Frenchie playtime

All frenchie owners will know that when it comes to 2 frenchies playing together things get pretty rough. Do not be fooled by the noises they make together, they are only playing!

When im out walking my 2 frenchies people can sometimes get intimadted by the way they try and play, this normally consists of crouching down and jumping around like nutters but there just being playful. So just reassure people that this is how they play.

However the most wonderful thing about owning frenchies is seeing them play together, they just cant get enough! The best decision i made was getting 2, our house is like a mad house when they play. Running from room to room grabbing eachothers legs, ears and loose skin. The noises they make are pretty awful to be honest! But trust me when enoughs enough they stop.

I have attached a few short videos to show you my 2 crazy frenchies and how they play.
Some are on youtube others are on instagram so follow the links 😆

FRENCHIEBROMANCE ⬅zeus and hades playing
FRENCHIEBROMANCE ⬅zeus and hades playing
FRENCHIEBROMANCE ⬅zeus and hades playing
FRENCHIEBROMANCE ⬅zeus and hades playing
FRENCHIEBROMANCE ⬅zeus and hades in the dog park

Tear stains

Tear staining is so common in french bulldogs because of the wrinkles in their faces, it traps dust and dirt. What Causes It? Excessive tears  running down a frenchies face has two causes: too many tears produced or insufficient tear drainage. Epiphora caused by too many tears is an automatic response to irritants such as dust, infection, allergens, poor diet or a health problem. Think of tearing as a symptom of a health problem as you would if you had a runny nose. It's one way bodies rid themselves of toxins. Epiphora can also result when normal tearing doesn't drain properly because of structural defects (genetics) or blockage or inflammation of the tear ducts. 

If your frenchie suffers with tear stains heres a couple of tips, keep it clean and dry, use antibacterial wipes to clean it and the dry with some cotton wool. When i spoke to my vet they told me to use warm salty water, please do not do this! As my zeus's face was sore this stung him so much that he got a little bit snappy so please try other methods before doing this.

What i have been finding very useful is to clean with sensitive baby wipes, drying it and then on a cotton bud put some sudocream in the crease then wiping it with some tissue straight away. This stops them scratching it and keeps it dry and clean. If you are going to use creams like bepanthem and germaline make sure you wipe it off and do not keep the area moisr as it will cause a bacterial ground!

If it doesnt clear up and is still causinf discomfort to your frenchie consult your vet as there is some strong cream and even anitbiotics to help clear it up

Puppy Tear Staining. Puppies tear as they grow and the shape of their face changes. They also tear when teething. This condition is normal and will often go away on its own. Please do NOT give antibiotics to puppies to stop tear staining. You may set them up for a lifetime of digestive disorders, discoloured teeth, yeast infections and other health problems. Sometimes  tearing disappears when you switch your Frenchie from so called premium, natural commercial food to fresh food. It returns rarely, only during illness or allergy season. )

Keeping your frenchie cool in the summer!

When it comes to frenchies every owner must know that they cant regulate their body tempretures which makes them prone to overheating and extremely vunerable to heat stroke. Here are some great ideas on how to keep your frenchie cool and healthy in the heat. 

Firstly lets start with the obvious, keep your frenchies coat damp! Spray water over their coat trying to keep it evenly moist, especially focusing on the chest and head area.

Secondly is cool coats . In my eyes these are an amazing invention. A cool coat is a jacket that wraps around your frenchie and keeps moist by applications of water. This allows heat to dissipate from your frenchies body, just as sweat on the surface of our skin does for people. The moist coat wicks heat away from the body surface, which in turn draws heat from the internal organs, keeping your frenchie cool from the outside in!

Please note.. DO NOT PUT A COOL COAT ON A FRENCHIE WITH ACTIVE HEAT STROKE! THE COAT WILL ACT TO TRAP THE OVER HEATED AIR FROM THE SURFACE OF THE FRENCHIES BODY. ACTING AS A SAUNA. instead soak your frenchie with cool (not cold) water repeatedly .

