French Bulldog Obsession

Training your dog how to perform simple commands is an essential for all dog owners. The time it will take will vary depending on how much time you invest in training your dog each day. Generally, dogs trained about 20 minutes each day will follow simple commands after 2-3 months of training.

To teach any command, you should follow these simple steps:
1. Decide what you would like your dog to do.

2. Make up an auditory and/or visual sign to initiate the desired action.

The auditory command should have his name in it (e.g. "Buddy, sit"). Your voice should be of right tone and volume (e.g. don't mumble, shout).

3. Say the command only once.

4. To help the dog make the association of the command to the action, make your dog perform the action after the command is given.

5. Use reinforcements for good behaviors (e.g. petting him or treats)

6. After your dog follows the commands consistently, use distractions and see if he still obeys.

Sit
To teach your dog how to sit, first place a leash on the collar of your dog. Say the command in a firm voice once. Pull up in the leash while pushing down on his back until he is in the sitting position. For larger dogs, if you are unable to push the dog down into the sitting position, and easy way to do this is to walk the dog forward a couple steps and this will allow you to easily push the dog's rear down. If your dog is fidgeting around and won't sit, keep a firm grip on the leash while pulling upward. After your dog is in the position, praise the dog, but do not let him get up. This enables the dog to associate your command with this position. After a few seconds, you can allow your dog to get out of that position by petting under his chin. This tells the dog it is okay to move. Continue this process until your dog obeys the command.

Stay
After you teach your dog to sit, you can teach him to stay. First, have him sit. Then command him to "Stay" while you stand in front of him with the leash over his head. You should act distracted (e.g. look the other way, tie your shoes). if your dog gets up, you should pull the leash upwards until the dog sits again. Prevent your dog from lying down by holding the leash high enough that he can't comfortably lie down. After some time sitting and not getting up, you can pet under its chin, which the dog will associate with being okay to move. After your dog successfully stays seated, you can eventually move one or two paces away. You can also start to use other distractions like food or toys. The dog should still obey your command and stay in a sitting position, despite the distractions.

Lie Down
Teaching your dog to lie down starts out similarly to the sit routine. Command your dog to lie down. You should then force the dog to lie down by placing your hand above his shoulder blades and pushing down. This can be very tricky. Some dogs my hold their front legs very rigid that it is too difficult for you to push them down. If this is the case, you should push down on the shoulder blades while you lift up on of their legs. You may want to wear gloves and long sleeves because the dog may resist you by flailing its paws. When the dog is in the proper position, you may reinforce the dog, but don't allow him to move until you pet him underneath the chin, which signifies he can get out of whatever position he may be in.

After teaching the dog to lie down using this method, the next step is to teach him to lie down without pushing his front down. You should pull the leash diagonally toward the back. The first few times, you should push down on its front so he knows to lie down. After that, he should associate the diagonal pull on the leash and the command with the proper action.

After you dog learns this, you can teach him to lie down by just using words. To do this, you should command him to go down quickly several or more times a minute.

Stand
Teaching your dog to get up from lying down or the sitting position is very similar to the previous methods. Hold his collar and give the command. Pull forward on the collar slightly. As the dog stands, reinforce his behavior, and make him stand still for about 20 seconds. If the dog tries to move, jerk the collar in the opposite direction until he stands still. After he stands still for about 20 seconds, release him by petting under his chin.

Stand, Stay
After you dog consistently obeys the stand command, you can teach him the stay command. Have your dog stand. Walk around your dog while one hand is firmly holding his collar prohibiting him to move, while the other hand is petting and reinforcing him for not moving. After you dog stands without moving, you can try walking around him, without petting him.

* Make sure that you research the breed thoroughly before you buy a puppy or dog, never make an impulse purchase and buy the first puppy from the first breeder you find.

* Be honest with the breeder about what you’re looking for when you go to see the puppies or dogs, if you are looking for a show dog then don’t tell the breeder you want a pet because you think this will cost you less. A responsible breeder will sell their French bulldogs as pets with limited registration papers and you will not be able to show your dog without full papers.

* If you buy a frenchie as a pet, then you probably wont be able to show it, the breeder will sell their frenchies as pets if they know the puppy wont meet the strict requirements needed for showing.

