Having a French Bulldog at home is a great thing and maybe you want to get your Frenchie a companion to have new puppy Frenchies. But can French Bulldogs breed naturally?
French Bulldogs are able to breed naturally but it is not recommended to do so. Due to their specific anatomy, French Bulldogs can have a lot of complications during pregnancy and birth. This is why a lot of other options exist to breed these dogs.
- Why French Bulldogs Can Not Breed Naturally
- What Procedures Help With Breeding The Frenchies
- What You Need To Know Before Breeding Your Dog
Why French Bulldogs Can Not Breed Naturally
Even if Frenchies are beautiful dogs that a lot of owners love, they also have a big problem with breeding. Years of selective breeding have resulted in dogs with such an anatomical structure that doesn’t allow them to have puppies naturally.
Problems With The Male French Bulldog
Breeding French Bulldogs from the male Frenchie perspective brings a lot of problems. Even though they might be fertile, they aren’t built right to be able to mate with other dogs. They have short legs, a compact physique, and narrow hips.
Male French Bulldogs can’t properly regulate temperatures due to their short noses and short coat. If you force a breeding session between the dogs it can lead to overheating.
Problems With The Female French Bulldog
Even though female French Bulldogs are able to get pregnant and carry a puppy, it is not recommended. This is because of their anatomical structure.
The female French Bulldog breeding issues include having a narrow birth canal, while the French Bulldog puppies have large heads. This might result in the puppy getting stuck within the birth canal which causes a lot of health issues and puts the female’s life at risk.
They are also known to have a lack of maternal instinct which may result from the breeding done artificially.
What Procedures Help With Breeding The Frenchies
Because French Bulldogs can’t mate on their own, humans use special procedures to mate these dogs. There are two main procedures that require human assistance.
Artificial Insemination
The procedure of artificial inseminations is done to conceive a female dog without having sexual interactions with a male dog. The male dog’s sperm is extracted and tested and then it is implanted into the female reproductive organ. This sperm fertilizes the female egg, resulting in an embryo forming.
The artificial insemination for a French Bulldog is done by an experienced veterinarian and it has a success rate is around 59% to 80%. There are a few factors that determine the success rate like the quality of the male sperm, the timing, and the skill of the veterinarian.
The process doesn’t specify any known side effects and it costs around $500 on average.
Caesarian Section
Due to the narrow birth canal of the female dog and the big puppy head, a c-section is the perfect choice for giving birth to a new Frenchie. In about 80% of the cases, a female French Bulldog needs a cesarian section.
The procedure involves anesthetizing the mother, cutting the uterus and removing the puppies, and examining the puppies for any abnormalities. In order to have a safe French Bulldog breeding outcome, the procedure is done by experienced veterinaries.
The advantages of a c-section include keeping the uterus strong and keeping the mother healthy and safe. Possible complications include a cleft palate in the pup, choking on vomit, and difficulty breathing in the mother.
Experts say that a French bulldog should have less than three c-sections in her full lifespan. The price of this procedure goes around $700 and $2500.
What You Need To Know Before Breeding Your Dog
Before you decide that you want to breed your French Bulldog, there are a few things you need to know first.
The Minimum Mating Age For French Bulldogs
The Frenchie stops growing at an age of 1, but when exactly can French Bulldogs mate? Well because the Frenchie is a small dog breed, it matures faster than the larger breeds of dogs.
The male French Bulldog becomes fertile after six months. At 12-15 months it can reach full sexual maturity.
The female French Bulldog has its first heat season (estrus) after six months. Sometimes it takes up to 18 months or 2 years until it happens. After the first season, every other heat season repeats every six months. It is not recommended to breed your female Frenchie in its first season because pregnancy carries some risks.
The Cycle Of A Female French Bulldog
To track the reproductive period of your female Frenchie easier, you need to know its cycle. It is divided into four periods.
