French bulldog puppies are also known as Frenchies. They are toy-size versions of bulldogs that were originally introduced in England. This breed is extremely popular in Europe, especially France. This is how they got their name as French bulldogs.
However, like any new pet, caring for a French bulldog puppy requires time, patience, and a bit of knowledge. In this article, I’ll cover the basics of caring for French bulldog puppies, including feeding, training, and health.
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French bulldog puppies.
French bulldog puppies are adorable, with their bat-like ears and expressive faces, and can make wonderful additions to a family. No wonder, they are exceptionally cute. First, you need to understand the growth pattern of the Frenchies. Once you have the hang of that, I will dive deeper into the feeding process, training, socialisation and other stuff. Let’s start with understanding the growth pattern of the Frenchie puppies.
Puppy to Dog stage of French bulldog puppies.
Stage 1: week 1-3
As puppies, French bulldogs are very tiny and don’t do much apart from eating and sleeping. During the initial week of their lives, they cannot smell, hear or see anything. Their bodies are still developing and cannot control or regulate their body temperatures either. Therefore, the puppy should be kept in an area which is warm but not too hot. You should also have a cool section around so that the puppy can crawl towards the cold place if they are getting too hot.
In the initial weeks, the puppies start to slowly open their eyes, respond to light stimulation and try to stay close to mom whenever she comes close. They may also start crawling on each other and playing with their siblings.
Stage 2 around week 3
The second stage in the life of French bulldog puppies starts when they reach the age of three weeks. This is the time when their sense organs start to function. Now the puppies have turned from a sack of potatoes to mighty explorers. The sense of adventure grows in the puppies and they spend less time sleeping. Around this time, they also start to recognise their human guardians. Thus, if you walk in, your puppy may start to greet you.
This is not the time to bring your friends around to meet your puppy. Around this time, their personalities are developing. Thus, any negative form of stimulation must be avoided. A negative stimulation can have a serious negative impact on the puppy’s psyche. The puppies must be close to their siblings and mom. This is also not the time to send them to their forever homes.
Stage 3: social development.
This is an extremely crucial stage in the development of the French bulldog puppy’s life. This is the social development stage when the puppies learn how to interact with their littermates. They will also start fighting everything that they can see.
Around this time, the mom dog starts to wean the puppies off the mother’s milk. Thus, introducing them to kibble and dry dog food would be a good idea right now. However, ensure that you make a paste of the dry dog food before you serve it to the puppies. They don’t have a mouth full of teeth, thus heavy chewing can hurt their soft palate.
This is the time when the puppies gain independence and the mom is responsible for teaching the babies how to be independent. The basic behavioural patterns of the littermates start to show. At this point, you can separate the puppy from the litter. However, the puppy should not be away for over 10 minutes at a time.
The mom will teach the puppy important social cues and train the puppy to keep the biting behaviour on the down low. This is the time when the puppies will fight a lot with siblings and may start having pee and poo accidents around the house. However, all this comes under the normal behaviour spectrum for this time. For pooping and peeing inside the house, the puppies should not be punished since they have not been housetrained yet. House training starts later in life.
Stage four: nervousness and anxiousness.
This is the time when the puppies are nervous about anything and everything they see. They were not born immune to noises. The world is a huge place and feeling a bit of nervousness is normal.
Also, this is the time to desensitise your puppy towards noises and movements. His mind is still in the developmental phase. Therefore, overcoming fears is easier during this stage and later. Expose your puppy to the hair dryer, vacuum cleaner and the other things around the house that are regularly used. This way, they will get a hang of loud buzzing noises and will not feel anxious or nervous if they hear them.
Ensure that the new sound, music or loud noises are introduced slowly and the puppy is provided an adjustment time. Do not cause your puppy additional stress because the stimulation can be stressful enough.
This is also the time when the puppies start to gain control of their bowel movements and bladder. They learn to sleep through the night without having to pee four times.
During this stage, you can start the basic training like sit, come, stay, down, etc. If your puppy is exhibiting signs of being hyperactive, you can start leash training as well. if you want to make your puppy wear a collar or a harness, this would be a good time to start getting the puppy used to the feeling of the same.
Feeding French Bulldog Puppies
French bulldogs have a reputation for being picky eaters, but with a little patience and the right approach, you can get your puppy to eat a healthy and balanced diet.
When it comes to choosing food for your French bulldog puppy, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, look for high-quality food that is formulated specifically for puppies. It should have a balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, with the right mix of vitamins and minerals.
You can choose between feeding your French bulldog puppy dry kibble, wet food, or a combination of both. Wet food can be easier for some puppies to eat, as it is softer and more palatable. However, it can also be messier and more expensive than dry kibble. Some puppies also prefer the crunch of dry kibble.
When feeding your French bulldog puppy, it’s important to follow a regular schedule. Puppies generally need to be fed three to four times per day, depending on their age and activity level. You can consult with your veterinarian to determine the right feeding schedule for your specific puppy.
