Sister-in-law is getting a french bulldog puppy and am feeling very judgemental about it!

[Playmat]

From all I’ve read, this breed is riddled with health problems. And the mothers can’t give birth, they have to have c-sections.

I think my sister-in-law is being superficial to get such a breed. I think she likes them because celebrities have them.

I’m being a judgey cow, aren’t I? But who would get such a breed? It must be a vanity thing, right?

Oh the 'great for walking' posts bloody hilarious.

Can just see one accompanying Dd and I on our 8 mile hikes

I imagine they Probably go round the block and shopping outlets....

Poor things

@treepolitics

Here here 🙌 ❤️

It offends me so much when people insinuate I have any interest in profit when busting my balls to preserve a pedigree line without all of the nasty things mentioned. My dogs are not massively undershot, they have perfect patella scores and nose space, lovely wide open nares and no respiratory issues whatsoever.

Researching pedigrees for years, travelling to other countries to meet dogs before you consider bringing them into your lines.

People please don't blast breeders like me. I want this breed to survive naturally without human intervention more than you'll ever know. I don't do artificial insemination, I don't book c sections, my dogs are raised 100% naturally on the best food on the Market and I love them dearly.

One of my girls (my oldest) was very ill with an infection last week which is NOT Breed specific it can happen to any female dog of any breed. I paid almost £2000 to keep her alive because life isn't life without her in it!

My dogs are not stock, they don't have a job, they contribute to survival of their breed and they do it extremely well. Only one litter is needed from a dog to create the next generation. Preservation NOT greed!

I've just been reading up on french bulldog breeding. Over 80% of births have to be done by caesarean as the dogs heads are bred to be big and the pelvis to be narrow. According to the breeders article I read most breeding has to be done by artificial insemination too.

So on the majority of cases people are deliberately choosing to breed litters, cause trauma to their dogs and produce more dogs that, in the majority of cases, have health issues.

And yet we are intolerant for judging the people who do this

So what should happen to the breed then? Let them die out? Not allow breeding to keep the line?

You think the dogs would give a shit about that?

The way they have bred pugs & frenchies to shorten the skull so there is an excess of skin is horrific. I know ALL breeds can be prone to health problems, but brachy faced dogs are pretty much GUARANTEED health problems unless you buy from the best of the best breeders out there, costing thousands, and even then i just dont think it is good to encourage the popularity of them. As people having the "expensive" version leads to copycat cheaper versions.
Sick of seeing people and their "frenchies" all over my SM. And thats coming from a lifelong dog lover and owner.

And thats coming from a lifelong dog lover and owner.

The problem is that these people aren't lifelong dog lovers. The obsession with sharing photos of their 'fashionable' pet tells you everything you need to know.

I would judge her for the breed but also for the lunacy of intriducing a puppy at Christmas. Most responsible breeders will not let you have a puppy over the Christmas time, its cruel

introducing

They are a really engaging breed but the way they've been bred in this country is irresponsible.

This ^

And just as a matter of interest -what colour is it? If it is blue, or merle, or black and tan, and probably the "lilacs" too (not sure), then somewhere along the line, an unscrupulous breeder has introduced the rogue DNA of another breed of dog to produce and "unusual" colour (for which they charge premium prices), and then bred back to a Frenchie type to get the "look".

Most Frenchies now are skinny little buggers (which betrays out-breeding) - the originals were a chunky dog. I don't know that breeding out for colour etc has improved the health - maybe it has, but as they breed back to get the flat noses etc, probably not, though they may not have the inherent heart problems.

Also, your SIL has more money than sense. These dogs start at about £1,800, and go up to £6,000. Absolutely crackers!

(They are delightful, though . . . but as a PP has said, I wouldn't have one because it's encouraging bad breeding)

The problem is that these people aren't lifelong dog lovers. The obsession with sharing photos of their 'fashionable' pet tells you everything you need to know.

Yep. The type of girl in my area who has these often comes complete with curly blow, lip injections, acrylic nails nearly a metre long, & 10 layers of fake tan. "Ermagawwwwd look he bought me a frenchieeeee" . And wtf half of them are wearing real fur like what the actual fuck!! Then poor dog is left alone in the kitchen half the time argh i fucking hate it so bad .
I ADORE dogs and would kill to own one again but due to living on my own i wouldnt impose that out of selfishness, as im just not home enough for it to be fair. Just make do with sharing family members' and giving them so much love x

MrsT486

Thank you - I know that there are good breeders like yourself around, but sadly they are greatly outnumbered by the poor ones - especially these days where idiots are prepared to pay silly money for dogs just because a celebrity has one, or because they are "unusual".

