PRODUCTS WE USE AND RECOMEND
Burt's Bees Baby Multipurpose Healing Ointment (Recommended for Crusty Nose and Paws)
Necessary Things For Your Puppy
Here is the list of things we recommend you get before your puppy comes home:
- Dog bed and/or blanket
- Puppy pads for potty training (best value when purchased at Costco, but they can also be found at any pet store or can be order online from Amazon - Puppy Pee Pads
- Food and Water bowls. Regular bowl work fine but if you want to go the extra mile there are special bowls designed specifically for brachycephalic breeds which help slow down eating and therefore swallowing less gas. Those can be purchased on line. Raised bowls are an extra plus! A raised bowl will keep proper body conformation and promote correct position of joints. So the best bowls will be 1) elevated 2) tilted . We recommend NibbleyPets Elevated Feeder.
- Kibble and canned food from Life's Abundance. This food is not sold in any store so order online at www.lifesabundance.com
- Dogzymes Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics Formula we order ours from naturesfarmacy.com
- Treats. In general stay away from grain based treats as well as dental chews that look like a powder/paste that was formed into a bone shape- these can cause severe stomach upset.
- Gate, crate/kennel, or panel to keep your puppy in a safe area when not directly supervised and away from falls, drowning, chocking hazards etc.
- Dog Shampoo. Your puppy does not need to be bathed unless visibly dirty. Over-bathing can dry out the skin, and dogs do not produce oil the way humans do, so keep it to a minimum and/or focus the soap on the feet and bum areas. DO NOT allow water to enter the ears! This is the best dog shampoo we have found . You can order it online from Amazon - MiconaHex+Triz
Feeding Your French Bulldog Puppy
We feed the puppies 4 times a day at 8 weeks old, and usually the times are 7am, 12p, 4pm, and 8pm. Having them on a feeding schedule makes it easier to potty train as they typically will have a bowel movement 20 minutes after eating. You can start to take away food earlier each evening to have less bowel movements overnight. This is how I mix the food for our 8-week-old French Bulldog puppy: To one cup of Lifes Abundance kibble I add 1 tablespoon of Lifes Abundance canned food and mix thoroughly. There is no need to measure or count calories at this point. Growing puppies need a lot of energy, just like growing children. You puppy should be kept on this diet, as changes from what they are used to can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.
If your puppy is experiencing separation anxiety and not wanting to eat kibble, then you can offer some warmed goats' milk. Goats milk is hard for puppies to resist, so save it for when he/she is not wanting to eat anything else. It will provide both hydration and calories.
If your puppy is experiencing separation anxiety and not wanting to eat kibble, then you can offer some warmed goats' milk. Goats milk is hard for puppies to resist, so save it for when he/she is not wanting to eat anything else. It will provide both hydration and calories.
French Bulldog Puppy Hygiene
Your puppy does not need to be bathed unless visibly dirty. Over-bathing can dry out the skin, and dogs do not produce oil the way humans do, so keep it to a minimum and/or focus the soap on the feet and bum areas. DO NOT allow water to enter the ears!
Frenchie ears are erect and open, so its easy for water to get in. In addition to this, ears are dark and warm (perfect for bacteria and fungus). Dry the ears thoroughly after each bath (and walks in the rain) and avoid allowing water near the head in general. For cleaning the ears on a regular basis (weekly or more frequently) I like to use cotton balls soaked in specifically formulated cleaning solution called Ph Notix. I clip nails every two weeks, as the more frequently nails are clipped, the shorter they will become. Puppy nails are especially soft, and even human clippers can be use, buy once your puppy grows more his/her nails become harder your will need specific clippers to cut them safely. Your puppy's wrinkles may not be prominent now, but its good to get into the habit of cleaning them too. As your puppy matures his/her wrinkles will get big and deeper. Its important to keep them clean to prevent yeast/bacteria from settling in.
Frenchie ears are erect and open, so its easy for water to get in. In addition to this, ears are dark and warm (perfect for bacteria and fungus). Dry the ears thoroughly after each bath (and walks in the rain) and avoid allowing water near the head in general. For cleaning the ears on a regular basis (weekly or more frequently) I like to use cotton balls soaked in specifically formulated cleaning solution called Ph Notix. I clip nails every two weeks, as the more frequently nails are clipped, the shorter they will become. Puppy nails are especially soft, and even human clippers can be use, buy once your puppy grows more his/her nails become harder your will need specific clippers to cut them safely. Your puppy's wrinkles may not be prominent now, but its good to get into the habit of cleaning them too. As your puppy matures his/her wrinkles will get big and deeper. Its important to keep them clean to prevent yeast/bacteria from settling in.
Vaccines
Your puppy will come home with his/her first set of vaccinations including parvovirus, parainfluenza, adenovirus, and distemper. This initial dose is given once your Frenchie turns at least 7 weeks old. Please wait a minimum of 3 weeks to give the next booster vaccines. Your veterinarian may recommend additional vaccines to be given including leptospirosis (lepto). I do not recommend you give the lepto vaccines due to a high rate of adverse reactions, unless your French Bulldog puppy will be in frequent contact with wildlife or livestock. Rabies can be given once your puppy is a minimum of 3 months old. I also give my adult French Bulldogs a booster of Bordetella (kennel cough) as well as canine influenza vaccine once each flu season.
Deworming
Simply due to the nature of puppies, I recommend you submit a fecal sample during your initial vet visit. I deworm the entire litter multiple times before coming home to you. But please understand that puppies are messy creatures. And incredible efforts on my end including baths, washing beddings/toys/food bowls/entire whelping pen, and constantly changing puppy pads it literally takes one stray poop to be stepped on and then walked around the pen and spread around. Puppies also put absolutely everything in their mouths including each others paws. So please understand its very likely that you will need to continue one last treatment of dewormer when your puppy comes home, even if they are having solid poops. All of my mamma dogs are dewormed before and after having their litters as well to reduce exposure to internal parasites. Additionally I deworm all of my adult dogs twice yearly with a combination of metronidazole and fenbendazole, or drontal plus. Certain parasites like giardia are extremely difficult to eradicate in our climate. Giardia will live in the soil and water and can be spread through wild animals coming through your yard as well. Adult dogs with strong immune systems will develop antibodies to giardia and will have no symptoms.
Fleas & Ticks
We do not treat puppies younger than 8 weeks old for fleas and ticks. I personally have never had a flea or tick problem with any of my dogs in all my years of breeding. Although I understand you might live in an area with a known problem with these external parasites or might be living on a farm where it will be necessary to keep them under control. There are many different kinds of medications that can be used but they treat different things, some are applied topically, some given orally, some work for one month and others up to 8 months, and some medications will also treat internal parasites in addition to external. So take careful attention to which medication you use and please consult with your veterinarian for what might be the best choice in prevention. For puppies under six months old the oral medication NexGaurd can be given for fleas and ticks, as well as off-label for mites. Personally I am not in favor of the topical medications such as Frontline because the label says to wear gloves and not to touch your dog afterwards and it doesn’t say after what period of time it is safe to touch your dog again.
Woodlands Frenchies
Spring, TX 77389
786-374-7669
Spring, TX 77389
786-374-7669