Why French Bulldogs cost so much???

The million dollar question lol.... 
Not only from those who want to buy a French Bulldog, but those with inquiry minds... 
Hence...this page was created.... 

Well... in a nutshell the reason why.... "THEY ARE HARD TO BREED". 
They do not breed on their own, they have to be Artificially Inseminated, which means Progesterone testsing, etc... They do not give birth on their own, they need c-sections... Which means lots of temperature taking and worrying about the "right time" to take the babies out the oven. Take them out too early, the lungs are not developed and the puppies will die, too soon also means many times momma's milk won't drop, which mean bottle feeding round the clock. Take them out late and the puppies will die in the birth canal or detach from the placenta as our last litter, they suffocated and die. Late night emergency c-sections, complications, mother can die in surgery, etc. etc. If the mothering instincts don't kick in due to the c-section, that means round the clock bottle feeding and butt cleaning...  And after all this, you get normally 2-3 puppies per litter. A breeder of say Labradors has 10-12 puppies per litter, it could take 5-7 French Bulldog litters to get that many puppies... think about it.  That reason alone makes them more expensive, but there are other reasons as well.... If interested in reading more, please.....
Read On....

Although healthier then their English Bulldog cousin, French Bulldogs are prone to health problems: breathing difficulties, back problems etc... The best way to try to avoid these issues is by finding a reputable breeder that not just SHOWS their dogs in conformation, Health Testing is 100x more important than taking your dog to a show, after all judges have different opinions and there is a lot of politics involved in the dog show world.  Even with all the Health Testing in the world you cannot be 100% sure nothing will ever happen, so it's best to go with someone who at least makes an attempt to breed the healthiest parents possible.

French Bulldogs are hard to breed and have small litters. Frenchies usually "average" 3 puppies per litter. Most times when you hear or see that a French Bulldog had 7-8 puppies in one litter, that is NOT the norm for American Bred Frenchies. Imported bitches are bigger and therefore have larger litters. Look at the pedigrees of the Frenchies who have these big litters and 9 times out of 10 you will see European blood in that pedigree (more info on Imports below) . It happens, but it's not the norm. Frenchies usually have very small litters.

Expect to pay an average of $2500-$3000 for your AKC Registered *Born In the USA* French Bulldog Puppy and more if you'd like an AKC Show Puppy to show, females are priced higher. Some sell based on color although I never understood that. I have paid good money for my foundation dogs and have not spent a penny less than $2500 for any of my dogs and I can tell you it was money well spent and I maybe got a handful of photos from the breeders before I brought them home and why I provide so much photos and details when our puppies are sold. I know the feeling of waiting for your puppy, especially if it's a 1st time dog owner so I am in constant touch via email with updates, stories, details, photos and will be there for the life of the puppy. It's important to build a good relationship with the breeder of your puppy.

BYB's "Back Yard Breeders" are people who own dogs "with or without papers" and they decide they want puppies or decide it's a money making thing so they breed whatever dog "with or without papers" and sell these pups to the general public. They sell them for less money than REPUTABLE BREEDERS and people buy them because they do not know any better. HEALTH clearances, Structure, temperament etc. are NOT taken into consideration by BYB and they do NOT offer Health Guarantees against Genetic diseases, they do NOT offer LIFETIME mentoring , and they WILL NOT take a dog back for any reason. Good Luck trying to reach them if you ever have a problem with your puppy. They typically just care about the $$$ and are far more likely to produce pups that will have health problems in the future. You may save $1000 or MORE going through a BYB, but you will probably end up paying more in Vet Bills in the long run. BYB's do not care about their puppies for the most part. Many have tons of litters so who cares if 1 or 2 or 5 babies die, there are more on the way. BYBs lack the knowledge of adequate dog health care. Many can love their dogs, and are breeding because they think FLUFFY is so cute, and their neighbor's dog MAX is so handsome and wouldn't they make cute puppies... Believe me French Bulldogs are VERY hard to breed THE RIGHT WAY and it is a very difficult breed to just get into for the heck of it, or for monetary reasons.

If you buy a Frenchie puppy that has a TATTOO
it's 99.9% of the time an IMPORT.

Imports are a whole other story...  To read about Imports. This page is worth reading. There are many websites out there breeding and selling these puppies. To the novice or someone looking for a PET, they would not know any better. This is something everyone should be leery of.

