French Bulldog Whelping! | The French Bulldog Breeding Costs
So you have been thinking about french bulldog whelping? Maybe you’ve adopted a loving, quality Frenchie from French Bulldogs Philly and are considering even becoming a breeder one day! Well, we are here to let you know that this goal is certainly achievable, however, we do want to provide realistic expectations for you Frenchie owners as this undertaking will be a lot of work & is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Here we will break down French Bulldog whelping from A to Z. We have included a list of supplies to have on hand as well as detailed instructions. However, we strongly consider educating yourself further through courses, networking with breeders, & speaking with your local veterinarian. So long as you have a true love for the Frenchie breed & are willing to put in the work, we are confident that you can make your dream a reality. Please note that we are not licensed veterinarians so any advice presented is not a substitute for your vets council on french bulldog whelping & french bulldog breeding cost, please consult your vet before moving forward with this time-consuming & expensive undertaking.
So even before thinking about french bulldog whelping, you must mentally prepare for what’s to come. There will be late nights, & there will certainly be a large time commitment that can be overwhelming for some. However, there are some things that you can do to make your life much easier throughout this process. Below we have listed some must-have items to prepare for a whelping, their links & a brief explanation of their function. Continue reading for a more detailed explanation of their uses!
French Bulldog Whelping Checklist!
- Whelping Box: (https://amzn.to/3THDxH5) This is where mom & her pups will be spending the majority of their time for some months, be sure to get one with pig rails to prevent the Dam from accidentally crushing her pups
- Temperature Controlled Heating Pad: (https://amzn.to/3seoQji) Puppies cannot regulate their body temperature on their own, thus you will have to do this by making sure the room temperature never drops below 80 degrees
- Heat Lamp: (https://amzn.to/3SsAPEI) Feel free to use a heat lamp as a substitute for the heating pad or in conjunction!
- Towels: (https://amzn.to/3sc5Q4P) There will be a lot of clean up, make sure you have a lot of towels on hand
- Kennelsol: (https://amzn.to/3yUwVgI) A very effective disinfectant, you will need to thoroughly clean the whelping space multiple times a day
- Ammonia: (https://amzn.to/3TlBpFq) One of the only cleaning methods to kill the Coccidia parasite
- Hand Sanitizer: (https://amzn.to/3VNXKwM) Don’t touch anything in your whelping area without sterile hands
- Goats Milk: (https://amzn.to/3EZS0dn) There is a possibility that you may need a substitute for your pups, always good to have this on hand!
- Calcium: (https://amzn.to/3VJ4YlL) Provide calcium supplements to the dam as needed
- Puppy Potty Pads: (https://amzn.to/3TDkRbz) Again, there will be a lot of cleanup after your pups, it is always good to have these on hand
- Baby Wipes: (https://amzn.to/3SdYg4o) You will be using these to wipe down your French Bulldog puppies & Dam
- Vinyl Flooring: (Pick This Up From Home Depot or Lowes ) This type of flooring makes for easy cleanup!
- Dog Gate: (https://amzn.to/3eJQ4eB) Once your pups are old enough they’ll want some space to roam, you can use this gate for your puppies
- Water And Food Bowl: (https://amzn.to/3guiSYI) To feed & give your pups water
- Dewormer: (https://amzn.to/3sesny4) Most pups are born with some type of worm, you’ll want to start the deworming process early
- Thermometer: (https://amzn.to/3VXzybJ) To take the rectal temperature of puppies & Dam
- Baby Scale: (https://amzn.to/3Dhq57q) You will be weighing & keeping track of your pup’s weight daily
- White Board: (https://amzn.to/3THH8Fp) You can use this to track your pup’s weight & supplement intake
- Artificial Turf Grass: (https://amzn.to/3F10Mbc) Once your pups are of age you can let them go potty on your turf
- Baby Bottle: ( https://amzn.to/3TmP5Qm) In the case that you need to bottle feed your pups
- Puppy Food: (https://amzn.to/3VP58IC) As mom approaches her due date you will be switching her to puppy food, & feeding your pups this later on
- Suction Bulb: (https://amzn.to/3sb7S5p) This is extremely important, in the case of an aspirating puppy you will need to suck any fluids out of the puppy’s lungs and nose
What To Expect When Your French Bulldog Dam Is Whelping
French Bulldog dams are typically impregnated via artificial insemination, they are built with short & narrow frames making it difficult for traditional impregnation. To achieve this, artificial insemination can be done at home by you or at your local veterinarian. Once your dam is in whelp you can expect her pregnancy to last roughly 60 days, she is able to get an ultrasound after 30 days to confirm her pregnancy, however, you will only be able to confirm her puppy count after 50 days once her puppy’s bones have developed. Often X-rays are performed as well though they are not required, are an added cost & can also be stressful for your dam. Once your Frenchie is confirmed pregnant switch her to quality puppy food, we prefer Iams! (https://amzn.to/3VP58IC). This is because puppy food is rich in nutrients, & calories helping her keep weight on which is crucial as she is now eating to support her puppies as well. Additionally, after her pregnancy is confirmed it is important to deworm your dam (https://amzn.to/3sesny4) to prevent any transference. After 30 days you may notice that your dam has become a finicky eater. You’ll want to make sure that she continues to eat. At this point, she should be consuming roughly 30% more food than pre-pregnancy. If you are struggling to get her to eat try giving her food in smaller portions or feeding her other options (salmon, chicken breast, ground beef) Mix it up! try mixing it in with her puppy food. In weeks 7-8 of pregnancy your dam should be eating roughly 50% more than pre-pregnancy. After day 50 you should be measuring her rectal temperature every day, when her temperature drops below 100 degrees it’s very likely she will be going into labor in the next 24 hours, you should take her temperature again in 30 mins to confirm. Some other common symptoms include restlessness, panting & loss of appetite. These are signs she will be going into labor soon. Your vet can also perform a progesterone test to confirm, in this case, if her numbers are dropping this means she’s close to giving birth & it may be time to take her to the vet for a c-section.