Thirdly place a hard plastic paddling pool in your garden enough so they can splash around! Having access to a paddling enables them to go and cool down when they are feeling too hot. Be warned! My two frenchies like to go in the paddling pool and then roll around the garden so expect a muddy pup. To prevent algae growth in the pool rinse it every couple of days and clean it with vinegar with water.

The fourth great thing is to buy a cooling pad. As frenchies are particually susceptible to the heat. Cooling pads wicks heat away from the internal organs as they lay on it. A cool belly = a cool frenchie.

Access to plenty of fresh drinking water is a MUST. If my 2 frenchies won't drink i freeze a bowl of water with a little bit of chicken stock in it so they spend ages licking at the ice cube. 

I hope these tips give you some ideas on how to keep your frenchie cool whilst preventing heat stroke along the way! Also remeber, if the sun isn't out these rules still apply as the humidity in the air can make them overheat too.

The raw diet

When i first got my oldest frenchie zeus we had so much trouble finding the right food for him! Everything just seem to go through him, we tried atleast 6 different types of food with no luck. We finally found one that had NO wheat or grain in it which settled his stomach but we was adding tuna or cheese to get him to even eat it! Until we come across a gentleman who had 2 german sheppards and told us about this raw diet. Straight away we switched him over and let me tell you, within days his stomach was completely fine! All cleared up! As frenchies have very sensitive stomach this is the perfect diet, all natural with no additives.

Let me list some of the pros to this diet

Many Health Issues Heal/Disappear – An overwhelming percent of people who switch to raw feeding report that ‘health issues’ of their pet disappear or naturally heal on their own. This makes sense when you consider that God made our bodies (and our pets) to be able to heal. And with the proper nutrition (and lack of poor nutrition), the body has the fuel it needs to get better. Skin disorders, allergies, feet chewing, discolored fur, bald spots/thinning fur, digestion problems, food intolerance, unusual behavior problems, are just a few of many reported issues that have disappeared.

2.      Skin & Fur Improve – A noticeable difference can be seen in many dogs’ skin and fur. The coat looks better and skin problems typically improve and heal. In our Boston Terriers, we’ve noticed a thicker coat, with shinier hair, and we switched to raw from a holistic commercial food (so they already looked great)!

3.      No ‘Doggy’ Smell/Less Bathing – Once a dog switches to raw feeding, they don’t have nearly as strong of a ‘dog’ smell, some have none at all.  With less smell, comes less baths!

4.      Better Breath – Because the bones act like toothbrushes (to clean the teeth) and the food is processed correctly/naturally in the stomach, there isn’t usually the bad breath problems associated with kibble or soft foods alone.

5.      Cleaner Teeth, Healthier Gums – No need for tooth brushes or teeth cleaning (with unwanted anesthesia) because the bones naturally keep the teeth clean and will slowly remove old tartar and build up from years of kibble eating. Gums will be healthier too because there won’t be the plaque buildup. It’s important to remove plaque buildup because at some point it can enter the bloodstream and become life threatening.

6.      Very Satisfying – Dogs are canines and eating a diet of raw meaty bones is very satisfying for a dog (because it mirrors what a dog would be getting in the wild) and will give their stomach adequate time to get the acids moving. A dog who switches to raw may go through a transition process of a few days for their stomach to get used to eating the raw meaty bone meals. But anyone who has changed dog food brands probably knows changing foods may have a short transition period. A modern day dog has exactly the same digestive tract as a wolf.  Raw meaty bones are perfectly suited for them and very satisfying!

7.      Muscles Developed – The pulling, ripping, and chewing involved in eating raw meaty bones develops the jaw, neck, and shoulder muscles in the dog. Commercial dog foods cannot be of any help in this important muscle development.

8.      Less Overeating, Proper Weight – Because eating raw meaty bones takes longer and is more involved, the dogs usually are more satisfied and tend to not overeat. If your dog is too thin or too thick, very active or a couch potato, you simply add more or less until you find the amount his body needs.

