5 Reasons your French Bulldog is a target for “Dog nappers”

5 Reasons your French Bulldog is a target for “Dog nappers”

1. Breeding requires artificial insemination and birth via cesarean section
2. Small dogs easy to “dog nap”
3. High resale value
4. Quiet dogs and valued as ‘apartment sized’ and kid friendly
5. Social media fuelled interest in owning a dog

French Bulldogs stolen or ‘dog napped” are unfortunately now a common occurrence across the world. Owners report dogs stolen out of their back yards, dog walkers are accosted and dogs snatched. Ask yourself – how safe is your dog?

So why are French bull dogs being stolen at a higher rate than the popular breeds? Social media darlings these funny faces and enduring personalities make them much sought after dogs. They are bred through artificial insemination and born via cesarean section. Making them notoriously difficult to breed. Therefore inexperienced and back yard breeders are not capable of cashing in on the boom in Frenchie demand.

“Frenchies”, originate from France are a cross breed of a toy bull dog (from England) and the local ratters. They were bred as companion dogs and are all the rage as pandemic puppies. What makes them such targets of theft?

As a French Bulldog owner you are in possession of a commodity high in demand. Dog nappers, a global phenomenon are people looking for easy money who are unwittingly encouraged by new pet owners.

How do you keep your French Bulldog safe from Dog nappers?

• Don’t encourage Frenchie ownership
• Help your friends who have one to keep them safe- no dog walkers, or unknown pet sitters- do it yourself
• Stop location sharing on social media (no one needs to know who your groomer is or which dog park you frequent!)
• Request dog boarding facilities and dog sitters not to share your pets whereabouts and location
• Do not use them as ‘dog models’ and publicity gimmicks, in short keep your French bulldogs life private

One of the reasons your French Bulldog is a target for Dog nappers” is their size. Marketed as apartment sized quiet dogs Pugs and French bulldogs are in demand. The result is hundreds of more “brachy’s” we’re staring down an abyss of Frenchie abandonment and thefts.

“Criminals are definitely getting a lot bolder now.”

Time Magazine

Potential owners like the fact that they have a low exercise requirement. This is the result of physical deformities of French bull dogs and pugs- all brachycephalic breeds. Like Shih Tzus, pugs, boxers they have difficulty breathing and cooling down and it is vital to keep an eye on these dogs especially in hot climatic conditions. “Indeed, some veterinarians consider Bulldogs, Pugs and French Bulldogs as having “health and welfare too compromised to continue breeding”²

Fad dogs are not a new phenomenon in the dog world. German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers have all at one time been darlings of pet owners. With shrinking access to the outdoors and size of homes, Pugs and French Bull dogs are the ideal size. The difference with these fad dogs is their breeding severely compromises their health. Well intentioned families are helpless once they realise they cannot help their pets.

Over heard, many a novice Frenchie owner “Yeah, I know they’re a brachycephallic breed, but he’s ok!”
It is bewildering to figure out does“this person comprehends what they say ?” Unfortunately, most do not and opinions change once the veterinary bills begin to pour in. No broad brush paints all French Bulldog owners- they’re not ‘bad owners” rather misinformed. If you or your friends and family are looking for dogs and cats to bring home, please help them find pets from reputable sources. And always encourage adoption!

Looking for a French Bulldog? Please read these articles before making a decision! Ask us anything- if we do not have the answer, we’ll do the research & get you an answer!

Resources and Readings for French Bull dog families

_{Breeding French bulldogs so that they breathe well—A long way to go Ravn-Mølby EM, Sindahl L, Nielsen SS, Bruun CS, Sandøe P, et al. (2019) . PLOS ONE 14(12): e0226280. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226280}

1. _{BBC .com – “French bulldogs close in on Labradors as most popular US dog”}