French Bulldogs, In General:
French Bulldogs have one purpose in life and that is to make you smile. They are small to medium sized dogs with easy going temperaments and an absolute love of ALL people food! They have a smashed-in nose, giving them a monkey-like face with the noteworthy bat ears (also called "tulip" ears). The Frenchies' body is something of a mystery. After achieving a master’s degree in "couch-potato-logy", where do all those muscles come from? They have a low-maintenance wash and go coat, making them the perfect house dog. They come in a variety of colors. The traditional colors including: cream (looks like a white dog with dark skin), all shades of fawn with or without black masks, all shades of brindle, and, last but not least, piebalds of all three coat colors (a white dog with spots of color).
Frenchies have better things to do than yap the day away. When they do bark, there really is something wrong (or someone has come to the door to worship at the throne of Frenchies!). The best place to find the breed standard for French Bulldogs is on the AKC website. Please understand that French Bulldog standards from other countries are not the same as the AKC's! Other countries accept different coat colors and different body sizes in their standards. American bred French Bulldogs tend to be the small guys and girls on the "block", at 28 lbs and under.
I only breed the traditional AKC coat colors right now. I have been converted to the "unusual" and now have a couple blues. I will have blue puppies available within 6 months.
The problems I have with breeding the unusual colors are 1.) when the parents are not a particularly pretty dog to begin with and bred just for the coat color and 2.) when some people take advantage of the average pet owner by calling them "RARE" and charging amounts higher than one would expect for dogs that actually do have show potential, or actually have acquired show points, or are actual champions. These colors are not rare. You can purchase puppies or dogs with these "rare" colors from quality breeders in the eastern European countries because these colors are ACCEPTED in those countries and therefore have been purposely bred there for some time. The same situation in the reverse, occurs with the coat color of cream. In some countries cream is not accepted in the breed standard and therefore, cream is a RARE color in those countries (England). Where do you think those people come to buy "rare" quality cream colored French Bulldogs? Yep, you guessed it, right here in the U.S.A.
So if you are in love with a coat color that is not accepted by the AKC French Bulldog standards such as blue (called "mouse"), chocolate, lilac, or black & tan, go get as many as your heart desires and your pocketbook can afford! But be careful, look at both parents, the puppy should still look like a French Bulldog, not be just a pretty color. Do your research, some coat patterns such as merle, come with many possible health defects. This is well documented and you can easily look it up (I do love the look of a blue merle, but the merle gene scares me too much right now). And try not to pay overly too much for your new puppy.
Frenchies have better things to do than yap the day away. When they do bark, there really is something wrong (or someone has come to the door to worship at the throne of Frenchies!). The best place to find the breed standard for French Bulldogs is on the AKC website. Please understand that French Bulldog standards from other countries are not the same as the AKC's! Other countries accept different coat colors and different body sizes in their standards. American bred French Bulldogs tend to be the small guys and girls on the "block", at 28 lbs and under.
I only breed the traditional AKC coat colors right now. I have been converted to the "unusual" and now have a couple blues. I will have blue puppies available within 6 months.
The problems I have with breeding the unusual colors are 1.) when the parents are not a particularly pretty dog to begin with and bred just for the coat color and 2.) when some people take advantage of the average pet owner by calling them "RARE" and charging amounts higher than one would expect for dogs that actually do have show potential, or actually have acquired show points, or are actual champions. These colors are not rare. You can purchase puppies or dogs with these "rare" colors from quality breeders in the eastern European countries because these colors are ACCEPTED in those countries and therefore have been purposely bred there for some time. The same situation in the reverse, occurs with the coat color of cream. In some countries cream is not accepted in the breed standard and therefore, cream is a RARE color in those countries (England). Where do you think those people come to buy "rare" quality cream colored French Bulldogs? Yep, you guessed it, right here in the U.S.A.
So if you are in love with a coat color that is not accepted by the AKC French Bulldog standards such as blue (called "mouse"), chocolate, lilac, or black & tan, go get as many as your heart desires and your pocketbook can afford! But be careful, look at both parents, the puppy should still look like a French Bulldog, not be just a pretty color. Do your research, some coat patterns such as merle, come with many possible health defects. This is well documented and you can easily look it up (I do love the look of a blue merle, but the merle gene scares me too much right now). And try not to pay overly too much for your new puppy.
How do I start the process of purchasing a puppy from you?
First, you have to call me at 417-543-4246 and complete a phone interview. I am sure that you want to get to know me a little before you decide if you are going to purchase a puppy from me. And I want to know about you, your home, your lifestyle, your past dog experience, if you have any current pets, and what you actually know about French Bulldogs. I will also spend a great deal of time filling you in on the things that worry me about the breed that I can not screen a little bitty puppy for before they go home. I want you to be on the look out for signs that may be an indication that you should have your puppy looked at much more closely by your vet, as that puppy ages. I do not require that you have a "Masters" on French Bulldogs, but I do require that you are willing to listen and learn the basics.
Second, when we are both satisfied that we have covered all the questions that either of us had initially, you will get to pick out your puppy from the available listed puppies or be added to the VIP List for litters that are on their way. This is where the pathway to purchasing a puppy forks.