* Even if you purchase a dog or puppy for show there is no guarantee that you will be successful, not every show dog has the superior qualities which are needed to win major prizes at the top shows.

* Don’t buy a show dog just for the sake of it, if all you want is a companion then buy a puppy for a pet, they might not meet the exact standards required of the breed but if you bought your puppy from a reputable breeder who does breed show dogs then your companion will be pretty close to meeting the requirements without costing you an arm and leg.

* Make sure that you get yourself a copy of the breed standard and also equip yourself with the knowledge of the problems know to this specific breed.

* If you wish to purchase a dog for showing then attend as many shows as possible before you go looking for a puppy, make sure you know the breed and the colours that are required for showing.

* Even if you don’t intend to show your frenchie it doesn’t hurt to get acquainted with the breed’s standard before you choose your puppy, what better way to learn about the breed than from those who have been breeding and showing frenchies for years.

* Contact and view puppies from as many different breeders as you can before making your final choice.

* Makes sure you take a list with all the questions you want to ask the breeder, a reputable breeder will only be too happy to answer all your questions, they should also ask some questions of you too.

* A breeder who isn’t affiliated with a dog club is no worse than those who are, their puppies and dogs can be just as worthy of the show ring than those belonging to a club.

* Don’t be taken in by breeders who claim their dogs are show worthy but who don’t actually show them, a good breeder will show their dogs and have proof with certificates and trophies of what their dogs are actually capable of. The breeder who claims their dogs are champions without having the proof and who makes the excuse of not having time to show their dogs should be avoided especially if you do want to show the puppy.

* Look for a breeder who has several years of experience in breeding French bulldogs.

* Ask how many litters a year the breeder has and be wary of those who claim they always have litters available, the good breeder will only breed a few litters per year, those who say they always have litters haven’t got the best interests of the dogs at heart only their pockets.

* Does the breeder give you registration papers; health records and micro chip the puppies. A reputable breeder will give you the puppy’s pedigree records and health records. Most breeders know have a micro chip inserted into the puppy very early on, this helps to locate dogs that are lost or stolen.

The Den
By nature dogs do not like to soil their den. By establishing their den they will try to avoid eliminating when ever they are in their den and will tend to hold it until you take them out of their den to eliminate so it is important that they know where their den is. Whenever you are not home your dog should be left in his den so he doesn't soil the house.

Scheduling
Set up a schedule for your dog and stick with it everyday. Feed your dog the same amount of food at the same time and monitor his/her activity and take note of when they need to relieve themselves and let them out during that time. If you stick to the same schedule then they will relieve themselves at the same time. Train the dog to relieve themselves on command when they are going by telling them to "Go Pee" or "Potty " and reward them with a treat and/or by petting them. Soon they'll associate the action with the command and be able to eliminate on command.

Feeding Amounts
If you give your dog unlimited access to food and water they will eat and drink all day long and need to poop and pee constantly so you need to limit the amount that they take in. Puppies under 3-4 months of age should be fed 3 times a day and dogs older than that only need to be fed twice a day (puppies 6-14 weeks old should be given unlimited access to water). Feedings don't have to be proportional; you can feed them a smaller portion when you don't have time to let them out to eliminate and a larger portion when you have more time.

Signaling
Before taking your dog outside to eliminate stop at the door and wait until he sits, then let him outside to eliminate. After a while he'll learn that by going to the door and sitting he is signaling you to let him outside to eliminate.

When to Let Him Out
Dogs have a greater tendency to go when they are active, after they eat, and when they wake up. Puppies have less control over when they go and need to be taken out more often, control over their bowel and bladder movements won't be fully developed until they are about 6 months of age. Taking a puppy out every hour in not uncommon. Adult dogs only need to be taken out about 3-4 times daily. It is advised to take your dog out to eliminate when they wake up, about 15 minutes after each meal for puppies (and about an hour after meals for an adult dog) and before they go to sleep.

Eliminating Outdoors
Leash your dog when you go outside and bring them to the same spot every time. When he begins the process of eliminating, give them a "Hurry Up" command in an upbeat tone. After he is done praise your dog for eliminating. After about a week they should begin associating "Hurry Up" with eliminating.

