Frenchie Pug & French bulldog

[LaUrDuD1108]

Hi everyone,

I am looking for shared experiences and advice. I have a Frenchie Pug who currently 12 weeks old male. I am due to get my french bulldog male at the end of Jan 2020 but recently I've been reading that two male bulldogs don't get along I there's a large risk they won't this making me very apprehensive and worry. I would appreciate any reassurance or advice if I am making the correct decision? Please help worried animal lover.

I have a female French Bulldog...she is a rescue sort of. She had been rescued by a woman who took her from a neglectful home to live with her and her three Frenchies. Unfortunately her male took a dislike to her and so we now have her.

Frenchie's are a bit naughty...they sometimes just take against another dog for no real reason.

Don't worry about it though...yours are young so should be fine. Make sure you introduce the new dog carefully.

Hi,
With them both been young puppy's they should be fine with each other just make sure that you spend time separately with them so they don't get too reliant on each other as sometimes they can develop separation anxiety when they are separate or only have confidence when together or gang up when playing. A good idea is if you are going to attend puppy training classes do the course separately for each one so they get that time away from each other and with just you. After that maybe 1 day a week do the walks one on one.
I wouldn't of said bulldogs (of any variety) are less able to get along if the same gender then any other dogs..... and tbh Iv heard more issues people having 2 females then 2 males!
As well as been a dog trainer and behaviourist 1 of my own dogs is a French bulldog and I know she loves any other bulldogs and from other owners of french bulldogs they seem to gravitate towards other french and English bulldogs to play

@remz that's good to know thank you for the reassurance. My Frenchie Pug is very well behaved little boy so far been very easy to train. I was reading that they get very territorial and they compete with each that was my worry.

@BillHadersNewWife I plan on taking two weeks off work (part time anyway so at home a lot) to settle them both in. Thank you for sharing your experiences with me.

With two young dogs together there is a very real chance they'll develop "littermate syndrome" and won't want anything to do with you.

Why not train the first dog properly before introducing a second one? You're going to need to walk them separately and train them separately for the first couple of years as it is!

Regardless of breed what bothers me most about this is that you will have 2 puppies very close in age. Your current pup may have been very easy but tbh introducing a second pup could be like throwing away all the training you've done. They will both enter their teenage phase around the same time...
The general rule of thumb is to leave at least 18 months between puppies, so you are confident of the first pup's training and character before introducing another.

I’d also say about the age gap. It’s very small. And you say you’re only going to be off work for two weeks. Who will be home with the puppies then? Or will you have a walker? I’d hold off until your first puppy is a lot older and more settled.

Why did you decide to get two high maintenance breeds so close in age?

I really wouldn’t advise this. Get your first pup settled and work in training etc for a while. If you really want/need a second dog then i’d Wait til your first one is a year or so old.

I’d also ask you to consider why you’re choosing to perpetuate animal suffering by buying breeds and cross breeds that are known to suffer throughout their lives, rather than supporting healthy and responsible breeding, but I suspect that ship has sailed...

www.bva.co.uk/media/1183/bva-position-on-brachycephalic-dogs-full.pdf

My friend and her mum have frenchies - a good few over the years and to be honest the girls are far worse. Her mums 2 girls can't be anywhere near my friends females but the boys are all fine with everyone. I'd be worried about puppies with that age gap though. Frenchies aren't the easiest to train at the best of times

My friend had a Fug and a Pug, both males and they got on fine. I think she may have had them both neutered though.

My goodness that a bonkers small age gap ! Why not give the current pup time to grow up a bit first? Mine is 5m and I suppose it’s like babies , but he still needs me so much. ( currently snoozing on my lap ) . How could I do that with an 7-10 week old as well who needs to be outside every 30 mins to toilet etc

Ah yes I meant to add and @FrangipaniBlue has mentioned, please do get them neutered if you go ahead

Hi all,

Thank you all for your responses. My partner and I work opposite to each other so always someone home. As in terms of the training I have heard that it's easier to train two young pups rather than one at a time as it can set back the older dog. The age gap I haven't been made aware of this so thank and I will certainly be taking that on board I want the absolute best for my current pup and of course the new pup if I do get him at all as it seems to be not in the best interest for both, so thank all for your advice I am going to mull it over.

