There are several articles on potty training and it still remains a core issue when raising your Frenchie. In this article, the Tom Kings Puppies team sum up all their knowledge and experience enhanced by the tips of their clients shared in the TomKings Frenchie Family Facebook group. Fortunately, the French Bulldog is a clean breed, so in a couple of weeks you can reach good results and your boy or girl will stop eliminating in their sleeping area completely.
#1 Potty training on the TomKings Puppies farm
According to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), puppies under 12 weeks old don’t have complete bladder control and can hold waste only for the same number of hours as their age in months plus 1.
Our puppies’ potty training begins while they are still on the farm to make it easier for the parents to carry on with it after adoption. The Tom Kings’ mission of raising happy and healthy puppies is also reflected in our potty training.
They live with us in the house, and there is a pet door they can use whenever they need it. If they can’t leave the house because of the weather, they go to pee to the farthest possible place from their bed, so we place the wee pads there.
#2 Consistency is essential in potty training
If you can, take your baby for a walk when he or she wakes up and after each meal, so every 2-3 hours. If you can’t take him or her for a walk make sure you let him or her out to a potty area.
This is easier if you give him or her meals at regular intervals so that they go potty regularly.
#3 Use keywords in potty training
Always use the same keyword when you are waiting for him or her to eliminate. You can use “Pee”, “Go potty”, “Outside potty” even later when your puppy does his or her things by himself or herself.
One of our clients used hanging bells at the door which she always rang when her Frenchie went out to potty, apart from using the keywords “Go potty!” Later she removed the bells, but by that time her baby associated going potty outside with the front door.
#4 Rewards in potty training
When your Frenchie goes potty at the right time to the right place always give him or her lots of positive affirmation – no matter how old they are. This, however, doesn’t always have to be a treat. You can praise or pet them, or give them a toy so that they are not discouraged with potty training if a treat is not available.
#5 Avoid punishment in potty training
Never punish your baby if an accident happens in the house. This might scare them and make the training process longer. You need a lot of patience and with some puppies the training takes longer and some events like relocating might cause a short period of fallback.
The article was written based on the experience and the services of the TomKings Puppies Team. TomKings Puppies have been breeding French Bulldogs for 10 years on their farm. All the pictures in the post belong to them and show a puppy from their breed. Check their available puppies here, or if you have any questions or comments let us know below the article.
