Why are french bulldogs so expensive?

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Why are French bulldogs so expensive and how much do they cost?

Despite their premium cost, French bulldogs have increasingly grown popular everywhere. Celebrities are not the only ones madly in love with these furry, squishy-faced creatures, virtually everyone else does! And even many more would get it in a heartbeat if they weren’t so expensive!

Let’s see; maybe you are only reading this article after you came across the sturdy canine on the sidewalk today and you just had to know more about it.

You are right on time!

This article covers the essentials you should know about the French bulldog’s cost – but one thing you should know is; Frenchies are absolutely lovable and all that cuteness you saw on the sidewalk is only half of what makes them the favorite they have become over time.

Nah, not trying to get your mind off the cost; only trying to help you understand that if you decide to damn the cost and go ahead with your purchase, it will definitely be money well-spent.

Why are French bulldog puppies so expensive?

Everyone loves the Frenchie but not everyone can have a Frenchie. Really sad! What makes these pooches cost so much?  Aren’t they supposed to be just dogs? Yeah right, they would have been just dogs if they weren’t exceptionally adorable and breeding them wasn’t a demanding full-time job, alongside other major expenses that often drains the breeders financially.

Unless you do not mind buying a relatively cheap and poorly-bred French bulldog, you must realize that running a good kennel demands full-time commitment. For one; female Frenchies cannot deliver naturally – at least a responsible breeder would never let them go through that horror or even risk losing the “hard-earned” pups and their mom.

Besides, letting a Frenchie deliver naturally says a lot about the breeder and you may want to entirely avoid buying from such as there is a high likelihood that he cares little about the breed and could possibly also care less about the new pup’s health so you may be taking home one badly-bred puppy if you eventually buy from him/her.

All responsible French bulldog breeders know that female Frenchies have to undergo cesarean sections to safely birth the puppies. This is as a result of their body structure. The narrow waist of the female Frenchie makes natural delivery nearly impossible.

That is not all; other factors like their body structure makes copulation challenging, hence; artificial insemination is almost always the path to take.

Still, don’t believe all of these justify the high cost pegged on them? Well, you just wait, there’s more where that came from. French bulldog puppies and Frenchie mama requires round the clock care even after birth.

Frenchies are adorable, lovely, charming and are everything good but this doesn’t make them any less susceptible to common mistakes.

A Frenchie mama may roll over her pups while asleep, therefore breeders cannot afford to risk leaving Frenchie mom and her babies all alone.

Constant observation is required and money may be spent on sitters to constantly watch Frenchie mom and her vulnerable little pooches.

Additionally, Frenchies are super-delicate canines that can often suffer from disorders common among their breed – primarily due to their brachycephalic natures and this would often warrant frequent visits to the vets aside the vaccination bills.

Add up all of that to the cost of registering each puppy with the recognized kennel clubs and then include the cost of feeding (most breeders feed their Frenchies only premium dog food), beddings, toys and all other miscellaneous materials needed to raise the litter until they get to your home.

Furthermore, Frenchies do not produce as much as litters as most other dog breeds; for all their labor and expenses, breeders are rewarded with only 3-4 puppies on average. Do the math!

How much do french bulldogs cost?

True French bulldog lovers understand that Frenchies are priceless even though purchasing them may come at a cost. That said, on average a French bulldog may be sold within the $1,500 – $8000 range. Did your jaw just drop? Not if you read the previous section 🙂

And please, if you still intend to go through with the purchase and also out to get a good bargain; try all you can to stay off puppies with too-good-to-be-true prices. They are exactly what you already think they are – too-good-to-be-true! And also, stay off the ones with incredibly high price tags after you factor in the costs of breeding.

Most breeders with unbelievably cheap prices are either just trying to discard puppies with a number of health issues they will NEVER mention (poor care choices = poor outcomes).

On the other hand, some breeders with extremely expensive dogs may simply just be having you pay for the cost of some sham “rare” colors.


The Standard color of the French bulldog

French bulldogs come in several different colors and, “rare” colors – lilac blue, and chocolate may cost more than the more common colors like fawn and bindle.

Typically though, the standard colors are brindle, cream, pied, and fawn, however, there are other colors in between.

You should,  note that the “rarer” colors are not recognized by Kennel Clubs everywhere. Unless you plan on having your dog partake in canine competitions, this may not matter to you.

Most expensive colors of the French bulldog

Even though some breeders may parade “rare” colors around and have buyers pay handsomely for it, these colors as said earlier are not recognized by most reputable kennel clubs. Some dishonest breeders have been discovered to cross-breed Frenchies with some smaller breeds like the Chihuahua, all because they intend to sell you a “rare color” for more.

And expectedly, they come with a higher risk of developing frightening and costly health conditions you certainly do not want, such as; eye anomalies, deafness, higher mortality rates – at least when compared with regular Frenchies.

