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The pros and cons of owning a French bulldog
For us Frenchie owners, love doesn’t perfectly describe what we feel for these warm, cute, and affectionate pooches. We are absolutely crazy about them. The attraction doesn’t just end with their warm personalities, their squishy little faces are some of the most refreshing images to meet after a long hard day at work.
They make the best cooking and TV companions to adults as they are wonderful play-pals for little children. Put aptly, French bulldogs are incredibly awesome!
While we hate to admit that our Frenchies may be less than perfect, the truth is; despite their sweetness, this breed like all other canines come with some flaws.
ad but true. The pricy Frenchie comes with some flaws and traits that most new owners will have to put into consideration before making the big purchase or adoption. Reviewing some of these flaws are vital to helping you prepare your mind if you eventually wind get one.
In this article, we will discuss some of the pros and cons of owning a French bulldog. While this article will not arrive at the final decision for you, you’ll know at the end if a Frenchie is still the dog for you as we’ll be as unbiased as we outline the pros and cons of owning this breed.
The good about owning a french bulldog
– Highly Affectionate
Frenchies may soon become the go-to pets for affection goals. They are loving and loyal for days! With the Frenchies, you can be guaranteed of warm, furry affection and loyalty as they will stop at nothing to love and protect you and your family.
Want to see some high-level affection on display? There are countless videos of them on Youtube, you really should go take a look. And brace yourself, Frenchies are notoriously playful; you may get addicted.
– French Bulldogs Are “Huggers”
This breed lives for hugs and they can spend the whole day snuggling up to you. If you love hugs, then you just met your match! Frenchies will snuggle up to you at TV time and conveniently position themselves in comfy areas like your legs while you watch TV or even on the days you get too busy for them.
– Frenchies Are Tremendously Cute!
The big round eyes, pointy bat-ears, and crumpled little faces. Their irresistible cuteness one major reason they are loved by people everywhere and enjoy a cult-like followership from some of the biggest celebrities globally. Talk about the perks of being cute!
-Small Sized Dog, Great For Apartment Living
These small and sturdy dogs are the ideal canines for small homes and apartments. Little wonder why they are often referred to as pets for city dwellers.
Their perfect little sizes have also made them the ideal pets for the disabled as they will hardly ever get in the way. Plus, they are peaceful and complement the quiet lifestyle your small apartment encourages.
– Frenchies Are Not Excessive Barkers
Fine; all canines bark. But some can sometimes bark way more than they should and often unnecessarily. It’s an entirely different story with Frenchies as they hardly bark without a cause. Frenchies will stay quiet most of the time unless they need your attention or merely happy to see your mom outside your door.
Generally, Frenchies are nice and friendly, even to kids and other pets once they do not perceive an intrusion. Compared to some canines, Frenchies are certainly some of most the level-headed and polite breeds you can ever meet. This is another reason they make terrific apartment dogs.
– Easy To Groom
On average, the well-bred Frenchie is naturally neat and thus, quite easy to groom – they don’t go mopping your yard with their fur after a bath like some breeds may sometimes be fond of doing.
Also, their furs are short and easily groomed at home so you can save money you’d have otherwise spent at the pets’ salons.
Compared to most other canine breeds, Frenchies do not shed excessively, and their coats are soft, a daily brushing and a monthly or bimonthly bath would be fine for most Frenchies. Their nails may, however, require trimming from time to time.
– Frenchies Do Not Require Much Exercise
If you are not one with adequate time to devote to long and boisterous exercise sessions, then Frenchies are the pets for you. A routine 10-15 minute walk might be all your French bulldog will require to stay fit and strong.
Read more about how much exercise they do need a day
– Frenchies Are Great With Kids
French bulldogs are simply awesome with kids. If you’ve heard anything other than that, then it’s simply fake news!
One distinct characteristic of the French bulldogs is their angelic temperaments. They enjoy and act well among people especially with children. They are equally awesome around other pets.
Learn more about Frenchies with kids and other dogs
But be warned; Frenchies are notorious face-lickers; however, if they are well-groomed, this shouldn’t pose any risk.
– Independent Most Times
Frenchies may snuggle all they want but they remain some of the most independent dogs.
If you have really tight schedules and not so much time to dedicate constantly minding a pet, you can be confident your French bulldog will live just fine with the moderate attention it gets –this in no way implies that your Frenchie will not appreciate longer time with you more.
You should try not to leave them alone for too long as they can develop separation anxiety – anxiety from getting separated for a long time from their favorite human.
The bad of owning a french bulldog
– Brachycephalic Health Issues and others
If you are in the market for a canine that would not cost you some good money in the vet’s visit, then you probably should not be considering a Frenchie.
Due to some anatomical anomalies, the Frenchie is predisposed to several health issues. Caring for a pet with health issues can be financially draining but it is even more devastating emotionally to have a sick pet.
