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Are you having trouble figuring out how to train a French Bulldog puppy and desperately need some tips?

While French Bulldogs aren’t the worst dogs to train, they are free-thinkers and can be stubborn.

Fortunately, we come to the rescue with 9 training tips and tricks to overcome your French Bulldog’s independent spirit.

Just keep on reading.

9 Superb Tips on How to Train a French Bulldog Puppy

While French Bulldogs might be cute with their bat-like ears and funny faces, they need as much obedience training as any other breed.

Otherwise, your French Bulldog will do as they please and turn your house upside down.

Moreover, training is an excellent way to bond with your Frenchie and establish trust and love.

It also helps you correct any unwanted behaviors, teaches your dog good manners, and improves your dog’s confidence.

#1 Understand French Bulldogs

Before you start training your French Bulldog, you have to understand the breed and what motivates them.

French Bulldogs make excellent companion dogs due to their mellow nature, playful demeanor, and adaptability.

They love nothing more than to be around their humans and tend to stick to your side like glue.

As such, French Bulldogs are eager to please and respond well to rewards and praises.

You can get them to do almost anything with positive reinforcement and lots of love.

Since French Bulldogs are a people-orientated dog, they don’t like to be alone.

Your absence is a horrible punishment for them, so they learn quickly when you ignore them.

However, French Bulldogs aren’t high-energy dogs and tire easily.

Thanks to their flat faces, Frenchie also can have trouble breathing. You should keep it in mind during training.

#2 Get the Right Equipment

When it comes to training French Bulldogs, you don’t need a lot of training tools – a quiet room with no distractions and plenty of high-value treats will do the job.

You might also get a clicker to mark the wanted behavior or one of those dog training apps.

But praises and attention also work as long as your dog understands why they’re getting rewarded.

For training your French Bulldog to walk on a leash, you’ll also need a dog harness.

French Bulldogs don’t do well with collars because it might obstruct their airways.

#3 Start Potty Training Early

How to potty train a French Bulldog puppy? That’s usually the first obstacle owners face when they adopt a Frenchie.

Fortunately, French Bulldogs aren’t that hard to housebreak. The secret is to start potty training from day one.

You want to establish from the start where the appropriate place for urinating/defecating is.

To make it easy, you should choose an appropriate potty spot before you bring the puppy home.

Then it’s a matter of bringing your French Bulldog to their potty spot as frequently as possible and rewarding them with treats and praises when they do their business.

French Bulldogs are smart small dogs, and they will get it quickly as long as you’re persistent and patient.

#4 Teach the Basics

It can be tempting to teach your dog cool tricks to impress your friends. However, you should train your Frenchie to respond to basic commands first.

Most of the commands rely on your French Bulldog knowing how to sit. That’s why “Sit” is an excellent place to start, especially if it’s your first training experience.

The command is easy, and most owners quickly understand how to train their French Bulldog to sit.

All you have to do is lure your dog to sit, mark the behavior with a clicker or praise, and reward with a treat.

Other basic commands include:

• Come
• Stay
• Leave it
• Down

You should work on a single command and master it before you move to the next one.

Teaching two commands simultaneously or mixing things up will only slow down training your French Bulldog.

#5 Reward/Reprimand At the Right Time

How to train a French Bulldog requires you to know when to reward and when to reprimand.

Praising or scolding your Frenchie hours after the action only confuses your dog and makes you seem unpredictable.

You have a few precious seconds to reward your French Bulldog when they obey commands.

That’s the only way to establish a positive link between the behavior and the treat.

The same goes when your French Bulldog misbehaves. If you don’t catch your French Bulldog in the act, there’s no point in yelling or ignoring your dog.

Your Frenchie won’t know what you’re punishing them for and will get timid and shy.

However, if you catch your dog being naughty, you have to say a firm “No!” to let them know that they’re doing something wrong.

#6 Keep Sessions Short

French Bulldogs are smart dogs, and they will hate to repeat the same thing over and over again. Moreover, you might overtire your pet by accident.

Instead of long lessons, you should plan short ones throughout the day.

Make them a part of your French Bulldog’s daily routine so that they know what to expect.

Moreover, it’s important to end things on a positive. French Bulldogs are sensitive dogs and might get depressed if they fail too many times in a row.

But if you stop while your dog is still having fun, it will make them look forward to the next session.

#7 Prevent Biting

It’s normal for your French Bulldog puppy to bite and chew.

All puppies do it because that’s how they explore the world and learn what’s good for eating and what’s not.

However, biting can turn into a problem when your pet grows up. That’s why you have to know how to train a French Bulldog not to bite.

The trick is not to encourage biting. Don’t use your hands to play with your Frenchie and have suitable dog toys and chews to redirect your dog’s attention.

If your puppy bites you, stop paying them attention and go out of the room for a while.

The lack of a playing buddy teaches your dog that the fun ends once they use teeth.

#8 Don’t Forget Leash Training

While French Bulldogs aren’t very active dogs, they need daily walks.

As such, you have to know how to train your French Bulldog to walk on a leash.

The trick of leash training is to practice at home and then take your dog outside:

• Allow your Frenchie time to explore the harness.
• Put the harness on and engage your dog to occupy them. You might also let your dog move around the house with the harness to get used to it.
• Once your French Bulldog doesn’t mind the harness, grab the leash, and hold it loosely.
• Use treats to keep your dog close to you and introduce the Heel command.
• Practice, practice, and practice.

Getting your Frenchie to behave on their first walk outside is a lot easier when your dog isn’t a bursting bubble of energy.

But you have to be careful not to overtire your dog, or you’ll have to carry them on the way back.

Don’t forget to make it a pleasant experience by providing a lot of treats, praises, and encouragements.

 #9 Avoid Common French Bulldog Training Mistakes

French Bulldogs might be irresistible with their flat faces, but this adorable look has a steep price.

They can’t breathe very well, and often the simplest exercises can get them tired.

So, common training mistakes that you should avoid are:

• long training sessions
• negative reinforcement
• training in hot or cold weather
• any water activities
• overfeeding your French Bulldog

A French Bulldog can be an excellent companion, and they’re such mellow dogs that they’re perfect for first-time owners.

However, French Bulldogs have a stubborn side, and it’s vital to establish your rules and stick to them.

Moreover, don’t forget that your French Bulldog puppy needs socialization to grow into a mellow dog.

What do you think about these 9 tips on how to train a French Bulldog puppy? How did you train your Frenchie? Tell us about your experience in the comment section.

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