# french bulldog first time breeding...



## forpip (Sep 26, 2015)

Good time of the day to everybody here,
Need your advice please.My Mum is considering to breed her girl Pip - she is a four year old Frenchie.The problem is she is small,she was the smallest of the litter when she was born.But she is completely healthy and the vet said he she is perfectly OK to give birth.
But we are completely unexperienced with the whole process,so we need any information from an experienced Frenchie breeder.How dangerous is it? How many puppies are usually born? Do you have to do an ultrasound? Can an unexperienced person provide necessary assistance in whelping of a Frenchie?
How is it to care for the puppies,and what are the complications that could occur?
How much more or less are the expenses?
any help or advice would be appreciated and thanks a lot!


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## Guest (Sep 26, 2015)

Well this is a welcome change, someone actually doing their research before breeding. Kudos to you OP 
Many knowledgeable members should be on shortly to give you tons of info  @Meezey ?

And yes, you will need the guidance of a good breed mentor along with a series of genetic health testing before breeding her. IF she is indeed a good candidate.


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## LittleHolly (Jun 15, 2015)

I may be wrong but I think french bulldogs fall into the high risk category for c-sections due to the shape/size of their head not being able to fit through the birth canal? If this is the case then you may want to add up any costs i.e cost for all the health tests, stud fee and possible c-section fee. May I ask why your mum wants to breed from her?


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## forpip (Sep 26, 2015)

Yes,this is what we're afraid of...And we are looking for a small size male because of that risk.She is considering to breed her,but has not decided yet.The girl has a strong nestling instinct) . She builds a nest from blankets every time she has her period,so mum thinks she is longing to have kids) And this is the last year she can do it,otherwise she will be too old...


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## Amelia66 (Feb 15, 2011)

forpip said:


> Yes,this is what we're afraid of...And we are looking for a small size male because of that risk.She is considering to breed her,but has not decided yet.*The girl has a strong nestling instinct) . She builds a nest from blankets every time she has her period,so mum thinks she is longing to have kids) And this is the last year she can do it,otherwise she will be too old.*..


to be honest this isn't a good reason to be breeding her. 
This isn't her longing for children its just her hormones.

Just enjoy her for her. Dont put her body through all that stress of growing, birthing and raising pups with the possibilities of c-sections, her and/or all her puppies dieing. The costs of health tests before you breed her ect.


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

Dogs don't 'long for kids' in the same way as humans do, so that is not why she shows 'nesting' behaviours.

Its good yourself and your mum are doing research into the pros and cons, but honestly I'd be steering away from breeding. As already mentioned Frenchies have a higher rate of C-section births which carry their own risks. And as she's already small I'd be concerned that's a very real possibility in her case.

This link also provides the tests you would need to undertake before breeding - http://www.dogbreedhealth.com/french-bulldog/


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## SingingWhippet (Feb 25, 2015)

Have a read of the following links, they'll give you an idea of the level of commitment required to breed responsibly:

Should I breed from my pet bitch?

Breeding from your dogs

Novice breeder checklist

Frenchies can potentially be affected by a number of heritable health conditions and whilst a checkup by a vet can tell you whether a bitch appears outwardly healthy enough for pregnancy and whelping you do need to do a number of health tests to ascertain whether there is any possibility of the puppies potentially being affected by these conditions. As well as those conditions that can be tested for there are some which can affect the breed which _can't_ be tested for so it's important to research the lines of the bitch, plus any stud, to find out if there is any possibility of these conditions existing within their lines. Conformation-related health problems (i.e. those which are caused by the shape of the dog, such as Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome) can also be an issue in Frenchies if breeders are not careful to avoid to much exaggeration.

This is a list of all conditions which a breeder should be aware of:



> *Health and welfare problems due to conformation*
> *(body shape and physical characteristics)*
> 
> The French Bulldog has a short (brachcephalic) nose and corresponding head shape abnormalities. This may result in Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) (breathing difficulties and sometimes collapse of the larynx)
> ...


Web link here.

I'd also recommend having a read up on the breed club's (French Bulldog Club of England) own health scheme here.

