To find the right Frenchie for your life, research how to choose a reputable breeder.

BY KIM CAMPBELL THORNTON


Finding a great breeder is much like ending a vein of gold or a deposit of diamonds. Success requires a lot of investigation and digging. That’s especially true in the case of a relatively rare breed such as the French Bulldog. Like a fine gem, it’s not to be found on every street comer~ but the resulting relationship with the dog and the breeder is well worth the time and effort.
First Steps
Personal referrals are a great place to start. If you know someone who has a happy, healthy French Bulldog, ask them where they acquired their Frenchie and whether they’ve been pleased with their relationship with his breeder.
Contacting that breeder is a good first step, but meet several other breeders before making your choice. Although they’re not numerous, French Bulldog breeders are found throughout the country. If one doesn’t have puppies or a litter planned anytime soon, he or she should be able to refer you to someone else who might.
What if you don’t know anyone who has a Frenchie? Ask your veterinarian or dog trainers in the area for recommendations, and contact the French Bulldog Club of America (www.frenchbulldogclub.org) for a list of breeders.

~Don’t just fall for
the first set of brown
eyes to look your
way. Let the breeder
suggest the puppy
that he or she thinks
will best fit your
wants and needs.

If your town has a local kennd dub, it might have
members who breed or show French Bulldogs
who can help. You also can find breeders at a dog show. Go
early and pick up a catalog to see when Frenchies
are being shown and in what ring. Because of their sensitivity to heat, French Bulldogs often are shown early in the morning. Breeders whose dogs don’t progress to the Group ring usually go home early, so look for them in the grooming area before they go in the ring and ask if you can set up
a time to talk to them. The approach is easy, but there are a few rules.
“First, admire their dogs profusely,” says
Frenchie breeder Kathy Dannel Vitcak of Pinewood, Minnesota. “We all love to hear how darn
adorable our Frenchies are. Then ask if he or she would have a couple of minutes to chat with you after showing his or her dog. Set a spot to meet and then be there.” Be considerate of the owner’s preshow jitters, as well. Some exhibitors don’t like their dogs to be petted or even baby-talked to before they go in the ring. Always be sure to ask permission before you reach out to pet that bat-eared dog.
Frenchies on the Internet
The Internet is another good way to find.
breeders — with some caveats. The most
important of which is: Don’t be sucked in by a
pretty website or one that promises puppies
immediately.
“If I see that there are several litters for sale,
that is a warning sign,” says breeder James
Dalton of Portsmouth, Ohio. “Most French
Bulldog breeders of any reputation have a wait-
ing list and rarely have puppies for sale on a
website. They may have pictures of puppies
from previous litters but rarely puppies that are
available right at the moment.”
Visit websites to get an idea of the various
colors and the look that you prefer. Then start
contacting breeders.
“If an e-mail is your first contact, compose a
friendly, informative e-mail and tell the breeder
about yourself and the life you plan to offer your
new Frenchie,” Dannel Vitcak says. “We all appreciate an e-mail that took some time to write and comes from the heart. Please, no one-liners asking only for puppy prices and pictures.”
Factors to Consider
However you find a breeder, choose one who’s within driving distance. That will make it easier to visit the breeder’s home and meet the dogs in person. “It’s extremely important that
you see where your puppy is coming from, how he’s been raised and who his parents are,” Dalton says. It also means there will be an expert nearby if you need help with your puppy or want advice about showing him. Be wary of people who have several litters available. Puppy brokers often import litters from Russia and Eastern Europe for resale in the United States. Those dogs can have a very different look from the French Bulldogs in America, and there’s no way of knowing what their parents were like or under what conditions
they were raised. “Dogs [from a country other than the United
States] are bred to a different standard than we use here and can have a very different look, temperament and attitude than dogs bred to the American Kennel Club standard,” Dannel
Vitcak says. “I am in no way casting aspersions on the many good breeders in those countries trying to breed better dogs. I am speaking of anyone who sends puppies over here in mass lots to be brokered. Rescues have been flooded with
these dogs due to health and temperament issues. Ask if any dogs in the pedigree are not AKC-bred dogs.”
Interviewing the Breeder
A good breeder should be willing and able to tell you about the French Bulldog’s history; explain the details of the breed standard and what separates a pet-quality puppy from a
show-quality puppy; and inform you about the health problems that can affect the breed and what steps you should take to avoid those problems. If a breeder seems geared
primarily toward selling puppies, look elsewhere. Listen carefully to the underlying messages you may hear in the breeder’s tone or attitude. Look for someone who speaks well of other breeders rather than disparaging others to make
themselves look good. The breeder should be someone you enjoy talking to and want to do business with. You want to trust that the breeder cares about the breed and each individual puppy, will be available to answer questions after the sale and will help you if problems come up. At the same time, the breeder will be evaluating you to ensure that you'll provide a special home for a special puppy. Don’t be offended if you get the third degree. It’s a sign of a caring, responsible breeder who wants only the best for his or her puppies.
