Mom Sparks Controversy by Purchasing a Rare $10,000 "Velvet Frenchie" Dog

A Velvet Frenchie named Stormy has divided the internet after her mom posted a TikTok about the pup's arrival, revealing how she paid $10,000 to purchase the unusual looking dog. But, the pooch's price tag isn't the only thing upsetting this TikToker's followers — they're also unhappy that Stormy's mom supported the controversial breeding practices that allowed a puppy like her to exist in the first place.

Get a vet's perspective on Stormy's breed below, and find out why the internet is so divided about this adorable little pooch.

The drama began on Oct. 1, 2024 when TiKToker @hyohana.7 posted a video before leaving to pick up her $10,000 puppy from the airport.

The video featured a montage of Yohana and her young children getting ready to meet the dog at baggage claim, where fans got their first look at the puppy, who resembles a mix between a standard Frenchie and a Shar Pei.

The family was clearly very excited about their pending arrival in the clip, and they even donned matching specialty T-shirts featuring pictures of other Frenchies to commemorate the occasion.

Plenty of people oohed and aahed at video clips of the cute dog in the TikTok comment section, noting how adorable she looked with her unusual folds. However, not everyone felt the same way.

While there were plenty of people gushing over Yohana's new family member, there were even more criticizing her decision to purchase the puppy.

First, several people took issue with the cost of the breed, especially when it didn't seem like the family had a ton of disposable income to begin with.

"Living in an apartment and getting a $10,000 dog is crazy work," one person wrote.

Another commented on the future vet bills Yohana and her family were likely to face. "Congratulations on your unethically bred mutt, that will last you five years when lucky and your vet will love you for it," they wrote. "You'll help pay his mortgage and vacations. Kudos to you!"

As far as her health goes, one vet who spoke about the matter said that the new addition will likely face a lot of challenges.

Tufts University professor and veterinarian Elizabeth Rozanski told Bored Panda that Velvet Frenchies may face an abundance of health problems. She named breathing troubles, frequent vomiting, and a bad temperament as some of the concerns associated with the breed. But, perhaps more worrisome for Yohana and her children is the fact that the dogs are not known to have a long lifespan.

“They are likely to break your heart and your wallet," Rozanski explained.

Knowing that Stormy and other dogs like her will not have a good quality of life due to their many health problems, it's clear why some people would be upset that Yohana would contribute to the continued breeding of the dog.

Not only because it prolongs the existence of kennels like the one where Stormy came from and puppy mills alike, but also because there are so many dogs waiting to be adopted from shelters.

Puppy mills have some notoriously heinous breeding practices, and often leave dogs in inhumane conditions until they are sold.

"$10,000 could have helped your local shelter and all of those dogs yet you used that money on an unethical breed," an angry commenter wrote on one of Yohana's TikTok videos. "That dog is going to suffer every day of its short life."

Whether or not Stormy lives a long and happy life remains to be seen, but it's clear from both the vet's perspective and that of some of Yohana's followers that the $10,000 she paid to purchase Stormy could've been better spent rescuing a dog who could've spent a longer life with Yohana and her children.