At-home births are highly discouraged for French Bulldogs for multiple reasons. French bulldog puppies are often too big for their mom’s birth canal, thus puppies may get stuck during their birth. Expect to spend $600 to $4000 for a C-section, costs vary largely due to whether the procedure is an emergency or scheduled (though these are often hard to schedule due to the unpredictability of births). Make sure to get your car ready for the big day! Some must-haves include a tub with warm blankets/towels. Make sure that all puppies are covered & warm on the ride back home.
Frenchie Puppies Weeks 1 - 2
After her pregnancy, it will be important to keep your dam eating. If you are struggling with this try mixing goat’s milk or cottage cheese in with her food. It’s imperative she continues to get her nutrients as she will need to breastfeed her puppies every two hours. Make sure you are setting alarms for this, even at night. Ensure all your Frenchie puppies are pooping & peeing, at this age this is not something they can do on their own. Your dam is able to stimulate this by licking them, however, if she won’t do this you can use a wet cloth to rub between their anus & genitalia until they start urinating/defecating. Be sure to watch your puppies closely while feeding, if they suck milk too quickly or if you are supplementing and your bottle is leaking your puppies can aspirate. If this occurs you must immediately use a sucking bulb to remove any milk or mucus as it could obstruct their airways potentially being deadly.
Keep everything clean but never use harsh chemicals around puppies & always make sure there is good ventilation. Weigh your puppies daily and keep track to ensure they are gaining weight. Also, trim their nails to make mom more comfortable while nursing. Nearly all puppies are born with some sort of worms, after two weeks start the deworming process (https://amzn.to/3sesny4). Here are some things to look for in newborn Frenchie pups: swollen eyes, poop consistency, color, smell, & aspiration. In the case of an aspirating puppy, an oxygen tank can be a lifesaver. If you begin to notice abnormal breathing patterns or an inability to nurse your puppy may need to be tube fed. If you notice a noisy pup this typically means something wrong, assess if it’s too hot or cold, if your pup is hungry, if your pup has gone to the bathroom or if there is potentially a medical issue.
Frenchie Puppies Weeks 3 - 5
At around 3 weeks you should begin to notice that your puppies teeth have started to come in. Mom should still be actively nursing her puppies but at this point you can begin to slowly introduce mush into their diet. Mush is puppy food soaked in goats milk & water that is then blended until it becomes a smooth consistency. Water is slowly introduced over time & by week 5 they should be mostly weened from breastfeeding.
As your puppies get older, they will begin exploring their surroundings so be sure to remove any harmful objects you may have lying around. During this period it is especially crucial to socialize your puppies as these experiences & memories will stay with them throughout adulthood. So make sure to spend lots of time with them so they are sweet & loving to their owners!
Frenchie Puppies Weeks 6 - 8
By week 6 you can begin to introduce soaked food into your puppies diet. By week 7 try introducing hard food puppy food, if you struggle with this you can try blending the puppy food at first. After 6 or 7 weeks be sure to schedule their first vet visit to get your puppies their 5 way shots or if you are experienced feel free to provide this to them yourself!
Breeding French Bulldogs can be an overwhelming & tiring process, so please give yourself grace as you learn. As long as you have a true love & appreciation for the breed with time you can certainly do well. If you are looking for ways to get started, consider taking a look at one of our sweet, loving & quality Frenchie pups here at French Bulldogs Philly! Our pups are all AKC certified & come from the top pedigree, to learn more visit our available puppies page!
*We are not licensed vets, please consult your vet to develop a whelping plan specific to your needs*
