May 2018 by Jamie M.
We got our french bulldog from Joe in 2012. She has been perfectly healthy and according to our vet, does not suffer from any of the typical health issues that come with the breed - except allergies. That said, the vet office was full of red itchy bulldogs the first time we went for a visit. This is not a reflection of the breeder, but a issue that is common with almost all frenchies. A bulldog is a labor of love and anyone who purchases a one should be fully aware that they cost more and are more labor intensive for this reason - but they are Oh, so worth it. We love our bully and my interaction with Joe was professional and he was quick to follow up about our dogs allergies when we had to make changes to her diet. He is very knowlegable about the breed and is happy to help you after you go home with your dog. He was prompt in returning my emails and phone calls and provided food and training recommendations. After changing the type of food we were feeding our dog, her allergies are now limited to seasonal ones and I cannot remember the last time we had to visit the vet. I also want to add that I was impressed with the behavior of all of Joe's dogs when we went to pick up our dog. They were well behaved and docile - this is so important as the first few months really shape the temperment of a puppy. It is so important when you select a stronger breed like a bulldog that they are well cared for and trained properly. For this reason, I greatly disagree with the review below for several reasons. I have purchased a dog from a low quality breeder and have dealt with all kinds of behavioral issues as a result. This dachshund breeder gave us a puppy that was too young and has had lasting behavioral issues because of this. Therefor, I was very conscious to observe how the dogs were being cared for and observe the behavior of Joe's adult dogs, personal dogs as well as the puppies for sale. We were allowed to see all of the dogs, however, it is generally not a good idea to meet your potential puppy with 10 other dogs present. For this reason, Joe let out a few puppies for us to observe and also allowed the mother and a couple of adult dogs out out so we could observe their interactions. Joe also helped facilitate as we observed how each dog interacted with our children. As the reviewer stated below about the dogs not being "ready"- If a breeder says that a puppy is not ready, you should listen to that, as taking a puppy from their litter too early can have disasterous effects on their behavior. Health issues are common with bulldogs and one should be prepared to have more vet bills for this reason. This is not always due to breeding, but has to do with the fact that they have short muzzles and have breathing problems as a result. Our vet, who specializes in brachycephalic breeds, said that it is important to keep your dog at a healthy weight, something Joe also recommended, due to having a shorter snout as it will help mitigate breathing issues. If any dog does have major defects, Joe stands behind his dogs as stated in his contract. A high quality breeder provides ongoing support after you take your dog home and I appreciate the help Joe provided in helping us identify our dogs food allergy and the numerous recommendations he made about different kinds of food. I highly recommend Left Coast Bulldogs if you are considering getting a Frenchie.
