Caring for your new Frenchie Puppy
Food & Water Dish
Your puppy should have its own if there are other pets. Always use either stainless steel or porcelain dishes. Plastic tends to capture bacteria. These bacteria can cause illness or rashes on the bulldog's face and chin.
Protect your new puppy
Try to protect your new puppy from drafts, dampness and chilling. Remember they likely just came from a nice cozy bed with mom and litter mates to keep them warm and snuggly.
Keeping your puppy confined
You should always know where your puppy is and be able to see them and exactly what they are doing. Too many accidents can happen when a puppy is unattended. They will eat anything and everything. French Bulldogs have a very small trachea (throat opening), therefore, very small objects can easily choke them.
Limit your puppy's activity
Puppies will play as long as you are playing with them. But remember they are just babies and need their rest. Try to limit your play time as to not overheat or exhaust your puppy.
See a Veterinarian as soon as possible
It’s always a good idea to have your puppy seen by a veterinarian for a checkup right away. With an initial exam out of the way, you and your Vet will be aware of anything out of the ordinary and be able to address it immediately as well as maintain the terms of your purchase agreement.
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Training
Potty Training
House breaking your puppy is very easy if you are consistent and dedicated. I have found it is best to crate train using a crate just large enough for the puppy to stand up and turn around. By using to large of a crate the puppy will tend to use one corner for potty and sleep in the other and the training will not work. A good guideline to try is to not feed the puppy after 6 pm. This should allow enough time for potty before bed and help them learn to hold it during the night. Remember a puppy’s little bladders may not be under control as quickly as we’d like, so be positive.
Here are some suggested training tips that I have used over the years.
Take the puppy to the area in which you want it to potty on the following occasions.
* Wakes from a nap.
* Directly after a feeding.
* When you see the puppy starting to wander & sniff around the floor.
* After playtime.
* During the initial few weeks until a routine has been established, at least every hour or so, in between as needed.
* When the puppy does potty in this designated area, praise and pet the puppy. Nothing is ever to much or too over the top. French Bulldogs love to please and LOVE all the attention. This will reinforce them to repeat the behavior.
Here is a fantastic link to guidance from AKC.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/puppy-training/how-to-crate-train-a-puppy/
Reading your puppy’s body language
Dogs have always communicated with each other by using body language. This involves facial expressions, body postures, noises and scents. Dogs will use their mouth, eyes, ears and tail to express emotions. By learning how to interpret your puppy’s body language, you can interpret your puppy’s intentions.
Signs of aggression or submission
If your puppy is feeling brave or aggressive, he’ll try to make himself larger by standing tall, with his ears and tail sticking upright. He’ll also push out his chest and raise the hair on his neck and back. He might also growl and wave his tail slowly.
On the other hand, a submissive dog will try to make himself appear small and act like a puppy. This is because an adult dog will “tell off” a puppy but not attack him. Submission will take the form of a sideways crouch near to the ground, his tail held low but wagging away. He may also try to lick the face of the dominant dog or human. He may even roll on his back.
Your puppy’s eyes
If your dog’s eyes are half closed, that’s a sign of pleasure or submission, while eyes wide open can indicate aggression.
In the wild, dogs stare at each other until one back's down or makes a challenge, so you should never attempt to outstare your puppy, especially if he’s nervous.
Wanting to play
If your puppy wants to play, he’ll raise a paw or bow down and bark to attract attention. Or he might offer up a toy or bound up to another dog to get him to join in a chase.
How your dog sees you
Your puppy will watch you to read your body signals more than he will listen to you, and he’ll quickly learn what you’re feeling even without you speaking.
If you want to improve communication with your puppy, you can improve upon your own body language. For example, crouching down with arms opened out is a welcome sign while towering over him and staring is a sign of threat.
How your puppy learns
Dogs learn by association, so if your puppy does something good, reward him. Then the action is much more likely to be repeated. But the reward must be linked to the action, so he must be rewarded quickly, within a second or two. The reward itself can be a few kibbles of puppy food or praise, or both.
Keep training sessions short. Your puppy will see everything as a game, so keep him stimulated by changing what he’s learning. Do each command for about five minutes. Practice the commands in lots of different places, so that he gets used to responding in all sorts of situations. Your puppy will respond to love and affection as well as rewards. Obedience training will help build a lasting bond between the two of you and you’ll be rewarded with a happy, well-trained dog. Shouting or hitting will not help your puppy learn.
Whining
If you comfort your puppy whenever he whines, it may actually make things worse. It will make your puppy think he’s being praised for whining and get him into the habit of repeating it for your affection.
You can help your puppy learn to stop whining by not going to him when he whines. By ignoring your puppy and only giving him attention and praise when he stops whining, he’ll learn that whining and whimpering is not the way to earn your approval.
Contact Us!
Derby Ranch French Bulldogs, LLC
Virginia, U.S.A // Nationwide
Best reached by email:
info@derbyranchfrenchies.com
Cell: (951) 219-6749 (text for quickest response)
