What Does a French Bulldog Cost?
A French Bulldog puppy can cost anywhere between $1400 all the way up to $8500. Depending on where you live and who you intend to buy your French Bulldog from will be the major factors that affect the price of your French Bulldog puppy. We do not recommend buying a French Bulldog registered with any canine registry except the American Kennel Club (AKC). The AKC is the only legitimate canine registry in America. Any other registry is a paper mill, a puppy mill registry, and a scam. I repeat, never buy a French Bulldog without AKC papers.
That does not mean that if you want to adopt a French Bulldog from a reputable French Bulldog rescue network that you should not adopt a dog that is not registered with the AKC. You will find that very few if any French Bulldogs available for adoption will have their proper paperwork. This is because French Bulldogs in rescues are typically forfeited or rescued from malicious owners who did not care for them. You can imagine that someone going to rescue a dog from an unfavorable person isn’t going to be in a position to request any formal paperwork.
French Bulldog Cost – Why so expensive?
What makes a french bulldog cost so much? Regrettably, French Bulldogs are a very rare breed of dog. They’re very difficult to breed correctly. Running a kennel and breeding French Bulldogs is an 80-hour/week full-time job. French Bulldog dams (female mommy doggies) cannot deliver litters by natural birth. Allowing a French Bulldog to deliver by natural birth almost always jeopardizes the puppies and the dam, often resulting in the loss of a puppy and sometimes even the dam. An experienced breeder knows that French Bulldogs must undergo cesarean section in order to have safely have healthy babies. Cesarean sections are expensive as well as the initial immunizations for the puppies, and not to mention the round-the-clock care required for the new mother and her french bulldog puppies. Add to that the cost of $54/dog to register a litter of puppies with the AKC. Then add to that the cost of feeding, veterinary checkups, toys, bedding and comfort items, and miscellaneous materials required to raise a litter of puppies. All of this gets very expensive, so breeders can charge a premium for their puppies. It’s just how it works.
French Bulldog Cost – The Hidden Cost of Owning a Frenchie
What else makes a french bulldog cost so much to own? Besides their inherently expensive pricing, Frenchies are also prone to many, many health issues that require prevention and regular (very, very regular) visits to the vet. While you’ll find thousands of french bulldog owners who have never had an issue with their dog, you’ll find just as many who have had frenchies with sad, frequent health issues. It isn’t pretty. Veterinarians are not cheap. When you get a french bulldog puppy, you’re responsible for their initial vet visit immediately after you take your new puppy home. You’re responsible for registering your dog with the AKC (which can cost upwards of $140 for the whole package). You’re responsible for their immunizations and “shots” over the first 8 weeks of ownership. You’re responsible for their food, bedding, toys, and treats. Further, you’re responsible for any veterinary costs for some of the many, many health issues french bulldogs can develop. Finally, you’re responsible for caring and loving your companion throughout their life. As an example, we recently purchased a new female puppy as a playmate for our adult male. Her cost was $1600 plus $147 for the full registration package from AKC with all the add-ons available (including a sweet Reggie Box with lots of cool gear for new puppies). The following day, we paid a total of $120.45 in veterinary costs for an examination (this is often required by kennels and breeders to keep your ‘puppy warranty’), some Clavamox for some congestion causing labored breathing, and a low-dosage 30-day heartworm/flea/tick medication. Then we spent around $45 on puppy food, a bag of treats, a small collar (that she’ll grow out of in a month), a leash, and a tiny harness (that she’ll grow out of in 2 weeks). That total is $1912.45 and we’ve only had her for 3 days. You see now how the price of the puppy itself is only one consideration? See what makes a french bulldog cost so much money? They’re expensive!
French Bulldog Cost – Is It Worth It?
Here’s the bottom line when considering getting a french bulldog: do not purchase a dog you cannot afford. Just because you have the money doesn’t mean you can afford it. French bulldogs require the equivalent care of a toddler. They’re wonderful pets, their personalities are amazing, french bulldogs are fiercely loyal, and they’re the cutest dogs on the planet but that all comes at a price. To truly care and provide a healthy life for a french bulldog means having the disposable income to offset their inherently high costs. Further, the upfront french bulldog cost is only one consideration. There are myriad secondary costs associated with owning a french bulldog. Take a step back and consider your finances, the time required to care for a french bulldog, and the overall commitment involved: the cost is more than money. The true cost is money plus time plus lots of work to ensure your frenchie lives in a safe, happy environment, makes frequent trips to the vet for checkups, and finally, you don’t end up pulling your hair out over not being able to provide for your innocent companion.
