French Bulldog Behavior
A comprehensive guide
Key Facts
Key characteristics &
behavior traits
Energy Levels medium
Trainability 3 out of 5 stars
Barking level low
The French bulldog characteristics
French bulldogs are the world’s most popular small-dog breeds, and if you have ever met or owned one, you will see why! They are renowned for their very affectionate and loving charm. They love to form bonds with their owners and they got their title of ‘lap dog’ with good reason – they love to be close and cuddle their owners. Frenchies are super loving and this makes them great emotional support animals. Who can resist that clown like characteristic and silliness they demonstrate?!
Frenchie Temperament & Personality Traits
1. Affectionate Nature – as mentioned above, french bulldogs are known for their affectionate & loving nature. They do love extra cuddles to reinforce the bond with their owners and will happily hang around with you all day.
2. Playful & Clown-like Personality – Frenchies naturally have a playful streak in them and somewhat comical side to their personality! They will keep their owners amused with their antics and have you laughing at the silliest of things. Thus, their funny behavior makes them a great addition to the family and adds joy (and entertainment!) to households.
3. Adaptability to Different Lifestyles – it is one key thing French bulldogs are known for, to adapt to a variety of lifestyles. They can live in small apartments or larger homes with yards. They will adapt to a variety of lifestyles from sedentary ones, to a more active family who enjoys the outdoors. Thus they are great for singles, couples, families and older people.
4. Sociable and Friendly behavior – typically Frenchies are great with people, children and other pets when properly socialized. They have an easy going nature which makes them easy to introduce to new people and situations, making them a popular family-friendly dog breed.
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Character Traits
Social Behavior
Understanding the french bulldog and their social behavior is important if you are still not sure if they are the right dog for you. You will have noted that they have a friendly and sociable but it’s important to discuss the social behavior of frenchies so you can make the choice best suited to you and your family.
1. Friendly & affectionate – as highlighted above, frenchies are very affectionate and friendly being more people oriented. They love the close attention and company of their family members. A frenchie will seek out extra physical contact and cuddles with their owners which helps them to form a loving bond with them.
2. Good with children – if properly socialized, frenchies make great company with children as they are patient and playful. Of course, supervision is always essential with a french bulldog around young children for the safety of both.
3. Positive Socialization – right from the get go of puppy stage, socialization is important (when they have had all of their immunisations allowing them to mingle with other dogs, of course). If they are socialized early they will grow up to be well- adjusted adult frenchies. It is important to maintain outings and gatherings with other dogs to maintain socialisation for your french bulldog to continue good social behavior. When introducing them to another dog or pet it is key to introduce them gradually & under supervision.
Training & Intelligence
French bulldogs are intelligent and generally respond well to positive reinforcement training. In fact, like most dogs, they thrive on being mentally challenged as well as a low level of physical training.
Training a french bulldog will require patience, consistency and positive reinforcement training techniques. Here we will briefly discuss our top 12 points to assist in the training on your Frenchie:
1. Start early – training from the puppy stage is one of the best ways to reinforce behavior and habits as they develop. The training sets the rules for the ‘norm’ in a household.
2. Positive reinforcement – using positive reinforcement methods, such as praise, treats and toys will reward (thus embed) desired behaviors in a french bulldog. Frenchies respond really well to positive reinforcement and it can make for a positive experience for the trainer/owner as well. It is not recommended to scold, punish or use negative reinforcement methods in any way.
3. Consistency – to teach your french bulldog good habits and commands it is going to take a regular, consistent approach for the first couple of years. Not only this, but consistency amongst family members who reinforce all of the same rules and rewards for good behavior will show your frenchie they are doing well and a part of the family. Inconsistent behavior with family members will disrupt patterns learnt and result in a confused dog. Discuss the importance of your household rules with your family so everyone is on the same page.
4. Short frequent sessions – frenchies have short attention spans and you are more likely to get better results when doing short, frequent training sessions with them. This will help them remain engaged and focussed thus getting positive results, plus the bonus bonding time.
Walking your Frenchie
You might be wondering a few things when it comes to walking your frenchie, so let’s answer a few questions we have been asked:
> Can you take a Frenchie for a walk?
By all means yes. Like most dogs they love to get out and check out their local suburb, nature areas and so forth. However, the length of the walk and the purpose of the walk are two different things! Frenchies love exercise but tend to do much better on a couple of shorter walks, rather than one long hour walk (for example). Due to their limited breathing they can struggle to maintain a fast pace and long trip. The temperature of the day can also impact how they cope on that walk. So in short – they respond better to short, low intensity walks, with rests in between and do a couple of them in a day.
Can French bulldogs do long walks?
Walking your frenchie with your intention of getting a long fast walk in is not what these beautiful dogs like. They do love to meander and explore on their own time and pace! Frenchies love a good run around but not for a long time. Due to their breathing limitations they are restricted.
If you want a dog that can go out for long walks then perhaps a frenchie is not for your lifestyle.
Adaptability to different lifestyles
It’s interesting to look back at the Frenchie history as this can help us humans understand why these sweet dogs are the way they are. They were originally bred for company and thus they are somewhat people orientated dogs. We have found that they prefer to be around people most of the time and dislike being left alone all day, and instead, only for short periods.
So before you race out to get a frenchie, review your lifestyle and how much you will be home or out. With the changes of people working from home more, it’s a little easier but still it’s worth looking at the hours you are at home vs away.
Playfulness & Energy Levels
What are french bulldogs really like?
Each frenchie is different but they are a rather playful breed of dog! They have a lot of energy, even though they are small. French bulldogs are also very cuddly, affectionate dogs. Not to mention entertaining! Yes, they are silly at the best of times and will have you laughing at their silly antics on a regular basis.
Afterall, they didn’t become the most popular dog breed in the US for no reason!
Potential Challenges of owning a Frenchie
Like any dog there are sone potential challenges to owning a French Bulldog. Here are a couple of challenges you should be aware of:
- health issues – Frenchies do have several health issues all prospective owners need to be aware of. Check out this article on 10 common health problems.
- Keeping their ears clean is important to avoid ear infections.
- Allergies are common and may require medications
- Heatstroke is common where they overheat. So reviewing your climate is essential in keeping your frenchie safe and healthy. They do not respond well with extreme hot and cold days.
- Frenchies are people oriented. As mentioned above, Frenchies love regular human company, so your lifestyle can impact how happy (or destructive!) they may be.
- They do shed hair. Check out our best dog brush article.
Fun Facts & Quirks of a Frenchie
Why do French owners love their Frenchies so much?
- Frenchies make great companion dogs (great for elderly or lonely people).
- They are prone to food allergies.
- Frenchies have been a popular dog amongst the stars for many years!
- Due to their small size, they suit small apartments or smaller home living.
- The most popular French Bulldog colour is brindle.
- Frenchies are naturally protective of their owners due to the bond they create with them.
- They are faithful and loving to their human owners!
