If your Bulldogge puppy is going to live in the house, and we most certainly encourage this, then you will be very interested in housebreaking him. There is a school of thought that a Bulldogge must be a tough macho beast who endures the weather no matter what mother nature throws at him and to get him accustomed to this he is better off living in an outside kennel. This is pure nonsense. Having him inside with you gets him bonded with you, close to you and sharing your world. He will handle better, understand you better, and respond better to commands if he lives inside your home with you and shares your life with you. If he could also have an optional outside kennel to use at certain times especially to enjoy the good weather periods, then so much the better.
Of course many wonderful Bulldogges do live permanently in outside kennels, and if insulated for winter, shaded/cool in the summer and kept sanitary and clean, and the dogs exercised regularly, they are no worse off because of it. As a Bulldogge breeder with many dogs, we have some who are permanent house dogs and some who live outdoors and rotate their house time. We have never experienced a dog who cannot take the heat or cold as long as proper shelter for the winter and proper shade and cooling for the summer were provided. As with any living creature, Bulldogges must be acclimated to the climate in order to do well and, regardless of breed, no dog can be expected to live indoors in a comfortable temperature and then suddenly be tossed into 100 degree temps outdoors to survive for hours on end. So, if you intend to have your Bulldogge as a house dog just realize that they are acclimated to a comfortable climate inside your home, as you are, and cannot be expected to do well in extreme temperatures for extended periods of time. If you intend to have your Bulldogge as an outdoor dog they will become acclimated as the temps gradually rise or fall throughout the year and as long as you provide them with proper living conditions they shouldn't have any problems at all.
During the weaning phase of puppy rearing we set up conditions which encourage the pups to leave the nest box and do their business in a fenced play yard. This allows the puppies to begin learning to potty outside of their nest area at an early age.
Right from the moment he arrives home with you the house breaking should begin. We suggest hanging sleigh bells on the door knob and each time you take the pup out to potty you should show him the bells and ring them prior to exiting. The puppy will soon learn that ringing the bells means that he goes outside and he will begin to ring them when he wants/needs to go out. Once he learns to ring the bells you must ALWAYS take him out when he rings them so that he doesn't become confused about what the bells mean. Always take him out to potty after eating, after waking from sleep and if you notice him sniffing around or seemingly looking for a place to eliminate. When he potties outside give lots and lots of praise. Bulldogges are smart and learn fast, so with consistency and positive reinforcements he should potty train in no time at all.
This would seem to be a good time to also reiterate the desirability of crate training your house dog. We suggest the use of an open wire crate of the folding variety rather than the plastic box which limits vision and feels very confining to the dog. When purchasing a crate go ahead and get one large enough for your pup to grow into as an adult so you won't have to buy another one as he grows.
Put the dog into the crate whenever you leave him unattended. During the day leave the door open and make the inside inviting with soft bedding, toys and even treats. It won’t be long before he goes in by himself to snooze and pretty soon this will become his space and he will like it. Now you can corral him when you have guests or when you go out and give him his special place to sleep at night.
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