Many of us are dog lovers, but not all of us have the ideal space to give one a home. If you happen to live in an apartment, is a French Bulldog a breed you can house?
Due to their calm temperaments, their small size, their lack of need for space in either entertainment or exploration as well as a few other traits of the breed, French Bulldogs are considered very good dogs for apartment living.
In fact, French Bulldogs have taken the crown for many as the best dogs for inner-city living, but despite how easygoing they might be, we should cover why they are considered so good, and discuss the pros and cons of having a Frenchie in your apartment.
What Makes French Bulldogs Such Good Apartment Dogs?
There are a number of reasons why Frenchies do so well in inner-city apartments when most dogs would lose their marbles, and it is all to do with both their physical and mental traits. Both their bodies and personalities almost seem designed for city living, such as:
They Are Small
Living in a city does not often leave dog lovers with a huge amount of space for their canine companions, so French Bulldogs are sought after by those of us living in urban areas.
Bigger than a chihuahua but much more petite than an English Bulldog, French Bulldogs usually get between 18 and 28 pounds and stand between 11 and 12 inches tall depending on factors like gender, diet, health, etc. This makes them perfectly fun-sized for apartment owners.
They Do Not Need A Lot Of Space
Some dogs are small but need a lot of space anyway or else they can become hairy little monsters. Luckily, French Bulldogs aren’t those kinds of dogs, hence why people consider them such good apartment dogs.
According to vets, the amount of space a dog needs is fully reliant on their energy levels, and French Bulldogs are not counted as high-energy dogs.
In fact, French Bulldogs tend to grow attached to their owners very quickly and are prone to separation anxiety so a smaller space might be preferable where they can stay close to their beloved human parents.
They Do Not Need A Lot Of Exercises
As stated, being so small, French Bulldogs don’t need to trek for hours and hours to get their exercise, which is perfect for those of you out there in the center of cities where great spans of the countryside are in short supply.
However, this does not mean that French Bulldogs need no exercise at all; despite their penchant for sleeping the day away, they do need walking – just not a lot of it due to their flat faces (called a brachycephalic face) making it hard to breathe, too much exercise can overwhelm them.
It is generally advised that a French bulldog get between fifteen and twenty minutes of exercise a day which is great news for the young professional living a busy city life since that won’t be too much of a stretch.
Many even suggest that actively playing with your pup on a patch of green somewhere might do the trick depending on the dog’s age and health standard.
They Are Generally Very Quiet
Sometimes, what worries people is less about the health and wellbeing of the dog or the owner, and more about what the neighbors would think; we have all had those annoying neighbors who never seem to shut up, and even if it’s something they can’t necessarily help, people can end up resenting them anyway.
Well, if good relations with your neighbors as well as having a furry friend at the same time is important to you, then a French Bulldog is just the ticket. These dogs generally only bark on particular occasions and aren’t known for any unnecessary chatter.
In fact, they have been voted as amongst the quietest dogs to have in an apartment.
They Make Great Companions And Family Pets
French Bulldogs have what people have called clownish or comical faces which do well with small children.
Although it needs to be judged by the individual, French Bulldogs are not aggressive and so do well amongst people, especially children, although they always love their owners most of all.
So whether you are a young professional working from home looking for a little company or a family looking for a fuzzy addition for your children, a French Bulldog might be the exact kind of breed you’re looking for.
Those are just to name a few of the great traits which make French Bulldogs great for apartments, but admittedly, the breed has some troublesome elements to them as well that you need to keep in mind when getting a Frenchie for your apartment.
What Makes Having A French Bulldog In An Apartment Difficult?
They Can Become Destructive
Most puppies can get destructive when they’re teething, but it’s normal for dogs of all ages to chew on things. With that being said, when you have a Frenchie on the warpath, it can turn an apartment from a lovely tidy home into a pig pen quickly.
French Bulldogs may chew for a couple of reasons:
- Boredom
- Lack of exercise
- Separation anxiety
- Teething phase
- Losing senses leading to anxiety
However, luckily, it has been shown that a little more exercise and some good old-fashioned chewing toys can keep your pup from gnawing your shoes.
They Suffer from Heat Stroke
French Bulldogs tend to suffer from heatstroke very easily during hot days. This is because of their brachycephalic faces, which makes it difficult for them to breathe at the best of times, but during the summer, it can be dangerous for them.
There are a few factors that affect their likelihood of getting heatstrokes, such as the length of their coat, their age, their state of health, and the climate where you live.
Smaller spaces can get hotter than larger spaces, which means that your apartment will be more likely to get warmer than a bigger house. Make sure to keep a good eye on your canine companion during summer times for any of these signs:
- Weakness
- Intense panting
- Reddish color to the ears and tongue
- Extra drooling
- Losing consciousness/ seizures
- Vomiting
- Blood in the stool
- Body temperature over 40 degrees Celsius
They Are Prone To Separation Anxiety
French Bulldogs love people. In fact, they adore people and get attached to their owners very quickly and very deeply.
But this is a double-edged sword, and the fact that French Bulldogs are prone to separation anxiety is sometimes not taken as seriously as it should – Frenchies were bred to be human companions which makes them very prone to this disorder.
It can also lead to them being aggressive and destructive. It generally crops up more in pups that have experienced abandonment or mistreatment than others.
French Bulldogs do not do well when left alone for long periods of time, and if you have a 9-5 which has you leaving the dog for the whole of the workday, with no other people or dogs keeping them company, then a French Bulldog is not for you.
They Shed – A Ton
Don’t be fooled by their short hair – French Bulldogs can moult like the best of them, and if you have attempted to pick up a dog that won’t leave your restricted space covered in hair, then I’m afraid a Frenchie is not for you.
According to a small survey by FrenchBulldogOwner.com, 77% of French Bulldog owners told of a problem with the hair with a further 83% saying spring and summer were the absolute worst.
Now, they aren’t the worst dog for shedding, but if your plan was that the French Bulldog puppy you had your eye on won’t mess your house up with hair – forget about it! This dog will need a good brush every week and as their skin can be sensitive, they require a breed-specific brush.
Conclusion
In conclusion, those who want dogs but have restricted space in their apartments may look at French Bulldogs to fill the role of their furry companion. French Bulldogs do have many traits that make them suitable pets for apartment dwellers, such as being quite small, not needing a lot of space to explore, not needing a lot of exercises, being very quiet, and being very affectionate family pets.
However, if you plan to bring a French Bulldog into your life, you need to keep a few traits of the species in mind, such as their tendencies to suffer from conditions like heat stroke and separation anxiety, that they can become destructive when hyperactive or bored, they don’t function well being left for many hours and they can shed a lot of hair.
If you can keep those elements of this breed in mind, then they make wonderful apartment pets for individuals and families alike who may live in the inner city.