How Much Does a French Bulldog Cost?

Last Updated on December 27, 2023
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

The physique and happy temperament of the French Bulldog earned him a place in high society, in the artistic community of Paris in the 1800s and since then the breed has prospered.

French Bulldogs are a small, very muscular molluscoid breed with a compact build and strong bones. They are strong but affectionate dogs with big ears that give them an alert and curious expression. They are friendly, cheerful, playful, athletic, and, above all, affectionate with people of all ages.

The first club of the Frenchie breed was established in Paris in 1880, and the first registration of a French Bulldog took place five years later. The breed was first officially recognized in France in 1898.

How much does a French Bulldog Cost?

If you are planning on purchasing a French Bulldog, be prepared to pay anywhere between $1,850 and $4,550 for a puppy from a reputable breeder, with an average cost of $2,850.

The French Bulldog price can be as much as $12,000, with rarer coat colors and certain patterns affecting its final cost.

In its first year of life, the cost of owning a French Bulldog will be around $5,400, and after that almost $1,200 each year (or $100 per month). During the lifetime of a French Bulldog, you will spend around $16,300, including the supplies, food, treats, licenses, training costs, microchips, grooming costs, and vet bills.

Some other costs, not included here may refer to spay or neuter procedures, pet insurance, dog boarding, and dog walking. Taking into consideration these costs as well you will spend anywhere between $55,100 and $108,350, with an average cost of $80,000.

As with everything you purchase, the higher prices will apply to high-end products and services, while the cheaper products and services will fall in the lower range category.

In this article, we are going to break the costs into more categories so you can have a better understanding of how much you should budget to own a standard French Bulldog.

Puppy costs

According to more than 3,500 online ads, the price of a French Bulldog puppy would be anywhere between $1,850 and $4,550, with an average cost of $2,850. For a purebred puppy with documents, you may pay even more than $20,000

Factors affecting the cost of a French Bulldog puppy

According to veterinarian Leslie Brooks, French Bulldog breeding dogs should be tested or evaluated for the next conditions before breeding and during their breeding period: juvenile cataracts, hip dysplasia, autoimmune thyroiditis, patellar luxation, cardiac and eye problems. Also, the buyer should ask the French Bulldog breeder about what health screening tests have been performed.

The purchase cost for a French Bulldog can vary for the same breed as it depends on many factors like the following:

Registration pedigree/papers

Some breeders are members of a kennel club and one of the most famous is the American Kennel Club (AKC). The cost of a French Bulldog will increase if it is AKC registered.

Mixed or purebred

In most cases, purebred French Bulldogs will be more expensive compared to mixed breeds.

Bloodline and breeder’s reputation

The costs will be much higher if the Frenchie parents of a puppy are show-quality dogs from a reputable breeder. This is because the breeders spend more taking care of their breeding dogs.

Age

Costs tend to be lower for older dogs because most people prefer to buy a French Bulldog as young as possible. For instance, an 8-week-old French Bulldog puppy may be more expensive than a 6-month-old one.

Coat color and marking

Trends regarding the coat color of a dog are changing permanently and when most people are interested in a specific color then the cost of this popular dog breed will increase. However, purebred French Bulldogs are known to be accepted by kennel clubs only if they have a specific color. Also, the most expensive puppies are the ones with rare colors.

Breed popularity in the buyer’s location

The purchase price of a French Bulldog puppy will be greatly affected by the local supply and demand. For instance, in big cities where people don’t have very much living space, small dogs are very popular, while in colder climates where hunting is popular, bigger breeds are in demand. It is recommended to get informed about the average cost of a French Bulldog in different locations, but also to visit the breeder’s location before purchasing the dog.

Health screening and medical expenses

You might also like our articles about the cost of an English Bulldog, a Pit Bull, or a Boston Terrier.

A reputable breeder will maintain their dog’s health in good condition and will permanently test and evaluate their health. Proper veterinary care will result in a higher initial cost but will reduce the risk of buying a sick dog.

Training and socialization

Some breeders choose to train the dogs before selling and this way they increase their value. However, it will save you money as you will not have to pay for dog training.

Costs of supplies

To raise a French Bulldog, you will need some supplies such as food, bowls, toys, sanitary equipment, cleaning products, collars, beds, and many more. Depending on the place you purchase them from and their quality, expect to pay around $350 in the first year for these supplies, and anywhere between $60 and $270 per year in the following period.

Train a French Bulldog

In terms of training, French bulldogs can become quite stubborn and easily distracted if they are not disciplined from an early age. The owners must arm themselves with a lot of patience and affection. The training should be done in short sessions, with delicious rewards, so that the little bulldogs can cooperate properly.

The cost of professional dog training is anywhere between $910 and $1,250, with an average of $1,300.

Vet average costs

To keep your French Bulldog healthy, you should expect to spend anywhere between $400 and $800 (plus a one-time fee of $60 to $310 for neutering/spaying the dog) in the first year of life and $340 to $730 each year after that, depending on the place where you are living.

According to the vet Leslie Brooks, in the first year of life, there should be at least three vet visits, to have healthy puppies, and each one costs anywhere between $70 and $175.

Besides the basic check-up, a flea and heartworm prevention treatment is recommended which will result in a cost of $15 to $20 per month.

Moreover, you should plan on spending on some extra vaccines to prevent some diseases such as:

• Lyme, which costs $60 to $80 including the booster shot;
• influenza, which costs $75 to $95 including the booster shot;
• leptospirosis, which costs $25 to $30.

