Become an Educated Consumer

You are looking for a family companion that, hopefully, will be with you for more than a decade. Do as much research on the breed as possible. Each breed has its pro and cons and Frenchies are no exception. You might find yourself deciding not purchase one. 

Before tips on how to find a reputable breeder, we will advocate for a rescue. We are firm believers of providing a dog in need with a home and unfortunately, French Bulldogs have become very popular in recent years creating many unreputable breeders and misinformed consumers resulting in Frenchies ending up in rescue groups or shelters. 

Please make sure that you obtain ALL the medical and behavioral information from the rescue group before you decided to adopt a dog. There is a reason why the dog is in that position and not to fault of their own.

The breeder might be selling puppies with a lot of genetic issues that have caused a plethora of health problems that are financially and mentally impossible for the previous owner to undertake and/or the previous owner was not prepared to deal with a dog for many reasons and it has created behavioral problems. Make sure you are prepared for this dog. It really doesn’t need to be bouncing from home to home.

How to Find a Reputable Breeder

The word “breeder” alone will not suffice when you’re choosing from whom to buy a puppy. “Breeder” simply means the person owns a female dog who produced a litter of puppies. If this person isn't knowledgeable about the breed, doesn’t know the breed standard, and isn’t working toward producing dogs who look like the standard and are physically and temperamentally sound, the results, again, could be unpredictable — or worse.

Irresponsible breeders who breed for profit rather than quality will accept any buyer with a check or credit card. Ethical breeders screen new homes (as a potential new owner, be prepared for lots of questions), serve as knowledgeable mentors after you take your puppy home, and will always be there for you, as long as you own the dog.

Ethical breeders spend lots of time socializing, caring for, and observing their puppies and will be able to recommend the puppy most likely to fit best into your life. They will tell you what you need to buy before you bring your puppy home, have started his paper training, had his health checked, and begun to accustom him to having his nails cut, feet trimmed, and coat brushed. All of this gets your puppy off to the best possible start.

Ask your veterinarian if they know of a reputable breeder in your area or ask close friends who own healthy purebred dogs. Take advantage of social media and join French Bulldog groups, ask questions. You can also contact local breed clubs or visit professional dog shows and strike up a conversation with participants or spectators to see if they know of a good breeder.

Finding an ethical, reputable breeder is important to ensure the health of your new puppy. If you contact the breeder, but they are coy about letting you see where the puppies were born and the conditions they are currently living in, this is a possible sign they are running a dirty breeding business, are a puppy mill or a backyard breeder.

Look at all the  areas where the pups and their parents spend their time. The grounds should be well-maintained with clean, odorless kennels and exercise areas. Dogs should not be confined in cages for long periods. They should have individual runs if possible. The kennel should be heated and cooled. Fresh water supplies at all times.

Ideally, you’ll want your pup’s parents to be on site. It is not uncommon for the male dog to be separated, but make sure you ask about him and see him. The breeder should be more than willing to let you meet the parents if at all possible. The parents will be the best way for you to see what the puppies will be like as adults. Look at the siblings (if any remaining).

Make sure ALL dogs have good coats, clear eyes and noses, and a healthy weight.

Make sure the breeder isn't churning out high volumes of pups, but rather considers their breeding dogs to be family members and treats them with loving care. The breeder should encourage you to spend time with one or both parents on your visit.

The parents should be friendly and socialize well with both people and other dogs. Their pups should have the same demeanor, be clean and energetic.

Raising a litter of puppies takes an insane amount of work. Breeders who have more than one (or two) litter of puppies at once might not be giving the puppies the attention they need in this critically formative time.

While one litter at a time is ideal, In some cases, female dogs may sync when in season, leaving breeders no choice but to manage two litters, and that’s absolutely fine and normal. However, if breeders have multiple litters (3,4, or more) at once, you may want to take pause.

You can put your name on a waiting list. Since optimum mating times occur according to natural schedules, litters are usually born in the spring and fall. Conscientious breeders give their dams a rest between litters and don’t over-breed them, so the wait for a pup may be over a year.

• It sounds weird, I know. But I like to see breeders that don’t have puppies available right now.

• Since a good breeder only has one litter at a time, they also will likely have more customers than they have puppies.

• Because of all of the testing listed above, good puppies are extremely expensive to produce. Do not expect to pay a few hundred dollars for your puppy – think in the thousands. It’s worth it!

