Chapter 3 · Breathing and heat
Quiet signs, loud signs
Most Frenchies have some narrowing of the airway. The signs come in order, and the order tells you how fast to move.
| You see | What it means | What to do |
|---|
| Loud snoring, noisy breathing at rest, long panting after short walks | A narrowed airway | Vet visit, ask for a BOAS grade |
| Heavy panting that won't settle, thick drool, red gums | Overheating | Shade, tepid water on belly and paws, ring the vet now |
| Blue or purple gums, wobbling, collapse | Heatstroke | Cool while driving; nearest vet immediately |
Never 'wait and see' with a Frenchie's breathing on a warm day. The dogs that do best are the ones whose owners stopped the walk at the first noisy pant.
Sample page · The French Bulldog Handbook
Chapter 5 · Skin and folds
Where is the itch?
The location of the itch is the best clue you have. Here is the short version of the map.
Folds and tail pocketDamp folds grow yeast. Wipe, then dry, every day or two. Red or smelly means a vet.
Ears, again and againRepeat infections mean an allergy underneath. Treat the allergy or the ears never stop.
Paws in springPollen and grass. Wipe paws after walks, wash bedding hot, fish oil daily.
All over, all yearPoints at food. The only real test is a strict elimination diet with your vet.
Dry beats clean. A damp fold is a yeast farm, however clean it looked when you wiped it.
Sample page · The French Bulldog Handbook
Chapter 8 · Alone time
Clingy, or distressed?
Following you to the bathroom is clingy. Pacing, drooling and still going at thirty minutes is distress. Film it, and you'll know.
- Seconds first: ten seconds behind a door, then a minute, then five
- A chew that only appears when you leave
- Boring goodbyes, boring hellos
- Naps in a pen with the door closed while you're in the next room
- Never leave longer than they can cope with while you train
- Severe: talk to your vet about medication alongside the plan
Every panic rehearses the next one. Shrink the absence to what they can manage and build from there.
Sample page · The French Bulldog Handbook
Chapter 9 · Spine, knees and eyes
Vet today, or emergency now?
A dachshund-style spine in a heavier dog, slipping kneecaps, and eyes that stick out. Know which sign means what.
Vet todaySuddenly won't jump, hunched back, yelps when lifted. A skip in the step with a leg held up. Squinting one eye.
Emergency nowWobbly back legs, paws knuckling over, can't stand. An eye bulging or out of the socket.
PreventionLean weight, ramps at sofa, bed and car, a harness, no stairs at speed, the correct lift.
The correct liftOne hand under the chest, one under the bottom, spine level. Never under the front legs so the back half dangles.
Every rule that protects a dachshund's back protects a Frenchie's. We should know.
Sample page · The French Bulldog Handbook
Sample pages are shortened for the web. The handbook goes deeper on every one, and every chapter has a tool to tap, slide or tick.
