Can French Bulldogs Be Left Alone: Useful Tips To Note
I was asked can French Bulldogs be left alone and I’ve also heard conflicting opinions about whether French bulldogs can be left alone.
I have more than 20 close friends who own a Frenchie so I set out to ask them and decided to draw up this article to put an end to the question of can French Bulldogs be left alone.
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Can French Bulldogs Be Left Alone?
Yes, Frenchies can be left alone but should not be left alone for more than five hours per day, because the French Bulldogs are a social breed of dogs that were selectively bred to strive for human companionship, they are prone to separation anxiety and cannot be left alone to avoid destructive behaviors and aggression.
If you must leave your Frenchie alone, be sure to get a second pet or crate train your French Bulldog.
I found a few reputable sources that say French bulldogs can be left alone for up to three hours.
I also found a few sources that say it’s best to never leave a Frenchie alone.
French bulldogs are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. But there’s a lot of misconceptions about them.
One of the most common misconceptions about this breed is that they can be left alone. The French bulldog is a very high-energy dog, and they need a lot of attention.
Imagine coming home from a long day at work and you find your French bulldog has been left alone for 12 hours. Left alone with no food, no water, and no contact with people.
Much like a child, a French bulldog needs interactions with people to thrive. They are social animals and can’t be left alone for long periods of time.
As a pet parent, it’s your responsibility to take care of your pet – and this means ensuring they’re fed, watered, and have lots of social time with other animals and people.
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What are the risks of leaving your French bulldog alone?
There are lots of risks involved in living a French Bulldog alone at home.
I will just mention the 9 most important and common ones, which are as follows:
- Chronic separation anxiety
- Chronic chewing behavior
- Bad biting behavior
- Chronic destructive behaviors
- Stubbornness
- Housebreaking difficulties
- Frequent barking and biting
- Chronic protectiveness and possessiveness
- House soiling
Why can’t French Bulldogs be left alone?
Here are some common reasons why French Bulldogs can’t be left alone for too long:
- If you leave French bulldogs alone they can chew furniture.
- They can chew on electric cables and get electrocuted or injured.
- They will develop unnecessary aggressive behaviors over time.
- French Bulldogs are prone to separation anxiety.
- They can develop unnecessary barking behaviors.
- French Bulldogs will get bored and chew on his toys.
- They can get hungry and feed on their poop.
- French Bulldogs do better with their owners than when left alone.
- They can become too territorial.
- They can develop unnecessary behaviors like biting and nipping or whining.
- French Bulldogs are prone to heat exhaustion and can get overheated while sitting and waiting for you in the sunny window.
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How Long Can A French Bulldog Be Left Alone?
French Bulldog puppies should not be left alone for more than 3 to 4 hours per go, while French Bulldog adults should not be left alone for more than 6 to 7 hours per go, provided they don’t sleep a lot.
But if you have a French Bulldog that loves to sleep a lot, all you need do is to burn down his energy so that he can sleep comfortably while you are away.
Taking him for a short walk or playing a fetch game is perfectly fine.
How to leave your French bulldog alone for a short period of time
Here are some tips on how to leave a French Bulldog alone at home for a short period of time which are as follows:
This depends on what you see as a short period of time, for these tips it works better for 1 to 4 hours at most.
- Call your best friend to visit and stay with your French Bulldog while you are away for less than 4 hours.
- Get interesting TV shows or dog cartoon character movies and play for your French Bulldog while you are away.
- Invite any of your family members to come over for less than 4 hours.
- Take your Frenchie to your neighbor or friend to stay with him or her while you are away for less than 4 hours, then pick up your French Bulldog on your way back.
- Register for day dog care
- Make your Veterinary your friend pull over and leave your French with him while you are away for less than 4 hours.
- Get a second pet and lots of interactive toys with an automatic treat dispenser or hide treats around for them to explore.
How to Stop Your French Bulldog From Getting Lonely
Here are some tips on how to stop your French Bulldog from getting lonely;
- Get an automatic treat dispenser and choose how often treats pop out for your French Bulldog.
- Getting a second pet is always the best way out.
- Spend more time with your French Bulldog teaching him how to sit and watch dog movies.
- Provide lots of interactive electronic toys: like electronic fish.
- Train your Frenchie to climb and see the outside world from a clean and harmless glass window.
- Keep your French Bulldog occupied.
- Train your dog to recognise when you’re leaving.
- Tire your Frenchie out before you leave, so that he will sleep once you’re gone.
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How to Prevent Separation Anxiety in French Bulldogs
In my years of experience with dogs, cats, and generally with pets the best way to solve separation anxiety is by doing any of the following:
- Get a second French Bulldog.
- Start leaving your French Bulldog alone in his crate.
- Get a cat to keep your French Bulldog companion.
- Develop a schedule for your French Bulldog and make sure you stick to it.
