Before we embarked on this journey to breed Frenchies, like many families, ours had always adopted our canine companions. We always thought it was the best way to go about finding a pet. What we didn’t know is that by solely supporting rescues and shelters and not good breeders we were also supporting the irresponsible breeding practices that led to those dogs being there.
It is a sad fact that poor breeding practices are a major contributor to the growing numbers of unwanted animals. There are many breeders that over breed as well as abandon their breeding stock once they have exhausted their usefulness, breeders who breed unhealthy, unsound animals that are soon discarded by their owners, and irresponsible owners who surrender pups from unplanned, unwanted pregnancies. As responsible breeders, we at PEERLESS vow to be part of the solution to the problem. We seek to breed better Frenchies for our own program - not solely to meet the demand for pets. We whelp no more than 2 litters per year and our females are bred only 3 times or less. This means that we produce far less animals than other breeders. It also means that we are able to dedicate more time and resources to those few dogs we have to ensure the highest quality. At PEERLESS we are dedicated to finding our pups the best permanent homes possible - the Frenchies we produce will NEVER be allowed to go to shelters or rescues. Breeders who take back dogs their pet homes can't keep are the quickest and best way to make rescue obsolete!
Being aware of the issues facing the pet market and how where you get your pet makes an impact is important. We want our puppy families to be informed and to realize that supporting good breeders is essential to the well-being of all our furry friends. While shelter and rescue animals need homes too, they should not be the only option available. Whatever your needs, the best practice is “adopt AND shop responsibly". For those interested in learning about the difference between categories of breeders, please continue reading below.
Puppy Mills
A puppy mill is what the Humane Society accurately describes as an "inhumane high-volume dog breeding facility that churns out puppies for profit, ignoring the needs of the pups and their mothers. Dogs from puppy mills are often sick and unsocialized. Sadly, puppies in pet stores are almost exclusively from puppy mills. Their breeding stock are mistreated and neglected their entire lives and the pups will come with no sort of health guarantee or any health testing. A reputable breeder will NEVER sell a puppy to a pet store.
Backyard Breeders
Backyard breeders are only a small step above puppy mills. They typically don't have the overcrowding issues but their animals fare little better in terms of health. Backyard breeders have little to no knowledge of the breed standard, no interest in health testing or showing, don't care to improve the breed and do not make conscientious choices in their breeding. They provide the bare minimum in maintaining their low quality breeding stock and their goal is to spend as little as possible to produce as many litters as possible. They then try to sell the pups for the highest price they can get. No thought is given to their dog's breeding worthiness, health, temperament, and least of all conformation and structure. Unfortunately, color breeders that pursue color over all else will fall into this category by exploiting their animals and producing poorly bred dogs sold to buyers who are attracted to the color but who don't know anything about quality conformation and structure. A "BYB" will not take the time to thoroughly interview a potential home for their pups and often irresponsibly sells breeding rights to charge a higher price.
Commercial Kennels
Commercial kennels can often be high quality facilities. Animals from a commercial kennel are usually healthy and kept in hygienic conditions, groomed, well fed and receive regular veterinary care. Breeders running these kennels are usually experienced and knowledgeable and do breed quality animals. Where commercial kennels fall short is with the dog's environment. Their dogs are usually kenneled the majority of their lives and receive little human interaction beyond occasional grooming and perhaps a walk. Working breeds may have staff dedicated to regular training. The commercial kennel environment, however, is a far cry from the home life and love dogs in the care of a hobby breeder receive. Not being raised underfoot can lead to temperament issues. At the end of the day, the breeding stock of kennels are property and assets first NOT family.
Hobby Breeders
This is the category PEERLESS French Bulldogs is proud to say we belong to. As the term "hobby" suggests, they do not depend on breeding as a main source of income; Hobby breeders breed as a passion. These breeders take the time to gain an intimate knowledge of their dog's pedigrees and the breed standard. Hobby breeders don't house large numbers of dogs since they typically (as we do) keep their dogs in their own homes. A good hobby breeder will offer health guarantees and contracts with their buyers to protect the well-being of the pups they produce.
At PEERLESS we offer a 1 year health guarantee against conditions that have a severe impact on quality of life and life-threatening congenital defects and diseases. We are thorough with our interviews for pet homes, however, should any of the outstanding homes we choose for our Frenchies find themselves in a situation where they are no longer able to keep their Frenchie, we require that they return pups to us so that we can place them in another excellent home. We encourage our buyers to maintain contact and provide us with regular updates for the life of their Frenchies. At PEERLESS we strive not only to produce the highest quality Frenchies we can, but to provide lifelong support to those who join our family by taking home one of our pups.
What is the FBDCA?
The French Bulldog Club of America is the oldest club in the world dedicated to the French Bulldog breed and the quality breeding and care of pure-bred French Bulldogs. They are responsible for conducting dog shows and events that comply with the rules and regulations of the American Kennel Club and only allow French Bulldogs that conform to the current breed standard.
Where does PEERLESS deviate from the breed standard?
We share the FBDCA's enthusiasm for promoting good breeding and care of this wonderful breed. However, although the AKC allows the registration of our dogs being that they are pure-bred, the breed standard does not currently recognize the recessive colors we sometimes produce like they once did in the original breed standard. While these colors have always been present in the breed, it is the FBDCA's current stance that our non-breed standard colored Frenchies not be allowed in their show rings nor we in their club. We hope that this will change in years to come as breeders like us prove that our non-recognized colored Frenchies can be just as healthy, well tempered, and have the breed type and correct conformation to compete against standard colored French Bulldogs.
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