Adopting French bulldog puppies is a joyful, exciting experience. For it to go smoothly, though, you have to prepare your home for the new four-legged family member’s arrival. At Royal Empire French Bulldogs, we’re passionate about breeding the most lovable dogs around and placing them with equally loving families.
Here are 3 ways to prep your California home for adoption of our French bulldog puppies. (Or just one puppy—but really, can you pick just one?)
If you have kids, puppy proofing your house can easily be turned into a game. Get on your hands and knees and explore your house from your puppy’s point of view. Is there anything that could accidentally harm your puppy?
Lock up or store hazardous materials such as cleaning supplies. Tie electrical cords away from your new puppy. Your house includes your backyard (if you have one), so double and triple-check for holes in the fence or toxic plants.
If you have loose valuables, such as a cell phone that’s frequently left unattended, be sure to place them in drawers or on a high shelf to prevent the newest member of the family doing unintended damage. The same goes for shoes. Puppies are wide-eyed with wonder at the big, new world before them, and they’ll mostly try to explore that world by chewing on it. If it’s not a chew toy, put it away!
On a related note, it pays to switch to garbage cans with lids. Otherwise, the food smells will attract your puppy, and you want them to eat their dog food, not the scraps of people food!
Last but not least, baby gates or exercise pens are excellent for gently containing your puppy to safe areas of your house. If you have one room with lots of electrical devices or unsecured breakables, for instance, you might want to let your puppy grow up a bit before inviting them into that room.
Puppies learn from their people, so once you’ve puppy proofed your house, it’s time to train your people, too! Puppies need consistent rules and positive reinforcement to learn good behavior. Commands should always be consistent—don’t have one family say “down” and another say “off the couch”, or your puppy will get confused.
If you have small children, teach them that puppies, like people, need personal space and want to be respected. Don’t crowd your new puppy, make them cuddle if they would like some time alone, or startle them with loud noises or yelling. Your new puppy will love you all by themselves; you don’t have to force them.
Finally, agree in advance on who has what responsibilities for your new puppy. Who will walk them? Who will feed them? Who will house-train them to avoid accidents indoors? Decide these things ahead of time and stick to it.
The work doesn’t end once your new puppy is home! In the future, your new furry friend will need to see a doctor, just like a person. Plan to schedule regular veterinarian appointments, recommended vaccinations, and otherwise. Be sure you’ve budgeted for anything that could go wrong so that if your puppy is sick or hurt, you can take care of them right away.
To learn more about adopting from Royal Empire French Bulldogs, reach out through the contact page on our website. We look forward to introducing you to your new favorite member of the family!
