Can French Bulldogs Live in Apartments? The Ultimate Guide

When searching for the perfect breed that matches their own lifestyle, many people come across the question: will this dog be suited to a modern day apartment lifestyle?

So, do French Bulldogs make good apartment dogs? Yes, French Bulldogs do make good apartment dogs. With their small build, and easy going nature, they require relatively low levels of exercise and are happy to snuggle and nap for most of the day. They are prone to overheating, allergens and other problems from the outdoors, and are much more suited to a modern, indoor apartment lifestyle.

In this guide we will identify what makes French Bulldog good apartment dogs, and highlight the key factors that you need to consider when deciding whether or not a French Bulldog will suit your lifestyle.

Why French Bulldogs are Great Apartment Dogs

• In order to understand why French Bulldogs make great apartment dogs, take a step back and look into their heritage. French Bulldogs were originally bred to be lap dogs amongst the ancient Chinese royals and elites. With this in mind, French Bulldogs will follow you everywhere and anywhere they can, from the kitchen, dining table, on your lap, in between your legs when you’re sleeping, even to the bathroom. If you want a loyal companion.
• Being a social breed, you will definitely enjoy the presence of your affectionate French Bulldog, and vice versa. They will also love any attention they get from your neighbours, often resulting in pleasant petting and greetings when you meet them on the way out.
• French Bulldogs are suited to be kept as indoor dogs, and in fact they shouldn’t be kept outside as they don’t do well when exposed to the elements, especially in the heat. They’d much rather have a nap with you on the couch under some refreshing A/C.
• French Bulldogs fall under the toy dog category, so they won’t take up as much space in your apartment, unlike bigger breeds such as Great Danes, German Shepherds and Huskies etc.
• Another characteristic that make French Bulldogs great apartment dogs is that they are not known to be yappy dogs, and won’t bark as much. This is important as you don’t want to have to deal with the difficult situation that may arise when faced with neighbours’ complaints about the noise levels from your French Bulldog barking. The exception to this is when a stranger approaches. In fact, this is what makes them decent watchdogs for your apartment, along with the fact that they are also highly alert and loyal to their humans.
• They require only relatively small amounts of exercise. A combination of indoor playtime, and a short walk or two during the day is sufficient to meet their exercise requirements.

How to Choose your French Bulldog. Which is Best for My Apartment

This is something I’ve always been curious about, whether or not the colour and/or gender of a French Bulldog will affect either its personality or physical traits, and whether or not these will affect its suitability to the apartment lifestyle that French Bulldogs adopt.

After researching this topic on the internet, there seems to be a general consensus amongst fellow French Bulldog owners worldwide that one important distinguishing factor between black and fawn French Bulldogs is that most (but not all) black French Bulldogs have single coats, whereas most fawn French Bulldogs have double coats, consisting of a soft undercoat and a longer overcoat.

Consequently, black French Bulldogs will shed less, relative to fawn French Bulldogs as they simply have less fur (generally speaking, of course). A double coated French Bulldog will shed much more as the undercoat grows, it constantly pushes out the overcoat, resulting in shed fur.

However, I do think that black fur is more noticeable than fur of a fawn French Bulldog would be. Although I do not have a fawn French Bulldog, I can only imagine that black fur is much more noticable, even if they do shed less, especially if you have a lighter shade of floor in your apartment like I do.

Males tend to have bigger bodies than females, which means they have more surface area of skin, and therefore more fur. Therefore, male French Bulldogs will generally shed more than female French Bulldogs as they have more fur on thier bodies.

Exercise Routine

It’s important to keep a healthy balance between the indoor apartment lifestyle and enjoying some time outdoors with your French Bulldog. This is essential to both physical and mental stimulation, and keeping their stress levels to a minimum.

French Bulldogs have a quite low energy lifestyle, and once they pass their hyperactive puppy stage of life, they they are likely to sleep throughout most of the day as an adult French Bulldog. Even though they have relatively low energy levels when compared to other breeds, they can still get quite hyperactive at times.

I would recommend taking your French Bulldog for two short walks a day to drain their energy levels to a manageable level; once in the morning just after breakfast, and once in the evening just after their dinner.

This not only would suit the routine of most people who work 9 to 5 jobs, but also has other benefits. If you drain your French Bulldog’s energy in the morning, they are more likely to nap throughout the day, rather than stressing at the absence of its human companion, or worse, wreck havoc in your apartment.

Of course, not everyone has the same pattern, so work out what works best for you and your French Bulldog and try and stick to a regular routine as much as you can.

If your French Bulldog is house trained like mine, it also sets a routine for their potty time so their bodily functions can adjust to a regular schedule. This may be harder for puppies as they tend to need to pee much more often than adult French Bulldogs, so you may need to break up the walking schedule into shorter, more regular intervals.

More is not always better, and this is true when it comes to French Bulldogs and exercise.

Just a word of caution here: More is not always better, and this is true when it comes to French Bulldogs and exercise. Excessive exercise can actually be harmful to your French Bulldog, especially in the heat. Keep exercise to a healthy moderate, and always make sure you watch for signs of overheating and breathing discomfort.

Can I Leave My French Bulldog Alone During the Day?

