Preparing your Home for a French Bulldog – The Basics
We know that receiving a new family member is not an easy task!
You need to take into account many things like if it’s a good neighborhood to raise a French Bulldog (yep, we’re not kidding), bedding, a French Bulldog-Friendly Bowl for water, one for food, maybe some toys, a kennel, some safety measures, maybe a fence, and… Yes, it’s overwhelming.
Moreover, don’t get us started on the food, shampoo, and other essentials. However, you need to be prepared for the new arrival, and you need to start with something. Right?
In this guide you’ll find:
- A guide to knowing all the possible threats that your neighborhood poses to your new French Bulldog and you haven’t noticed!
- All the help you need to organize your buying list.
- And help on the safety measures that need to be applied to your house.
Are you ready to start? Let’s get right into it!
Your French Bulldog puppy is on its way and you don’t know how to prepare your home to receive him?
Whether you have a large family living in one house, or you’re a lone ranger inside of a small apartment, you need to ask yourself this question. Because human houses, apartments, or wherever you live, can be unexpectedly dangerous for French Bulldogs! There are many things inside a house that can harm French Bulldog’s health:
- Allergies can present a huge threat to French Bulldog’s health. They can be allergic to plastic (which is very present at any home), some fabrics, dust, and more.
- Possible airway-blockers! These are small pieces of…well, anything a French Bulldog can put its paws on. They can cause choking if swallowed.
- Household electric cables, outlets, and wires. Electrocution is not funny. They can cause a lot of systematic failures inside French Bulldog’s bodies, leading to unavoidable death.
- Normal objects like shoes, clothes, caps, mats, and others shouldn’t be within their reach. If chewed, they can be harmful to their teeth. If swallowed, they can be choking devices, or disrupt French Bulldog’s digestive system.
- Chemicals. Household cleaning products contain many chemicals that are poisonous to dogs. These are present in most cleaning products and can reach your French Bulldog’s system in several ways.
AVMA – American Veterinary Medical Association
All of them pose a real risk for French Bulldogs. And we haven’t even started talking about garden safety for French Bulldogs!
Why do you need to French Bulldog proof your house?
French Bulldogs are playful, smart, and curious. Because of that, they can result fairly adventurous, especially when you have more than one.
- They will team-up and become a storm of chewing little fellas that will bite anything that’s edible (in dog terms, of course).
This is a safety concern that haunts families, mainly because of French Bulldog’s breathing issues. They are slightly more prone to choking than other dogs, which is actually common in small breeds.
How To Prepare Home for a French Bulldog: Top 5 immediate (And Easy) measures.
These are the things you can change right away or within days:
- Have a massive cleaning-day. Go through each and every dust-accumulating spot of the house. That’s a great way of stopping your French Bulldog from sneezing.
- Pick up everything that might be chewed, choked-on, or swallowed. That includes; shoes, plastic bags, clothes, small decorative objects, cardboard boxes (some love these), pencils, books, chargers, and more. Remember the toilet paper under the bathroom sink? Yep, that one too!
- Tuck cables away, put on outlet protectors when they’re not being used, and make sure that any electric device is above French Bulldog’s height.
- Store their food, daily care products, and more alike away from them. It’s not true they can eat themselves to death, but excessive eating is not healthy and can lead to indirect death. Also, you might find his favorite grooming gloves for French Bulldogs under attack someday!
- Store all the cleaning products away; detergent, bleach, and softeners.
Go through every room in the house and secure them for your French Bulldog. Even the ones he’s not allowed to.
Long term changes to French Bulldog proof your house!
After all these quick changes, there are a few more that you need to apply in order to have a safe home for your French Bulldog always:
- Set rules for everyone (guests included): These are the ultimate tools to French Bulldog proof your house! Rules like no French Bulldogs on top of the sofa, no objects left on the floor, all kid’s toys need to be in their place, don’t ever give the French Bulldog these foods, and more are vital. These need to be applied to literally everybody in the house, including temporary guests. Because they won’t stay forever, but your French Bulldog has nowhere else to go!
- Keep up with a cleaning schedule (these are family-friendly, too): Each and every space of the house needs to be cleaned up at least once every two weeks. If you have a relatively large family, this one can get tricky. Because of French Bulldog’s heavy shedding, this will be needed, too.
