These are some of the more frequently-asked questions that we receive from new and potentially-new Frenchy owners
Good question… Most people are not aware that this is essentially a man-made breed. Not that ALL breeds aren’t a mixture of characteristics of combined breeds, mutations and adaptation / evolving to their environment originating from the prehistoric wolf, but Frenchies in general are somewhat unique, in that they generally cannot be bred naturally, they generally cannot whelp a little of puppies naturally and they are typically slow learners as to motherhood of a new litter, due to their overarching inability to conceive and whelp litters naturally. Apologies for the run-on sentence 😉 Are there some females than can conceive and whelp naturally? Of course, there are numerous examples of this, but with canine STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) and complications with their typical pelvic structure, they are a rarity, not the norm.
As such, there is considerable expense in finding and procuring a structurally sound female (bitch) with the requisite health / DNA profile – as well as a desirable color profile. The *responsible* breeder then waits for at least their second, preferably third heat prior to breeding. This is usually around 1.5 years, to 2 years of age. I.E. $$$ and time expense.
The breeder then has to find a male that will be complementary to their female, also having a requisite health / DNA profile, as well as the desired color profile that is suitable to the breeder’s envisioned potential litter outcome. Stud fees for a proven, healthy, color-rich frenchy range from $2500 USD, to over $30,000.
When the female is first recognized to be in her third heat cycle, multiple, if not daily progesterone tests are performed and depending on your reproductive veterinarian, these range from $75 to $150 per test. This is just to time the breeding correctly. Get it wrong and you wind up waiting another 6 months, before you have another shot.
Once you have the progesterone dialed in, you now have to consider AI (artificial insemination), TCI (trans-cervical insemination), or surgical insemination. We typically opt for TCI, so we do not have to have our babies under anesthesia any more frequently than absolutely necessary. We typically do two TCIs, at an average cost of $250 each.
Then, you need to get the chosen stud’s baby batter, aka semen, shipped to you overnight. Overnight shipping for this type of organic material is usually in excess of $300 – which varies in a large degree depending on where it is being shipped from. Typically, you will want it delivered to your reproductive vet, where they can do an analysis of the shipped sample, as well as providing a temperature-controlled environment (aka, not a regular refrigerator) that can slowly warm the semen up to the appropriate temperature, without killing the semen. Storage fees vary wildy, depending on the vet.
Then comes the waiting game… You feed the potential future mother all of the supplements and high calcium and calorie that she needs to grow healthy babies, without hurting her own body. After 30 days, you perform an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy. Plan on $250-$500, respectively. You continue packing on the calories and nutrition as she and her babies develop for the next 30 days.
Bare in mind, that all of this is before you even know if your female is even pregnant. Once you have received confirmation of pregnancy from the ultrasound, you plan a date for a c-section (cesarian). This price ranges wildly from region to region, but plan on upwards of $2500-$3000 USD.
Let’s say that you have a typical, average-sized litter of 4-5 healthy pups. I.E. no cleft palate, no umbilical hernias, no inguinal hernias, etc… You now have 4-5 more lives that you are responsible for 24 hours a day, 7-days a week, until they are mature enough to find their new forever homes. You must take the time to introduce the new mothers to their babies, teach her how to nurse them, teach them to develop their suck reflex and to fight for their place at the “milk bar”.
Multiple series of immunizations, dewormings and health checks are necessary to ensure that they are receiving everything that they need to develop into healthy, happy, secure, animals. If you happen to have a reasonable veterinarian, plan on about $200 each time that you do this.
If you are a responsible breeder, you then microchip and obtain a health certificate appropriate for your state / location. Plan on another $75 per puppy for this.
All the while, you are socializing, feeding, CLEANING… my goodness, are you cleaning perpetually – around the clock, caring for these beautiful, innocent babies. Plan on having your local big box store think that you have babies at home, with all of the baby wipes and cleaning supplies. Don’t forget all of the supplemental feeding items you will need to be able to graduate them from their mother’s milk, to mush (premium canned food, goat’s milk, human baby food, cottage cheese, calcium supplements (so their ears will stand on their own, without taping them), etc… then they graduate to dry food.
The TLDR of this entire section is that they are not at all inexpensive to breed, birth or raise. Buying a well-bred and cared-for dog isn’t either. If you are a reputable, ethical breeder, you likely do not make large, ridiculous sums of money selling frenchies, contrary to popular belief. You likely (and hopefully) do it for your sheer love of the breed and for your contribution to ultimately bettering the breed.
Their body structure makes it extremely difficult for them to swim for more than a few minutes – if they are able to keep their heads above water at all.
Are there some that can be taught to swim? Absolutely, but best and safest practice is to have a life vest on your baby, should you want to introduce them to the water. If you have a pool, be mindful of securing the pool area while they are out and about.