Eliminating Indoors (Paper Training)
If you are not able to bring your dog outside, having your dog eliminate on newspaper is a good alternative. First pick out an area in the house (preferably where there is a tiled floor) to place the papers. Put the dog bed or crate and surround the area with newspaper (don't make the area too big). Confine your dog to this papered area. Your dog doesn't want to soil his bed/crate so he'll naturally go on the paper. Dogs like to go in the same spot. After a week slowly reduce the area by taking away newspaper from areas which he doesn't eliminate on until only as much newspaper remains as is needed for your dog to eliminate on.

After a few weeks of him eliminating in that spot it will become a habit for your dog. After you believe that your dog is used to going in the same spot you can open up a bigger portion of the house for him to play in.

If you catch him going in any other areas of the house give him a "No Pee" command and place him on the paper to let him finish his business and clean up the mess. Whenever you see that your dog eliminating on the paper praise him for his good action of eliminating in the right spot.

Accidents
Dogs are not able to relate punishment for their actions after they have performed the act, so it is best to say nothing and simply clean up the mess and spray the area with a pet deodorizer or wipe it down with a mixture of 1/4th white vinegar and 3/4 water to cover up the odor. If you happen to catch your dog about to or in the process of eliminating inside or in an inappropriate place push their butt down (or startle them with a loud noise) and say "No Pee" and take them to eliminate in their spot. If your dog happens to have an accident inside, place the feces outside in the yard (the odor should attract him to that spot next time) where you want him to go and clean up the mess inside.

Notes about potty training a puppy.
Puppies are like babies and have very limited control of when and where they eliminate and it's important that you are very understanding of this. It is likely that your puppy will have accidents during the training process. Full control over their bowel and bladder movements won't be developed until about 6 months of age. Training a puppy requires a lot of patience.

Time
Most dogs will get the house breaking routine down within a couple of weeks, but it can take up to a year of training before you can be certain that they have the system down and won't have any accidents.

Adjusting to the Collar
If you are putting a collar on a puppy for the first time they will probably be resistant to it for the first few hours that it's on, but don't take it off of him it will take time to adjust and before you know it will feel natural to them when wearing it. You want the collar to fit securely but not so tight that it's uncomfortable or hard for your dog to breathe. When your puppy is getting used to the collar it is a good idea to try and distract him from thinking about the collar by playing with him or giving him a treat. If you have a puppy that's still growing you need to check your puppy’s collar about every week and increase the size as he grows.

Adjusting to the Leash
After your puppy or dog becomes adjusted to their collar attach the leash to his collar. Supervise your puppy as he runs around with the leash dragging behind him. Take it off after a few minutes and repeat the same process at a later time except for each successive time leave it on a little longer. Something that might help your puppy associate the leash with pleasent events is by putting the leash on right before he eats or placing the leash next to the food bowl before attaching it to him.

After your puppy is comfortable with the leash on pick up the end of the leash and follow him around for several minutes inside the house where he's used to the surroundings. During this process try not to allow the leash to apply any pressure to the collar or it may scare your puppy. During this process it is important that you praise your dog and possibly reward him a treat from time to time.

Once he is comfortable with the leash on inside the house, bring him outside the house to a familiar environment such as the backyard with the leash on. Place him on the left side of you so that he'll get used to walking on the left side of you each time you go out with the leash. Bring your dog to the area that they usually go potty with the leash on.

Walking Your Dog
Before you walk your dog it is important that they are calm so give them a sit-stay command before putting on their collar/leash. If your dog starts to run towards the door right after you put finish putting the leash on simply do a quick jerk with the leash and immediately release the leash to give it some slack, give a stop command then give a sit-stay command and then praise him when he is sitting. After a few minutes take him outside for a walk.

It is important that the dog doesn't lead you or pull on the leash when you are walking him. During the first few times simply walk your dog around the house or in the backyard where he is familiar with the surroundings. If he pulls forward on the leash give a stay where you are, give a quick jerk with the leash and immediately release the leash to give it some slack and issue the stop command (you may have to repeat this several times before your dog stops) then give a sit-stay command and then praise him when he is sitting and praise him for his good action of sitting, wait several seconds then continue with the walk. After he understands that you are doing the leading when you are walking him you can bring him out into the real world for a walk and if still tries to pull ahead just repeat the process above with the jerking of the leash. When he is doing a good job it is important that you give your dog praises and encouragement.

