Going around in circles. Pls help. French bull dog?

[Sodamncold]

I have done so much research I have lost the plot!

I have two children who adore dogs. I grew up with dogs (boxers). Now will be working from home and decided it’s the time to have another member of our family.

We would love a small/very small dog, and one that is open to lots of cuddles.

French bull dog?

Huge thank you

I've got a french bulldog, 11 months old. Mine has no breathing issues, get one that's well bred.

Mine is the best with kids, I'm a childminder and he's amazing with the little ones - I think he thinks he's a child too!

I was talked into getting a dog by my husband/daughter but honestly I love him to bits, he's such a loving, family friendly dog!

I'm so sad that this breed may be allowed to die out due to breathing issues cos they are are so people orientated and amazing with kids!

Might be worth going to crufts, if on, next year and having a look at discovery dogs. Gives you a chance to speak to people that own them and see the dogs for yourself. Bichons are lovely, however my 2 and my mums were HELL to house train and generally dirty in the house. If looking at a cross breed make sure you look into both breeds and consider health problems, traits of both. Just because something is crossed with s poodle, if the other parent sheds, theres not guarantee it will have a poodle coat. Toy poodle x bichon is a nice mix. I like mini dax's but again as a general rule of thumb, they can be dirty in the house and barkers. I dont think youll get anything that ticks every box though

We have an 18mo Frenchie and haven't had any of the issues described by PP with her at all. We did alot of searching to find a reputable breeder and luckily for us it has paid off. I saw some very dodgy pups when I was looking.

You'd barely know she was here half the time. Loves my 5yo and they play together a lot which is so sweet to see, she walks about 7 miles a day Mon-Fri and then leisurely weekend walks, but is equally happy to chill. She loves the heat/sun and water (hasn't attempted to swim though so can't verify that one!) and her only health issue is one of her ears needs cleaned every few days. She does snore though and farts now and again but no more (or worse!) than our previous Boxer.

Temperament wise she's great. She really is like a mini Boxer but way less bonkers! We put alot of effort into socialising her with people and dogs as a pup and leaving her alone for short periods to get used to it, and have had no issues.

We didn't do training classes but taught her basic commands and she walks off the lead when out, though we always put her back on if another dog is about just incase.

The only negative is she's fussy with food. She'll eat something fine for a couple of days then turn her nose up. We buy different brands and mix it up a bit for her. Otherwise I have been very pleasantly surprised to be honest. She's a perfect family dog.

@Elzbells I completely agree! I was reluctant to get a Frenchie because of the negatives I had heard but my husband persuaded me too and I'm so glad he did. Luckily some Frenchie breeders are breeding back a slightly longer face so hopefully the breed will continue in a healthier and more welfare friendly form.

Adopt a dog from a shelter, there are tons of them that need homes.

If you’re not set on a specific breed and happy to get an adult dog, there are definitely some advantages to getting a rescue.
Puppies are lovely and a lot of people like the opportunity to train from scratch. But they can be incredibly hard work - nipping (this really hurts and can upset kids), chewing, and having accidents inside. Plus, you can’t always tell their eventual personality and any mistakes you make in training can cause problems down the line. We decided on an adult rescue and ended up with a dog who suits us very well.
No dog is perfect, so it’s more about how well their personality fits your family. Think about what you want from a dog, what you can offer, what your dealbreakers are and what quirks/issues you could tolerate.
You may need to spend some time looking, and be willing to travel to find the right dog, but that’s often true of breeders too.
Good luck whatever you decide!

Sadly the problems of French bulldogs are not limited to their breathing; the screw tail (or frequently completely absent/inverted tail) and short back also comes with a host of spinal issues like hemivertebrae and IVDD.

Yorkshire terrier?

I had two growing up and they were both lovely soft dogs who were no trouble. Yes they needed grooming but I kept them in a puppy clip and it was easy to maintain. Equally happy to go out or chill in the house. One lived until 18, the other 19.

For Frenchies add in eye problems and loose skin causing excess skin folds and nasty skin problems. Much of these problems come later and are not apparent in a younger Frenchie.

Anyone fully researching this breeds history, health issues and why many die early would not buy.

Re house proud? My girl just threw up all over the living room carpet.

@Wolfiefan mine threw up all over the seat of the car earlier then I found some particularly smelly chew that she'd stashed some of between a folded throw on the sofa after I got home 🙃

Bleurgh. @midnightstar66
Puppy brought a 4 day old chewed raw beef knuckle into the house today.

Houseproud: a friend's Frenchie had an "upset gut", shall we say, yesterday morning. She spent an hour cleaning up her downstairs of her house. Where's the vomit emoji?? I'll stick to rabbits thanks haha!

I only know one Boston - it was a rescue, is deaf (blue eyed, so cute looking, but deaf as a post and eyesight isn't 100% either). The barks from a deaf dog are SO LOUD. Right little livewire handful, sweet, but you find yourself talking to him and then remembering, oh yeah, you can't hear me, that's why you've wandered off.

Another vote for a whippet.

Mine is very affectionate, small and sheds very little. He also has no doggy odour (I’m very sensitive to string smells.)
He actively avoids mud and puddles.

The biggest thing with them is to work on recall from when they are very young. They are very healthy but can be accident prone depending on the dog.

Forgot to add that my whippet absolutely adores kids.