As if those conditions weren’t terrible enough for a French bulldog, “rarer” and more expensive colors like the Blue French Bulldogs suffer a genetic disorder known as Color Dilution Alopecia. This disorder affects pigment distribution in a Blue Frenchie’s coat and can lead to hair loss and even stunt hair growth. The disorder cannot be treated and as such, the “rare” Blue Frenchies can be susceptible to skin infections.

So, in reality, if we are not including the “rare” and non-recognized French bulldog, we really shouldn’t be considering Frenchies costs in relation to their colors but simply cost in relation to how well they were bred and other standard genetic considerations.

Besides, considering the problems “expensive rare-colored Frenchies” often suffer from, are they really still worth the hype? You’ll have to decide.

Most popular colors of the French bulldog

For a lot of pet lovers and admirers; one of their favorite features of the French bulldogs is the selection of colors they come in. Deciding which to go for with so many amazing colors to pick from can be challenging. However, trimming down to some popular and beautiful colors like Brindle, Fawn, Black Mask Fawn, Fawn Pied, Brindle Pied, and Pied can make the process easier.

In this section, we’ll outline the features of some popular colors RECOGNIZED by French bulldog and kennel clubs everywhere.

Fawn

Fawn French bulldog

This color of the Frenchie is one of the most popular ones recognized by kennel clubs everywhere. It ranges from light tan to dark reddish tan and sometimes in between. The color does not have brindle in their covering.

The fawn French bulldogs are not uniform in color; the colors of the sides, head, ears, and backs are often darker than the color of their lower legs and bodies.

Brindle Frenchie

This Brindle Frenchie has a black color with patches of lighter colored hairs. These colors may be uniform but can appear randomly. The brindle puppy’s gene can be passed down from either of both parents. Generally, the standard black brindle Frenchies are some of the most common colors of the breed and may also be the least expensive.

Some others may come with different sizes of white patches on the chests. These patches are also seen on the neck areas or toes of these brindle dogs.

Pied Puppy Frenchies

Pied Puppy Frenchies

A pied puppy Frenchie is predominantly white-colored with a few patches of a darker color. Sometimes though, one patch stands out and could stand out that particular Frenchie.

The patches can be likened to any of the recognized and accepted shades of brindle or fawn as described above. These patches can be on the head, body or even both. The predominant patch is, however, usually around one of the Frenchie’s eyes. Pied Frenchies have dark-colored eyes and black noses.

On rare French bulldogs

BLACK French bulldog
BLACK French bulldog
BLUE French Bulldog
BLUE French Bulldog
WHITE French Bulldog
CHOCOLATE French Bulldog ( image source )
WHITE French Bulldog
WHITE French Bulldog ( image source )
CREAM & WHITE French Bulldog
CREAM & WHITE Frenchie ( image source )
MERLE French Bulldog
MERLE Frenchie ( image source )

What most Kennel and French bulldogs clubs worldwide designate as “rare” are black, blue, tan chocolate, fawn brindle, cream and white, merle, gray and white or any color or pattern other than the colors recognized in the Kennel Club Breed Standard.

The accepted color Frenchies are usually bred with different breeds such as the Chihuahuas to create the “fad/rare colors”. The motivation for these breeders is the high cost they frequently slap on the puppies thanks to the “rarity” of the coat. These rare colors may sometimes be a dominant gene, and if that is the case, it will overshadow all other “normal” colors eventually.

True, the “rareness” may be an attraction for you but even when you can afford to buy it despite its inflated price, it is crucial to understand that these abnormalities (thanks to greedy breeders) may pose some severe risks to the canine.

Conclusion

There are no two ways about it; French bulldogs will always be pricier than most other breeds. You should understand the reason behind the high cost before you buy one and you must also understand that the whole expenses don’t just end at the breeder’s, it is continuous even after your purchase

If you’ve decided to get one; make sure you can really afford it – and no, having the money to buy a Frenchie does not in any way mean that you can afford it.  Frenchies require the same care you would give to a young child. They are some of the sweetest pets you will ever meet, they are incredibly loyal, and their cuteness is next to none but these features come at a cost.

With French bulldogs, it isn’t just about the “thousands” you pay to get it. To truly be able to afford these pooches and provide a healthy and comfortable life for them, you should have the means to continuously cater to their high costs.

There are also several other secondary considerations includes, the time required to truly care for the French bulldog (your schedule and all) and the total commitment involved – way more than money

We love the Frenchies as much as you do but we also love being realistic. The actual cost of a Frenchie can only be accurately estimated when you factor in not only the money but the time and lots of work involved to ensure your furry companion lives in a safe and enjoyable environment.

If you cannot provide this in the long run, you may have to rethink your decision to get a Frenchie. Feeling horrible over your inability to provide the essentials for your little companion is something you should not put yourself through in the first place. You may eventually be forced to give out the furry little creature you’ve come to love and giving up any pet is devastating for anybody. So, weigh your options and go for less expensive breeds that are just as sweet and loving as the French bulldogs.