• Expect to pay a deposit and get on a waiting list once you’ve found your match.

Breeders should know about the breeds they raise and should be able to answer your questions about the dog’s potential size, temperament, exercise requirements, inherited health issues, special needs, diet, etc. Since most devoted breeders only deal with one type of dog, their knowledge of the breed should be extensive.

All good breeders have a good working relationship with a respected veterinarian who examines each pup and provides immunizations and parasite control according to medical standards. The breeder should readily provide a complete medical record on each pup. You should be able to contact the veterinarian and speak freely about health records of puppies and parents.

Breeders should provide several references from other families who have purchased pups and welcomes inquiries.

The breeder should take genetic predispositions into account to reduce potential inherited problems. When appropriate, the breeder should present documentation illustrating that the pup’s parents/grandparents were screened for inherent breed problems such as hip dysplasia, eye problems, heart conditions, etc.

Look up what health testing is recommended for your chosen breed – the AKC has great recommendations.

Really good breeders will have a scan of these scores for each dog on their website, sometimes even complete with the x-rays. This testing is expensive, but good breeders will do it. 

Veterinarians don’t recommend breeding dogs until a bit later in life in order to keep the mother healthy, so look for doggy parents who are at least 2 years old.

It’s also not possible to get realistic health or temperament assessments of the parents until the parents are done growing and maturing.

If you want a happy, healthy adult dog, you need to be sure that her parents are happy and healthy adult dogs. That means waiting until the parents are 2 years old prior to having puppies.

Waiting until 2 isn’t always a hard and fast rule though – some breeds have a minimum breeding age chart listing minimum ages in which a purebred dog should be bred — anywhere between 12 and 48 months. We suggest researching a purebred dog’s minimum breeding chart to ensure that a breeder is falling within the recommended breeding age.

Unless you’re planning on having your dog live outside as a working dog, avoid breeders who raise their puppies in kennel or outdoor environments.

Puppies raised inside are more likely to be exposed to kids, other animals, and normal home activities. As we’ve already discussed in detail, early puppy socialization is valuable, and if your pup is spending most of their time isolated outside, they won’t be making the most use of those key early months.

Don’t be shy about probing on this! Are the puppies “inside” but raised in the cement basement? That’s a far cry from being raised in or near the living area. Bonus points for breeders that expose the puppies to kids and other animals.

Studies show that puppies removed from their parents and litter-mates too young are more likely to exhibit problem behaviors like fear or aggression toward other dogs.

Responsible breeders know this and won’t separate puppies from parents until the appropriate time. Don’t just pay attention to when puppies can eat solids – there are other milestones that are harder to see.

Six-week old puppies soon become 8-week old puppies, and it’s just not worth the potential long-term behavior issues to risk it. Expect to pay a deposit and get on a waiting list once you’ve found your match.

A breeder may question you regarding your ability to care for the dog, how much time you have to spend with him and where he will fit into your family. Breeders pick the families. The breeder should take the time to get to know the family's needs and help the family pick a puppy.

Additionally, breeders should only sell pups to people he/she has approved as good pet owners and never sells to pet stores.

A knowledgeable breeder will be happy to sit down with you and discuss what you can expect in the breed, including any issues that might crop up later in life (purebred dogs, even well bred ones, have be susceptible to certain diseases or health problems).

The breeder should inform you of the pup’s diet and daily routine to minimize complications when introducing the pup to a new home.

They should also offer to be available to answer any questions you may have after you take the pup home.

You should receive a written contract with a guarantee of health allowing time for a pre-purchase examination by a veterinarian of your choice. If medical problems are diagnosed, the breeder should readily take the pup back and provide a full refund.

Sadly, not all puppies work out for every family. If something happens and you’re no longer able to care for the pup, the breeder should take the dog.

A reputable breeder cares a great deal about where their puppies end up and will do anything they can to ensure they find another perfect home.

• How long have you been a dog breeder?

• How many types of dogs do you breed at one time?

• How often do you clean, feed, and play with the dogs?

• Are you a registered dog breeder?

• Can you show me proof of the dogs' physical health from a licensed veterinarian?

• Can I meet the pup's mother or parents?

• Can you provide references from other individuals or families who have purchased dogs from you before?

• Can you tell me about any potential genetic issues or problems with the types of dogs you breed?

• Can I return for multiple visits with my family before making a purchase?