My husband and I got a french bulldog about two months ago. He is a fairly meek dog, but very friendly and content. Such a sweetie! Not quite 2 years old. At first he was the perfect dog. Never misbehaved! He is still very well behaved but after a few weeks he began having accidents once a week or so. I grew up around dogs my whole life, but my husband had never been allowed to have one...so he is rather unfamiliar with training. When he discovered an accident, he would drag him by his collar to the accident, point and firmly say "No. This is bad!" Occasionally he would smack his snout, but nothing that would hurt him. I tried to explain that I felt this was harsh, but sometimes I can be a pushover. My husband said he was only trying to get the point across. This happened maybe 4 or 5 times and de has not had an accident since. It still scared our dog to the point that he would be shaking when we came home (at the time we were not crate training him but shutting him off in our very small kitchen) even if he had not had an accident. Just with training in general he would just smack him instead of saying "No!". If he got up on our bed, he would say no as he pushed him off. I explained that this bothered me, and so he stopped. He has gotten better with having patience training our dog, but even now sometimes if my husband plays rough with him he will get spooked, come to me hunkered down and shaking. I think my husband feels bad because it's obvious the dog favors me. He has since before any of this happened.
Anyways...does anyone have any suggestions?? I recently ordered some books about dog training and I hope to share some ideas about positive reinforcement with my husband. He is getting better, but how do I help rebuild our dog's trust in him?? I want them to have a good relationship.
Sorry this is so long, but I felt I needed to explain the situation as best I could.
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You are on the right track. Hopefully your husband will read the books as well and learn something. Frenchies do need strong leadership, as they can be stubborn. This is not to be confused with forcefull submission. Crate training can be helpful, but should never be used for punishment. If he starts to have an accident in the house, just take him outside, and don't make a big deal out of it. Just lots of praise, when he does good. The same would be true of your kitchen. It should be a safe haven. You can crate him when unsupervised, or keep him on leash next to you. If you have a fenced yard, a doggie door works wonderful.
Your husband needs to be very involved in walks, playing with him, and training, provided you both agree, and stick to the rules. For now, stop the rough housing, as trust is rebuilt.
Frenchies are a wonderful breed, particularily when everyone understands the rules. If you have other questions about Frenchies, feel free to send me an e-mail. I have 5 Frenchies.
Edit: I recommend halters for walks, as opposed to collars. The halters do not put pressure on the Trachea, and Frenchies have a shorter and smaller trachea.
Best of luck,
Rebel
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Anyways...does anyone have any suggestions?? I recently ordered some books about dog training and I hope to share some ideas about positive reinforcement with my husband. He is getting better, but how do I help rebuild our dog's trust in him?? I want them to have a good relationship.
Sorry this is so long, but I felt I needed to explain the situation as best I could.
Dog Training Devices - How Using One Can Help Correct Stubborn Dog Training Problems
Recommended Answer:
Hi
You are on the right track. Hopefully your husband will read the books as well and learn something. Frenchies do need strong leadership, as they can be stubborn. This is not to be confused with forcefull submission. Crate training can be helpful, but should never be used for punishment. If he starts to have an accident in the house, just take him outside, and don't make a big deal out of it. Just lots of praise, when he does good. The same would be true of your kitchen. It should be a safe haven. You can crate him when unsupervised, or keep him on leash next to you. If you have a fenced yard, a doggie door works wonderful.
Your husband needs to be very involved in walks, playing with him, and training, provided you both agree, and stick to the rules. For now, stop the rough housing, as trust is rebuilt.
Frenchies are a wonderful breed, particularily when everyone understands the rules. If you have other questions about Frenchies, feel free to send me an e-mail. I have 5 Frenchies.
Edit: I recommend halters for walks, as opposed to collars. The halters do not put pressure on the Trachea, and Frenchies have a shorter and smaller trachea.
Best of luck,
Rebel
Dog Training Advice - What Or Who Do I Believe?
- its your husband not the dog
- Your husband, by bullying this dog, has probably ruined any chance he ever had of the dog trusting him. The dog is clearly afraid of him and it's no wonder. He's treated this dog very badly.
Hitting the dog, dragging him around by the collar and pushing him off the bed is cruel. Of course he hurt the dog and has terrified the poor little thing. Hands should only ever be put on a dog in kindness.
Maybe he could book into a positive reinforcement obedience training class. He sure needs to learn how to treat animals..but I think this little dog will always be wary of him and afraid of him. - Amen to everything that is being said on here.
Just to add a little to all the good things already being said, I will tell you a true story. I have a wonderful Lab, he is now 11 years old. When he was a puppy we were traveling in the car and he got out of control and I reached back and smacked him while trying to get him to stay down (I know that is BAD and it hasn't happened since). I was wearing pink gloves at the time....and I still have those pink gloves. To this day my Lab will walk away from me if I am wearing those gloves. Luckily he sees the gloves as what hurt him, and not me. He is my baby and it would break my heart if he was afraid of me. Your puppy may always fear your husband just as my Lab has always feared those gloves....even after I have held him and loved him with those gloves on, he still avoids them.
Good luck. - your husband has terrorised the dog - its a combination of the fact he smacked the dog and his timing was out so the dog never understood what the smack was for in the first place.
He should not be dragging the dog, smacking it etc. That is unnecessary in dog training. Yes there is a time for corrections but if the dog is unsure of what to do you SHOW it, TEACH it, PROOF it then TEST it.
Positive reinforcement only training is the the way to go either. I would recommend Cesar Milans books about leadership. Meanwhile your husband has to try to build trust again with the dog. Ignore the dog when it becomes frightened and you - dont coddle it. If it is frightened for no reason (if he yells/smacks that is different) then you ignore the dog too. He will learn there is nothing to worry about. Having your husband do some basic obedience exercises and praising the dog will help as well. - your husband needs to go to an obedience class with the dog - his methods are barbaric and dont work
At class he'll learn how to communicate with the dog.
after hitting the dog its gonna take a long time to repair the damage
rough play isnt a good idea with any dog - i agree your husbands methods are barbaric, but there is a couple things i would try..
1) i would take your husbands cologne, or some kind of scent and spray it on one of his old shirts or a new toy for the dog, and let the dog get use to him again
2) i would also have your husband walk him by himself and sorta of make your dog watch, as your husband feeds him,
try and make your husband your dogs other master, the other alpha male kind of deal - The dog is frightened of your husband because your husband has been abusing him. Get him to stop abusing the dog, and act like the animal actually belongs in the house and things may gradually change.
The dog's soiling the house were normal and to be expected when a dog first moves to a new home: he doesn't know your schedule, so he doesn't know how long he has to hold it. He stopped doing it because he figured out what you wanted.
Pushing the dog off the bed constitutes abuse: Frenchies aren't that athletic and he could be seriously hurt, unless you sleep on a futon on the floor.
If your husband continues his abuse of the dog, there will come a time in the near future when the dog will start urinating whenever your husband raises his voice. This is called submissive urination and it is VERY hard to train away. Urge your husband to modify his behavior now.
Good luck. - Do you know how they say that improperly potty training a baby can cause many other issues down the road? Same with this dog. The poor thing!
Please, your husband is doing more harm than good.
The dog needs positive reinfocement. Your husband is ruining this dog. Keep your husband away from the dog until he reads the books or starts taking the dog to training classes. The classes are for the owner as much as the dog.
