Is a French Bulldog for me?
The French Bulldog is a small, compact and muscular breed of dog, with a very distinctive “squashed in” face and large, batlike ears. Their short legs have a lot of power, and they can run amazingly fast over short distances, while being worse than a greased piglet to try and catch when they’re in zoomies mode and don’t want to be caught! They seem to have two modes: running around like a crazed lunatic on acid, or fast asleep and snoring like a drunken sailor. There’s often very little inbetween!
Frenchies are often referred to as the comedian of the dog world, although rather than being intentionally funny, it’s usually their unintended comical antics that make them so endearing. They can be the most daggy, goofy and bizarre dogs at times, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
While it’s undeniable the French Bulldog is a funny, mischievous, and comical dog, great with children and adults alike, owning a French Bulldog is not for everyone. Below are some things to consider.
Grooming
Being a short, single coated dog, the French Bulldog doesn’t require much in the way of grooming. A good grooming glove is potentially all you will ever need. Frenchies tend to be very low maintenance when it comes to grooming. Some people complain about the volume of hair lost from Frenchies, but believe me, it’s nothing when compared with dogs such as a Labrador or Golden Retriever! A going over with the grooming glove every few days is a great way to keep them clean, but it’s also a great bonding time and a massage for your Frenchie at the same time.
It seems that every few weeks there’s someone either on the news or in social media, in tears because their beloved French Bulldog has been stolen from their home. On the surface, it seems that Frenchies are a hot commodity for thefts. But when you look into it further, these are usually dogs who have been left outside while the owners are out of the house, and someone has thought they can either get a free dog for themselves or want to make some quick cash. When owning a Frenchie, you need to think about how you can keep them safe from theft. It’s a terrible thing, but that seems to be the world we live in. It is best to provide a safe inside space for your Frenchie, for any times you are away from home. Keep a copy of their microchip number safe and with you in case you need it for identity. Consider installing cameras in and around your home or attaching a GPS tracker to your dog’s collar. You could also invest in a puppy-sitter so your dog is never left alone, or develop a circle of family and friends who can look after your Frenchie on those days when you need to be out of the house. There are many options, but safety does need to be a consideration.
Security
If you own a border collie and they achieve the title of obedience champion, they become one of so many thousands of border collies to achieve that status. If your French Bulldog reached the status of obedience champion, they would join the ranks of barely a handful of dogs in the world to achieve that goal. Obedient Frenchies are quite rare, and there’s good reason for that: the French Bulldog is STUBBORN!! They tend to do what they want to, when they want to do it. Occasionally they’ll do what you want, but that’s usually (again) when they want to do it. Getting a French Bulldog to obey you every time is near on impossible. Not even bribing with treats will always work, but it’s a good option if you happen to have their favourite food on hand. When out in the community, Frenchies are best kept on leash. You’d be advised to find a fully enclosed dog exercise area before letting them off leash, especially when they are younger, and even then it can be a merry game of chase to get them back in the car (much to the amusement of anyone sharing the park with you, I’m sure).
Obedience… or lack thereof
The French Bulldog has never rated very high on the standard doggy intelligence scale, about 104th on the “most intelligent dog breed” list, which is a far cry from the Border Collie, Kelpie or Labrador who all rate in the top 5. But, in all honesty, the intelligence tests are rigged. They are based on obedience and the ability to follow complicated instructions. If you made them based on problem solving when the prize is something a Bulldog wants, or something they’re not supposed to have … then Frenchies would be top of the class. Frenchies are resourceful and have street smarts. They know how to get what they want and can go to extraordinary lengths to get it. It’s just they won’t always do what you want them to do, when you want them to do it. We have owned Frenchies for more than ten years now, and we are still being constantly amazed by their resourcefulness, intelligence and just downright sneakiness. So, if you’re wanting a totally obedient dog, then maybe the French Bulldog isn’t for you. But if you’re looking for a cheeky little bugger who gets up to all sorts of hilarious mischief and into places you would never have thought possible, who will be your devoted companion, friend, confidante, and partner in life, then the French Bulldog is the perfect candidate.
Intelligence
French Bulldogs are absolutely fantastic with children. Being a smaller dog breed, with a soft and gentle bark, they’re less intimidating to nervous children. They are also not a bitey sort of dog. Even as puppies, Frenchies tend to push their faces into you rather than nibble, which again can be very reassuring for children. Frenchies can get underfoot a little though, especially with their independent and willful nature, so care does need to be taken there. They also have the typical “little dog” claws, which can be sharp and scratchy, which can be an issue for the young and old alike. Regular cutting of their claws is a good idea. Overall, though, with the reduced exercise needs of the French Bulldog, plus their independent nature and easy grooming needs, it does make them a wonderful dog for both busy families with children, and for the elderly who are ready to slow down with a dog who has fewer exercise needs.
The young and the old
Brachycephalic Obstructive Airways Syndrome.
This is the cause of the vast majority of breathing issues suffered by French Bulldogs. There are multiple elements to it, all related to the flattening of the faces of brachycephalic dog breeds. Stenotic nares (narrowed nostrils). Elongated soft palate. Narrowed trachea. Inverted air saccules. Enlarged tonsils. A ridiculously large percentage of French Bulldogs suffer from BOAS. Breeding for longer muzzles and eliminating associated genes such as the DVL2 and IVDD genes, will greatly improve the health of French Bulldogs in years to come. These improvements will take time and will require the general public to accept dogs with longer faces, but it can be done. In the meantime, you need to consider the possibility that your squishy faced French Bulldog may require surgery to correct BOAS related health problems. In extreme cases, BOAS can kill. Asthma, respiratory distress, tracheal collapse, and heart attacks can happen if dogs have a face that is simply too smashed in. While BOAS is a serious issue for French Bulldogs, you may want to consider buying a dog who does have a longer face, or a longer tail, which eliminates many of these issues.
