FRENCH
BULLDOG CARE
Handling Your French Bulldog:
First things
first: When you pick up a French Bulldog puppy make sure
you always support his whole body! Start by putting one hand one
hand on your french bulldog puppy's chest between the front legs and
second one hand on his bottom between his back legs and then lift
him gently to your chest. This allows you to support your new french
bulldog puppy from both sides. NEVER PICK UP YOUR FRENCH BULLDOG
PUPPY BY THE SHOULDERS OR ARM PIT AREA. This can cause a dislocating
effect in the shoulder area and also restricts the airways and is
not good for the spine.
Bringing your
French Bulldog baby home:
INTRODUCTION | GROOMING |
DIET/FEEDING |
CRATE TRAINING
BEDDING/SUPPLIES | TRAINING
| POTTY TRAINING |
LEASH TRAINING
NAMING YOUR PUPPY
-Introducing your french bulldog puppy to your family: When I bring
a new puppy home I will spend the first few hours or so cuddling and
baby talking to him. That makes a bond of security start to develop.
This bond will give your new french bulldog puppy more confidence when
being introduced to other family members. Remember: a frenchie puppy
is still a baby. Like all babies, he needs lots and lots of love,
cuddling, but also lots of sleep; so if you have small children or
many other animals, try to make sure your puppy is getting enough rest
and isn't being to overwhelmed all at once.
-Moving
to a new home, leaving his family and the only humans he has ever
really known can be a little scary for the French Bulldog puppy, so
try to make the move as easy as possible for your French Bulldog. As
if he knows he has you to run back to (becoming a mother of father
figure).
-Now your french bulldog puppy needs a name! I personally feel that
in most cases it is best to interact with your french bulldog puppy
before naming so that you can better pick the name that really fits
him or her :) Naming your new french bulldog puppy is one of the joys
of getting a new puppy. Heres a few things to in mind:
First - throughout his or her lifetime, you will use your french
bulldog's name over 40,000 times. So try to pick a name you & your
family will enjoy saying, that won't get old fast or be too
embarrassing in public :)
Second - remember that frenches understand brief commands so names
with two syllables or lesser work better. You shouldn't expect your
french bulldog puppy to be able to respond to you immediately if you
name him a very long name.
Third - The name you pick for your french bulldog puppy should not
sound like the rest of the commands. For example, if you name your
french bulldog "Kit" it is close with the common command "sit". Having
a name like that can be very confusing to your frenchie. ). Forth what
I like to do is think of names of things or memories that make me
happy or that I associate with as a positive experience. For example,
your favorite cocktail, your favorite holiday destination, vacation,
fav city in another country (name of a tropical island). Also consider
a famous name from history or a character from a story you have read.
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF
BULLDOG NAMES FROM A-Z.
- Next try to establish a good routine for your frenchie baby. Make
it simple and relaxed at first so that your baby French Bulldog feels
secure in the new environment. Your French Bulldog Puppy will need a
lot of loving guidance and direction from you during this transition
so take advantage of this experience to bond with him. This will allow
your French Bulldog to feel comfortable with you and develop his trust
for you.
Follow the breeders routine for feeding your French Bulldog puppy at
least for the first 2 weeks. (The same times, same amount, same brand
of food, same supplements). If your breeder did not feed an organic or
mostly natural type of food than I do recommend switching your puppy's
food after the two weeks is over but slow and gradual. *cancer is the
leading cause of death in k-9 s so good food is worth your investments
*CLICK HERE FOR DIET (nutrition page)* Feeding your new French Bulldog
child in the same place for each meal will help in training, potty
training & his security. Be sure your French Bulldog puppy has a nice
safe CRATE of his own as a special area for his bed. Give your new
French Bulldog lots and lots of cuddling, talking, petting and
attention.
Sometime during the first week, you should take your French Bulldog
puppy to your vet for a check up and allow him/her to get to know your
French Bulldog. Please make sure you find a vet that specializes in
bulldog type breeders or at least in brachycephalic type dog breeds.
Vets that do not truly understand & take personal interest in the
french bulldog breed are likely to misdiagnose your puppy or suggest
un-needed surgeries. Also when you do arrive at the vet's office
PLEASE do not put your puppy on the floor/ground or allow anyone to
touch him without washing hands first until your french bulldog puppy
has had at least 3 sets of vaccinations & is over 12 -14 weeks of age.
