How Big Do Mini French Bulldog’s Get?

[rank_math_breadcrumb]
Photo by Jake Nackos on Unsplash

Thinking of adding a new pup to your family? If so, then you really need to weigh your options out. There are plenty of dog breeds that you can choose from.

Many people nowadays are into French bulldogs. Since they are small, they are a perfect addition to a family that lives in a small space, such as a condo unit or apartment. 

You can get the so-called teacup or mini French Bulldog, which is a lot smaller than the traditional French bulldogs. It could be a perfect pet for your little child. To know more about this variation of a Frenchie, keep on reading. 

What is a teacup breed of dog?

A teacup breed of dog is an small dog that weighs no more than 5 lbs- and I’m not joking!

And so a mini French Bulldog will weigh 5 pounds or less.

Any breed of dog can have a teacup or mini version of itself. This is not something that just applies to Frenchies.

How does this compare to a standard sized Frenchie?

In general, a standard-sized French bulldog stands 11 to 12 inches tall, and weighs from 16 to 28 pounds. Males could be 20 to 28 pounds, while the females could be 16 to 24 pounds. Looking at these figures, you can tell that a teacup is way smaller. Hence, the name. 

What are the advantages of teacup Frenchies?

 Like most other min breeds of dogs, teacup French Bulldogs have their advantages.

Here are my seven biggest advantages list below:

  1. you can take them anywhere
  2.  are you get lots of attention from friends and families
  3.  they are much more suited to smaller living spaces
  4.  they need to be fed less food
  5.  they need less exercise
  6.  they don’t create as much mess 
  7.  they create less noise

7 disadvantages of mini French Bulldogs

For every upside, there is always a downside and these are pretty big.

Once again, any disadvantage of owning a teacup French bulldog applies to any other mini breed of dog.

(1) Cost

Any teacup breed of dog is phenomenally expensive because they are bought by people who are following a trend. 

 For a short time these breeds are wanted by huge numbers of people which means that the price gets higher and higher.

I also discuss another downside of trendy dog breeds later on in this section

(2) Health issues

Any teacup breed of dog could have a range of health issues that are as long as your arm.

And these health issues are not minor ones, either. 

 Each health issue could be life-threatening to the dog itself or at the very least it will mean an expensive vet visit.

You see in order to make a tiny dog, breeders are having to use two very questionable practices.

[a] Runts

The first one is using litter “runts”.

You’ve heard the expression “runt of the litter”, which is the smallest and weakest member of a litter.

These are puppies that are least likely to survive, but for breeding teacup dogs they are the ideal candidates.

But how can using them possibly lead to a litter of healthy flourishing mini French Bulldogs?

[b] Dwarfism

The next questionable practice is the pursuit of the smallest dog is to mess around with the dog’s genes themselves.

In particular, the gene that creates a dwarf dog. The medical term for this is achondroplasia.

Instead of trying to get rid of this gene, some breeders will try and introduce it into a line of dogs and the consequences for health can be very serious and they include poorly formed limbs and having too many teeth in a poorly formed jaw.

(3) Delicate

 Because these dogs are so small they are much more fragile and injury prone.  they are more likely to be trodden on because they get under people’s feet and this can lead to them getting broken bones.

 And they are more likely to sustain an injury from jumping from to greater Heights.

(4) Separation anxiety

 if one of the great advantages of owning this type of dog is that you can take them anywhere,  and so imagine how hard it is for the dog on those few occasions that you need to leave them at home.

 They won’t be used to being separated from you or being on their own and on these occasions in all likelihood they will be incredibly anxious and distressed.

(5) Vet Visits

 We have already talked about the fact that teacup breeds are not the healthiest of canine specimens.

 It is quite likely that you would spend more time at the vets then you would if you bought a regular sized breed of dog.

 On top of this you have a dog who is so small it becomes much harder for the vet to treat them purely because of their physical size.

 This is going to lead two more treatment time, which is going to  lead to more expense.

And because they are harder to treat the likelihood of them dying whilst undergoing treatment is also far higher than a regular sized dog.

(6) A Rescue Crisis

Teacup breeds are trendy dogs.

And so what happens is that the demand for a certain breed of dog increases massively for a short time ( which can normally  can be measured in months)  and then people don’t want them anymore more because there is another far cuter breed of small dog. 

What then happens is that rescue centres across America and the UK are inundated as hundreds or thousands of yesterday’s trend teacup  breed are dumped by their owners. 

My final disadvantage of owning a teacup sized breed is so serious that I think it deserves its own section this is all about unethical breeders.

Unethical breeders

Because the demand for certain breeds of these tiny dogs can suddenly increase, in order to meet this demand new breeders enter the marketplace.

The  biggest concern of these breeders is not the health of the dog, it is how much money they can make.

This leads to massive dangers.  Firstly is the health and the well-being of the dogs.

 Behind every dog breed that is currently incredibly popular will be  dozens and dozens of stories of cruelty and pain of dogs.

 In the rush to meet the demand and to make as much money as possible,  thousands of dogs will have been mistreated  or died.

The second danger is to the customers.  

You as a potential new owner of a beautiful dog.

 Just as unethical breeders don’t give a damn about dogs neither do they give a damn about you.

 they were nothing to get your money in their pockets.

 And this includes lying to you and forging paperwork.

 if you buy from the wrong  breeder, you will probably end up paying an awful lot of money for a dog that doesn’t live very long.

How to protect yourself against an unethical breeder

Teacup breeds are not recognised by the American Kennel Club (AKC),  who are meant to be be at the forefront of dog welfare in America.

