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

This sounds like the kind of competition with no winners.

I'm not a dog person and I see lots of these around

how sad. I had no idea. I would bet most of the ones I see are bought - usually see them in central London.

The reason the average age is 4 at the moment is because there has been an exponential expansion in the French bulldog population in the last 5 yrs. My parents have had French bulldogs for 25 yrs and they've had all of them make at least 9. And one made 14. The average would be 10/11. My Mum is on the breed health committee at the kennel club and has worked tirelessly to change the breed for the better - lengthening muzzle, back and tail to prevent the issues that became prevalent in the 90s and beyond when the consequences of inbreeding and small breed lines started to become prevalent. At that time the number of Frenchies registered with the kennel club was in the hundreds it's now over 30,000 a year. Widening the gene pool with poor quality, un health tested dogs though is a poor thing to do. While I'm at it French bulldogs only come in BRINDLE, FAWN and PIED - blue, silver, Black and Tan and the many varieties available as rare or special are not pure frenchies. However, if their all from health tested parents then great! That can only be good for frenchies! For discourse - no I don't own a French Bulldog but have in the past and she lived to age 10.

Is this satire? That's not a pic of an attractive or cute dog (to me).

Um, you might want to research life expectancy as well. Hard to get hip dysplasia which is what most of the health problems are when you only live to 4 years old.

I can't believe that I am reading deformed and ugly in the same sentence. By all means be angry with the breeders and buyers but for you are literally bullying something you have just referred to as deformed. Unbelievable.

Op I rescued a Frenchie and I also wasn't aware of the issues but I feel in love with her at Battersea. Also lots of people get dogs without realising just how much of commitment is it as they need a lot of love but they are genuinely the light of my life.

You don't know what's going to happen in regards to lifespan just keep her healthy, best dog food you can afford or make your own, plenty of walks and keep their weight down and enjoy your beautiful dog and your time together xxx

A family member has one and I can’t stand it. It’s a lovely sweet dog but it’s just not right and is so noisy. Everyone laughs at it as they find it comical but I feel so sorry for it. There are many many people out there who don’t think about the morality of them and just see funny little pets. OP isn’t the only one.

Just googled. Top result - Frenchie listed in 5 unhealthiest breeds.

Not top 3 admittedly, but top 5. That would be enough for me not to want to contribute to their suffering.

You know that dog lovers are allowed to feel sad about any dog being uncomfortable and irresponsibly bred, right? We don't have to pick a top three or five. It's animal welfare, not the X Factor.

How can you so callously dismiss the fact that these poor dogs can’t breathe properly and in the same sentence use the words ‘loving home?’ 🤦🏽‍♀️

Why is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in the top 5?

How much research did you actually do of you dodnt even know that?

Enjoy your vet bills. Hope you have enough money left over in 3 years to buy another dog from the same shitty breeder because you think it's cute.

Jist know that everytime you take it out for a walk you're being judged enormously.

Is it right that many of the poor things have to be born by c section? I am sure I read that on here.

Ohhh that explains so much. I’ve always wondered why my dogs will happily sniff a chihuahua’s bum but are totally horrified by French bulldogs. They actively run away from them! Gosh, it must be a very lonely existence for the poor things.

It's not about turning back time, if people like you don't buy them then they won't be bred.

Surely that's not hard to understand?

Top 5 though according to this list and it only lasts for 4-5 years!

@Livelovebehappy

Modern Cavaliers’ skulls are basically too small for their brain.

I had a Cavalier (born in the 1960s like me) who had a normal size head and a longer snout.

Had a quick Google and there are a number of reasons, I've pasted some below.

Some of the health conditions Cavalier King Charles Spaniels can develop include:
• Heart conditions (most often caused by mitral valve disease) – this is a big problem for this breed. It is where the heart’s mitral valve weakens and doesn’t work as effectively, this is often first noticed as a heart murmur. There is a Kennel Club scheme for thisis*.
• Eye problems – this includes inherited problems such as cataracts. There is currently KC testing available for inherited eye conditionsns*.
• Curly Coat/Dry Eye (CC/DE) – a condition that affects skin, coat, nails and eyes and can cause a severe form of dry eyeye*_ syndrome.
• Luxating patellas – where the kneecaps slip temporarily out of place.
• Ear problemsms*_ – Cavalier King Charles Spaniels can be prone to ear problems. We’d recommend checking them regularly.
• Bad teethth*_ – this is a common problem in all breeds, but potentially more so in Cavaliers as they have a shorter muzzle.
• Chiari malformation and Syringomyelia (CM/SM) – a very painful condition where fluid-filled areas develop within the spinal cord near the brain. There is currently a BVA/KC scheme for thisis*_.
• Episodic Falling (EF) – this seems to be a condition unique to Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Although often described as a ‘fit’ it’s actually caused by stiffening of the muscles leaving the body rigid. Often this has been reported to happen when the cavalier has been exercising, excited or stressed!

@Jessiesthedog I know you can't go back in time, but if people just stopped buying the breeds then there'd be no demand and therefore no supply. If everyone said if they didn't buy it it would still be born, it's thinking too much about one individual when really the whole breed as it currently is needs to stop, or bred for longer snouts, and then breeders keep going - breeders who aren't qualified in any way whatsoever. It shoukd be a regulated industry if it happens at all. Just give as much responsible care to your Frenchie now, recognise that she has additional needs regarding hot weather, exercise levels and future care as she gets older.

That's such a short life span :(
There is a absolutely lovely
Little
One I see on walks sometimes he's only 1 but is such a beautiful boy ... his dad rescued him at 7 months
I tenner a vet appointment last year I was in the waiting room
For the annual booster and a man came in with a carry crate , had 10 French puppies in it he said proudly

sorry was at a vet appointment *

@Livelovebehappy I met a couple with a Cavalier and he had to have major surgery as his brain was growing to big for his skull. It's a problem due to overbreeding apparently.

Frenchie types will be on a spectrum - some of the more responsibly bred ones won't have as exaggerated health issues as poorly bred ones do.
Just take care of her, keep her lean, don't let her overheat, be considerate of her exercise needs.
She's going to have more needs than a typical dog & it might end up being v costly and sad but that's what you get when you choose a frenchie or other overbred breeds.

Research shows an even lower life expectancy now sadly. They’re bred for specific features which impact on health.
Adorable googly eyes=susceptible to Cherry eye.
Flatter face=more breathing issues.
Cute puppydog rolls=very sore skin conditions.

www.newscientist.com/article/2318084-french-bulldogs-are-the-shortest-lived-dog-breed-in-the-uk/

I've just googled this and it says the other dogs are confused by the squashed nose breeds due to the lack of tail for greeting, the bulging eyes that look aggressive to them and the fact that these dogs don't use the sake sniffing behaviour to greet other dogs due to their noses.