the french bulldog. >> frenchies now the go-to dog of the instagram era with celebrities like reese witherspoon and dwayne johnson posing with their pets. some dogs themselves becoming influencers, like mannyrenchie and gus-gus and marty, a pair of bulldog brothers. but the cuteness doesn't come cheap, and that could add up to trouble. dog thefts are up, way up. 40%, compared to last year. and the american kennel club says french bulldogs are the number one breed targeted by thieves ahead of both labrador retrievers and yorkshire terriers. >> the percentage reported as stolen has really been growing. it's alarming. >> reporter: french bulldogs can cost more than $5,000. one rare pup even sold for $100,000. those price tags along with their soaring popularity make them wildly valuable for resale. watch. this is the moment a french bulldog named melani was stolen from a california home by masked intruders in the middle day. this past august, a litter of french bulldog puppies stolen from a home on long island. another frenchie almost snatched out of a lobby in new york city. one of the biggest shocks last year when thieves attacked lady gaga's dog walker. the thieves shooting him. stealing t