Sleeping habits of French Bulldogs, or Frenchies as they are affectionately known, have been a topic of ongoing discussions among pet owners. While there is no definite answer, and opinions vary greatly based on personal experiences and the personality of each dog, many have come to cherish the comfort and security that comes from sharing their bed with their Frenchie.
For those who have ever experienced the steadfast determination of a French Bulldog wanting to sleep in your bed, you’ll understand that this isn’t just about seeking a warm temperature. These dogs often find the certain elements of a human bed—like its softness and the scent of their owner—particularly comfortable.
Why Let Your Frenchie Sleep With You?
Firstly, French Bulldogs often feel safe and more at ease when they are close to their families, which can translate to still nights for everyone. The presence of a Frenchie can indeed disrupt sleep patterns initially, but many owners find that integrating their pets into their nighttime routine fosters a healthy lifestyle for both the dog and themselves.
Moreover, the reasons to let your Frenchie sleep with you go beyond comfort. It’s about enhancing the bond between you and your pet. They become more than just a dog; they’re a boy or girl who serves as a loyal companion through the night. For many, the dogs don’t just make their way to the bed; they become an integral part of the habits that constitute a family’s life.
Discussing the Practicalities
It’s important to consider the practical aspects of letting your Frenchie share your bed. While the bed should be comfortable for both of you, ensuring it’s large enough to accommodate everyone safely is crucial. Moreover, while some might argue it’s not good to let a Frenchie sleep with you because of concerns like allergies or disrupting sleep, many find the benefits outweigh these concerns.
In this blog, we discuss various reasons why, despite some advice to the contrary, you should not shy away from letting your Frenchie cuddle up with you at night. This shared experience can strengthen the emotional connection, providing a sense of safety and comfort that benefits both you and your pet.
Establishing a Nighttime Routine for Your Frenchie
Establishing a pre-bed routine is important for helping your French Bulldog wind down before bedtime. In the period leading up to when your Frenchie normally goes to bed, it’s vital to avoid activities that might excite your puppy. This will make it easier for them to calm down and be ready to sleep. Additionally, you should limit their food intake 2-3 hours before the sleeping time; a full stomach can make it difficult to sleep and isn’t healthy. Without this, they might wake up during the night, disrupting both your sleeps as a result.
By setting up a consistent routine, you not only ensure that your pet is ready and comfortable for bed, but you also minimize disruptions for yourself, ensuring both of you can have a sound sleep. This preparation is key to a smooth night with your furry friend by your side.
Snoring Symphony: The Lovable Quirk of French Bulldogs
Despite their cute looks, French Bulldogs are quite famous for their snoring, which can reach a full flow that’s as loud as dishwashers or a normal conversation. The highest snore recorded was an incredible 63 dB, louder than most sounds you’d typically hear. While it might seem challenging to share a bed with such a noisy sleeper, many owners find this trait endearingly humorous over time.
If you’re considering letting your French bulldog sleep in your bed, be prepared for some loud nights. However, many find the rhythmic snoring comforting, a quirk that only deepens the bond between you and your pet.
Space Sharing: Cozy Nights with Your Compact Canine
French Bulldogs may be small dogs, but they take up a surprising amount of space on the bed. If you’re used to sleeping alone, including a Frenchie in your sleeping arrangements might require some adjustment. These little dogs often sleep with four paws sprawled wide open, and you should expect them to do so consistently every night.
Adjusting your sleeping preferences to accommodate your Frenchie’s space needs can prevent the early death of your mattress and ensure that both of you can get along comfortably in the shared space.
Managing Allergies with a Shedding Frenchie
While French Bulldogs are shorthaired, they do shed a lot, which can be hard for people who are allergic to pets. However, for allergy sufferers who don’t want to deny themselves the joy of a Frenchie, managing this issue is quite feasible with regular grooming.
Using a combify Frenchie comb, recommended by vets and professional groomers, can reduce shedding by up to 95%. Regular brushing, a week’s worth of filling their grooming with lathers, conditioners, or water-soluble sprays, depending on their coat type, can significantly minimize the presence of hair in your home and make living with your pet much more comfortable for those with allergies.
Warm Companions: The Dual-Role of French Bulldogs in Bed
Known affectionately as little furnaces, French Bulldogs can keep you warm in the winter but might cause you to sweat during your sleep in the summer. Their incredibly high body temperature makes them natural bed heaters, ensuring that you never have a cold night, although sometimes at the cost of a good night’s sleep during hotter months.
Sharing your bed with a Frenchie means adapting to their hot nature, which can be a delightful bonus during the colder season but may require some adjustments as the temperatures rise.
Privacy? What Privacy?
For those hoping to maintain privacy in their home with a French bulldog, it might be bad news. This breed is a companion dog that needs attention from its human family members nearly every moment of the day. Our own Frenchie, Sasha, has taught us that making sure she gets some exercise during the daytime helps her to be tired before laying
Training French Bulldogs to Sleep Independently
Unlike other breeds, a French Bulldog that has been brought up from a young age in your home generally does not encounter problems when left to sleep on their own. It’s often considered the best practice to train them in the right way to sleep in their own bed, ensuring they are both comfortable and happy.
Creating a dedicated space for your Frenchie allows them to feel secure and content, even when not snuggled up next to you. However, many owners find that despite the ability to sleep alone, their French Bulldogs often prefer the warmth and closeness of their human companions, making shared sleep not just a necessity but a mutually beneficial comfort.
Considerations for Co-Sleeping with Your French Bulldog
While French bulldogs love to sleep in their owners’ beds, dog owners need to be careful about letting their pets share the bedroom. These adorable companions have different sleep habits than humans; they tend to sleep more and in a different pattern than we do, which can influence the overall sleeping environment.
French Bulldogs often engage in a sleep pattern characterized by short bursts of activity followed by longer periods of rest. Moreover, they sometimes remain in “watchdog” mode even while asleep, and may even talk in their sleep. All of these behaviors can be disruptive to a human’s sleep. If you decide to let your Frenchie sleep in your bed, you might find yourself waking up more frequently than you normally would, which can be extremely disruptive to your own rest.
Understanding these habits is crucial for those who wish to incorporate their pets into their nighttime routines. Adjusting expectations and preparing to accommodate these differences can help ensure that both you and your furry friend get the best possible night’s sleep.