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I’ve been wanting one for quite awhile. I’m more concerned about the ongoing health issues of this breed. Not only the economic issue, more importantly the dogs health over its lifetime. I’ve been told that all breeds with short snouts suffer breathing difficulties & related illnesses frequently. Is this true?
. I’ve been fortunate to have had cats/dogs with long, generally heathy lives. The exception was a beautiful Tonkinese who died at only 6 years old of a tumor in his bowel. Fortunately he didn’t suffer long. My worst fear is having a pet with a chronic illness. You suffer along with them.
We can’t recommend frenchies enough. They’re the most amazing companions. Brachycephalic breeds (french bulldogs, pugs, boston terriers, english bulldogs, etc) do indeed experience breathing issues more often than their longer-nosed counterparts, but don’t be swayed by the hysteria. French bulldogs from a reputable breeder are no more likely to have health issues than any other breed. They’re sturdy and delightfully chubby and as long as you look after their health and well-being, you’ll be fine. We understand about suffering and losing a pet. We will wail and sob when we have to say goodbye, but those memories are priceless to us. We want to give our frenchies the best life has to offer!
1550 tetonview Ln. E-30
Hi – wondering what your opinion/experience is regarding pet insurance for frenchies. Is it worthwhile or a waste of money? Seems like with all the potential health issues it might be worthwhile. Thanks.
Hey Joanne, sorry for the late reply. In my opinion, it just isn’t worth the cost. A) it’s expensive and B) the deductibles are not so great. On top of these, there’s just no guarantee that you’ll ever need it. Most french bulldogs go their whole lives without any complicated medical issues. Just like a car, french bulldogs require care and maintenance. Just like anything in life, really, if you want it to last. Regular visits to the veterinarian, a healthy diet of good high-quality food, and lots of love and walks and your frenchie will be built to last!
Hi there, I’m creating a website for French Bulldog fans and have created a little blog which includes a link to this article. I hope that you are ok with this.
We’re happy to have you link to us! We’re humbled and honored. Best of luck on your blog!
Jordan,
I hope you are doing well. I have recently fallen in love with the breed and have been trying to find one that will not kill the pockets. can you possible suggest some options to me as I would like a puppy. I love your videos, they have helped me understand the work and joy of possibly owning a Frenchie.
thank you
Raymond
Hey Raymond, thanks for reading. It’s very easy to get the Frenchie bug! We got it years ago and now we’re hooked!
The best advice I can give you is to keep an eye on the AKC puppy finder if you want to purchase a french bulldog from a breeder: http://marketplace.akc.org/puppies
If you would like to consider adoption (we strongly encourage adoption, there are lots of puppies who need homes), then check out the French Bulldog Rescue Network: http://www.frenchbulldogrescue.org/adoption-info/available-dogs2/
Hi,
My husband and I have made the decision to get a frenchie and have found a wonderful breeder. Our frenchie baby will be joining our family in the summer. I have been doing countless amounts of research and am happy to have found your blog. This is our first dog. We will be getting our baby when it’s 10 weeks old. From what I’ve read it’s recommended to keep the puppy inside until 16 weeks because of the risk of parvo. We live in the city in a townhouse complex with lots of neighbour dogs who use the grass around the complex as their potty. Should we be keeping our puppy indoors only until it has all of its shots? Should we let it potty inside? Or can we start potty training it outside? Any advice would be appreciated for the first 10 to 16 weeks of a puppy’s life.
Hey Michelle, congratulations. A frenchie will change your life!
