We are not professional dog trainers that are training service dogs, but we do start working with our pups on basic household manners even before they reach your home. Here are a few things that they will be used to by the time they get to your home.
1. Crate training
After a long day, don’t you love walking into your bedroom and crawling into your bed? But imagine if you didn’t have a bedroom. Imagine if there wasn’t a spot in the house that was yours to settle into. That’s the kind of scenario a dog without a crate might face.
I know a lot of people think it’s cruel to coop their puppy in a crate, but with positive reinforcement (such as treats and feeding), their crate will become their happy-place. Our mamas will go into their crates to nap (or chew on a toy) periodically throughout the day on their own initiative, and they’ve been doing this since they were three or four months old.
It can also keep them out of trouble when you’re not home. You will eliminate the amount of unpleasant scenarios your Frenchie will have to face by keeping them in the crate when you aren’t there to lead them. This will lead to more positive interactions between you and your pup, which is crucial!
2. Potty training
Okay, this sounds weird (because it is weird). But we, more or less, litter train our pups. Except we use alfalfa pellets instead of litter. Our pups are going potty in this box consistently by 4-5 weeks. We let pups free range the house at 8 weeks with their alfalfa pellet box in the center of the house, and we have had zero accidents. When you bring home your pup, we suggest sticking to this method until they are a bit older and their bladder can hold it for longer periods of time.
3. Leash training
Walks are a little more complicated with Frenchies because they are more sensitive to weather than most dogs. If it’s 80 degrees outside, we’re probably skipping the walk that day (or making it very short). Our dogs are usually shaking if we’re walking below 40 degrees, so we skip those days, too.
But, weather permitting, we love taking our dogs for walks. And this is going to be very good for your dog (yes, even your Frenchie). It fulfills that pack-hunt instinct that lives in their DNA (this is particularly true if you feed them once you get back from the walk!).
A trick to make walks better for your pack is to bring your dog’s favorite treats or toy with you. They need to know that you have them and are willing to share. Basically, what you’re doing is making yourself more interesting than all the distractions around your neighborhood. You want their focus on you, not on your neighbor’s mailbox or the other dogs.
4. Threshold training
There should be some doorways in your house that your dog isn’t allowed to enter without your permission (most notably, the front door). This can be done by opening the door but blocking them from entering/exiting and using a keyword (we say, “wait”). Use a leash if necessary. I have found that they naturally understand what you’re asking of them without much training. Next, I wait until they sit and look to me. Then I praise, reward, and release them through the threshold.
Your pup will still be in the beginning stages of this one by the time they come to your house, so it will require some work. But it’s important because it gets their attention on you before they even leave the house.