A reputable breeder doesn't do it for money TRUST ME... they do it for the love of that breed. A plethora of money is put into these dogs. I can calculate all my yearly expenses and all my time and I would be lucky to break even with my litters. When you do the appropriate screenings, vet care and nutrition, toys,  handling fees, the 5 hour drive to the Airport to meet parents flying in, the 5 hour drive to the Vet since we live very rural, the hours and hours spent online researching and creating an educational website having DIAL UP still no less, hours emailing people who have questions, helping those who have gotten burnt, etc..., the cost of the puppies is often just enough to break even for all the money and TIME I put into my dogs and puppies. I can make more money HOURLY working at a MCDonalds or Burger King if you multiply all my HOURS of care and work that I put into my dogs not to mention my Newborn Babies and Puppies. 

Just some of the costs of breeding alone, this does not include raising or showing or testing or advertising or time or anything else:
Progesterone Testing to determine Ovulation, sometimes daily.
Vaginal Smears/Cytologies
Artificial Insemination
Stud Fee (If Needed)
Natural Holistic Feed, Meat, Supplements, Vitamins, Homecooking
C-Sections which can cost up to $2500 on Emergency
24 hour care of Newborns which can include bottle feeding, tube feeding, cleaning to stimulate to pee and poop if mom doesn't, etc...
Trip back to Vet for Mom's after care and staple removal
Vet Visit with Full Puppy Wellness Exam, Shots, dewormings,
Puppy Gift Bags with toys and treats,etc...
AKC Registration fees, Pedigrees

Foxy 8 weeks Preg

Then after all this... Your bitch does not get pregnant or you have a 1 Puppy Litter... or the bitch drops early and all the puppies die. Or... the puppies catch a cold from a draft, now you need antibiotics. Puppy fading syndrome, etc.. Our last litter we had 4 puppies, 2 were born dead, only 2 babies for all the trouble to get them here. What about French Bulldog mothers that die during their c-section, after all it is a surgery.... I can go on...............
You do it, then tell me it's easy or cheap. 
 

Breeding the French Bulldog:
It looks like fun huh? For those that don't know the majority of French Bulldog cannot breed naturally and they cannot have puppies naturally.

Why can't the male and female breed naturally? 
While some French Bulldogs males can mate naturally, for the most part they are too stocky, legs not long enough and short backed to be able to adequately "reach" to breed the bitch. While all attempts are there, they simply cannot "REACH"... it defies physics.  SO beware of those claiming to have "natural breeders", take a look at the conformation, "most times" these are long legged, not conformationally correct Frenchies. Don't get me wrong some of these boys are adament, but for 1 that can get it done, there are 100 others than cannot lol.

Why can't the mother have puppies naturally? 
For those that don't know the majority of French Bulldog females cannot whelp (have puppies) on their own, they need c-sections.  Why? Because in a cobby, well proportioned, well put together, French Bulldog, their Pelvis is simply not wide enough to be able to pass the Big Headed Bulldog Babies.  The PEAR shape body we all love, is what makes it almost impossible for the female to have puppies naturally. When you hear of French Bulldog mothers who "free whelps" know that it is RARE. Sure, it can happen BUT IT IS VERY RARE I stress. And why take the risk? Most times also those who attempt to let the mothers have puppies naturally, if for some miracle she is able to pass them, she will have 1 or 2 on her own, then she stops pushing cause she's tired and ends up needing a c-section anyway. Now the puppy or puppies in there are stressed and in danger of dying. It's also a HUGE risk to your bitch to be put under anesthesia while tired and stressed out. It's just not worth it.  We have NEVER free whelped a French Bulldog litter and do not plan to. 

Bottle Feeding Foxy Pups 3 weeks

Caring for French Bulldog Newborns:
Frenchie Puppies are so cute, how hard can it be???? Oh believe me... it's a lot of fun and they are PRECIOUS indeed, but easy is not a word that goes hand in hand with raising French Bulldogs the right way. There is more work in it than working a 9-5 job. My day is not over at 5pm, it's round the clock care for all my dogs, but especially with newborns.  Checking weights to make sure they are thriving adequately, keeping mom well fed, keeping whelp box warm and clean, loads of laundry, etc... 

