Meet My French Bulldog Foster Puppies (and learn why it's NOT CUTE to breed & buy)

I hope that these puppies can demonstrate how unethical it is to breed and buy flat-faced dogs. These puppies require very specialized care due to severe brachycephaly (flat faces) which puts them at high risk of aspiration and other respiratory problems. Unfortunately, people continue to intentionally breed brachycephalic dogs for profit, with no regard for the suffering they cause. In addition to having a high risk of lifelong health issues, French bulldogs also have very high maternal and infant mortality; I don’t think most people realize that the consequence of buying these “cute squishy face puppies” is that many mothers and puppies die in the process. Because they are bred to have unnaturally narrow hips, mothers will risk death without a c-section, and even with one, they can die from respiratory problems under anesthesia due to their restricted airways. Their puppies are often born with congenital problems, and a majority of surviving dogs (72%) will have health conditions. When orphaned, it is hard for even a seasoned rescuer to care for them. And so, for every French bulldog you see on Instagram, many had to suffer. Breeders know this, which is why it’s all factored into the cost, as if suffering and death is nothing but a line-item expense in their business plan. It is a vile endeavor and nothing any animal lover should support.

These newborn babies came to us after a local rescue asked for help with a litter that had been surrendered to them in bad shape. These orphaned puppies were struggling on the bottle and needed tube feeding. I am currently tube feeding them every 2 hours to keep them stable. They are gaining weight and already looking a little better! I’m grateful that they were given a fighting chance, but I’m angry that human greed and aesthetic preference often takes precedent over the welfare of living beings. There is nothing okay about perpetuating congenital abnormalities for the sake of “cuteness.” I hope that in sharing their story, I can make it clear that there is nothing cute about breeding or buying French bulldogs. 💔

[KittenLady]

Here are some articles to read if you're interested in learning more:

[christianpethukov]

My sister has 3 Frenchies and wants to breed 2 of them. I had no idea the negative issues behind breeding them until now. I would certainly hope she would reconsider if I showed her this video. Thanks for getting the word out there.

[pri.sci.lla.]

I’m a vet assistant in an ER and the amount of pugs and other brachycephalic breeds we see is astounding. I think breeding them at his point is cruel but they’re in good hands with you!

[knucklescapricorn]

I honestly think this PSA applies to most bulldog breeds at this point, not just Frenchies. Thank you for helping spread the message.

[NBLP]

A friend of mine got a French Bulldog. She said the first time she took her to the vet, the vet proceeded to scold her about buying a Frenchie.

[frybabyofficial]

I rescued an English Bulldog. Everyone who would stop me on walks would talk about how much they wanted one and i ALWAYS said "If you MUST have one, rescue." and would list all the reasons why breeding them is monstrous and how they're basically a walking vet bill. I loved her with all my heart, don't get me wrong.

[myrandomchannell]

I’m in vet tech school and I will never forget when, after the massive heatwave last summer in the PNW, my instructor came into class and told us about all the phone calls her husband (a DVM with his own practice) had gotten from clients whose brachycephalic dogs had simple passed away over night because it was too hot and they couldn’t breath.
A few hours later she interrupted class to let us know that a close personal friend had texted her saying his frenchie and pug had just passed away for the same reason.
Thank you for using your platform to bring awareness to this issue.

[Randomconsiderations]

I'm of the opinion that this same argument could extend to any flat-nose breed, really. It has always made me sad to hear these breeds struggle to breath. Thanks for making this video.

[yamisart]

The saddest thing I ever witnessed during my internship at a vet was watching over a Frenchie who was waking up from surgery (nostril widening). He still had the artificial ventilation tube in his airway and you could literally see the surprise in his eyes when he woke up and was able to breathe freely for the first time in his life. Followed by the sadness when the tube got pulled out and he was back to fighting for every breath again. These breeds shouldn't be bred anymore. It's lifelong torture. And for what? "Cute" Instastories people post of their brachy dogs snoring and sleeping in weird positions because they'd suffocate otherwise? It's just sick. I don't see a cute dog when I look at them. All they wake in me is feeling sorry for them

[andreasentosa]

I NEED this video to gain more traction. I'm an ER vet nurse....the things I've seen in brachycephalic dogs and the horror their breeders put them through....thank youbfor making this video.

[rainbowdashplaynove]

This really isn’t the same problem but I thought I’d share: I live in Brazil, the temperatures here are always high and especially where I live it’s impossible to have cold days. There are so many abandoned dogs scattered around the streets. When I tell this to foreigners they don’t normally understand. While in cities in America it’s a rare sight to see abandoned dogs, here it’s the norm. And it’s so upsetting to me seeing people walking around with Husky’s. This is a VERY hot city that is not meant for them at all! Why spend thousands and I mean THOUSANDS of dollars on a breed like that, that isn’t even meant for this climate, when you can adopt one of the countless dogs on the street??

[photofaery]

When shown these details and the appalling fact that this is known by breeders, how is this not considered animal abuse?!

[elinborgpalsdottir]

I feel you so bad. I'm a vet nurse in Norway, and it breaks my heart everytime a brachy dog wakes up after anesthesia and don't struggle to remove their ET tube because hey, it's the first time in their life they can breath without struggling. It looks funny and kinda cute to see them walking around with that tube sticking out of their mouth, but I just want to scream and cry and shake the owners that are mad that they can no longer breed english bulldogs or cavaliers. It's exhausting to love these animals so much, but at the same time, wish they didn't exist for their own sake :(

[anarchy]

as a kid i had a dog who was half pug, we got him for free because his mother’s owners couldn’t get anyone to buy him because he was the only one without a flat face. he was the most lovable and energetic dog and while he did have some health problems later in life (back problems mostly) he never had any respiratory issues and he was absolutely the nicest dog you’d ever meet, he let complete strangers pick him up and shit

[Jellibox]

I really wanted a Frenchie when I was ready to adopt a dog. After doing research I came to the conclusion that my desire for a cute dog was not more important than having a healthy and happy dog. We ended up adopting a rescue dog and I don’t regret the decision at all. ❤️

[shaunacorrigan]

Several years ago the Netherlands made it illegal to breed dogs with a muzzle length less than a third of the total head length. This means breeding associations for breeds like pugs and Frenchies are working to breed healthier dogs that will meet these legal requirements. I would love a Frenchie, but not until we have breeders here in the US that follow these same standards

[csmats]

Whenever I tell my wife these types of dogs are deformed monstrosities that just barely made the survival-past-birth cut, she always says how mean I am. Finally someone validates my view.

[laniewisniewski]

I am a Vet Tech in training and learning the special horrors of brachycephalic breeds and seeing them first hand, OMG, the lack of education in the general public is astounding. Thank you for making this video. More people need to be educated and every video and every piece of literature makes it that much more likely that even one person will stop breeding these dogs. The snorting isn't cute, the squished face isn't cute, fighting for every breath is not cute! It needs to end.

[MelaniePhoenix]

Sharing with my husband since he wants one of these. This is heartbreaking. Thank you for educating us.

[Lizizle]

I have to admit, and am ashamed, that my ignorance in the past led me to want a french bulldog. But now, I rescue anything that I can cats, kittens, puppies, dogs, squirrels, turtles, etc. I value each and everyone of these little guys.