Note: You need to teach your children that this is one of the ways of loving French Bulldogs and that not everything is just hugs and kisses.
- Change your cleaning products for pet-friendly products: This one is vital as well, especially because you’ll keeping your house cleaner. There are many products of everyday use that can be harmful to your French Bulldog, including the detergent you use to wash your own clothes.
- Train your French Bulldog! French Bulldogs will never understand their nature, and that’s why you need to teach them the things they can or cannot do. They will not understand why, but they will understand that if they don’t chew anything left behind on the floor, there’s a treat waiting for them!
Note: The most important training tool for this is the “leave it” command or the classic “NO!”. That will teach them to drop anything they’re chewing on and wait for a toy, playing time, or their fave treat.
- Train your family! Living with French Bulldogs is not a matter of them adapting to you, but the opposite. Sure, you can teach them what is good or bad with training. The thing is, does your family understand this? You and your beloved ones need to know why they can’t do or must do certain things in order to love French Bulldogs.
- Succeed, treat, repeat! Consistency is the most important thing you must apply for both French Bulldogs and people so they can learn how to live with each other!
Apply those changes and effectively French Bulldog proof your house!
These small changes will make a huge difference in your French Bulldog’s health and lifestyle. Because of them, you will even save some money avoiding unnecessary vet-trips! We can ensure you that your French Bulldog will be thankful for them and that he will repay you with many snugly moments. Cheers!
How To Know If A Neighborhood Is Safe For Your French Bulldog?
Do you know if your neighborhood is safe for your French Bulldog? Maybe you shouldn’t even go out on walks anymore! Learn here to identify the dangers of your neighborhood.
Why not any neighborhood is safe for your French Bulldog?
The French Bulldog is a small breed of dogs that has, among others, three important personality traits; their friendliness, their protectiveness, and their fearlessness. These traits are expected in a breed that is the perfect companionship! However, they can be dangerous for him and yourself while going out on a walk!
How to know if a neighborhood is safe for your French Bulldog?
Here are some of the known dangers you need to be aware of:
- Traffic: cars, bikes, trucks, and motorcycles are a potential danger for your French Bulldog. Protective French Bulldogs tend to run after anything that seems dangerous for you or “their domain”.
- Your neighbor’s dogs: maybe your neighbors have another French Bulldog, so yours has a playing buddy. On the other hand, maybe your neighbors have a Tibetan Mastiff, so your French Bulldog thinks he has a similarly-sized doggy friend to play with him. No, no, no! Sometimes it’s safe with huge dogs that are trained or accustomed to being around smaller breeds, but, seriously, what are the odds?
- Aggressive dogs or cats: Your French Bulldog might try to protect you from that loud and poorly trained dog that your (probably bad) neighbor has. French Bulldogs don’t recognize their size and are protective (especially female French Bulldogs). This can result in a very hurt (or worse) French Bulldog!
- She-French Bulldogs on their heat cycle: they are a threat for you because other dogs will try to have a flash-date with her. That certainly won’t turn out great.
- Astray dogs: These poor little creatures have taken enough beating already, being on their own outside. Still, they might be dangerous if your French Bulldog tries to approach them; especially if they are hurt, feel cornered, or scared. If you see one, call your local authorities on the matter.
- People: People are nice to French Bulldogs, but some of them are not. If your French Bulldog is friendly, you have to be extra careful. Someone can harm your French Bulldog, or even worse, take it away from you.
AVMA – American Veterinary Medical Association
These are some of the dangers. You can rate your neighborhood according to how many of them are present. A lot of them can be present, and maybe even all at the same time.
What can you do if your French Bulldog can’t go for a walk?
Here are the things you can do:
- Play inside: French Bulldog’s exercise requirements can be satisfied indoors. Still, this is not so advisable, unless you want a French Bulldog that’s not sociable.
- Have play-dates with French Bulldog friends: Other French Bulldogs are the perfect playmates for your French Bulldogs, as well as other small breeds. You can join a local French Bulldog club since there’s one in every corner of the world! That way they’ll be sociable, and won’t be amazed by the existence of other dogs.
