Will my Frenchie really only live til 6 years ?

[Jessiesthedog]

I spoke with a breeder today who suggested my girl would live til 6 max. I was quite taken a back

Genuine question, what's wrong with Dachshunds?

They can have back problems.
Our first one didn't at all, or the one DH had as a boy. Our second did - when he was 14, so older than many dogs ever get to. Before that he'd climbed mountains, could walk 20km. Long nose and huge lungs. He lived to over 16.

Dachshunds are statistically one of the longest lived breeds, but there is a risk.

Brachycephalic dogs it seems more that it's the examples long lived ones which are outliers.

Aye. My rescue mutt took well over a year to not be scared by flat faced breeds, and we’re knee deep in Pugs in this area. Poor things. I think the laboured breathing read as anxiety/aggression, no tails to wag and faces that don’t read as “dog.” I just think breeders really need to be stopped.

Anyone who buys a puppy of that breed from a breeder is either too cruel or too stupid to have pets.

Probably because they die before they get a chance to develop the "old age" health issues of other breeds. Duh!

True. I did mention in pp that it is hard to get hip dysplasia when you only live for 4 years.

Google it

Dachshunds backs won’t all definitely fail. There are six variations of them with the smooth haired mini being the most likely to develop IVDD. The other varieties are far less likely to have it.

It is thought that early neutering and therm being overweight significantly increase the likelihood of this happening.

Their spines aren’t so much elongated. It’s more that their legs are so short in comparison to their body. Hence why weight gain can be so deadly to them. So if you have a dachshund with a reasonable length back and legs that aren’t too short you again are less likely to encounter the issue.

Decent breeders are engaged with the IVDD screening scheme which looks at the state of the spinal discs, scores them and advises whether they’re suitable to breed. Sadly it isn’t compulsory.

They were originally bred a few hundred years ago to hunt badgers. The deep chest gives more lung capacity for when they were in a hole and the longer body and short legs helped them to get quite far into the badger set.

Clearly there are poor examples of this breed, but equally there are some good ones with strong IVDD clear lines. So it’s easy to say they will all have a back failure but statistically if you look at the actual research rather than conjecture you will find that is an exaggeration stated to make some people feel knowledgeable.

@UnfinishedUsernam slight derail - have you got her on tablets for her heart - sooner she’s on them the better.

my friends Cavvie has been at stage 6 for years and is about to turn 14.

there is so much more that can be done with cavvies and there hearts now.

im off to the Royal vet college in London with my
boy soon to see a specialist there. He’s only got a slight murmur but I’m getting on it early.

if you can find a vet who knows about cavvies and their hearts will help a lot.

i do hope breeding becomes more responsible

my cavvie is genuinely a happy little boy but he does have health issues. And I thought I did all the right thing asking for health tests etc

Yep, my greyhound is freaked out by pugs etc.
The only time I saw her relax around one was when it did a play bow pose. She then played happily with it. It was like it was not a dog until it did a universal doggy thing.

Was just passing on what my cousin who has 2 was told. I don't own one. I'm not a small dog person. She is in Australia so breed lines are different. Her older one has already needed surgery.

Oh and he is a smooth coat. They do appear full of beans and very lovable though.

I thought that was covered with consume? It has been a long week, but I meant eat animals or products from them and I am yet to be convinced there are ways of getting those non cruelly.

I never understand animal shelters selling burgers and bacon etc to help rescue cats and dogs?🫣

Unfortunately, you're the one who bought the animal without researching the true cost of that face and reasoned thatsomebody else would have bought the trendy puppy if you hadn't, thus making it worth the while for the breeder to do it all again for another batch of frankly, defective animals to suffer and break the hearts of their owners in all too short a time.

I’m sorry you’ve had this news, because whether the breed is ethical or not, it doesn’t matter now because you own one and you and your family love her. Unfortunately frenchies do struggle. I am against the breeding of them and other “squishy nose” breeds, but I have a close friend who has two and despite picking what she believed were “ethical” breeders after a lot of searching (she was desperate for one, despite most of our friendship group trying to talk her out of it and once she had one she wanted a second) both have had terrible issues. Her eldest has just had major respiratory surgery at only 7 years old because he just couldn’t breathe. He has recovered well but that was by no means guaranteed and it cost her a fortune. The younger one will most likely need something similar.

Also, what a previous poster said about other dogs not recognising them as dogs is also true in my house. My soppy two pretty much adore all dogs they meet - except frenchies. They’re either scared of them or indifferent and won’t socialise. I thought it was a funny quirk of my dogs until I read that!

I really hope your girl lives a full life, it sounds like you will do whatever you can for her to keep her happy ❤️ but please, if you ever get another dog, don’t choose a brachycephalic breed.

Just makes my little westie all the more adorable. He loves everyone and has a great time playing with frenchies at park. I didn't realise other dogs didn't like them.