Your breeder should be getting their first round of vaccinations taken care of for you, this usually happens around 6-8 weeks in most breeds. More important than being careful outdoors is limiting your puppy’s exposure to other dogs who are potentially not vaccinated against parvovirus. If you’re in the city, the best thing you can do is to try and minimize exposure. You’re correct, your puppy can be exposed to parvo while pottying where other dogs have done their business, but that is contingent on those hypothetical other dogs not being vaccinated. If you want to be ultra-safe, you can kill parvo with a 1:32 ratio dilution of bleach to water. So, 1 ounce of household chlorine bleach to 32oz (1/4 gallon) will create a solution that will kill parvovirus. Parvo is really hard to kill and typical soaps won’t kill it.
I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Your puppy needs time outside. If you want to be certain, you can carry your puppy to an area that you know is not frequented by other dogs. After playing outside, give his feeties a good scrub with some pet shampoo and water, and then rinse them off. This will help minimize the risk of contamination and exposure. I personally have never had any of my dogs get parvo. It’s really just a matter of rotten luck when it happens.
Hello!
I began my search for a Frenchie a couple months ago, but I am still looking. I have found a few breeders who are in my price range ($2000 and under), but I have been hesitant to jump on any after continuing my reading about future hip and back problems. How prevalent is this in the breed? Enough for me to freak out? I hear one or two horror stories about a friends friend paying $15,000 for a back surgery on her Frenchie and here I am freaking out, reconsidering the breed I’ve wanted for years and years.
I know any breed has its issues. I’m convinced this breed is the one for me personality/activity/cuteness/everything-wise so I don’t want to talk myself out of it. Of course I would pony up for any problems my child has in its life, but $15,000 is a chunk of change…
How do I really ensure the breeder is legit and honest? Are the only good ones the ones in the AKC marketplace? Because every puppy I see listed there is $3500+, whereas on other sites I have found ones in my price range.
Thank you!
Hey Fran,
Thanks for reading and being here. I am endlessly humbled to hear from you. It’s true, French Bulldogs (and many, many other brachycephalic breeds) can end up with some very nasty, painful disorders that cost an arm and a leg to fix. That said, these cases are far, far less common than your average healthy french bulldog. Your friend’s frenchie likely had a case of IDD (intervertebral disc disease) which is essentially the worst of the worst possible scenarios relative to a french bulldog’s health. The disease can set in later in life, it is painful and debilitating for a frenchie, and treatment is, as you know, outrageously expensive. The best way to avoid this? Hold out for the right frenchie from the right breeder. We always recommend you stick to the AKC breeder registry/marketplace, it’s just safer and pedigrees are guaranteed. A breeder that is concerned about the breed will not mate a dam and a sire with health issues in either pedigree. You want to find that breeder. I must adamantly steer you away from purchasing a non-AKC registered french bulldog, as there is no guarantee that you’re actually buying a 100% purebred french bulldog. It wouldn’t matter if you plan to never breed the french bulldog or register them for shows, but the major concern is health. A high-calibre breeder with storied pedigrees will almost certainly offer to buy back a sick or ailing puppy within a reasonable amount of time. We ensure the health of our puppies for 6-12 months, depending on the circumstances, and will always take one of our puppies/dogs back as opposed to allowing them to be surrender for any circumstance. You want to find a breeder with a similar policy, if only for the peace of mind.
Frenchies are expensive, but I promise they’re worth every bit of it and more. Hold out for the right one and the cards will fall in your favor.
I am looking for a frenchie but I have so many concerns and questions. I don’t understand how many of the puppies available on the AKC registry /marketplace are non-recognized colors by the AKC. Most breeders in my area all boast AKC registration but they too are selling blues and merle, etc. Please help me understand…
The parents come from AKC parents who have been selected for breeding by their genetics. When you mess with genetics to produce a color from a recessive gene, you open a whole host of other health issues. AKC continues to register dogs that do not meet their “color standards” because they are in business to make money. There is nothing wrong with being in business to make money. You just need to understand,AKC is always evolving and figuring out ways to create new streams of income. Like extending championships the opportunity st stay in the show ring and become grand champions. Also, AKC now charges for each person to be a co-owner. They raised the prices for almost everything. AKC will even take money to register ANY DOG as a companion animal. Right now you can buy any color and if the parents are AKC registered, you get an AKC registered pup. You just won’t be able to show it in AKC shows. Lots of people with blues are showing and championing them out in other registries like ABKC. Sadly, all this breeding for exotic colors looks like it has set the breed back decades.