Personally, I don't like merles (in any breed) - that's just my preference - but I know that they command high prices.

This has led people who don't know what they're doing and just see £££ signs to breed two merles together to get more merle pups in the litters.

They end up with blind, dead, deformed puppies, too, because merle is a recessive gene and carries a myriad of health problems as well as the unusual coat colour.

And don't get me started on unusual crosses *, because I would probably self-immolate!

*"Mongrels"

@MrsT486 you sound like all the breeders of my dog breed I know, desperate to help improve the potentially inherited problems of the dogs they are breeding, spending thousands on geriatric pet care. It’s such a shame when people generalise about dog breeders.

We know nothing in reality about op’s SIL’s dog breeder, she may be a diamond and her dogs may have better than average french dog outcomes, we don’t know that information.

The problem then is regulation of breeders isn’t it, rather than banning or allowing any single breed to become extinct. Of course no dog should ever be a fashion accessory.

I think dogs are good for families they encourage walks and stuff spending time out instead of in the house

I totally agree.

But you don't need to buy a breed that has health problems to get out of the house.

My rescue French bulldog is three. I only got her a month ago, but the vet said she has large nostrils, no back issues, no allergies. I think I lucked out, as she came from a puppy mill, but she does have an old-fashioned bulldog look about her, and isn’t so compressed and square.

As I said upthread, my pug rescue is almost 16. He’s had nothing—no allergies, no joint issues, no eye issues etc. I got him when he was five. He is big—long legs, larger body, and weighs 23lbs, face not totally smushed. I think being a bit off from current breed standard has served him well.

I agree.

I know someone who breeds them and they've become so popular and fashionable and the market so saturated that she is struggling to sell all of her current litter!!

I don't feel sorry for her because IMO she's over bred her dogs, but I do feel very very sorry for the dogs and puppies.

YABU
Most dog breeds come with their own set of health problems and any dog can suffer with allergies, heart problems, hip dysplasia etc etc etc.
As long as she is aware of potential health problems and has the money and intends on getting good insurance why shouldn’t she have one?
I have miniature dachshunds. Mine are currently healthy but they are renowned for back problems that can cost thousands upon thousands to fix. I have good insurance. I used a reputable breeder. They have wonderful lives, are never left for more than 2 hours and are treated like lords. Should I not have them because they are a breed prone to health issues?

It's the Game of Thrones/Husky thing all over again.

At least Frenchies are small(ish) dogs and a wee bit easier to cope with than a Husky...but the rescue centres will still be full of them in a year or so. Doesn't matter what breed it is, it will still wee, pooh, need walking and training, and some people just can't be bothered with that bit. And let's not mention the 'dog teenager' stage...

@midnightmisssuki yes, let the breed die out; it is immoral to intentionally breed an animal to suffer.

There is no need for dog breeds and there are plenty of animals in shelters all over the world who need loving homes so you don't need to pay a breeder to get a pet.

the rescue centres will still be full of them in a year or so

Funnily enough I was just talking about this yesterday to a lady I meet on dog walks who works for the PDSA.

She was saying exactly the same thing about Franchise - her complaint was that they are seeing lot of them coming in for veterinary treatment because owners can't afford to pay the bills (or claim they can'T. However as she rightly says - if you can drum up £2.000 fo a dog you should be able to pay your vet bills - especially when those vet bills include a c-section for a bitch who can't whelp.

Too many of them are being bred, too many are being badly bred, too many are being bought for the wrong reasons (social media fashion etc), not cared for properly - and now they are starting to end up in shelters because the people who are buying them are moving on to the next breed, or don't want the old, snotty, flatulent dog - they want a new one, a puppy, perhaps a more unusual colour etc.

It makes you sick!

YANBU.

Too many of them are being bred, too many are being badly bred, too many are being bought for the wrong reasons (social media fashion etc), not cared for properly - and now they are starting to end up in shelters because the people who are buying them are moving on to the next breed, or don't want the old, snotty, flatulent dog - they want a new one, a puppy, perhaps a more unusual colour etc.

I just don't think it's true that just because you have a frenchie or pug you aren't able/willing to care for or train it properly. Yes there are huge numbers of dogs in shelters of ALL breeds because there are a lot of shit dog owners, regardless of the dog. My pugs are treated impeccably and I will continue to care for them all throughout their lives, as are all other pugs and frenchies I know.

All the people posting about their healthy frenchies need to realize they are the exception not the rule.

Healthy in spite of all the issues these dogs are known to have. Which is not really saying much tbh..

Is she actually getting the puppy at this time of year? So the breeder produced a litter just in time for Christmas, I'm sure they only do it for the good of the breed though /s