As French Bulldogs were bred for human companionship, this is when they are happiest, when they are with their humans. However, especially for those that live in the big cities, we tend to have busy lifestyles and can’t always be at home with our French Bulldogs. Fortunately, there are ways in which can

Treat dispensing toys, also known as smart toys for dogs, are a great way to minimize separation anxiety in your French Bulldogs, as it gives them something else to focus on other than the fact that they’re alone.

Another way you can minimize separation anxiety when you’re not at home is to get your French Bulldog a friend, whether this be a cat or a dog of a different breed, or even another French Bulldog. Adding a second pet to the family will reduce your French Bulldog’s loneliness, stress and in doing so improve its overall wellbeing, if done correctly. I would recommend adding your second French Bulldog after your first French Bulldog reaches maturity and is fully trained and socialized, as it is much harder to train two puppies at once.

Also, if you are leaving your French Bulldog alone for most of the day, always check to make sure there is access to plenty of water in a clean, stainless steel bowl.

It’s nice to have a backup plan ready in case you can’t be home. A friend, family member or even colleague who lives closeby and can come and look after your French Bulldog in case you can’t for whatever reason that may be. Otherwise, there are plenty of local businesses out there that offer dog sitting, dog walking and doggy daycare options as a temporary solution.

Can French Bulldogs Be House Trained?

Yes. French Bulldogs can be house trained, this means that they are trained to go to the toilet only when outdoors, or in a designated spot indoors, such as a pee pad (like this one I use for my French Bulldog), or on a patch of artificial grass that can be left on the balcony. The plastic pads are much easier to clean, and will keep your French Bulldog’s paws dry, and consequently your house clean; as the urine will flow through the grate into the tray below.

However, French Bulldogs can be quite stubborn, so house training them may require some patience. As French Bulldogs crave affection from their owners, positive reinforcement can be very effective when it comes to training, so use this to your advantage. I would not recommend punishing your French Bulldog after an accident, as the chances are, they won’t know exactly what they’re being scolded for.

It helps when approaching house training, to know what the bathroom needs of your French Bulldog are like. If you can get an idea of when they are most likely to go, based on past behaviour, it will allow you to prepare in advance for these peak times where you can supervise and be prepared to reward your French Bulldog for going in the right area.

Peak activity times will usually include in the morning just after they wake up, immediately after meals, and during the day after a long nap.

Puppies will need to go to the bathroom much more often adult French Bulldogs, so keep your French Bulldog’s age in mind as you approach house training them.

Can French Bulldogs Be Crate Trained?

Everyone has their own opinion on crating their dogs, and I won’t go into that much detail in this article. If you do decide to crate train your French Bulldog, it is possible, but again, patience is key.

Many people don’t understand that denning is actually a natural instinct in dogs, and they enjoy seeking refuge into a confined place that is quiet and comfortable.

The crate should ideally become a safe haven for your French Bulldog, one that they seek when they want some alone time. Therefore, it is important not to use the crate as a punishment under any circumstances and hold them in their against their will. This will not only undo any positive links you have built up with training, but will make them hate being in the crate.

They key to successfully crate training is to enforce positive reinforcement, utilising toys and treats to make the crate an enticing and rewarding place to be. French Bulldogs respond well to praise and especially treats, so make sure to keep some treats handy, reward your French Bulldog whenever it enters the crate, repeat, repeat, and repeat. Eventually your French Bulldog will understand that the crate is a safe

What are the Cons of Having a French Bulldog in My Apartment?

Apart from the pros of living with a French Bulldog in your apartment, there are also some cons you will need to consider.

French Bulldogs shed, and they shed alot. This is the main one. French Bulldogs are notorious for being heavy shedders, so you will need to seriously consider this before adopting a French Bulldog into your apartment lifestyle. I’ve lived in both carpeted and hardfloored (tile) apartments with my French Bulldog, and can honestly say that the shedding is much more manageable in the hardfloor apartment.

I’ve recently adopted an effective French Bulldog fur cleaning strategy that I would recommend to others that also live in hardwood or tile floored apartment. Stick to vacuuming once a week, for example, on the weekend, and during the rest of the week clean up your French Bulldog’s fur using a broom and dust pan. I do this twice a day, and you would be surprised at the amount of fur that accumulates around your home on a daily basis. Even the slightest convenience, such as not having to plug in a corded vacuum cleaner, makes a huge difference when you have to clean as regularly as multiple times per day.

Carpets tend to capture the fur shed by French Bulldogs, and although it may be harder to see than a hardwood or tiled apartment, it will accumulate and between the threading of the carpet. Unfortunately, if your apartment is all carpet, you don’t have much choice except to invest in a quality vacuum cleaner, and vacuum your apartment as regularly as practically possible.

If you have an effective grooming routine in place, you can minimize the amount of shedding that occurs.

Are French Bulldogs Good Family Dogs?

Yes a well trained and socialized French Bulldog, especially from an early age, can be a great family pet. They can be trained to get along with even newborn babies. The training will require some patience however, and supervision is highly recommended.

The key to a great family French Bulldog that is well trained to play with your kids is to gradually introduce small changes, rather than to suddenly introduce large change, and to continually desensitize your French Bulldog to all forms of baby, such as the smell of babies, sound of babies, as well as physical items such as baby furniture etc. Also, don’t forget to show love to both your baby and your French Bulldog, as they can get jealous at times.