I thought it might be helpful to create this page to answer our most Frequently Asked Questions. I hope you find it helpful and find the answer you are looking for. If you have any concerns or you need clarification on something, please contact us. We are here to help you through your puppy journey and the entire lifetime of your puppy. 

IN UTERO
Your puppy's journey starts well before they are born. We start with mom. 

FOOD
Your puppy is currently eating Fromm Gold puppy. You will receive a small bag with enough food for a week in your new puppy pack. It's important your puppy eats high quality food. Frenchies have sensitive stomaches and our puppies do very well on this food. If you do plan to transition to a different food, please do so gradually to avoid upsetting their stomach and causing diarrhea. We also supplement with Omega 3 oil.  If their stool get a little soft, we mix in a Tbsp. of pumpkin puree. If you are interested in transitioning to raw, please don't hesitate to tell us so we can point you in the right direction. If your puppy is not eating his food (as sometimes puppies do in new environments), you can mix the food with some Royal Canin canned puppy food. We love this brand because it contains an appetite  stimulant. I would also recommend sprinkling some powdered pumpkin seed to aid in digestion. Some other things you can add are bone broth, and food toppers. Some other kibble brands we highly recommend are Royal Canin, Fromm, Acana, and Orijen.

WATER
Try to avoid giving tap water to your puppy. There are so many chemicals in tap water and it can cause tear stains. We use filtered water. Bottled water is great too.

FOOD/ WATER BOWLS
I know many people like stainless steel bowls due to their durability. I personally like to use glass Pyrex bowls. They are heavy and shatter resistant. They are also easily sanitized in the dishwasher. I don't recommend anything plastic. Puppies can chew these up and can seriously injure themselves if they are able to chew off and swallow a  piece.  

CRATE TRAINING
I start introducing the crate at 6 weeks and start crate training puppies at 7 weeks. Your puppy can be in their crate one hour per month of age (i.e. 2 hours for 2 months old). During the day, we keep the crate open and put a thin blanket inside. At night, we have puppies in the crate.  Not only is the crate a great training tool for potty training, it's also a great place where your puppy can retreat when they get overwhelmed. You can continue training your puppy to go in the crate on their own by saying 'Go to bed". Using a treat, lead your puppy in the crate. Once your puppy is inside the crate, say YES! and give the treat. Pretty soon you can give the command 'Go to Bed', and they will go on their own. If you choose not to use a crate, I highly suggest using another form of containment to keep your puppy safe. 

PLAY AREA
I don't recommend allowing your puppy free reign of the house right away. Remember that your puppy is still potty training and you want to set them up for success by limiting any accidents they may have in the house. Puppy playpens are awesome for containing your puppy and keeping them safe. Our favorite is the clear acrylic playpen by Clearly Loved Pets. They are see through so you can see what your puppy is doing. Their play area should have a defined sleeping area and play area. If you want, you can even put a potty area on one end if there is room.

POTTY TRAINING
Puppies begin potty training at 4 weeks old. I use both potty pads and turf (fake grass). When we go outside for playtime, the puppies go straight to the turf patch. This makes the transition to going potty on real grass seamless. I recommend using a cue like "Go potty". Puppies usually need to go potty when they first wake, 15 minutes after they eat, after play time and before bed. I don't let puppies touch real grass or dirt util they are at least 16 weeks old and have the first 3 sets of vaccines. Be careful letting your puppy walk around your neighborhood for potty time. They still have immature immune systems and can easily pick up diseases like Giardia, Parvovirus and Coccidia. 

CLEANING
When puppies are small, it's so important to keep everything extra clean and sanitized. Their immune systems are not fully developed and they can easily get sick. I like to use more natural cleaning products to keep puppies safe. Our two favorite products are OdoBan® and Angry Orange. OdoBan® is a great anti- bacterial killer and one gallon  lasts a long time. I fiill up a spray bottle with water and mix it up with some concentrated OdoBan®. They also sell this in spray bottles if you don't want to have to mix it up. I also like to keep an enzymatic solution like Nature's Miracle in case of potty accidents. In our home, puppies are given new blankets and beds daily and we wipe down all surfaces with OdoBan® several times per day. Soft toys are also washed in the laundry and hard toys get sanitized in the dishwasher. For the floors, I use a Swiffer® with Clorox® floor pads. I then go over that with a steam mop. We also don't use shoes in the house since that tracks in germs that can make puppies sick. We don't keep rugs in an area with puppies until they are fully potty trained. 

TOYS
Toys play an important part in your puppy's mental, physical and emotional well being. I recommend offering different types and textures of toys. Try to stay away from stuffing filled toys unless you know for sure that your puppy won't shred them. Eating the stuffing can cause major intestinal issues that can land your puppy in the emergency room. For this reason, I also strongly discourage you from getting any rope toys. Our favorite toys are hard rubber toys like KONG®, balls, stuff-less or low stuffing toys that make noise. BarkBox™ is a great subscription box loaded with toys and treats. You have the option of choosing items based on the  "size" of your dog. We recommend the  "medium" box. We love BarkBox™ for their high quality toys. You can click on this link to get a discount on your first box.

TREATS
Who doesn't love being rewarded for a job well done?! Just like toys, treats are equally important for puppies. It provides mental stimulation and it can be used to reward and reinforce positive behavior. We love using high quality treats for training! Try to find natural treats without artificial colors and preservatives. You can even buy bigger treats and break them up. Our favorites are dehydrated liver, dehydrated lamb lungs, bully sticks, and dried sweet potatoes. There are many companies that specialize in natural treats. Some of our favorites brands are Orijen, Acana, Barktworthies, and Etta says.