You have to be really careful and be well-informed when buying a French bulldog as is a long term acquisition and the dog is going to be your proud possession for the next ten to twelve years. You can quite often be misled by the glib talk of the local pet shop owner into making a wrong choice. To avoid this, and to make a right choice, you will have to do some research on the qualities of a bulldog with all available information.
The first obvious step is to identify a good French bulldog breeder. Many owners consider breeding their French bulldog as a business proposition and are driven by commercial greed. The breeder has to be reliable and honest in his dealings. In fact even a family dog owner who owns a female French bulldog is a potential breeder when he decides to takes his bitch out for crossing.
You should be in a fit position to ask the breeder some critical questions and also know what the right answers are. For instance, you should be familiar with the general health problems of bulldogs and ask the French Bulldog Breeder pointed questions. Only healthy dogs that meet the breed standards should be allowed to mate.
Dog lovers know hip dysplasia is a common occurrence in bulldogs. If you ask the French bulldog breeder any query relating to this particular disorder, the breeder should be able to produce the OFA hip ratings of both parents of the French bulldog.
It is expected that French bulldog breeders follow a set of ethical rules while breeding. They must ensure that the male and female bulldogs that are to cross, thoroughly examined by a qualified Veterinarian for any genetic disorders. The responsible French bulldog breeder should not allow the mating of closely related bulldogs. As a matter of fact, the population of French bulldogs is rather small and thus there is every chance of incestuous breeding.
The mating should only take place when the dogs are in a relaxed mood and not when they are neurotic or hyperactive. A French bulldog breeder will allow sufficient and reasonable amount of time between two mating sessions of a particular bitch.
A responsible French bulldog breeder will take pride in his pups and will testify for the quality of his pups and even offer a replacement should the pup develop any genetic disease later on. They make a careful assessment of their puppies and sell them either as bulldogs fit for show and for breeding or as pets. The true French bulldog breeder will never shy away from letting you see his puppies and will never put up for sale defective puppies.
French bulldogs are compact, muscular dogs with a smooth coat, solid bone structure and a pug nose. A valued companion and a trusted watchdog, the French bulldog stands 11 to 12 inches tall and ideally weighs around 26 pounds. His head is large and square with round sharp eyes. The tails is short and either straight or screwed. Their skin is quite soft making them very appealing pets.
It is prudent to consult local kennels, dog clubs and bulldog owners before selecting a good breeder as any indiscretion will make you end up with a wrong pet.
