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Bringing French Bulldog puppy home

Having a new French Bulldog puppy in your home is in some way similar to having a baby in the house. It is a joyous event, everyone is excited about and looking forward to, but it is also something you have to plan for. You will most probably start thinking like the typical parent. You have to prepare the space for the new member of the family, you start researching about how to feed the “baby”, and you might talk to your family about shearing the responsibilities for taking care of the puppy, feeding him, taking him for a walk or to the vet.

Bringing French Bulldog puppy home - French Bulldog Breed

Puppy-space and equipment
First and most important- your puppy will need some space of his own. It can be an entire room, crate, cage or just a part of the apartment where you will keep the puppy’s bed. It is recommendable for the place to bi big enough, so the dog can stay in it even after he is fully grown. Another thing that is better done before the puppy is brought home is shopping for the puppy’s food and water bowls, chew toys, collar and leash, bedding and grooming equipment such as brush and a dog shampoo. You will also need a lot of old newspapers and odor neutralizers if you are planning to potty train your puppy inside.

The first few days are important
One more thing you must keep in mind is that all young dogs form a bond with his family and a previous owner and separating a two months old French Bulldog puppy can be stressful for you and him both. Dogs are animals that are used to living in a pack and they need their parents in order to survive the first few months of their lives. Being removed from the puppy’s mom to him equals life danger, so prepare yourself for a night of whining, howling, squealing and general restlessness. Although many people can feel tempted to put the puppy in a basement or some other part of the household where you can’t hear the whining, veterinarians agree that it only increases anxiety for the puppy and it can have long term consequences for his mental health. The first few nights might be tough, but try to hold on and put the puppy some place where he will not feel completely isolated. It is best if you make a schedule with your family for the first few days and decide who is going to play with the puppy. Giving the little boy or girl plenty of attention will relieve the separation anxiety and make the housebreaking process much more efficient.

Bringing French Bulldog puppy home - French Bulldog Breed

Car ride home
If you are taking the puppy home by a car, it is important for that first ride not to be stressful for the dog. The puppy might be a bit uncomfortable because of the motion, vibration and sound of the car, so it is best for someone other than driver to be there and hold the puppy in a blanket or a towel until you get home. Putting them in a crate during the car ride would only additionally traumatize them, so try to avoid it any way that you can.

Getting a health check
If possible, you should have your own vet examine the puppy while it is still in the kennel, shelter or with previous owner. If you haven’t done that already, it is one of the first things you should do when you bring the puppy home. Take it to a veterinarian for general examination and to make sure it is in perfect health. If the previous owner or breeder has not vaccinated the puppy and treated it against worms and fleas, then ask your vet to do it.

Feeding the puppy
You can do some research on the internet or consult your vet on how much, how often and what kind of foods to give the puppy. It also might be useful to ask the breeder about what food has he been feeding the puppy and continue giving him the exactly the same type and brand for at least the first few days, when the puppy arrives to your home. It will help the puppy get through this transition. For the first three to four weeks it is best for puppies to eat almost exclusively mother’s milk, if there is enough it, of course. After that period you can start your puppy on commercial food. Since they are still very young and their teeth are sensitive, it is best that you soak the dry food in warm water for a while until it softens and then give it to the puppy. At first he might only stick his nose in it and lick the soft liquid part of the food, but eventually he will eat all of it. Some say you should feed the pups two or three times a day, but if you ask me it should be three to four times a day. As the Frenchie puppy grow and his teeth strengthen, you can slowly decrees the amount of water you put to commercial food and eventually give him only solid food and water, separately.

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