Quiet
When your dog starts barking, say the "Quiet" command and immediately jerk the leash. Repeat as necessary. After several times, try to just say the quiet command without pulling on the leash. Eventually, your dog will respond to just the auditory command.

Drop It
You can teach your dog how to drop objects you wish he shouldn't carry in their mouth in the same manner as the previous command. If you see your dog has something in his mouth that you want him to drop, command him to "Drop it" then quickly jerk his leash. Eventually, your dog will drop what is in his mouth after you say "Drop it."

Leave It
If you happen to see that your dog is about to pick up, you can use the "Leave it" command. Before your dog picks up the item, give your command and apply a sharp jerk on his leash. Just as the previous commands, your dog will associate the jerk of his collar with something you don't want him to do and will eventually respond to the command and it won't be necessary to jerk the leash.

* Do French bulldogs make good pets and companions?

The French bulldog makes an excellent companion, the frenchie requires very little exercise and is very easy to groom.

* Do French bulldogs make good guard dogs?

The frenchie can make an excellent guard dog due to its protective and territorial traits.

* Are French bulldogs good with children?

All dogs should be watched carefully when around children however the frenchie is normally good around children.

* Are French bulldogs easy to train?

The French bulldog does like to please its owner however they can be stubborn and hard headed, if you make the training into a game then they are more inclined to learn quicker.

* Doe’s the French bulldog bark a lot?

The French bulldog is rather a quiet dog who generally isn’t regarded as a barker.

* I live in an apartment; will it be big enough for a French bulldog?

French bulldogs are an excellent breed for an apartment as they don’t take up too much room and don’t require a lot of exercise; of course you should always give your dog a walk every day and let it enjoy the fresh air and get some exercise.

* I heard French bulldogs suffer from breathing problems?

Sometimes a French bulldog will have laboured or noisy breathing, their smaller nose openings can sometimes exaggerate their already noisy characteristics.

* Do French bulldogs shed a lot of hair?

The French bulldog has shorter hair and is single coated which means they shed less than many other breeds * Are French bulldogs easy to breed? Assistance may be needed from a vet as the French bulldog can sometimes be difficult to breed naturally; it is one breed that is harder to breed than many others.

* Are there any particular problems during birth?

Due to the shape and size of the French bulldog puppy’s head most puppies are in fact born by caesarean section with the help of a vet, they are not one of the easiest breeds to breed and often need help when giving birth. You should think very carefully before attempting to breed and deliver puppies yourself.

* Is the French bulldog easy to housetrain?

As is the case in all breeds of dog some are easier to housetrain then others, try to encourage them to use a certain area within the home after they eat, before they sleep and first thing on waking.

* I heard the French bulldog snores?

Due to problems with the breeds breathing deficiencies most French bulldogs will snore when they lay down, but providing otherwise your puppy or dog is healthy then this is just a natural trait with the French bulldog.

Just because someone proudly brags that their puppy is a pedigree and it’s registered by a kennel club doesn’t necessarily mean that their puppy is any better than yours. Being registered by a kennel club doesn’t automatically mean that the puppy is of superior quality to one which isn’t, the kennel club will register any puppy whose parents were registered and those parents were registered because their parents were registered, and so it goes on. Registration by a kennel club simply means that you filled in a form and paid your money to keep the chain of registration going.

What does the pedigree mean?

Again apply to the kennel club, fill in a form, pay your money and they will access their database and look for the long list of names of your puppy’s parents, grand parents, great grand parents e.t.c, as many of them and as far back as you wish to pay for. A pedigree is really just nothing more than a family tree that we humans can trace back to find our relatives; the dog hasn’t had to meet any specific requirements for behaviour, temperament, health or appearance.

Every single year there are thousands of litters which are registered by the kennel club with the majority of these puppies being poor quality and defiantly not worthy of showing. So if a breeder is offering puppies for a ridiculous amount of money just because they are pedigree and are kennel club registered don’t be fooled into thinking you are getting something special because you probably aren’t.

Do the papers prove the puppy is purebred?

