Do French Bulldogs like to play? ( Plus Tips & Rules)

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Keeping French bulldogs is becoming common nowadays, as they are docile, intelligent, well-behaved, and easy to train.

You and your dog can easily spend quality time playing and performing different activities. It strengthens your bond with your dog, keeps him motivated, and develops focusing skills.  

Today, we’ll discuss French bulldog playing tactics to make him more active and sharp. 

Do French Bulldogs Like To Play? 

French bulldogs are basically like companion dogs who love to interact after they’re familiarized. So, yes! You can have a lot of fun time with your Frenchies because they like to play. Also, their smiling face provides mutual pleasure while playing. 

Also, once tamed, they’ll follow all your commands quickly. The well-trained dogs are usually obedient, joyful, well-behaved, and provide an impression of playfulness due to their affectionate and friendly nature. So, you can play any game with them to have a joyful time. 

How do you know when a dog wants to play?

Many French Bulldogs have several habits to show their urge for fun and play. They might hop on the ground, bring things, or rollover. If your dog is also offering some of the below-mentioned gestures, get to know that it’s playtime. 

1. Play Bow 

The French dogs usually bow down their head when they’re desperate to play. It is a kind of signal to entertain them or play any game. The head is touching the ground while the backside is a bit up in that scenario. They can perform this activity in front of you or other dogs. 

2. Bouncing 

The French bulldogs start bouncing on their feet while making different noises sometimes. It is a gesture to give them a bit of attention and play them a good game like fetch or tug of war. The hoping movement refers to playtime. 

3. Bringing Things 

While having an urge to play, your Frenchie might bring different things like toys and other soft stuff. Handing them over to you also refers to the demand of playing and taking attention. Just spend some quality time during his cute mood. 

These are some commonly adopted gestures by the French bulldogs. Your dog might behave differently. Just try to understand his requirements behind a move. 

Basic Rules Of Play 

French bulldogs are usually easy to train. But if you’ve got a new puppy, give him some time to associate with you and your family members. While teaching him playing, here are some rules to keep in mind to enhance your experience. 

1. Don’t Crowd And Proceed Slowly 

Don’t make a rush around your dog while training him for playing. Also, don’t try to prepare him for multiple games at a single time. Start by the easiest and proceed gradually. 

For example, you can start with fetch play, then after some time, you can train him for puzzles and treasure hunt. After being an expert in these games, you can move towards tug of war and other games. 

Crowding around him in the beginning while trying to teach multiple games won’t work for a new puppy. Instead, he may freak out. 

2. Decide The Rules at the start

While playing, communicate with your dogs in the form of gestures or your specific words and convey to him the rules. Obviously, a new puppy will take some time to understand them. But a trained Frenchie will become used to with them along with time. 

In the beginning, repeat the rules before every game. With time, you won’t need to do that because your puppy will grow and develop an instinct of familiarization with regulations. 

3. Never Hit Your Dog 

Never ever hit your dog in rage or fury. It will create a negative thought and response in your dog’s mind. If he’s not getting things, try again. Becoming furious and hitting will scare him from playing and learning new things. 

You can slightly pat him on the back and try to communicate your method. Several training techniques differ depending on the type of game. Analyze them properly and train your Frenchie accordingly.  

4. Don’t Over-expose To Sun 

It might be a bit difficult for your French bulldog to adjust to heat for a more extended period. They are susceptible to sunlight for a long time range. So, don’t expose them above their desired range and try to engage them in indoor games. 

Indoor games, even more, excite the French bulldogs because of a safer environment. But be careful with hard ends as well to prevent him from any injury. 

Don’t hurt your dog while playing, and apply the same rule to him to better socialize. Also, take care of the surfaces, and don’t rush him in the beginning for enjoying your play! 

Games Your French Dog Will Love To Play 

There are several games that you can play with your Frenchie to enjoy and train him. Other than joy, these games will help your dog in improving the focus and quickly analyzing the scenario.

French bulldogs like to play


Hence it will be a great deal to get multiple benefits from playing. 

1.Do They Like Hide And Seek? 

Yes, you can play hide and seek with them differently. For puppies, you can try hiding a toy beneath a carpet or below a curtain while they’re noticing. Pretend that you’re unaware and ask them to find it. On success, reward your Frenchie with some treats. 

You can also hide and before disappearing, ask your dog to find you. You can also involve any peer for a better experience. 

2.What About Treasure Hunt? 

It’s an excellent brain game, and you can easily set-up a maze for your Frenchie and hide some sweets there. Then ask him to find the hidden treats. You can get special stylish boxes from any local or online store. The finding moments will be exciting ones. Don’t forget to reward your puppy for successful completion.  

3.Do French Bulldogs Like To Play Fetch? 

Fetch is the most famous game among the French bulldogs because it involves their primary instinct of chasing. In the beginning, train your dog to chase the ball while throwing at a shorter distance. Make him learn through your gestures.  

