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By the time you bring your new puppy home he will probably be around 8 to 10 weeks old and this is the perfect age to start teaching him. French bulldogs are known for their stubbornness so it is important that you start out as you mean to go on from the word go. Here are some of the most important things you should start teaching your new puppy straight away:

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.

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Once you have decided on the breed of puppy you want and the sex of the puppy the next big question you should ask yourself is which puppy you should choose and what to look for when going to buy your puppy. Searching for information on the internet could have led to more confusion, so here are some helpful sensible hints to help you decide what to look for when you choose your new puppy:

Evaluate the litter

You should never feel rushed into making a decision and choosing a puppy, a reputable breeder will give you all the time you need when choosing your puppy, but don’t be swayed by their choice. While the breeder can give you good advice on caring for your new puppy and most will be honest, there are some who might try to sell you those puppies they don’t want to be stuck with, for example the boisterous dominating puppy, while most breeders wouldn’t dream of doing this there is the odd one which might be tempted.

Don’t be fooled either by well meaning friends telling you to let the puppy choose you, the pushy puppies will come forward every time and these can often be the most difficult ones to raise, while the gentle ones which normally make the gentler pets are left behind.

Also don’t rely on the biggest puppy being the best; this isn’t always so the bigger puppy will be the more aggressive puppy that always pushed his way in to make sure he got fed, which again could be a problem with dominance as the puppy grows older. Puppies are very much like children each one of them will grow at a different rate and what is the smallest in the litter now could well turn into the biggest and best out of the litter. Certain things however should be taken into account and these are:

* Look at the whole litter as a group, if three out of four of the puppies run away, growl, bark or show some form of aggression then choose another breeder.

* Don’t be conned by the breeder telling you there just shy, socialization at an early age is crucial and any reputable breeder will have handled their puppies and got them used to being around people.

* Puppies who shrink away from you with their tails tucked between their legs are not a good choice, shy puppies will usually grow into shy dogs if this is in their genes.

* A healthy normal puppy should be very curious often running around your feet, tugging at your shoelaces, nibbling at your fingers and trying to climb into your lap.

* Watch how the puppies interact with each other, you can tell a lot about the puppy from how is interacts with its litter mates.

* Look for a puppy in the middle range, this is one that will be inquisitive, who joins in and holds their own without being too bossy and one who doesn’t growl or bite its fellow litter mates.

* Try a few simple tests, try clapping your hands or jiggling your car keys, which puppy is alert, interested or which shrinks away in fright.

Once you have checked out the litter as a whole then you can ask the breeder if you see them all singularly, this will give you a good idea of how the puppy will cope being away from its litter mates. This is the time you can evaluate the puppy’s own personality, sometimes a bold puppy will totally change when separated from the others. Signs to watch for are:

* The puppy’s general expression and body language.

* Does the puppy wag his tail or is it tucked between its legs.

* When you talk to the puppy how does it respond.

* Is the puppy lively and energetic, is the puppy inquisitive.

Spend as much time as you need with the litter as a whole and also with each puppy you are interested in, a reputable breeder will give you all the time you need with the puppies and should never rush you or sway you into making a choice. Perhaps the only time when a breeder should give you advice on which puppy is right for you is if you are thinking of showing the dog. Here the breeder can point out which puppy might be best for show and why they think it is.

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However much we love our dog there may be times when it’s just not possible to be together and during this time we may need to place them into a boarding kennel. It will be hard leaving your dog especially if this is the first time and you’ll worry if they are going to be looked after well, will they miss you, and will they get taken for a walk or be comforted if there scared.

These are all natural feelings as your dog will be part of the family and you wouldn’t leave one of the members of your family with just anyone. The same applies to your dog with a little careful checking and looking around you can find a boarding kennel which can satisfy all your questions. Here are some tips when choosing a boarding kennel:

How to find a good kennel

A good place to start is with family and friends, ask around which kennel they have used and what they felt about it, if friends and family haven’t used one then considering getting a recommendation from your vet. Once you have got some names then do a little investigation work into the kennel, most reputable kennels now have websites where they show information on the kennels and even pictures of the accommodation where dogs are kept.

