French Bulldogs, also known as Frenchies, Frog Dogs, or Clown Dogs, are some of the most popular dog breeds around the world.
Frenchies draw much of their popularity from the fact that they’re commonly owned by celebrities.
Some of the celebrities associated with French Bulldogs include the JP Morgans, the Rockefellers, Hugh Jackman, Lady Gaga, and Leonardo Dicaprio.
French Bulldogs are a favorite dog for many people, due to their friendly, charming, and affectionate qualities. The dogs are also known to be very playful and are relatively less aggressive.
If you’re trying to adopt French Bulldogs, you could be wondering, are Frenchies aggressive with other dogs? Are French Bulldogs Good With Other Dogs?
Simply put, French Bulldogs are calm and loving to their human parents and tolerant to most dog breeds, provided that you go slow on the introductions. For the most part, Frenchies interact well with everyone else, including other human members of the household as well as pets.
However, like most dogs, French Bulldogs can oftentimes be jealous and territorial. In such cases, dog fights can ensure, especially if the animals aren’t well-socialized.
Read on for more insights on the topic.
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More About French Bulldogs
The French Bulldog is a domestic dog breed that was developed in the 1800’s from crossing the Toy Bulldogs that were imported from England with the local ratters in France.
They’re often also referred to as Frog Dogs. That’s due to their wide, round faces and the frog-like posture they assume where they sit while spreading out their hind legs. Some people also refer to them as Clown Dogs due to their fun-loving nature.
Frenchies are so popular that in 2018, they emerged as the most popular dogs registered as pets in the U.S and UK, as well as the third most-popular dog breeds in Australia. They were also ranked the fourth-most popular dogs registered by the American Kennel Club.
The French Bulldogs weigh approximately 28 pounds. In terms of appearance, the dogs are distinguished by their square and large heads with ears that look like those of bats.
Their eyes tend to be dark, with some of them sporting blue eyes. Frenchies have short-haired coats that contain fine and silky hairs.
Like most dogs, French Bulldogs vary in color. However, most of them sport variations of fawn, brindle, or cream.
Other Frenchies have white colors that come complete with brindle patches, and these dogs are commonly referred to as pieds. Brindle happens to be the most common color among French Bulldogs, followed by fawn, cream and finally, pieds.
French Bulldogs were bred as companion dogs, a role that they aptly fit. The top attributes that make Frenchies excellent for companionship include the fact that they rarely bark, are affectionate to their owners, and tolerate other dogs.
Now that you’re acquainted with Frenchies, your next question is probably, do French Bulldogs need another dog? The following sections shall expound on that further.
[thrive_leads id=’7777′]Can French Bulldogs Exhibit Aggressive Behavior Towards Other Dogs?
The best way to answer this question is to examine the common attributes of French Bulldogs.
The following are some of these qualities;
1. Barking and Whining
Unlike most toy dogs like Yorkies, Frenchies don’t bark a lot. So, if you discover that your French Bulldog is barking excessively, there could be an underlying cause.
The following are some of the possible reasons why your French Bulldog might be barking incessantly;
– Pain;
– Alarm;
– Anxiety or emotional distress;
– Attention-seeking behavior; and
– Territoriality.
2. Begging
Frenchies don’t beg as much as most other dogs do. And even in many of the instances where French Bulldogs appear to beg a lot, their owners are usually to blame.
Unknown to you, you may have been inadvertently reinforcing the behavior, such as giving the dog whatever it’s begging for each time.
Hitting or yelling at your dog are also other ways of reinforcing the habit of begging.
The best way to redirect the behavior is to ignore the dog, or to train it to stop begging.
[thrive_text_block color=”note” headline=””]ALSO READ: How Much Do French Bulldogs Cost And Why Are They So Expensive? [/thrive_text_block]3. Center of Attention
Frenchies are attention-loving dogs. So, if you brought a new dog home, you can expect your resident French Bulldog to display some jealously or territoriality.
Not that it wants to attack the newcomer; the dog is simply letting you know who all the attention should be directed to.
4. Pack Animals
Are French Bulldogs better in pairs?
French Bulldogs are pack animals. Therefore, they’ll certainly do well in pairs. In fact, Frenchies are often happier living in large families with many kids and dogs.
They are fine living with other pets too. However, these dogs feel more at home in the company of other Frenchies as opposed to dogs from other breeds.
5. Clinginess
Since they were bred as companion dogs, Frenchies are often a bit clingy and overprotective of their owners. French Bulldogs are known to cling so much to their owners that if left alone, they could suffer separation anxiety.
Can French Bulldogs be left alone?
Not a great idea. As we’ve already mentioned, leaving your French Bulldog alone could cause the dog to suffer separation anxiety. Separation anxiety usually sets in when you’re always gone but do not make provisions for your dog’s physical and mental stimulation.
Experts advise supplying the dog with enough toys to keep it stimulated in your absence. You might also consider hiring a professional dog trainer.