Training French Bulldog Puppies
Training is an essential part of caring for any puppy, and French bulldog puppies are no exception. These intelligent and eager-to-please dogs can be trained to do a variety of things, including basic obedience commands like “sit” and “stay,” as well as more advanced tricks and behaviours.
The key to successful training is consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement. French bulldogs respond well to positive reinforcement, so be sure to reward your puppy with treats, praise, and affection when he or she does something right.
French bulldog puppies do not need a ton of physical exercise. Therefore, you do not have to set aside a specific time or take your dog on a hike every day. You can just involve 15 to 20 minutes of the time in the day and that should be enough. If you are busy with work, you can always engage your dog with chewable toys, balls, rope toys, etc. You can also make handmade toys quickly with recycled material available at your home and keep your pup busy.
When training your French bulldog puppy, keep sessions short and sweet, and try to make them as enjoyable as possible. Use plenty of treats and toys to keep your puppy engaged and motivated.
Socializing French Bulldog Puppies
Socialization is an important aspect of caring for French bulldog puppies. Early socialization helps puppies develop into confident, well-adjusted dogs who are comfortable in a variety of situations.
To socialize your French bulldog puppy, expose him or her to a variety of people, places, and experiences from a young age. This can include trips to the park, visits to friends’ houses, and even short car rides.
Socialization should be a positive experience for your puppy, so be sure to keep things fun and rewarding. Bring plenty of treats and toys, and give your puppy tons of praise and affection
Health Care for French Bulldog Puppies
French bulldogs are generally healthy dogs, but like all breeds, they can be prone to certain health issues. As a French bulldog puppy owner, it’s important to be aware of these health issues and take steps to prevent them.
One of the most common health issues in French bulldogs is breathing problems. These dogs have short snouts, which can make it difficult for them to breathe, especially in hot weather. To prevent breathing problems, avoid exercising your puppy in hot weather, and never leave him or her in a hot car.
Another common health issue in French bulldogs is skin problems. These dogs can be prone to allergies, which can cause itchy, inflamed skin. To prevent skin problems, feed your puppy a high-quality diet, and avoid exposing him or her to things that can trigger allergies, such as certain types of protein etc.
Care process and grooming
One of the classic characteristics of the French bulldog puppies for which they are widely known is the skin folds. Even though the skin folds look super cute and make your puppy look adorable, these folds also encourage the formation of bacterial colonies if it’s not cleaned regularly. It can also lead to a variety of other skin infections and health problems. Since bacteria can easily invade such places and form a biofilm, you must start cleaning the folds of your French bulldog puppy regularly. You can either clean the folds during the everyday grooming time or you can set specific days in the week when you will do the cleaning process. The cleaner the folds are, the lesser the chances of infection.
Cleaning the folds
To clean the folds, you can either use cotton, wipes, or a soft towel. Make sure that you are using only water to clean the section. In most cases, a weekly routine is enough. However, if you are taking your dog to a dog park, or if your dog engages in a lot of outdoor activities, you must clean up the fold every time your dog comes home. This is because you do not want any form of dust to accumulate in the fold and cause allergy.
Brachycephalic breed syndrome.
Since French bulldogs are brachycephalic, they are more prone to suffering from brachycephalic Syndrome. This occurs because of the presence of a thin trachea and a short neck. You can identify this disorder if you notice breathing problems in your pup. In case this condition is allowed to persist for a long duration, it can result in pneumonia or other respiratory issues. It can also cause injury to the lungs in the above-mentioned conditions. This is why it is advised that dog guardians of French bulldog puppies go for a harness over a collar.
The reason a harness is preferred is that it will not put pressure on the trachea of your dog. The harness goes around the chest section of the dog. Therefore, if the dog tries to pull, it is the harness that puts the power into the pulling action. The harness keeps the neck of your dog safe from any form of injury while walking or running.
Conclusion
French bulldog puppies are adorable and perfect for a family that is not engaged in tons of outdoor activities. If you favour being a couch potato, then this breed is the perfect one for you. They fall on the medium energy spectrum, are good for families with kids and love their humans.
Do you have French bulldog puppies? How has your experience been with this breed? If you think that I have missed out on putting any wider information in the blog post, feel free to notify me via the comment section. If you have any queries about this blog post or any other on The Happy Puppers, feel free to put your queries, either in the comment section or you can reach me live on Twitch. I do coworking sessions every day from 11 AM to 8 PM, Indian Standard Time.
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Dr Shruti
Frequently Asked Questions
French bulldog puppies or Frenchies are pretty adaptable and laid back. Thus, they easily get along with kids and other animals. This makes them pretty popular house dogs. However, they can sometimes get a bit aggressive while playing. Thus, it is a good option to ensure they play under supervision.
The French bulldogs are not considered to be heavy barkers. They are known to only occasionally bark. The barking habits of such dogs depend more on the circumstances than the dog breed itself.
The average life span of French bulldogs is 10 – 12 years.
French bulldog puppies thrive on schedules. Therefore, set a schedule and follow it every day. Though generally easy to train, if you do not follow the schedule, you will find it hard to train your dog.