One year old French Bulldog

[Flash1]

Hi 

I have never been on a forum for anything but I feel I need some guidance regards to my Frenchbulldog. 

We bought him from a lady who has had him since he was a pup (Hes now 1). She decided to sell him as apprentely he didn't get on well with her 7 year old dog. 

She had no papers etc which was fine for us as we just want a pet. 

 

My stresses are that he isn't trained, he isn't socialised with other dogs and he follows me EVERYWHERE and hes very stubborn and wont listen to commands the first, second or third time. 

 

He seems to want to play with other dogs but becomes over enthusiastic to the point most dogs bark and want him to go away. When he is on his lead and sees another dog, he pulls and is desperate to get to them. He never barks. 

He wees whenever I open the front door and he sees someone new or someone who is willing to let him jump up and be all excited. I am working on this. 

I heard that French Bulldogs are companion dogs, but if I am in the toilet, he cries outside the door. He follows me everywhere and he wont give my kids a look in. 

 

Do I have an anxtious unhappy dog? Is it too late to train a one year old Frenchy? PS. I have had him for 6 weeks.  

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[Dogsfevr]

First off if you wanted a mild meek breed you got it wrong with a Frenchie ,they are full on,boisterous go getters .

As for following you around that is a given,his previous owner was a lady ,your the equivalent.The kids are unknown territory to this dog .

You at present is this dogs "person" ,it is looking to you for guidance & direction just like your kids would except it has no clue .

Your dog has been with you for 6 weeks,it’s world has changed ,take a step back and give the dog a chance to settle .

Go back to basics for training ,start from the beginning of a clean slate & this dog having no idea what you want or expect ,there often not the best offleash BUT some can be ,he isn’t stubborn ,most likely has no idea what your asking it to do but you expect it to do it  ,Rome wasn’t built in a day or 6 weeks ..So you need to decide what behaviour you want & start teaching it .
 

It sounds like you need to join a training school who will train you on how to control your new dog . Manners n more is a great group  ,I would also contact the French Bulldog  awareness group in a Perth for good breed advice and guidance,they do have a Facebook page plus there website .They do fun days etc etc & have a great little community .
With the right guidance you should have a great little dog but they certainly slip into the little dog big dog shoes .
Many dogs dont enjoy playing with them due to there snorting noises ,the noise is strange so some dogs react well others move away plus as silly as it sounds dogs do look at them differently being Flat Faced ,Frenchies are like Pugs great dogs but have busy brains BUT are very trainable .
As to the lack of training that is a risk you take when adding an older dog to your home ,you either need to be prepared for putting in the extra work which will be very rewarding if you understand the Frenchie way or this dog will not be a joyful member of the household .

If your stressed just imagine how the dog feels ,

Edited December 28, 2017 by Dogsfevr

[Loving my Oldies]

As Dogsfevr says.  You have a dog who is a puppy still who has never been given any proper training, boundaries and probably chastised every time he wanted to play with the 7 year old, chastised from both the owner and the other dog.  

 

As for not letting the kids a look in, are you home throughout the day?  If so, you are it as Dogsfevr says and probably one of the things you need to do as well is to get the kids more involved with his care and play when they come home from school (I am assuming their ages here  ).  He is probably terrified that if he lets you out of his sight, he will have another enormous change in his little life.   

 

Poor little fellow - he hasn’t had a happy start and it is good that you are here looking for ways to help him and help yourself.  

 

As for not having papers, he does need to be microchipped and registered with the Council.   

 

Good luck.   

[Flash1]

Thank you both. 

I definately didnt want a meek dog, I love that he has lots of energy - its just seems he is unable to control it sometimes and often annoys dogs. Especially the larger dogs as he doesnt submit. 

I have got him microchipped and registered. He is a very wanted and loved dog, I just need to know if theres things I am doing wrong so I can improve them. 

I have just sat down with the family to give everyone jobs to get them involved and what you have both said makes clear sense. 

