With their big bulgy eyes, bat ears, and short legs, French bulldogs are one of the cutest indoor breeds of dogs.
And, no doubt about it, Frenchies have a reputation for being quirky and unique.
I have already written a post looking at the question, why do French Bulldogs sit funny? And in this post, I will be exploring whether or not French Bulldogs are lazy.
Is it true that these playful, loving dogs that you can count on for cuddles all day long are lazy?
Let’s take a closer look.
How much do French Bulldogs sleep?
Frenchies can sleep up to 16 or 20 hours a day, but that isn’t true for every French Bulldog.
The main factor in all of this seems to be how active your Frenchie is. And this shouldn’t surprise any of us, should it?
It all pretty much depends on how you train and educate him to follow your lifestyle. For example, if you take him on vacations, long walks, or activities outdoors, your bulldog will get accustomed to an active lifestyle. More active French Bulldogs won’t feel the need to sleep for that many hours a day.
Obviously, it is very important to get your French Bulldog to follow your own schedule- to get up in the morning when you do and go to bed (and sleep) when you do. If you have a dog who is moving around at night or worse charging around, this will really disturb your sleep. The good news is that most dog’s this is second nature and they will sleep at night when you are asleep.
The two exceptions to this rule are Frenchie puppies or any puppies for that matter, which of course will not automatically sleep all night. With very young puppies, who aren’t potty trained, some people choose to get up in the middle of the night in order to take them out to the toilet.
And the second exception could be a new Frenchie that you have rescued, which might take some time to settle in.
Another important consideration about how active your Frenchie needs to be is to not force the issue: don’t push him or force him to be active even when he does not feel like doing so. For example, if you’re on a walk with your Frenchie and he gets tired, then let him rest comfortably for ten or fifteen minutes until he is ready to resume walking or playing.
In contrast, the average amount of sleep that all breeds of dog get is about 12- 14 hours per day.
How long should a French Bulldog be walked every day?
This dog breed needs to stay as active as possible to maintain a healthy weight. This means walks and playtime are mandatory. Consider taking your Frenchie to 3 walks every day and do not resume to 10-15 minutes for each one.
At least 30 minutes per walk would be a good choice if your schedule allows. Playtime in the park is also ideal: take his favorite toys with you and don’t forget to train him to be sociable in playing with other dogs too. Training your Frenchie to be active and enjoy walking since he is a puppy is essential. Still, never force him to do what he does not want to. If he does not feel like walking a long distance, don’t drag him or push him to do it.
A French Bulldog has some physical characteristics that means that you need to think carefully about their walking.
Frenchies are a brachycephalic breed, which means that they don’t find breathing very easy at the best of times.
And so, they should not be walked in very hot weather as they will struggle to keep cool in higher temperatures. Panting is one of the main ways that all dogs use to keep themselves cool and for a dog with pre existing breathing difficulties, exerting themselves too much in warm weather, might send them over the edge.
The second thing to bear in mind with regard to their breathing difficulties is that they shouldn’t be left to rush around for more than 5 minutes or so at a time.
And if they do start charging around for periods of 5 minutes or longer, you need to give them a time-out. If you are on a walk with them this means that you need to stop and give them a breather for a few minutes, allowing them to get their breathing back under control.
If you are playing a game with them at home and they have been running around for five minutes or longer then stop the game and let them recover for a few minutes.
[4] Do French Bulldogs ever rush around or do “zoomies”?
If you consider Frenchies lazy, you might be shocked when they start doing zoomies all over the place. What are zoomies? Basically, little outbursts your dog may do, like frantically running around or spinning. Don’t worry they do not last for long and are completely harmless, but you have to be careful to remove any objects that may harm them in the rush.
What does it mean when your French bulldog starts to rush around? Well, it may be a sign of excitement, and they might do it after relieving themselves, or it may be a sign that they have been inside for too long or need to exercise a little bit. If the dog is doing zoomies quite often, you might need to consider taking him for walks more often.
[5] What are the (top 5) laziest dog breeds?
French bulldogs are not the only ones considered lazy just because they’re indoor breeds and may sleep for many hours a day. Here is a small top of the laziest dog breeds:
5. Basset hound: his big ears and tiny legs wouldn’t convince you that the basset hound is actually a hunting dog, and his laziness won’t convince you either. When they’re not up for hunting, this dog breed loves to cuddle on the couch with his loved ones.
4. Pug: Frenchie’s cousin, the pug is another lazy dog breed that loves to take naps during the day and will sleep a lot if he’s not trained to stay active.
3. Saint Bernard: this full of love giants are smart, obedient, calm, and great rescue dogs, but the truth is they’re kind of lazy too. Truth is, you won’t get that much playtime with a Saint Bernard.
2. Bulldog: another breed related to the Frenchies, bulldogs are great family dogs, but as their relatives, pugs, and Frenchies do, they also adore good naps on the couch.
1. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: a small and laid back dog, the King Charles spaniel will never refuse chasing down birds and squirrels, but will also take his time to be a couch potato.
French Bulldog: top 3 worst traits
Besides loving to nap all day long, Frenchies have some other not so pleasant traits, that might be irritating sometimes:
- They’re extreme food beggars. French bulldogs adore eating and they will beg for a piece of anything you eat. Literally anything.
- They become way too clingy. Sometimes Frenchies get extremely attached to their owners and will follow them everywhere or will become jealous of other members of the family. But don’t worry, it’s all just a sign of too much love.
- Stubbornness is their middle name. French bulldogs are stubborn and you might have a hard time training them and teaching them to be obedient. Educating a Frenchie will require lots and lots of patience.
[6] Closing Thoughts: is a French Bulldog lazy?
The truth is, French bulldogs are not necessarily lazy. Laziness is not one of their key characteristics as much as neediness is.
But, like any breed of dog, they can become lazy if they have been brought up with owners who don’t walk them very often or interact with them regularly.
As we talked about earlier, Frenchie’s love playing chasing games and going for walks.
Because they are brachycephalics (short- nosed) and are known to have difficulty breathing, the intensity of their exercise needs to be monitored.
But this doesn’t make them lazy- only a lack of care and attention will do that.
Photo Credits
¹ Photo by Leonardo Rizzi
