French Bulldog: choose shade, water and airflow before asking for training in warm weather.
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French Bulldog: choose shade, water and airflow before asking for training in warm weather.
Breed profile
Training group
Brachycephalic dogs
Origin
Developed in England and France as a companion dog.
Shoulder height
27–35 cm
Weight
8–14 kg
Coat
Short coat
Coat care
Keep handling calm and gradual, with particular attention to comfortable touch around the mouth, nose and facial folds.
Drive keywords
Living closely with people · Play · Food
Handling practice
Condition touch around the mouth, nose and facial folds in tiny, voluntary steps: brief touch, marker, reward, then release before the puppy pulls away. · Teach bat-ear checks and nail care as two voluntary routines. For ears, show the hand, briefly lift the ear edge, mark, reward and release; never probe or force cleaning. For nails, build paw touch, one-second holds and tool presentation before attempting one nail. Sudden discomfort, redness or discharge needs veterinary advice.
General reference range only; individual dogs vary considerably.
05
Development has a clock
The 8–16 week window
Between eight and sixteen weeks, the puppy is learning what is safe, ordinary and worth avoiding.
You cannot pause this developmental period. The goal is not maximum exposure; it is carefully controlled experience at an intensity the puppy can process.
Development timeline
0–3 weeksNeonatal period
Basic sensory and physical development.
3–8 weeksDog-to-dog socialisation
Early dog-to-dog learning begins with littermates and stable adult dogs and continues after the puppy goes home.
8–16 weeksHuman and environmental socialisation sensitive period
Build calm, positive or neutral associations with ordinary life.
About 8–11 weeksFirst fear period
One intense fright can create a durable fear memory.
4–6 monthsTeething
Chewing needs increase as adult teeth replace puppy teeth.
6–12 monthsAdolescence
Expect a second fear period and a temporary “selective hearing” phase.
Sleep requirement
18–20 hours every day at eight weeks
Sleep loss often intensifies frantic biting, zooming and difficulty settling. Use scheduled, protected naps; see Chapters 7 and 19.
Attention span
2–3 minutes, 4–6 times a day
Several tiny successful sessions teach more than one exhausted 30-minute session.
Training with FluffyWA
Day school, board & train and private sessions are quoted after a chat, and boarding or daycare can be booked online with live prices.