French Bulldog Separation Anxiety

You’ve just brought home your new, adorable & pawfect French Bulldog puppy

and your household is bursting with excitement! You got them a lush new bed, a bougee collar/leash, enough toys to stock a pet store, food/water bowls with their names bedazzled on the sides, and maybe even some fashionable outfits to rock. You’ve picked up your new French Bulldog puppy on a Friday evening and had the weekend off to help them get settled in and adjust to their new surroundings. You think you’ve thought of everything, but have you? 

Did You Know?

Sometimes as new French Bulldog owners (or any new dog owners) we often overlook is one of the most common things that you can expect to deal with when you add a new dog to the household- separation anxiety. That’s right, dogs experience it too! Just like humans, your French Bulldog puppy will struggle with anxiety at times, to varying degrees (each dog is different). With that being said, let me introduce myself to all the new readers here. Hi, I’m Peter, aka the Frenchie King, founder of My Pawesome Frenchie. I am an ethical and humane Ontario French Bulldog breeder and educator and I’m happy to have you here! To get to know me a little more, you can check out my Youtube channel and Instagram pages. I post a TON of free content that is full of breed knowledge, advice, support & all around French Bulldog fun!

Now, back to dealing with separation anxiety. Like I mentioned before, it’s super common and something that most French Bulldog parents struggle with. No one wants to see their (fur)kids crying and sad. Thankfully, there ARE a few pre-emptive things you can do to help prepare for this. Continue reading to find out more about what to expect in the early days with your French Bulldog puppy, including how to handle separation anxiety. 

The Cues of Separation Anxiety

It is often easier to deal with separation anxiety behaviours if you understand them. Below are some behaviours you can commonly expect with your new French bulldog puppy. 

• They may cry when you are out of sight and will likely want to follow you everywhere you do.

• In the beginning, there will certainly be some barking, howling, and crying when they are put in their crates (I am a HUGE advocate for crate training).

• Loud noises like the vacuum cleaner, doorbell, alarms, etc may frighten them.

• Nighttime is often the worst, just like with newborn babies trying to sleep.

• They may want constant attention/physical touch.

The above are all completely normal French Bulldog puppy behaviours and how you handle it will affect and dictate how your puppy adjusts and integrates into your home. A little bit of patience, understanding, and consistency will go a long way. 

Tips & Tools to Combat You Frenchies Separation Anxiety

Here are some tips to help you combat the above behaviours. 

• Try to keep everything as calm as possible. I know getting a new puppy is exciting, but those first few days really set the standard and tone for everyday life going forward. Structure and consistency right off the bat is the way to go. 

• Ensure plenty of attention. Your French Bulldog puppy has a lot to process and will be anxious and lonely being away from mom and littermates. This is the time to start creating a bond with them so get them involved in the household. (be sure to teach young kids how to interact with dogs).

• Feeding, walks, potty breaks, crate training, etc needs to be VERY structured from the very beginning. Stick with the schedule!

• Carefully choose where their crate will go. In your bedroom or living room is a common choice as it allows the puppy to not feel alone and isolated but still encourages and trains independence. 

• An old-fashioned ticking clock near the crate can mimick the mothers heartbeat or a hot water bottle wrapped in cloth would be similar to littermate snuggles.

• Invest in an anti-anxiety aid. My personal favourite is the Snuggle Puppy! I did a whole review on it you can check it out on YouTube.

• Patience, patience, patience. If you disrupt the consistency, you are setting yourself up for a harder time. It’s a lot easier to develop new habits than it is to re-train old, negative ones. 

• Remind yourself that your French Bulldog puppy WILL take some time to whine and cry before settling themselves down in their crate.

• Start with small time periods that you are away from them- ie leave the room for short periods and work up to longer durations.

• Positively reinforce their good behaviours.

Wrap Up

That’s just the tip of the iceberg but it will help you get a great head start! For more suggestions, I recommend checking out our section of other blogs and following videos/posts as well on Instagram

Stay tuned for more hot tips