We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Julie & Jon Hamm. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Julie & Jon below.
Julie & Jon, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Jon and Julie have always loved animals. Jon started breeding fish when he was a young boy. Julie has always loved working with animals and has a deep passion for riding horses. Neither of us could have imagined we would be breeding French Bulldogs. Jon is a PhD and works in Toxicology. Julie has a Masters in International Development and has spent years working with non-profits abroad. When we got together Julie was working with horses and looking for a position in her field and Jon was working in Toxicology. We decide to purchase our first French Bulldog in 2019 with the intention of breeding her to gauge if we enjoyed it or not. It turns out, we LOVED it! Jon is still working full time as a Toxicologist and Julie runs the Frenchie business. After Talula Jones III (our first girl) had her litter we knew this was something we wanted to do! However, we never thought we would be breeders. There is a definitely a stereotype that breeders don’t treat their dogs well and keep them cooped up all day. That is the opposite of how we run our business. Our dogs are our family first and they live with us in our home. We are in the process of moving to a new home that gives the dogs more space to run and play and we are incredibly excited for this next chapter in our lives and in our business!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Our Business is J & J Frenchies LLC and we breed French Bulldogs. We absolutely love all of our dogs, from the ones that live in our house to the puppies that find their furever families. We raise all of our dogs with love and keep in touch with families that purchase a puppy from us. We are a family run business and we love that we work with our daughter and her boyfriend! We co-own 3 dogs with them and it has been wonderful seeing their enthusiasm learning the business. Our main focus as breeders is to produce quality pups. We health and color test our dogs to ensure that we are producing structurally sound dogs. The best feedback we get is when a client tells us that their vet is incredibly complimentary of our puppies. From their nares, to their ears, to their structure. We take pride in paring dogs together that compliment each other.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
We think determination, patience, and knowing that we are always learning have been the most impactful traits in our business. Breeding dogs is not easy, especially French Bulldogs. Having puppies that you have to care for from the moment they are born until they go to their homes requires a lot of determination and patience. There is no way we would be where we are if it were not for the relationships we have built with other breeders. We know we have so much to learn and we learn something new from every litter we have and from every new dog that comes in to our house. Having a group of breeders to ask questions to is invaluable. In order to improve your journey you need to love what you do. Through the easy and hard times just know that with determination and patience you will continue to thrive. Being humble and asking for help is one of the best pieces of advice we can give. Surround yourself with other people in your field that want you to succeed, not people that see you as competition. Either way we are all working towards a goal and having a support group is essential.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
Oh man, there are so many people. Honestly, we gain so much support from each other! Jon and I each have different skills that allow us to work well together. Anytime you start a new endeavor your knowledge base is limited. We would not be where we are now if it were not for the countless other breeders we have met and become friends with. It is only through asking questions of others that you can increase your knowledge and skills.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jandjfrenchiesllc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jandjfrenchies/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JandJFrenchies