Unfortunately not, purebred simply means that the ancestors can be traced back for many generations and they all have the same set of fixed genes. Fixed genes are what give the dog its colour; size, type of coat e.t.c, and having these genes are what makes the puppy a purebred, if the puppy doesn’t have these genes then the registration papers don’t mean anything.

Just because a puppy has papers doesn’t mean they are right or true, for example if the owner has two German Shepard for breeding but the female accidentally gets out and the mixed breed dog from down the road mates with her if the breeder is dishonest there is nothing stopping her from filling in the registration papers and claiming that her boxer male is the father. If the puppies take after their mum then the breeder may get away with it, and these puppies while having registration and pedigree are far from purebred puppies.

What are pedigrees and registration good for?

Pedigrees and registration papers are only really useful for the conscientious breeder; a breeder will use the pedigree to trace back the origins of a dog before considering breeding them. They will check the pedigrees to make sure that they aren’t breeding two dogs that are closely related, they also use them to check out temperament, physical build and health of as many ancestors as they can.

A new puppy will make a big change to your household until the puppy gets settled in and there may be many times you will wonder if having a puppy was such a good idea in the first place. The first few weeks will be the hardest until the new puppy gets used to his surroundings and his new family, so a little patience and perseverance will be what are needed from you at this stage. You can makes things run a little smoother by some planning before your puppy arrives in your home.

What you will need

* A plastic dog crate.

* Hard to destroy and easily washable bedding.

* A puppy collar and lead.

* An ID tag with your name and telephone number clearly printed on it.

* A few soft and safe chew toys.

* A quality brand of puppy food.

* A soft brush for grooming your puppy.

Make sure your home is puppy proof

Your new puppy will get into everything and everything it shouldn’t; it will want to nibble on everything it can fit into its mouth. There is a spray you can buy which you can spray onto furniture legs e.t.c to stop your puppy from nibbling on your furniture. Another thing to look out for are dangling or exposed electrical cords, these will be a temptation for your puppy and your puppy wont know there is electricity running through them as he’s tugging at them.

Get cable tidies for all exposed cables and wires around the home, this could prevent a nasty accident from occurring and they are simple and easy to fit. Also check your garden and fencing to make sure there is nowhere the puppy can escape from, remember a puppy can squeeze just about anywhere so check for the smallest of holes in fences.

Make sure your puppy knows his place

Your new puppy will most probably be missing his mother and siblings at first and remember he is in a strange place surrounded by people he doesn’t know, it can be a great comfort if he has a place of his own and knows where this place is. This could be a crate with a soft sheepskin blanket in where he can go and cuddle up or just a puppy bed with his chew toys in it, just like you have your bedroom where you can go to be alone or when you want a nap, then so should your puppy.

If you have young children they will of course be excited with the new puppy and probably constantly petting him, your puppy should be able to go to his bed without constant harassment from the children, so make it clear to them that when the puppy goes to bed they leave him alone for a while.

The routine

It is very important to teach your new puppy how life will be in his new home, puppies like to feel safe and have some kind of routine to their day and now is a good time to start. Some of the things you should teach him are:

* Where he will sleep.

* Where to find his food and water.

* When it is time to go to bed and get up.

* Where he will go to the bathroom.

* Where his toys are.

Once this is established your puppy will begin to form a bond with his master, he will find that you are dependable and can provide him with what he needs, he will feel safe. You can then go onto teaching other just as important things such as:

* What the word “NO” means - this is a word that you will probably find yourself repeating very often in the beginning, however by repeating it every time your puppy does something wrong he should quickly learn what the word means.

* Housetraining - this is the perfect age to start teaching your new puppy housetraining, you can introduce him to his bathroom and persist in taking him there every half hour, however due to the young age it can take several months for his young bladder to grow strong enough to stop accidents from happening.

* Being handled and groomed - your new puppy will be just like a young child always wanting to play and run around, however you should start a grooming regime at this young age to get into good habits. It is also wise to get your puppy used to being handled and picked up.

* To be gentle - now is a good time to teach your puppy how to be gentle, for example when he is taking something from your hand or when he has something in his mouth you want to take from him. You should teach him not to bite, grab or hold onto anything tightly.