Thinking of bringing home a French Bulldog pup?
Get ready for the experience of a lifetime! Frenchies make wonderful pets and companions, but that doesn’t mean there are no challenges to raising these adorable pups.
As puppies, Frenchies can be quite hyperactive, which means you may have to deal with wild and destructive behavior from your pet.
Most French Bulldogs start to calm down around the age of 2 or 3 years old.
Puppyhood is a very exciting time for a dog.
It’s a time of learning, growing and exploring, and your pup is sure to test his boundaries and your patience in the process to see what he can get away with.
Dashing to and fro is par for the course for a hyperactive Frenchie puppy.
Fortunately, this phase doesn’t last forever and Frenchies do calm down as they enter adulthood.
Are Frenchies Hyper & High Energy?
Young French Bulldogs tend to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm for life and many go through the hyperactive stage as puppies.
That’s not to say that all Frenchies are hyperactive – some can be quite mellow.
But mostly they’re happy to be alive and show it by going through all the motions of an active pup – running, jumping, digging, pawing, barking, playing and so on.
Your hyperactive puppy will probably have a short attention span, show little respect for boundaries and not listen to your commands during this stage of its life.
Obedience training is a good way to get your Frenchie to settle down.
Through training, your pup learns how to channel its excess energy and develop self-control.
Age will also impact your Frenchie’s behavior as its energy levels will begin to taper off.
As your pup matures into an adult dog, he should become a calmer, more submissive canine pet.
Are French Bulldogs Destructive?
The hyperactive phase of your Frenchie is often accompanied by destructive traits and behaviors.
Frenchies can also become destructive if left unsupervised or on their own for too long.
You may come home to chewed up shoes or furniture, overturned lamps, broken vases or destroyed houseplants due to your puppy’s indoor antics or his reaction to separation anxiety from being left alone.
Your house-trained pup may even start peeing or pooping on the floor of your home.
Immaturity is often the reason puppies get into destructive behaviors – they simply don’t know any better as they haven’t been trained.
But Frenchies are also prone to developing behavior problems due to boredom, anxiety over being left on their own, lack of socialization, fear, abuse, jealousy or other emotional issues they’re going through.
French Bulldogs are companion dogs – they don’t do well on their own.
They often develop close attachments to their owners and may even be clingy when left behind.
If you work all day and spend little time with your pup, chances are your Frenchie will vie for your attention by acting up.
In addition to personal attention, young French Bulldogs need exercise and mental stimulation.
If they don’t get that with you, they’ll get it by wreaking havoc in the home.
At What Age Do French Bulldogs Calm Down?
As your puppy grows older, his energy levels and excitement will gradually subside.
Most French Bulldogs start to calm down around the age of 2 or 3 years old, although your Frenchie may still display times of hyperactivity for a year or two longer.
Signs of playfulness and hyperactivity aren’t all that bad as they show your pup is happy and healthy, although you can do without the destructive behavior.
If your pup has the energy to act up at 4 or 5 years of age, thank your lucky stars as you can still enjoy roughhousing together and taking long strolls in the park.
The older your Frenchie gets, the less active he’ll become.
One day, you may even miss that rambunctious dog that gave you so much trouble as a pup.
In the meantime, there are measures you can take to curtail your pup’s hyperactivity and make him easier to live with in his younger years.
How to Get My Frenchie to Calm Down
Some dogs are more hyperactive than others due to their diet, upbringing, health problems or personal circumstances.
Pinpointing the causes of your dog’s hyperactive behavior is the first step towards helping him calm down.
If your Frenchie isn’t suffering from health or emotional issues, the following tips can be helpful in tempering or channeling your pup’s energy levels to help him become a more tranquil, submissive dog.
Exercise
Young French Bulldogs have lots of energy and require daily exercise to blow off steam and tire themselves out.
This can be accomplished through daily walks, playtimes in the yard, running and chasing games and other physical activities that your pup enjoys.
If the only time you take your Frenchie out is to go toilet, it’s no wonder he’s tearing up your home!
Mental Stimulation
Frenchies are intelligent dogs.
In addition to physical exercise, your Frenchie needs mental stimulation to keep him out of trouble.
Invest in toys and games that challenge your pup and keep him occupied and entertained.
Better yet, play together with your pup or take time to teach him fun tricks or constructive behaviors that will make him a better pet and companion.
Training/Discipline
All dogs can benefit from training and discipline, especially hyperactive French Bulldogs.
Training requires that your dog listens, focuses on what’s being taught and obeys.
Training can put a stop to a lot, if not all, of your pup’s hyperactivity and destructive habits.
During training, your Frenchie will learn acceptable behaviors in the home and to respect boundaries.
Anytime your pup starts to turn loose in wild abandonment, you can use commands like “stop!”, “sit!” or “stay!” to help him calm down.
Positive reinforcement is key to training your dog successfully, so be sure to give your Frenchie lots of love, praise and treats when he obeys.
If you lack the know-how or time to properly train your pup, seek the help of a professional trainer who will get the job done.
Socialization
Socializing your Frenchie at a young age is another way to curb its hyperactive tendencies.
Fear, anxiety and stress are often triggers for hyperactive tendencies in a dog.
Socializing your pup gets him used to new sights, scents, sounds, people and animals to reduce fear and anxiety of the unknown.
Socialization can be as simple as exposing your pet to new environments on his daily walks, letting him approach other dogs or setting up playdates with neighborhood pets.
At the same time, you can reduce separation anxiety by teaching your Frenchie to spend time on his own playing with toys or in his crate so that he’s not so clingy or dependent on you for company.
Diet
Although it’s fairly normal for French Bulldog puppies to be hyperactive, this state could be intensified by your puppy’s diet.
Low quality puppy food that contains sugar, corn syrup or other unhealthy byproducts could be the cause of your Frenchie’s frenzied activities.
A change of diet to nutritious puppy food that will aid in his growth and development could also be helpful in calming him down.
Rewards
Rewards could be another way to calm your Frenchie down.
You can use some of his favorite treats to reward him for calm, tranquil behavior.
When he starts barking or jumping around, order him to sit or stop and reward him when he obeys.
Avoid yelling or spanking your Frenchie when he’s hyper as it could cause him to act up even more.
Simply ignore his hyperactive behavior to show he will not get your attention that way and withhold rewards until he obeys.
Aromatherapy
Like people, your Frenchie can benefit from the calming effects of aromatherapy, particularly the scents of vanilla and lavender oils.
Air freshener in either scent can be sprayed throughout the home to calm your pet down.
In Summary
When you own a French Bulldog, you get the best of both worlds – an active, fun-loving, adorable puppy and a gentle, affectionate, cuddly adult companion as your puppy matures into adulthood.
If you truly love your Frenchie, you’ll grow to appreciate all sides of his personality and character.
Rest assured that your pup’s hyperactive behavior is only temporary and with age, your pup will mellow out.
If hyperactivity persists or worsens as your pup matures, talk to your vet as this behavior could be caused by a hidden medical issue you’re unaware of.