Do your research and buy from a reputable Breeder is the best advice anyone can give you. Most good Breeders are working hard to better the health outcomes for Frenchies and often don’t advertise or publicise their litters. That’s because most of us work on referral and word of mouth.

The French Bulldogs Club of NSW has a great resource on their site which provides answers to frequently asked questions. They also have a section on how to find a Frenchie with information on the kinds of things you should look for (and questions you should ask) when you select a breeder.

Why is there so much bad press around Frenchies?

The breed has become trendy propelled by some high profile owners – everyone from Princess Leia and Wolverine to GaGa.  This has increased demand and caused a proliferation of breeders turning their hand to Frenchies.  Some are reputable in other breeds and others new to breeding or moving into Frenchies because it appears to be highly profitable.

Nothing could be further from the truth, Frenchie breeding requires very specialist knowledge of genetics, a strong commitment to advancing the health of the breed and is very expensive resulting in little profit and in most cases Kennels run at a loss.  Good breeders are striving to meet the breed standard AND year on year increase the health outcomes for our pups.

The rush to produce pups to meet the market has meant that breeders attracted by the trend can be unskilled at best or negligent at worst in their choice of genetics and in matching Sire and Dam. And they are turning out pups with very poor construction that often have serious health problems and you only need to ask your Vet to realise that they are getting progressively worse and at happening at younger ages.

In the end, life is life and none of us are immune to illness – even genetic problems.  Good breeders are willingly signed on and complying with strong codes of ethics and have spent time learning how to assess and select the best genetics to conform with breed standards while excluding health issues. Selecting from the best genetic pool ensures our contribution to that little life sets them up for a long and health life.  Back yarders, Gumtreers, and puppy farms are not invested or committed in complying with local and international standards.

Bad press has followed this problem and the reputable breeders are now outnumbered by others and our voice is rarely sought and not often heard in the reporting.

How do I know I am getting a Pedigree dog and why choose an ANKC member?

Members of the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) are signed on to a strong code of ethics.  The ANKC also have a number of ethics and compliance officers around the country tasked with visiting breeders and ensuring compliance as well as responding to complaints.  Where this is a specific problem is found the ANKC will set up a Task Force to investigate, report and often prosecute those who are identified as breaching the organisation’s ethics as was done in 2017 when French Bulldog Fraud was at its zenith.  They are also using DNA to ensure that the stated Sire and Dam are correctly identified.

The Breed Standards have been developed over centuries and are there for the betterment of pure breed dogs. It is not some exclusive club with secret handshakes. While genetics are often a dice roll – it takes skill to look at a pedigree and visualise the genetic traits that form the animal and all the great and terrible attributes that travel through their pedigree. Good breeders can look at a Frenchie and are able to identify the key dogs in its lineage.

Which leads us to the pedigree itself.  Far from just being a family tree, it is an important device in helping us do our utmost to bestow the best attributes into all our progeny. The ANKC and the Frenchie Club are part of a globally connected team of organisations and committed individuals using evidence-driven decisions on attributes and genetics that are based on a well-enforced pedigree system to ensure the Sire and Dam that we have chosen to produce our pups are identified correctly.  This ensures we are doing the right thing by our dogs, their babies and the families they eventually become part of.