Frequently Asked Questions
Probably the Number One Question any Frenchie Breeder gets asked is: WHY DO THEY COST SOOOO MUCH?!
Answer: There is a lot involved in the price of a well bred french bulldog. First and foremost; frenchies are essentially a man made breed. For the most part (there are exceptions) they cannot breed naturally so the Breeder must breed them by artificial insemination. This is a task in itself that a lot of us do ourselves or we will pay our trusted vet to do for us. Now, with that being said since they are being bred artificially it can be difficult to know exactly when the female is ready to receive "The Goods" from the male. For this we take our girls to the vet to get their progesterone levels measured via blood collection that must be sent off to a lab. When the results come back depending on what the hormone level is, the breeder can generally tell when the female will be receptive to "The Goods". These tests run anywhere from 60-120$ average. Some times one test isn't sufficient so as many as 3-5 tests must be done. Frenchies are not the easiest to nail down as far as ovulation so typical breeding methods don't always work unfortunately. And even when everything is perfect a lot of times they still do not conceive or have very small litters.
Ok so the girl is bred, now what? Now comes the long wait... For 60-63 days we are watching our girls like a hawk. Did they take? Ultrasounds can be performed early on around 26-30 days to confirm pregnancy. Folic acid should be given to the expecting mom to prevent cleft palates. When the big day arrives the biggest expense of all comes: The C-section. MOST frenchies cannot deliver their babies naturally due to their large heads, chests, and small pelvis. They are a "pear shaped breed", meaning they are big in the front and small in the back so this makes it difficult for babies to pass through the birth canal. Some females will never have an issue delivering naturally, others may be able to and have problems with one getting stuck in the birth canal next time. It's not worth it in most cases to even let them try. If a baby gets stuck in the birth canal, you are now putting the babies and mom's life in jeopardy. C-sections average anywhere from 600$-5000$ depending on the circumstance, the area the vet is in, emergency fees, etc.
Delivery Day! The babies are here, the hard part is over right? WRONG! Some times we get lucky... Some times we can sleep, but for the most part we have to stay with the new babies and moms 24/7 for several weeks to make sure they are nursing, gaining weight, not aspirating milk into their lungs and so forth. We are literally on lock down pretty much only able to leave our homes for short periods of time. Otherwise, we are taking a risk of losing babies. Moms are not always the brightest when it comes to their precious babies; a lot of the time they will lay on their babies or overzealously care for them to the point of licking them or cleaning too much. Many breeders only allow the babies with the mother while nursing for this reason.
Other expenses that should not be taken lightly are vet care which includes health testing, food, supplements toys, bedding, oxygen concentrators, incubators, countless medications, etc. I literally have an ICU set up for my puppies in case anyone gets sick.
So the bottom line is they are more expensive because well bred frenchies have to have countless hours of devotion to each litter and thousands in expenses as well.
What do frenchies eat?
I feed my dogs the best quality kibble I possibly can. These dogs are anything but average and it's extremely important to feed them a high quality food. My dogs are fed Life's Abundance dog food. You can find it here:
What supplies should I buy for my new frenchie puppy?
There are a few basic necessities any puppy owner should have.
1. metal folding puppy crate with a divider
2. Puppy toys (never rawhide), chewies
3. bed/blanket
4. collar, harness, and leash
5. Puppy pads and stain remover spray
6. Child gate/ and or play pen
7. Puppy Training treats
What advice do you have for puppy owners?
-Always keep in mind that having a new puppy is like having a new baby; if you can't physically keep your eyes on him, put him in his crate.
-Crates should never be used as punishment. They are meant to become a den and safe place to retreat when they Are tired or overwhelmed.
-An eight week old puppy should not be kept in the crate for more than two hours at a time and that length of time can gradually be increased as they get older.
-The crate should be big enough for the puppy to stand, lay down, and sit comfortably; no bigger. Other wise they will potty in one end and sleep in he other (This is where the divider comes in).
-Never reprimand a puppy after he has pottied in the wrong place. You can ONLY reprimand when catching them in the act. Immediately take the puppy where you want him to go. Always take him to the same place to potty. If he doesn't go, put him in his crate and wait fifteen minutes or so and try again.
-Get the puppy on a schedule. This will help tremendously with everything.
- Be consistent in all training aspects as not to confuse the puppy between what's acceptable and not.
-Always keep in mind something that is cute now, may not be an acceptable behavior as an adult so don't allow bad habits to begin in the first place.
-Don't use rawhide or rope toys. These types of toys can be dangerous if swallowed. Acceptable chew toys are: nylabones, kongs, real bones... Keep it domestic; nothing made in China.
-MOST frenchies can't swim. Block pools off, get a life jacket.
-Always be aware of the heat and keep a frozen ice water bottle with you if you will be in the heat for any extended period of time. If you think your frenchie is over heating the fastest way to cool them down is to pour ice water on their chest cavity. Let them drink cold water too but not too much.
-Frenchies are stubborn. Most of the time they know what you want, they just think their idea is better. Be firm and assertive in the beginning to set boundaries to help with listening skills down the road.
Common Parasites for puppies and dogs include worms and other nasties like single-celled protozoans known as giardiasis and coccidia. There are several types of worms that infect their host (your dog) and can wreak havoc on their insides. The unfortunate thing is that a lot of the time adult dogs don't show any outward signs that they are infected unless a fecal swab is done by your veterinarian. Since dogs love to roll in the grass and eat other not-so-savory items out of the dirt, parasite infections are common and something breeders like myself treat on a regular basis. I also treat puppies several times for all parasites before they go home. However I always like to make my buyers aware that despite my best efforts, some times the nasty little boogers slip through the cracks. It is common for a puppy to go to the vet and pass their fecal exam but become infected later on after they leave because they are stressed in their new environment and just like when we travel, we tend to get sick... Not from the change in weather but the stress weakens our immune system. The same thing can happen with puppies. Some parasites can be dormant in their digestive tract but be "activated" due to stress and moving from my home to yours. If there are any problems, I always recommend my buyers to stay in touch with me. I am happy to provide advice on medications that work well and easy ways to get your puppy's tummy settled and back on the right track.