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Thursday, December 6, 2012

Owning a Frenchie

First things first...

Frenchie= French bulldog
(just didn't want you to be confused throughout this whole post!)

and this is Ernie, our 2 year old Frenchie...

Owning a Frenchie is one of the most rewarding things in my life, second only to my faith and marrying my husband. They aren't a common dog but have been in the media quite a bit lately (Modern Family, Sketchers commercials), making them a hot dog, no pun intended. I actually had never seen a Frenchie in person until we went to pick up our bundle of chunk from the breeder. For those of you unfamiliar with the breed, interested in getting one, or just want to see cute pictures of Ernie, I am going to give you some info on owning one of these cuties.

Size: this is what attracted me to Frenchies. Ernie is an average sized Frenchie standing about a foot tall and weighing 24lbs. He is really muscular and lacks rolls which is not the Frenchie norm. Larger Frenchies are 30-32lbs and smaller ones, like Ernie's parents, are 19-20lbs. Seriously Ernie's neck is so thick and he is super barrel chested.


Look: Frenchies are known as "frog dogs" and have a very distinct look about them. They have Brachycephalic syndrome meaning flat faced (along with pugs, Pekingese, etc). I love his squishy little nose and die for his batty ears that always stick up! Because of their flat faces, Frenchies often have breathing problems and bad gas due to inhaling their food without chewing it. Ernie is definitely an offender! Frenchies come in many different coats and Ernie is a reverse brindle- black with blonde highlights. They also come in fawn, cream, and fully black. All Frenchies have a white spot on their chest varying in size, Ernie's is really small. They also have nubs for tails!

Personality: Frenchies (and most bulldogs) are really stubborn. We tried to break this from the beginning with training but Ernie is still pretty stubborn. He is such a happy guy but knows how to push our buttons. For example, we will take up his ball so he will eat and he runs right up stairs and finds another ball that he has stashed away. He wants to do things on his time. Ernie is such a ham and literally stares and poses at the camera when I pull it out. He loves licking babies and is quite the party animal at parties. 

Activity: since Frenchies are normally chunky and sometimes overweight, most of the time they are pretty lazy...but not Ernie! He spends lots of time sleeping and cuddling during the day but that boy has more energy than any 2 year old  I know! His favorite toy is a tennis ball and he could spend hours playing fetch. He also loves playing with other dogs, wading in the water and "hunting leaves", going for walks, and chewing on empty water bottles. When we tell people how active he is, they are amazed! We thought it was a phase but man he has got some energy! He loves when my husband chases him around the house too.


Health: Frenchies have a 10-12 year lifespan but we are hoping to extend Ernie's by feeding him a holistic, grain free diet. Frenchies have lots of nasal/breathing problems because of their squished nose so we make sure Ernie gets lots of rest and water after he plays. They also have hip problems because they are so top heavy. Something interesting is that Frenchies have to be artificially inseminated because most of them are too top heavy to mount and they have to be born via C section.

Cost: because they take so many resources to conceive/birth, Frenchies are expensive, running between $1,500-upwards of $3,000 for AKC show dog parents. Healthcare can be an added cost but prevention is the best medicine!

If you are looking for a sweet, loveable dog to become a not only a pet but a true family member, I highly recommend Frenchies. Ernie can be a major toot and definitely isn't as obedient as his lab retriever cousin, but we love him so much. And he loves us. He gets so excited when he sees his mom and dad and gives us unconditional love, support, and cuteness with his big ol' smiley face. He will make a wonderful big brother to our human babies one day, but for now, he is our chunky first born fur baby!

Check out more Ernie posts here!



19 comments:

Krysten Piano said...

I think Ernie is so adorable, and love seeing him all over instagram and your blog.

Mel said...

I have a pug - Tucker - that I love beyond words. She is such an integral part of our family. And I can definitely relate to the gas...and the snoring associated with the flat face!

Jane {In The Pink & Green} said...

He is SO cute, I love all your photos of him...he's such a ham for the camera which is totally how Lola is too. Yesterday Cam and I were laying on our bed with Lola (haha we are crazy dog people) and just like WE LOVE HER SO MUCH. Seriously, I love my dog so much I'm pretty sure when I have a kid one day my heart might burst! xoxo

Jessica said...

