It may seem that finding the perfect French Bulldog is an overwhelming task, but it does not have to be that way. To begin with, just choosing this particular breed is a winning decision, because of their well-earned reputation for loyalty, friendliness, and playfulness.
What should be your most important criteria when conducting a French Bulldog search? Here are some factors to consider when picking your Frenchie.
Is Finding The Perfect French Bulldog In The Budget?
First of all, you need to have a budget in place for purchase as well as investing in the continual health of your Frenchie. French Bulldog puppies from a certified breeder, can be expensive. The price varies between males and females. You may be able to find a Frenchie rescue to help keep your investment costs down. More on that later.
Have a Family Meeting
Don’t forget to discuss your intentions with the rest of your family (i.e. spouse, children, roommates, etc.). Even if you are the French Bulldog’s primary caregiver, other’s lives will be affected by his presence. Make sure everyone is on the same page before making this important decision.
In our household we watched a variety of YouTube videos, looked at pictures, read articles and even purchased a book about French Bulldogs before we settled on going with French Bulldogs as the breed of our next dog.
You may also decided to visit local shelters and Frenchie rescue clubs to locate a furry friend in need of a permanent, loving home. You may be fortunate enough to find purebred Frenchie that simply needs a new forever home. For example, an adult French Bulldog from a shelter may already be housebroken and beyond the puppy “chewing” stage. This would be a rare situation but it has happened.
The Eternal Question of Getting an Adult Frenchie or a Frenchie Puppy.
If you have your heart set on a French Bulldog, rescuing one can certainly be a great option.
An older French Bulldog will still have the same veterinary needs of their younger counterparts. In this situation however, you will have a pretty clear picture of the severity of their problems before you bring the rescued adult home. With a puppy you may not fully know what their health will be like for a couple years into owning them.
If you’re open to rescuing an older French Bulldog you will get the breed you desire at a fraction of the cost. You’ll also be proud that you’re helping to find a forever home for a Frenchie in search of a family to love them.
Keep these factors in mind if owning an adult French Bulldog is your choice:
- The French Bulldog’s health.
- The Frenchie’s history prior to ownership.
- Behavior around young children – your own and/or your neighbors.
- How the Frenchie acts around your current pets.
- Friendliness quotient with family members and guests.
- The French Bulldog is a good fit with your current lifestyle and attitude. (Frenchies shouldn’t be left alone for more than 5 hours so reconsider if you can’t be with them often)
- You have the ability to train the dog to correct any behavioral issues that he may have. (or have access to a trainer versed in this).
One great resource you may want to look into if you’re considering adopting a French Bulldog is the French Bulldog Rescue Network. Adopting a dog from this network could run you $350 – $700 + depending on the dog. You can see the current available French Bulldogs that you can apply to adopt at this link.
On the other hand, consider these criteria if you would like to own a French Bulldog puppy:
- The puppy’s parents’ health. Ask if you can see the mother and photos of the father. I had an expert look at the mother and father to make sure I was getting a healthy puppy.
- Completeness of the puppy’s vaccination records and health history.
- AKC paperwork from the breeder and a signed contract.
- The puppy and his/her siblings are alert (i.e. clear eyes) and active.
- The French Bulldog was born in a professional, clean facility.
- The kennel owners have references and possess meaningful experience.
- The breeder offers you a return policy.
- Other bulldogs in the kennel, especially the adults, have a friendly manner.
Should You Get a Male or Female French Bulldog?
The decision between getting a male or a female French Bulldog is one you will want to put some thought into. There are some obvious differences between males and females. There are some bigger ramifications of the male vs. female decision if you want to breed the dog later in life but that’s outside the scope of this article.
When I was going to get my Frenchie, I thought for sure I was going to get a female. However, I ultimately decided on a male. For me, I wanted a very specific temperament in the puppy I selected (calm, sweet, not vocal). The dog trainer I consulted with showed me some temperament tests to conduct with the puppies and this particular male passed all the tests so he was my pick.
Although usually clownish and light-hearted as a breed, some say that Frenchies exhibit same-sex aggression. I believe this can be especially true with two males that haven’t been fixed, but not totally limited to just males.
On the other hand, some expert breeders and dog trainers I have interviewed believe that it is largely dependent on each individual French Bulldog’s personality and temperament. This is what I have found to be true as well as we continue to train our little male.
How the breeder treated the puppies and whether they had proper socialization can be a big influence on the behavior of the dog, no matter the sex of the Frenchie. How you train your dog in the first 16 weeks of their life is a crucial time so make sure you get some professional guidance.
Finally the look of a male vs. a female could be a factor in your decision. Aesthetically the male Frenchie is also considered as having the typical French bulldog traits that are more pronounced than some females. So if you want ‘the look’ of a Frenchie the Male may be the way to go. Females, on the other hand are less prone to peeing on everything marking their territory which is a bonus. They also tend to be sweeter in character. My last female bulldog was such a sweet dog and didn’t have a trace of dominance in her being. There is no right answer on which sex to get but these are all factors to consider when making your decision.
Conclusion
French Bulldogs are loyal, friendly, and one of the most popular dog breeds. They are full of personality and they have little hearts of gold. The requirements mentioned here may not be complete, and different people will place more value on different things. However, thanks to your diligent research and follow-up, you can be assured that the adult or Frenchie puppy you select will become a true friend for life.
For more tips on where to buy a French Bulldog puppy read this article.