Adult French Bulldogs will need at least one vet check-up every year and this will have an average price anywhere between $130 and $270, depending on the geographical location and the clinic. For the heartworm and flea prevention medications, you will pay between $70 and $210 each. Also, the annual vaccine booster shots are from $15 to $55 each.

If the dog shows inconsistent stool, quality fecal examinations are done and these cost $45 to $55.

Health issues

The French Bulldogs are prone to several diseases, which can be a painful problem for owners in particular. Among the diseases that can occur in this breed are the following:

• Allergies are quite common in this breed, the most common being those to food, those to various solid elements, and respiratory allergies.
• Brachycephalic syndrome (respiratory syndrome) usually occurs in dogs with flat noses. The air is obstructed depending on the angle of absorption, leading to noisy breathing or even the inability to inhale. These dogs usually snore.
• Collapsing trachea. If you have a dog that has been coughing for a long time, and has a feeling of suffocation periodically, when it runs or fidgets it enters a coughing crisis that does not seem to stop, then it could have a collapsing trachea.
• Disc herniation is a condition in which the intervertebral disc degenerates and no longer cushions the intervertebral shock. This causes the disc to push into the spinal cord, causing severe pain, paralysis, and lack of control over the bladder.
• Cherry eye is a congenital condition, but beyond this genetic predisposition, it is not yet known exactly what causes this condition in dogs. Although it may seem more like a cosmetic problem than a medical one, inflammation of the tear gland can become painful if left untreated.

Pet insurance

If you want to make budgeting much easier consider enrolling your French Bulldog in a health insurance plan. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association’s latest State of the Industry Report, the cost of pet insurance for accident plans only is around $200 per year, while for accident and illness plans you will have to pay around $570 per year.

Dog food costs

The recommended diet should be quite strict, being a breed prone to fattening, so canned foods with food specific to the age of each dog, or dry food that will strengthen his teeth and give him a feeling of satiety are indicated. It would be ideal to exclude food scraps, dairy products, spices, raw meat of any kind, and yeast.

Expect to spend anywhere between $80 and $135 per year on dog food for a puppy, and anywhere between $75 and $230 per year for an adult dog. The cost of high-quality dog food is at the high end.

Costs to groom Frenchies

The French Bulldog is not difficult to take care of at all. One bath a month with a special shampoo for puppies will be enough for it to look neat. Also brushing once/twice a week is necessary to remove shedding fur. Dental care is very important for removing deposits, so it is ideal to brush his teeth with a toothbrush several times a week.

If you want to take your French Bulldog to a salon for professional dog grooming that includes teeth brushing, nail trimming, ear and eye cleaning styling, and brushing, plan on spending anywhere between $35 and $55 per session.

On the other hand, you can purchase a grooming kit that costs around $80 and groom your Frenchie at home.

French Bulldog –  breed details

French Bulldogs have the common traits of dogs that have made a name for themselves in coming out victorious in a bullfight. These special features are a very low center of gravity, a broad body, heavy bones, obvious muscles, and a square head.

In the head and shoulders area, the French Bulldog has obvious wrinkles. Unlike other breeds of Bulldog, it has an alert look, an expression that shows curiosity, helped by its wide ears, large and similar to those of a bat.

His muzzle is flattened and his eyes are wide and almond-shaped. Its fur is smooth and short, with a soft and shiny thread. It has a short, conical tail. A special feature is the distance between the legs, especially the hind legs.

What are the extra costs?

There are some extra costs you need to consider when owning a French Bulldog, no matter if you buy it from a breeder or a pet store, such as the licenses, microchipping, dog walking, and boarding. In the table below you will find the average costs for each of these.

Additional Costs	Range	Average Cost
Microchip	$25 – $50	$40
License	$10 – $20	$15
Dog Boarding (per day)	$25 – $85	$40
Dog Walking (per walk)	$15 – $25	$20

Important things to consider

As a result of their square physique and big head, French bulldogs cannot swim. So, pool owners who buy a French bulldog should know that their future friends will not be good friends with water. And if he goes on a beach vacation, he certainly won’t get close to the sea waves.

The French were passionate about friendly dogs that had the quality of being good companions. Although they are slow and lazy, they quickly make friends with other dogs and do not spoil your good mood by barking a lot. They don’t need much movement, so they are good for small spaces.

They don’t bark much, but they like to “talk.” They use a complex system that includes yawning, gargling, and short barking, which give you the impression that they are using their language. Sometimes you may even hear them “singing.”

The original French bulldogs had “rose” shaped ears, similar to their older relatives, the English Bulldogs. British breeders loved this shape, but the Americans were seduced by the shape of the bat’s ears, which they managed to obtain by crossing between different dog specimens.

Due to their unusual size and shape, French bulldogs have difficulty mating. The males hardly reach the place in question, exerting great efforts, during which they overheat and consume their energy. As a result, many French bulldogs appear by artificial insemination, which makes them a more expensive breed than others.

Females also have a problem when they have to give birth, many of them undergo cesarean surgery, which reduces their stress and prevents other health complications.

How can I save money?

If you want to save money when planning to own a French Bulldog then adopting one would be much more affordable. Adopting a French bulldog implies some fees anywhere between $55 and $510.

You can save money on dog supplies such as harnesses, door gates, or dog clothing by checking out second-hand stores.