 

When walking him on his lead, I want to train him to walk passed other dogs without trying to run at them. Is this a mistake? Should I let him stop at every dog? He goes into such a defensive stance like he is ready to attack so I guess this makes me anxtious. 

[The Spotted Devil]

You really need a hands on trainer. Positive reinforcement based. Yes there’s buckets of things you can do but this is way too much for an online instruction. Where are you located?

[Loving my Oldies]

42 minutes ago, Flash1 said:

Thank you both. 

I definately didnt want a meek dog, I love that he has lots of energy - its just seems he is unable to control it sometimes and often annoys dogs. Especially the larger dogs as he doesnt submit. 

I have got him microchipped and registered. He is a very wanted and loved dog, I just need to know if theres things I am doing wrong so I can improve them. 

I have just sat down with the family to give everyone jobs to get them involved and what you have both said makes clear sense. 

 

When walking him on his lead, I want to train him to walk passed other dogs without trying to run at them. Is this a mistake? Should I let him stop at every dog? He goes into such a defensive stance like he is ready to attack so I guess this makes me anxtious. 

Well done.  He is a lucky boy, but then they all should be  

 

As for your last para, there are some pretty experienced trainers and dog owners here, so hopefully they will come onto this thread to help you.   Perhaps add something to the title so people will know you are looking for some help.  Walking a dog like your little guy can be very challenging and one of things to remember is that “one size does not fit all”  and, with help from a professional, you will work out what fits him and you.     

[Scrappi&Monty]

34 minutes ago, Flash1 said:

When walking him on his lead, I want to train him to walk passed other dogs without trying to run at them. Is this a mistake? Should I let him stop at every dog? He goes into such a defensive stance like he is ready to attack so I guess this makes me anxtious. 

You are right here, he needs to learn to happily and calmly walk loose leash regardless of distractions. To train this you have to ensure you are setting him up for success not failure. 

Also you have to ensure YOU don’t get anxious when seeing other dogs on the street (in anticipation that your dog will go off at them) because YOUR MOOD will rub off on him and he’ll learn to feel the same! I learned this the hard way when first dealing with my dog reactive dog.  

 

I have a rescue staffy I got at 6mths old who is Leash reactive when he sees other dogs on a walk. It has been slow, but with counter conditioning, training to walk loose leash etc he has progressed a lot. 

Other DOLers correct me if I’m wrong, but you need to train this in “steps” as intertwining but separate components. 

 

You need to teach him to walk loose leash / heel. Do this first at home in a distraction free environment until he can do it really well at home, then in the backyard, then on a quiet street etc,  gradually allowing distractions. 

Long story short it’s a bit hard for me to explain, some much better trainers on here will hopefully be able to help, but since I’ve been through a similar thing I thought I’d share the resources I’ve found helpful.

 

Here are some great resources:

- Grisha Stewart BAT 2.0 book

(deals with teaching nice polite walking and teaches the dog to be well adjusted and calm with good decision making skills.)

- https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCTzA3s_dO0FCVcdmbW6WEHg

 

- https://m.youtube.com/user/zakgeorge21

 

Zak George has videos about all sorts of behaviour and training, but he has several about walking on loose leash etc. 

 

- https://m.youtube.com/user/kikopup

Kikopup also has videos on walking. 

[Scrappi&Monty]

7 minutes ago, The Spotted Devil said:

You really need a hands on trainer. Positive reinforcement based. Yes there’s buckets of things you can do but this is way too much for an online instruction. Where are you located?

I second this! Some DOLers might be able to point you in the right direction in terms of great local trainers who can actually come in and address the issue in person. It’ll save all of your sanities!  

 

[Dogsfevr]

Frenchies like to think they can take on the world ,attitude plus understanding what is a Frenchie mannerism and what is not normal is a must ,some can misinterprete a Frenchie and see it as something else so learning what is legit bad manners and what is normal but needs toning Down is a must .