If you have picked a puppy that is currently available and listed on my website, I will email a contract specific to that puppy to you. You will be required to read, sign, scan, and email the signed contract back to me within 24 hrs. The returned contract will hold the puppy for you for four business days, until your non-refundable deposit of $500 arrives. The puppy will be placed "On Hold" on my website until the deposit arrives and then the puppy will be removed from the Available Puppy page. From that point, all future pictures of that puppy will be emailed directly to you and will no longer be posted on my website. When the deposit arrives, I will send a confirmation email to you. If the deposit does not arrive in the necessary four business days, I will first try to contact you. If I receive no response or you can not verify that you have actually sent the deposit & when, the contract will be null and void, and the puppy will be available for anyone to purchase.
If you have decided to wait for a specific puppy and want to be added to the VIP List, you must fill out the VIP questionnaire and return that with your $500 non-refundable deposit. The date that your deposit arrives is the date that you will be added to the list. If there ends up being any conflict in the description of the desired puppy, the date of when you were added to the VIP List will be the order that you will pick your puppy. The questionnaire is not a contract and not binding, this simply gives me a starting point to decide which puppies will be of interest to you.
The next steps are explained in detail below.
Second, when we are both satisfied that we have covered all the questions that either of us had initially, you will get to pick out your puppy from the available listed puppies or be added to the VIP List for litters that are on their way. This is where the pathway to purchasing a puppy forks.
If you have picked a puppy that is currently available and listed on my website, I will email a contract specific to that puppy to you. You will be required to read, sign, scan, and email the signed contract back to me within 24 hrs. The returned contract will hold the puppy for you for four business days, until your non-refundable deposit of $500 arrives. The puppy will be placed "On Hold" on my website until the deposit arrives and then the puppy will be removed from the Available Puppy page. From that point, all future pictures of that puppy will be emailed directly to you and will no longer be posted on my website. When the deposit arrives, I will send a confirmation email to you. If the deposit does not arrive in the necessary four business days, I will first try to contact you. If I receive no response or you can not verify that you have actually sent the deposit & when, the contract will be null and void, and the puppy will be available for anyone to purchase.
If you have decided to wait for a specific puppy and want to be added to the VIP List, you must fill out the VIP questionnaire and return that with your $500 non-refundable deposit. The date that your deposit arrives is the date that you will be added to the list. If there ends up being any conflict in the description of the desired puppy, the date of when you were added to the VIP List will be the order that you will pick your puppy. The questionnaire is not a contract and not binding, this simply gives me a starting point to decide which puppies will be of interest to you.
The next steps are explained in detail below.
How does the VIP List work?
The VIP List is meant for families that know that they want a puppy from me, but either have something very specific in mind, want a breeding or show prospect, or want first or second choice a litter. You should only be added to the list if you know that you will be ready for a puppy within 6 months.
As stated above, you will first have to complete the phone interview, fill out the VIP questionnaire, and send in your $500 non- refundable deposit. The date that your deposit arrives is the date that you will be added to the VIP List and the order that you will choose your puppy from the up coming litters, in conjunction with the specifics of what you are wanting.
When the litter is born, I will look at the VIP List and determine if there is a puppy that meets your description. For instance, if you are wanting a female cream puppy and the litter has three cream girls, you would get an emailed group picture or two of the three cream girls when they are a week old. If you are first in line and could decide which one you wanted, you would be welcome to choose then. However, I take individual pictures of each puppy when they turn two weeks old and their eyes are open. This is when the VIP families are expected to decide which puppy is going to be theirs. The pictures will be sent in order of the VIP List and each person or family will have 24 hours to pick their puppy. When you pick your puppy, I will email the contract for that puppy to you and you will need to read, sign, scan, and email the signed contract back to me within 24 hours. From that point, you may name the puppy and all pictures of that puppy will be sent directly to you at 2, 4, and 6 weeks of age. I do not take pictures during the last two weeks because the puppies will shortly be going home. Sometimes, I will have the opportunity to take short videos and send those along with the pictures.
If you can not choose a puppy from the two week old pictures in your allotted 24 hours, the next family in line will then get to choose, and so on. And sometimes this happens because you are not familiar enough with how French Bulldog puppies change over time and are not sure if this is going to be a puppy that you love how they look as an adult. This is totally fine. Any puppies that have not been picked by the VIP families, will be listed on my website and if you are a VIP family, you may pick one of the listed available puppies at any time. Please keep in mind that I talk to potential puppy buyers everyday and listed puppies may have been spoken for and not removed yet from my website.
When you are deciding on your puppy, if you decide to wait for another litter, you do need to let me know which litter you are going to wait for. Sometimes others are waiting specifically for that cross/litter and you would fall in line after their choice.
As stated above, you will first have to complete the phone interview, fill out the VIP questionnaire, and send in your $500 non- refundable deposit. The date that your deposit arrives is the date that you will be added to the VIP List and the order that you will choose your puppy from the up coming litters, in conjunction with the specifics of what you are wanting.
