French Bulldog Training: Calm, Playful and Genuinely Trainable

French Bulldog training: what to know

The French Bulldog, or Bouledogue Francais in their native France, descends from 1800s crossbreeding between the British Bulldog and the local Ratters of Paris. They're hugely popular in the UK, in 2015 they ranked as the third most commonly registered breed, thanks to their compact, muscular build and famously affectionate, clownish temperament.

What makes this breed distinctive

Frenchies are notably quiet for a dog, they rarely bark even around other dogs, saving most of their noise for visitors, and they're known for genuinely funny facial expressions and antics throughout their 8-10 year lifespan. They don't need much exercise, a couple of short walks a day is usually plenty, which suits owners who want a playful companion without a large breed's exercise demands. Due to their body shape, most are bred by artificial insemination and caesarean delivery, which makes breeding more complex and costly, and contributes to a predisposition toward Brachycephaly Syndrome (airway obstruction causing snorting, noisy breathing, or in severe cases airway collapse) alongside hip dysplasia, allergies, hemivertebrae and patellar luxation, all worth discussing with your vet and watching for.

Training considerations

Despite their small size, French Bulldogs are intelligent and adaptable to training, especially when it's made playful; this breed loves games. Their size rules out intense agility-style sports, but they'll happily learn the basics and plenty of tricks. They form strong attachments to their owners and don't like being left alone for long stretches, and while generally loving with children and other dogs, they can become territorial or aggressive without solid early socialisation. Exposure to different sights, sounds, people and other dogs from a young age matters here.

Real Royvon case studies

Louie, a French Bulldog, came to us struggling to control his excitement, which was causing problems for his owners. Our trainer Anna worked with him to build focus as the foundation for reliable obedience, and he made significant progress in a short time. Baby, a French Bulldog puppy, joined us for in-home training focused on lead walking and toilet training. Her trainer, Rhona also built up her basic obedience, socialisation and confidence outside, and she picked up the skills she needed quickly. 

So be positive if you are having a tough time training your French bulldog, just start small and percervere, or use the experts, like us, to help you if you need a bit more insight and experience.