Any advice on keeping french bulldog

[EternalSunshine19]

Hi,
A friend has to give up their 2 year old french bulldog due to moving to a flat that doesn't allow pets. He is gutted, but at least he can still see and visit the dog.

he isn't moving yet so i wanted to get some things to make sure i'm prepared for when we get the dog.
are there any things in particular that are a must for french bulldogs? My friend will obviously have stuff to give us, but i just want to buy a few things to make the dog feel at home
thanks in advance

Do I understand correctly you are taking on your friend's dog? If so, they are the best person to ask as they know the dog!

With a frenchie, honestly… cash. You’ll probably be covering the cost of some lovey holidays for the vet over the years.
They are very prone to BOAS, a number of eye and skin issues, hip and elbow dysplasia, tracheal/laryngeal collapse, and a proclivity for ear infections.

I would clarify who will be paying the vet bills or insurance. My dog had a bad stomach after eating something she shouldn't and cost me £175 last week.

Dogs aren't cheap and frenchie's come with a long list of conditions that are very likely to cost you a great deal of money for the next 10 years or so.

Very good insurance.

If you work you will probably need 1-1 dog walkers/sitters who can take care of a Frenchie especially in hot summer months where they cannot copy with the heat.

If you don't work you will be spending your time making sure the dog is not suffering from breathing, skin, eye and other problems as it ages.

Honestly - While it is a shame your friend will no longer keep the dog, I would not let my heart get involved in what is going to be a difficult journey. I think a can recall a story recently which said most Frenchie's die of health issues at 4-5 years old.

Good insurance.
Register with a vet.
Is your garden secure?
Check what food the dog eats now and don't change it - any changes do gradually.
Dog walking shoes and look for places to walk.
Enjoy your new pet and I'm sure your friend is grateful that his dog is going to a caring home.

Money!

Fab insurance paid for by your friend

+1 to this

Wow. Yes we're definitely getting pet insurance. I knew they were prone to health problems. Didn't realise they were likely to die at 4-5.

Lots of frenchies near me seem very healthy- I'd never seek one out but I would rescue one.

Ask the breed specific rescues. They'll be honest, given it's not one of theirs!

How well do you know it? They can be hard to house train, stubborn and argumentative.

They can also be loyal, sluggardly little lap chaps.

And they are short lived.
Browse on here for frenchies, you'll see the questions about skin issues. Keep him on the same diet and everything the same, assuming he's ok at the moment!

Thanks so much for the good tips. I'll make sure i keep the food and everything the same.

Aww thanks for all the good tips. Really appreciate the advice :)

Frenchies have an incredibly short life expectancy - on average they only reach 4-5 years old, although there are obviously outliers.

You will need the best insurance you can get and you'll need to know the signs of conditions like BOAS. In weather like this, they can't really be walked and will need to be kept at home and ideally inside so that they don't overheat and end up with heatstroke or worse.

They're also prone to allergies and skin conditions and often require a specific diet.

Personality-wise they generally love people but can be dog aggressive if not well-socialised. It's also worth noting that many dogs dislike them as they don't have tails or proper noses and therefore it's very hard to read their body language.

We have a rescue frenchie. She came from a puppy mill but she is almost 4 now. She is an absolute delight for the most part. She doesn't have any health issues, the only time she has ever been to the vet outside of vaccinations/check up is when she ate something she shouldn't have.

She is an absolute ball of energy, always zooming or leaping off somewhere. I keep waiting for her to calm down but it doesn't seem to be happening any time soon! She likes a lot of attention, always grumbling at my feet looking for me to talk to her, rub her, play with her and she just gets louder and louder if ignored. She doesn't really appreciate training and likes to do her own thing. Likes 3 walks a day and goes a bit loopy if she doesn't get it, torments our other dog to play with her which involves lots of running, growling and crashing into things.

Now that I think about it she is a lot of work but she is absolutely worth it, she is so fun loving, always up for an adventure, always looking for trouble and nothing beats her smile when she is getting her belly rubbed.

Aww this really made me smile. So nice to hear some positive things about french bull dogs.! Thank you so much! I'm really looking forward to loving and looking after my (soon-to-be) dog :)

I know you’ve agreed here that you need insurance, but the words you need to take from NoTouch’s post are VERY GOOD insurance. I suggest you get quotes for this before you commit to taking on the dog. You need many many thousands of cover.

That aside, are you having this dog just to help your friend out? Do you actually want a dog? Most of all, do you want a breed that may be a heartbreaking expensive mess that is likely to die young and that you will be scared to walk even mornings or evenings in this weather - indeed, you may be scared to even own? (Yes, yes, I know there are some healthy French Bulldogs, but they are unfortunately the minority.)

I would think very carefully and make sure you are doing the right thing before you jump.

French Bulldog | Breeds A to Z | The Kennel Club

How well do you know the dog and do you trust the owner?
Can you examine the dog's medical history?

I have a friend with a Frenchie and she is now 13 years old. They don't all have short life spans.

Thats good to know ❤

The age of the dog is what worries me. It's a Lockdown Puppy from a very popular breed.

A copy of their full history from their vet. Full Insurance and a copy of all existing conditions that have bèen declared or not (and if not walk away). A legal document saying he will under take all responsibility if the dog need medical treatment not covered by Insurance. Also a legal document that you have the power to make medical decisions about the dog.

A few phrases I like asseyez-vous might be useful 😉

Ask your friend which company he’s currently insured with, I don’t know if you can take over someone’s insurance or you need to start over which may cause difficulties if there are pre-existing conditions. Get the highest level of cover you can afford. I remember when my dog was one I was paying about £20 a month and someone with a Frenchie was quoted £70 for the same age dog!

Also get a pet plan to cover, flea treatment, worming, vaccinations.

As it’s hot right now get a cool mat.

Get something in writing from your friend that they are giving you the dog forever (if that is the arrangement). I know someone who did what you are doing, fell totally in love with the dog, only for the friend who had given it to her to decide he wanted it back. It was...messy.

You can pretend it's for the insurance or something, if you feel awkward asking.

If it came from a decent breeder it would be in the contract to return the dog if the owner couldn’t keep it. That’s worrying.
How well do you know this dog? Any existing medical or behaviour issues?
Remember that ANYTHING the dog has ever had treatment for at a vet will be excluded from any insurance.