Are you a proud owner of a Frenchie? But you are also expecting to welcome a baby into your family? Then you are probably wondering how your baby and french bulldog will get along? Well, there are many factors that could contribute to this. But let’s start with the pregnancy first.
Dogs have amazing noses that can recognize and remember odors long after exposure. If a woman is pregnant, the hormones that come into play can change her body odor. And your Frenchie will certainly notice this.
It is not surprising, but it is incredibly fascinating that your French bulldog can recognize when you are pregnant. Sometimes even before you know. Now they may not be able to specifically detect your pregnancy, but they may find that something is different. They can’t just put their paw on it.
If you want to know how they do it, what triggers this awareness and how to prepare a French bulldog for a baby, scroll down.
Does my French Bulldog know I’m pregnant?
The connection between humans and dogs is a miracle. Your French bulldog adapts to you to understand your wishes and orders. You observe your Frenchie dog closely and can see when he needs to pee or when he just wants to be held.
This connection is the main reason why Frenchies can recognize when you are pregnant. Of course, it also has to do with other things, such as dogs having 60 times as many odor receptors as humans and 40 times as much brain power for the smell. This allows them to distinguish between 30,000 and 100,000 different smells and flavors.
How your dog knows you’re pregnant
Since a large part of a dog’s brain is dedicated to the analysis of odors, they can perceive various odors resulting from chemical changes, cancer, drugs, bombs, a woman’s menstrual cycle and even pregnancy. Some other things that alert you when you are pregnant are:
- Your Frenchie smells changes in your body smell: This has already been dealt with intensively. You can run, but you can’t hide, your Frenchie will literally smell you.
- Your French bulldog sees changes in your physique: French bulldogs are intelligent beings. They notice when you gain weight and your stomach begins to turn. But apart from that, they are creatures of habit that remember every routine.
- Your Frenchie dog feels mood and behavior changes: As a dog owner, you may have noticed that your dog can read your mood. He knows when you’re feeling down and tries to cheer you up. He knows when you are happy and is taking part in the party. So it is inevitable that your dog will feel your mood swings and changes.
- Your change triggers the change of your Frenchie: If a woman is pregnant, the changes that occur naturally affect everyone in the household. And that doesn’t exclude your furry Frenchie companion. Depending on Frenchie’s personality, the emotional changes of the pregnant woman can trigger increased affection and protection for the pregnant woman.
Although we can safely say that your French bulldog knows when you are pregnant, it is difficult to say when exactly a dog feels a pregnancy.
How to prepare your dog for a baby
Bringing a new baby home with a dog can be stressful, but with precautions and training, your dog can live safely and happily with a newborn.
Bringing a baby home is a joyful and beautiful experience. However, if you take your baby home without sensitizing your Frenchie to upcoming changes, the results may not be pleasant.
In such situations, you not only tear down the bandage, but also give your Frenchie time to adapt. The key to getting along with your baby and French Bulldog is to plan months before your due date.
Several adjustments should have been made before the baby arrives. This serves to get your Frenchie used to the fact that things have changed. The first thing you have to do is visit obedience classes. These classes include following sitting, staying, not jumping and coming when commands are called.
How to make your dog feel comfortable around kids
If your Frenchie has never been with children, try to expose them. Take your Frenchie to the park and see how he reacts to babies. You can also ask your friends, who are mothers, if you and your dog can walk in strollers near their children. These passive activities gradually introduce your dog to the sight and sound of children.
Start the preparation three to four months before your due date. At this time, you should start actively preparing your Frenchie for the arrival of the baby. It may seem like a little cuckoo, but take a doll and treat it like a child. Carry it around at home, put it in the baby carrier, put on the cot and swing and put the doll in it.
Everything should already be set up at this point, as you want the French bulldog to familiarize itself with all baby items now, not if your actual baby is in it. Introduce your Frenchie to baby lotion and baby powder. Let it sniff and adapt to the smells.
Weird but useful tips
Practice walking with your Frenchie and doll in the stroller of your future baby. Yes, your neighbors may be staring, but this activity helps your Frenchie get used to the stroller. Remember not to put the leash on the handle of the stroller, because if your Frenchie sees a squirrel or another dog, he may get excited and jerk off the leash. This is dangerous if a baby is in the stroller.
If your dog is a puller, it is advisable to train your French bulldog so that it runs slowly with the harness. Attach the leash to your French bulldog harness on the front D-ring and train your dog to walk next to you instead of pulling. This simple dog training tool is extremely helpful when your baby arrives.
Reduce the time you play with your Frenchie. As ruthless as it sounds that way they are used to having less time with you before the baby arrives. You can teach your dog to spend time only on toys and to be more independent. Invest in a variety of new toys to attract the attention of your Frenchie. If your Frenchie sleeps in your bed and you want them to go out of bed, it’s time for that to change. All this must be done before the baby arrives so that your French Bulldog does not associate these “unpleasant” changes with your baby.
Babies cry, scream and scream a lot. These sounds can scare your French Bulldog because they are not familiar. You can get used to it by playing recordings of crying babies and gradually increasing the sound.
Baby and French Bulldog meeting for the first time
While you are still in the hospital, choose a scarf that your baby wore earlier in the day and ask someone to take it to your Frenchie dog home. Do this one day before you get home so that your dog can get used to the smell of your baby before it even arrives.
Give your Frenchie time to prepare to see you with the baby on the first day you bring your baby home. Your French bulldog should be relaxed and know that he should not try to jump on you. After this first meeting, the next step is for him to approach you and the baby. It is good to stop the leash to avoid accidents. If your Frenchie is fine, reward him so that your French bulldog can attribute good behavior around the baby to the treats.
In case your Frenchie behaves very well, increase the time he spends with the baby. The key to helping your Frenchie and your baby get along with each other is a balance between the two. Don’t let your Frenchie feel neglected or unloved.
Teach both Frenchie and your baby to respect each other’s room from day one. If you don’t want your Frenchie in the children’s room, use a baby gate to create boundaries. And when your baby starts crawling, keep him away from your dog’s room.
Baby and French Bulldog living together
Never leave a baby and a dog unattended alone. Even if your Frenchie is the most obedient and calmest dog of all time. You can’t say how he or she would react if your baby suddenly grabs your Frenchie’s nose and doesn’t let go.
If you notice strange eye contact between your Frenchie and your baby or if your French Bulldog continues to go up and down and growl, this may mean that your Frenchie feels uncomfortable near your baby. You can handle it yourself or seek professional help.