Hi Jordan,
Thank you for the informative article. I’ve been wanting to get a Frenchie for a long time now and have recently been researching breeders. I found out about one today from an acquaintance that used them – researched her online and she sounded great. (The breeder herself is a vet) However, when I started looking at her prices – for a cream one it was $6,000. I was pretty taken aback…the highest I had seen until then was $4K. Do you know of any reputable breeders in the, NY, NJ, CT, PA area that you could recommend?? Any help or advice would be appreciated.
My main concern and the reason I want to find a good breeder is of course for health reasons…
Thanks,
Kristen
Hey Kristen, I don’t know any in New England personally. Just keep checking the AKC Classifieds and eventually, your soul-frenchie will find you!
I am a breeder in pa
Just wanted to say thanks for all the great advise. I got my Frenchie about 4 weeks ago when she was 10 weeks old. She is an Akc dog. I paid almost 5,000 dollars for her. She has been the greatest lil girl to me and my family and we love her so much. There are so many bad puppy mills out there. So please do lots of research as I did. I planed on getting a Frenchie a year before I got one due to all the time and research I did to ensure I was getting a good dog from a respected Breeder. If it seems to good to be true! It is! I used a company called puppy spot who put me in touch with the breader before I got her. Also am still in contact with her. My dog also came with a 10 year health guarantee. So if anything happens due to her breed I am protected as well as my puppy. I can’t STRESS ENOUGH RESERCH LOTS OF RESERCH. Again thanks for all your help and have a wonderful time with your frenchie. You rock Jordan. William
Will, thanks so much for your kind words. Unfortunately it isn’t uncommon to pay that amount for a french bulldog these days. The demand is high and breeders are riding it all the way to the bank (well, most of them, at least). You rock, Will! Thank you!
If French Bull Dogs are so rare then why when I open craig’s list about 25% of all dog post are these dogs.
This is Great information thank you so much! I’m pretty embarrassed because I did a bunch of research on the breed but not the breeder. We ended up purchasing a French bulldog during Christmas of last year 2018 and upon pick up she promised to overnight his AKC paperwork. We are approx three hours away, for reference. I am still waiting, and each time I ask her, she makes up an excuse. I am thinking small claims court might be an option, sadly.
We just had our first litter! No artificial insemination and a natural birth of 7 puppies!!!!!😊😊
Hi! My friends have a beautiful full breed French Bull Dog and we are having a VERY hard time locating another Frenchie to breed with! 😩 We want her to have at least one litter before she get fixed. We live in Atlanta, GA. HELP!
Need help on what to do. My two French bulldogs just had puppies they are not registered but bought them full blooded. This was not planned cause I did a bunch of reading it was hard for this breed to do this on there own and now my baby had 5 beautiful babies that need to go to very good homes in a couple of months I feel I can’t just give them away I feel if someone pays good money for one they are gonna wanna take very good care of it how do you recommend I sell them I know I would not get full price I am very truthful person about my dogs being full blooded I bought them off amazing Breeder and love my Frenchies so much
We had the same problem a couple month back. Our girl was registered because she had a previous litter (via AI with another dog), but we never registered our boy. We thought the same thing and never expected him to get her pregnant naturally. Where there’s a will there’s a way!! So I understand your concerns. We were still able to register him. I don’t think there’s a time limit on registration, however you will need blood line documentation. Lucky for us, our breeder registered the litter and we were able to solve our problem that way. Contact your breeder if you don’t have the litter information. Hope this helps!
I’m sorry, I think I misunderstood your question. I don’t think your concerned with registering them, rather selling them without registration. I think what you said above would be good enough. Probably seeking out family/friends who are not interested in breeding would be your best bet. I don’t think you should “give them away”, even adoption cost about $700 where I live, unfortunately I don’t think you’d be able to ask for too much more than that. It takes so much time, effort, and love in raising puppies, so don’t feel like you have to justify your reason when asking for a fair price 🙂
I’m interested in owning a French Bulldog. Breeders in my area (Illinois) charge $3,500 minimum. Can you recommend reputable breeders/shelters in the Chicagoland area that are not charging these insane prices?