“I expect to be told the living circumstances the dog will be in: house, apartment, fenced yard,
etc.,” Dannel Vitcak says. “I also want to know how many people are in the family, who will be caring for the dog and how long he will be alone each day. I ask if there are any other pets, and if so, how many and what types. We will chat about
cratetraining, housetraining, lifestyle arrangements, play time, obedience issues and much more. I expect to be asked about the health of the parents and any questions they might have that were not covered on mywebsite.”This first interview may be conducted by phone or in person. If you want to visit a breeders home, make an appointment. Dont expect to be able to just drop by.
The Home Visit
Reputable breeders welcome the opportunity
to show people their dogs and how they’re raised.
Don’t even bother with breeders who resist hav-
ing you come to their home. “You should be able to tell when you walk into someone’s home how their dogs live,”
Dalton says. “Look for a clean facility and happy, healthy, confident dogs in good condition. Ask to see one or both parents of the puppy or other close relatives. Sometimes,
someone will have the mother but not the father. If you see a puppy that looks sickly or if there’s any kind of smell or the facilities do not seem clean, then that’s something I would take into consideration.” If distance prevents you from visiting a breeder’s home, try to enlist the help of a friend or relative in the area, or ask the breeder for references from other buyers or a veterinarian. There’s nothing wrong with buying a puppy
long distance — although some careful breeders refuse to ship this brachycephalic (short-faced) breed for health and safety reasons, instead requiring that you pick him up in per-
son. But it does mean that you must be more cautious before you close the deal with a long- distance breeder.
Health Considerations
The French Bulldog is a dwarfed, flat-facebreed, and certain health issues are part of the price you pay for that endearing appearance.
Reputable breeders work hard to produce healthy dogs, but even with the best of intetions on their part and the most careful research on your part, life doesn’t offer guarantees. ‘I
breed can have hip, knee, heart and spine problems. You can reduce the risk of your Frenchie developing these problems by purchasing a puppy from a breeder who performs health testing on parents and has puppies vet-checked be
sending them to their new homes.
“The puppy should have at least one clear vet check prior to leaving the breeder’s home“At the age of 10 or 12 weeks, it does no good to X-ray puppies for skeletal anomalies because their growth plates are still changing. All a vet can really check for is clear lungs, the presence of heart murmurs and possibly the condition of the patellas (knees).”
Puppies also should have at least their first set of vaccinations, usually given at 8 weeks of age. If you don’t take the puppy home until he is 12 weeks old, he should have had a second set of vaccinations by then.
The parents should have Orthopedic Foundation for Animals numbers and clearances on hips, knees and hearts. “Having the breeder’s veterinarian check [the dog’s X-rays] is just not the same as having them sent in for evaluation by specialists,” Dannel Vitcak says. As of 2007, spinal clearances from OFA are not yet available, although a pilot program has begun.
Expect your puppy to come with a health defects that may not be immediately apparent in a puppy who’s 10 or 12 weeks old.
“I give a 30-day, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee on my dogs,” Dannel Vitcak says. “I guarantee them against life-threatening or crippling conditions for one year. I also offer
to take the dog back at any point in his entire life if the owner cannot keep him.”
Taking Your Puppy Home
Most breeders like to keep Frenchies with their mother and littermates until they’re 10 to 12 weeks old, although some will let them go as /early as 8 or 9 weeks. The extra time helps pups learn proper dog behavior. “Too young and they can be little tyrants and not very pleasant adults,” Dannel Vitcak says.
“Don’t worry about them not bonding if they don’t come to their new home until an older age. Frenchies are not very loyal and will love the one they are with hilly and completely.”
When you pick up your puppy, expect to receive AKC registration papers, shot records, vet check records and any other health information the breeder may have. Often, breeders include a copy of the pup’s pedigree in the take-
home packet. “I give a little album with pictures of the puppy growing up and any relatives I have pictures of;” Dannel Vitcak says. “I also include a lot of information on puppy proofing the home, what items to buy in anticipation of
getting a new dog, housetraining, feeding and general care. Some of this I send prior to their getting the dog so it can be read and acted upon.” And don’t forget that a toy or blanket with the scent of a puppy’s mother and littermates can be comforting to him in a new home. But the most important thing you can take home with your new French Bulldog pup is
the prospect of a long-term relationship with the breeder~ who can become an advisor, confidant and even a friend.“I look forward to the holiday season when I receive so many amazing cards with pictures of sassy, happy French Bulldogs and their families,” Dannel Vitcak says. “It makes all the sleepless nights and work that goes into raising puppies worth it. I have become very close to some puppy buyers and have friends for life now. Others I hear from occasionally, and that is just fine. But I do like to be kept in the loop on how the Frenchie’s life is.”•