Finding a Reputable Breeder

Finding a breeder can be a tricky situation. There is a long list of questions you need to ask to find out if you have picked the right one. After you've asked these questions you need to make sure the breeder has asked you some questions too. If they don't ask you questions, they probably don't care what happens to their puppies. I personally do a phone interview, not a questionare. This way there is not time for the person getting your precious puppy to think up an answer. If your wondering if I have ever turned anyone away. Its yes, I'm not giving my beautiful healthy babies to just anyone and neither should you.

Questions YOU should ask YOUR breeder.

1.)  Are the puppies registered with AKC or CKC? (perferably AKC but CKC is acceptable in some cases more research will be required)

2.)  How many dogs do you own for breeding? (more than 5 is a red flag)

3.)  Can I see where the dogs are kept? (get pictures if needed)

4.)  Do you show your dogs? (yes should be the only answer)

5.)  Do you do any health or genetic testing on your dogs? If so find out what it is? (testing from the local vet is a good start but OFA and CERF registered testing is needed and should be done on at least the parents of the puppies. If the puppies were tested that's even better.)

6.)  Can I come see the puppy in person? (if they don't allow it there is a very good reason, they don't want you to see how the dogs are kept. I personally had a lady tell me that she didn't do that because she was almost raped. Well, then why don't you have a friend come over when I do. After further investigation I found that she had 5 litters at one time. Take someone with you when you go look at each puppy and give a friend or family member the address of the breeder before you go. You never know these days.)

7.)  Do you breed any non-recognized colors? Although these colors can be beautiful they are not the breed standard and are more dogs in the world that need homes. (right now there are so many blue breeders, they have flooded the market and by purchasing the correct color it will bring the cost down and help deter them from continuing this practice)

8.)  Have you ever had any genetic disorders come out in you line? Are you still breeding those dogs? (If they keep doing it after they have already found a defect, they don't care if you get a healthy puppy.)

9.)  Do you ship your dogs and if so how? (Personally, I only allow hand delivery, either by me or for my buyers to come pick up the dog in person) (Shipping can be iffy.  There are some services that will have a person fly with your new puppy and hand deliver your puppy, this is a lot nicer for your puppy than riding across the country alone.)

10.)  How big are puppies parents? (should be under 28 lbs. This follows the breed standard)

11.)  How have the puppies been socialized? (If so how?)

11.)  Have they been started with leash training?

13.)  What vaccinations do the puppies come with? (should be at least first shots)

14.)  Were the puppies vet checked? What was the outcome? (good breeders provide a veterinary certificate)

15.)  Were the puppies dewormed? The worming schedule is every 2 weeks for the first month of life. (Some breeders don't start until the pups are 4 weeks of age, my vet has me worm them at 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks.)

16.)  Have any of the puppies in the litter been sick, if so what was the treatment?

17.)  What type of health guarantee do you provide? (If they do not have one, find a breeder who does.)

18.)  Do you have any references and can I speak to them personally? (You need to talk to someone or several people who have purchased a puppy from the breeder you looking to buy from.)

19.)  Do you have a contract? (There is a copy of my contract at the end of this list of questions.)

20.)  Does the breeder require that you spay or neuter your puppy? (They should unless there are special circumstances that you work out with them and plan to show your dog.) (Breeding is another story... you should have a mentor for this and make sure it's someone who has been doing this for a more than 5 years and they follow responsible practices)

21.)  What does the breeder feed the puppies? (Not only do you want to see them feeding a high quality feed, but you need to know so that you can continue to feed the same food. If your going to change the food to another high quality food you can mix it in to minimize stress on your puppy.)(Frenchies are not dogs that you can feed cheep food to. They can have digestive upset from low quality foods.)(I feed mine Taste of the Wild along with eggs, chicken and beef.)

22.)  Do you belong to a breed club? (These are very difficult to join in most cases, it can take years to get to know people well enough to vouge for you so you can get into a french bulldog breed club. They should at least be involved in a local all breed club and an AKC member.)

Questions YOUR breeder should ask YOU.

1.)  What made you pick a french bulldog?

2.)  Have you ever owned a dog before?

3.)  Where do you plan to keep your dog? (Frenchies don't fair well in weather that is too hot or too cold these dogs are to be kept inside and with you after all, that is where they want to be.)

4.)  Do you have a vet? Does your vet care for frenchies now? (You should pick a vet that has experience with frenchies, its ok to interview different ones before picking. You should ask them questions. I will list those on this site in the health and genetic section)

5.)  Do you have any areas where your dog can access water? (This breed can not swim well although some do swim most can not. Mine do enjoy swimming very much, but it is supervised and with a life jacket on)

6.)  Do you have a fenced yard? 

7.)  Where do you plan to bring your dog to relieve itself?

8.)  Will you spay/neuter your dog? (This is a must unless you plan to show or breed your dog. In this case, there are many thing you must first do before you can accomplish this. Simply putting 2 dogs together is not enough. It takes much planning to accomplish breeding your dog successfully and responsibly.)

9.)  Do you plan to vaccinate and give your dogs flea and worm medications? (This is not optional, you need to do this to keep your dog healthy. Often if you do not do, this it will void your health contract. Not vaccinating for rabies is illegal.)

10.)  What other animals do you own? (Although most frenchies (if well socialized) get along with other animals, a large dog can seriously injure your new baby. Your current dog should be well socialized and friendly.)

11.)  How do you plan to keep your dog warm in the winter and cool in the summer? (Frenchies do not tolerate acclimate weather. They overheat in the summer easily and get cold in the winter easily. A jacket is a must and air conditioning is helpful when its hot.   But there are other ways to cool down; a cool wet handkerchief works well when air conditioning isn't available)

12.)  How do you plan to potty train your dog? (There are many methods of potty training, frenchies don't respond well to physical punishment and it should not be used. Disagreement is ok, but rewards work the best to train them.)( I use "Yes!" when they get it right and I give them a reward; either verbal or treat. I use"Uh Oh" when they get it wrong and they receive no reward. You can see more information on this in the Training Your Frenchie section.)

13.)  Do you have children? Children must be taught to treat animals with respect. If this can not be taught to your child/children then you should not own an animal. It is simply dangerous for your dog and your child. Your dog will give warning and if the warning is not heeded it will give the next thing which is usually a bite. You know how you feel when your pushed to your limit. Well your dog feels the same way.

14.) Will you let me know if your dog is having any problems? Your breeder should care what happens to their puppies for their entire life. I have weekly to monthly contact with all of my puppy parents. They should help you with health and training. In fact, they should be there for you with any of your needs. Yes you can ask your vet, but your breeder should be an expert in the type of dog they are breeding.