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Once you have decided on the breed of puppy you want and the sex of the puppy the next big question you should ask yourself is which puppy you should choose and what to look for when going to buy your puppy. Searching for information on the internet could have led to more confusion, so here are some helpful sensible hints to help you decide what to look for when you choose your new puppy:

Evaluate the litter

You should never feel rushed into making a decision and choosing a puppy, a reputable breeder will give you all the time you need when choosing your puppy, but don’t be swayed by their choice. While the breeder can give you good advice on caring for your new puppy and most will be honest, there are some who might try to sell you those puppies they don’t want to be stuck with, for example the boisterous dominating puppy, while most breeders wouldn’t dream of doing this there is the odd one which might be tempted.

Don’t be fooled either by well meaning friends telling you to let the puppy choose you, the pushy puppies will come forward every time and these can often be the most difficult ones to raise, while the gentle ones which normally make the gentler pets are left behind.

Also don’t rely on the biggest puppy being the best; this isn’t always so the bigger puppy will be the more aggressive puppy that always pushed his way in to make sure he got fed, which again could be a problem with dominance as the puppy grows older. Puppies are very much like children each one of them will grow at a different rate and what is the smallest in the litter now could well turn into the biggest and best out of the litter. Certain things however should be taken into account and these are:

* Look at the whole litter as a group, if three out of four of the puppies run away, growl, bark or show some form of aggression then choose another breeder.

* Don’t be conned by the breeder telling you there just shy, socialization at an early age is crucial and any reputable breeder will have handled their puppies and got them used to being around people.

* Puppies who shrink away from you with their tails tucked between their legs are not a good choice, shy puppies will usually grow into shy dogs if this is in their genes.

* A healthy normal puppy should be very curious often running around your feet, tugging at your shoelaces, nibbling at your fingers and trying to climb into your lap.

* Watch how the puppies interact with each other, you can tell a lot about the puppy from how is interacts with its litter mates.

* Look for a puppy in the middle range, this is one that will be inquisitive, who joins in and holds their own without being too bossy and one who doesn’t growl or bite its fellow litter mates.

* Try a few simple tests, try clapping your hands or jiggling your car keys, which puppy is alert, interested or which shrinks away in fright.

Once you have checked out the litter as a whole then you can ask the breeder if you see them all singularly, this will give you a good idea of how the puppy will cope being away from its litter mates. This is the time you can evaluate the puppy’s own personality, sometimes a bold puppy will totally change when separated from the others. Signs to watch for are:

* The puppy’s general expression and body language.

* Does the puppy wag his tail or is it tucked between its legs.

* When you talk to the puppy how does it respond.

* Is the puppy lively and energetic, is the puppy inquisitive.

Spend as much time as you need with the litter as a whole and also with each puppy you are interested in, a reputable breeder will give you all the time you need with the puppies and should never rush you or sway you into making a choice. Perhaps the only time when a breeder should give you advice on which puppy is right for you is if you are thinking of showing the dog. Here the breeder can point out which puppy might be best for show and why they think it is.

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* Make sure that you research the breed thoroughly before you buy a puppy or dog, never make an impulse purchase and buy the first puppy from the first breeder you find.

* Be honest with the breeder about what you’re looking for when you go to see the puppies or dogs, if you are looking for a show dog then don’t tell the breeder you want a pet because you think this will cost you less. A responsible breeder will sell their French bulldogs as pets with limited registration papers and you will not be able to show your dog without full papers.

* If you buy a frenchie as a pet, then you probably wont be able to show it, the breeder will sell their frenchies as pets if they know the puppy wont meet the strict requirements needed for showing.

* Even if you purchase a dog or puppy for show there is no guarantee that you will be successful, not every show dog has the superior qualities which are needed to win major prizes at the top shows.

* Don’t buy a show dog just for the sake of it, if all you want is a companion then buy a puppy for a pet, they might not meet the exact standards required of the breed but if you bought your puppy from a reputable breeder who does breed show dogs then your companion will be pretty close to meeting the requirements without costing you an arm and leg.

