Twelve years with a French bulldog

Twelve years is a long time with a dog. Long enough to stop repeating what the breed books say and start telling you what it's actually like.

French bulldogs have become extraordinarily popular, and a lot of what's written about them is either breeder marketing or people being cross about the breed's existence on the internet. The truth sits in the middle, and it's more useful than either.

So: the good, the genuinely difficult, and what we'd tell anyone thinking about one.

The good bits, which are very good

They are wonderful company. Frenchies want to be where you are — not in a needy, pacing way, but a companionable one. They'll follow you from room to room and settle wherever you've landed. If you work from home, you have a colleague.

They're funny. Genuinely, deliberately funny. They pull faces, they have a repertoire of grumbles and sighs and yodels that isn't quite barking, and they have very strong opinions about small injustices.

They're low-exercise. Two short walks a day suits them perfectly. For anyone in a flat, or with limited mobility, or who simply doesn't want a dog that needs two hours on a hillside, that's a real advantage.

They're generally excellent with children and with other animals. Ours has coexisted with chickens, quail and a succession of other pets without drama. They're sturdy enough not to be hurt by a clumsy toddler and gentle enough not to hurt one.

They don't bark much. Not silent, but not yappy. Neighbours tend to be surprised there's a dog at all.

The breathing, which you must understand before you buy

This is the section that matters most, and skipping it is how people end up with a heartbreaking vet bill and a dog that suffers.

French bulldogs are brachycephalic — flat-faced. That shortened skull compresses the airway, and a significant proportion of the breed has some degree of BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome). In practical terms, many Frenchies are working hard to breathe all the time.

Snoring and snuffling are not cute breed quirks. They're signs of restricted airflow. A dog that snores loudly, gags, or can't recover quickly after mild exercise is a dog that may need veterinary assessment — corrective surgery on nostrils and soft palate is common and can transform quality of life.

What this means day to day:

• Heat is dangerous. Dogs cool themselves by panting, and a compromised airway makes that far less effective. Frenchies overheat quickly and heatstroke can kill within minutes. On warm days, walk early morning and late evening only, and never leave one in a car or conservatory — not even briefly.
• Harness, never a collar, for anything attached to a lead. Pressure on the throat makes a narrow airway narrower.
• Keep them lean. Excess weight makes breathing measurably worse and it's the single biggest thing within your control. Frenchies are food-motivated and gain easily. You should be able to feel the ribs.
• Most can't swim. Dense, front-heavy build and a short muzzle. They sink. Any pond or pool needs to be genuinely inaccessible.
• Flying is often refused by airlines for brachycephalic breeds because of the risk. Worth knowing if you'd planned to travel.

The other health realities

Being honest about a breed you love is uncomfortable, but anyone spending money on a puppy deserves the full picture.

• Spinal problems. The screw tail is associated with malformed vertebrae, and IVDD (disc disease) is common. Discourage jumping off sofas and beds — ramps or steps are genuinely worth it.
• Skin. The facial and tail folds trap moisture and get sore or infected. They need wiping and drying regularly — a few seconds daily, but daily.
• Allergies. Very common. Itchy skin, recurrent ear infections, paw licking. Often manageable, often lifelong, often expensive.
• Eyes. Prominent and exposed, so more prone to ulcers and injury. Cherry eye is common in young dogs.
• Birth. Most Frenchies are born by caesarean — narrow hips, large heads. Relevant if you'd ever considered breeding, and part of why puppies cost what they do.

Get insurance from day one, before anything is diagnosed and can be excluded as pre-existing. This is not a breed to self-insure. Lifetime cover, and read what's excluded.

Temperament and training

Frenchies are clever and completely uninterested in being told what to do. They're not stubborn exactly — they simply want to know what's in it for them.

They respond well to short, upbeat, food-led training sessions and badly to repetition or firmness. Five minutes of something fun beats twenty minutes of drilling.

House training takes longer than many breeds. Patience and routine.

They don't cope well with being left. This is a companion breed in the literal sense, and separation anxiety is common. If the house is empty eight hours a day, this is probably the wrong dog.

Socialise early and widely. They're generally good with other dogs, but a poorly socialised Frenchie can be scrappy with dogs much bigger than itself, and it has no idea it's small.

Buying one, and how to do it responsibly

The breed's popularity has attracted some genuinely awful breeding, and this is where people get badly caught out.

• Always see the puppy with its mother, in the place it was born. No exceptions, no meeting in car parks, no "we'll deliver".
• Ask about health testing — BOAS grading of the parents especially, plus hips and spine. A good breeder will tell you before you ask.
• Be wary of "rare" colours. Merle, blue and lilac Frenchies command high prices and are not recognised breed colours. Merle in particular carries serious risks including deafness and eye defects, and some of these lines are bred purely for money.
• Prefer a more open face. The flatter the muzzle, the worse the breathing. A slightly longer nose is a healthier dog, whatever the show ring thinks.
• Consider a rescue. Breed-specific rescues have plenty of Frenchies, often given up when the vet bills started.

In the UK, look for breeders following the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme, and be prepared to wait. A good breeder will also interview you, and that's a good sign, not an insult.

What twelve years teaches you

That the difficult parts are real and manageable, and that the dog is worth them.

You become the person who checks the weather before walking. You keep the skin folds clean without thinking about it. You get a ramp for the sofa. You budget for the vet in a way you wouldn't for a collie. And in return you get a dog who is delighted by you every single day for over a decade.

Would we have another? Yes — but from a breeder who health-tests, with a longer nose than the fashion currently favours, and with insurance in place before the puppy comes home.

And if you're deciding right now: please don't buy one because they look good in photographs. Buy one because you want a companion dog who'll be at your feet for twelve years, and because you're prepared for the breathing, the heat rule and the vet bills. On those terms, they're one of the best dogs there is.

This is our experience, not veterinary advice — for anything specific about your own dog, ask your vet.