Rehome my dog

[Lisa1996]

Hi, I really need some advice. I'm debating to rehome my dog. He is such a friendly dog but he is so much to handle, he jumps up on everything and I cant walk him as he pulls too much because I have to take my daughter for the walk as well. He constantly smells and makes my home smell like wet dog even though he has a bath once a week and gets cleaned all the time. Also he chews everything and has ruined some of my daughters toys. I discipline him all the time but nothing works. I dont buy my daughter new toys incase he chews them. Some people say I should give it longer and some say I should re home so I just dont know what to do anymore. I love him but i cant handle him sometimes and worried about bringing new christmas toys in the house because of him.. any advice? Thanks

You know that French Bulldogs need their anal glands expressing regularly, right?

Ok I will stop tapping his nose and wont use the spray bottle. Thank you for telling me this

What food is he on, OP. I’m a dog sitter and I find food types can make a difference to behaviour, toileting habits and smell of the dog.

Do you have anything like Kongs or likimats or snuggle mats, enrichment style toys? Dogs need mental stimulation as much as physical exercise & these will help calm him down. Play things like hide & seek. Look up enrichment techniques. Can you create an area for him where you daughter can't go & he feels safe with his own toys & cant get to her toys. Search online for training tips so you don't have to pay.

But if none of those work (& you sound like you've got your work cut out with him & a very young child with additional needs), then re home him properly, not to a mate of a mate or on a FB advertising page.

I would 100% agree with previous poster who recommended this website: m.facebook.com/groups/374160792599484/about/
Great free information and resources from experienced professional trainers - search ‘chewing’ and you’ll find loads of posts.
Definitely stop tapping his nose, and don’t use a spray - it just doesn’t work (as you’ve found already!)
Re:chewing. The main thing is prevention. Put toys away as soon as your child has finished using them. Teach a positive interrupter that you can use to distract him if he starts chewing (m.youtube.com/watch?v=TBvPaqMZyo8). Find some chew toys he likes and redirect him to those. Consider crate training him so you can pop him in crate when you aren’t there to supervise.
You can definitely take him to classes at 11 months - I took my rescue and she was an adult already. Make sure they use positive, force-free methods and avoid anyone talking about dominance or being the boss. Training should be fun for both of you and help you bond!
If he likes treats he should be very trainable, plus training tires them out mentally so they are less likely to get up to mischief

Why are you hitting your dog?

French bulldogs will incur high vet bills as a result of their breeding.

Dogs need to chew - make sure he has durable toys. Keep your children's toys out of his way as if he swallows parts of them a broken toy will be the least of your worries.

Please rehome him through a breed rescue and do not buy a dog ever again.

Interesting first post OP.

1. Pick up anything you don’t want him to chew. Be extra vigilant, and if he starts to chew something, say ‘no’ and then swap it for something he can chew, a toy or treat.

1. Buy some cheap kongs/lickimats, fill with wet and dry dog food/yoghurt/cheese/gravy etc and freeze. These will give him something appropriate to chew and lick.

1. Get a harness and google how to ‘loose lead train’

1. Have a pile of towels handy and wipe him down after each walk. If there is nothing medically causing the smell, you can buy doggy perfume to spray on him.

Are there any other specific issues?

The PDSA is a charity that is struggling greatly. It is very galling for the nurses who are tasked with trying to secure donations from people with expensive pedigree dogs that they cannot afford the vet bills for but can afford a dig that probably cost over a grand.

Please donate as much as you can towards your dogs treatments.

@Lisa1996 Also remember Op, 11 months is doggy adolescent and usually the height of their naughty behaviour.

It’s never too late to train a dog so this is fixable if you are willing to try.

Back in 2004 I got a puppy when I already had a two year old. An eight week old, extremely chewy labrador puppy. It was hard work and we had the odd disaster too. Especially as I ended up toilet training my daughter and house training the puppy simultaneously.

I know very little about frenchies, but I think you must take him to the vet to check out the smell, just to be on the safe side. My dogs have smelt sometimes if they have had ear infections, urinary tract infections or other fungal infections. Most of those are easily treated and not ruinously expensive.

It is not too late to start a training class. Why would it be? People went to our classes with dogs of all ages.

Positive reinforcement. No hitting or nose tapping (it is hitting, the dog might even feel

@Wolfiefan I wonder what percentage of 'first posts' are from people with an inappropriate home set up thinking of rehoming their dogs .... At least one per week I reckon!

Yep.
And how many have designer breeds and ask if they should rehome and then instantly take it back and say they meant train.

You got a dog but can’t afford vets bills. Washing a dog once a week is bad for the dog. It’s an 11 month old dog that you haven’t trained and can’t be bothered to train even though there’s PLENTY of cheap charity run classes all over the UK. You shouldn’t have got a dog and it sounds like you can’t afford one (vets fees are inevitable, vaccinations, check ups, grooming)
ReHome the dog but please use a reputable service like the Blue Cross, Dogs Trust etc.