When the litter is born, I will look at the VIP List and determine if there is a puppy that meets your description. For instance, if you are wanting a female cream puppy and the litter has three cream girls, you would get an emailed group picture or two of the three cream girls when they are a week old. If you are first in line and could decide which one you wanted, you would be welcome to choose then. However, I take individual pictures of each puppy when they turn two weeks old and their eyes are open. This is when the VIP families are expected to decide which puppy is going to be theirs. The pictures will be sent in order of the VIP List and each person or family will have 24 hours to pick their puppy. When you pick your puppy, I will email the contract for that puppy to you and you will need to read, sign, scan, and email the signed contract back to me within 24 hours. From that point, you may name the puppy and all pictures of that puppy will be sent directly to you at 2, 4, and 6 weeks of age. I do not take pictures during the last two weeks because the puppies will shortly be going home. Sometimes, I will have the opportunity to take short videos and send those along with the pictures.
If you can not choose a puppy from the two week old pictures in your allotted 24 hours, the next family in line will then get to choose, and so on. And sometimes this happens because you are not familiar enough with how French Bulldog puppies change over time and are not sure if this is going to be a puppy that you love how they look as an adult. This is totally fine. Any puppies that have not been picked by the VIP families, will be listed on my website and if you are a VIP family, you may pick one of the listed available puppies at any time. Please keep in mind that I talk to potential puppy buyers everyday and listed puppies may have been spoken for and not removed yet from my website.
When you are deciding on your puppy, if you decide to wait for another litter, you do need to let me know which litter you are going to wait for. Sometimes others are waiting specifically for that cross/litter and you would fall in line after their choice.
What is the best way to send my deposit?
When sending your deposit, please do not require a signature. I never know when I will be home to sign and this will delay the delivery. I will send a confirmation email when any payments arrive so that you have proof in writing. Please do not send deposits through the normal postal service as I am in an area that can sometimes take unreasonable lengths of time to deliver the mail. I suggest using next day service, which will arrive two days later, not the next day, but does arrive in time to keep you in good standing for the hold on your puppy.
Does the deposit get applied to the purchase price of the puppy?
Yes, the deposit is applied to the purchase price of the puppy.
When do the puppies go in for their first health checks?
When the puppies are born, we are only able to check for cleft palettes. I take each litter in at 5 and 7 weeks of age for full health exams. We will check their eyes, ears, listen to their breathing through their noses, throat, and lungs, listen to their hearts, palpate their spines, hips, knees, and abdomines. I repeat this health exam because some issues like heart murmurs may not be heard during one visit and can come and go. Plus, all veterinarians are human and have good days and busy days. That second visit is an opportunity to make sure that my puppies are healthy and we catch any issues before they go home.
What happens if I have put a deposit down on a puppy that does end up with a health issue?
If you put a deposit down on a puppy before we have done the first health exam and later we find a serious health issue, I will first call you and let you know what it is and what my veterinarian believes will be the long term outcome for the puppy. You will decide if you want to wait and see what happens at the next vet visit or talk to your own vet at that time. If you decide that you want to pass on this puppy, your deposit will be usable for up to one year on another puppy but it will not be refunded. If there is another puppy available right then, you may pick that puppy and we will proceed. If no puppy is available at that time, you will be placed on the VIP List on the date the choice to pass on the original puppy is made.
At what age do you allow puppies to go home?
In Missouri, puppies can not go home before eight weeks of age. It is the law. I sometimes keep small or shy puppies until ten weeks.
Does the listed price include full AKC registration?
No, the listed price of each puppy is for limited registration which is for pet only homes. If you are interested in breeding rights or intend to show your dog, you will want full AKC registration. I charge another $1000 minimum for full registration due to the extra time and effort required to select an appropriate puppy.
What if I want to breed or show my puppy?
You must be up front and honest about your intentions. I need to know what you want when you complete the phone interview. I do sell puppies with full breeding rights for an additional $1000 minimum. If you intend to show, you will need full AKC registration, whether or not you intend to breed your dog later. It takes more time to determine which puppy is a show/breeding prospect. I will only offer puppies that I feel meet the breed standards and complete the vet exams with no known faults. The specific traits that you are looking for will be secondary. This can take up to eight months and you should get on the VIP List to get the first opportunity to choose a puppy. I have placed many puppies that would have been awesome show or breeding prospects in pet homes because the families were on my VIP list first and those puppies were never posted on my website.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT IF I find out that you are purchasing a puppy from me with limited registration with the intentions of breeding that puppy later, I will cancel the sale regardless of whether you have signed & returned the contract, paid your deposit, or paid for the puppy in full. Only the balance without the deposit will be returned to you and I will report you to AKC and other registries. Obviously, I will not sell you any puppy at that time or later.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT IF I find out that you are purchasing a puppy from me with limited registration with the intentions of breeding that puppy later, I will cancel the sale regardless of whether you have signed & returned the contract, paid your deposit, or paid for the puppy in full. Only the balance without the deposit will be returned to you and I will report you to AKC and other registries. Obviously, I will not sell you any puppy at that time or later.