Housing/Bedding for your French
Bulldog:
French Bulldogs thrive indoors around their family and in a
temperature controlled environment. A French Bulldog can overheat
much faster than none brachycephalic type dog breeds. So if it's
much over 75-80 degrees (F) your French Bulldog should be in an air
conditioned area. And be careful with slippery surfaces such as hard
wood floors, tile or linoleum. French Bulldogs are born with joints
that are naturally looser than, say, a lab or GS dog so slipping on
the floors or in the bath tub can be hard on the joints. I always
use a bath mat when bathing.
French Bulldog bedding can be a cotton rug or
blanket in his crate. They are fairly cheap and easy to wash and
dry. I like to use the artificial sheepskin dog rugs that are
available at most pet stores and also wash and dry easily. If your
french bulldog starts chewing on or eating hs bedding remove it
immediately. Unfortunately some french bulldog puppies can't have
these types of beddings until the are old enough to grow out od the
puppy chewy stage (as it can be a choking hazard. Also avoid wicker
dog beds, or types with any sharp points, as most French Bulldogs
love to tear these to pieces and could choke on or swallow the
pieces.
Crating your french bulldog puppy! I always
recommend using a wire crate for your French Bulldog puppy. I always
start with the "life stages crate" (wire crate good ventilation) as
you can adjust them easily as your frenchie grows. The life stages
crate folds flat for storage & is easy to travel with. French
Bulldogs actually love having their own private retreat to go to
when they want to be left alone. Also it would not be safe to let
your puppy have free run of your home when you are away. Just as you
wouldn't leave a 2 year old human child loose in your home when you
can't watch them. It is much easier to house train a French Bulldog
puppy if he/she sleeps in a crate. If you travel with your French
Bulldog, he/she is safer and happier riding in a crate and if you
are staying overnight your French Bulldog will have its own place to
sleep in.
Supplies for your French Bulldog
(Recommended puppy supplies):
-
A food dish and a water dish with
straight sides and flat bottom. Preferably stainless steel.
-
Collar and lead - your French Bulldog's first lead should be a
light weight one, you'll need a strong leather or nylon lead as
your French Bulldog grows. A harness can be confusing for a
French Bulldog puppy when they are just learning to follow your
tugs. A collar tugs on one area in one direction, whereas a
harness tugs their entire chest and back area making it hard for
your French Bulldog pup to tell what you want him to do. We
recommend using a collar while training your french bulldog
puppy but after he is well trained a harness is fine (NO CHOKE
COLLARS).
-
DOG NAIL CLIPPERS - (clippers or
grinder): We recommend using a Dremmel tool to grind down your
French Bulldog puppy's nails and making them smooth and rounded
(available at most Wal-Marts or hardware stores).
-
DOG BRUSH- You can use just about
any brush on a French Bulldog, but the best ones have flexible
rubber bristles. Find one that fits comfortably in your hand.
-
WATER JUG- If you travel with your
French Bulldog, you'll need a large insulated water jug so
you'll have lots of cool water available for your Frenchie. A
small water bowl that hooks to the inside of your French
Bulldog's crate is nice also.
-
A spray bottle filled with cool
water. Lightly spray your French Bulldog's face and body if you
notice your Frenchie panting or breathing heavily. A must for
long walks and road trips.
-
TOYS - Dog toys: Never give your French Bulldog a rawhide toy!
Frenchies can tear the rawhide off and choke on it. Most French
Bulldog puppies LOVE kong toys! Many French Bulldog puppies love
chasing a ball. Whatever toy you choose just be sure that it is
too big to get lodged in your French Bulldog puppy's throat. And
if you get toys with eyes or buttons on them be sure to tear
them off, as your French Bulldog puppy can choke on these.
-
LEASH & COLLAR - lightweight nylon
-
ORGANIC or NATURAL FOOD
French Bulldog Feeding/Diet:
- Your French Bulldog puppies diet at this age of development is
VERY important. French bulldogs grow & develop (hips, joints, immune
systems, etc.) up until 18 - 24 months of age so these are very
important stages & the care you take of your frenchie now can help
him develop into the healthiest adult dog possible! If your french
bulldog breeder did not feed an organic or mostly natural type of
dog food I do recommend switching your puppy's food after the two
first two weeks in your home but slow and gradual. *cancer is the
leading cause of death in k-9 s so good food is worth your
investments*.
It is best to feed a 2-8 month old puppy 2 or 3 times a day. Avoid
making your French Bulldog's food accessible at all the times. I
recommend to softening hard kibble with warm water or yogurt until
your puppy reaches 6 months of age. Its best to feed your puppy in his
crate first thing in the morning & again around 4-6 pm. This way you
will have lots of time to taking him out side to go potty before you
put him down for the night. I also recommend removing your french
bulldog puppy's water after 7pm.
