Get a crate appropriately sized for your dog. Put him in the crate when you bring him home. I realize he is 2, but his house manners don't include not having immediate access to the outside. He will need to learn to let you know when he needs to go out. When he starts to fuss, take him right outside as you would a puppy - do not let his feet touch the floor when you take him out the door. Do this every time he crys to get out. He should pick it up, but you have to stick to the program. He should be crated when you leave home as well, since he has no way to get out and he will feel badly if he has an accident.

IMHO, the crate is the best house training tool available. I have done it with 4 dogs and all are appropriately house trained.

Good luck and congrats on your new companion!

I had the dog door when I got these two. They took to the door right away.

I took Roxy to visit my mom and she pooped and peed in the house. She's never had to tell me she needs out. If she did tell me, I missed it.

And the things they've taken outside via the dog door...that was another thread. Last weekend was my laundry soap that's been sitting there for months suddenly became fair game. I didn't know the bottle was punctured until the next morning when soap had leaked all over the floor.

Probably Frenchies wouldn't act like that though. LOL

Congratulations.

Doggie doors are great, I used to have one in my kitchen. So nice not to have to get up and let them out. The big downside though, is the stuff that gets dragged back in, namely *mud*. We have two rainy seasons here, and boy did they track in some stuff.

Oh, and once I had a strange dog come into my house via the doggy door. It was a dachshund, and I thought it was pretty funny until he peed on my wall!

My sister had racoons come in her kitty door. They got in the pantry and trash. She had a fine mess. :-)

Congrats on the new addition to your family! French bulldogs are sooooooo... cute.

My DD and i both have doggy doors and our dogs took right to them. Our fences are too high for other dogs to get in our pens. our big dogs keep every thing else run off. My big dog has a bad habit of taking my little dogs toys outside. I just go and gather them up now and than.and one dog brought in a dirty old bone once. After i hollared at him he did'nt do it again.
Good luck with your new dog.
oakleif

Thank you all for the great responses! you have some funny stories!!

Kim okla-I'm from Okla too! Live in Norman.

So glad to hear the doggy door can be a good thing. I still need to do some research on the kind of doggy door. We live in town so hopefully not too many wild animals running around.

I have always dreamed of having a dog that walks and wanders around the house and sleeps in an area of his choice. Although, I can definately see the crate being a good thing also. My sister has a dog that she keeps in the crate while she is gone-and on the occasion she is out shopping or whatever, she has to make sure get gets back to let him out. It cuts down on her time away a bit. But, she doesn't have to worry about him chewing her furniture either. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, I guess.

I didn't think about what he might take outdoors/indoors-could be interesting-LOL!

Were any of your dogs older when you brought them home to use the doggy door, or were they puppies, or would it matter you think as far as them taking to the doggy door easily? I guess what I'll do is keep him in his crate and let him out right by the doggy door for awhile until he gets it? olliesmom

Both my dogs were grown but still young when we put the doors in
oakleif

I love dog doors. and if you're worried about other things getting in just roof the kennel area in which the dog door will go to.
BTW dog doors do not have to be installed in doors, they can go right through a wall. Any capenter can install one through a wall. Here's a pic of mine just to give you an idea

oakleif, glad to hear your dogs were older and not puppies, gives me hope.

cindyx-WOW! never would have thought of a doggy door going through the wall. OK, I guess I'm slow, but, what do you mean by roofing the kennel area? I guess I thought he would just go poo outside in the backyard somewhere? Is your area roofed? thanks, olliesmom

ollie, I like my dog potty area to be in it's own little place, not near my entrance ways! LOL so I pick an area in which the dog door will go which leads directly to a kennel area. If your yard is small you can make the area long and narrow which would be more like a dog run verses a square kennel. By roofing the kennel you can simply fence the top.