9.      Less Stools – Much less stools are produced, they don’t seem to smell as bad, and they are firm and turn chalky after a couple of days. 

10.  Decreased Vet Bills (or virtually non-existent) – Generally, because your dog will be healthier overall, you will save money and time at the vet.

11.  Save Money – You will most likely save money at the vet and depending on raw meaty bone source, you could save money over commercial pet food.

12.  Development Rate – On a raw diet, puppies develop at an appropriate rate, quick growth spurts are avoided. This allows all systems to grow at the proper and natural rate.

13.  Temperament and Attitude – Some people say that when their dogs were on a commercial diet they were hyperactive and unfocused or had behavior issues.  Once the dogs switched to raw feeding, they were calmer and easier to train.   Some sluggish dogs became more energetic once on the species appropriate feeding.

This is why now after 7 months laters i would never go back! we have seen such an improvement in zeus's health and our little frenchie hades is growing up healthy and strong. 

Training and discipline

Now this post is from personal experience. Alot of peoples have different techniques when it comes to discipline so keep open minded and do what your comfortable with.

Let me start by telling you how we house trained our 2 frenchies as it worked very well. We started off putting a pen in the living room, cornering off just a small section so that you can fit their bed water bowl and some puppy pads. Remember that dogs do not like to go to the toilet next to there bed so they will try to hold it until there out of the pen. Then put a few puppy pads by the back door.

If you start to see them sniffing in one spot, gently pick them up and place them on the pads. If they go to the toilet on the pad praise them! Remember the puppy's are like children so when they are getting praised for something they've done they'll know its right! Now if your puppy does spoil on the carpet or off the puppy pads do NOT scream and shout this gets you nowhere. Once again pick your pup up say no firmly and put them on the pads. So many people loose their temper when it comes to house training, just remember the key things are patience and calm assertive attitudes .

Chewing, now your frenchie will go through their teething stage my main advice is puppy proof your home! Take away anything they can chew, or fit in their mouths! We was very lucky with our oldest frenchie zeus but my god our other frenchie hades chewed everything and anything! You can buy spray to spray on things to stop them chewing which seems to work, but i never invested in any.

On to lead training, personally i prefer my frenchies to have harnesses, as they have squashed faces it makes it more difficult to breath when walking and when they are hot so i don't like to put anything around their neck that could make it more diffcult.
To introduce the lead to them, once or twice a day walk them around your house or around your garden and everytime they pull slightly tug the lead and make a firm 'shh' noise with your mouth. Soon they will get the hang of it! Once they have got the hang of it don't give them too much lead, keep them by your side otherwise it's easy for them to think they are the dominant dog who is walking their pack. Now you should be the alpha of the pack, so like i said keep them by your side. Also don't walk looking down at them all the time, relax look forward nice a calmly as they can sense your state of mind. Once they sense your relaxed and not tense or scared they can relax too!

For the discipline side of things. If my two frenchies do anything naughty in the house like nick socks or bras or shoes they go straight to bed, all i have to do now is look at them and point to their bed and they know exactly where to go. I avoid shouting at them just because i believe that loosing your temper doesn't achieve anything. So if your frenchie does something wrong firmly say get to bed and point at their bed if they don't lisfen pick them up put them to bed and say bed.

So there we are, my top tips for training and disciplining your new frenchie. Remember these tips are all from my personal experience, people have their own way of doing things but these are what i found really affective for my 2. Other people like to crate train their dogs but i hate the idea of my frenchies thinking their in a cage hense to why i did pen training instead. I hope these tips help you train your own frenchie.

Bad points 👎

Although frenchies are my favourite breed like other breeds they have some bad points.

Snorting – If you are bothered by loud breathers or people who snore, then a french bulldog probably isn’t for you. Since they are smush face dogs (aka brachycephalic) their breathing is labored sounding all of the time. For frenchies that constantly snort there is medical help they can get, an operation on their nostrils and soft pallet. But if your like me, i am just used to it by now owning two of them!

