I stress this because this is a breed that is increasingly being bred badly by folks with more thought to profit than to the health and temperament and wellbeing of the dogs. If you are not well versed in the dog world, and not aware of it's very real dark side, you might not be able to spot a bad breeder upfront. Hence the advice to go to a breeder who is part of the official breed club.
Now, that's not to say that going to a member breeder absolves you of responsibility to do your own due diligence, it does not. A member breeder is supposed to adhere to a code of ethics, to do breed-specific health and temperament testing of the parents before deciding on a pairing, to raise the pups in an appropriate way providing the necessary socialization. But you need to research the breeders yourself, make sure that the breeder you are interested in is indeed following best practice.
Browse the Swiss and German club sites, read up about what is expected of a breeder and of an owner - then make sure you do your due diligence.
The SKG breed club for Frenchies is the Schweizerischen Klub für französische Bulldoggen:
And in Germany:
http://www.vdh.de/welpen/zuechter/mverein/id/72
As above, I stress finding a responsible, ethical breeder because of some unfortunate trends one sees today. One to especially look out for in Frenchies is breeding for unorthodox colors. People with more money than sense and certainly without knowledge of canine genetics are demanding unique colors, and unethical breeders are responding. But that often comes at the cost of the dog's health, sometimes tragically. The genetic combination that produces these unorthodox colors can in some circumstances also produce serious health problems. There is usually a reason why these colors do not often appear naturally, and why most breed clubs have either cautioned against or banned breeding for those specific colors.
For instance, the Schweizerischen Klub für französische Bulldoggen has this to say about blue (more acurately 'dilute', the color is a genetic dilution) and double merle Frenchies:
https://www.suisse-bully.ch/bully/blaue-hunde/
More here:
And more in English:
http://www.bullmarketfrogs.com/frenc...ne-fad-colors/
Neither color is recognized by the club. The dilute genetic mutation can lead to serious skin problems, and merling, if homozygous, can lead to deafness, blindness, or both. Any breeder purposefully producing these colors is one to avoid.
FYI: In the revised Swiss animal welfare law, breeding for traits known to produce serious health problems - such as double merle breeding - is considered abusive and not allowed. If you come across a breeder specifically breeding double merles, please report him/her to the breed club and the kennel club. And the Veterinäramt.
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Another issue to consider:
Be aware that a Frenchie is a bracycephalic dog, that is, bred to have a shortened muzzle. The shortened muzzle is not natural, it is a man-made trait, created not for function but to produce a 'look' - and in recent years this has been taken to extremes with some breeders breeding for an almost flat-faced dog. A shortened muzzle can affect breathing, sometimes seriously. Responsible breeders are trying to reverse the damage, trying to breed for dogs with longer, more natural muzzles, to try to reduce the health problems widespread today. In some cases the breed clubs are dragging their heels, especially in the show world. As you look for a breeder, read up on the issue of brachycephalism and discuss this in depth. Look for a breeder whose dogs have longer muzzles, whose eyes are not popping out of their sockets, who breathe without rasping. Any breeder who sings the praises of short muzzles, who tries to tell you that the flatter the face the more valuable the dog is a charlatan - and must be avoided.
As you think about what it means to have a Frenchie please also consider travel. Do you fly often, and are you planning on your dog flying with you? Some airlines will not allow a brachycephalic dog to fly cargo, due to the danger of respiratory crisis. And some Frenchies can be too big to fly in cabin.
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One thing to be aware of is that the process of finding a puppy is somewhat involved and can take time. There are not that many breeders in Switzerland - and as a good breeder does not breed often there may be a waiting list for puppies.
The first step is to find a breeder whose program and ethics checks all the boxes, and to then establish a relationship with that breeder. Just as you need to research a breeder so does a breeder need to research potential owners of his or her pups. You might be asked to meet the breeder, answer question about your living situation and how you would care for the pup, meet the breeder's adult dogs, etc well before any mating is planned. This meeting would be to get you on the waiting list for a future litter.
Sometimes a breeder will have pups already born, but you should expect to have the same 'vetting' interview.
I'll go so far as to say that a breeder who didn't vet you before allowing you to buy a pup is not a good breeder, eyes wide open.
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Another problem the Swiss dog world is grappling with today is battery production of puppies. Most of these battery production businesses (puppy mills is too nice a term for this horror) are usually located in other countries but are very active selling in Switzerland, as Swiss buyers have a reputation of being conditioned to high prices and rather naive. So those 'designer' dogs costing thousands are likely bred in shockingly inhumane conditions, the pups are often born sick, the parents used and abused until they simply tossed out or killed (again, often inhumanely) when no longer of use. Supporting battery production by lining the pockets of these evil folk makes the purchaser complicit in the cycle of horror.
You need to be somewhat cynical when aproaching buying a puppy, as these battery farmers are very good at disguising what they do. They have sparkly shiny websites that push all the right buttons - but you need to investigate the reality. A sure sign of a battery producer is anyone who suggests delivering a puppy to you. Never, ever do this. No, you must go to the breeder's site, even if in another country, and see with your own eyes what is happening.
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If you buy in Germany be aware that you will need to follow importation regulations. A German breeder might not know Swiss law, so it will be incumbent on you to learn what needs to be done. You can read all about it here, pay specific attention to the links about puppies under 12 weeks and those 12-16 weeks. At issue is immunization, and what needs to be done in the case where the pup is too young to have final jabs:
https://www.blv.admin.ch/blv/de/home...frettchen.html
And here is the easy interactive importation tool:
http://blv.bytix.com/plus/dbr/default.aspx?lang=de
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The breed club will have a Zuchtwart, an official responsible for keeping track of current and planned litters. This is the person to contact to start your search.
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Another thought, as rescue is my thing:
If you think that you could open your heart to a Frenchie in need, the breed comes into rescue from time to time. I certainly understand that rescuing might not be the right way for everyone, but if you thought you could offer a good home, do keep an eye on the Tierdatenbank, the Swiss-wide database of animals needing a new home:
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Wishing you and your future four footed friend all the very best.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20136998
The above linked study foundthat birth by cesarean rate in French Bulldogs was an astounding 80% . Often the head of the puppy is too large to fit through the birth canal.
Additionally, artificial insemination is often necessary because overly slim hips mean that many males are unable to mount to reproduce naturally.
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Because difficulties in breeding and giving birth in the Frenchie are a result of a increasingly breeding for an extreme look, as you search for your pup please fully research the health issues in the breed. Look for a breeder who specifically is working to bring the dogs back to a healthy state.
This means that you have quite a bit more research as you evaluate breeders. From the Swiss Bully link above, here are the club's breeding regulations, make sure you understand what is required, and quiz any breeder you are considering about these issues.
https://www.suisse-bully.ch/wp-conte...upp08_SKFB.pdf
Please note Article 4, Zuchtausschlussgründe . These are qualities that exclude dogs from a breeding. Also note 5.1.h, artificial insemination.
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Another example of why breeding for extremes is so problematic, and why I keep harping on the subject. That a dog can breed - and breathe and move - naturally should be a given.
The OP hasn't been around since the original post, nonetheless I'm putting this out there for anyone else who is considering the breed.
And for anyone who is considering buying a puppy of any breed. The responsibility to research health issues in all breeds remains the same. This includes the responsibility to research the ethics of any breeder one is considering, with special scrutiny of the goals of the breeding program and the value placed on health and temperament.