New french bulldog puppy.
Discussion
tony i get what your saying i really do, however they appeal to me. here's why:
small
friendly to people, kids and other dogs
dont need to be ran for 2 hours a day
robust enough to have young children around
short haired
i have specifically looked for an original colour frenchie, this is because i want one which has been bred properly for health and not colour, the mum of this pup for example is a family pet, silver health testing and original colour, the dad is a regular crufts entry and is gold health tested. Bred for type and not colour. The lower than ridiculous price reflects that. A very good friend of mines parents breed french bulldogs, they have a garage full of them, they sell them for thousands a piece.....i haven't told them im looking.....
Every breed i research has issues. I like the following breeds:
staffs. great but no proper colours available, lots of crosses, the last did actually end in tears.
miniature daschunds. look cute but again bred by lots of people now, possibly snappy and yappy.
minature bull terrier. very very hard to find, need a lot more exercise, potentially loopy.
vizla. perfect breed description but probably too big and certainly needs more exercise.
whippet or italian grey hound. appear fragile, needs more exercise.
proper american pitbull, illegal, bred by bad mans, most are crosses with god knows what. a shame because my favourite breed full stop.
we can obviously walk the dog, half hour in morning and half hour in eve, someone is at home every day apart from one day where the inlaws will look after it.
At least i care, everyone i know seems to buy whatever the hell they feel like with zero thought at all about looking after it, im certainly not buying it as a fashion accessory
small
friendly to people, kids and other dogs
dont need to be ran for 2 hours a day
robust enough to have young children around
short haired
i have specifically looked for an original colour frenchie, this is because i want one which has been bred properly for health and not colour, the mum of this pup for example is a family pet, silver health testing and original colour, the dad is a regular crufts entry and is gold health tested. Bred for type and not colour. The lower than ridiculous price reflects that. A very good friend of mines parents breed french bulldogs, they have a garage full of them, they sell them for thousands a piece.....i haven't told them im looking.....
Every breed i research has issues. I like the following breeds:
staffs. great but no proper colours available, lots of crosses, the last did actually end in tears.
miniature daschunds. look cute but again bred by lots of people now, possibly snappy and yappy.
minature bull terrier. very very hard to find, need a lot more exercise, potentially loopy.
vizla. perfect breed description but probably too big and certainly needs more exercise.
whippet or italian grey hound. appear fragile, needs more exercise.
proper american pitbull, illegal, bred by bad mans, most are crosses with god knows what. a shame because my favourite breed full stop.
we can obviously walk the dog, half hour in morning and half hour in eve, someone is at home every day apart from one day where the inlaws will look after it.
At least i care, everyone i know seems to buy whatever the hell they feel like with zero thought at all about looking after it, im certainly not buying it as a fashion accessory
Edited by m3jappa on Thursday 8th November 21:50
We have whippets, they definitely aren't fragile, generally free of hereditary issues. The main issue is their skin can tear with trauma more easily but certainly doesn't happen often and not to every one of them.
They really don't need as much exercise as you'd think (certainly way less than labradors, spaniels, vizlas etc etc) they are sprinters a good 20 min charge around during a 3/4hr walk and they will be content though they can do a lot more of needed which gives flexibility.
They are great family dogs assuming children themselves are good with dogs. I have two young children and two whippets, I have never had too worry about them together.
You are right though you are doing the right thing and I recognised that in my last post. Please just understand that I see fbd puppies nearly every day at work, it is almost as if people are forgetting there are other breeds out there (that will cost a lot less to buy and long term, their insurance is higher as well).
They really don't need as much exercise as you'd think (certainly way less than labradors, spaniels, vizlas etc etc) they are sprinters a good 20 min charge around during a 3/4hr walk and they will be content though they can do a lot more of needed which gives flexibility.
They are great family dogs assuming children themselves are good with dogs. I have two young children and two whippets, I have never had too worry about them together.
You are right though you are doing the right thing and I recognised that in my last post. Please just understand that I see fbd puppies nearly every day at work, it is almost as if people are forgetting there are other breeds out there (that will cost a lot less to buy and long term, their insurance is higher as well).
Funnily enough i was just re reading up on whippets, i have always liked them since i did a job for someone who had a couple. i liked their gentle delicate nature. I like how lightweight they are (sounds weird i know but they are so dainty).
Upon reading i read stuff like 'a walk around the block doesnt cut it' and 'needs to be able to run' . But then it also says cant be allowed off the lead.
We do have a reasonable sized garden but im not sure its big enough for them to reach 35mph without them hurting themselves. We also live next to a road, not a busy one but still busy enough, id be terrified of leaving the front door open and it bolting. That said the job i did for that bloke years ago also lived on a very busy road and his ones iirc came outside and had no intention of running off.
How can i ensure it gets the running it needs?
Upon reading i read stuff like 'a walk around the block doesnt cut it' and 'needs to be able to run' . But then it also says cant be allowed off the lead.
We do have a reasonable sized garden but im not sure its big enough for them to reach 35mph without them hurting themselves. We also live next to a road, not a busy one but still busy enough, id be terrified of leaving the front door open and it bolting. That said the job i did for that bloke years ago also lived on a very busy road and his ones iirc came outside and had no intention of running off.
How can i ensure it gets the running it needs?
