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Help Me Find A French Bulldog...NOW!
French Bulldogs are great little dogs, but they are not for everyone. Please take a few minutes to read these tips, hints and answer the questions before you start looking for a French Bulldog.
• Why a Frenchie? They are great companions, cuddlers and entertainers. They are NOT good barn dogs, exercise/running partners, or guard dogs and sometimes do NOT do well with other dogs or cats.
• I want one NOW! Frenchies are a somewhat more unusual breed and you may have to wait, especially if you want a certain age/color/sex. Be patient. Be patient and buy from a good breeder, someone who cares about the BREED.
• I saw a Frenchie from Russia/the Ukraine/Poland in the paper, what about them? The USA has been flooded with poor quality, unhealthy puppies from other countries and it is a very disturbing situation. These puppies are usually shipped over here at a VERY young age and sold to "brokers" throughout the country to be sold to whoever has the money to buy them...no questions asked. They are marketed as "more healthy, natural, free breeders, papers available," all kinds of sales oriented phrases. These poor little dogs are NOT the same Frenchies that we have here in the USA. Our American Frenchies are usually MUCH softer and sweeter in temperament, smaller in size and as a rule easier to live with. Rescue has been flooded with Russian Frenchies - almost always due to aggression and temperament issues. This situation is very upsetting to breeders who have the best interest of the French Bulldog at heart.
The ONLY way to stop puppy brokers and importers, puppy mills and pet stores from selling dogs is to NOT BUY FROM THEM!
• What can I expect to pay? Pet Frenchie puppies will probably range in price from $2000 or so on up - depending on sex, color, availability, part of the country, etc. It is up to the breeder to price their own puppies, so expect some variance, that is a ballpark number.
• What about newspaper and Internet classifieds ads? I would advise you look for a few "red flags." Does the breeder have several breeds of dogs available? Does the breeder have all colors/ages/sexes available? Does the breeder seem too commercial? Does the breeder belong to any French Bulldog organizations (not belonging is not always bad - some people are just not club types)? Does the breeder seem interested in the BREED as a whole? Do they show or are dogs shown at AKC shows? If for any reason the situation seems funny RUN AWAY!!!! You will not be helping the puppy by buying it to "get it out of there" you will just be perpetuating the problem.
These are just a few tips, but in today's information saturated world, there is no excuse for saying, "I didn't know!" Take the time to find out and most importantly, BE PATIENT!!!
• I want a Frenchie from a GOOD breeder, tell me what to do! Call/email/contact breeders that have either been referred to you or that you like the looks of their dogs and/or their philosophy. Tell the breeder about yourself, your home, your situation (kids, other pets, etc.) and ask a few well thought out questions. Establish a rapport with that breeder and then ask to be put on their waiting list. Keep in touch with the breeder and if you are working with more than one breeder, give them all the courtesy of an e-mail if and when you DO find a puppy.
Once again, we live in a free country and each breeder has the right to sell THEIR puppies with whatever strings or guarantees they feel appropriate. YOU need to take responsibility for the puppy YOU buy.
