French Bulldogs and Kids: A Parent's Guide

Described by the American Kennel Club as “completely irresistible,” the French Bulldog is an absolute joy of a family companion. This dog breed is stout, affectionate, and has the perfect temperament for a fmaily. 

Despite the breed’s popularity, if you are a parent, you may be wondering whether a French Bulldog is the right match for your kids ? The answer, in short, is yes. French Bulldogs are excellent family companions and very kid-friendly. They are one of the best dog breeds to bring home for your children. In fact, we have ranked the Frenchie as a top 10 dog breed for families with kids.

Like all pets, a new French Bulldog puppy requires socialization, training, and regular grooming. Fortunately, with proper practice, French Bulldog puppies can grow up to be well-behaved companions that bring years of joy to your household. 

French Bulldog Overview

French Bulldogs originated in England and are an offshoot of the English Bulldog. Their trademark features are their toy size, stout nature, and disproportionately large ears. 

Frenchies are typically regarded as wonderfully sociable, deeply playful, and moderately vigilant. Their high intelligence level means that with the right training, French Bulldogs can learn a slew of tricks. From a grooming perspective, this breed is known for its smooth coat and relative lack of shedding, though you still have to ensure regular brushing. 

As a parent bearing financial responsibility, you should know that French Bulldogs have some common health issues, including skin issues, allergies, heat stroke, and ear infections. These challenges tend to be found in many other smaller breeds, and require careful management. Fortunately, you can generally keep your Frenchie healthy with regular vet care; their average lifespan is 10-14 years. 

Kid-Friendly Temperament of French Bulldogs

For a variety of reasons including their size and temperament, French Bulldogs make ideal companions for your family and children. 

Calm and Composed Nature

One of the main reasons French Bulldogs and kids go so well together is the laid-back Bulldog temperament. Unlike more active breeds, French Bulldogs are relatively calm and composed, well-tolerating rougher play or handling from kids. 

While they can play well, French Bulldogs aren’t known for being overly active or accidentally running over children or toddlers. 

Cuddly, Affectionate Companions

One of the main reasons that Frenchies make a good match for kids is their sweet and cuddly nature. These dogs thrive on attention and affection. Without a doubt, your family and kids can expect to receive years of unconditional love from this wonderful breed.

Love for Play

French Bulldogs love to play. It is deeply ingrained in their nature. One of the biggest benefits of pets for kids is that they encourage kids to get outside and enjoy physical activity. Social play with a Frenchie is not only healthy for your kid, but also supports your pet’s socialization while physically and mentally stimulating your kid.

This also explains why it is so important that you integrate your kids into regular pet care routines, which we’ll elaborate more on below.

Good Size for Kids

The French Bulldog’s small size makes it especially appropriate for young kids and toddlers. Adult Frenchies are usually no more than 13 inches tall and 28 pounds in weight. This relatively small size means you don’t have to worry about your pet accidentally barreling over your toddler during play.

Protective Instincts

Like their parent breed, French Bulldogs will protect the people they love, and these protective instincts can be perfect for a family setting. They are loyal companions that are both alert and observant. Even though French Bulldogs are not regarded as a “loud” breed – meaning they usually don’t bark – they do bark if they see signs of threat to your family. 

This can alert you if your kid is experiencing signs of distress, or is in danger. Despite their small size, Frenchies will stand their ground to protect your family member if they think they are threatened.  

Childhood Benefits of Growing up with a French Bulldog

Studies have shown that there are serious benefits to growing up with dogs. These benefits range from learning responsibility and empathy, to stress reduction. 

By incorporating your kids into raising your puppy, you can ensure that your children come away with a range of skills that will be deeply useful to them and support their growth. 

Learning Responsibility and Empathy

No matter what age, you should incorporate your kids into puppy responsibilities. This includes feeding the dog, walking them, cleaning up after them, grooming them, and ensuring your kids are engaged in the overall care process. In this way, you can teach your kids how important it is to care for another living creature.

You can also use a dog to encourage your child to practice empathy. For example, imagine a situation where your child accidentally treats the family dog too harshly. You can use that as a learning opportunity to say: “How would you feel if you were treated that way?” This experience can put your child in the dog’s shoes, encourage empathy, and provide an opportunity for your child to improve their behavior. 

Excitement and Activity

There is no question that having a dog, particularly one that is as sweet and fun-loving as a Frenchie, can be a blast. Getting a dog for your kids can guarantee hours of fun, play, and excitement daily.