- Spay and neuter French Bulldogs: They will be calmer among other dogs that way, and French Bulldog-gals won’t be stalked that much by other dogs.
- Identify your French Bulldog: Chips are a very recommended and practical way of identifying and recovering your French Bulldog if he gets lost.
AVMA – American Veterinary Medical Association
Along with some extra training sessions, and good neighbors who want to have a pet-friendly community, you can make sure your neighborhood is safe for your French Bulldog.
French Bulldogs In Apartments: How to Prepare mine?
French Bulldogs are the best companionship dogs there are. They are not loud, they don’t require too much exercise, and they don’t grow too much. That’s why they are so perfect for living in apartments! If you already read our tips to dog-proof your house and apply them, this article is the next step! Learn here how to dog-proof your apartment to avoid accidents!
French Bulldogs in apartments: Are they safe for French Bulldogs?
There are many dangers for French Bulldogs in apartments! They are not so different from houses, yet there are some dangers that are unique to apartments:
- Apartments are smaller: How is this a threat? If your apartment is crowded with stuff, there’s less space for French Bulldogs to have fun, explore, and play with you. Even though they don’t need too much space or exercise, they do have playful souls.
- Is there room for his French Bulldog-ness? All dogs like to have their own space, their own sleeping place, their stuff, and maybe some extra space for attending the calls of nature. If your French Bulldog does not have this, that can be dangerous for his mental and physical health. It also can cause you to have some extra cleaning chores.
- Height and unsafe balconies: The risk of a French Bulldog or any dog falling off the balcony can’t haunt us enough.
- Stairs: French Bulldogs can’t exercise much, you know? Stairs qualify as heavy exercise for them! And that can be really bad for them.
- Other apartment pets: These can be your French Bulldog’s playmates or his most hated enemies. If your French Bulldog is the declared enemy of a cat, you need to be extra careful. Remember the beautiful big eyes? These are easily injured, and other pets are threats.
See all the dangers now? Don’t worry, we have some quick solutions for you!
Top 5 easy fixes you can apply now to French Bulldog-proof your apartment!
- Make enough room for your French Bulldog! This will allow him to develop safely in an environment that’s big enough to fit him. Also, if he’s got his own space to be comfy, that will lessen the urge to climb on your couch or bed. This can help you a lot during playtime as well.
- Designate the bath space: For your French Bulldog (and any dog, actually) rules are important. In this case, if he has a designated area for doing his thing, you’ll save a lot of time cleaning up accidents. It’s still recommended that you save some time to take him out for these needs.
- Puppy-proof your balcony: This applies to balconies that aren’t made of a solid wall, and have some space your dog could go through. Use furniture, chew-proof threaded enclosing, or other types of fences.
- Teach your French Bulldog how to deal with stairs! Your French Bulldog shouldn’t use them, yet, he should know how to use them properly. This takes the dangers of falling out of the way.
- Take your dog out more often: A well-exercised and acquainted with the outside world French Bulldog is a relaxed French Bulldog. He won’t rush out every time you open the door! If you can introduce him to other apartment pets that’s a plus!
These tips along with some proper apartment-friendly training will French Bulldog-proof your apartment!
AVMA – American Veterinary Medical Association
Ideal Room Temperature For French Bulldogs
- Are you worried that the temperature inside your house is not ideal for your French Bulldog?
- Do you live with a French Bulldog at a hot place?
- Do you live with a French Bulldog in a cold place?
If these questions are haunting you, don’t worry. Here at FrenchBulldogsClub.org we can help you!
Which is the ideal room temperature for French Bulldogs?
As you might already know if you own a French Bulldog, they are rather delicate creatures. Because of the brachycephalic syndrome, they are severely affected by the temperature. They can’t handle temperature changes, high temperatures, or extremely low ones. Their temperature threshold also changes according to the stage of their lives
In high temperatures:
- They can suffer from heatstrokes.
- They can’t breathe well.
- The risk of dehydration is higher.
In low temperatures:
- Sickness, allergies, hypothermia and more.
- Skin problems, paw problems in French Bulldogs, and more.
So, what is the ideal room temperature for French Bulldogs?
The ideal temperature for French Bulldogs is somewhere between 15°C (59 °F) and 21°C (70°F), being the lowest one the most recommended.
