Pet Talk: Want to breed Frenchies? Just don’t do it

DEAR PET TALK: I have a great dog, a two-year-old Frenchie, and I’d love to breed her. What should I know before I start?

— WOULD-BE DOG BREEDER

DEAR WBDB: STOP!!! That’s very, very dangerous for your dog. Listen to the professionals, such as Dr. Ashley Raymond at Second Chance Animal Services. Here’s what she said about that particular breed: “French Bulldogs and other small brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds are prone to developing brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. This condition can lead to a lifetime of breathing difficulty, for which surgery is sometimes required.

“Complications from BOAS can include hyperthermia, respiratory distress, and death if the dog is unable to breathe adequately. … Many pet owners find themselves unprepared for the significant costs associated with the medical care of these unique breeds.”

You already have a dog who could be medically fragile in the future. (Oh, and Frenchies also have a “corkscrew” spine which can lead to painful intervetebral disc disease and other joint diseases. There’s no indication you have experience with dog breeding, yet you’re considering embarking on a very risky project for your beloved pet which could result in injury or death.

Here’s what Dr. Raymond has to say about breeding Frenchies:

“These types of breeds have a high risk of requiring C-section surgery to deliver their puppies due to the large skull sizes of the puppies and relatively small pelvic sizes of the mother.
Thus, breeding pets with known health issues such as BOAS has ethical implications as well.

“Breeding of brachycephalic breeds is not recommended unless the parents have passed appropriate health checks, do not have BOAS or other common breed-specific health conditions, and the costs of C-section surgery, including emergency surgery, have been planned for.”

Those costs can quickly climb high into the thousands.

In short: your dog will be unable to have those puppies safely without assistance of a professional veterinarian. There’s a very strong chance of those puppies having severe health problems because of genetic disabilities underlying in the breed.

Finally, be a kind and responsible pet parent. Fix your dog and let her live a good life.

Sally Cragin is the founder of Be PAWSitive: Therapy Pets and Community Education. Send questions to sallycragin@gmail.com.