Do French Bulldogs Dream?

French Bulldogs are lovely indoor pets who love to play around all the time with their owners and children. Though they also love to be playful outdoors but feel cozy and comfortable indoors the most. Do you know why? It is because this breed just can’t compromise on their sleep. French Bulldogs love the corner which is designated inside the house for them to relax and doze.

I am sure that every pet owner must have seen their furry pals twitching their legs in sleep as if they are playing or chasing something. Most of us generally joke that they are dreaming of chasing a cat or being playful in the sleep. Do dogs dream? And if yes, what do they dream about?

Do Frenchie’s dream? Many studies state that dogs do dream. Dogs sleep more than a human being but the sleep patterns which they follow resembles the same as that of humans. During the research, it has been found that dogs follow the same path of deep sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) as we humans do. Hence, it affirms the assumption that Frenchie’s dream too.

Understanding French Bulldogs sleeping pattern

This breed is known for its tendency to sleep for a longer period. The sleeping pattern of puppies and adult Frenchie’s vary a little bit. Adults snooze for around 13-14 hours a day whereas puppies doze can go up to 17-19 hours. Their body nature is such that they require a proper amount of sleep to keep their temperament, health, and attitude in a good state.

French Bulldogs spend only 20% of their day in remaining active and doing physical activities etc. They do not need sleep at one stretch and can be fine with flexible sleep patterns. Even if Frenchie’s are asleep, they remain alert and wake up easily if they listen to any unusual noise or a doorbell.

What do French Bulldogs dream about?

Needless to say that dogs dream about doggy things such as playing in the pool, jumping in the open ground, having a favorite treat or food, and so on. If you see your Frenchie growling or barking during his sleep, he must be playing with his playmate or children in his dream. The dog’s dream pattern is more or less similar to humans.

It is quite interesting to note that size does matter in the case of a dog’s dreams. Studies reveal that smaller dogs tend to have a more frequent and shorter duration of dreams whereas, in the case of large breeds, it is for a longer period and occurs less frequently.

Is it possible to know if your Frenchie is having a good or bad dream?

You obviously cannot interpret anyone’s dream, be it a human or animal and the case is no different for French Bulldogs too. But we can assume based on their daily routine and behavior whether it is a pleasant dream or a nightmare. If your Frenchie had a very stressful and gloomy day, then there are chances of him having a nightmare.

If your Frenchie is having a nightmare, he will surely growl or cry during his sleep in discomfort. A good thing to do at this time is to wake him up gently by moving your hands over his body and calling his name softly. In this process, you should not wake him up abruptly by calling his name loudly or hitting him on his body.

Differentiating dreaming signs and health ailment symptoms

What are the signs which determine that your dog is dreaming? Yes, the change in positioning, twitch, or move along with leg paddling, etc. makes us assume that the dog is dreaming. But are you sure that this is happening as your dog is dreaming and not because of any health ailments? It is quite difficult to differentiate between the symptoms or signs of a dreaming dog and a dog having seizures as they are quite similar.

But the signs which we see when dog dreams only last for a few seconds but in case of seizures during sleep, it lasts for quite some time. In the case of seizures, the body movements are stiff and the breathing pattern of your dog also changes. The breathing will be difficult in the case of seizures whereas in REM sleep it is much shallower for your French Bulldogs.

French Bulldogs open and closed eyes sleep

This will be interesting to note that some dogs of this breed sleep with their eyes closed whereas the others with open eyes. For the first time owners, it might be quite unusual to see their furry pal sleeping with open eyes. This trait has been inherited in them from their ancestors who used it as one of their defense mechanisms to protect themselves from predators. But at the same time, you should be more vigilant and observe for any weird signs in your French Bulldog as this can also be due to seizures.

Bad sleeping symptoms in French Bulldogs

As already stated, French Bulldogs love to sleep a lot. But you should not be lenient to detect any unusual habits or abnormalities in your Frenchie. A few of the weird habits might be your dog awake for a longer period than usual, not sleeping at night, and finding difficulty in waking him up after long hours of sleep.

All the aforesaid symptoms may occur due to certain health ailments such as hormonal disorder, stress, canine depression, obesity, sleep apnea, and so on. In all such cases, you should consult the veterinarian doctor immediately. French Bulldogs are known to be good companions of humans and are very affectionate too. Hence, being a responsible pet owner, it becomes your responsibility to be aware of their sleeping habits and mood swings.

Wrap up

As studies have already revealed that dogs do dream, French Bulldogs cannot be an exception. The dog’s dream can vary depending on their daily activities and health conditions or stress level. You should be vigilant and alert enough to differentiate between the body movements of your dog during dreams and seizures. The timely intervention will help you save his life by rushing him to the nearest veterinarian doctor.