We have had several friends, family and associates relay horrible stories of finding their frenchies (and English) at the bottom of their swimming pools. Please do not add to that terrible statistic. Be a responsible owner and take the necessary precautions.
Every animal is unique in their personalities and what drives them individually. Most frenchys (in our experience) are very food driven. Food and / or toy-driven animals tend to be easier to motivate and train. The breed does tend to be more stubborn (that’s the bulldog in them…) than other breeds, but they are indeed very trainable. Find a local, reputable trainer that adheres to positive reinforcement training – NOT training by fear and you will enjoy a happy, healthy relationship with your new furry family member. It’s ultimately up to YOU, the owner, to take responsibility for continuing their training. Think of it like having a perpetual 2-year old. That, in a nutshell, is a Frenchy 🙂
We feed all of ours separately. It’s a natural instinct to be protective over food. We believe in removing any potential for food aggression completely (and removing the potential for a vet visit), by feeding all of ours separately. Adults are fed at 8:00 AM and again at 4:00 PM. Babies are fed three (3) times a day, until they are six (6) months old. Consult your supplier for suggested serving sizes for your brand of food.
This is an area of huge controversy. As such, the best recommendation is to feed them high-quality food. Diamond Naturals, Taste of the Wild, Purina ProPlan, Science Diet, Royal Canin and Iams are among the top quality brands. Please… do not feed your dogs – any of your dogs, Ole Roy or Kibbles-and-bits, or any other cheap, grocery store brand. You *will* pay for it in the end.
We do not feed any of ours any table-scraps, potato chips, or any other junk food.
Our pregnant / nursing mothers do enjoy additional supplementation of goats milk, cottage cheese, human baby food, bone broth and actual prenatal supplements.
Do not feed frenchies, or any other dog chocolate, candy, high-sodium, high-sugar, or spicy foods.
Much to Robin’s chagrin, I (Eddie) do sneak some grilled chicken / steak to our babies. It’s worth getting yelled at 😉
Nothing haha… they are an especially gassy breed… One minute, they will be laying in your lap as you are watching TV, rip one on you and then look at you bewildered as to why you farted on *them* lol. Even a small one can clear a small room. Don’t fall prey to the scam products out there that claim to be able to stem their flatulence… they don’t work and they may actually hurt your baby. Plug your nose and move on 😉
Some foods DO affect their gassiness. Remember, every dog is an individual. They are unique, just as you are. Different foods affect you differently, just as it does them. If you are concerned, check with your vet to see what foods that they recommend that still promote healthy bone / joint / heart / activity levels and experiment from there. Know that you can expect upwards of 2 weeks of loose stool after changing their food. The best approach to chaning their diet is to mix the food proportionately and wean them off of their old food and onto their new.
Most… like an old man 😉 Some, less than others, depending on their nares (nasal passages and soft palate)
They burp, they snore, they fart; they are a bundle of animated circus clown-type personalities mixed with piglets, billy goats and bat-like ears. People love them, or they hate them. They are absolutely unique amongst all of the dog personalities that we have ever owned.
Due to their short snouts and flat faces, many a veterinarian have recommended against using any sort of pinch collar, straight collar, or choke chain on this breed. We have found that the safest solution is to use a harness that is adjustable around the chest and belly. This is a short, thick-boned breed, so you want the ability to adjust around their neck, chest and midsection.
Most harnesses also come with a handle of sorts, making the act of grabbing them up quickly much easier, than trying to scoop them up to avoid an incident with a larger breed, or unsavory individual.
This depends largely on your local climate. This breed overheats very quickly and can rapidly escalate into a heatstroke situation if not watched while outside, particularly in warm /hot climates. We live in North Florida, so it gets quite warm at times. During the hot months, 20 minutes is the maximum we let ours outside to play. We always supply 4-5 large bowls of fresh water, in multiple locations, usually a small baby pool (yes, most love these!) and plenty of available areas of shade. We even have fans outside (and inside) to help them cool down.
We *never* have our dogs outside unsupervised. These dogs are in the top five (5) stolen dogs in the U.S. If you don’t want to be part of the statistic, be with your dogs, while they are outside. This is your time to enjoy them and their silly attitudes!
Touchy subject with the uneducated and unscrupulous… While there are questionable breeders that will mix their frenchy with a long haired chihuahua, pomeranian, or other similar breed, fluffy frenchies are actually noted as having been visibly present since the early 1800’s. At that time, the recessive fluffy gene was considered as an undesirable trait and was largely bred out of the breed. Without having genetic reports to aid in their breeding regimen, it was largely by visual cues that they diminished the count of visual fluffies in the breed.
Our lines are only from long, historical, some foreign blood lines. We use U.C. Davis, Animal Genetics and Embark to genetically validate that our animals are all of 100% French Bulldog ancestry and are clear of all potential health defects that are known to regularly plague this breed.
Please feel free to drop us a line, should you have any additional questions. We love respectable, professional discourse. We are always learning - so should you!