Most kennels have to meet certain standards and gain certification so look for this, when you think you have found one or two that meets your requirements call them and ask if they can accommodate your dog and plan a visit there.

All good kennels will be only too happy to show you around the facility and let you meet members of staff who will be helping to look after your pet. Feel free to ask any questions or worries you have and also to point out any special requirements that your dog might have.

What to look for at the kennel

On your visit to the kennel pay particular attention to the following:

* Make sure the kennel looks and smells clean.

* Make sure the area where the dogs are kept is light and airy.

* Is the temperature comfortable.

* Do the staff members seem happy in their work, do they seem loving and caring.

* Does each dog have somewhere they can get exercise, such as an outdoor or indoor run.

* Are the runs protected from the elements.

* Is there bedding or resting boards so the dogs can get off the concrete floor.

* Is there adequate space for the food and water bowls.

* How often are the dogs fed and watered.

* Can the owner bring special food if required.

* What vet services are there in the kennel.

* Does the kennel provide grooming, bathing and training.

The pros and cons

The pros

* A boarding kennel avoids the stress of a long journey on your pet to your holiday destination.

* He’ll be somewhere where he’s welcome unlike some hotels.

* Hell receive more attention than he would being left in the hotel room for the day.

* You’ll have more freedom on your holiday.

* Your dog will be monitored all day.

* Your dog will be secure and safe.

The cons

* Your dog could get stressed being in an unfamiliar environment.

* Your dog may be exposed to illness from other pets.

* Choosing a kennel can be difficult and cause you worry.

* If the kennel is a long way from your home your dog could become stressed on the journey.

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Sometimes even with the best care in the world a dog or puppy can become lost or even worse stolen from the home, this will of course be a traumatic experience for the whole family particularly if your dog as been part of your family for many years. Here are some useful tips should the worse happen and you and your pet become separated:
Contact your local animal shelter or animal control agency

The first step you should take when you realise your dog is missing is to contact your local animal control agency and shelter. Provide them with a recent photograph and as much detail as you can regarding your dogs size, colour, weight, and sex, any special or distinctive markings and name of your dog.

Once you have reported it locally then report it to other animal shelters within a 60 mile radius of your home, also if you have reason to believe your dog or puppy was stolen then report it to the police with a clear description and photograph.

Make a search of your neighbourhood

Make a through search of your neighbourhood immediately and get the help of neighbours and friends to assist you in your search, the more people who know your dog has gone missing then the chances of finding it are greatly increased.

Give people a good description of your dog and if possible a photo of it, don’t forget to include information on how you can be reached if they find your dog. Continue searching your neighbourhood every day and don’t give up.

Advertise

Post a lost dog flyer is as many stores as you can, very often local stores will let you post a flier in the window of the shop, include as much information on this as you possibly can and if possible print out a photo of your dog on the flier.

Other places you can post are on websites that specialise in returning lost pets with their owners and local radio stations. Don’t forget to give a clear description of your dog along with your name and phone numbers, it may also be worthwhile offering a reward for the safe return of your dog.

Be wary of pet recovery scams

Very often if you have posted a reward for your dog then some unscrupulous people may try to take advantage of you and claim they have found your dog in the hope of conning you out of the reward.

The honest person will call you and clearly identify your dog while offering to return him to you without mention at first of the reward, they will usually only mention this once your dog has been returned to you. Be very wary of anyone who asks first about the reward before giving you information of the whereabouts of your dog.

Never give up hope

Never give up hope of finding your dog even after several months have gone by, dogs have been known to be safely reunited with their owners even after several months.

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* 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.

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Your dog is your companion who will give you many years of love, friendship and loyalty in exchange for loving care, safe shelter, clean water and decent food. They also rely on you to provide them with health care when they are ill and regular exercise and grooming to help keep them fit and healthy. Listed below are 10 essentials for keeping your dog fit and healthy for many years to come:

1. make sure that you give your dog a collar and that it includes an identity tag with your name and telephone number on it, or even better have an electronic tag fitted just under your dogs skin, this makes it easy to track your dog should it get lost or stolen.