- Any temperature above 26°C (80°F) can be dangerous (potentially deadly) for French Bulldogs due to them being slightly prone to heatstrokes (check French Bulldogs Symptoms here). Check out our Ultimate Guide for French Bulldogs Summer Care!
- On the other hand, anything lower than 7°C (44.6°F) can be dangerous for them. They have a double coating, but still, they are too small to generate the heat they require to be warm on their own.
Actually, anything lower than 10°C (50°F) can make some French Bulldogs uncomfortable!
What can you do to fix low temperatures inside your house?
Winter is coming for your French Bulldog! Keep him warm in winter by:
- Turn on the heating or put the thermostat above 12°C (32°F). That way you can help your French Bulldog and yourself adapt to the cold winter!
- Put his bed in a warm place inside the house.
- It’s always advisable that you buy him a dog sweater.
- French Bulldog shoes can also help him regulate his temperature better. Some socks can also do the trick.
- Dry baths; forget about getting him wet.
- Exercise and play with him to maintain activity levels.
These tips (plus a lot of snuggling) will surely help you keep him warm!
What can you do to fix high temperatures inside the house?
If you live in a hot place, these are the best tips:
- Of course! Air conditioner or a fan at least to keep the house within the recommended temperatures.
- Cool water, maybe with some ice too! French Bulldogs enjoy some ice cream for dogs to handle the heat as well.
- A Cooling Vest for French Bulldogs if you’re going outside or inside if the house is too hot for him. Check out the best ones here!
- Don’t play with him unless you can do it in a cool environment or while he’s wearing a cooling vest.
These temperatures also apply to your garden!
If your garden or any place outside is not within the recommended temperatures (high or low), you can totally forget about going outside for a walk.
Remember that; caring about your French Bulldogs is the right way of loving them!
How To Prepare My Backyard For a French Bulldog?
French Bulldogs are like curious and adventurous toddlers; they love to play outside, especially if you have a garden or backyard at home. If this is the case for you, then you need to ask yourself. Is your backyard safe for your French Bulldog? Learn here what the threats they present for French Bulldogs are, and how you can French Bulldog-proof your backyard easily!
Is your garden French Bulldog-proof?
When you have a French Bulldog being careful is a rule. You need to follow it religiously, especially if you know the dangers for your French Bulldog that might be present in your garden:
Banfield Pet Hospital – State of Pet Health Report.
- Allergies: At least 20% of French Bulldogs are allergic. Plastic products, dust, grass, pollen, and leaves are among the common allergens. If your French Bulldog is in that percentage, just don’t let him go out that much!
- Unfenced gardens: If your garden is open, they are a huge threat to your French Bulldog, especially if your neighborhood isn’t French Bulldog-friendly.
- If it has a fence, is it the right one? Some types of fences aren’t appropriate for French Bulldogs or any dog, like plastic fences, wooden fences treated with certain chemicals (CCA), or fences painted with harmful pigments. Also, fences that aren’t high enough, or have spaces your French Bulldog can go through are a total no-no.
- Plants: Some are harmful, some are not. You probably need to let go of your cactus though. Learn here which plants are bad for French Bulldogs!
- Lawn Chemicals: These can be detrimental to any dog’s health.
- Gardening Tools: We actually meant dangerous “chewing material”.
So, would you let your French Bulldog run free out in your garden? No, or at least, not yet.
Top 5 tips to French Bulldog-proof your garden!
Just like houses and apartments, gardens can be French Bulldog-proofed with a few changes here and there. Here are the vital ones:
- Important: Allergies are a threat to your French Bulldog’s health and life: Make sure to rule out any allergy that disables him from having fun in your garden (like grass allergy) and follow these tips. If he’s not allergic to any material present in gardens (or if he is to ones you can remove, like plastic decoration), well, let him have his share of clean air for French Bulldog’s sake!
- Make sure that your garden has the right fence! No holes, with a height of at least 4 feet, or even taller if you think your neighborhood isn’t the best.
- Don’t let him go near harmful plants: If you don’t want to have a flowerless or plant-less garden, put them out of his reach. How? With the right chicken wire!