He is SO cute!! I love how he looks right at the camera. i really want a pug dog when I get older.

It's Sooo Fluffy said...

He makes me smile :) Such a cutie.

Amanda said...

Absolutely love Ernie's cute little face! I can't wait to meet him in real life. What lense did you use to take that last photo? It's amazing! Actually all your photography is amazing :)

Hall Around Texas said...

Ernie is seriously one of the most precious dogs ever!!! I never get tired of seeing his sweet pictures. And I think it’s so clever of him to go get another ball when you guys take his! Awesome that he knows where others are!

Christy {SparklesandSpinach} said...

Ernie is adorable!!! We were between a Frenchie & a Dachshund and ended up having a Dachshund named Percy choose us ;) I love the bat ears too!!! So cute!

Hanna said...

Oh, I can't wait to get one!!!

Amy in Austin said...

Ernie is adorable, and I know Frenchies have such fun personalities. Given the high number of homeless dogs in shelters though, it's always a good idea to look at breed-specific rescues as well. There is one in Texas with some adorable dogs who would love a good home too. Just another option- given the cost of a breeder and the sometimes unreliable conditions they are bred in.

http://www.frenchbulldogrescue.org/htdocs/available.html

Krista said...

He is just so darn cute. I really wanted to try and get one when our Sienna passed away but we decided they were out of our price range. But I have to say I am loving Seamus, our Boston Terrier. He is similar in a lot of ways but not as chunky ;) Weird about the birthing stuff, I did not know that. No wonder they are pricey. I adore seeing all your pics of him, he is quite the character!

Anonymous said...

Amy in Austin -

Well said! I LOVE all the posts and pictures of Ernie but I'm an ASPCA/rescue dog owner all the way. I don't think Frenchies typically end up there since they're kind of designer dogs. When we were looking for our dog I was delighted to find a 5.5 year old boxer at one of our localish ones. Regardless - it's wonderful to see how much Ernie is loved and how well he is taken care of. All dogs should be so lucky! :)

Amanda said...

You've totally made me want a Frenchie now. Of course, my nine-year-old cat, Gilbert, would not be amused. But he's not amused by much, so maybe it could work. :-)
Love your blog!

Nic said...

Ernie is adorable!

chevronsandanchors.com

Susan said...

Ernie is a cutie. I saw this on pinterest and it made me think of you and your little Ernie! :)http://pinterest.com/pin/296533956684393352/

Girls Love Fried Pickles said...

He's a tootsie roll! I could just eat him up with kisses!

mattie said...

I know some people will definitely come down on you for going to a breeder instead of a resue BUT and it is a big BUT. My sister is one of the biggest dog lovers (along with myself) and has always rescued unwanted dogs that she found, she and I both usually have at least 3 four legged family pets all the time. They fill our lives with unconditional love all the time and ask not much in return. And ow for the big BUT, when he Shih Tzu passed on at the age of 17 she was truly devastated, having also just lost her husband after a heart transplant, so she immediately though of the Shih Tzu rescue organizations in her area, she filled out the application, had several home visits and provided them with her vets information, who by the way said she was the absolute best of any pet owner he had ever dealth with. She complied with every request, there was just one problem and that was the woman who ran the resue where she lived, they took an instant dislike to one another and so after being turned down for many of the dogs she applied to resue she finally gave up and went to a breeder and bought a pup they were going to put down as not being "good looking" enough. That ugly pup has brought her so much joy and the will to go on with life after all the tragedy she had come thru. SO wjile some people will knock you for not using a rescue organization you made the best decision for you and you can be happy with it and your baby!

Anonymous said...

I have a Beagle/Boston Terrier mix. They call it a boggle. He looks more Beagle, though. Anyway, he has a nub for a tail and I think it's soo cute.

Also, I love people names for dogs (like Walter & Ernie)

Ernie is adorable!

Life-actually.net

Alex and Arthur said...

Ernie is adorable-- I also own a frenchie whose name is Arthur.

I did a lot of research on the breed before hand and read about their fun loving personalities/clown dog nickname but until I brought Arthur home I had absolutely no idea how much joy they bring. He's my most favourite thing in the world.

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