2. make sure you follow all the local laws and regulations regarding licensing for your dog and that they have the correct vaccinations when they should.

3. When on public property keep your dog on a lead, you should always keep your dog under strict control at all times when out and about. Never let your dog go wandering off alone and make sure they cannot get off your property without you. When you are walking keep your dog on its lead by your side until you come to an area away from cars, even then your dog should be well behaved and always do as its told the minute you tell it.

4. Make sure your dog has proper accommodation; if you keep your dog outside in a kennel make sure it’s the correct size for the breed of dog and that you spend a decent amount of time with it. Dogs crave companionship and don’t like to be left all day alone or tied up in a small pen, make sure you can devote the time needed to take care of a pet before you take on the responsibility.

5. take your dog to the vets regularly, makes sure that you take your dog to see the vet on a regular basis, this way illness can be caught before it shows and always make sure your dog has the necessary vaccinations when needed.

6. spay or neuter your dog, dogs that have this surgery are known to live longer, be healthier and have less behaviour problems.

7. give your dog a healthy balanced diet with plenty of clean fresh drinking water available at all times, if your dog puts on too much weight then seek the advice of your vet before restricting their diet.

8. take your dog to obedience classes, this not only makes your life a lot easier but also that of your dog, a well behaved dog who does as they are told will be welcome at a lot more places than ones which just please themselves.

9. Give your dog the exercise that they need without over doing it, two walks for roughly 15 minutes is adequate enough for most breeds providing they can get outside in the garden throughout the day. Smaller breeds may not even need this much exercise, care should of course be taken with very young puppy’s as their little legs may tire easily.

10. Be patient with your dog, sometimes your companion may not understand what is required of them and you may have to repeat or tell them in a different way what you want them to do. Dogs aren’t mind readers and cannot understand anything and everything you ask of them so a little patience on your part can go a long way.

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When you look back at some of the first ever French bulldogs you notice one thing straight away, the length of their tails. French bulldogs back then had much longer tails than the dogs of today, however there is no doubt that bulldogs selected for breeding did have the shortest tails or that tails were docked for one of the following reasons:

* As a way to avoid paying tax.

* To strengthen the back and increase the speed.

* To help prevent the tail being bitten while the dog was “ratting”.

* To make better sport when bear baiting or fighting.

It is thought that the longer tails were at one time a natural part of genes inherited by the frenchie, but that over a period of time frenchie breeders went for a shorter and shorter tail. The breed standard in 1937 stated that “the tail should be short and set low, lying flat on the buttocks, thick at the base, naturally broken and should be tapering at the ends”.

It also mentions that the tail shouldn’t be raised or too long, not reaching much beyond the thigh this therefore gives us the indication that the French bulldog tail in those days was longer than that of in the breed today. By 1950 however the wording for the standard was changed to match almost what we see in the frenchie today, “very short, set low, and thick at the root while tapering quickly to the tip.”

“Today most frenchies do indeed have a very very short tail which sometimes doesn’t even cover the anus. The breed’s standard of today however does state that the tail should be “undocked, low, and thick at the root while tapering quickly towards the tip”, so how short is short? Do today’s breeders take short to the extreme and could this be having an undesirable effect on the overall health of the French bulldog?

The actual importance of the tail itself is to act as a counter balance when the dog is carrying out movements such as leaping, walking along narrow structures or climbing. Their tail muscles are also used in stabilising the vertebral column and supporting the extensor muscles of the back as well as those of the buttocks.

Other aspects of the tail are its ability to show pleasure by wagging the tail and its movement relating to showing weakness, anger, dominance or fear to its fellow animals. Thought should be given to this aspect when we think about breeding for shorter and shorter tails, while it might not seem significant to us, the tail plays a significant part of who the dog is.

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.