 Poopy bums – This doesn’t happen to every french bulldog but I have noticed that it is fairly common in the bulldogs that don’t have tails and have free access to a garden. Don't leave the house without baby wipes, be prepared. For frenchies that only get taken out every 3/4 hours they shouldn't really have this problem. Also frenchies have sensitive stomachs so take time in finding the right food for them. My two are on a raw diet and i swear by it as the wheat and grain in dry food didn't agree with my oldest one.

 Health problems – Since these dogs have such curved spines it is very common for them to have back and neck problems when they get older.

Another problem is their giant eyeballs – While they are adorable when staring up at you with those big eyes, those eyes are also a death trap for floating debris. It’s also really easy to accidentally poke their eyes when playing with them. Be careful and it shouldn’t be a problem.

 Hip dyplasia is a heritable condition in which the femur doesn't fit snugly into the pelvic socket of the hip joint. Hip dysplasia can exist with or without clinical signs. Some dogs exhibit pain and lameness on one or both rear legs. As the dog ages, arthritis can develop. Dogs with hip dysplasia should not be bred. Ask the breeder for proof that the parents have been tested for hip dysplasia and found to be free of problems.

Hemivertebrae: This is a malformation of one or more vertebrae that causes it to be shaped like a wedge or triangle. This malformation can occur on its own or with other vertebrae malformations. Hemivertebra can cause no problems, or it can put pressure on the spinal cord. This can lead to pain, weakness, and or paralysis. There is no treatment for the condition unless there is spinal cord pressure.

Allergies! It is VERY common for these little guys to have allergies (mostly skin allergies). Some people give their frenchies 1/2 a piriton a day for allergies which I've heard to work pretty well.

Be prepared for expensive vet bills! If you can’t afford medical costs for your frenchie, the this breed probably isn't for you. It’s not fair for the dog to suffer because you can’t pay the bills. Plus don’t let them jump off couches or bed, this could be a contributing factor to back problems. I can not stress enough how IMPORTANT dog insurance is!!!

Stubborn – Frenchies have very strong personalities and while they are loving and obedient if trained properly they still have a nastily little stubborn streak. Be prepared for some battles.

Strength – Often, frenchies don’t know their own strength. Be very very careful with them around small dogs and small children. Because they are top heavy you'd be surprised of their strength.

Avoid hard wood floors – They slip and slide and can barely balance as it is with their odd shaped bodies. Plus I think the hard floor is tough on their joints.

You wont believe me when i say this but it is extremely common in males to masturbate, yes that's right, masturbate! Frenchies are brachycephalic dogs which mean they can't reach down to clean their genital area so what seems to be them masturbating is actually them cleaning themselves! Don't be fooled when people say that neutering will stop it.. it won't! Its not a pleasure thing its personal hygiene.

Drool – If you can’t handle drool on everything you own then maybe you should consider another breed.

Respiratory - over a period of many many years the breed has changed quite alot, although back then their faces wasn't so squashed and they was a bit taller, years of changing have made their faces get more and more squashed up. This makes them vunerable to heat! They can not regulate their body temperature like other dogs, so the best time to walk them in the summer is mornings and evenings, although you can buy them cool coats to wear if you do take them out when its hot.

