How to Crate Train a French Bulldog

Hello Sophie, I recommend using the tethering method or crate training method from the article I have linked below for the potty training, but probably needs their freedom managed more strictly to prevent more accidents so they can start associating the home with cleanliness. Some puppies are simply harder to potty train than others and need things a bit stricter and take a bit longer, so keep at it. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside How long is pup barking for at night? Are you taking pup potty when pup cries and it's been at least 3-4 hours? Pup will genuinely need to go potty if they are asking and it's been at least that long so don't ignore those cries just yet. If pup is barking for less than thirty minutes at a time, I would give it more time. Anything thirty minutes or less is still normal, as long as you aren't giving attention or rewarding that barking. There are generally two options to address the barking. The first option is to practice the Surprise method during the day to help pup developing a habit of being quieter in the crate, then at night, simply ignore the crying (but don't give treats for quietness during nighttime practice, just daytime practice). If pup isn't barking at all, you can still reward the quietness while pup is crated during the day but go ahead and skip to pup being closed in the crate and waiting for five minutes of quietness before rewarding...If pup cries some, then reward as soon as pup gets quiet at first, and work up to the five minutes and longer. I would try this way first either way with pup being the age they are. The second option is to correct the crying when you know pup doesn't have to go potty (it hasn't been at least 3-4 hours). 5 months is usually the earliest I would recommend doing this unless your facing something like an eviction notice if pup doesn't get quiet sooner. With neighbors who might complain, it's some times necessary not to wait it out to avoid complains that could jeopardize your living situation if you don't own. Otherwise, I would practice a gentler method first and if things aren't better by five months, do this. Things will likely improve before that point though. To correct pup, first, work on teaching the Quiet command during the day using the Quiet method from the article linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Second, during the day practice the Surprise method from the article linked below. Whenever pup stays quiet in the crate for 5 minutes, sprinkle some treats into the crate without opening it, then leave the room again. As she improves, only give the treats every 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour, 1.5 hour, 2, hour, 3 hour. Practice crating her during the day for 1-3 hours each day that you can. If you are home during the day, have lots of 30 minute - 1 hour long sessions with breaks between to practice this, to help pup learn sooner. Whenever she cries in the crate, tell her "Quiet". If she gets quiet - Great! Sprinkle treats in after five minutes if she stays quiet. If she continues barking or stops and starts again, spray a quick puff of air from a pet convincer at her side through the crate while calmly saying "Ah Ah", then leave again. Only use unscented air canisters, DON'T use citronella! And avoid spraying in the face. Surprise method: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Repeat the rewards when quiet and the corrections whenever she cries. When she cries at night or early morning (after taking pup potty then returning to the crate if it's been a while), or pup cries before 4 hours (so you know it's not a potty issue), tell her Quiet, and correct with the pet convincer if she doesn't become quiet and stay quiet. Don't give treats at night/morning though - practice during the day proactively to help pup learn that quiet is good, since you don't want to encourage pup to stay awake at night with food, but to go back to sleep instead. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

July 6, 2022

Hello Ariel, First, make sure that the crate doesn't have anything absorbent in it - including a soft bed or towel, otherwise that may be why pup is going potty in there. Check out www.primopads.com if you need a non-absorbent bed for him. Make sure the crate is only big enough for him to turn around, lie down and stand up, and not so big that he can potty in one end and stand in the opposite end to avoid it. Dogs have a natural desire to keep a confined space clean so it needs to be the right size to encourage that natural desire. Use a cleaner that contains enzymes to clean any previous or current accidents - only enzymes will remove the smell and remaining smells encourage the dog to potty in the same location again later. Pay attention to the frequency of potty trips also. If pup isn't pooping outside at least two times during the day, then pup might be going in the crate because they hold it too much in the day. When that's the case, you want to encourage going potty more often during the day. Using an exercise pen so pup can't just rush, or walking pup around the pee pad on leash or taking pup outside to go potty so the movement stimulates the need to poop, or spraying a potty encouraging spray on the pee pads before you want pup to go potty there, or rewarding pup with a treat when they poop there, and taking pup to the pad to go 15-45 minutes after they eat meals, are all important ways to encourage pooping during daytime hours. Many puppies will get too busy and distracted to go often during the day, and although they can't hold their pee, many can hold their poop when they should have gone- until they finally can't, like at night. In those cases, pup needs you help insisting they finish going and slow down to go. Crate Training method or Exercise Pen method for encouraging pup to fully go potty during the day. this method mentions a litter box, but can be used with other inside potties too, like pee pads or grass pads. https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy If you are trying to teach pup to go potty outside, not inside, check out the crate Training and Tethering method from the article I have linked below, and remove the pee pads from inside. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside If you are still struggling after applying the above suggestions, then unfortunately pup may have already lost his desire to hold it while in a confined space. This commonly happens when someone accidentally teaches pup to do so by placing something like a puppy pad on one end of a larger crate or confining a puppy in a cage where they are forced to pee through wired flooring - like at a pet store and some shelters, or when pup was crated repeatedly for so long that they were forced to eliminate in the crate over and over again. There are rare puppies who simply do it anyway, even though nothing happened to teach that. In those cases you can try feeding pup his meals in there to discourage it but most of the time you simply have to switch potty training methods until he is fully potty trained - at which point you might be able to use a crate for travel again later in life. Check out the Tethering method from the article linked below. Whenever you are home, use the Tethering method. Also, set up an exercise pen in a room that you can close off access to later on (pup will learn it's okay to potty in this room so choose accordingly). A guest bathroom, laundry room, or master closet with good ventilation are a few options. Don't set the exercise up in a main area of the house like the den or kitchen if you have other options. Tethering method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-german-shepherd-puppy-to-poop-outside Use the Exercise Pen method from the article linked below, and instead of a litter box like the article mentions, use a real grass pad to stay consistent with teaching pup to potty on grass outside - which is far less confusing than pee pads (Don't use pee pads if the end goal is pottying outside!). Since your goal is pottying outside only use the Exercise Pen at night and when you are not home. When pup will hold his bladder while in the rest of the house consistently and can hold it for as long as you are gone for during the day and overnight, then remove the exercise pen and grass pad completely, close off access to the room that the pen was in so he won't go into there looking to pee, and take him potty outside only. Since he may still chew longer even after potty training, when you leave him alone, be sure to leave him in a safe area that's been puppy proofed, like a cordoned off area of the kitchen with chew toys - until he is out of the destructive chewing phases too - which typically happens between 1-2 years for most dogs with the right training. Exercise Pen method: https://wagwalking.com/training/litter-box-train-a-chihuahua-puppy Real grass pad brands - Also found on Amazon www.freshpatch.com www.doggielawn.com You can also make your own out of a piece of grass sod cut up and a large, shallow plastic storage container. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

May 11, 2022