Not letting off the lead is a load of rubbish and I remember reading that when we had our first whippet years ago! (he was an unexpected addition as he was dumped at my place of work)
You should see it when we go on our group whippet walks, 10 or more whippies running off the lead together.
As with anything good training should mean they can be off lead and get them off lead as soon as you can (ie 12wks old)
Our rehome whippet was not allowed off lead unless in a secure field as her first owner was too nervous. She was eight months old so it took a few weeks on long lunge leads etc but she is off lead when in fields etc and is great.
We live on a busy road. We have a porch which helps but we are just careful. They have never bolted out the door yet though. They have pottered out to greet someone but they will go straight back in as soon as told to.
I am inadvertently boasting about whippets to you now!! I don't mean to but obviously I am bias, however my first dog was a collie and whilst I loved her to bits she was hard work and I wouldn't be as encouraging of having a collie as I am of whippets!
You should see it when we go on our group whippet walks, 10 or more whippies running off the lead together.
As with anything good training should mean they can be off lead and get them off lead as soon as you can (ie 12wks old)
Our rehome whippet was not allowed off lead unless in a secure field as her first owner was too nervous. She was eight months old so it took a few weeks on long lunge leads etc but she is off lead when in fields etc and is great.
We live on a busy road. We have a porch which helps but we are just careful. They have never bolted out the door yet though. They have pottered out to greet someone but they will go straight back in as soon as told to.
I am inadvertently boasting about whippets to you now!! I don't mean to but obviously I am bias, however my first dog was a collie and whilst I loved her to bits she was hard work and I wouldn't be as encouraging of having a collie as I am of whippets!
hondafanatic said:
I could believe that...mine, six months old, is very jealous of the older lab the minute she’s given attention. Not in a biting aggressive way...he just tries to shimmy her out of the way with his bum so he gets a pet. I can’t speak for the entire breed as this is the first I’ve had so it might just be mine.
The negatives are few although it’s been a lot easier to train him as he copies the older lab. He can take random dislikes to male dogs and just bark (screech) at them and once he’s set at barking at something it turns into a frenzied fit that sound like he’s being waterboarded.
Positives are that being a smaller dog he’s easy to handle and doesn’t need massive walks. He’s very funny, lots of characteristics that make me laugh...he plays brilliantly with our 9 yo and 11 yo who can take him for walks etc where as the lab is too strong for them.
Ours was bought via a friend’s dad who breeds them in the Liverpool area although he’s stopped now as the gene pool is too narrow in the area. He’s a very meticulous guy who has to see where his pups are going to live and turns down many people.
Dog insurance is stupidly expensive for Frenchies and they are pinched from gardens.
He wasn’t my choice...in fact I didn’t know we were getting another dog until the littlest jumped out of the car holding a fawn ball of something in her arms...but I like him and would have another.
I love all animals, but you can tell which one of those The negatives are few although it’s been a lot easier to train him as he copies the older lab. He can take random dislikes to male dogs and just bark (screech) at them and once he’s set at barking at something it turns into a frenzied fit that sound like he’s being waterboarded.
Positives are that being a smaller dog he’s easy to handle and doesn’t need massive walks. He’s very funny, lots of characteristics that make me laugh...he plays brilliantly with our 9 yo and 11 yo who can take him for walks etc where as the lab is too strong for them.
Ours was bought via a friend’s dad who breeds them in the Liverpool area although he’s stopped now as the gene pool is too narrow in the area. He’s a very meticulous guy who has to see where his pups are going to live and turns down many people.
Dog insurance is stupidly expensive for Frenchies and they are pinched from gardens.
He wasn’t my choice...in fact I didn’t know we were getting another dog until the littlest jumped out of the car holding a fawn ball of something in her arms...but I like him and would have another.
two is taking the ugly tablets, and they’re working too,
Frank7 said:
I love all animals, but you can tell which one of those
two is taking the ugly tablets, and they’re working too,
Awwww...poor Bruno always getting told he’s ugly. Not good for his self esteem two is taking the ugly tablets, and they’re working too,
Just to add my own experience, but he’s only been to the vet for normal jabs etc. Freya, the lab, was constantly in with all sorts of crap from diarrhoea and sickness and various injuries. Bruno has been a lot cheaper in terms of vet bills despite being five times more expensive for insurance.
I think I mentioned it in this thread but my wife got Bruno because he was the last of a friend’s dad’s litter...no other reason. He a funny little fella...lots of odd quirks but hugely affectionate.
The only slightly alarming aspect of him is the noises he makes. The highlight is when him and the lab are rough-housing each other. I’ve no idea what someone who is being waterboarded sounds like but I imagine it sounds similar to Bruno when he’s snorting/growling/dribbling/panting.
m3jappa said:
There is no doubt that they aren't beautiful looking dogs but strangely i really like the look of them
Being an owner of a Frenchie and also having owned a Pug (god rest this soul) and having a daughter who has a Pug; they are gorgeous in an "ugly" way. And has been mentioned a few posts up, the noises and snorts; I love them.
bexVN said:
Just be observant re those noises. If they increase or worsen in sound it can be an indicator that they will struggle more if they gain weight or overheat and become more problematic as they age.
Daisy has got worse as she has become older when she is walked, not with weight as we are strict with her diet and she is a very small Frenchie who often gets mistaken for a puppy (she is six), we just put it down to her becoming older and we just work around it; walk her less and are mindful when it is warm and humid. Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff