Lest we forget

Today, as I sit studying with pride my little beloved litter of puppies, trying to decide which is the best in conformation, as applied to the French Bulldog standards, myt houghts go back to the year of 1951. My life was a happy one with a good job, nice living quarters and an abundance of social activities, you would think this would be enough for the average person. However there was a lonely void in my life. My thoughts then drifted to my childhood where I was so very happy with my seven " all breed" dogs. This day I looked around me and found no four legged animal in the household, so I quickly jumped in the car and went to the animal shelter. After looking at all the little guys and gals in the pound I was about to go home again even more lonely. Just at that time the attendant asked me if I would be interested in seeing the puppies in a different section, to which I immediately answered "yes". Sitting in the extreme back of the cage was a little bulldog puppy, of what I have since learned is a brindle colour, with a white chest. I took her in my arms and my heart leaped out to her as she kissed me on the cheek and wriggled around in my arms. It was love at first sight. So after the necessary paperwork and proper fees, about $6, "Rusty" and I went home together, to share some 13 years of love, companionship and happiness together.
After some months some dog people were over visiting and asked if I knew what breed the bitch was. Of course I had no idea. As it turned out it was a pure bred Frenchie. No papers naturally. It was at this point I started going to dog shows, to learn more about whar a Frenchie is.. naturally it wasn't long before I was hooked and proceeded to buy a bitch with papers.
This brings me to my present situation and thoughts of:
HAVE WE AS BREEDERS BECOME SO SHOW AND CONFORMATION ORIENTED THAT WE HAVE LOST SIGHT OF THE REAL FRENCHIE?
Let us all stop for a moment and digest the previous sentence. In doing so you may agreee that perhaps we are sentencing our little friends, so full of love, to their destruction.
How often have you heard the comment " Oh if she only had a head to go with that lovely body." " How could they possibly love that animal it has so many faults" and on and on and on. And where we stop, does anybody know?
This is not to say that we shouldn't conscientiously breed consistently to the best of our knowledge of bloodlines and conformation, in order to obtain the very best we can insofar as our interpretation of the standards go.
Now let me quote from a pamphlet issued many years ago by the French Bulldog Club of America.
TEN REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD OWN A FRENCHIE.
1. His size, habits and disposition make him the ideal household pet.
2.They readily adjust themselves to any environment, the small apartment of the city or the spacious country house.
3. They do not disturb the neighbourhood by barking to excess. The French Bulldog under normal circumstances seldom barks.
4. As a playmate and protector of children they have no equal. They will submit good naturedly for hours to rough and tumble antics of children.
5. As a companion for an adult they are almost human in character. They readily understand their master's words and quickly respond to evidence of joy or sadness.
6. Because of their great degree of intelligence they can be taught anything a dog is capable of learning.
7. They are quiet and gentle but always ready for play. Given a little encouragement thy become as vivacious as a kitten.
8. They are a short haired dog, no long hair to become unsanitary.
9. They are an aristocratic, pleasing, distinctive little dog with a heart just bursting with love. Their "bat ears" ( possessed by no other dog) gives them individiuality.
10. They need no docking of the tail or cutting of the ears or other mutilation to improve their appearance. They are perfect as nature made them.
Have we noticed how the words "standard" "show" or "conformation" have been eliminated or better yet not even mentioned in the 10 reasons why we should own a French Bulldog?
To say that we are not proud of our wins, because of good conformation in the show rings, would be false, but are we getting these wins in any manner we can to become known as a breeder with the subsequent results of breeding more and more and dumping for profit our little friends on the market or are we showing with pride and sportsmanship and love of the little Frenchie who is so willing to do for their master that they will tolerate almost any inconvenience just to be with you.
Are we placing our little friends who do not come up to our standards in the gas chambers or are we placing them into homes as companions? Do we evaluate the person requesting a Frenchie from us or do we sell indiscriminately to any Tom Dick or Harry who wants to get into the dog game for a quick profit?
Do we sell our little friends as companions without papers when they do not meet our interpretation of the standard or do we ,without regard to the future of the breed, let just anyone take over the responsibility of breeding what up to now has been a very special and rare breed?
Yes, I am one who is especially proud of any show wins I am fortunate enough to obtain. Also extremely proud of my champions. But this does not make me any less proud of my little friends who do not quite come up to expectations as far as conformation is concerned. All are loved with equal zeal and each is shown love, companionship and attention as his own personality may require.
Let us stop therefore and consider one question. Are we really interested in and love all Frenchies or are we so blinded by our desire to win in the show ring, that we have forgotten the original concept of the Frenchie?