Can French Bulldogs Jump?

Jumping is an ingrained and instinctual behavior in dogs. It is often a form of showing emotion. Frenchies are excitable pups and this means that they like jumping around. Whether it’s jumping outside in the yard, or within the house from couch to couch, because they are so amicable, they also tend to jump up on people in their friendliness.

While every pet-owner enjoys watching their puppy act playfully, Frenchies are highly prone to injury. Jumping might seem like a harmless activity, but can be damaging for your French Bulldog.

It is important to understand what might excite your Frenchie into jumping, and what are the risks posed by this activity.

 

Risks of Jumping

As a responsible pet-owner, it’s necessary to distinguish between healthy exercise and risky exertion. Physical exertion, which may injure your French Bulldog, should be completely avoided.

1.     Injuries

Jumping without restraint can cause injuries to the sensitive bone structure of French Bulldogs. Frenchies are predisposed to multiple medical conditions. Three common issues are patellar location, hip dysplasia, and inter verbal disc disease.

·         Patellar Luxation

Patellar luxation refers to the dislocation of the kneecap. This is not uncommon in French Bulldogs. The reasons for patellar luxation can be genetic, or it can be caused by injury to the knee. The physical signs of this condition show up in your pet’s walking style. If your Frenchie skips while walking, appears lame, or shows bow-legs, these could be signs.

·         Intervertebral Disc Disease

Intervertebral disc disease may be caused by exertion on the spine. The spinal disc is meant to act as a shock absorber. However, in the case of this injury, the disc can no longer support any load. The physical signs are evident because your Frenchie will be experiencing extreme pain. It may move around much lesser and even cry out when touched.

·         Hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is another genetically produced condition in French Bulldogs. It refers to a displacement of the hip joint. The physical signs will show up in your pets’ difficult walking. They may stop moving around due to pain. In addition to momentary lameness, they may walk with little jumps in their step.

·         Serious Injuries

While sprains and bruises are more routine injuries, the seriousness can vary. A broken leg or spine and tissue damage are some serious conditions. All of these injuries are accompanied by extreme pain.

2.     Premature Arthritis

Many dogs suffer from arthritis as they age. However, excessive physical exertion only accelerates the degeneration process. Early arthritis is a condition that develops in puppies if their health isn’t adequately monitored.

Arthritis is the swelling of joints, and additional pressure on joints only increases inflammation. Thus, to minimize damage, ensure that the jumping surface is softer and shock absorbent.

Treatments

If you notice any anomalies in your pet’s walking style, take them to the veterinarian immediately. The seriousness of any injury will increase manifold over time if untreated. Treatments vary for each condition and in their intensity.

Your pet may be given oral medication, injections, or physical therapy for its injuries. Or, in more dire situations, surgery might be an option. Although the immediate cause of the injury may be jumping, other risk factors can exist.

Being overweight makes your French Bulldog more prone to any physical injuries. Overall good nutrition and healthy exercise should be part of every pet’s lifestyle.

 

Training your Frenchie

Lack of training for your French Bulldog can cause issues for the pet and others. Unrestrained activities, like jumping, will become a regular and hazardous occurrence. Moreover, if your Frenchie does not follow instructions, it may jump on others without invitation. Not everyone is a pet enthusiast.

Even friendly behavior can often evoke hostile responses from strangers, guests, and visitors. Training your Frenchie is important for its long-term mental and physical development.

Know Why Your Frenchie is Jumping

Once you know the reason for your Frenchie’s jumping, it is easier to train them out of it. Your pet might be calling for attention for you or others. Your pet may simply be excited at meeting new people or doing new things. Or your pet might just be playing around and acting like a puppy!

French Bulldogs are a happy breed, and jumping can be a way of expression for them. However, if your Frenchie starts hurting itself by jumping, it becomes a problem. Take the necessary steps to immediately discourage this behavior.

 

Ignoring Unpleasant Behaviours

This is the first step to training your Frenchie not to jump. Any reaction can encourage behavior further. So even scolding and negative responses can be mistaken for attention. Bad behavior will only repeat itself if it is rewarded with any kind of attention.

Positive Reinforcement

This is a common training technique for pets. Reward your pet with treats or love whenever it follows instructions. Your Frenchie will not comprehend that jumping is bad until shown. By positively reinforcing good behaviors, you ensure that they will be repeated.

By ignoring bad behaviors, you show it what is unacceptable. So every time your Frenchie is sitting or firmly standing on all fours, reward it in some way. But keep in mind to cease completely if they try to jump.

Provide Attention

Since French Bulldogs are companion dogs, they are very attached to owners. They undergo separation anxiety and require a great deal of attention. Jumping can be a call for attention if they feel deprived.

So it is recommended that you give your Frenchie plenty of love. Keep in mind that spoiling your pet is never a good idea. However, an adequate dosage of love is a daily requirement. As their anxiety lowers, some Frenchies will curb their unrestrained jumping.

Training During Greetings

There are certain times when your Frenchie is more excitable than usual. For example, when greeting you after a long day, or when it greets new people and other dogs. Take these moments to train your Frenchie properly.

Your Frenchie will be more perceptive to training if it is done regularly. Although it may feel nice to be greeted enthusiastically when you come home, this can be a harmful behavior. Allowing your Frenchie leeway as a puppy can make training harder in the future. So begin early for the best results.

To Sum Up

French Bulldogs, like most pets, are loving and friendly animals. They enjoy being around people. In their attempts to show their joy, they may, however, overexert themselves.

Jumping is a natural response in dogs, but for Frenchies, it has greater consequences. Due to their delicate anatomies, jumping can cause moderate to serious injuries. So it is best for your Frenchie to learn not to jump up. With training and practice, your French Bulldog will be safer and healthier in the long run!

 

FAQs

1.     How High can French Bulldogs Jump?

Frenchies are not very high jumpers. However, adult French Bulldogs can jump around 40 to 50 centimeters off the ground, on average.

2.     Can French Bulldogs jump onto a couch or a bed?

Adult Frenchies can jump onto the average couch or bed with relative ease. Puppies may face difficulty and be unable to do so. However, if your bed or couch is too high, your pet will not be able to reach it. In attempting to reach it anyway, it may even injure itself.

3.     Can French Bulldogs jump over a Fence?

French Bulldogs cannot jump over fences. Even adult French Bulldogs do not have the ability to jump over the average fence. They may, however, injure themselves in any attempts to do so.