 This makes your job harder

There is only one way of doing this and that is through doing lots of research.

 If you absolutely have to have a teacup breed of dog,  make sure that you spend the time to find someone one who  is very very experienced in this game.

 Unfortunately there is not one trick or a single strategy that you can use to guarantee that the breed of that you are buying from is top quality.

 But by following all of the tips below you can eliminate lots of the risk.

Forums and Facebook Groups

Get involved with internet communities related to the breed of dog that you want to buy.

For instance you can search on Google for French Bulldog forums and you can search on Facebook for groups relating to French bulldogs.

Take a look around at these forums and these groups to make sure that they are still active.

It might be that someone has already asked a question about teacup breeds before, so use the search facilities and do some research to look at prior discussions.

 If not, start your own discussion  and ask if anyone knows of any reputable teacup breeders.

 But don’t just accept any answer at face value- do some follow up  on the person who is making the suggestion.

Websites

 Visit the breeders website.

 Don’t be fooled by Appearances. 

You are not looking for a website that is beautifully designed.

What you are looking for here is a website that looks as if the owners know what they are talking about.

 Look for lots of different pages that tell you information about the breed of dog and look at the photographs. 

 When you read the information does it sound as if it has been written by an expert and do the photos of the dogs look legitimate.

You didn’t know that there were other mini breeds of dogs?

Well here is a list of some of the most popular…

  • Poodles
  • Pugs
  • Yorkies
  • Maltese
  • Pomeranians
  • Shih Tzus
  • Papillon
  • Brussells Griffons

Two words- Paris Hilton.

Although, breeders were creating teacup versions of many dog breeds for a long time, many people believe that it was only in 2015 when Paris Hilton bought a Pomeranian that the trend for teacup dogs exploded.

A teacup is the smaller version of the traditional French bulldog. It has been mixed with different breeds to become as small as possible. This type of dog became very popular because of many celebrity owners.

In the US alone, it is the 6th most popular breed. Aside from its size, miniature French bulldogs are preferred by many dog lovers because of their cute appearances. They have good personalities too, that’s why they are highly recommended for families with children to have. They can easily adapt to a new environment as well. 

There are three methods to make a teacup Frenchie. First is to breed with a smaller dog (different breed lines). Second is through the introduction of dwarfism, and third is to keep on breeding it with a small dog within the same group or family. 

Teacups are also known as mini or micro French bulldogs. Some people call them micro mini Frenchie too. 

Are Teacup French bulldogs healthy?

Since teacup French bulldogs have been bred using different types of dogs to attain a small size, the chances of having health problems are high. They are prone to allergies, which is why you really need to be careful with the kind of food that you are feeding it with. 

Furthermore, teacups could have digestive problems, respiratory problems, seizures, as well as blindness. There are more illnesses that this type could have. Therefore, you have to monitor its behavior. If you notice something odd, have a veterinarian check your pet immediately. 

Although teacup French bulldogs are prone to a lot of diseases, you can still have a healthy pup as long as you take care of it with the help of a vet. You need to handle it with care and feed it with nutritious foods. It is your responsibility as the owner to know what you can and cannot do with your poochie. 

Are these health issues the same as for standard sized Frenchie’s?

In general, French bulldogs are susceptible to many diseases. But when you compare a teacup and a standard sized Frenchie, although they could share the same illnesses, the former is a lot more fragile because of its size. It could catch more illnesses too. Again, one big reason for this is how the puppy itself was bred. You should not let these things discourage you, though, from getting a teacup Frenchie for a pet. As long as do your part as a parent, you should not have any problem with having one. 

What other mini French bulldog mixes are there?

  • French bulldog and Yorkshire Terrier 

If you are looking for a really small dog, then go for one that has been bred with a Yorkshire terrier, which is considered as the smallest toy breeds. 

  • French bulldog and Poodle 

This mix is called French Boodle. Since a poodle has longer nose and tail, the end-result may have a better vertebrae as well as skull. 

  • French bulldog and Beagle

This mixture is known as “Frengle”. It could be a good alternative since a beagle has a healthier body. The result, though, is not as small as the other mixes. 

What different breeds are there that are a similar size and temperament?

There are several breeds that are quite similar in size and temperament as that of a teacup French bulldog. These include: 

  • Cairn Terrier

A Cairn Terrier is a good alternative for a teacup. It is witty and it could easily be trained too. 

  • Havanese

This toy dog is fun to have. It is friendly and cheerful. It is also a perfect choice to have in an apartment because of its size. 

  • Poodle

Poodles come in miniature sizes just like teacups. They are so adorable and intelligent too. 

  • Shih Tzu

This is one of the favorite dogs of many people because it is so cute and is playful in nature. 

How much would a teacup puppy cost ($ USD)?

The cost of teacup puppies ranges from 500 to 3000 US dollars or even more. If you are lucky, you can find one under $500, but this is very rare. 

The reason why teacup French bulldogs are so expensive is because of the task of breeding itself. Getting a perfectly-sized and healthy teacup could be rather challenging. And to ensure good results, you need to find an excellent breeder. 

The cost may also vary due to the breed lines, color, and other factors. 

Are there lots available to rescue? 

If you really want a teacup French bulldog, but you don’t have enough money to buy one, checking some rescue organizations would be a smart move.

Yes, there are lots of teacups that can be adopted, but it will take much more work and a bit of luck in order to find a mini French Bulldog that you can rescue.

James Grayston

My name is James and I love dogs. have owned four Golden Retrievers in the past 15 years. Currently I own two "Goldies"- a five year old and a seven month old. The photo shows me with our youngest when she was about 7 weeks old!