Can You Hike With A French Bulldog?

French Bulldogs are calm, composed, and friendly pooches that are considered as one of the best suitable family pets. They are loving and adorable dogs that can be a perfect buddy for you. They have a charming presence along with a fluffy face and a pushed-in nose. Due to their anatomy, this dog breed is quite sensitive and cannot afford to perform heavy workouts, long walks, and hiking. In this blog, we would find out whether you can hike with a French Bulldog or not.

French Bulldogs are touted to be playful and active dog breeds. But this does not mean that you can take them for a long walk or hiking. Bulldogs face a lot of physical challenges as their legs are short and not meant to go for intensive workouts. You should be aware of the fact that these are not fit for long hikes as they have breathing issues and can get overheated and over-exhausted very easily.

If you still wish to take your French Bulldog on hiking, then you must follow the necessary measures to avoid any mishaps. Train him basic hiking methods by taking him on short hikes. Avoid any error by choosing the best route and keeping all the necessary items to fulfill your buddy’s needs. The following are some of the factors that you should be taking care of before introducing them to hikes.

Physical challenges for French Bulldogs

French Bulldogs are small in size and have small legs which make it harder for them to continuously walk or climb on a mountain. Also because of their punched-in nose and fluffy-wrinkled face, they face difficulty in breathing properly. However, breathing issues can majorly affect their respiratory system when these furry pals are exposed to heavy workouts, long walks, and hiking as well.

Signs of a responsible parent

There is no such conclusion that you cannot take French Bulldogs on hiking. But as an aware pet parent, you are the one who is responsible for his well-being. Avoid any further movement if your dog is not feeling comfortable. Provide him with water at regular intervals to keep him hydrated. Also, refrain from difficult terrains as this can turn problematic for your Bulldog to climb up.

The following are the measures that you must follow before taking your French Bulldog out for hiking

Training

If you are planning to take your Frenchie on hiking, make sure to train him well before that. Hiking can be all of a sudden a new thing for an untrained French Bulldog. You must start by taking him on walks regularly. Slowly and gradually increase the length of the walks.

If you want to train your Bulldog for hiking, then you must start with a small hiking route. This will give him an idea of walking on such terrains. Once he will be comfortable with such terrains, then only you can plan for a long hike with your best companion.

Health checkup

Before taking your bulldog to hike, please make sure to get him checked by the veterinarian. A proper health check-up can let you know whether it is fine for you to take your buddy on hiking or not. If the doctor suggests that he is not fit for a long hike, then it is important to follow what the doctor says, because a doctor knows the best for your beloved pooch.

The veterinarian will closely examine your dog, in case if he is having any breathing issues or respiratory infection. It would also help in determining whether your Frenchies are physically fit for a hike or not. Hence, a proper health check-up is mandatory before planning any sort of hiking with your Bulldog as health is the most important factor that one should not ignore. 

Finding the way

Choose the route which is comfortable for your dog. The route can be longer but should be less tiring. When you are taking him for a hike, especially for the first time, then make sure that the route is not full of rough and slippery paths, stones, or deep water. Ensure that you are avoiding such routes because it would be tough for him to hike on such routes.

Difficult terrain can cause any unforeseen injury to your Bulldog and can make it harder for his short legs to climb up. So, always choose a better route for your Bulldog.

Things to carry

You should always carry fresh drinking water along with your pet’s favorite treats and foods to encourage him while hiking. Also, take comfortable harness with GPS enabled collar or name tag collar with an address on it, so in case if your dog gets lost you can easily find him or the person who found it can reach you. Apart from these, always carry a collar which is free from ticks and fleas, which will help your dog to stay away from them.

One mandatory tool which we generally forget to take along is a first aid kit. In case if any mishap takes place, then you should be always prepared with the first aid. You should carry an umbrella or a body coat if the sun is too bright to protect your furry companion from getting overheated.

After hiking

Once you are done with hiking, make sure to give proper rest to your Bulldog. If he is hurt anywhere on his body, then seek the necessary medications. Besides this, if he is having any breathing issues or major injuries, then consult your veterinarian as soon as possible. Make sure you are keeping him healthy and taking proper care of him once you are done with hiking.

Wrap Up

Taking a French Bulldog on hiking is never a good idea. These furry companions are not suitable for hiking sessions. If you think laziness is the reason, then it is not the complete judgment. Due to their fluffy build-up, inwardly pointed nose, and wrinkled face, they find difficulty in breathing. Long walks or hiking are not appropriate for their health and can lead to any fatality.

If you still want to take your companion along with you for hiking, then you have to adhere to the aforementioned tips. Whenever you are planning for a hike, make sure you are taking proper care of your Bulldog.