As has been mentioned Frenchies do have quite a high rate of c sections, and her small size would likely put her at an higher risk of needing one than usual. It wouldn't be as simple as just looking for a small stud dog and that solving the issue, you would need to investigate the sizes of both her and his relatives. If her dam and sire were both of normal size then there'd be every chance she would throw normal sized puppies, even put to a small stud, and the same would apply if the stud was from normally sized stock.

I'd also look to get her conformation evaluated by someone within the breed, not just someone who happens to breed Frenchies (there are _many_ poor breeders of them who would probably be happy to tell you anything you wanted to get you to use one of their studs) but someone who is passionate about the breed and would be able to guide you in your choices if you did decide to go ahead with breeding. I would recommend getting in touch with the breed club and seeing if they would be able to put you in touch with someone reasonably local who would be willing to talk about the breed and breeding with you. Going along to shows (either Frenchie specific or all breed shows) is also a wonderful way to meet other owners and breeders who may be able to help you.


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## SingingWhippet (Feb 25, 2015)

forpip said:


> Yes,this is what we're afraid of...And we are looking for a small size male because of that risk.She is considering to breed her,but has not decided yet.The girl has a strong nestling instinct) . She builds a nest from blankets every time she has her period,so mum thinks she is longing to have kids) And this is the last year she can do it,otherwise she will be too old...


Nesting behaviour is not really an indication of any desire for puppies. Dogs don't think like us and don't hanker for things they have no experience of. If she's only doing it when she's in season it's simply behaviour motivated by her hormones, not a longing for puppies.

Some bitches do find the whole process of whelping and raising puppies very stressful, it's definitely not always an experience they enjoy.


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

Has your mum considered having her spayed? This would get rid of those "nest-building" hormones and mean that she could be a settled little dog again. I had a staffie bitch who had phantom pregnancies and it was heart-breaking. She collected teddies, shoes - anything she could pick up and snuggle really. We eventually had her spayed and she was a much happier dog.

Perhaps other people could say whether they have experienced anything similar?

If you do decide to go ahead with a pregnancy, please get in touch with the breeder you got her from for advice on an appropriate stud dog. I have also heard (though I don't know how true it is) that breeding from a bitch with these tendencies can actually strengthen them.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

How old is she?


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## forpip (Sep 26, 2015)

Sweety said:


> How old is she?


She is 4 now.


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## forpip (Sep 26, 2015)

Thank you very much everybody for your advice and information,it's very helpful.:Kiss

Will pass it to my Mum.
I am glad I came across this forum!


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

forpip said:


> Yes,this is what we're afraid of...And we are looking for a small size male because of that risk.She is considering to breed her,but has not decided yet.The girl has a strong nestling instinct) . She builds a nest from blankets every time she has her period,so mum thinks she is longing to have kids) And this is the last year she can do it,otherwise she will be too old...


It sounds more like she is possibly suffering from phantom pregnancies, which can be common in the weeks and even a couple of months after a season when hormone levels are still high, they can become clingy, collect up and treat inanimate objects often toys and carry them around and treat them like babies, some will even nest and have enlarged teats, to the point of producing milk, its got nothing to do with wanting babies, its the increased hormones that does it.

French Bulldogs can have a high incidence of requiring caesarean sections too, because they can whelp naturally, if she is a really small girl then there is quite possibly and even higher risk, it only takes one larger pup, or a pup that becomes positioned incorrectly and you can have a big problem. There are also conditions like uterine inertia where the uterus doesn't contract to push the pups out so labour cant progress this can happen from the start or even after some pups have been born. If you don't know what you are doing and don't act quickly it can result in loss of pups and/or mum too. At 4 she is probably getting older to have a first litter too.

