[dutchgal]

A friend of mine recently got a French Bulldog from a shelter here in Brussels. This dog had fathered a litter at its previous owner, who also owned the mother of the puppies (she is also a FB). The entire doggie family (mom, dad and puppie) were then dropped off at the shelter (some people...).

My friend who adopted the 'daddy' is thinking about getting one of the puppies, and I must say, my rescue instincts are kicking in as well. I hate the idea of puppies being born and spending their first weeks in a shelter.

Me and my bf have been toying with the idea of getting a second dog for quite some time now, and now I find myself gravitating towards these FB puppies.

We are in our twenties. I am a student, my boyfriend works full time. We have a small appartement, no garden, but live close to a park where the dog will get to run free and socialize. What are FB like? Do you think it's a good idea to get one of these puppies?

 

[The_Monstors]

Being busy and having a puppy is a huge commitment. It can be done, but you need to be able to go home and care for them at intervals throughout your day. You can't just leave them for 8 hours like an adult dog. You have a adult dog that you dog as a adult. It is different of a commitment. While you have to teach a shelter adult basic training and rules, it is important for a puppy to get socialization as well. Do you know how old the puppies are now? Are they even 8 weeks?

I like Frenchies and have many Frenchie friends. They are a companion breed so they tend to be velcro and will follow you and include themselves into what they're doing. Generally pretty mellow in homes, but that doesn't mean they can't be active. They can be rather sassy too...my one friends likes to talk back when you tell him something. He'll do it, but you will hear about it and he will grumble the whole time. A thing to watch out for is in my experience many are susceptible to allergies. Out of the 6 Frenchies I know, 3 have allergies- one has food allergies which are minor, one has food allergies and pollen issues in spring, one has everything - she has food allergies, she has year around environmental allergies, needs eye drops, she has skin flareups because of both. They are brachycephalic (short muzzle/nose) so they are sensitive to extreme temperatures and can overheat if they get worked up. Just warning you for the worse, that they can be a sickly breed. I love them to death and will be getting one but I know I have to be prepped for all issues.

 

[dutchgal]

Being busy and having a puppy is a huge commitment. It can be done, but you need to be able to go home and care for them at intervals throughout your day. You can't just leave them for 8 hours like an adult dog. You have a adult dog that you dog as a adult. It is different of a commitment. While you have to teach a shelter adult basic training and rules, it is important for a puppy to get socialization as well. Do you know how old the puppies are now? Are they even 8 weeks?

I like Frenchies and have many Frenchie friends. They are a companion breed so they tend to be velcro and will follow you and include themselves into what they're doing. Generally pretty mellow in homes, but that doesn't mean they can't be active. They can be rather sassy too...my one friends likes to talk back when you tell him something. He'll do it, but you will hear about it and he will grumble the whole time. A thing to watch out for is in my experience many are susceptible to allergies. Out of the 6 Frenchies I know, 3 have allergies- one has food allergies which are minor, one has food allergies and pollen issues in spring, one has everything - she has food allergies, she has year around environmental allergies, needs eye drops, she has skin flareups because of both. They are brachycephalic (short muzzle/nose) so they are sensitive to extreme temperatures and can overheat if they get worked up. Just warning you for the worse, that they can be a sickly breed. I love them to death and will be getting one but I know I have to be prepped for all issues.

Right now I am at home all day, every day (I'm working on my graduation project). This is of course a lot of work, but I am at home all the time and I am able to take frequent breaks for walks, play, and potty training. The way it is now, the puppy won't be home alone at all. We are going to inform how old they are; they should be about 6-7 weeks old now, and of course it is not my intention at all to get them before they are 8 weeks.

I love the personality of my friend's dog. He describes him as laid back, mostly friendly to other dogs though other males are sometimes a problem, and very, very velcro-y. I have had a Boxer before so I know what brachycephalic dogs are like (and I know about their health issues... ).

Anyway, thanks for this information. I will have to think long and hard if I want to take a puppy, I am aware of that. I could also think about adopting the FB bitch, when her puppies are old enough.