This can be motivating for your child, encouraging them to exercise and socialize more. Getting a French Bulldog can be also used as a reward to encourage your kids to study more or perform well in school. 

Social Skills & Stress Reduction

The skills earned by playing with a dog can include kindness, empathy, and building an overall sense of caring. These interactions can teach vital social skills and reduce stress.

Pets like French Bulldogs can help your kids build self-esteem, increase empathy, and feel less lonely (especially in the difficult teenage years). This is invaluable support that a pet can provide your child. 

Guidelines for Kids Interacting with Frenchies

While the French Bulldog is unquestionably one of the more child-friendly dog breeds, there are still certain things your kids should know about French Bulldog behavior. The below safety tips will help your kids avoid danger while handling a Frenchie. 

Respecting a Frenchie’s Space

Frenchies, like most other dogs, can get territorial over their space. Kids should learn to respect their space and not treat the dog as a playground toy. This can avoid accidental rough play or aggressive behavior that hurts your kid. 

Safe Play: What Kids Should Know

Playing with dogs can be wonderful, but kids must learn what your pet means by certain behaviors, and practice safe play. Here are some questions to consider: 

• When is your Frenchie giving warning signs that it doesn’t want to be played with?

• Is your Frenchie showing signs of territoriality? Is it barking or growling? 

• How is your dog interacting with other pets or kids?

• What do your kids need to tell friends that visit the house?

• Each dog has a different temperament. With that in mind, where is the “line” where your dog stops being playful and becomes more aggressive?

If your pup is exhibiting signs of aggression like snarling or growling, practice ways to correct this aggressive behavior. 

The Importance of Supervision

You should always make as a parent to supervise your kids when around dogs, particularly when first bringing home a dog, or if you have younger children. This supervision is for the benefit of both the dog and the child. 

You should supervise all interactions with a puppy and child and provide feedback to your kid about safe play; this is particularly important at the beginning of their time together. 

Preparing Kids for a French Bulldog

While bringing home a French Bulldog can be an unmitigated joy, it is also a real responsibility. To that end, your family needs to sit down and discuss what having this dog will be like and what your kids should expect. 

We have prepared a detailed guide on how to prepare for the arrival of a French Bulldog. Below are some of the key points to consider relating to your kids. 

Discussing the Arrival of a New Pet

Regardless of their age, you should be clear with your kids that being a pet owner involves real chores and responsibilities. You will now have to work together as a family to care for the pet, and you need to set expectations with your kids early on. 

As you prepare for the arrival of your French Bulldog, you should involve your kids in the preparation process – for example, buying supplies, setting aside a space for the pet, preparing for training, and removing any hazards from your house.

Involving Kids in Care Routines

Caring for a Frenchie means engaging in real chores that are not always fun. You’ll want to teach your kids dog ownership basics, including feeding, walking, grooming, and cleaning up waste. And hold them accountable for completing these chores. 

Of course, these chores are age-dependent. For example, grooming with sharp scissors may not be appropriate for a young kid. But in general, err on the side of engaging your kids in care routines, so that they build excellent habits as they grow up. 

Early Socialization 

If there are other pets in the household, you’ll want to make sure that you socialize them together and that you are sure to supervise these initial interactions. Socializing a pet early is critically important: it ensures they aren’t frightened by other people, pets, or loud noises at a young age and allows them to learn what living with your family is like. 

Buy From the Best

Getting a French Bulldog is a great match for almost any family. The small size of the breed, combined with its social and intelligent nature, means that integrating a French Bulldog into a household is relatively easy.

When selecting your French Bulldog, consider adopting first. There are many Frenchies looking for new forever homes at shelters and rescues, and you’ll be bringing joy to an animal’s life. 

If you have decided to buy from a breeder instead, it’s critical to only work with reputable breeders. 

Choosing a Reputable Breeder

French Bulldogs are especially susceptible to certain health conditions, and so it’s critical to work with reputable, ethical French Bulldog breeders. Responsible breeders work to weed out genetic abnormalities, appropriately care for their pets, and work with you to find the best temperament for your family.

At Mawoo Pets, we’re deeply proud of our reputation as a leader in responsible pet breeding. We only offer French Bulldogs from responsible breeders who meet the highest breeding standards and provide our customers the highest quality pets. 

Want to learn more? Check out our current listing of Frenchies, or take our puppy match quiz to find the perfect puppy for you.