With time, increase the area and praise him on bringing the ball back. You can also get notable toys for enhancing the experience during playing fetch. 

4. Do French Bulldogs Play Tug Of War? 

Yes, it’s another exciting play for adult French bulldogs. You can hold a rope from one side, allowing your dog to grasp it from the other side properly. Make sure he’s aware of the trick to gain real joy while playing. 

Also, don’t allow your kids to play tug of war with the dog. If they want, supervise them to avoid any safety issues. This game will help your Frenchie to understand different directions and continuous moving while playing. 

5. Are Puzzles good for Frenchies? 

Puzzles are a great way to enhance the creativity of your dog. There are different kinds of puzzles in which you can hide the dog’s treat on the successful completion. Also, the brain-storming and energy required will serve the purpose of a healthy brain. 

Another kind includes kibble puzzles, which is a kind of swirling food bowls and will decrease the eating time. They’ll enable your Frenchie to focus appropriately while eating. You can also create a custom puzzle yourself by using simple hardboard or plastic bottles. 

If you are interested in purchasing puzzles game for your frenchie, then there is an excellent selection on Amazon with thousands of customer reviews. ,

6. Do French Bulldogs Like To Play With Water? 

French bulldogs do like to play with water. But remember that they are unable to swim. So, don’t take them near the pool or large water bodies. For playing purposes, you can provide them with a small tub of water to make some fun.  

Do French Bulldogs Play With Themselves? 

Yes, French bulldogs can play with themselves while alone. They’re a bit jolly and may involve the people in the surrounding. Also, they can add other dogs to their games if available. 

So, that was a bit short description of some games that French bulldogs love to play. You can also search for others to enhance the experience during playtime. 

Some Tips While Playing With Your French Dog 

While playing, it is essential to engage your French bulldog and to enjoy the play. The proper safety measures on the appropriate location and time are necessary for spending a joyful time. Here are some pro-tips in this regard. 

1. Safety Check 

Both your and your dog’s safety is important while playing. There might be a chance of hurting, either by a hard surface or by a dog’s bite, in extreme happiness.

First of all, be evident that French dogs are friendly and won’t get aggressive either while playing or other activities. But you need to ensure the following measures during or before playing. 

  • Don’t allow your dog to bite even if it doesn’t hurt. The reason is that your dog will consider it acceptable to use teeth while playing. So, be careful. Stop and place anything else in front of him. 
  • Don’t lay down at a lower angle while playing. Your dog may misinterpret in excitement and can bite you. 
  • Don’t use food as a reward in games. The dog may get confused, and the action turns to be super-exciting that you may not like. 

2. Proper Choice Of Toys 

It is necessary to choose the correct type of toys for your Frenchie. Here are some dos and don’ts in this regard for making a proper use and choice of toys. 

  • Please don’t use the toys which have peel-off paint on them. It may upset the stomach of your bulldog. 
  • Try to choose some soft rubbery toy that your dog is easily chewable, but it should be tough enough to withstand his teeth. 
  • Don’t choose flimsy toys as their break-off parts might get swallowed by your French bulldog, and in return, affecting his intestines.  
  • Don’t use sticks or other vertical toys while playing. You might try to swallow and hurt his trachea. 
  • Don’t use ropes as toys, as your dog can pierce and ingest them. 

So, the use of toys might be exciting for your puppy, but it’s essential to ensure all the safety measures and choice of toys before starting the play. 

3. Choose Appropriate Location And Time 

Choosing a proper time frame and place of playing, depending on your dog’s mood, is also necessary. For the location, check the following list before deciding. 

  • For outdoors, check for the sharp edges, hard objects, and broken things present in the surroundings and analyze their danger level. 
  • Be sure to remove if any hurting element is present. 
  • Take special care of water presence because French bulldogs are unable to swim. 
  • For indoors, take care of breakable objects and notice the things in the surrounding. 
  • Also, take into account that the floor should be slippery to prevent the chance of injury. 
  • The more clear the area, the more you’ll enjoy the play. 

For a time, you can take into account the mood of your dog. In the beginning section, we’ve also mentioned some factors that indicate that your dog urges you to play and spend time with you. 

Signs That Your Dog Is Ending The Play 

After a specific time, some French dogs start playing rough, indicating that they’re tired and want to end the play.

Here are some noticing points in this regard. 

  • They start growling, and their famous smile is missing from their face. It’s a kind of yawning gesture that he’s done with the play. 
  • The ears of your Frenchie may go back, and he may curl his lips, indicating the back-off. 
  • Behavior changes and the interest in the game diminish.  

Wrapping Up 

Overall, the French bulldogs are very exciting about playing as they love socializing. You can play several games depending on their stamina and mood. Playing fetch and tug of war is the most interesting in this regard because of the curiosity involved. 

Just make sure to take care of the safety level and type of toys before playing, and you’ll be good to go! Have an exciting experience while playing with your French bulldog.