We board a lot of Frenchies ,I showed them as a kid and through the years ,some are feisty ,others just bluff and some just need to learn the middle step 

 

Manners n more who I suggested do loose leash classes and great distraction classes ,they do indoors so ideal with summer coming up and a  Frenchie they also do one on one classes at home .

 

 

I don’t have issue dogs but all my pups are driven to an area where people walk and dogs are on leash .

I will take a chair or blankie and go sit teaching my puppies to watch the world and having self control ,rewarding with there toys as they luv there stuffed teddies and food,the same spot has burdlife which is another distraction for a Gundog ,before I leave I do a very short walk which is solely based on fun and focusing on me .I don’t want perfection I just want joy for me ,my dogs are showdogs so working on a loose leash out in front is something I want 

 

[Tassie]

20 hours ago, Dogsfevr said:

...
 

It sounds like you need to join a training school who will train you on how to control your new dog . Manners n more is a great group  ,I would also contact the French Bulldog  awareness group in a Perth for good breed advice and guidance,they do have a Facebook page plus there website .They do fun days etc etc & have a great little community .
 

...

 

A couple of good starting points there .. and I really liked your 'family meeting'  .. good start.       If you're in Perth, you're in the home of great dog training opportunities, so I'd definitely follow those up.   And the breed club is another good recommendation.  Best of luck with your 1 year old puppy .. cos that's what he is. .. puppy with attitude.  But since he wants to be with you .. you've got a great starting point.

[KobiD]

Either educating yourself heavily on positive reinforcement training methods or having a trainer to work with you will have things moving in the right direction. Just remember it's not a race and that building the behaviours you're looking for will take time, patience and consistency on your behalf.

 

I'd prioritise what is important to you and work on it. For us, the priority with other dogs has been for her show self control and confidence. If the behaviour falls apart to where she fixates, barks, pulls, etc it's a sign that you are working too close to the distraction. Basically be prepared to work at the dogs pace. 

[Flash1]

Today after 6 weeks Flash had an accident in his soft crate. He was in there for 3.5 hours when we went out. 

Do you think this will now happen every day or is it possible that this was just an accident. He is on medication for an allergy at the moment so is drinking twice as much. He gets walked twice a day and has full access to the garden all day. I am generally concerned that we have gone 10 steps backwards. 

[Loving my Oldies]

3.5 hours is too long for a little dog who is drinking more water than usual to hold on.   I doubt you have gone 10 steps backwards, but you will need to have a re-think about how long you leave him in his crate.   

[Dogsfevr]

Soft crates get hot,It was a hot day ,if this dog hasn’t been truly crate trained that is a long time,add medication then it’s most likely the dog could toilet in the crate after all when you have to go you go and no one was home if he was actually asking to be let out .No different to a human in the same scenario suddenly having to seek a loo out due to meds 

 

step backwards no but you need to plan outings differently if the crate is your choice of confinement.

I would look at the bathroom or laundry if cool enough and use a baby gate .

I guess it depends what your long term plan is for the dog when going out 

[persephone]

11 hours ago, Flash1 said:

Today after 6 weeks Flash had an accident in his soft crate. He was in there for 3.5 hours when we went out. 

Do you think this will now happen every day or is it possible that this was just an accident. He is on medication for an allergy at the moment so is drinking twice as much. He gets walked twice a day and has full access to the garden all day. I am generally concerned that we have gone 10 steps backwards. 

Not 10 steps ..but a few .
he obviously needs more toilet opportunities . 

[Flash1]

Ok - 

 

I need some advice and help. 

You have all been so helpful, so I really appreciate it. 

Basically, I bought Flash my French bulldog 6 weeks ago from a lady selling him on Gumtree. She had apparently had him for a year and she had to sell him as he didn’t get on with her 7-year-old Chinese crest female. The fact that she had Flash for a year and then let him go rang alarm bells, but I ignored them. 