Because French Bulldog Females do not give birth naturally their "MOTHERING INSTINCTS" pretty much are nonexistent at first. While you can have a 1st time Frenchie Momma take care of her babies right away, for the most part THEY DO NOT until a few days later, which means ROUND the clock care at the most critical time of a newborn puppy.  Breeders that say otherwise are sometimes trying to paint a pretty picture to impress. Or... they think if they say the truth someone will not want to purchase their puppy. Well... a bad mother has nothing to do with the dog itself or the temperament of the dog. French Bulldogs are a MAN MADE BREED. so the dogs are not to blame, HUMANS are. When do you see a wolf in the wild having a c-section? The answer is YOU DON'T. When Wolves or other dogs naturally WHELP their litter and help with the birthing process they are more inclined to have the mothering instinct kick in. And with that said... having bred dogs for 14 years, some mothers who whelp NATURALLY make horrible mothers too, it's not just French Bulldogs or English Bulldogs or any flat face breed who need c-sections. 

Mom & Puppies Set up in our Spare room

With this said...
What goes into raising these tiny beautiful, smooshed face dogs? A lot of TIME AND MONEY, SWEAT and TEARS when you lose one. The 1st 7 days of a Newborns life is the most critical, especially the first 24 hours. I get little to NO SLEEP at all. I sleep in the makeshift NURSERY which is my spare bedroom right next to mom and babies. If they are in my master bathroom during Winter months, I can lay in my own bed. I have a camera on them at all times so I am always watching mom and babies. I check on the puppies all day and all night. If the puppies came early and mom has no milk, guess what? I am bottle feeding babies every 2 hours the first week of life or until mom's milk drops. If she runs out of milk early, it's me who has to bottle feed. 

Do you know that puppies up until 2 weeks of age cannot poop or pee on their own? Yes, you read that right. That means if mom does not stimulate (lick) the puppies to make them urinate or defecate, guess who is doing that??? Yes, me.  Remember what I said about Frenchie moms and their mothering instincts? Lots of baby wipes, cotton balls and laundry go into raising a Frenchie litter not to mention poop on hands and places you don't even want to know lol.... hey... it goes with the territory. 

Star nursing in the car on the way home from C-Section

Our puppies are raised in OUR HOME. We do not kennel them outside, they are not sent to a PUPPY NANNY, they are 24/7 with me in my home since they are born. I help dry them once they are cut outside of mom's belly and from that moment on, they are under my supervision at all times. I know my puppies inside and out before they leave to their new homes. My puppies do not step one paw outdoors until AFTER 8 weeks of age AFTER they are vaccinated. I can't understand when I see newborns on websites who have not even opened their eyes yet laying on a towel on a grass outside somewhere in a photo. Or puppies under 8 weeks of age that are outside unvaccinated....  After everything I have put into getting these babies in this world, there is no way I am going to risk it. 

 
Pet Quality Pup vs. Show Quality Pup
This is another question and misunderstanding.....

Many people believe a "Pet Quality Puppy" is in some way inferior to a "Show Quality Puppy" and that couldn't be further from the truth. There is no difference between a Pet or Show puppy besides "CONFORMATION FLAWS". When people say "OH I ONLY WANT A PET", like if they want to settle for worst of the litter, it makes no sense. In all honesty that "PET Quality" puppy may be the "BEST" one in the litter as far as personality and looks, it may just have a  "cosmetic conformation flaw" that would prevent it from becoming a titled "Show Champion", but there is nothing inferior about the puppy. By "conformation flaws" it could be  something as minor as being a little longer than what the judges like or not having enough pigment around the nose or eyes, etc..  Heck the dog could be perfect and just not like the lead and therefore not make a good show dog. So while Show pups are worth more, it's not by much. It costs the same to raise a pet puppy as it does a show puppy. When you purchase one as a  "pet only" the same amount of time, sweat, money, hard work, dedication and love has been invested to get that "pet" puppy into this world, make sure it lives through that Newborn Critical Stage, fed and raised the same, etc... 

The majority of  "Show Quality" pups are sold as "JUST PETS" anyway, so in actuality they are all "PETS", they just aren't all "Show Quality". So... whether pet or show, all our puppies and those from Reputable breeders are raised and treated equally... that is the point!!!!
 

Imports vs. American Champion Bred
Many people wonder the difference..... 

