Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Training your French Bulldog in Socialization




It's easy to be embarrassed when your dog shows unwanted behavior, and this commonly happens when there are other people or dog around. Imagine this, your in the park, your talking your dog for a stroll, your dog suddenly jerks on the leash, then runs off chasing other dogs, or worse, other people and maybe even taking a bite or two. This could get worse if you don't train your dog to be able to socialize, knowing the right time to be aggressive and to be be passive. Luckily, to French bulldog owners, this is an easier task.



Easier as compared to other dogs but definitely not a walk in the park. French bulldogs are still dogs so it still my take a while to train them, but, because French bulldogs are innately sociable as compared to other breeds, you may surprisingly find that it doesn't really take a lot of time and effort. To help you do so, here are some tips that may be able to aid you in achieving this goal.



Start your socialization training at home. This means that your dog should be able to absorb the training step by step, doing so in a place where he or she is comfortable, like your home. If the pup is new at home, don't crowd him just yet. Approach him one by one until he gets to know all the family members. Do this slowly, don't just jump at the dog or he may take this as an act of aggression. When friends come along for a visit, do the same procedure, just remember not to rush and close in on its space. Eventually, once you deem that your dog is ready to meet nw people, he or she can now socialize with other dogs. Let your friends or family members bring their dogs to your home.



Allow your dog to visit different sites and places. This will allow him to be relaxed at other sites besides your home. Take your French bulldog out for a walk making sure that you have a good grip on its leash. Take him first to a less crowded area, eventually exposing him to populous places once he is ready for it. . Remember not to shock your dog by taking him to busy streets as this may traumatize the dog and would eventually make him give up going out and socializing, a nice quiet park will do the trick. As a reminder though, make sure that your French bulldog pup has had its vaccinations, French bulldogs are prone to allergies and other health concerns that he or she may pickup in other areas or other dogs.



Always bring rewards such as different dog treats to reinforce a good behavior. If he starts barking or acting aggressively, remind him that it is not good and do so with a stern and firm voice, don't hit your dog though. Eventually, your dog will get into the routine as it is a creature of habit and see that socializing is easy. A word of caution though, French bulldogs are susceptible to heat, so don't overexpose it to the sun.