Welcome to The Frenchies Files

Hi, I'm Sophie. I've lived with French bulldogs for the past seven years — first with Olive (a sturdy brindle who survived more bad food choices than I'd like to admit) and now with Pépin, a fawn pied who turned three last month and still sleeps eighteen hours a day.

This blog is the writing version of every conversation I have at the dog park: someone notices the snorting, asks a few questions, and an hour later we're swapping vet recommendations and arguing about the right size of harness. I figured it might be useful to write some of it down.

What you'll find here

Practical posts, mostly. The kind of thing I wish I'd had when Olive arrived and I realised I had no idea how to crate-train a dog whose facial structure made every sleeping position look concerning.

• Care — feeding, exercise, summer heat (a real topic for brachycephalic dogs)
• Health — the conditions you'll hear about most: BOAS, IVDD, allergies, ear infections
• Training — short attention spans meet stubborn personalities
• Lifestyle — toys, harnesses, travel, and what they actually like

Nothing here is veterinary advice. I'm a writer, not a vet. But I've spent enough time in waiting rooms to know which questions to ask, and that's most of what I want to share.

A few ground rules

I write about my own dogs and what I've learned. I link to studies when I can find them. I don't promote products in exchange for anything — when I mention a harness brand or a food, it's because I bought it with my own money and it worked for us.

If you spot something wrong, please tell me. The comment section is closed (spam is exhausting), but my email is on the contact page.

Welcome.