Well for the most part many of the Imports from UNETHICAL Breeders turn out huge, 40lbs is not unheard of and they certainly do not meet the Standards. They have a long nose or what some people refer to "out at the nose" instead of the beautiful smooshed in face they are supposed to have. The tails and bodies are usually longer. They have longer legs. And basically they just do not look like what a French Bulldog is supposed to look like. This is why many websites do not show the parents photos only the puppy photos. These Imports mostly have hyper and unsteady temperaments and just not what a French Bulldogs should be. If you think it doesn't matter where the puppy came from as long as you can afford it and you only "WANT A PET", then buy one of those imports for $800 or $1000. The only way someone can sell a  French Bulldog Puppy for that price is because they Imported it for $200.  You'll end up regretting it. I have heard it time and time again.

How does it work? 
Well... I am no expert, but from everything I have read and been told... 
Puppy Mills from outside the US, like Hungary, Russia, etc,,, sell puppies in masses to people in the United States. We have received those emails ourselves from these BROKERS. They want you to buy 8-10 puppies say for $200 a piece.... Like package deals... These Importers will buy these puppies in groups and then have the puppies shipped here and re-sell them for $1000 -$2000... without having any idea who the parents are, how they are bred, etc.. They do not even know the puppy's real date of birth. They can be selling you a puppy they claim is 9 weeks old and it's really 5 weeks old, because they take them away from the mother as soon as possible to sell. It's all about money. There is no time or effort spent from people who buy these Import Puppies, it's a business and they have NOTHING invested in the puppy, so look at the profit when they sell this $200 import for $1000. So when people think they are getting a bargain, trust me it will end up costing you more in Medical Bills down the road. Most French Bulldogs in rescues are Imports, I can almost Guarantee you that.

Imports are different when compared to American Frenchies.  Like I said, they are usually LARGER so when you see a website bragging how their French Bulldog females whelp naturally its probably because THEY ARE IMPORTS.  Make sure you see photos of the mother. This is why we provide photos of the mother pregnant, photos of the mother nursing the babies, videos, etc... Besides they can brag all they want, but is it the truth? A free whelping French Bulldog is not something that is supposod to be the norm anyway in our MAN MADE BREED, there is no shame in the dog needing a c-section.

*****With this said, please know there are Reputable Breeders abroad, just do your research and know you are not going to pay $1000 or $1500 for a puppy from one of those Reputable kennels abroad. It's quite expensive to Import a Quality French Bulldog Puppy from a Reputable and LEGIT European Show Kennel. Also please know FCI Registration from Europe has nothing to do with the AKC, there is a difference. and APRI and CKC (Continental Kennel Club) are a joke... do your research.

Help break the cycle!
Please don't buy puppies from pet stores, 
import brokers or puppy mills. 

 

Some puppies are barely alive when they arrive in the USA, and many die shortly thereafter...

CLICK HERE To Read a story of just one import broker.  There are thousands more... STOP THE CYCLE! Do not buy your puppy from  an import broker!  FBRN's pro bono attorney John Hoffman testifies before the United States Senate on the Pet Animal Welfare Statute (PAWS). For more information... For more information about puppy import brokers and commercial kennels - and to share your own experiences and concerns - visit The Wrong Puppy website.www.thewrongpuppy.org

 
In Conclusion....
Breeding French Bulldogs is not easy or cheap and no one can say they have done this for years with no problems. From infertile males, to bitches who don't take, to dead puppies, dead momma's, ruptured uterus, pyometra's, mastitis, early or late deliveries, middle of the night runs to Vets for emergency c-sections, as I mentioned round the clock care and everything else. 

As I write this I have 6 beautiful babies waiting for me in the spare room. 2 babies are 4 weeks old and in the weaning process, which means feeding 4 times a day, putting back with mom, changing bedding, playing etc... The other babies are 2 weeks old, with a 1st time mother who has no clue she needs to clean her babies. Therefore I was cleaning them the last 2 weeks and hands on almost 24/7 with MANY sleepless nights.... It's not an easy hobby and passion, but at the end of the day..... those Smooshy faces, puppy breath and happy new families they go to are all worth it.

 

[Click Here: For our Past  Puppies]  To see the hundreds of photos of our babies. Although pictures do speak 1000 words, these pics are just a glimpse at what we put into them.

[Click Here: Our Frenchie Families]  To see our babies in their new and loving forever homes. We have plenty of references and great relationships with the parents of our puppies.

Hope this page has helped you understand ! These are our opinions and our opinions only. Written and Copyright© by All Star French Bulldogs- May NOT BE REPRINTED