- Proestrus – This period lasts for nine days. Your Frenchie will have a bloody vaginal discharge and it is easier to attract males.
- Estrus – This period comes right after proestrus and lasts for another nine days. Ovulation occurs in the first 48 hours of this period. The French Bulldog mating is supposed to happen during this period as the female is fertile.
- Diestrus – Also known as the “pregnancy” stage, is the period that lasts 60-63 days. If the female gets pregnant during estrus it ends until she whelps or gives birth.
- Anestrus – This period lasts around 3-4 months. No sexual activity takes place during this period.
Signs Of Pregnancy In Your Frenchie
Some signs you might notice are lethargy, change in appetite, an increase in weight, belly size, and nipple size.
If you notice these signs, you should get your dog to a vet and get it tested. The vet can make a blood test and an ultrasound.
The vet will inform you of the condition of your Frenchie and give you all the information you need about its pregnancy.
How Long Does This Pregnancy Last?
Now that you know how to breed a French Bulldog and what the signs are, you should also know how long the pregnancy lasts.
The French Bulldog pregnancy lasts around 58-68 days or around 2 months.
Before birth, your Frenchie will stop eating and start building a “nest” to have its puppies. Before the birth, your Frenchie will start panting, straining, and appearing restless. After this, the birth of your new pups happens. But the recommended type of birth in Frenchies is with a c-section.
You can expect around 3-5 puppies in the litter. Very rarely a litter as large as 7 puppies may happen.
How To Care For A Pregnant Frenchie
There are five main things to think about when caring for a pregnant Frenchie.
- Regular vet check-ups – You should visit the vet even before your Frenchie gets pregnant. They will explain your question “can French Bulldogs mate?”, and give you tips on how to do it. During pregnancy, your vet will help confirm the pregnancy and will give you advice on the care and delivery of the puppies.
- Nutrition – Your pregnant Frenchie should have a diet with highly digestible, good-quality ingredients. Try to get food with more meat and high protein, and avoid dog food with animal by-products. Use known dog food brands like Pedigree or Purina. You can also use supplements if needed.
- Behavior change – Pregnant Frenchies get frequent mood swings due to their hormone changes. This means that you should be a bit more careful around the dog, and supervise your kids if they want to play with it.
- Environment – You should adjust your home to your pregnant Frenchie. Avoid getting new pets, changing the usual routines, or rearranging the furniture. Get your dog in a quiet room and add the whelping box there.
- Vaccinations – You can vaccinate your Frenchie just before getting pregnant. This will increase its antibodies and increase the possibility of them crossing over to the pup.
So can French Bulldogs breed naturally?
French Bulldogs can technically get pregnant and give naturally. But it is not recommended. This is because of the large number of complications that might occur during birth.
In order to stop these complications, vets recommend using procedures like artificial insemination to impregnate your pup, and cesarean section to make giving birth easier.
There are a few things you need to know before you start to breed your Frenchie. Frenchies reach their sexual maturity after six months, but it is not recommended to breed them at this time. The signs of pregnancy include lethargy, change in appetite, an increase in weight, belly size, and nipple size. The usual pregnancy lasts around 2 months.
We hope that now you know how to breed your French Bulldog, and how to care for it after the pregnancy.
FAQ
How many times can you breed a French Bulldog?
A female Frenchie is able to breed twice a year. However, because the c-section and pregnancy take a toll on the dog, it is recommended to wait at least 18-24 months before the second breeding.
Is breeding French Bulldogs profitable?
Can French Bulldogs breed naturally? No. This makes the whole process of breeding expensive due to all the medical procedures needed. That said, considering how expensive it is, the puppies go for a lot of money and it can be profitable.
How much does it cost to breed a French Bulldog?
Breeding Frenchies costs around $700 and $2500. This money is needed to cover artificial insemination, c-section costs, other medical bills, vet support, and more. You will also need money for stuff like evaporated milk to feed your puppies.