- Limit the attention your Frenchie gets shortly before leaving.
- Crate train your French Bulldog from the puppy stages.
- Crate your Frenchie for short periods while you are present.
- Provide physical exercise and mental enrichment always.
- Organize treasure hunts for your French Bulldog while he’s alone.
- Play hide and seek with your French Bulldog as often as you can.
How To Care French bulldog puppy while at work
Here are some tips that will help you and your French Bulldog puppy or adult while you are at work:
- Check with your work authorities if they allow pets, and if they do get a good carrier for your Frenchie and take him to work.
- Register your Frenchie for puppy classes as soon as possible.
- Hire a dog sitter.
- Talk to a friend or family member to host your Frenchie puppy
- Get lots of toys and treat dispensers.
- Teach your Frenchie to be alone even if you are home.
- Make sure to give your Frenchie plenty of exercise before you leave.
- Check on your Frenchie from time to time.
- Get a second pet, most probably another Frenchie puppy.
- Give your Frenchie a treat reward before you go and also when you return. Make sure you do not reward bad behavior.
How to train French Bulldog to be alone
Here are some tips on how to train your French Bulldog to stay alone:
Start training early
One of the basic things to do is to start training your Frenchie to be alone as fast as possible so that when he’s grown he will be used to being alone.
Get a second pet
This is by far the most important thing you should do to get your French Bulldog a better life.
French Bulldogs are very affectionate and social, and living them alone can only cause more trouble.
So I recommend you get two French Bulldogs or a cat if you are always away from home, or you can get another breed of dog.
Crate Training
Crate training is very important in a French Bulldog life if you know you will not always be at home for your French Bulldog.
Crate training helps shape your Frenchie with boundaries and teaches your Frenchie when he should be alone.
If your Frenchie is not crate trained he will have problems adapting to being alone down the road.
Provide lots of interactive toys
Interactive electronic toys can help keep your French Bulldog busy while you are away, but you need to train him to stay with toys and not destroy them.
Teach Your French Bulldog to Sit and watch TV
There are so many dog movies out there that can help keep your French Bulldog busy on a daily basis.
So buy lots of it and play for your Frenchie while you are away. Be sure to feed your Frenchie before going out.
Hide treats around the house
There are lots of automatic treat dispensers that can keep your French Bulldog busy while waiting for treats to fall out.
You can also set it to dispense for a longer period of time, be sure to train your French Bulldog to get used to it.
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What are the signs of a neglected French bulldog?
Here are some signs a neglected French bulldog will show from time to time until you fix it:
- Pawing to get attention
- Digging in the trash
- Chewing shoes, clothes or carpets
- Excessive drooling and panting
- Becoming anxious when you are about to leave.
- Restless behavior
- Biting unnecessarily
- Accidents in the house – urinating and defecating.
- Excessive howling and barking when you are gone.
- Barking more than usual
- Staying alone in his or her room
- Destroyin toys.
The Importance of Socializing Your French Bulldog
Here are some important facts about the socialization of your French Bulldog:
- Socialization helps with Veterinary services.
- Early socialization helps to grooming very easy.
- Socialization provides less fear & anxiety.
- Socialization provides more playtime & exercise.
- It makes traveling with your French Bulldog easier.
- Socialization helps to stop unnecessary dog aggression.
- Socialization provides better relations with neighbors.
- Building confidence is a major reason for French Bulldogs socialization.
- It improves poor communication.
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Can French Bulldogs be aggressive?
Yes, French Bulldogs can be aggressive if they are not properly socialized with other dogs, pets, humans or if they have some health challenges that are not properly treated. French Bulldogs are also prone to separation anxiety, which leads to aggression if they are left alone for too long.
Can French Bulldogs sleep alone?
Yes, French Bulldogs can sleep alone when they are properly socialized and trained, in a comfortable environment that does not pose any threat or harm to their health status. They should get exercised before going to bed as it will help them relax while they sleep.
Can you leave a French bulldog alone all day?
No, you cannot leave French Bulldog alone all day because French Bulldogs were selectively bred to be human companions and can be prone to separation anxiety or aggression when allowed to stay alone for a long time. Therefore, they should not be left alone for more than 5 – 6 hours per day.
Do French bulldogs tolerate being alone?
No, French Bulldogs do not tolerate being alone as they do better with human care and companionship, they are generally prone to separation anxiety and can develop destructive behaviors if they are left alone for too long. It’s better to get a second pet.
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How long can French Bulldogs walk
Because French Bulldogs are prone to heat fatigue, they should not walk for more than 10 – 15 minutes at a time.
On average, a French Bulldog should never walk more than 2.5 miles in a single day, and they should never walk while the temperature is over 20° C to avoid heat exhaustion.
It is much better and safer not to walk a French Bulldog at all than to walk a French Bulldog under a high temperature which will probably cause some health challenges.
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