Why Are French Bulldogs So Hyperactive?

If you’re a fellow French bulldog owner, there’s no doubt you will have experienced at some point, your French bulldog going ‘berserk mode’ in a short, intense period of hyperactivity in which they will usually randomly start running laps in a figure 8 path around the house, running in circles and may even jump up at you, in a playful manner as if to say “catch me if you can”.

So why are French bulldogs so Hyperactive? This hyperactivity is not exclusive to French bulldogs, and is common in most breeds of dog. There is even a scientific name for this phenomenon, which is known as Frenetic Random Activity Periods (or “FRAPs”), also known as “The Zoomies”.

It is more frequent in puppies, however it can occur occasionally in adult French bulldogs also. Puppies can be full of energy and even borderline aggressive – this is normal, but French bulldogs are surprisingly actually on the more active end of the puppy spectrum. They will generally start to calm down as they mature, and reach about two years old. Adult French bulldogs will still get the Zoomies, however the frequency will decrease dramatically, and will just want to snuggle next to you for most of the day.

Although the zoomies is normal behaviour and is nothing to worry about and the good news is, it usually won’t last for a couple of minutes at most. Nevertheless, it can sometimes get out of hand and become a headache for owners.

What Triggers the Zoomies in French bulldogs?

There are many things that can trigger the Zoomies or FRAPs in French bulldogs:

1. It can be a result of extreme excitement, for example, when the doorbell rings and you have visitors, they greet your French bulldog and next thing you know they’re so excited they start squealing, jumping up and down and even running laps.
2. The zoomies can be triggered when watching people being playful with each other or with their pets, as this can trigger their excitement levels.
3. French bulldogs were historically bred to be companion dogs. As a result of this, they naturally they tend to be particularly prone to separation anxiety, which can lead to excessive excitement when you return home from work or school and this can trigger the zoomies as they welcome you home.
4. Most French bulldog owners will attest to the fact that their French bulldog will almost always get the zoomies after a bath. They are expressing their happiness that it’s over with. Stress can build up during a bath due to a number of factors, from the fear of water, the feeling of being restrained as you hold them down, uncomfortableness with the smell of chemicals in the shampoo, feeling heavier from the water weight on fur, and even the weird noise of the hair dryer. As soon as bath time is over, that tension and stress is released, giving them a trigger of excitement. They may also feel refreshed and lighter, just as we do after a nice relaxing bath. Shaking the water off, running laps around, rolling over and rubbing themselves against your bed sheets to dry itself off.
5. It can also be random, seemingly triggered by nothing in particular and harder to predict.

How to Prevent the Zoomies

Regular Exercise

One way to ensure they your French bulldog doesn’t build up too much energy is to regularly drain this energy before it becomes too pent up. The best way to do this is via exercise. Whether this be a walk through the neighborhood or playing fetch at the park.

Although French bulldogs are known as fluffy couch potatoes, and I would recommend at least 30 minutes of walking a day. Personally I try to take my French bulldog on two 15 minute walks a day, once in the morning just after his breakfast and once again at night just after his dinner.

Besides, apart from preventing a massive build up of energy and the benefits of physical exercise, there are significant benefits to your French bulldog mentally, by providing them stimulation allowing them to sniff around.

This may be harder in the winter time as it may be harder to get in the exercise they need in extreme cold weather, or in the rain. I have found that putting a jacket on my French bulldog will help a bit in encouraging him to come out for a walk in the cold winter nights. Otherwise, you can use indoor playful activities or training a new skill to drain some of the energy both mentally and physically.

You may find that in fact, returning home after a walk triggers the zoomies. This can be one of two things, either they didn’t get enough exercise and they are releasing the last of it, or they are just in a good mood, naturally.

Set a Daily Routine

Building a routine can relieve anxiety and stress. Try to keep a consistent schedule in terms of waking up time, breakfast, lunchtime (if they are a puppy), exercise, dinner and sleep time – this will help relieve tension and stress as they become comfortable and know what to expect.

You may tend to notice a pattern in which the zoomies is more often triggered, such as in the evenings. If this is the case, giving them a distraction, something to focus on such as a bone or a smart toy, may help when you’re getting ready to go to bed.

Socialising with other dogs

This provides both mental and physical stimulation. Organise play sessions with another social dog to drain energy. Can also visit a dog park, however make sure this is supervised

Aromatherapy

It has been claimed by some French bulldog owners that using calming scents such as lavender and vanilla can help calm down an excited French bulldog. Of course, make sure you are careful to stay away essential oils with known allergies, and to monitor your French bulldog’s reaction.

Separation Anxiety

Here’s a technique I use all time and have used since my French bulldog was a puppy to help minimize separation anxiety; I give them something to focus on when leaving the house in order to distract them from the fact that they’re now alone. Smart toys are excellent for this, where they have to play a puzzle to get rewarded with food.

How to Calm Down Your French bulldog with the Zoomies

Again, an episode of the zoomies will generally only last for a couple of minutes. After a couple of minutes they will naturally tire themselves out and should calm down pretty quickly. Nevertheless, there a few things you can do to help them reach a calm state.

• Firstly, don’t encourage their hyperactive frenzy by chasing them or showing them affection as they will see this as rewarding their behavior.
• Secondly, remain calm yourself, and encourage calm behavior by rewarding it, such as using a sit/stay/stop command with a treat.
• Direct their energy to something productive, such as a smart toy. This gives them something to focus on and they will have to work for the food putting their energy to use. They require the dog to use their brain
• If this doesn’t work, you can physically intervene by putting light pressure on on its shoulder blades as a technique to calm them down – firmly but gently. If you can get a hold of them, of course.
• Punishing your by locking them in a room or crate will most likely make it worse and may turn the hyperactivity into aggression, so this is not recommended.

Create a Safe Environment

Even after taking the above steps, you cannot prevent the zoomies completely as this is normal behaviour. You can however, learn to predict when it will happen by noticing patterns, and create a safe environment for your French bulldog to go about doing so, such as closed-off non-slippery environment to avoid accidents and injury.