Your puppy truly doesn’t need much more than warmth, food, and love, but for those who want want to feel fully prepared, here’s are some basics you’ll want to get for your new puppy.

Bed / Crate – We recommend crate-training as part of the potty training process. So you’re not buying multiple crates, purchase a crate that will be large enough for your puppy to use as an adult, if you anticipate crating your adult dog. Recommended crates include:

Precision Pet 2000 – French Bulldogs
Precision Pet 3000 – Large French Bulldogs / Small English Bulldogs
Precision Pet 4000 – English Bulldogs
or
ModernPuppies Puppy Training Apartment – Ideal for French bulldog puppies living in condos or apartments without easy access to the outdoors. Use code FCB94080 to save 5%.

Dog Bed – Delay this purchase for a few weeks until potty training is well underway; dog beds can be too bulky to wash. In the meantime, use old towels or blankets to line your puppy’s crate.

Bowls – We have a bias towards heavy ceramic bowls that are difficult for your dog to pick up or knock over. As your dog grows, an elevated dog feeder has benefits beyond the cosmetic.

Chew Toys – You’ll need to teach your puppy what he or she is allowed to chew on and it will probably take an assortment of toys in a range of textures for you to figure out what your dog really likes. Toys that are the least likely to break apart are best, such as Kong brand toys and Nylabones. We discourage using rawhide and bully sticks, because it disintegrates and becomes a choking hazard. Once your dog’s toys start falling apart, please discard them. Here are some of our favorites and others that have been recommended to us:

NylaBone DuraChew
Antlers
Benebones
Himalayan Dog Chews
Kong Squeezz Jels
Fire Hose Material Toys
Hol-ee Roller
Extreme KONG Toys
Crazy Critters – stuffed animals without the stuffing
Kong Wild Knots Toys – stuffed animals without the stuffing
Everlasting Treat Ball – not ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs

If your dog is chewing on things he’s not allowed to chew on, Bitter Apple Spray is a good training tool (as is chili oil).

Collar / Harness / Leash / Tag – You may want a collar for his name tag / your phone number. For walking, we recommend attaching the leash to a harness, rather than to a collar. Your puppy will double or triple in size in the first few months, so buy a harness that will adjust as he grows.

Poop Bags – Please don’t be that person.

Treats – As much as you’ll want to spoil the new little love of your life, be disciplined about only giving your puppy treats when they are earned and training will go much faster. Look for treats with limited ingredients (think healthy treats, not junk food). We use a lot of sweet potato and liver treats. If you don’t have treats on hand, a few pieces of kibble serve the same purpose. After all, the dog is rewarded with your praise and something to nibble; it doesn’t have to taste like bacon.

Shampoo – You can use J&J baby shampoo – it’s no better or worse than most pet shampoos. Bulldogs are known for having skin issues, so we like these two brands of medicated shampoo:

Duoxo (gentler)
Malaseb (stronger)

After bathing, make sure to thoroughly dry your puppy between any folds and wrinkles (face, under the tail, between the toes).

Wipes – Wiping your dog daily will go a long way. You can start with baby wipes and if you need something more medicinal – for problem areas prone to infection – this is what your vet would recommend.

MalAcetic Wet Wipes – to cover larger areas
Mal-A-Ket Wipes – for smaller areas
Malaseb Flush – instead of buying wipes, apply this liquid to cotton pads

Nail Clippers – A lot of dogs hate having their nails trimmed. They key is to not be too aggressive with the clippers (a slight nick of their fingers will result in a surprising amount of blood) and to reward your dog’s tolerance when he lets you cut his nails.

Dental Care – If you have the discipline to do so, there’s no better dental care than brushing your dog’s teeth regularly. If you can’t quite pull that off, we recommend a regular supply of Checkups, Greenies or Zuke’s bones. Long term, dental care is something you’ll want to focus on as gum disease is common amongst dogs. You’ll do well to establish habits targeting oral hygiene. Note that most of these dental treats are not recommended for dogs before six months of age (but it’s never too early to start brushing).

** Discounts **

Use the code FCBMAYA for discounts and extras at Bark Box and BarkShop
Use the code ENZO10 for discounts at Frenchie Bulldog (note, sizes tend to run small)