Frenchie Facts

Part Three:

Entertaining little court jester, or diva. They have no idea that they aren't the size of a Great Dane. They love PEOPLE, all ages and sizes. They will cuddle with you on cold days and ride shotgun on a road trip. They are exacting, stubborn little creatures who can be hard to train. A word of caution: Harsh training will create a resentful dog.

Very cautious because the breed is suddenly popular again. Often, their life is so tied to their dogs so they feel they can ask questions about your personal life and business. I tell people if you like the dog but don't like the breeder, rethink the process. You should always feel comfortable calling your breeder and asking, "Why does my dog do that?"

Ask about the dog's history. Ask about pedigrees. See the puppy and hopefully the parents (or at least one.) Look at the surroundings. Are they similar to yours? Does the puppy seem to be comfortable in its surroundings? Is it in a clean well-lighted place? Is it playing? How many litters has this breeder bred? How long has the breeder had Frenchies? If the answer is “less that two years,” exercise caution. If this is a show person, they may have other breeds, so keep that in mind.

With Frenchies the litters are snapped up quickly. Sometimes breeders want deposits, or they may place you on a waiting list. Neither is unusual. Talk to multiple breeders. You are not committed to the first breeder you've contacted. Once you've contacted a breeder and they're impressed, they may pass your name along to other breeders.

You hear everything from $800 to $5000. Anything below $1000 deserves a bit of skepticism. Most will fall somewhere in the $2500-$3500 range. If the person tells you the price of the dog early in the conversation, then this is a person breeding for income and not the enjoyment of the breed.

An AKC show is an excellent place to see Frenchies of all ages above 6 months. Breeders are there and as you can see by the length of this e-mail, we love to talk about our dogs. Dog shows are entertaining events, much more casual around the ring than what you see on TV. You can approach breeders as they are coming out of the ring, or if you see them at a set up. They're used to answering questions. Also, the clubs hold fun matches and meet-and-greet events for our Frenchies.

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