BOAS
Owning a French Bulldog can be expensive. You may buy a dog that is perfect in every way, is never sick a day in it’s life, and dies at the ripe old age of 18… but you can’t guarantee that. French Bulldogs do have certain inherent defects in the fact they are a brachycephalic dog breed, and these issues may not appear until they are older. This can mean corrective surgery for soft palate issues at some point in their life. Patella or cruciate ligament issues are inherent in most small dog breeds (regardless of type), and French Bulldogs do have a high incidence of especially patella luxation. Allergies for which the French Bulldog can be prone. And so on. You need to be prepared to pay some “maintenance” vet bills during the life of your French Bulldog, many of which may not be covered by pet insurance.
Cost
Frenchies don’t handle the heat or the cold. They are certainly far happier in colder weather than they are in the heat, but their short, single coat means they feel the cold too. You need to be prepared to rug your Frenchie up in a jacket in the winter, and keep them cool under the aircon in the summer. A French Bulldog cannot simply be left outside while you’re at work, summer or winter. They can’t handle the heat and will become heat stressed, which can (in extremes) cause a heart attack and kill them. But they do love being indoors, and don’t require a lot of space to keep them happy, so spending the hot days under the aircon is right up their alley.
Temperature
French Bulldogs are good at snoring. This isn’t just your average, “my dog snores” videos with a little noise rattling in their throat. We’re talking about drunken-sailor-passed-out-on-the-deck level of snoring! So, if you’re wanting your dog to sleep on the bed with you, be prepared to invest in some earplugs (unless you’re lucky enough to be deaf!!). It is best for French Bulldogs to sleep in their own beds, though, or in another room if snoring bothers you. Not all of them snore, but you need to be forewarned if a snoring dog will bother you.
Snoring
Okay, it’s not the most pleasant of topics, but French Bulldogs are known to be wind machines. And it smells… bad… like strip paint off the walls kind of bad. French Bulldogs tend to have a short bowel, which is easily triggered by changes to food or even certain treats. It can be a juggling act to find just the right food for your particular dog that will help to reduce their flatulence. Not every dog responds to the same food in the same way, but there’s always a solution. You just have to be patient enough to find it. Adding a fibre supplement to their diet can help, and it’s recommended to stick to a food once you’ve found a good one. Don’t change it around every few days, as that’s a recipe for stink.
Farting…
Being a miniature Bulldog, Frenchies don’t require a lot of exercise. They tend to run in short bursts, and prefer shorter walks to meander and investigate rather than a regimented march. They’re not the sort of dog you can take on a long hike, nor on a five kilometre run every day. Bulldogs have bursts of energy, followed by rest periods, and then off they go again. Depending on the health and personality of your particular Frenchie, they can be more or less prone to exercise. Some love to run like the wind, while others covet a couch and soft cushions. If you’re looking for a running companion, or a dog to go on all-day adventures, then you need to think again. Frenchies can be taught to ride a skateboard with you, or to sit in a bike trailer, so they can participate in those longer adventures with the family, but they can’t be expected to cover the distance energetic humans are capable of. Not under their own steam. Conversely, the French Bulldog is perfect for those who want to exercise less, or are only capable of a short walk. Getting out and exploring the world is an important part of their day, but a gentle fifteen or twenty minute walk twice a day is enough to satisfy their needs. Once again, they’re a pretty easy-care sort of dog when it comes to exercise.
Exercise
The French Bulldog was originally bred for apartment living, in working families where they would regularly be left alone for hours at a time. They are a small breed that doesn’t require lots of exercise, and they thrive in small spaces. They don’t require large properties, lots of room to run, or a huge garden. A courtyard is plenty of room for them to play in, or even a balcony if that’s all you’ve got. The house is often their playground and going out for a gentle walk once or twice a day will be all they need. Frenchies certainly can live in large homes on vast properties, but it’s not something they require. French Bulldogs do have a great love of people, and view snuggling under the covers on those cold winter nights as their right, rather than a privilege! But, unlike some breeds, they don’t need people all the time. Once out of the puppy stages and settled into a routine, Frenchies are quite happy to spend a day at home without people around. Even if you have a dog-cam set up to watch them, you’ll usually find your Frenchie snoozing and snoring for most of the day. They will need a place to toilet, as they won’t last the day without needing to go, but they won’t fall to pieces if you happen to leave them alone, even if it is five days a week.
Space and time
French Bulldogs are like so many of the bulldog breeds and are on the top end of the list when it comes to having allergies. A lot of these are environmental allergies and can be difficult to pin down. Food allergies are far less common in French Bulldogs. But a sensitivity to chlorine and other chemicals in city-living water supplies is very common. Keeping your French Bulldog’s water supply chlorine-free, for both drinking and bathing, can be all they need to combat allergies. Many of those Frenchies who do suffer from allergies need to take medications to control symptoms, so you need to keep that in mind when deciding to purchase a French Bulldog; there may be some ongoing costs related to allergy control. On the flip side of that coin, Frenchies tend to not trigger allergies for the people in their lives. Being a short haired, single coated dog breed, they are a relatively low allergy type of dog and produce far less dander than double or triple coated dog breeds. They’re not hypo-allergenic like the poodle or maltese, but are on the “low-allergy causing” end of the scale for the dogs still in the “shedding” category. So, for those humans who suffer from allergies themselves, the Frenchie may be a great option for a doggy companion.