Prospective Owner FAQs
- Are there things I need to be particularly careful about with my Frenchie?
Are there things I need to be particularly careful about with my Frenchie?
Yes, there are several things you should be cognizant of. French Bulldogs generally do not swim and should not be around water unsupervised. If you have a pool, it should be fenced off from your Frenchie or the unthinkable could very possibly happen, which would make both of us ill. However, they do love to splash around in a kiddy pool with a few inches of water in it, especially in hot weather. There are some Frenchies that actually swim fairly well, but close supervision should always be the norm when you and your Frenchie are around water.
Because of their short snouts, Frenchies do not breathe as efficiently as many other breeds and they are not able to cool themselves as effectively in hot weather. You should never leave your Frenchie in a parked car, just like you would never leave a child in a parked car. Also, you should not leave your Frenchie outside in hot weather (into the 90’s and above) except for short periods to relieve himself or herself, unless he or she has access to shade.
Because of their short, single layer coat, your Frenchie should not be left outside in freezing weather for anything other than short periods of time for potty break or exercise. These are not overly delicate dogs, but they certainly are not able to handle the elements as well as many other breeds.
Frenchies should not be subject to overexertion, again mainly due to their inefficient breathing. Your Frenchie will certainly be capable of taking reasonable length walks with you for both of your exercise needs, but do not think of your Frenchie as a new jogging companion – your Frenchie is just not built for it. They are active and fairly athletic and love to run around and play in the yard, but this is not a sporting breed, and they should not overdo it.
Unless you have a very secure fenced-in back yard, do not let your Frenchie outside unsupervised. Your Frenchie is a very valuable dog, and someone just might think they need him or her more than you do. We do allow our Frenchies to spend some play time in our fenced-in back yard unsupervised, but we have a privacy fence, and we keep the gates locked. You can’t be too careful with an investment like your Frenchie.
It is also a great idea to have your Frenchie chipped. It can be done when you take them into the vet for a routine vaccination. It is fairly inexpensive to get a lifetime chip that is registered directly to you, so that in the event that you are somehow separated from your beloved Frenchie, there is a way to reunite you (even if your Frenchie is stolen, a vet will generally check for a chip, and if there is any question regarding ownership, they can follow up). We have actually had at least three retirees returned to their rightful owners because they were chipped.
