“The French Bulldog has the appearance of an active, intelligent, muscular dog of heavy bone, smooth coat, compactly built, and of medium or small structure. Expression alert, curious, and interested.”

They are very playful and comical. Active and alert and make very affectionate companion dogs. A true companion animal because they just want to be near their master and do what the master is doing.    Frenchies are stubborn and need strong leadership . They cannot take extreme climates, either heat or cold, and therefore should be an inside pet. They are a mostly clean animal and mostly avoid getting dirty or finding puddles if at all possible, they also do not like to be out in the rain. Bright and easygoing in families and around other animals, especially other Frenchies.  They do snore and wheeze. Weight management may help reduce the amount of breathing issues.

This breed, as with any other breed, does have breed specific health problems. These may include respiratory issues, joint or spinal disorders, heart and eye problems. Breeding can be difficult and requires artificial insemination and cesarean section delivery often resulting in small litters. This does increase the cost of purchasing and owning a French Bulldog.  

Before making a long term committment please research the breed fully and speak to owners and breeders to find out if the breeed suits your lifestyle and family situation. We have included a link to the French Bulldog Club of America website that you may find helpful.

Faithful Frenchies had the opportunity to attend the 2010 French Bulldog National Specialty in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The week long event was a wonderful experience for the whole gang.  The setting was the beautiful Olympia Resort which provided a wonderful venue for the week of activities. We attended health and breeding seminars, shopped the  Frenchie themed vendors, met many Frenchie Fanciers and got to see the best French Bulldogs in the dog show world! The elite, top dogs were out in full force at the Specialty. It was a great honor showing at this level of competition. The highlight of our trip was seeing our little Junior Handler team, Parri and Prudence, enter the ring and take Second Place in Junior Showmanship.   We are very proud of both Handler and Frenchie, their performance in the ring could not have been better!

The following list is a basic understanding of what it means to be a responsible dog owner. An important aspect to owning dogs, both pets and show animals,  is exposing children at an early age to the responsibilities of the care of an animal. Starting early is the key to becoming a responsible adult.  Another very important aspect, not listed below, is to limit the amount of animals you can responsibly care for. This is a big problem in the dog show world but education is probably the best way to remedy that issue.

AKC Responsible Dog Owner Pet Promise

I promise:

• I will never overlook my responsibilities for this living being and recognize that my dog’s welfare is totally dependent on me.
• I will always provide fresh water and quality food for my dog.
• I will socialize my dog via exposure to new people, places and other dogs.
• I will take pride in my dog’s appearance with regular grooming.
• I will recognize the necessity of basic training by teaching my dog to reliably sit, stay and come when called.
• I will take my dog to the vet regularly and keep all vaccinations current.
• I will pick-up and properly dispose of my dog’s waste.
• I will make sure my dog is regarded as an AKC Canine Good Citizen® by being aware of my responsibilities to my neighbors and to the community.
• I will ensure that the proper amount of exercise and mental stimulation appropriate for my dog’s age, breed and energy level is provided.
• I will ensure that my dog has some form of identification (which may include collar tags, tattoo or microchip ID).
• I will adhere to local leash laws.

NOVICE JUNIOR CLASS

For Boys and Girls at least 9 and under 12 years of age on the day of the show who at the time of entries close have not won at least three (3) First Place awards, with competition present, in a Novice Class at a licensed or member show.

• First Place -Magnolia Christmas Classic; Mississippi Kennel Club; December 13, 2009
• First Place-Houston Kennel Club; March 20, 2010
• First Place-Galveston County Kennel Club; March 21, 2010

OPEN JUNIOR CLASS 

For boys and girls at least 9 and under 12 years of age on the day of the show who at the time entries close, have won three (3) First Place awards in a Novice Class at a licensed or member show, with competition present in the Novice Class.

Will be updated as more achievements are made!

At the age of 3 and 4 she wanted to watch every dog show that came on TV. It was at this time we took her to her first real dog show. We drove to the show, not knowing exactly what to expect, not knowing if she would be interested or bored. She loved it and wanted to stay all day, ring side and just watch. This became a yearly family event.

At the age of 5 and 6 she wanted to watch Animal Planet day and night, and the first item on her Christmas List was “A Show Dog”. Luckily, this budding  interest was noticed by a dear family friend who was getting into the Dog Show world herself and having much success. A fulfillment of a life long dream for her.

At the age of 7 she was exposed more and more to the world of showing through that same family friend who became her mentor and inspiration. Talks began about how to go about getting her involved in what seemed to be a real love and interest in the sport. Our first question, can we afford it? Will she stick with it? What kind of dog should we get and again, can we afford it? These were things that needed to be discussed before we jumped into something blindly and get in way over our heads.

At the age of 8… oh happy day! She was given her first show dog as a gift from her mentor. After much research and sound advice from professionals in the know, a puppy was chosen specifically to be her own show dog. This was a tough decision but has turned out to be a perfect choice. Prudence came into our lives and the two of them have been a team ever since. That eighth year of her life was filled with Conformation Classes with our local kennel club, traveling to B Matches at nearby shows, practicing in the backyard and a lot of hard work. We are all a team and this requires the effort of every member of our family. We are Faithful Frenchies!

Now, at the ripe old age of 9, our little handler and her Prudence, the dynamic duo, have moved into the Junior Showmanship ring and continue to amaze everyone with their ability and dedication. We look forward to all the future has to bring!!!

Juniors are important to the sport of dogs. Juniors who learn about good sportsmanship, dogs, handling and dog shows will be valuable to the sport in the future. Junior Showmanship classes are offered at most dog shows.  These classes are are held so that young people can:

• Experience winning and losing among those who are similiar in age.
• Learn the correct way to handle the breed they own.
• Practice handling skills in competition.
• Improve the way they handle their own dog.
• Prepare for handling dogs in the regular classes

All information taken from AKC Jr. Showmanship Regulations