You can begin feeding your French Bulldog adult food at about 12 to
18 months. If you have your French Bulldog spayed or neutered, or if
because of old age he becomes less active, you will want to switch to
a "light" or "low fat" version of your French Bulldog's food to avoid
obesity. If you notice your French Bulldog puppy is putting on too
much weight, you may want to restrict his/her food consumption.
Obesity can be a serious health threat to your bully please see
FRENCH BULLDOGS WEIGHT.
Shrinkabulls suggests choosing a quality organic or natural lower
protein (around 24%) dog food. I use Fromm 4 Star myself at this time.
There are many other good food brands
CLICK HERE. But we stress
that any of these dog food brands can change their ingredients and
ways of processing for the better or worse at any time. So educate
yourself on the different brands and check the labels periodically for
any changes. Basically the less "junk" in it the better. Avoid food
with many of preservatives and fillers as cancer is so common in dogs.
And never feed a French Bulldog anything with soybeans or soybean oils
as these are very difficult for French Bulldogs to digest.
Adding yogurt and/or cottage cheese contributes to bone growth and
digestive system health of your French Bulldog and most French
Bulldogs love the taste. (1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon per feeding). Maybe
2 when your French Bulldog is an adult.
We suggest supplementing your French Bulldog's diet with vitamin C
(Ester C) for good immune system support and joint development and
strength. You can get this with 120% or higher Vit C all natural
orange juice (not from concentrate) or real oranges (2-3 times per
week). Or (Ester C) Vit C tablets. Vit C in this natural form is more
readily absorbed by the body. Add it to your French Bulldog's food
masked with yogurt or serve it separately based on your Mini Bulldog's
preference. Also Cod liver oil (1-2 teaspoons a day) are great for the
coat and skin (no soybean oil!). Hard boiled eggs (1/2 to 1 per day)
are great too, SEE DIET
NUTRITION FOR MORE.
Training your
French Bulldog:
French Bulldogs are very smart & typically easy to train. Some can
be a little stubborn at times lol. The good news is french bulldogs
are very motivated by praise from you as your frenchie will crave
your attention. Use that to your advantage when training. Just make
sure you the time, give lots of praises & be patience and
consistency.
Key to good training is an understanding of how
a dog thinks. Below is a bit of 'dog psychology' which applies to
any canine.
All dogs, including French Bulldogs, are thought
to be descendants of the wolf. Yes, the resemblance to your French
Bulldog is nil, but remember this important fact: like all dogs,
your French Bulldog is a pack animal. At first this description may
sound a little savage and unpalatable. But this pack instinct is
precisely why dogs wedge themselves so perfectly into our families.
They want to belong - to please. When a dog joins a family, even a
family of one, a pack is formed. At this point his instincts compel
him to seek out the structure of the pack-'Who is the leader?' 'Who
is the follower?' Have you ever known a person whose dog is very
rude, disrespectful and even a little aggressive? Does he (the dog)
'sass' his owner? (bark back) Does he dart just out of reach when he
is reached for? Does he steal food or run away from his owner? Does
he bark uncontrollably at guests? These behaviors may indicate that
the dog is confused as to his position in the pack. He may have
difficulty recognizing his owner as the leader of the pack therefore
the dog could attempt to assume the role himself. It is very
important to training that you assert yourself as the leader early
on. Of course, French Bulldogs, just like people, have their own
individual personalities. One may just be more willing to accept
your correction than another.
Potty Training
your French Bulldog:
When potty training your French Bulldog puppy, please start with
CRATE TRAINING - CLICK
HERE, you must first learn to watch for the signs (sniffing,
circling, etc.). Take your French Bulldog puppy out (preferably to
the same area every time) right when he/she wakes in the morning, 5
minutes or so after each meal, just before bedtime & about every
hour otherwise. Watch your French Bulldog puppy until he goes, stop
& praise quickly and next remove him from the area as soon as your
puppy is finished. This way your French Bulldog puppy will learn
quickly the reason for these trips to this "spot". Give your French
Bulldog puppy lots of praise when he/she gets it right. I know I
keep saying it but praise for correct action works much better than
punishment for mistakes. Don't scold your French Bulldog puppy
unless you catch it in the act. There will be accidents but
remember, your french bulldog puppy is still just a learning baby
and doesn't have the mental capacity or muscle control of an adult
French Bulldog yet, so be patient -
CLICK HERE FOR MORE
DETAILED POTTY TRAINING.
