The French Bulldog is a compact, playful dog, usually 8 to 13 kg, with bat ears and a clownish streak. Frenchies are affectionate, sociable and not big barkers, but they hate being left alone for long. Their modest exercise needs suit apartment life, as long as you take the heat seriously.

That flat face is the problem. French Bulldogs overheat fast and can struggle to breathe, so the UAE summer needs care. Walk only in the coolest hours, skip hard exercise, keep the dog in air conditioning, offer fresh water and never leave it in a car. Test the pavement before walking and keep the skin folds clean and dry. Many are also poor swimmers, so never leave one unsupervised near a pool. Breathing, spine and skin problems are well known in the breed, so before you buy, ask your vet.

See the puppy in person (and its mother, if you buy from a breeder), and ask to see the vaccination card and microchip number. Your dog should be microchipped, have its rabies and core vaccinations and be registered with your municipality or emirate. On AnimalMarket24, asking prices have mostly been between AED 6,000 and AED 9,000. Adoption is also an option, and adoption fees should be modest.