- Put away all the garden tools: just like kid’s toys on the house floor, keep your gardening tools, chemicals, and more alike locked up somewhere out of his reach.
- Use the right materials to work your lawn: Choose French Bulldog-friendly lawn chemicals and tools (fencing, wires, outdoor paint, and more) that you can use to French Bulldog-proof your garden!
Caring for your French Bulldog is the best way of loving him! Get all the information you need to have a healthy always here at FrenchBulldogsClub.org!
Garden Plants That Are Poisonous For French Bulldogs
Some people love their home garden, their flowers, and all the plants that they have there; and think that their French Bulldog will be safe playing and goofing around them. However, many plants are bad for dogs. Learn to identify the garden plants that are poisonous for French Bulldogs!
Plants that are poisonous for French Bulldogs; are they in your garden?
If you’ve already made your house and your garden safer, or you’re planning to, you need to consider your beloved plants. We love plants, yet some of them (even those safe for humans) are dangerous for French Bulldog’s health. Here’s our list of poisonous plants for French Bulldogs:
- Tobacco
- Caladium
- English Ivy
- Locoweed
- Privet
- Dieffenbachia
- Foxglove
- Amaryllis
- Yew
- Toadstool
- Walnut
- Andromeda
- Holly
- Hydrangea
- Monkshood
- Jerusalem Cherry
- Iris (bulb)
- Peach
- Arrowgrass
- Nightshade
- Marijuana
- Daphne
- Boxwood
- Narcissus (bulb)
- Delphinium
- Mistletoe (berries)
- Climbing Lilly
- Chokecherry
- Castor Bean
- Elderberry
- Laburnum
- Bittersweet
- Rhubarb
- Marigold
- Poison Ivy
- Mushrooms
- Hemlock
- Azalea
- Apple Seeds (Cyanide)
- Daffodil (bulb)
- Tulip (bulb)
- Crown of Thorns
- Jimson Weed
- Oleander (even the smoke from burning this plant is poison)
- Wisteria
- Buttercup
- Japanese Yew Jasmine (berries)
- Cherry Pits (cyanide)
- Rhododendron
- Hyacinth (bulb)
- Dumb Cane
- Stinging Nettle
- Elephant Ear
- Laurel
- Avocado
- Larkspur
- Snow on the Mountain
- Philodendron
Concrete Tips to protect French Bulldogs from poisonous plants!
Of course, you want to protect your little buddy from these plants. Follow these 5 tips:
- Eliminate them: It can be a hard decision for some, but you can do it to eliminate the threat completely.
- If you plan to keep them, get them out of his reach: You can do this by using protective fences, elevating the plants above his height, or enclosing them completely. Check out the tools you can use so he doesn’t go near your beautifully deadly plants.
- If you plan to keep them, clean your garden more often: This way you can wipe away any poisonous leaves, pollen, and more before your buddy goes out.
- Don’t let him out unsupervised! If you watch your dog’s every movement or don’t let him out without a companion you can avoid that he goes near harmful plants.
- Change your current plants for dog-friendly ones: Plants like the African Daisy, Bromeliads, Maidenhair, Spider Plant (nope, it doesn’t come with spiders included), and Orchids are safe for French Bulldogs. Still, it wouldn’t be advisable to let him eat them!
- Have plenty of toys out there: There are many toys that you can safely leave outside. If there are chewy toys out there, he won’t mess with your plants. Get the best ones here!
Apply those changes and enjoy the happiness of your French Bulldog whenever he’s let loose inside of that adventure-filled world your garden can be!
Frequently Asked Questions – Preparing Home for French Bulldogs
Even though you’ll probably need a plethora of products to make your home safe, a good playpen for French Bulldogs is the most useful product you can use as a starting point. You’ll figure out the rest later!
As a rule of thumb, it’s safe for your French Bulldog to play in your backyard anytime he’s being supervised! However, even if you followed all the tips in this guide, you still need to be aware of the seasons. Temperature-wise, winter and summer are extreme enemies depending on where you are. In addition, spring is rather annoying if your French Bulldog has seasonal allergies.
Of course! Living in one shouldn’t stop you from getting a French Bulldog if you have enough space for him to move around, you have some time to go out for potty needs, and if you’re going to love him regardless of where you live. live.
