Can French Bulldogs be left alone? This is a question all pet owners have. However French Bulldogs are a little different. These friendly little pups really do not like being away from their owners and that is why we love them so much! French Bulldogs are a small dog breed that are loveable, playful, and loyal. The being loyal part is why they do not enjoy being left alone.
This has become a problem for me since I started going back to work. Augie was very happy when the stay at home order was in place and I was working from home. Now that I have gone back to the office I am trying to get Augie used to some at home time.
How Do French Bulldogs Do When Left Alone?
I once heard someone say that Frenchies are velcro dogs. It is funny I never really thought about it until I heard it used and then I thought, Yeah ok I think that fits! Augie tends to follow me around the house, everywhere I go, so does he.
Frenchies are ok to be left home for short periods of time but typically if they are spending more than a few hours at home alone they can develop separation anxiety. If your dog is experiencing any of the following symptoms then your French Bulldog may be developing separation anxiety.
- Destruction of furniture, socks, and anything that gets in their path 🙂
- Continuous whining or barking
- Scratching at doors and window
- Restlessness and pacing intensely
How Long Can A French Bulldog Be Left Alone?
Of course there is no exact answer to this and each dog is different but as long as you spend some time allowing the stay at home routine to be made will give you more stretches of time that your pup can be left alone.
Age needs to be considered as a factor too. Clearly a French Bulldog puppy will not be able to hold it longer than 4 hours. There is that old saying that a dog will not soil where he eats and sleeps will only last as long as your puppy can hold it. Adult dogs can last 6 to 7 hours without needing to go outside but that doesn’t mean they want to be left home this long. I would say the most you will ever want to leave your Frenchie is 7 hours. You should also take into account if your dog does have separation anxiety. If your French Bulldog is suffering from separation anxiety you will not want to leave your pup home for more than a few hours without returning. If this is not possible for you then you may want to look into a dog sitter coming in to check on your four legged child, or doggie daycare, or if it is severe enough it may be worth having a conversation with your vet, as some medication may help calm your pup.
Generally speaking you can train your Frenchie to be happy to spend some alone time at home without you. There are things that you can do to make this easier.
How To Help Your Frenchie Be Comfortable When Home Alone
We all know what to do when we bring home a puppy and lots of those same techniques can be used for any age dog. First things first make sure that your dog knows that this is their home. This is usually done by making sure they are comfortable. This usually starts with their beds and crates.
For our pooch we need to make sure the bed we choose chew proof. When Augie gets nervous he needs he chews or more like gnaws on things and his bed seems to be a good place to start. It can be soothing for dogs to gnaw on things but that can become expensive. We tried to purchase a bed that doesn’t have any seams showing, which helps to get longer use out of the bed. You also may want to take a look at the style of the bed and try to get one that makes them feel secure. One that kinda cocons them inside the bed. Since French Bulldogs are so small they like the secure feeling they get from having the bed fit right around them. You can check out the Best Friends Deep Dish Cuddler bed on Amazon.
Lots of dogs enjoy their crates and their crates make them feel safe. This is not something we need to use a lot as Augi has come to be comfortable at home most of the time. Like with any type of crate training it is best to leave the crate out and open when you are home. You will also want to have the crate be in the room that is most used by the family. Once your frenchie has become comfortable with their crate you can feel free to move it to where you want to keep it in the house. Not all dogs or dog owners enjoy crates or crating their pup so this may not be for you but if you have an anxious Frechie you may want to look into this option as it can be a good safe option for you and your Bulldog.
Toys can also give a calming effect for dogs when left home alone. Some dogs will find that they really enjoy stuffed toys either as their special companies or as something to chew and rip apart. For us we have a variety of toys for Augie to choose from. Augies toy box is always near his bed and allows for him to take any toy that he feels like playing with. Sometimes when I get back home from being out he has taken everything out and they are all over the house.
Along with toys we always fill up a treat toy. Ones that takes some effort to get the treat out of. This allows for lots of entertainment for your pup and they don’t even know how much time has gone by. Having a treat toy can also give them something to chew on keeping their anxiety low as you leave and can sometimes tire them out. There are lots of great treat toys that can be purchased. I found these puzzle toys that hold treats for dogs and they are great.
Train Your French Bulldog To Be Left Alone
Most of us get our four legged friends as puppies and we cuddle them and teach them simple tricks. Once they master those ticks we move onto some more difficult ones but we never think to train our French Bulldogs to be left home alone. Here are some ways that you can help your puppy to be ready to stay home alone.
- Teach them to be alone even if you are home. Put you pup or yourself into a different room for a period of time. You can also use the crate at this time and get your pup to use their crate. Make sure to put a toy or treat with them so that they consider this time pleasant.
- Try not to make a big deal out of hellos and goodbyes. If you keep them as low key as you can then your Frenchie will not think that it is a big deal when you come and go.
- Make sure to give your dog plenty of exercise before you leave. A tired dog is more likely to sleep while you are gone. This means they will be less destructive if they are sleeping.
- Give your dog a treat reward before you go and also when you return. This will help your French Bulldog associate you leaving with a good thing.
- Make sure you do not reward bad behavior. No matter how guilty you feel about leaving make sure that if your pup is naughty while you are gone do not reward or feel bad. Make sure that your dog knows that his behavior was not ok.
So Can A French Bulldog Be Left Alone?
Yes if properly trained your French Bulldog can be left alone for periods of time. Frenchies do tend to have more separation anxiety then most dogs but with some patience and training your dogs time away from you will become more bearable.
This is going to cause lots of dogs to have separation anxiety and some extra training with short times being left home alone or some alone time within the house to keep those training fresh in your Frenchies mind. As amazing lovable, intelligent, and affectionate companion French Bulldogs could be you should think about whether or not a French Bulldog is a good fit for you and your family.
Want more info about French Bulldogs – check this out
