Skip to Content

Are French Bulldogs Stubborn?

Not only are French Bulldogs adorable, but they also have a lot of great qualities. When it comes to the behavior of these dogs, many people want to know “are French Bulldogs stubborn?

French Bulldogs can be stubborn at times. Many owners have noticed that their Frenchie takes on a stubborn streak during training sessions. Other have noticed that their beloved dog act like it can’t hear when it’s being called, making the owners come to them.

While French Bulldogs are well-behaved, they can also be stubborn. On this page, we’re going to discuss what Frenchie owners should expect with their dog’s stubbornness and what they need to know to break a stubborn streak. Keep reading to learn more. 

Are French Bulldogs Stubborn?

When it comes to stubbornness, French Bulldogs sit directly in the middle of the scale from not the least bit stubborn to very stubborn. You may not have to deal with stubbornness from your Frenchie all the time, but every now and then a stubborn streak will kick in. However, with the right level of patience, it’s possible to get that French Bulldog‘s stubborn streak to pass.

The main sign that a Frenchie is being stubborn is when it’s not listening. You know the dog can hear you calling its name, but it continues doing what it’s doing like you’re not even there. Many dog owners compare Frenchies to children when it comes to selective hearing.

Your dog may hear you call its name when you have food. Yet, it doesn’t listen when you want it to stop doing something, such as playing with your shoe. French Bulldogs tend to be stubborn when it comes to what they want to do. Sure, the dog will listen when it benefits them, which is why it’s willing to come for the food but not other reasons. 

Can a Stubborn French Bulldog Be Persuaded? 

While French Bulldogs are stubborn, they aren’t overly stubborn. If you want to train the Frenchie, but it’s not having it, take a break and try again later. If the dog doesn’t want to do it, it’s more likely to show stubborn behavior.

Even though this may not be your idea of how training should work, think of it this way. If the Frenchie isn’t in the frame of mind to be trained, it’s very likely training won’t be successful. However, if you attempt training when the dog is in the right mood, your success rate will be better.

If you’re cramped for time, you may be wondering if you can persuade the Frenchie to listen. Some people have had success using treats because dogs are food motivated. However, this typically only works if you’ve used treats in training prior. When you bring out the bag or container of treats, the Frenchie may remember that if it obeys it will get a treat.

What Should I Do If My Stubborn Frenchie Isn’t Listening?

Your French Bulldog is a smart dog, but its stubborn behavior may cause it not to listen to you at times. When you’re training or attempting to get the dog to listen to a command, this can be quite frustrating. There are a few things that dog owners need to consider to help their Frenchie get over that stubborn streak and start to listen.

Physical Activity

Frenchies only need a moderate amount of exercise each day. Since they aren’t an overly active dogs, many dog owners are under the impression that French Bulldogs are fine to lay around the house all day. Without physical activity, Frenchies can pick up on some bad behavior, stubborn streaks being part of it.

If your French Bulldog is often stubborn, make sure it gets more exercise. Let it run around and play outside in the backyard, or take it for a walk twice a day. The walks don’t have to be long either, as two 20 minute walks are enough to keep a Frenchie healthy.

There are many benefits to making sure your French Bulldog gets exercise, but today we’re only talking about their stubborn streaks. When a Frenchie gets enough exercise on a daily basis, it doesn’t have pent-up energy. This allows the Frenchie to be calmer indoors and more likely to listen.

Always Be Consistent

Like most dogs, Frenchies respond very well to routine. This is why it’s very important to stay consistent. Always be consistent with your training, commands, and discipline. For example, if your French Bulldog has picked up a bad habit, you may slap your leg to make a noise so it stops. 

The next day, if the Frenchie is misbehaving again, you can’t respond by speaking firmly and shaking your finger. This will confuse the dog. You need to use the same method each time.

Frenchies always become familiar with the routine and there are certain things they associate with being positive. If you are consistent with rewarding a French Bulldog when training is successful, the dog will pick up on that. This will also have the dog eager to perform well when training.

Take The Leadership Role

When you are trying to get a stubborn French Bulldog to listen, you need to be both calm and assertive. If you don’t approach the situation calmly, the dog will be frightened. This is why you shouldn’t yell at a stubborn Frenchie. However, you also need to establish your role. You are the one in charge and your dog needs to be aware of this.

When establishing the role of leader, it’s much easier to do when the Frenchie is a puppy. While it’s not impossible to do with a full-grown Frenchie, it may be more difficult if the dog is already set in its stubborn ways.

Put in Extra Work 

All Frenchies should be trained in basic commands. While it may seem like your Frenchie may have a command all figured out, you should still continue to practice them. Putting extra work into training basic commands can pay off if you have a stubborn Frenchie because it teaches them you’re in charge and helps with discipline. 

Hand Gestures

Are you putting a lot of time and effort into training basic commands, but it seems like your Frenchie is being too stubborn to catch on? This goes back to French Bulldogs putting their focus on what they want to do, which causes them to not listen to those around it.

For this reason, you may want to use more hand gestures for commands instead of verbal cues. While it’s important to teach a Frenchie verbal commands, if your dog is particularly stubborn, you may have more success, in the beginning, using hand gestures. 

Are Frenchies Easy to Train?

French Bulldogs aren’t difficult to train, but they aren’t a walk in the park either. When you get a French Bulldog in the right mood, it can be quite easy to train. However, once that stubborn side of the dog appears, things could become more challenging for you.

It’s important to think about a Frenchie’s history before training it. Keep in mind French Bulldogs were never bred as working dogs. Instead, they were bred to be companion dogs. Their main jobs in the past were to warm up the laps of lace makers and chase away mice. This is why it’s not in a Frenchie’s instinct to be trained.

Yet, as we mentioned above, they enjoy treats and any form of positive attention. If you’re consistently praising your pooch every time it does well in training, it will continue wanting to perform well. As long as you are patient with your dog, the Frenchie can be trained for many basic commands.

Is It Easy To Prevent Bad Behavior From Frenchies?

While Frenchies are well-behaved dogs, they can pick up bad behavior. The problem is, it’s not easy at all to stop a Frenchie once it begins doing something it shouldn’t. Even though these dogs are small and adorable, they can be little rebels. At times, dog owners often feel at loss on how to get their little dogs to stop bad behavior.

If the Frenchie is doing something it shouldn’t, you need to get its attention. The best way to do so is with a loud sound. You can clap your hands together, blow a whistle, or any other loud sound that will catch the dog off guard.

This can be effective because the Frenchie will associate its bad behavior with something negative, a loud sound. If you make the same noise each time the French Bulldog is behaving badly, they will learn not to do it anymore.

Final Thoughts

Are French Bulldogs stubborn? French Bulldogs are moderately stubborn. While this breed is known for having stubborn streaks, patient dog owners can find a way over this obstacle. With patience and consistency, dog owners can limit stubborn behavior in their French Bulldogs. These dogs often need a little bit more time when training new commands due to their slightly stubborn nature.