French Bulldogs - Why so much negativity on here?

[FrenchieBFan]

Following on from a different thread, I noticed a lot of negativity surrounding French Bulldogs - as a Frenchie Owner (Had my first for 13 Years, now have x2 more aged 3 and 6) ) I have only heard bad things on here. All of ours have been pedigree / KC Registered with long, long bloodline. Never faced any Health issues, my first old girl lived a fantastic long life and our current two are a delight. They're funny, faithful, somewhat lazy and adored by everyone we meet on walks and activities.
Is there really so many horror stories out there surrounding the breeding and health?

So sad for them. They are sweet and respond so well to love and affection. But they are the canine equivalent of fast fashion.

They didn't ask to be bred the way they are, with the many health issues that can be predicted for them, and the painful final years many will endure. That is all the fault of the people willing to buy them.

I also find quite often owner’s of these dogs will double down and try and prove that they aren’t a welfare problem.

Like the man I met in the park with his Old English bulldog telling me how great they were and how his is the healthiest dog, never had any problems and can walk for miles….

This had come about as he’d come up to say it was sad his dog couldn’t play with mine today as he was “having a few wee problems with his legs”. I’d then commented that I was sorry to hear that but I knew they were prone to some joint disease. Whilst his poor, morbidly obese dog limped over and sat there rasping away with one of it’s third eyelids hanging out and the skin under his stomach red raw. Never even met him before and I thought he was on the wind up- completely surreal. Unbelievable. How can you be so blind to all those issues?

As ill educated as not having a clue why Frenchies have so many issues, even though you've owned three? 🤔

‘Ill educated and hideous’, eh, OP?

My sis has one. He is so lovely. He's a bit of a nippy fucker though when he gets excited or feels pushed out.

He's a lovely dog. He has bags of personality. He's good with my dogs and is generally well behaved. He's very cute too.

He is a handful though. But it makes him, him.

He has lots of personality I love a frenchie

Well, I have a friend who is a vet and says the breed is pretty much ruined at this point and further breeding of them is unethical. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they're lovely personalities, but their appearance makes me feel uncomfortable - almost guilty or ashamed - because they're a vivid illustration of humans doing something selfish. I didn't realise their life expectancy was 5, that's terrible. Our last dog (not a pedigree, came from a farm) lived to nearly 16 and was healthy until he died. He might have been genetically lucky, but 5 is just wrong.

Ah, she’s a little darling @mumtumok !

I have a franchise cross something or other. He’s an absolute muppet- high energy, highly strung- but luckily pretty healthy. He’s got slightly longer snout, but still the bulbous eyes which make him head shy. Poor lad.

I have 3 girls , 2 with good pedigrees who we researched extensively to make sure they came from a good line. Their parents were all tested to show they had no health conditions which they may pass on. The 3rd is a rescue who has no health issues but has had a rough start. The problem lies with people who want the dog for the extreme look which creates a demand from backyard breeders and causes an unhealthy dog. It's sad for the dog and needs to be stopped ( I'm not sure how this would be achieved) but really tired of all frenchie owners being tarred with the same brush. All my girls are happy , healthy , loved and cared for. They have no health issues , can walk for miles and love life. I love this breed and wish that it wasn't being ruined by greedy , heartless individuals. For the rude people who think they are ugly ..... my dogs think the same about you but they've been bred to be more polite and not verbalise every rude thought that enters into their head 🤣

I have a Frenchie and he’s a gorgeous kind funny softie who we all adore, he is 7 and a half years old and we don’t regret getting him BUT despite them being a lovely breed I’d never get another. They do often have so many health issues. Ours had a ruptured disc (Ivdd) at 4 years old and I didn’t realise before then that this is actually so common with frenchies. He was paralysed overnight and we were debating putting him down until we discovered a dog wheelchair which gave him a new lease of life, he’s still the same happy cheeky crazy dog and goes on long walks in his wheelchair (he’s very speedy in it and has adapted amazingly!). If he had ever seemed miserable we would of put him down without hesitation as we only ever want what is best for him but he is so resilient it just didn’t seem to phase him. As well as that we’ve had numerous other issues- ear hematomas, knee replacement, a salivary gland issue… we’ve said that we’d never put hike through another big op. His insurance has now gone so high we’ve had to cancel it and put money aside each month instead! So yes, lovely breed and I love ours so much but I’d never get another x

Thirteen is indeed a good age for a frenchie. The point is that living to 14 or 15 is entirely normal for a JRT, not 'a good age'. Size has a big impact on canine longevity, with small dogs averaging longer lives than big dogs, so I'd expect a dog the size of a frenchie to have a similar lifespan to a JRT. Yet many of them have short lives plagues by a major health issues whereas JRTs, as you rightly say, are powerhouses.

