French Bulldog
Temperament, Lifespan, Grooming, Training, Personality, Behaviour and Health Advice

Behaviour & Personality

French Bulldogs are quirky and playful.

Suitable for families with or without children, they can also get along with cats and other pets if properly introduced. French Bulldogs rarely bark and, while they need some exercise, they don’t require much, making them popular among city dwellers.

You should be prepared for some hands-on cleaning and grooming rituals, and your schedule should allow for lots of time spent at home to prevent separation anxiety, which French Bulldogs can be prone to.

Choosing a French Bulldog

When choosing a French Bulldog, it’s important to look out for any existing health issues. You can pick up on these by examining their movement, eyes and breathing.

• There should be no signs of limping in a puppy. If you do see gait issues in a dog’s leg movement, listen for a clicking noise from their hips, which indicates that they might develop hip problems later in life.
• Squinted eyes, watery eyes or eyes that look glazed over are signs of poor health.
• This breed’s tendency towards brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) means that breathing issues can develop later in life, so noticeably laboured breathing isn’t a good sign. A resting puppy should be able to comfortably breathe through their nose.
• When choosing an adult French Bulldog, look out for a loud snore when they’re sleeping, as this is a clinical sign of BOAS.
• If you hear a low-pitched respiratory noise (which can sound like gasping) when a French Bulldog is over-excited, this could also point to breathing problems.

Exercise & Training

French Bulldogs often suffer from breathing problems due to their short muzzles and, as such, you should let them take the lead on the level of exercise while out and about. They should be well trained before you let them off the lead, our guide on recall training and other puppy training tips can help to ensure they’re kept safe. Let them saunter round the garden, take them on a short walk and provide bursts of play throughout the day – most will happily chase a ball and try to keep up with kids’ games – but it’s best to take a break if your dog is panting or out of breath. Their short muzzles make it difficult for them to cool themselves by panting, so keep them indoors on very hot days to prevent overheating.

While naturally fun-loving and easy-going, this breed can also be a little wilful, which makes training a French Bulldog puppy very important. Food can be a handy motivator during the early phases but try not to make treats the norm to prevent obesity.