Finding a Reputable Breeder
Here are some important points to keep in mind when selecting a breeder, and also what you should expect from the breeder when you buy your puppy.
First, don’t buy a puppy from a pet store or a classified ad in the newspaper!
Do not be fooled by flashy websites. These are often used by disreputable breeders. It can be difficult to tell a reputable breeder’s site from an disreputable site. Pay attention to the following features to determine whether this is a breeder you want to consider.
- Does the website have information about champions they have bred?
- Does it have pedigrees available for the dogs and puppies shown?
- Does it discuss health testing?
- Does it say that dogs will be eligible for AKC Registration?
- Does it include a detailed questionnaire/application, and does the breeder require that you talk to her in addition to filling out the paperwork?
- Does it say that dogs are only available sometimes?
- Does it have only French Bulldogs, rather than multiple breeds for sale?
- Does it say that dogs will not be shipped, or shipped only under very specific circumstances?
- Do the dogs seem expensive?
- Do the dogs shown and described on the website have coat colors that are accepted by the French Bulldog Breed Standard?
If your answer to the questions above is YES, this is likely to be a reputable breeder.
However, if you say YES to the following questions, then be very wary:
Does the site advertise for high-priced RARE coat colors like blue or liver (sometimes called chocolate) or black-and-tan (the kind of coat that most Dobermans have)? If so, click HERE and read why you should avoid them.- Can you buy a dog by sending payment and an application without ever talking to the breeder? Does the site have credit card payment buttons?
- Are the dogs shown actually bred by this breeder, or have they been imported or purchased as litters from other sources?
- Does the site lack any pedigrees, or photos of AKC Champions produced by that breeder?
- Does the breeder claim that AKC registration is unimportant; is she unable to show you the AKC registration papers of the parents of the dog you are interested in?
- Does the breeder say that health testing is unimportant?
- Are there more than two different breeds listed?
- Is the breeder willing to ship anywhere, at any time, for extra money?
- If you inquire about a dog shown on the site and are told “That one’s already sold; but here’s another one even nicer.” (This is the old Bait and Switch scam)
A much more detailed discussion of this topic can be downloaded here. Please take the time to read it before you start your search. It could mean the difference between bringing home a healthy, socialized French Bulldog or one with extensive (and expensive) medical and rehabilitation needs.
Once you have found a good breeder and selected a good puppy, what can you expect from the breeder?
- MOST importantly, a contract, mutually agreed upon and signed by all parties, that outlines the rights and responsibilities of breeder and buyer. Click here and download the articles called So You Want to Buy a Frenchie and Co-Ownerships
- Some sort of health guarantee (probably in the contract).
- Some permanent identification of the dog (microchip or tattoo are the ones generally used). The contract should include the chip or tattoo number, and this should match the one in or on the dog! Be sure you get the dog that you pay for!
- The necessary AKC registration papers, whether you plan to register your puppy or not.
- A pedigree showing at least 3 generations of ancestors.
- And finally… if, in spite of all precautions, you should find yourself with a sick puppy or one with congenital (present at birth) defects, most states now have “puppy lemon laws” that will give you legal recourse if the seller does not. Small claims court is another thing to consider. However, we hope that your Frenchie will be healthy, happy, and all that you have wished for in a pet.
