French Bulldogs can be stubborn when it comes to the puppy training process. While Frenchies are a loyal and intelligent dog breed, they can be persistent in getting things to go their way. Their adorable boxed faces, bat ears, and large eyes make it hard not to give them exactly what they want, but as an owner of this breed, you need to be stern and persistent from the start.
Frenchies love to please their owners, especially when they respect them, so the training sessions become much easier when you establish a strong chain of command during their adolescent years.
Crate Training
One of the first things you want to do when bringing home a French Bulldog is to introduce them to their crate. Crate training is an incredibly effective way to establish positive behavioral patterns in your dog. Contrary to popular belief, dogs actually enjoy spending time in their crate, and it often becomes a calming resting place.
Using a crate is useful when you are not able to directly supervise your dog. This is important when they are a puppy as they don’t know what is right and wrong yet. By keeping your Frenchie in a crate when you are out, it prevents him from getting into trouble and making a mess in your house. In addition, crate training is a great start to beginning the potty training process while they are puppies.
How to Potty Train a French Bulldog
While all puppies have issues with learning how to properly alleviate themselves, Frenchies have a particularly difficult time because of their small bladders. This causes French Bulldogs to need to use the bathroom more frequently than most breeds.
In turn, as an owner of a French Bulldog, you have to be incredibly attentive and aware of when your dog needs to go to the bathroom. Allowing a lot of accidents to slip under your radar makes the potty training process much longer and confusing for your Frenchie.
Pairing potty training and crate training together has actually proven to be a very effective way to keep things clear and consistent for your pup. After taking your Frenchie out of his crate, immediately put his leash on and say something along the lines of “let’s go potty!”
Take him outside and reward him with positive praise after he does his business. Taking him outside right after being in his crate teaches your pup that his crate is not the right place to go to the bathroom. Soon he will develop a sort of cue system to let you know he needs to go to the bathroom. This could include standing up in his crate, whimpering, or standing by the door if he isn’t in his crate.
Introduce Proper Socialization
French Bulldogs are a very loving and loyal breed almost to a fault. They have an unwavering connection with their owners, which can cause them to be standoffish and aloof to strangers. You’ll want to try to introduce your Frenchie to a variety of people, especially those that will be around the dog the most, by the time they are 14 weeks old. Doing this at a young age will counteract feelings of fear and anxiety in your dog.
There are a few ways to approach the socialization process. You can either choose to introduce your dog to people on the street, such as your neighbors, the mailman, gardeners, etc. as frequently as possible or you can look at it as a part of the training process.
In the latter approach, you can place your Frenchie in the same space as other people and dogs and wait for him to approach the strangers. If your Frenchie moves towards the other dogs or people, reward him with a treat and positive praise. If he shies away from the strangers, simply don’t reward him and do not force the interaction. Forcing your pup can make him more fearful in future attempts.
Aside from the general puppy training process, Frenchies are one of the most unique and rewarding dog breeds to own. Their humorous mannerisms and playful personality make the training process much less daunting, sometimes making you laugh even in times of disappointment.
These dogs have nothing but love and admiration to give to their owners. Put in the time during the training process and you’ll have a road of great memories and adventures with this incredible companion by your side.
Sources:
- Lopez, Cynthia. “Pet Training Series: Training a French Bulldog Puppy.” Pet Life Today, 6 July 2018, Accessed 17 July 2017. www.petlifetoday.com/pet-training-series-how-to-train-french-bulldog/.
- “How To Crate and Potty Train a French Bulldog Puppy.” The French Bulldog Guide, 9 Oct. 2018, Accessed 17 July 2017. www.thefrenchbulldogguide.com/training-your-french-bulldog/.
- “French Bulldog Puppy Training Tips.” VetInfo, Accessed 17 July 2017. www.vetinfo.com/french-bulldog-puppy-training-tips.html.
- “French Bulldog Dog Breed Information, Pictures, Characteristics & Facts ” Dogtime, Accessed 17 July 2017. www.dogtime.com/dog-breeds/french-bulldog.
- Greenberg, Aurora. “French Bulldog Dog Breed Information.” American Kennel Club, 6 Nov. 2017, Accessed 17 July 2017. www.akc.org/dog-breeds/french-bulldog/.
