Who doesn’t love the French Bulldog? With their cheerful personality, easy-going nature, and love of humans, it’s no wonder they are such a popular breed! Extensive thought and care has gone into the evolution of the French Bulldog, and in recent years reputable breeders have taken this further with the inclusion of health testing in their breeding programs. Health testing is a way for breeders to understand the potential health issues that could occur in future litters and to better select combinations of dogs to limit those issues and produce healthier puppies. Results of both genetic testing and OFA health testing are becoming increasingly requested by buyers as a way to determine the quality of dog they are purchasing.
What is the OFA?
The Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) is a health database sponsored by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) that works to gather information on health issues that arise in specific breeds. The OFA, along with parent clubs, established standardized screenings for health issues to help breeders select the best dogs to continue their line. While some health tests can be conducted at a regular licensed veterinarian’s office, other tests require a specialist.
Dogs who meet the basic health screening requirement are given a CHIC number. For CHIC certification, the results don’t have to be normal, but they do have to be in the public database. Health testing is a tool to help breeders make better educated decisions about their breeding stock. Results that aren’t perfect shouldn’t mean a complete halt to a breeding program, but should be treated as a filter to help direct decision making with the idea of answering the question – does this dog have something to offer to the breed?
French Bulldog Recommended Health Testing
Working with the breed’s parent club, the OFA created a recommendation for French Bulldog health testing that includes:
- Hip Dysplasia – Either OFA evaluation or PennHIP evaluation
- ACVO Eye Exam – Annual eye examinations
- Patellar Luxation – OFA evaluation
- Cardiac Evaluation – One of the following:
- Congenital Cardiac Exam – Echocardiograms recommended but not required
- Advanced Cardiac Exam – Echocardiograms recommended but not required
- Basic Cardiac Exam – Echocardiograms recommended but not required
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis – OFA evaluation from an approved laboratory (optional but recommended)
- Elbow Dysplasia – OFA evaluation (optional but recommended)
- Tracheal Hypoplasia – OFA radiographic evaluation for Tracheal Hypoplasia (optional but recommended)
Crowd Pleazer Frenchies
Heather MacPherson of Crowd Pleazer Frenchies is an advocate of health testing in an effort to develop a stronger breed. Studs at Crowd Pleazer Frenchies are tested for over 182+ genetic diseases, as well as undergo physical health testing that includes heart, hips, and more. Heather promotes the importance of understanding what is in a dog’s DNA to ensure correct health and structure are passed along, not just the color. She explained, “We breed for health above all else. Color is just frosting.”
Heather’s years of experience in the industry has brought to the forefront the need to educate dog buyers in their purchasing decisions. She has noticed that many buyers start with social media when looking for a dog, which can often lead them down a confusing and dangerous path. It can be difficult on social platforms to determine if a dog is coming from a reputable breeder or even a breeder at all. Many new buyers fall victim to scams or fail to do their research and end up with unhealthy dogs from uneducated backyard breeders.
Heather suggests when choosing a dog to ask a lot of questions and only work with breeders willing to give you direct answers. Request to see detailed records and photos of not only the parents of the dog you’re interested in purchasing, but also of the parents’ parents. Get information on the breeder as well including who they work with in the veterinary field, if they health test, etc. A breeder’s reputation in the French Bulldog community can tell you a lot about the operation a potential dog is coming from and what issues might come up further down the line.
Find My K9 Match App
Created by Gretchen and David Randall, the Find My K9 Match provides a secure platform to connect French Bulldog breeders and buyers. Breeders and sellers on the app are required to verify their identity prior to creating an account, so buyers can be sure they are purchasing from real people within the French Bulldog community.
The Find My Frenchie app offers an in-depth search feature so users can locate dogs by color, pattern, DNA, and location. The app allows buyers a safe place to find the puppy of their dreams, and breeders can locate stud services or a bitch that fits the exact profile to enhance their line. Bringing together the worldwide community of French Bulldog owners and reputable breeders, Find My Frenchie aims to be an educational tool that fosters community for lovers of the breed and helps to connect breeders with healthy dogs to continue their programs.
Health Testing In the Years to Come
While health testing is gaining in importance for many programs, the number of breeders consistently health testing their dogs is still surprisingly low. In 2021, about 55,000 French Bulldogs were registered, and the breed ranked second most popular in the United States. With only approximately 3,500 hips recorded over the last 25 years in the OFA database, it’s clear there’s room for improvement. As buyers increase their requests to view health test results before purchasing from a litter, we should see health screenings become a normal part of all breeding programs.
