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Are French Bulldogs dangerous? We often associate bulldogs with toughness, aggression, and huge hunks of muscle. And it’s true! They are tough and are generally more muscular than most dogs, but aggressiveness is a different thing. French Bulldogs are in general very friendly and kind; I should know because I own one, whose name is Tulip.
Having said that, though, he can be aggressive whenever we’re playing and he gets a little too excited. I’ve been scratched a few times by him as well, once on my chest, once on my ankle, and a few times on my thighs (though my thighs are already used to scratches).
Are French Bulldogs Dangerous?
Puppy Frenchies
You may find that puppy Frenchies like to bite or growl, but that’s not necessarily a sign of aggression. In fact, it’s very common among all dog breeds, not just Frenchies.
It might be a problem, however, if this kind of behavior persists as they grow older and you might want to train them not to bite or growl, I’ll go into further detail in the next headings.
Play biting, on the other hand, is normal. It’s when your dog very gently chews on your hand or your finger, this is not a sign of aggression either.
Behavior
Are French Bulldogs dangerous? As I mentioned in the introduction, Frenchies are not aggressive by nature. They are friendly and social, but because of this, they might become overexcited with their owners or people in general.
Overexcitement is common in a lot of dogs, but the problem with an overexcited Frenchie is their tough body. Frenchies have heavy, strong, muscular bodies, and on top of that, they are fast. Combine those two and add sharp claws, and you’re in for a painful experience.
I mentioned that I’ve been scratched by my own Frenchie before; it was always due to his overexcitement whenever he’s playing or wants to play. He would pounce on me or run towards me, causing him to accidentally scratch me.
I personally don’t mind this happening to me, but what if you have guests? Or if there is a baby or small child in the house? This is when problems might arise.
Training
It’s best if you train your Frenchie when they’re still very young, but training them once they’re old is no problem either. Just like most other dogs, the way to a Frenchie’s heart is food.
They love being rewarded. Whenever they bite or growl, you need to give them a sound cue. An example would be snapping your fingers while you stand in front of them.
When you don’t react angrily and remain calm, your dog will reflect that behavior, but you must be patient. The key to calming them down is your body language. You should be calm and confident. When they calm down, that is the best time to reward them. The next time you snap your fingers, they will have associated that with getting a reward.
Do this multiple times so that it becomes second nature to them. Sound cues aren’t limited to snapping your fingers; you can also say “Stop” while pointing your finger at them. I personally like snapping my fingers and pointing at him when he’s being too excited or is pouncing on me.
Grooming
It’s important that you regularly groom your Frenchie. By grooming, I mean regularly trimming your Frenchie’s nails to prevent them from scratching you or anyone else.
You can have their nails trimmed in a veterinary clinic, or you can do it at home with a pair of dog nail clippers or dog nail grinders.
Do not trim your dog’s nails past a certain point. Inside the nail, there is living tissue, which should never be cut because that would cause them a lot of pain. If you want a more detailed tutorial, you can look up “How to trim your dog’s nails at home” on YouTube.
Final Word
So, are French Bulldogs dangerous? It depends. If a French Bulldog is trained and regularly groomed, there should be no problem; however, they can be a danger to babies and young children due to their being prone to overexcitement.
If you’re having guests or having a baby soon, then you should either train them or, if you cannot commit to training them, it would be best to give them away to a loving family.
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