Features of caring for a French bulldog

The French Bulldog is one of the most companionable dogs that is designed to be kept in an apartment. They are friendly creatures that get along well with people and other pets, it is not difficult to take care of them, but it is important to strictly follow some of the rules of keeping in order to maintain the health and longevity of your pet.

Before you bring your puppy into the house, you need to equip a place for it. It is important to isolate all items that pose a danger to the new family member. Ideally, the dog should be kept in a spacious, bright room, where all small items, such as wires, are tucked away as high as possible. It is worth putting bottles with household chemicals and detergents further away. - a curious puppy will certainly take an interest in the contents of the bottles. The trash bin should be in a closed box so that the animal does not eat anything harmful from there.

To make the baby feel comfortable, you need to purchase a special bed for him. Place the "bed" for the bulldog as far as possible from radiators and other heating devices, as well as from drafts.

When the puppy grows up, you can even buy a sofa or a separate house for him. In this case, the size of the house should allow the pet to stretch out to its full height during rest. To make the bed safe for dog teeth, you need to buy a product made of durable material. When using the bed, do not move it from place to place, this will cause psychological discomfort to the dog.

When choosing bowls for food and water, try to give preference to stainless steel items with a special stand. While the puppy is small, it is more convenient for him to eat from a small bowl; for an adult, the dishes will need to be changed to a more voluminous one.

At least up to 2 months, that is, until the vaccination period, the puppy must always be at home, and therefore you need to provide a place for the toilet. An absorbent diaper or tray is suitable for this purpose. It is more convenient to first teach the baby to visit the diaper, and only then start training to the tray. When all vaccinations are done, it will be possible to take the pet outside, but do not rush to part with the litter box. Let him stay just in case. Firstly, the puppy will not get accustomed to the toilet on the street from the first days, but, secondly, the potty may be needed if the dog suddenly gets sick and cannot be taken outside.

Particular attention should be paid to toys. This inventory will be required during the period of tooth change. Toys can distract your pet while its owner is not at home.

French bulldogs can be fed with both dry prepared food and natural food.

1. In the first case, the owner should choose only premium and super-premium products. These animals are prone to rapid weight gain, which significantly undermines their health, and therefore the portion of dry food should be closely monitored. Food manufacturers indicate the daily dose in accordance with the weight of the dog on the package, but it is more reliable to contact a veterinarian to calculate in more detail the daily dose for a particular dog, taking into account its weight, age and health status.
2. If the owner has made a choice in favor of natural food, then the issue of nutrition should be given even more attention. 70% of the total diet should be meat - lean veal, lamb, rabbit. Feeding with offal, for example, liver, kidney, heart, is suitable. Fish is also well assimilated by the "French", it must be boiled and deboned before serving. Fish can be given no more than a couple of times a week.

The remaining 30% of the diet is occupied by vegetables and cereals. From cereals, buckwheat, oatmeal, rice, barley are suitable; from vegetables it is recommended to give any products except potatoes. You can offer your pet and fruits, if he himself does not refuse them. It is better not to give milk to animals, and you can treat cottage cheese, kefir or sour cream as a delicacy, but it is better not to mix these products with meat products.

It is customary to feed the puppy up to 2 months of age about six times a day, then you can switch to five meals a day. From three months of age to six months, the pet can be fed 4 times a day, then up to a year - three times a day. Two meals a day are enough for the dog from one year to the next. If the owner intends to transfer the pet from natural food to ready-made food, or vice versa, then this should be done gradually so that the dog does not have digestive problems. The transition continues for two weeks.

Features of complexion and problems with thermoregulation and breathing do not allow the dogs of the presented breed to lead an active lifestyle, therefore, walking should be carried out at a calm pace, no high-speed jogging. It is enough to walk "Frenchman" twice a day and always on a leash.

So that at a puppy age the baby splashes out the right amount of energy, you need to give him the opportunity to actively run and jump for 15-20 minutes in one walk, then 5-7 minutes of moving exercises will be enough for the dog.

Bulldog care is not particularly difficult and includes the most common procedures.

1. The French Bulldog is a short-haired breed, and therefore grooming is quite simple. It is enough to comb the dog with a special mitten or a soft brush a couple of times a week, during the molting period it is worth increasing the number of procedures up to 3-4 times a week.
2. The bulldog does not need frequent bathing; you can wash it about four times a year so as not to dry out delicate skin. At the same time, it is generally impossible to bathe a "Frenchman" for up to a year; it is enough to process folds and wool with a damp cloth. To maintain hygiene, it is allowed to use dry shampoo, but not more than once a month. So that after a walk the dog does not stain the floors, you should wipe his paws and stomach with a damp towel.
3. Due to the specific type of skin in the folds of bulldogs, diaper rash often occurs, especially such areas bother the dog in the area of ​​the muzzle and tail, so these places should be wiped more often, and also treated with a moisturizer.
4. It is important to monitor the condition of your eyes and ears. Eyes should be wiped with a damp cloth every day, and a couple of times a week treated with a strong tea solution. Ear diseases are common in this breed, therefore, if you notice an unpleasant odor or discharge, it is important to contact your veterinarian. At home, keep your ears clean with a damp swab twice a month.
5. Once a week, the animal needs to brush its teeth. To do this, in the zoo pharmacy you need to buy a brush with medium hard bristles and a special paste. You can give your dog a biscuit daily to remove plaque from the teeth. If tartar is found, take your pet to the veterinarian. Sometimes in puppies, milk teeth interfere with the development of molars - this situation also requires assessment and specialist advice.
6. During a walk, the dog grinds off its claws on its own, but sometimes they need to be trimmed. The procedure can be performed at home using a special claw cutter. When trimming, it is important to remove only the tip of the claw. If you touch the blood vessels, then the dog will bleed, which can be stopped with dry potassium permanganate or a veterinary pencil.

Worming and vaccinating each year are essential to keeping your dog healthy. The puppy is vaccinated when it reaches two months of age. Before that, it must be treated for worms. Vaccination protects the dog from plague, enteritis and hepatitis, parainfluenza and adenovirus. Repeated revaccination is carried out three weeks later. After the change of teeth, a single vaccination is given against these ailments. Further, it is enough to vaccinate the pet once a year.

Such diseases are characteristic of French Bulldogs.like food allergies, conjunctivitis, prolapse of the third eyelid, otitis externa, discopathy, diabetes. Noticing that the dog has lost appetite, she sleeps for a long time, does not respond to the nickname, is not ready to play, you need to immediately take the animal to the veterinarian. These could be signs of infection, virus, poisoning, or any other disease.

For the characteristics of the breed, see the video below.