Be prepared to give your heart and soul away. While the above covers the difficulties you may encounter while having a frenchie, I can’t even put into words the joy, love, and entertainment you will get from these furry little slobber faces. Like i have said previously frenchies have more personality than most humans. There is never a day that goes by where they won't bust you up with laughter. Once you go french you never go back

Things to love ❤

First of all, frenchies love your attention, when i say love your attention i don't just mean a quick hug here and there, i mean they will be on you, next to you, under your feet, in everything you do, everywhere you go. And if they can't get your attention do not underestimate the puppy eyes frenchies can pull! They can give you the 'look'  that will make your heart melt! So if you cant give your attention at least most of the time,you should reconsider

Second of all, not only do frenchies love your attention, they LOVE to be your companion. So if your looking for a friend/companion/family member you would not get enough of the love a frenchie can give you. Let me enlighten you with a few of the top things.. cuddles are on the top of the list, CUDDLES! If your sat on the sofa curled up watching tv with a nice cup of tea, your frenchie will be between your legs, on your lap, under your chin, or anywhere they can fit their bodies! Especially if they get their own way and get to sleep in your bed! Second on the list is kisses, this breed know a thing or two about french kissing, you will get the most amount of slobbery wet french kisses you will ever get in your life from your frenchie, i can GUARANTEE it! 

Thirdly will be greetings. After a long day of work or travel or what ever you get up to on a day to day basis, these little bundle of joys will lighten your day up completely when you walk through your door and their jumping all over you, trust me!

The best thing about this breed is they are the best apartment dogs! Even though they have a crazy 5 minutes running around, out the kitchen through the hallway, into the lounge on the sofa running crazy! My words can not even catch up to the energy that they release. They don't need alot of space. Because they are small flat faced dogs they do not need a marathon everyday to keep them healthy and in shape. 15-25 minutes is plenty. The best time to walk your frenchie will be mornings and evenings as frenchies can't regulate their body temperatures very well so best not to take them out when its really hot.

Last but not least is the characters. Even though these short stocky bundles of muscle have the tendency to look grumpy, don't let there wrinkled up grumpy faces fool you! They have more character then most people out there! The most delightful thing about a frenchie is.. seeing them play with another frenchie! My god they are the funniest when they get together. Once again don't be fooled by the noises they make, frenchies love to jump on each other, grab legs, cheeks, ears whilst playing, they roll round snarling and grunting but its amazing to see. Don't get me wrong like i said dogs are like humans, so you will come across some frenchies that are more reserved than others. If your frenchie is more reserved take it slowly, introduce them to more calmer dogs one by one to build up there social skills and to loose the anxiety. But to be honest i have not come across many frenchies that don't like other frenchies!

Keeping things short and sweet before your sat here all day reading all the good things because believe me... the list could go on and on. 😉

Trying to determine if a french bulldog is right for you?

Are you trying to determine whether a frenchie is the right breed for your family? Well i have created this blog to help people who don't know alot about french bulldogs to help reach the right desicion.

Through personal experience french bulldogs are my favourite breed, i currently own two of them and i can tell you they certainly are little characters! However this blog will not be biased due to the love i have for frenchies because the same as other breeds there are some down sides.

I will created 2 posts 'things to love' & 'bad points' dont let the bad points scare you! Because every breed are prone to more things than others. Just be prepared before you pick up your new family member.

A brief highlight of the breed;

• French Bulldogs do not need a lot of exercise, but they do need daily walks to keep them at a healthy weight.
• French Bulldogs do not handle heat very well and need to be monitored on hot days to ensure that they don't overexert themselves.
• French Bulldogs can be easy to train, but they can also be stubborn. Be firm and patient when training this breed.
• If you value cleanliness the French Bulldog may not be the dog for you, since he is prone to drooling, flatulence and some shedding. He can also be difficult to housetrain
• French Bulldogs can be a quiet breed and are not known as a breed that barks frequently although there are exceptions to every rule.
• Because they don't tend to be excessive barkers, French Bulldogs make exceptional apartment dogs.
• Although it is important to always supervise young children and dogs when they are together, the French Bulldog does very well with children.
• French Bulldogs make wonderful watchdogs, but they can become territorial. They also like being the center of attention, which can lead to behavioral problems if they are overindulged.
• French Bulldogs are companion dogs and thrive when they have human contact. They are not a breed that can be left alone for long periods or left outside to live.
• To get a healthy dog, never buy a puppy from an irresponsible breeder, puppy farm, or pet shop.
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