* Make sure that you get yourself a copy of the breed standard and also equip yourself with the knowledge of the problems know to this specific breed.

* If you wish to purchase a dog for showing then attend as many shows as possible before you go looking for a puppy, make sure you know the breed and the colours that are required for showing.

* Even if you don’t intend to show your frenchie it doesn’t hurt to get acquainted with the breed’s standard before you choose your puppy, what better way to learn about the breed than from those who have been breeding and showing frenchies for years.

* Contact and view puppies from as many different breeders as you can before making your final choice.

* Makes sure you take a list with all the questions you want to ask the breeder, a reputable breeder will only be too happy to answer all your questions, they should also ask some questions of you too.

* A breeder who isn’t affiliated with a dog club is no worse than those who are, their puppies and dogs can be just as worthy of the show ring than those belonging to a club.

* Don’t be taken in by breeders who claim their dogs are show worthy but who don’t actually show them, a good breeder will show their dogs and have proof with certificates and trophies of what their dogs are actually capable of. The breeder who claims their dogs are champions without having the proof and who makes the excuse of not having time to show their dogs should be avoided especially if you do want to show the puppy.

* Look for a breeder who has several years of experience in breeding French bulldogs.

* Ask how many litters a year the breeder has and be wary of those who claim they always have litters available, the good breeder will only breed a few litters per year, those who say they always have litters haven’t got the best interests of the dogs at heart only their pockets.

* Does the breeder give you registration papers; health records and micro chip the puppies. A reputable breeder will give you the puppy’s pedigree records and health records. Most breeders know have a micro chip inserted into the puppy very early on, this helps to locate dogs that are lost or stolen.

Just because someone proudly brags that their puppy is a pedigree and it’s registered by a kennel club doesn’t necessarily mean that their puppy is any better than yours. Being registered by a kennel club doesn’t automatically mean that the puppy is of superior quality to one which isn’t, the kennel club will register any puppy whose parents were registered and those parents were registered because their parents were registered, and so it goes on. Registration by a kennel club simply means that you filled in a form and paid your money to keep the chain of registration going.

What does the pedigree mean?

Again apply to the kennel club, fill in a form, pay your money and they will access their database and look for the long list of names of your puppy’s parents, grand parents, great grand parents e.t.c, as many of them and as far back as you wish to pay for. A pedigree is really just nothing more than a family tree that we humans can trace back to find our relatives; the dog hasn’t had to meet any specific requirements for behaviour, temperament, health or appearance.

Every single year there are thousands of litters which are registered by the kennel club with the majority of these puppies being poor quality and defiantly not worthy of showing. So if a breeder is offering puppies for a ridiculous amount of money just because they are pedigree and are kennel club registered don’t be fooled into thinking you are getting something special because you probably aren’t.

Do the papers prove the puppy is purebred?

Unfortunately not, purebred simply means that the ancestors can be traced back for many generations and they all have the same set of fixed genes. Fixed genes are what give the dog its colour; size, type of coat e.t.c, and having these genes are what makes the puppy a purebred, if the puppy doesn’t have these genes then the registration papers don’t mean anything.

Just because a puppy has papers doesn’t mean they are right or true, for example if the owner has two German Shepard for breeding but the female accidentally gets out and the mixed breed dog from down the road mates with her if the breeder is dishonest there is nothing stopping her from filling in the registration papers and claiming that her boxer male is the father. If the puppies take after their mum then the breeder may get away with it, and these puppies while having registration and pedigree are far from purebred puppies.

What are pedigrees and registration good for?

Pedigrees and registration papers are only really useful for the conscientious breeder; a breeder will use the pedigree to trace back the origins of a dog before considering breeding them. They will check the pedigrees to make sure that they aren’t breeding two dogs that are closely related, they also use them to check out temperament, physical build and health of as many ancestors as they can.