Frenchies have a lot of health conditions that can be passed onto the pups, many of which you cant just tell from looking and a normal vet check. Some conditions the parents can be carriers, meaning that they wont ever develop the condition themselves, but mated with another dog of the same status some of the pups can be affected and will develop the disease or genetic condition.. Really therefore she would need specific health tests prior to breeding and so would a male, if you were going to breed and breed ethically and correctly. There is more information on the links below.

http://www.dogbreedhealth.com/french-bulldog/

http://www.frenchbulldogclubofengland.org.uk/

Don't forget too, that pregnancy, whelping, or medical care of puppies isn't included on normal insurance, so you would need to put funds away and a caesarean alone can run into four figures.


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## forpip (Sep 26, 2015)

Sled dog hotel said:


> It sounds more like she is possibly suffering from phantom pregnancies, which can be common in the weeks and even a couple of months after a season when hormone levels are still high, they can become clingy, collect up and treat inanimate objects often toys and carry them around and treat them like babies, some will even nest and have enlarged teats, to the point of producing milk, its got nothing to do with wanting babies, its the increased hormones that does it.
> 
> French Bulldogs can have a high incidence of requiring caesarean sections too, because they can whelp naturally, if she is a really small girl then there is quite possibly and even higher risk, it only takes one larger pup, or a pup that becomes positioned incorrectly and you can have a big problem. There are also conditions like uterine inertia where the uterus doesn't contract to push the pups out so labour cant progress this can happen from the start or even after some pups have been born. If you don't know what you are doing and don't act quickly it can result in loss of pups and/or mum too. At 4 she is probably getting older to have a first litter too.
> 
> ...


Most helpful! thanks a lot!


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

Every time a bitch finishes a season, her body starts producing progesterone for a couple of months. This happens if she is pregnant (progesterone is the hormone that maintains pregnancy and supports the growing foetuses), but it also happens if she is not pregnant. It even happens if she has not been anywhere near a male dog during her season.

Because the bitch's body goes through the hormonal motions of pregnancy even when she's not pregnant, it's common for them to show signs associated with pregnancy. Some display nesting behaviour or become defensive of toys etc, some go off their food, some produce milk. This is the false or 'phantom' pregnancy we see some bitches go through.

It's previously thought to be a mechanism which allows other wolf bitches to nurse the cubs of the alpha bitch - a safeguard for survival of her cubs - since they would all cycle together and all produce milk at the same time. Since more recent research has suggested the 'alpha dog' and 'pack leader' thing is a load of rubbish, I'm not sure what implications it has for this theory.

The point is, however, all bitches are affected differently, with some showing absolutely no signs at all, others leaking milk but behaving normally, others still going through the full thing to the extent that you almost wonder if they really are going to whelp.

But don't forget that underneath it all, ALL bitches are going through the same hormonal changes. They manifest differently. Your mum's bitch is simply going through this normal hormonal change when she starts nesting. It doesn't make her any more maternal than the next dog, and it doesn't mean she needs or wants a litter any more than a woman having periods makes her want or need a baby.

I hope your mum rethinks the plan after you pass on the info from this forum.


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## rottiepointerhouse (Feb 9, 2014)

Shoshannah said:


> Every time a bitch finishes a season, her body starts producing progesterone for a couple of months. This happens if she is pregnant (progesterone is the hormone that maintains pregnancy and supports the growing foetuses), but it also happens if she is not pregnant. It even happens if she has not been anywhere near a male dog during her season.
> 
> Because the bitch's body goes through the hormonal motions of pregnancy even when she's not pregnant, it's common for them to show signs associated with pregnancy. Some display nesting behaviour or become defensive of toys etc, some go off their food, some produce milk. This is the false or 'phantom' pregnancy we see some bitches go through.
> 
> ...


Thank you for explaining that so well, wish we could still give rep as that so deserves it.


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

Shoshannah said:


> It's previously thought to be a mechanism which allows other wolf bitches to nurse the cubs of the alpha bitch - a safeguard for survival of her cubs - since they would all cycle together and all produce milk at the same time. Since more recent research has suggested the 'alpha dog' and 'pack leader' thing is a load of rubbish, I'm not sure what implications it has for this theory.


The other bitches in a wolf "family" would be teenage sons and daughters of the parental adults. So perhaps it gives the teenage bitches a chance to practice motherhood, and help look after younger siblings.


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