They can’t breathe properly, they can’t reproduce, their eyes bulge and it causes them great discomfort, they have short life spans because they have so many health problems due to the fact they’re basically deformed, many of them can’t socialise with other dogs because other dogs don’t recognise them as dogs because they have no snout… and despite all that people keep buying them because they’re ’cute’ .

I don’t think they can afford not to be desperate for affection. They need you to bond with them because they absolutely cannot exist or survive without human assistance.

So OP, having read this thread, do you now understand where this "negativity" surrounding Frenchies comes from?! It must no longer be a mystery to you now surely....

@EdithStourton mind, just to go against the grain we have a wirehaired jet. She is about 14 years old (was a rescue as a young dog), she has had spinal surgery, cruciate surgery, ear surgery, a toe amputation. In fact more surgeries than any of our other dogs over the years put together. She must be an anomaly 🙈. Still going mind!

The socialisation thing is a good point - my beagle is terrified of Frenchies, especially black ones!

It's very true. When we first got our rescue dog the two things he reacted too on walks were frenchies and bikes. Our behaviourist explained that like a lot of dogs he didn't recognise frenchies were dogs and even now he still doesn't know what to do if he meets one at the park, he's perfectly fine with bikes now but frenchies still scare him silly.

You know something has gone completely wrong in breeding when other dogs no longer know your dog is a dog!!

It's good that yours have no problems but the breed as a whole has been fucked with so much they have probably irreversible health problems.

What's been done to the breed is nothing short of cruelty.

The fact not every single dog of that breed suffers to the same degree doesn't alter the fact the breed as a whole has multiple often severe medical problems as a result of selective breeding.

Everyone who buys one becomes part of the reason this continues to be done.

Acquaintance of mine breeds hers and sells them. The parents are a fucking mess and I shudder to think what life those puppies are going to have.

I think the question is, is a squished up face on a pet so important to someone that they will happily see dogs suffer in order to get it?

Yy my dog doesn't like Frenchies or pugs.

I feel really really sorry for them - and entirely blame the KC for all the problems caused by extreme selective breeding to meet their "desirable" features. For ALL dogs.

Crufts should be held to account as well. They and KC could alleviate suffering by advocating towards Health of breeds primarily.

Anyone who buys a dog who has issues due to breeding is quite a sick person imo, it's beyond cruel

I had a drink in a pub earlier and there were a group there with a frenchie. Poor thing his face was so flat. I thought he was asleep and snoring but he was actually sat there ( v well behaved) just breathing.

Frenchies don't have any more "personality" than most other breeds.

Frenchies are deformed to have flatter faces to give them a more human baby character type look which is attractive, cute to humans and the impression of more "personality".

The deformation, the discomfort and pain (you are deluded if you don't think you sis dog is in discomfort from its unnatural compressed skeleton), to entertain the humans that deformed them is abhorrent.

This is such a garbage statistic. I’ve had 2 and the first lived to 15 and the second to 14. No eye issues. No breathing issues. No skin issues. No ear issues.

The health of the breed is declining from bad breeding for “fad” or “rare” coat colors. Those poor things are very poorly bred. But even the blues and lilacs live well beyond 4 years. That stat is so very very wrong.

I rehomed my Frenchie, after his owners couldn't cope with him. He wasn't yet three years old at the time and had had three owners already!

He's now nine and a half and just neeeded some love, training and time to become a wonderful loving little dog. No breed related health problems but he is aging and has líbrela injections monthly.

I think they are over bred and also chosen by people who probably didn't research the breed or indeed really understand the responsibilities of dog ownership.

I have a couple of friens who are vets and they really dont like dealing with them (and they do get a lot in due to health issues). DD did work experience with one of the vets and she had to try and help hold one down for an ultrasound, apparently they are both very strong and very fragile.
I am glad yours are well OP and long may that continue but far too many aren't