After many years of obscurity, the French Bulldog is now the most popular dog breed in America, as stated by the American Kennel Club, as of 2023. It displaced the Labrador Retriever as the most popular breed, a position it held for three decades.
There are lots of good reasons for this recent popularity of French Bulldog puppies, as we will explore in this blog. Read below to learn more.
Importance Of Choosing A Reputable Breeder
More so than for most breeds, it is critical that you work with a reputable breeder when acquiring your Frenchie puppy. The Frenchie is a brachycephalic (flat-faced) and chondrodystrophic (dwarf) breed, and poorly bred French Bulldog puppies are susceptible to a variety of health issues.
Due to their recent popularity, a lot of unethical breeders, backyard breeders, puppy mills, and scammers have entered the market, and this will undoubtedly lead to a lot of poorly bred dogs. Reputable breeders will work extra hard to keep their standards high and try to improve the breed, while unethical breeders are doing the exact opposite.
Different Types of Bulldog Puppy Breeds
There are several bulldog breeds that are fairly common in the U.S. High-quality dogs of each of these breeds are wonderful dogs and make great companions, although there are differences among them. The most common of these breeds, in addition to the French Bulldog, are the English Bulldog, the Olde English Bulldog, and the American Bulldog.
All of these bulldogs have some similarities in their temperaments. Bulldogs are generally sweet, calm, playful, and loving dogs, a little on the stubborn side. The Olde English and the American Bulldogs are larger, taller, and more athletic bulldogs, often weighing up to 100 pounds, or even more.
The English are shorter and stockier and generally are a little smaller, but still too large for lap dogs. These dogs tend to drool, whereas the smaller French Bulldogs do not. Frenchies are generally between 16 and 28 pounds, so they do make good lap dogs. They are all wonderful pets, but if you are looking for the sweet bulldog temperament in a smaller package, and further want a dog that does not need a lot of exercise or maintenance, the Frenchie may be just for you.
Identifying The Specific Breed That Suits Your Lifestyle
In addition to being considerably smaller than other common bulldog breeds, and the fact that they typically do not drool, these dogs have the unique upright bat ears that make them so distinctive.
They also come in a myriad of colors. The standard colors are black brindle, fawn, sable, cream, and pieds in these colors, but they also come in blue, chocolate, and lilac. They also come with pure coats and with tan points, so there is a wonderful variety. With many breeds, if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. This is definitely not the case with Frenchies.
Finding Reputable Breeders
A. Positive Online presence: Most reputable breeders will have a strong online presence with a high-quality website, although a few breeders stick only with social media. Be sure to check reviews and testimonials. A reputable breeder should have a history of positive reviews from past clients.
B. Recommendations from vets, Frenchie groups, etc.: You may be able to get recommendations of good Frenchie breeders from local veterinary clinics or by attending local dog shows or through local Frenchie clubs.
C. From Positive Referrals: However, maybe the best way to find a reputable breeder is through word of mouth. Reputable breeders, like BlueHaven, get a lot of referrals from friends and neighbors of clients who have purchased French bulldog puppies, or from people who have seen one of our dogs and asked for information on where they obtained such a wonderful Frenchie.
Assessing Breeder Credibility
A. Professionalism displayed: Determining the credibility of a Frenchie breeder is not an undaunting task. If you email or text them, you should expect a timely and professional response. If you call them, they should be happy to talk to you. You should get a good feel for their professionalism and knowledge from these contacts.
B. History of positive reviews: High-quality, reputable breeders should have a history of positive reviews from past clients, and they should be more than willing to provide referrals upon request. Breeders like to minimize referrals, so as not to unduly bother past clients, but if you are in doubt, it is a good way to help confirm their credibility as breeders.
C. Quality of dogs: All reputable and ethical breeders will have health screenings (vet checks) performed on each of their puppies before placing them. BlueHaven will not even reserve a puppy until it has had a vet check, just in case some issue is found, so as not to disappoint a client.
Ethical breeders, like BlueHaven, will also DNA test their dogs for common Frenchie defects, and they will have each of their breeding males and females thoroughly examined by qualified vets before breeding them. The best way to acquire a high-quality puppy is to only purchase a puppy from a breeder who breeds only high-quality males and females, which have been properly matched.
Evaluating the Bulldog Puppies
A. Openness of breeder: An ethical and reputable breeder will be happy to have you visit their location to meet them and some of their dogs and puppies. Don’t expect them to allow you into their facilities, mainly for safety and health reasons.
B. Cleanliness and organization of breeders: If you are close enough to the breeder to pay them a visit, the overall appearance and cleanliness of their facilities will tell you a lot about them. If they are not well organized and their housekeeping is lacking, chances are they are falling short in other areas as well.
C. Socialization of puppies: When you meet the available puppies, they should be active and playful, and show indications of being well socialized, i.e., they are not overly shy, nor are they overly active.
