Potty Training Your Bulldog Puppy

Potty Training Your Bulldog Puppy

Potty Training Your Bulldog Puppy

Author: Erica Wysong Erica Wysong 15+ years of Experience Breeding Bulldogs Read Bio

Bringing home a bulldog puppy is an exciting and rewarding experience, but it also comes with the responsibility of potty training. Bulldogs are known for their affectionate nature and unique charm, but like all puppies, they require guidance and consistency to learn proper bathroom etiquette. Potty training your bulldog puppy is a crucial step in fostering a clean and harmonious environment for both you and your furry companion. We will help give you effective strategies and practical tips to help you navigate the potty training process with your bulldog puppy.

Understanding Bulldog Behavior and Bladder Control

Before diving into potty training techniques, it’s essential to understand the behavior and bladder control of bulldog puppies. Like all young dogs, bulldog puppies have limited bladder control and may need to go out frequently, especially after eating, drinking, playing, or waking up from a nap. Additionally, bulldogs are known for their stubborn streak, which can present unique challenges during the potty training process. However, with patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, you can successfully teach your bulldog puppy where and when to use the bathroom.

Establishing a Routine

Consistency is key when it comes to potty training your bulldog puppy. Establishing a regular routine helps your puppy develop predictable bathroom habits and reduces the likelihood of accidents indoors. Here’s how to create a successful potty training routine for your bulldog puppy:

Set a Schedule: Designate specific times throughout the day for bathroom breaks, including first thing in the morning, after meals, after naps, before bedtime, and at regular intervals during the day.
Supervise Closely: Keep a close eye on your bulldog puppy when they’re indoors, especially during the initial stages of potty training. Watch for signs such as sniffing, circling, or whining, which may indicate that your puppy needs to go potty.
Take Regular Bathroom Breaks: Take your bulldog puppy outside to their designated potty area frequently, ideally every 1-2 hours, to give them ample opportunities to eliminate outdoors.
Use a Leash: When taking your bulldog puppy outside for bathroom breaks, use a leash to prevent distractions and keep them focused on the task at hand, another great option is to use a puppy play yard. The play yard is a useful tool to limit the amount of wandering while using the bathroom.

Additional information on Potty Training

As bulldog puppies grow, so does their bladder capacity and needed potty intervals. The more consistent and dedicated we are to their potty intervals, the quicker a bulldog puppy will successfully become potty trained.

Using a crate

It is natural for your puppy to want to go to the bathroom away from its sleeping area. Using a crate for them creates a natural negative reinforcement. It forces the puppy to sit a little too close to their waste. Which is designed to be less than desirable. Your puppy will naturally want to avoid this. They will seek to hold off potty time until their next break outside.

We recommend using a crate with a removable tray to help make this process as smooth as possible for yourself. No tray would provide a mess that could spill onto your carpet.

We have written an article on both what size of crate to buy and how to properly use a crate.

Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool in potty training your bulldog puppy. Rewarding desired behaviors such as eliminating outdoors with praise, treats, or playtime helps reinforce the association between going potty and receiving positive outcomes. Here are some tips for effectively using positive reinforcement in potty training:

Offer Immediate Rewards: Praise and reward your bulldog puppy immediately after they successfully eliminate outdoors. This helps them understand which behaviors are desirable and encourages them to repeat those behaviors in the future.
Use High-Value Treats: Use specail treats that your bulldog puppy only gets when potty training and finds especially enticing. This can include small pieces of cooked chicken or store bought treats that are made in the USA and have limited ingredients.
Be Consistent: Consistency is key when using positive reinforcement in potty training. Always praise and reward your puppy for eliminating outdoors, even if it’s in the middle of the night or during inclement weather.

Be Consistent During Potty Training

We cannot stress enough the importance of remaining consistent during potty training. Unfortunately, potty training isn’t Monday-Friday 9-5 pm. You’ll need to get up at least once a night to make your bulldog puppy go potty.

If you work during the day and have a busy schedule, utilize a friend or family member to let your puppy out when you can’t be there. If no one can be there, the crate will serve as a natural teaching tool for your puppy to head there to relieve themselves. But, consistency is key when training. Taking a day or a night off can throw the whole training process off.

Managing Accidents

Accidents are an inevitable part of the potty training process, especially with bulldog puppies who are still learning the ropes. How you respond to accidents can have a significant impact on your puppy’s progress. Here’s how to effectively manage accidents during potty training:

Stay Calm: If you catch your bulldog puppy in the act of eliminating indoors, calmly interrupt them with a verbal cue such as “No” or “Oops” and immediately take them outside to their designated potty area.
Clean Thoroughly: Accidents happen, but it’s essential to clean up messes thoroughly to remove any lingering odors that may attract your puppy back to the same spot. Use an enzymatic cleaner specifically designed for pet stains and odors.
Learn from Mistakes: Accidents are learning opportunities for both you and your bulldog puppy. Take note of any patterns or triggers that may have contributed to the accident and adjust your potty training approach accordingly.

Consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement are the keys to successfully potty training your bulldog puppy. By establishing a routine, using positive reinforcement, and effectively managing accidents, you can set your puppy up for potty training success and enjoy a clean and harmonious living environment with your beloved bulldog companion.

Check out our New Puppy Supply List to find the right crate and potty training supplies!

