Owning a French Bulldog means you’ll have to deal with lots of behavioral issues, and separation anxiety is one of them. But what is separation anxiety in French Bulldogs to begin with?
What Is French Bulldog Separation Anxiety?
To put it simply, French Bulldog separation anxiety is when your French Bulldog becomes super-stressed when left alone.
Your Frenchie becomes anxious and shows distress as you leave or prepare to leave. This usually happens when your French Bulldog is overly attached to or dependent on you.
French Bulldog separation anxiety is a difficult situation to deal with for both the dog and you. On one side, your Frenchie feels trapped and frustrated because of your absence. On the other side, you can feel responsible for your dog’s suffering.
In this guide, you’ll learn about the signs of French Bulldog separation anxiety and how you can ease it.
See also: 5 Reasons your dog is lethargic and not himself
French Bulldog Separation Anxiety Symptoms
Below are the most common signs of French Bulldog separation anxiety. Go through them and see if your Frenchie presents any of these signs.
- Pacing, heavy panting, and drooling
- Escaping
- Destroying environment
- Barking or howling
- Urination or defecation
- Coprophagia
1. Pacing, Heavy Panting, and Drooling
One indicator of French Bulldog separation anxiety would be constant pacing and drooling.
Your Frenchie will walk in specific patterns in an attempt to calm their nerves. This may be a hard symptom to identify, as they will only exhibit this when you are gone.
You may find your Frenchie covered in drool when you get home from work because of separation anxiety. You can try to minimize the amount of time they are alone.
2. Escape Attempts
This symptom will result in your French Bulldog taking extreme measures to try to get out of their environment.
They might attempt to bite through doors and windows, which can result in self-injury and a damaged environment.
This signal is a little more evident, as you can tell if your French Bulldog has any injuries or if there are any new damages to your interior.
3. Destructive Behavior (Chewing, Digging, etc)
One of the most profound signs of separation anxiety is destruction. Frenchies will chew through furniture, claw at doors and windows, scratch your carpet, and even try to dig holes as a way to cope with their anxiety.
If you return home only to see the interior of your home ravaged, do not punish your French Bulldog. Instead, try to give them comfort as they have little control over their anxiety.
4. Barking or Howling
French Bulldogs who have separation anxiety will demonstrate barking or howling every time you leave them alone.
This can be hard to identify on your own as they will not do it in your presence. However, it would be a good idea to be extra attentive to any noise when you are getting home if you suspect that your French Bulldog has separation anxiety.
5. Urination and Defecation
This sign can be a little tricky to distinguish, especially if you have a puppy that is not potty trained.
French Bulldogs with separation anxiety may urinate or defecate but would never do it in your presence. Thus, if your Frenchie is exhibiting this sign around you, it probably is not an indicator of this disorder.
6. Coprophagia
This symptom is a little less common than the others. Nonetheless, it is still a possibility. Coprophagia happens when a dog eats his own poop or other dogs’ poop.
This will not make your dog sick, but it is still not a good practice they should be participating in.
How to Stop French Bulldog Separation Anxiety
Fortunately, there are a plethora of different ways that you can use to stop your French Bulldog separation anxiety. Here are five tips to help ease separation anxiety:
1. Get Your French Bulldog a Large and Comfortable Space
Instead of putting your French Bulldog in a crate or letting them roam around where they have the potential to be destructive, put them in a room that is filled with toys for them to distract themselves with.
2. Get a Dog-Sitter
A short-term fix would be to get a dog sitter so your Frenchie is not completely alone when you have to be away. This would be especially ideal if you usually work long hours or you are just not home very often.
3. Take Your French Bulldog to Daycare
This is similar to the last suggestion; however, your French Bulldog will not only be surrounded by a guardian to look after them, but they will have other dogs to play with as well.
4. Short Absences
Short absences can be helpful in managing separation anxiety in French Bulldogs.
By gradually increasing the time you’re away, starting with very short periods, your French Bulldog can learn that your departures and arrivals are not a big deal.
This helps reduce their anxiety and builds their confidence that you will always come back.
Here’s how you do it:
- Leave your Frenchie alone for a short period, such as 2-5 minutes. Ensure they have access to water and a comfortable place to rest in a safe and secure area.
- Ignore your Frenchie for a few minutes before you leave and after you return. This will help them learn that your departures and arrivals are not a big deal.
- Gradually increase the time you’re away in 2-5 minute increments over several days or weeks. This will help your French Bulldog learn that you will always return.
- Keep a record of your French Bulldog’s behavior during each absence. Note any signs of anxiety or distress, such as panting, pacing, or barking. This will help you track progress and adjust the duration of the absences as needed.
- Offer your Frenchie a treat or a toy when you return, but make sure it’s not an overly exciting or stimulating reward.
- Repeat the process daily or as often as possible, gradually increasing the duration of the absences over time.
With this exercise, you can teach your Frenchie that it’s OK to be alone. That way, you won’t have to deal with separation anxiety as he gets older.
Wrap-Up: Helping Your French Bulldog With Separation Anxiety
Dealing with a French Bulldog with separation anxiety can be difficult and worrisome. Therefore, it can be difficult to treat your French Bulldog’s separation anxiety effectively.
As you learned in this guide, there are a few actionable tips that can make a big difference in easing your dog’s separation anxiety.
- When you are away, let a friend, family member, or neighbor watch your French Bulldog for you.
- If your Frenchie enjoys being with other dogs, it would be a good idea to take him to a well-run kennel or doggie daycare facility.
- If possible, bring your Frenchie to work.
Do you have any tips about getting your French Bulldog through separation anxiety? Share them with us in the comment section below.