If you are not able to see the puppies in person, it is a very good idea to see them on a video or facetime, so that you can see them in action. BlueHaven posts videos of each of their litters after they have had their vet checks, generally when they are 6 to 8 weeks old. They do not officially place puppies until the video is posted. It is the next best thing to seeing them in person.
Health Guarantees and Documentation
A. Medical history provided: A reputable breeder will ensure that each of their puppies are treated for common parasites, i.e., worms, coccidia, and giardia, and have had all of their age appropriate shots. These records should be provided to the buyers.
B. Strong Guarantee provided: Reputable breeders will also provide a clear and fair guarantee against congenital defects that were not diagnosed in the vet check. There are big differences in guarantees among breeders, so this is something that should be checked out thoroughly. Remember that a guarantee is only as good as the breeder behind it, so this is another reason it is very important to work with an experienced breeder with a long and positive track record.
Pricing and Payment
A. Reasonable pricing: Reputable and ethical breeders will be very transparent in their pricing, and their prices should be reflective of the market. Pricing that is too low should raise red flags, as this could be an indication of scammers at work, or very inexperienced breeders that may have issues with their dogs.
Prices that are too high will just result in a waste of money, and not necessarily a better dog. If you purchase a dog from championship lines, you will probably pay a lot more for it, but it may be no better than, and possibly of lesser quality than, a high-quality puppy from a reputable breeder that doesn’t show their dogs.
B. Negotiating prices: Some breeders may negotiate somewhat on their prices, but most reputable breeders have fairly set prices for high-quality Frenchies of the various colors. Prices for puppies that have observable defects, that will not affect their pet quality, are generally adjusted according to the defect.
C. Additional costs: Most reputable Frenchie breeders will help arrange for transportation of their puppies to clients that are not close enough to drive to meet them. These “puppy nannies” are generally independent contractors and their delivery fees will not be included in the price of the puppies. There should not be any other costs, hidden or otherwise, unless a special request is made for a chip, etc.
Finalizing the Transaction
A. Sales Contract: A reputable breeder will have a sales contract for each puppy transaction. BlueHaven’s contract includes contact information, puppy information, financial information, medical information, and the guarantee, and it is provided to each client when their puppies are delivered to them.
B. Care Package: A reputable breeder will supply at least a minimal care package with each puppy, especially puppies that are to be delivered, that would include all of the paperwork, a little food, some hygiene products, and possibly a personal item or two.
C. Making payment arrangements: Do not expect to be able to take possession of your puppy until payment in full has been completed. Most reputable breeders will require at least a deposit upfront before delivery or pick up is arranged. Final payment methods will vary among breeders, but many breeders will accept Zelle, Venmo, a cashier’s check, and/or PayPal, either up front or at time of transfer. Some will also accept COD.
Preparing for Puppy Arrival
A. Setting up a comfortable space at home: Your home should be well prepared for your new puppy arrival well ahead of time. BlueHaven reviews some of the things you should have ready, under FAQs. The more comfortable and safer your home is for your new French bulldog puppy, the easier and more enjoyable the transition will be, both for you and for your puppy.
B. Purchasing necessary supplies: There are also several supplies you will need for your new puppy, including food, food and water bowls, sleeping quarters, a collar and leash, appropriate treats, chew toys, soft toys, etc. BlueHaven also reviews things you should have on hand under FAQs.
C. Scheduling a vet appointment for a health checkup: You should also plan a vet appointment for your new puppy within the first weeks of his/her arrival. Some breeders require this visit to be made within the first 48 or 72 hours or the guarantee is voided. Some breeders, like BlueHaven, feel this is excessive and allows several days to a few weeks for this vet visit to occur.
During this visit, the overall health of the puppy should be checked, i.e., heart, lungs, joints, abdomen, mouth, nose, etc. You will probably be asked if a fecal exam should be performed. It is expensive and many false positives will result. (Reputable breeders will medicate their puppies for all of the common parasites, but puppies will often reinfect themselves.)
What will often show up in a fecal exam is giardia &/or coccidia, and occasionally worms. None of these things are dangerous to a healthy puppy, and they are easily and inexpensively eradicated. Rather than do a fecal exam, it is much cheaper to purchase some liquid fenbendazole (also called Panacur or Safe-Guard). You will need this on an ongoing basis anyway.
This wonderful med will kill giardia and all of the common dog worms, except heartworms, for which a separate medication is necessary (ivermectin in the medication of choice). If coccidia is present, a dog’s immune system will take care of this fairly quickly. If not, Albon will take care of it in short order.
Conclusion
Recap of key tips for buying a French Bulldog puppy
The most important thing to remember from this blog is that you should only consider purchasing your soon to be loving companion from a reputable breeder with a lot of experience and a track record of producing high-quality puppies, resulting in happy clients.
There are several high-quality breeders of French Bulldogs throughout the country, but there are also a lot of backyard breeders, puppy mills, and other unethical breeders, not to mention the scammers. If you want to buy a puppy with confidence, please contact BlueHaven French Bulldogs. We would love to help you obtain the perfect little Frenchie for your family.