Lead Training
your French Bulldog:
It's important to start lead training your new French Bulldog baby
early. But if you just got your baby French Bulldog, you should wait
a week or so till he/she is comfortable and relaxed with you and his
new environment. Start with a lightweight nylon or leather collar
and lead. Make sure the collar is large enough to slip easily over
your French Bulldog puppy's head with some room for growth. Begin by
just holding the collar and letting your French Bulldog puppy lead
you. This will get him/her used to the idea of a collar. Then
gradually start coaxing your French Bulldog pup to follow you with
calls and gentle 'tug-release' pulls on the lead. Never drag or pull
your French Bulldog puppy around . You want this to be an enjoyable
experience for your new French Bulldog puppy. Don't play with
him/her during these training sessions, but do offer praise when
your French Bulldog/child follows you correctly.
Grooming a
French Bulldog:
Proper French Bulldog grooming is a relatively low maintenance
affair. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE YOUR FRENCH BULLDOG TO THE PROFESSIONAL
GROOMER UNLESS THE GROOMER KNOWS FRENCH BULLDOGS WELL. You can do a
much safer job grooming your French Bulldog at home. The main areas
of concern are the coat, the nails, the ears and of course those
cute, wrinkles, tail. We will start with brushing…
French Bulldog Brushing:
Brushing is key to a healthy, shiny coat. Most French Bulldogs love
being brushed so it shouldn't be a problem. Brush at least 3 times a
week with any good dog brush that fits your hand comfortably. Start
at the back and move forward. Then brush from front to back. Your
aim in brushing is to remove dead hair and to evenly distribute
natural body oils. This will keep your frenches's skin healthy and
his/her coat shiny and smooth.
Bathing a French Bulldog:
A French Bulldog who is regularly brushed will not need frequent
bathing. Most French Bulldog owners only bathe their bullies when
they obviously need it. But when it is time for a bath you will need
to gather up everything you will need including: shampoo, Q tips,
cotton balls, nail clippers, wash cloth and towel. Choosing a
shampoo for your French Bulldog is much like choosing one for
yourself. There is no 'best' but probably a 'worst'. You can try
different brands till you find the one that agrees with your French
Bulldog's skin and coat. Myself, I use
VET BASICS® Oatmeal Shampoo.
Begin by placing a cotton ball in each of your French Bulldog's
ears. Then thoroughly wet your French Bulldog from just behind the
ears to his tail being sure to get the underside also. Apply the
shampoo and work it in thoroughly everywhere including between the
toes, under the tail and the genital area. Use a washcloth with
shampoo to clean his face and wrinkles. Use a cotton ball or Q tip
to clean the inside of your French Bulldog's ears but don't go too
far in. Avoid spraying water in the face (nose) or in the ears. Now
rinse thoroughly so that every bit of shampoo is off your French
Bulldog. You can now remove the cotton balls from your French
Bulldog's ears. You can towel dry, use a hair dryer or simply let
him/her drip dry. Put a little Vaseline on your French Bulldog's
nose to keep it moist and soft & last but not least clean ears &
trim nails.
French Bulldog Nail Cutting:
A French Bulldog's nails usually need trimmed 2 times a week when
they are pups. Once a week for adult French Bulldogs. If the nails get
too long it can cause his toes to spread out unnaturally and make the
foot deformed. Use a Dremmel tool or dog nail clippers. Cut or grind
just to the curve of the nail.
French Bulldog Wrinkles:
Wrinkles on most french bulldogs don't take long to clean. Use a wet
cloth to clean them then dry thoroughly. I do not use soap or
shampoo on the fact but clear distilled vinegar works well. After
cleaning and drying put some corn starch in your French Bulldog's
wrinkles to keep them dry if your french bulldog needs it. Baby
wipes with aloe and lanolin are great for on-the-go wrinkle
cleaning.
French Bulldog Ear Care/Cleaning:
The French Bulldog breeders ears are great dust catchers that need to
be cleaned and examined weekly to make sure no infection or wax build
up has accrued.
When grooming your French Bulldog, be careful not to get water and
shampoo down the ear canal. Wet ears are the perfect breeding ground
for bacteria and yeast. A gentle wipe out a cotton swab, or if there
is evidence of dirt and grime in the ear a littler ear cleanser should
do the trick. I get my ear cleaner from
Revival Animal Health.
Care
must be taken with cotton buds as they can compact wax down into the
ear and damage the lining.
Regardless of how much you take care of your Frenchie's well being,
they are likely to have an ear infection like any dog at some stage of
their life. If you have been cleaning your Frenchie's ears regularly
and you notice any changes such as the above symptoms take your
Frenchie to the vet for an examination and treatment asap.
Your
French Bulldog vet will be able to prescribe the appropriate treatment
based on what has caused your dog's ear to become infected.
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