As in terms of the training I have heard that it's easier to train two young pups rather than one at a time as it can set back the older dog

Where did you read that?

Training two young dogs together is so so hard. You need to toilet train them separately, walk them separately, take them to separate training classes, train them separately at home, feed them separately - the whole shebang.

You need to make sure they'll focus on you 100% when out on walks and not each other. Theres's a reason that reputable breeders don't let people take two puppies from the same litter - indeed, ours won't let you take a puppy from him unless your current dog is at least two years old.

I really think you'll be better off waiting until your current one is an adult and fully trained in all areas.

It's much harder to train two dogs that close in age MUCH harder.

You might get lulled into a false sense of security in the first 6-9 months, they will stick close to you and each other, you will think everyone here has been exaggerating - you won't bother doing intensive training with them both - you don't feel you need to, the training club insists you only bring one at a time to a class and you can't spare two evenings , but they come when you call and there's only a bit of naughtiness that's really quite cute.....,

Then their hormones kick in - and you find they ignore you and you end up walking them on flexi leads away from other dogs, never letting them off because they can't be trusted .... you can't keep an eye on two badly behaved dogs at once.

I have a family member with two young terrier siblings - I've heard that story unfold. Walks are no longer a pleasure with them.

I've got a 10month old small breed "teenager" with selective deafness ATM - walks have to be carefully managed. There are areas I simply don't go to now because there are too many opportunities for him to disappear into woodland. I cope because
a) we go to classes and he knows the commands even though he pretends he doesn't
b) the classes and the work we do in them reinforces the bond with him so I know he WILL come back and I know how to reinforce that recall as a positive thing and
c) I have a VERY well behaved 2.5yr old dog that he adores and follows.

Please don't get two youngsters close in age. Get one, train it well and then think about another.

Read about littermate syndrome (pups don't actually have to be related). It will be very, very hard work if you choose to do this. Often people will rehome 1 dog about 6 month stage. Heartbreak for all concerned

I second what others I've said about them being too close in age. Also SIL has a Frenchie 2yrs and a staffy who's 9yrs. He totally bully's her to the point that he has to be separated. He goes for any other dog and also we had an incident where he bit my Fil. He also attacks any males who enter the house. He has went for my Son and I I've told them under no circumstances has he to be near my Lb.

I think the Pug in your boy may have made training easier and him being more laid back. French Bulldogs have been overbread in this country and many have behaviour issues. You only have to look on Gumtree to see ads of frenchies, not only pups for sale but older dogs aswell.

Awful idea. If you want a second dog then you need to wait until the first is mature and fully trained (absolute minimum of two years) before taking on another.
Littermate syndrome is scary. I know someone with two giant breed boys. Fine until they tried to kill each other one day m

I have heard that it's easier to train two young pups rather than one at a time

Where did you hear this?

Master the pup you have and contemplate another in about two years.

Way too close together. Madness

Way to close in age. Please don't do it.
I watched friends of mine do similar... two pups, not the same litter but only 6 months apart in age. All cute and fine at first until they hit adolescence, then the fighting started.

Unless you can keep them completely separate from day 1.. which means everything..walking, training feeding etc so that they each bond with a human separately, then don't.

Thank you all for your advice I have spoken with my partner and we have decided to wait as we both agree with what you are all stating that makes a lot of sense. I put this post one to educate myself and also to hear what others have experienced so my greatest appreciation to you all. Thank you. Also we have set up puppy classes for our little fur baby.

Hi OP, apologies for the tangent/unsolicited advice, but I would really urge you not to get a French bulldog pup at all.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/27/this-is-a-calamity-the-surgeons-keeping-pugs-and-bulldogs-alive

Good thank you for the link. Our Frenchie is a rescue and I'd never, ever buy one from a breeder.

DH thinks we should breed her and I've been educating him about the idiocy and cruelty of keeping breeds like this going.

They need to be made illegal and phased out. Our little girl is quite severe in her tight nostrils and we'll probably have to get her surgery.

She's lost weight since coming to live with us and that's helped but I know she can improve.