month.
Let’s not forget their face
So good I mentioned it twice you’ll never tire of their endlessly cute squishy faces
What are the cons of owning French Bulldogs?
They are expensive
There’s no denying that buying a purebred French bulldog is not something you should do lightly. Aside from the initial cost, maintenance and pet insurance premiums, cost of maintaining this breed is higher than many others.
Tend to be flatulent
Because of the shape of their face, French bulldogs have a tendency to inhale quite a lot as they drink and eat. Unfortunately, this air has to go somewhere. As you can probably guess, an extensive amount of it is released as gas.
Need a lot of TLC
Despite what some people may tell you, not all short-haired breeds of dogs are low maintenance.
Jugular squishy faces you need to clean them carefully after they eat to prevent any bacteria building up in the folds.
Why are you doing this? You should also groom them and check their ears to make sure they have collected none unwanted passengers.
Prone to health problems
Thankfully, I’ve got very lucky with “Buster”, but some of my friends have encountered severe health issues with their dogs.
Frenchies like any pedigree breed have problems, many of which are genetic. One of the most prominent are breathing issues this is because of the shape of their face and their flat nose.
That is also prone to dermatitis and other aggravating skin conditions. Therefore, purchasing a puppy from a reputable breeder is so important as you will avoid many inherited problems.
Popularity has led to them being over-bred
As with any popular breed of dog, some people have tried and cash up on the trend. This has led to widespread irresponsible breeding and dishonesty among some breeders.
Trying to make a quick buck by over breeding their females and selling as many puppies as possible. Puppies who come from over-bred females are unhealthy, on top of the practice of being cruel to the mothers, and should be avoided at all costs.
Obviously, it’s important to be aware of the negatives of any breed before you purchase them, but once you purchase your puppy carefully and treated well, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
The most important step in the complete process is identifying a reputable breeder to purchase your puppy from.
How to identify a reputable French Bulldog Breeder
Many breeders have become experts at faking documentation and other ways of fooling trusting people into purchasing puppies that are cross-bred or come from over bred litters.
One of the easiest ways to avoid these problems is to insist on seeing the puppy’s mother and how healthy the rest of its litter is. This would allow you to see the quality of its mother and any future characteristics your puppy may have.
If you insist on only purchasing a puppy following a visit to its litter, you will fully inspect it.
It’s also important to note at this point that the AKC requires registered breeders to record every litter of French bulldog puppies with the American Kennel Club, and they should register each litter under their breeder’s name.
After that, they will give each puppy an official American Kennel club name.
To properly register a purebred French Bulldog puppy with the AKC will take a minimum of 14 days.
It takes this long for a breeder to receive the registration certificates. We advise on purchasing a French bulldog puppy that is promoted as being American Kennel club registered and to never hand over any money until the first receive a signed and transferred registration certificate.
Until you transfer the certificate, the AKC will not recognize you as the registered owner.
To complete this process, the breeder will have to sign the certificate. A breeder who cannot provide you with a registration certificate when you purchase the puppy should either be avoided but if they appear to be a reputable breeder, get it in writing that they will forward you the certificate once they receive it.
Once you are at the official owner and the certificate has been transferred, you will get all the benefits of American Kennel club membership
You should also ask any reputable breeder you’re dealing with for the following information :
A full contract of sale
Before completing the purchase of any French bulldog, we advise that you insist the breeder provide you with a full contract of sale.
This should detail everything regarding your French bulldog puppy, including any endorsements or restrictions that they may have placed on the dog.
Some disreputable breeders can include a not-for-breeding endorsement before they sell the puppy.
This type of restriction will mean that you cannot sell any registered puppies from this dog yourself. Why not a huge consideration for many, it may prove important to the future.
Advice regarding immunization, exercise, worming, feeding, and training
You should receive a fully detailed pedigree of your dog’s ancestral tree. This could be your printed, but getting an official one from the American Kennel Club is advisable.
A statement of health
This one’s a little more difficult because the American Kennel Club doesn’t insist on breeders providing statements of health regarding any online conditions that dams and sires may have.
You could ask your breeder to provide you with this information. Unfortunately, they’re under no obligation to do so, but a reputable breeder may agree to this.
The more questions you ask of a breeder the better, if at any stage they either refuse to answer or provide you with unacceptable answers, remember that there are thousands of registered breeders on the market.
One of the best pieces of advice I ever heard about purchasing purebred puppies is that the top breeders never have to advertise, they never over-breed, work on a referral basis and as a result, never need to spend money on advertising. The only way to find these breeders is through another French Bulldog owner.
We hope that this article on the pros and cons of owning French bulldogs will prove useful in the detailed information we’ve provided regarding choosing a reputable breeder is obviously only a guideline but by insisting on receiving some information we’ve outlined you should quickly be able to differentiate between reputable and disruptive readers simply by the manner in which they react.