Puppy Supplies Shopping List

Check Out our Available Puppies Here

Bruiser Bulldog’s Reviews

I've grown up with english bulldogs my whole life. I am familiar with common and uncommon health problems they may face so when my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to adopt our own english puppy finding a reputable breeder that prioritizes health was most important to us. Erica and Mitch of Bruiser Bulldogs are just that. They are experienced, ethical and quality breeders. I was referred to them by my friend that I trust after I saw their gorgeous healthy puppy. Our Puppy Primrose is the light of our lives! Bruisers was there to assist us every step of the way. We would highly recommend Bruisers Bulldogs to anyone looking for their own happy, healthy pup!

Leah H.
4/08/2021
We, like many of the other people who found Bruisers, did a lot of research to find a responsible breeder, especially since English Bulldogs can have health issues and because there is a trend now for "trendy" bulldogs (blue, etc.) which have even more health issues. We were lucky to have come across Bruiser Bulldogs and even more so the fact that they were near our family and hometown made it even better. We have had Clementine (Callie) for four months now, and she is a wonderful dog. Her personality is amazing, and I think part of it is breeding and the other part is Erika and her family lovingly raising the puppies in their home with plenty of attention and snuggles. I also was impressed that, rather than send the puppies out right at 8 weeks, Erika kept ours for a few extra weeks because she was tiny and not read to leave her mom yet. It's that care that differentiates Bruisers from other breeders.

Emily R.
4/08/2021
We found Bruiser Bulldogs after researching healthy breeding line for bulldog puppies. Erica was easy to work with thru the entire process from application to adopting and now beyond as we host our new family member, Chief. Her on-call support and willingness to provide open, honest advice to all of our questions and concerns continues to be appreciated. We would highly recommend Bruiser Bulldogs to anyone looking for an English Bulldog to join their family.

Elizabeth W.
4/01/2021
Lady L.
3/25/2021
Bruiser Bulldogs are 5-star breeders! They are experienced, responsive and knowledgeable about all things bulldog related. They went above and beyond for us and are truly dedicated to all of their pups! We love our little girl so much and would recommend Bruiser to anyone looking for a healthy beautiful bully.

Jonathan E.
3/22/2021
Bruiser Bulldogs is a 5-star breeder in every way. Erica and Mitch are trustworthy, excellent communicators, fair, passionate, and produce the best bulldogs.We were at the top of the waiting list for months and Erica reached out every litter to see if we were finally ready for a bulldog. When we were, she was very easy to work with. Her knowledge on bulldogs is outstanding. We had many questions on the process and she always knew what was best for the puppy.We've had Penny (formerly Blair) for two months and she is very healthy, energetic, playful, and sweet. She is great with other people and dogs. We are so happy with our pup.When we are ready for bulldog #2, we will only consider Bruiser Bulldogs.

Mitch C.
2/22/2021
We waited a while to write this review so that we had a better sense for the overall health of our Bruiser Bulldog “Bowser”. Bowser was born April 2020 and is an integral part of our family. When we were first exploring English Bulldog breeders our biggest concern was the overall health of the dogs. We decided to work with Erica at Bruiser Bulldogs because we liked their focus on improving the breeds breathing abilities and the fact that the puppies are raised within her family environment before coming home with their new owners.As for Bowsers health, he’s a health energetic English Bulldog that has no problem keeping up with the kids, going on 2 mi walks and camping with us on a regular basis. Bowser also breaths clearly and our vet was impressed with his overall health from the moment we brought him home. All that said we know English Bulldogs have a predisposition to many health issues and that his current health can not predict the future. With that In mind its important to start with a breeder that open to answer any of your questions as Erica has ours, and that strongly believes in improving the breeds overall health profile.

Adam B.
2/22/2021
After the loss of our first English Bulldog due to health issues it was very important for us to find a breeder who did not breed only for aesthetic but more importantly for health. My sister ended up finding Bruiser Bulldogs and we knew right away that they were the breeder for us.In September we ended up driving 9 hours to pick up two Bruiser bulldog puppies- one for my husband and I and one for my mom. Jackson and Penelope have been nothing but a joy. They are very social and very friendly to everyone they meet including kids and other dogs/animals. They are both very athletic and healthy. They are also HUGE snugglers and always want to be with you. It is an absolute pleasure having these two bullies in our lives! My sister and her fiancé also fell in love with them and now are on the waitlist themselves for a Bruiser bulldog!Erica is very knowledgeable about the breed. She is very hands on throughout the process and is just overall a kind and honest person to work with.With all that being said I cannot recommend Bruiser Bulldogs enough!

Collyn C.
2/22/2021
We fell in love with our puppy the moment we saw him. One of the reasons we chose Bruiser Bulldogs was due to the claims about breeding for health. During our first visit at our vet's office, he told us that our pup was one of the healthiest English bulldogs he had ever seen. He is healthy, happy and social. Would recommend to anyone.

Christina S.
2/22/2021
What an awesome experience! We seen our dog on their website and sent them an Email. Mitch called us and personally walked us through the process and made sure we had the right dog for our family. We couldn't be happier when we picked up our dog Ramsey, Erica made sure we had everything we needed and then some. They are truly amazing people who breed truly amazing dogs!

Jim T.
2/22/2021