Are French Bulldogs Good With Kids?

Are you thinking of getting a French Bulldog but don’t know whether the breed is right for your family? Maybe you have small children or a baby on the way? Here’s everything you need to know about whether French Bulldogs are good with kids. 

Are French Bulldogs Good With Kids? Yes, French Bulldogs are great with kids provided they’re well socialized as puppies and introduced to children correctly. They’ve been bred for hundreds of years as a companion breed, making them naturally friendly and capable of forming strong bonds with all family members.

Read on to find out if French Bulldogs are good around babies, what you can do to prepare your Frenchie for your new arrival, and what the kids must avoid doing when playing with your French Bulldog.

Never use the advice in this article as a substitute for professional veterinary advice or treatment. I am NOT a Vet, qualified dog trainer or dog behaviourist. This article is based on research, personal opinion and experience of owning dogs over the last 12+ years. 

What Makes A French Bulldog A Good Family Dog?

This is what makes a French Bulldog a good family dog:

French Bulldogs are a companion breed

French Bulldogs are good with kids because they’ve been bred solely as a companion breed.

They don’t need to be good at any other specific skills like hunting, herding or guarding, they simply need be friendly and good company to people.

Most modern-day French Bulldogs live up to these expectations, which is what helps them to become great members of the family. 

French Bulldogs are a quiet breed

French Bulldogs are not a particularly noisy breed.

They don’t tend to bark too much, although they can be vocal in other ways, using grunts and yawns to communicate what they need.

The lack of barking is great for a household with kids. Not only will they be less likely to wake up a sleeping baby or child by barking, they won’t scare a child by barking either. 

Children will probably find your French Bulldog’s way of communicating endearing and sweet too, which will further strengthen the bond they share together. 

French Bulldogs are a small breed

French Bulldogs are a small breed which means they’re less likely to accidentally knock over a child whilst they’re around them, particularly when they’re playing together. 

Although they’re small, their sturdy little bodies are less fragile than other small or toy breeds, like Yorkshire Terriers for example.

This means that if a child is playing with them, a French Bulldog is less likely to get accidentally injured.

Even though French Bulldogs are undoubtedly more robust than other dog breeds of a similar size, this isn’t an excuse for a child to interact with or handle them roughly. 

French Bulldogs are happy to chill

Although French Bulldogs require around an hour of exercise each day, they’re usually happy to chill out on the sofa afterwards.

This is great for kids, as they can be involved in a French Bulldogs daily exercise and then relax together afterwards as well. 

French Bulldogs are a loyal breed

French Bulldogs are a particularly loyal breed that form strong bonds with each member of their family, including children.

They’re capable of being a fantastic companion to children of any age, provided they interact with them kindly.

Children will often have a friendship for life with a French Bulldog. 

French Bulldogs have big personalities

Because of their cute, puppy like appearance, many children who may be wary around dogs, tend to find French Bulldogs more appealing.

Not only are they cute to look at, but their funny, happy-go-lucky personalities are sure to win a child over!

Are French Bulldogs Good With Babies?

French Bulldogs can be good with babies provided they’re introduced to them in the right way. However, as with any dog breed, you should never leave a French Bulldog alone with a baby, even if you trust them. They could jump up and harm a baby or knock them by accident.

If you introduce your French Bulldog to a baby from an early age, they’re more likely to feel comfortable around them.

If you already have a French Bulldog and you’re expecting a baby, you should try and prepare them for the baby’s arrival beforehand.

It can be helpful to play sounds of baby noises around the home, so your French Bulldog gets used to hearing them.

It’s also really important to provide your French Bulldog with their own safe space that they can retreat to, should they feel that they need a break.

If at any point your French Bulldog appears uncomfortable or stressed when they’re around your baby, you should always separate them.

French Bulldogs should never be left unattended with a baby, even if they live together.

How Children Should Behave Around A French Bulldog?

It’s important to make sure that your children and their friends know how to behave and play with your French Bulldog, sensibly.

Here are some ground rules that children should follow:

Be Gentle

Children should always be encouraged to behave gently and calmly when they’re around your French Bulldog.

They shouldn’t ever be allowed to tease the dog by poking, grabbing, pulling the tail and ears, and handling roughly.

If a child behaves in this way around a French Bulldog, they may even react defensively.

Even if your French Bulldog used to being around kids, they could growl or nip if they’re feeling hurt or threatened. 

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Children should be taught not to interrupt or disturb a French Bulldog when they’re sleeping. This could startle them and wake them up too suddenly.

Feeling scared or threatened can make them react defensively.

To avoid doing this accidentally, it’s a good idea to make sure your French Bulldog has somewhere to call their own. A place where they won’t be disturbed by kids or other family members.

This is where crate training can be useful. A crate provides a safe and secure place that your French Bulldog can call their own. 

Let Your French Bulldog Eat

Children shouldn’t be allowed to touch a French Bulldog when they’re eating or drinking.

If your French Bulldog is possessive over food, which some can be, then this is particularly important.

Kids should also be discouraged from teasing a French Bulldog with food too as this can make them very frustrated.

It also encourages them to beg for food, which some owners would prefer them not to do. 

Avoid Picking Your French Bulldog Up

Whilst it’s very tempting for children to pick up and cuddle a cute French Bulldog, they could accidentally hurt them in the process.

Despite their small size, French Bulldogs are deceptively heavy dogs, especially for a young child.

They could be accidentally dropped or jump from a child’s arms and injure themselves in the process. 

Are There Any Risks To Children From French Bulldogs?

Any dog has the potential to bite a child, including French Bulldogs. Just because they’re naturally playful and friendly as a breed, doesn’t mean they’ll never react aggressively in a given situation.

If a child is hurting or frightening a French Bulldog, they may feel as though they have no choice but to defend themselves with a warning growl or even a bite.

To ensure incidents like this are less likely to happen, you should never leave a child alone with your French Bulldog, even if they know each other well.

This way, you can monitor the interactions they share with each other and step in if needs be. 

If your French Bulldog is a puppy, they’ll have really sharp needle like teeth.

Couple this with the fact that they’re probably teething too, means they’ll want to chew and bite everything!

So, even though they don’t mean to hurt a child, they can do so accidentally if they mouth or bite them, even if it’s gentle.

The likelihood of this happening is increased the more excited your French Bulldog puppy gets, so you should intervene if you see them getting over-excited.

Kids don’t tend to be great at keeping calm, particularly when they’ve got a super fun French Bulldog to play with. So it’s up to you to monitor their playtime together. 

French Bulldogs love to play, just like children do! Whilst it can be great fun for them to play together, it’s important that your French Bulldog doesn’t get overexerted. 

Playtime between children and French Bulldogs should always be monitored and stopped if the excitement levels increase too much.

There should always be plenty of time for your French Bulldog to rest, in-between them playing with children.

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So there you have it! French Bulldogs are generally great with kids as long as they were socialized as puppies and introduced to children in the right way. As a companion breed, they’re naturally friendly and capable of forming strong bonds with children and adults alike!