Whichever breed of dog you are looking to buy it is important that you choose a good breeder from which to purchase your puppy, a reputable breeder will always ask you several questions before they will let you buy a puppy and of course you should have several questions of your own for the breeder. Of course when you are buying a puppy you should first determine what role the dog will play, if you want a puppy as a companion and pet or if you will want to show the dog.

Puppies bred specifically for showing are of course more expensive than ones who are to be just pets, the only difference being a show dog will have to meet strict requirements set out for the breed while the pet may have colour miss-markings or some such trait that it doesn’t meet up to the high standards required for showing. Points you should look for when choosing a breeder are:

* A breeder who keeps the dogs in the house rather than in pens or runs outside.

* The puppies look happy and healthy and don’t shy away from strangers but are adventurous when meeting new people.

* The area where the dogs are kept is clean and hygiene is maintained.

* The breeder shows you the puppies parents or at the very least their mother.

* Choose a breeder who only breeds one type of dog and who knows the breed well.

* The breeder can show you vets records and has a medical history of the dogs and puppies.

* The breeder can offer you advice on the breed and is willing to provide after care once you have bought a puppy.

* A breeder who is willing to provide references to other people who have bought puppies in the past.

* A breeder who feeds a premium brand of dog food.

* A breeder who encourage multiple visits before you buy the puppy and who encourages all the family to visit before buying.

* A breeder who can give you a written contract regarding the health of the puppy.

The breeder should never just sell puppies to anyone without first asking questions about the buyer, common questions the breeder should ask of you are:

* Why you want a puppy.

* Ask about which vet you would be considering using after buying the puppy.

* Ask about your accommodation, making sure you have adequate space for a dog.

* Ask if you are home to take care of the dog during the day.

* Ask about what you know about the breed of the dog.

* Make sure you understand any health problems relating to the particular breed of the dog.

The cost of the French bulldog is mostly determined by the quality of the breed, if you are looking for a dog that meets the standard for the breed to a tee with the option of showing the dog at dog shows then you will pay more for a puppy than you would if you just had in mind to have the dog as a pet.

A French bulldog sold just as a pet will not meet the high standards that are needed and meet the specific criteria that is set out in the breed standard, this might be that the ears are slightly too small than that of the standard or they don’t stand right on the head. This of course doesn’t defer from the dogs appearance and lovability of course and the puppy is worthy of buying if you just want a companion dog and of course they are cheaper, but if you want a dog for show then you will have to ensure that it does meet the exact standards and of course the show breeders will charge a high price for a puppy that come from show stock quality.

While the ears and quality of the French bulldog are the main consideration when it comes to cost, they should appear bat like; there are other factors which can determine how much you pay for your dog or puppy. The French bulldog can be found in a gorgeous array of colours and if you want one of the more exotic colours that are being bred then you can expect to pay more. The more common colours of the French bulldog such as the pied, brindles and cream are a lot cheaper to buy as are black and tan and live and mouse colours.

Perhaps one of the biggest factors which determine the high cost that is associated with the French bulldog is the problems they have when breeding and delivering the puppy or puppies. The French bulldog breed has very small litters due to their small size and usually has just one or two at the most and of course this puts up the cost of the puppy drastically in comparison to breeds that have six or seven puppies to a litter. The majority of puppies are born by caesarean, again due to the size of the mother and the fact that the French bulldog is noted for its big head and ear size which makes giving birth difficult and when it comes to breeding the bitch usually has to be inseminated artificially, which of course is very costly and as such the price of the puppy will reflect this.

The French bulldog is considered to one of the expensive breeds of dogs but of course this is only reflected by the care they need and the means which have to used during conception and birth. You should be very wary of any puppy which is offered as a bargain as this could mean that both the puppy and the parents aren’t registered by the kennel club, they might not have the proper documentation or that the health and care of the puppy and its parents weren’t the best.