Also, as Frenchies find it hard regulating their body temperature, they are not the pets to withstand extreme weather – excess cold or heat. In hot weather, your Frenchie can overheat because it would need to pant more than normal to regulate its body temperature compared to most other canines.
This is the same reason he may fare poorly in extended and rigorous physical activities and exercises. If you must make him join in your long walks, be considerate enough to ensure those activities happen only in the evenings or early mornings.
While brachycephalic issues may be one problem common with the breed, they are susceptible to other canine medical conditions like Hip Dysplasia; a disorder that can prevent a French Bulldog’s hip from functioning properly and may lead to visible symptoms like pain and difficulty when engaging in daily activities such as running or even walking.
– Bad Swimmers
Frenchies cannot swim. If you usually look forward to Saturdays in the pool with your family and you intend to include a pet in the fun, then the stubby French bulldog is not the pet for it.
And this, of course, is not unconnected to their brachycephalic nature and sturdy built. However, if Frenchie must be part of the fun, you can buy it an appropriate life jacket for dogs, but remember not to leave your pooch unsupervised for too long.
– Stubborn
French bulldogs can appear stubborn at times but you may already know that this trait isn’t peculiar to them alone but to so many other dogs as well.
Note that the occasional stubbornness doesn’t make training impossible, you probably will need to spend just a little more time and patience when training a Frenchie than you would some other breeds. But overall, they are smart and can learn quickly once they put their paws to it.
-Prone To Obesity
Lack of exercises or too little exercises can make the French bulldog susceptible to obesity, but sadly, unlike other dogs that may thrive on demanding exercises, the Frenchie cannot and this could sometimes lead to obesity.
– Snoring
This is a common problem among brachycephalic breeds like the French bulldog. It’s more or less odd to imagine that the same canine that cuts across as charming, loving and cute to many, bears some traits like snoring, slobbering, wheezing etc., the same admirers may find irritating.
Also, you may have to be prepared for a constant wheezing sound while your Frenchie is resting or that quiet/awkward moment when conversations between you and your visitors begin to wane.
-Pricy
Compared to most other breeds, the French bulldog is pricy.
And for good reasons though; they don’t come easy due to the challenges associated with conception and delivery.
The narrow structure of their waists makes natural conception practically impossible for this breed. The conception process has to be aided. The female Frenchies have to be artificially inseminated, given extra care in pregnancy and even then, puppies are birthed via cesarean sections.
As expected, a lot of vet bills go into all of the aforementioned process other miscellaneous needs.
For all the care and attention, breeders are rewarded with about 3 – 5 puppies 🙂 Impressive? You’ll have to decide!
-Frenchies Fart Excessively!
Trust Frenchies to leave you running to the closest window for air with the stench of their farts. Frenchies pass some of the nastiest gases! It’s all cuddles and kisses with this cute pooch until the most rotten fart you’ve ever perceived hits your nostrils.
However, this can be curbed with the right diet as certain foods may escalate this problem. You just have to figure out which and avoid it altogether.
There you have it, some pros and cons of owning a French bulldog. You may gain more insightful and professional opinion if you consult a vet before arriving at a final decision. The vet should be able to provide more insightful details about the French bulldogs especially health specifics.
You can also seek specifics, opinions, and advice from friends or family who already own Frenchies. They should be willing to let you in on the cost and task implication of owning a French bulldog.
And yes, the internet; there are truckloads of information from real French bulldog owners on what to expect from Frenchies if you decide to make the purchase.
Part of the basics we covered in this article are some of the cost implications of owning a French bulldog, you may need to put that into consideration before even consulting further.
If you will find it hard keeping up with the requirements and the extensive medical needs of the French bulldog, the smart thing to do would be to opt for a less demanding breed – there are other cute, pudgy, adorable and less expensive canines out there.
It’s more exciting that way as everyone is involved in the preparation for the new pet, and at its eventual arrival, and Frenchie on its part will be just as happy to have a family like yours.
Common Misconceptions About The French Bulldogs
– French Bulldogs don’t shed
This is simply untrue. French Bulldogs have short hair alright, but this doesn’t suggest that they don’t shed at all. They shed and you would have to be prepared to vacuum the shed hairs occasionally but it’s definitely not something a few minutes of vacuuming cannot handle.
– French Bulldogs Don’t Need Exercises
Overheating, connected with its brachycephalic issues can often get in the way of boisterous activities for the Frenchie but it still could and should use regular exercises. Daily short walks in the mornings and cool evenings are good enough to keep your French bulldog fit and healthy.
– Frenchies Are Aggressive
They are frisky and maybe a little crazy but they are far from being aggressive. They will try all they can aggressively, to stop intruders or prevent their owners from getting into harm but they still cannot be described as aggressive – if anything, they are just the opposite; friendly.
Well, now you have learned a little more about the French Bulldogs. Take your time to talk or discuss to everyone in the family if you would like to take a step further deciding if a French Bulldog is suitable for you.