The French bulldog was created to be the ultimate companion dog and they truly are. They need a lot of attention and time with their families, people who are rarely at home are not a good fit for a frenchie. Frenchies want to be wherever you are, assisting you and watching over you at all times. A person who does not enjoy constant contact with their dog shouldn't get a frenchie.

Because of their unique structure which creates their unique look that draws us to them, there are important things to know and understand about this breed. First, frenchies are not athletes. They are a brachycephalic breed which means that they have a shortened face. Because of this flattened face, its not uncommon for frenchies to have breathing difficulties that prevent them being able to have long periods of exercise. They simply cannot get enough air into their lungs quickly enough to keep their blood oxygenated for what would be considered a normal period of exercise. When a frenchie gets winded, panting and gasping, he must stop and rest. The harder he tries to breathe, the throat will begin to swell which cuts off the airway to the lungs. Frenchies are unable to cool themselves off with panting as efficiently as other breeds, air doesn't flow over their tongues to cool them down because of their flat face. This is the primary reason that frenchies die of heat stroke, if you push your frenchie and ignore the signs, you are risking his death.

Their unique head structure also lends itself to a condition called elongated soft palate. The soft tissue and tongue in the frenchie mouth is usually the "normal" length of your average dog which doesn't have a flattened face. Evolution has not had time to catch up with the manipulation of man's breeding practices in creating this adorable breed. Essentially, the soft tissue and tongue may not fit the frenchie mouth. The soft palate is a flap of tissue that hangs in the throat and separates the nasal passages from the oral cavity. It's presence creates those snorty sounds that get much louder as a frenchie exercises. When the soft palate is too long, it creates an obstruction of the airway and causes the frenchie to gag and sometimes vomit. Some frenchies may have a problem as puppies and then outgrow it as their heads get bigger as they grow into adulthood. If they don't outgrow it, it can be surgically corrected. Stenotic nares (narrowed nostrils) are also common, if they are severe enough to affect breathing, they must be surgically corrected.

Frenchies are essentially a "dwarfed" breed, having been created by breeding the English bulldog and the now extinct white terrier along with a few other breeds. Downsizing created problems with the spine because the long bones of the limbs are thicker and not as long which is what gives the frenchie it's stout, bully appearance. The vertebrae in the spine can be malformed which occurs at birth, this can cause crippling, paralysis or sometimes no visible problems at all. Frenchies can have trouble with disc degeneration. Frenchies can have hip dysplasia, a condition where the ball or head of the thigh bone does not fit correctly into the hip socket. They can also suffer from patellar luxation which is when their kneecaps slip out of place like a dislocation. It can be surgically repaired in severe cases. It's very important to x-ray breeding animals to ensure that no dog with skeletal issues is bred. I x-ray spines, hips and patellas, all of my puppies are x-rayed to make sure that their spines are normal.

This breed is also prone to having allergies and skin problems as many other breeds do. It's extremely important to feed a premium brand of dog food as excellent nutrition is critical for your frenchie and can often be the remedy for several types of physical afflictions. It's not uncommon for frenchies to have food allergies which can cause skin and breathing problems. Often a dog that is food sensitive will do very well on a grain free formula which many premium brands offer. Many frenchie breeders also swear by feeding a raw diet.  

A final and very important fact is that frenchies cannot swim, if they are around water whether it is a family pool or a natural body of water, they need to have a life vest on (yes, they do make life vests for dogs) and be supervised at all times. Every year a number of frenchies drown in the backyard pool, a terrible tragedy which is totally preventable.

Two dogs and a frog! Spring 2015 Starlit Mesa pups.

Frenchies love to wrestle!