And since Frenchies are pack animals, keeping more than one dog might help to prevent separation anxiety. Otherwise, your French Bulldog will be so attached to you that it will not cope in your absence.
Whenever you’re gone, the dog will feel depressed and take to destructive habits, such as excessive chewing, growling, and barking.
Some of the symptoms of separation anxiety include;
– Irritable behavior;
– Abnormal and incessant chewing, barking, growling, or vocalizations;
– Pacing;
– Escaping;
– Bowel and bladder incontinence; and
– Eating its poop.
So, you may have always wondered to yourself, do French Bulldogs get attached to one person? Yes, Frenchies generally get attached to their owners and can develop separation anxiety if they lack enough stimulation.
[thrive_text_block color=”note” headline=””]Is your dog driving you crazy? Click Here to solve all dog problems the kind and gentle way. [/thrive_text_block]6. Noisiness
French Bulldogs are considerably noisy, especially when they’re excited during playtime. Apart from playtime vocalizations, other noises you can expect from your French Bulldog include farting, snoring, and talking.
7. Chewing
Almost all dogs chew, especially when they’re still young. It’s a way of having fun and relieving stress.
As for puppies, chewing is a way to relieve the pain that’s associated with teething. So, you can expect some chewing from your French Bulldog. However, there are certain instances when the behavior can be a bit alarming.
Excess chewing can result from one or more of the following causes;
– Hunger;
– Stress and frustration;
– Insufficient stimulation;
– Fabric sucking; and
– Certain underlying conditions, such as separation anxiety.
8. Stubbornness
Though they are tender, loving, and obedient to their owners, Frenchies can exhibit stubbornness once in a while.
The stubbornness can range from as subtle as disregarding your commands to as severe as going on all-out confrontations with other dogs.
Other ways stubbornness among French Bulldogs manifests include pulling on the leash and playing too rough.
The reasons for stubbornness vary, but they mostly come down to the following;
– Inadequate training;
– Inadequate stimulation;
– Overexcitement; and
– Inconsistency with your commands.
In most of the cases when French Bulldogs exhibit aggression, the anger will be directed at other dogs as opposed to their owners.
The most common causes of aggression among Frenchies include;
– Disputes over territories;
– Disputes over toys;
– Disputes over food;
– Rivalry for females on heat; and
– Rough play that drags on for too long.
Steps to Make Your French Bulldog Get Along With Other Dogs
The most effective way to help your French Bulldog to get along with other dogs comes down to introductions. So, you should basically understand how to introduce your Frenchie to other dogs.
The following are some of the tips on how to go about introducing the dogs to one another;
1. Choose a Neutral Ground
All dogs are territorial by nature, and Frenchies are no exception. So, it’s a bad idea to introduce two dogs to one another, while doing so in the territory of one of the dogs. It’s worse if both dogs lay claim to the patch.
Therefore, your best bet is to consider doing the introductions on a neutral ground. This is usually outdoors, far from the house.
On the first day, keep all dogs on leash and observe for signs of anxiety, threat, or aggression. However calmly or aggressively the dogs react to one another, introduce them again on the second day, still keeping both dogs on leash.
This time, try to bring the dogs close to one another and check their reactions. They should be able to pick up each other’s smells.
If no confrontation ensues, withdraw the dogs from one another and give each one of them a treat.
2. Take the Leash Off
If the dogs don’t feel threatened with each other any longer, try introducing them with the leash off. When introducing the dogs with the leash off, keep the introductions very brief for the first time.
You can also get the resident dog to lie or sit down first, then bring the newcomer slowly to it.
The best way to do this is to have the new dog walking behind you as you cautiously approach the resident dog. Have all the dogs sit down, then sit between them. Ensure the dogs are able to see each other.
If they both maintain calm, rub them on the head and offer them a treat.
3. Be Consistent
The secret to introducing your French Bulldog with other dogs is to maintain consistency. Even if your Frenchie is aggressive on the first day, don’t let that dampen your spirits.
Remember what we mentioned about Frenchies and their love for attention?
[thrive_text_block color=”red” headline=””]In most cases, your French Bulldog may express aggression to the newcomer, not because it’s really averse to the idea of a new member of the family. Instead, your Frenchie might only be trying to remind you that it still deserves all the attention. [/thrive_text_block]
An invaluable tip to implement while introducing your French Bulldog with another dog is to offer both dogs treats each time they respond appropriately.
And even when they don’t, don’t yell or hit your dog. Be patient and know that with time, things will work out.
Now, one of the most frequently asked questions is – what dogs are good with French Bulldogs?
This is a very important question as you want to ensure the dogs will get along for the rest of their lives living together. Generally, Frenchies will do fine with equally less aggressive breeds, such as huskies.
So, Are French Bulldogs Good With Other Dogs?
Yes, they are. It all comes down to proper socialization and careful introduction of the two dogs.
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