You will need at least a medium size wire crate [18 x 30] is good to start. for pups 3+ months old We suggest the Midwest homes- "Puppy play pen" 36x36 size with 1 inch floor grate, from Amazon or Chewy for $195..This works GREAT for Frenchies over 10 weeks old thru adulthood...A good temporary crate with a wire mesh floor is the Wabbitat folding crate also sold by Amazon $76... You will also need spill proof food and water bowls, heavy ceramic or stoneware are best. Shallow bowls are preferred for food, some Frenchies won't eat from deep bowls. You need Puppy pee pads, oatmeal based puppy tearless shampoo, durable chew toys like nylabone, towels or soft blanket for bedding, Recommended puppy food.
We set up our puppy crate with bedding and water bowl at one end and puppy pee pad at the other end. If your puppy chews the pee pad just remove it. We prefer towels for bedding since they are easy to wash and change out daily and very durable for chewing. Plush beds are cute but dangerous, your puppy will tear it open and eat the stuffing.
NEVER give your Frenchie raw hide or chew bones where they can chew off chunks and choke. Wishbone shaped Nylabones or Benebones are best, small straight bones can be swallowed and cause severe injuries or death.. NOTE: if it is dangerous for a crawling infant or toddler it is dangerous for your pup. Keep anything that can fit in its mouth off the floor.
FEEDING: Your new baby from us will be eating a mix of cooked meat, canned puppy food and puppy kibble, we do this so they will be more receptive to any feeding plan you decide on... PLEASE DON'T FEED STRAIGHT DRY KIBBLE, EVEN THE BEST ONES HAVE LOTS OF PRESERVATIVES!!..If you have the time it's certainly best {and cheaper} to make your own dog food from human grade ingredients, there are lots of good recipes on the web that are easy to follow and prepare.
HOWEVER! We realize not everyone has the time to make their own so we have an excellent comprimize to suggest: Cook a whole chicken or fresh pork shoulder {their favorite} then just debone it and put the meat in sandwich bags {don't need expensive freezer bags}...We use a pressure cooker, it's much faster and the meat falls off the bones for easy packaging... All of our pups and adults get a minimum of 1/3 cooked meat mixed with about 1/3 quality canned food and 1/3 quality dry kibble, we also give some sardines and salmon to the ones that like it...This mixture costs us about $2.50 per lbs and the cooked meat is the LEAST EXPENSIVE part....ANOTHER OPTION: There are lots of good "Fresh dog food" subscription services that are very convenient but pricey {$7 - $15 per pound} just make sure there are no preservatives or artificial ingredients... ANY BAGGED FOOD THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE REFRIGERATION HAS PRESERVATIVES!!!!...Determining proper feeding amount: IF you can see any individual ribs on your Frenchie they are too thin, IF you need to push your finger through a layer of fat to find a rib they are too fat... Perfect weight is when you can feel ribs with gentle pressure but you can't see them..
Never leave your pup unsupervised in your home while away... YOUR PUPPY SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO MEET OTHER ANIMALS UNTIL FULLY VACCINATED and your vet says it's okay... Your puppy should not be allowed on the ground outside except for in a small enclosure that is thoroughly cleaned.. Your puppy will eat ANY PIECE OF POOP it finds on the ground and lots of WILD ANIMALS CARRY DEADLY DISEASES, they often roam through your yard at night.. Never leave them outside. A fox, coyote, large hawk or Eagle can take your puppy.. It is better to leave them in their pen or crate if you plan to be gone away for any period of time. Never leave unsupervised around other pets in the home especially if a bigger breed or a pet that has been there longer. Frenchies can play rough and trigger other dogs to an aggressive behavior. Training is recommended for any puppy. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.
PLEASE remember to introduce your puppy slowly in a NEUTRAL place to other pets. Start by letting them sniff each others bums while restrained before putting them face to face...Do this in an outside neutral area... Discourage bad behavior by using a squirt bottle of water or firm NO and remove them from unwanted behavior. Never leave puppy alone with your pets of any kind. It is best to have play time supervised when you are home. A sudden attack can kill your new puppy .
If you have a stubborn puppy with a bad habit a tap with a rolled up news paper is okay.
Don't allow your pup to get over tired. Frenchies can easily suffer from heat exhaustion. They may show lots of energy but that doesn't mean you let them run themselves ragged. Ten minutes 3 to 4 times a day for the first three weeks is plenty. NO LONG WALKS. Allow the puppies to sleep and rest in its crate or pen. Be sure fresh clean water is ALWAYS available.
Keep your puppy away from cold drafts in a quiet place where it can rest. The ideal home temperature for your puppy is between 68 and 76 degrees. Keep an eye on your pup to be sure it is eating properly. Feed only what the breeder has recommended. Be sure it does NOT eat things that it is not used to. Never feed table food. Introduce snacks slowly and in small bits. Frenchies have sensitive tummies.
TWO BIGGEST DANGERS ARE CHOKING AND HEAT STROKE
If you take your Frenchie ANYWHERE when it's hot out make certain you have water with you, your Frenchie can die very quickly from heat stroke.
Bathing: should be done 1 to 4 times per year, not too often so they don't develop dry itchy skin. If they need a little wash just do a good rinse with room temperature water. A brisk towel dry is good. When bathing wash face, head and ears are cleaned with a warm rag. Never pour water on a Frenchies head, face or in ears. Ears can be toweled dry and whipped out gently. Never use a Q-tip in the ear canal.
Potty Training: Always take pups out immediately after they eat and right after they wake up. Bring a small treat EVERY time and Take them outside to a desired destination or place them on a puppy pad and give them a treat Every time, even if they don't do much so they will soon beg to go to their potty spot...Lots of hands on praise and soft tone of voice will go a long way also .. Start potty training from day one so they know what to expect from the get go. NEVER EVER spank or hit a puppy because it made a mistake. Excessive yelling at the pup is also not acceptable. Just a single loud "NO" is all that is required if you catch them "IN THE ACT" of doing wrong... NEVER scold after the fact, it just confuses them... They can become timid and afraid of you which will mean an unhappy puppy and an unhappy owner. Patience is the KEY and LOTS of consistency.
262 Pine Hill Rd.
Croydon, NH 03773