 

I remember asking her if he was good with other dogs and she said ''he should be'' - at the time he was running around with my kids in the park and I figured all was well and that I would be taking him out twice a day, so it wouldn't be an issue socialising him. 

He had no papers and was apparently bought in the Gold Coast. His microchip wasn’t registered. 

She also had no documents of vaccinations. 

I wasn't invited to her house and she met us in a park. Apparently, she had a flood. 

She dropped the price by a $1000 within 4 days. 

Writing this all now I feel so stupid. 

 

6 weeks later I have a dog who won't go out in the garden in the morning to have a pee unless I am with him. He stands at the back door waiting for me. 

He cries outside my door if I am in the shower. 

He has 4 other family members in the house but is only interested in me. 

All this stuff I can deal with, he's new, he’s unsure etc. 

 

The bit I am struggling with is the way he is with other dogs. Today for instance I am at the park, I have chosen a quiet spot, he is off his lead and runs to a male dog. They play like they have known each other for years. 20 Minutes later a female golden retriever comes along on her lead, he loses the plot and turns into a total different dog, and barks (He never barks), growls, tries jumping on her and biting her neck. She leaves, and he continues to sit nicely with the male. 

 

EVERY SINGLE FEMALE HE TRIES TO HURT OR MATE. 

EVERY SINGLE GOLDEN RETREIVER HE TRIES TO ATTACK. 

 

He then comes home and is the sheepish, following dog you could ever meet. 

 

The day I bought him from the lady she let slip that her daughter is a French bulldog breeder. 

A lady at the park today suggested that MAYBE he had been breeding but became too much to handle so they let him go. 

 

We are really trying, I am constantly on the internet searching for advice, asking other owners for advice,  I have booked him in for training that starts in Feb (Obedience training in a field with lots of other dogs) 

He is being desexed in January. He is out twice a day without fail, he is so loved and looked after. 

 

Why is he doing this? 

 

Edited January 5, 2018 by Flash1
Ps - I dont have $200 an hour for behaviour coaches to come to my house

[Flash1]

.

Edited January 5, 2018 by Flash1

[persephone]

... no advice just now - but how disappointing , and difficult for you 

[Tassie]

A few thoughts ... #1 .. I think you need more help with your dog than you will get from the internet .. so it would be good to get some hands on help from a positive behaviourist .. there are some good people in WA, depending where you are.

#2  My strong advice would be not to take him to a dog park.   Yes he can behave nicely sometimes .. but it's giving him opportunities to show behaviours you do not want to see repeated ... plus he could get hurt.

#3  the fact that he's clingy with you although in a bit of an extreme way, is a good thing IMHO.

 

I see you're going to desex him soon .. that will be a good thing.

 

Subject to what an in person trainer says, I would be spending time with him at home, in the house and in the yard, teaching him 'stuff' ... tricks .. anything,   Getting him used to learning and finding value in working with you.   Other family members can join in games like "round robin recalls' .. everyone has treats, and is sitting in a circle .. small at first. and one person at a time calls the dog excitedly, and makes a big fuss of the dog as they reward him for coming to them.  Lots of fun and lots of exercise for a little dog .. mental as well as physical.

 

And yes .. you may not have made a great decision in getting this dog ... but in telling your story, you may help someone else to make a better decision .. and I for one admire you for sticking with him and looking for ways to help him have a happier life.

[KobiD]

What Tassie has said is great advice.

 

I also agree that I would not be taking him out and exposing him to too much at this stage. Everyone is big on the socialisation! but what exactly is that??

 

I remember reading these articles and thinking to myself about how much sense they made. A lot of K9 pro's training methods ring true with how I have wanted to train my dog.

http://k9protraining.com.au/2013/02/13/socialisation-what-is-it-exactly/

http://blog.k9pro.com.au/socialise-now-play-later/

 

Now you know what triggers your new dog it's important to maintain control and reward positive experiences. IMO I wouldn't be allowing off lead interactions at this stage unless in a controlled environment.