For cooling in summer I can highly recommend the gel cooling pads. My dogs (westie and cocker) really love them over summer. They also get the air con left on, but I don't think air con is that common in the UK. I know it's hot when the westie supervises me through the dog door when I'm outside LOL just pokes his nose out but stays in for the cool.

OP, there’s some truth on here and a whole lot of rubbish. The 4.5 year thing isn’t the general ‘average’ you’d see used and was written to demonstrate how many die as puppies. That element is due to appalling breeding, it’s due to people with no idea what they’re doing out to make a quick buck off a trend. Well bred frenchies live likely 10-12 years. Bred with the correct face they don’t struggle to breath (they should have a longer snout than most that you see). We have one who looks like frenchies used to look and she’s quicker than most dogs we meet, keeps up with spaniels and has never had an issue from another dog. There isn’t a problem with the entire breed there’s a problem with people who don’t know what they’re doing breeding.

Hope that helps

Prob live a shorte rlife yes because of the breathing problems

if im right norway are going to ban certain breeds because its cruel-i wish theyd do the same here

Agree the 4 years is a myth. They did the study too early so lots are still alive and will push the average up. But still think we have done the breed a massive disservice

This article explains the statistical flaw.

Dog longevity: How long will my pet dog live? www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-61262371

@UnfinishedUsernam it's funny you mention not knowing how to play. My cocker is a rehome - I was her 4th home before she turned 3yo 🙁 She did not know how to play. She would roll over everytime I stood up. Just sad. I was so excited the first time she initiated play. She still plays less than my westie (had him from a pup) but has fun at least. She prefers zooming and snugs to fetch and doesn't engage too much with other dogs.

My partner can't breathe properly, (has asthma) doesn't mean they live a 'distressed life' - FFS, as my post said, a Frenchie should never be overexercised and made to suffer excessive heat. I agree the breed needs to be bred out, like many are doing with bulldogs, i.e creating a cross over like a Frengle

All breeds are 'deformed' as one poster said, bred for attributes and looks at the detriment of their health.

If you attack French bulldog owners, you can't stop with them, you have to include Sausage dogs, German Shep's the lot...

The reason that there is such a low average lifespan for French Bulldogs is not quite so obvious as the breathing issues/joint issues etc..

And it might surprise people to know that the short nose isn't the biggest cause of their breathing issues either - it is actually the short neck!

(Obviously, the short nose and pinched nares are still an issue, but the short neck has a bigger impact!).

The reason is that French Bulldogs are SO hugely popular there are a truly incredible number produced from awful puppy farmers, imported illegally too young from eastern europe, bred from horribly unhealthy parents... etc.

This means a really large number die as puppies from infections and illness, they die in the first year or so of life, they die in surgery, they die very young from heat stroke because owners still don't take it seriously...

A 'healthy' one from a good breeder (there are some around), with a responsible owner (mm) who will seek professional advice on whether they need a BOAS op or not... who keeps the dog lean and fit and manages them really carefully... will typically see their dogs live to 10+ or even 12+

But there are SO many who don't fall into that category, who buy frenchies on a whim or who are breeding them as a get rich quick scheme.. those deaths are skewing the numbers.

The listed average age for French bulldogs is 10 - 12 years - but those figures were arrived at some years ago, before the current FB population explosion.

If you look at the average lifespan for similar build/noses - both Pekes and Pugs have LONGER average lifespans (12-14)... again, they haven't seen the population explosion that FB's have... neither is 'more' healthy, they're both pretty awful conformation wise!

I still wouldn't buy one, and even the 'good' ones that owners swear down do not snore or snuffle, can be seen having to breath through their mouths because they can't breath through their noses, and are seen frequently choosing a propped up on the back position unlike other breeds (loads of breeds will sleep on their backs but very few will do so propped up like a human dozing in front of the sofa, in the corner of a chair) because they still struggle to get as much oxygen in as a longer necked, longer nosed breed.

Do you not understand supply & demand?

people need to stop buying them do backyard breeders stop breeding them

We have a rescue frenchie she is 4 or 5. She had a rough start but apart from being a really, really fussy eater she is great. I will admit I'm not 100% convinced she is full frenchie, she has longer legs than any I see around and definitelyisnt chunky they are. She runs and runs and runs, we say she is like a spring lamb, she just bounds along. She jumps astonishing high. She isn't friendly and is a bit reactive but other dogs love her. Like she will have her hackles up and they will be trying to get her to come play. I would be astonished if she dropped dead in the next few years.

The poster portrayed these animals like they're sitting there struggling to breathe FFS, where I state because they can't breathe well, one cannot over exercise them or overheat them.

My partner has lung problems, they can't breathe properly, but they have a full life. My Aunt had a Frenchie, and it lived for 12 years , happy, she didn't walk it for more than 30 mins a day, showed it love and affection all day and that dog was happy as pig in shit.