Every pet shop that sells puppies will assure you that their puppies don’t come from puppy mills but only from the finest breeders who have surplus stock, this is often a downright lie and this is reason alone for you not to buy your puppy from a pet store.

A responsible reputable breeder would never sell their litters to a pet store in the first place, the simple reason for this is that a pet store must by law sell a puppy to anyone who walks in and can pay for the puppy, regardless of if that person can take care of a puppy. A pet shop by law isn’t allowed to screen buyers before selling them a puppy and a responsible breeder always screens potential buyers to assure their puppies only go to good homes.

The pet shop owners and staff are trained on how best to sell their wares and unfortunately this also includes live animals, selling is all that matters regardless of whether the person buying can look after a young puppy or not. Here are two of the lies you should be aware of.

We only buy from local breeders

It doesn’t matter whether the pet shop buys from local breeders or anywhere in the world if the breeder is willing to sell their puppies to a pet store for re-selling then they are irresponsible.

The puppy’s health is guaranteed

Some pet shops will offer a guarantee that the puppy is healthy, all this generally means is that should the unfortunate puppy have some defect or become ill then the pet store will replace the puppy. This however doesn’t help the poor little puppy and many times won’t help the buyer either if they have become attached to the new puppy.

The guarantee doesn’t mean that the puppy is healthy and free from defect or disease all it means is that it will be replaced just as faulty electrical equipment or any other purchase you made that was found to have a defect would be.

While we all feel sorry for the puppy’s in pet shops and stores and many of us want to save them or rescue them from the small cages they are stored in we shouldn’t give into temptation. True, we may rescue one but there will be many more to quickly take their place and we are only helping to feed the industry by buying from them.

Buying from a pet store will * Increase the misery of females being bred time and time again just to supply pet stores with puppy’s.

* Increase the misery of people buying from pet stores only to be heartbroken when the puppy becomes ill or has some serious defect.

* Increase the misery of animal shelters who are flooded with pet shop puppies due to their owners becoming disillusioned with the problems faced them.

There are many myths surrounding spaying and neutering of your pet, here are a few of those myths dispelled:

* It costs too much to have my pet spayed or neutered

The cost of spaying or neutering your pet will depend on several factors such as the sex, age, size and vets fees, but the cost is a one time fee and when you take into account all the benefits it has to offer it is worthwhile. When you take into account the cost of having a litter and paying for its care until the puppies are old enough to leave their mother it really isn’t that expensive. You will also have peace of mind over the health of your pet and prevent unwanted pregnancy and litters.

* I don’t want my male dog to feel less of a male

Our pets don’t have the same ego or sense of sexuality that we humans do so neutering will not change your dog’s outlook this way, your dog wont suffer from any emotional distress due to this.

* My dogs a guard dog this will change after the operation Spaying or neutering your pet won’t affect their ability to be a guard dog in anyway, your dogs guarded and protection skills come from their built in genes not their sex hormones.

* My pet will get lazy and put on weight

Most pets that put on weight and get lazy do so because their owners feed them too much or give them the wrong diet to start with, this also stems from a lack of exercise and spaying or neutering doesn’t have an affect on the attitude or cause them to become lazy.

* Its better for the female dog if she has a litter

Medical evidence has shown us that a female dog that is spayed before her first heat is in fact the healthier dog, now many veterinarians are offering to sterilise kittens and puppies as young as eight weeks to help prevent unwanted litters later in life.

* My children should experience the miracle of birth

Allowing your dog to give birth just for the sake of the children is wrong in all aspects; besides the chances of your children actually being there when you dog give birth is very remote. Most dogs give birth in the very early hours of the morning and like privacy and seclusion while doing so, giving birth shouldn’t be a show which someone can watch and only a very irresponsible owner would even consider this.

* My dog is purebred it should be used for breeding

Unfortunately 1 in every 4 unwanted pets which are brought to animal shelters are in fact purebred, just because your dog is purebred doesn’t mean that it has to be bred, there are far too many unwanted animals for that to be the case and only an irresponsible owner would even consider breeding for this reason.