The Ultimate Guide to French Bulldog Sleep: Tips and Tricks for a Good Night’s Rest

French Bulldogs love sleeping almost as much as they love their owners. Your Frenchie would be rich if they got paid to do it!

But are French Bulldogs supposed to sleep all day?

Frenchies sleep a lot! Puppies and senior dogs sleep 20 hours on average. Adult dogs can sleep 10 to 14 hours. That’s why you may turn around and find your French Bulldog sleeping out of nowhere. They only have a few hours left to spend with you, play with other dogs, and eat their food, so they’re always in a rush!

I know I’ve seen my Frenchies sleep more than anything else (and you’ll soon realize I have countless pictures of them sleeping because of that)

Are you ready to learn about your Frenchie’s favorite pastime? Let’s get started!

A Good Night’s Sleep For Your Frenchie

A French Bulldog needs good food, good toys, and a good night’s sleep to be healthy. 

You, as an owner, must ensure your Frenchie has the best sleep quality possible. 

That way, they can recover from their exhausting responsibilities, such as lying on the couch or spending ten minutes smelling a random tree.

In fact, they spend a lot of time sleeping – though they may find some trouble doing so at night.

Late-Night Issues Your Frenchie Could Face

• Sleeping Too Much. That’s not a problem – most of the time! Frenchies may need a little extra sleep from time to time, so don’t worry about it. You should consider talking to a vet if your French Bulldog sleeps a lot and wakes up tired.
• Sleeping Too Little. Your French Bulldog may not be getting enough rest at night because of a poor sleeping schedule, being too hot or too cold, or suffering from separation anxiety. Fix those issues, and that’ll sort out your French Bulldog sleep schedule. Need help with finding the problem? Talk to the vet right away.

Helping Your Frenchie Get a Good Night’s Sleep

• Exercise During The Day. The best way to fall asleep at night is to exercise during the day. Your French Bulldog doesn’t need much exercise, only two 10- or 15-minute walks daily. If you missed one of the walks, you can have a heavy playing session before dinner, and it’ll be lights out after their meal!
• Have A Comfy Bed Ready. It could be your bed or your Frenchie’s bed. It doesn’t matter what you choose for them – as long as it’s comfortable. French Bulldogs love soft surfaces to sleep on, so buy their doggy bed with that in mind.
• Get The Temperature Right. You probably know Frenchies get very hot during the summer and very cold during the winter – and they can’t sleep when it’s too hot or too cold. Turn on your fan or AC during the summer and get some heavy blankets during winter to get the temperature right.
• Avoid Any Loud Sounds. Frenchies are born couch potatoes and, at the same time, light sleepers, meaning any sudden sounds may wake them up. Let’s avoid loud movies late at night, so Frenchies can get their much-needed rest.
• Respect The Routine. Dogs enjoy following the same sleeping routine every day (or night) as humans do. If you always go to bed at 10 pm, your Frenchie will go along with you – and you’ll both be sound asleep before 10:30 pm!

How Long Does a French Bulldog Sleep?

Frenchies spend around 70% of the day sleeping. The remaining 30% of the day is spent cuddling, eating, and playing! 

However, different dogs follow different sleep schedules.

So, how many hours a day does a French Bulldog sleep? Adult French Bulldogs need 10 to 14 hours of sleep every day. Puppies and senior French Bulldogs may sleep 20 hours on average.

Active Frenchies may need to catch some extra Zs after a long walk or day of exercise.

Either way, most Frenchies will sleep the same as you at night and nap during the day (but you can’t nap as much as they do – sorry!).

Do Frenchies Need to Nap?

French Bulldogs love to take a good nap! In fact, they need to take several throughout the day. 

You can feel jealous after your Frenchie’s third nap – but there’s no need to worry if they seem to be napping a lot.

Both Manny and Luzy will take a power nap every once in a while, then go back to playing. I have seen one nudge the other to get them back into play mode – and they both bounce and get back to business right away!

In other words, humans tend to nap when they don’t get enough sleep at night – but Frenchies take naps every day, no matter what. And it’d be weird if they didn’t!

Why Does a French Bulldog Sleep So Much?

Frenchies don’t rest the same way we do when we sleep. They get 10% worth of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep when they rest, while humans get 25%.

In other words, Frenchies go into a deep sleep for six minutes out of every hour they sleep. Humans get fifteen minutes of deep sleep out of every hour.

That’s why French Bulldogs need so much more sleep compared to us!

How can you know when your Frenchie is going through the REM sleep phase? That’s when dogs (and humans) usually dream. If you see your Frenchie barking or moving their legs while they sleep – they’re most likely dreaming!

Frenchies need a quiet, comfortable room to get into REM sleep. When they get too comfortable, they may start sleeping on their back.

Why Does My French Bulldog Sleep on His Back?

Frenchies tend to sleep on their back when they feel hot or safe. They expose their stomach (which is their vulnerable side) to cool down whenever they need it – as long as they’re in a safe place.

Don’t worry so much about your French Bulldog‘s sleeping position. They tend to be on their side or their back. Sometimes, they’ll sleep on their stomach. 

It looks a little weird, but most Frenchies sleep like that, especially on a comfy bed or couch.

You may not like it, especially if it makes your French Bulldog snore. At that point, you can gently rearrange their position – but beware of any surprise kisses coming your way!

Why do French Bulldogs snore when they sleep on their back? Because their tongue may move when they sleep that way, blocking their airways a bit and making them snore. It’s far from an issue to worry about, though.

It’s all good as long as they wake up rested and ready to play!

Should You Let Your French Bulldog Sleep in Your Bed?

It’s up to you! French Bulldogs are happy to share your bed (and food, toys, and so on) – but they don’t need to sleep on the same bed as you.

If you let your French Bulldog sleep with you, that’s great! However, nobody will hold it against you if you make a different choice.

I would advise you to give yourself time to think before you make a choice. There’s no going back once you let a French Bulldog sleep in your bed! They will complain and cry until you let them sleep on your bed again.

Have you found a Frenchie in your bed? Here’s the good and the bad about that!

Pros of Letting Your French Bulldog Sleep in Your Bed

• Your Frenchie Will Be Happy. Do you know what Frenchies love more than food and destroying toys? Their owners! Your French Bulldog will be at their best whenever they’re with you, whether walking on the streets, playing at the park, or sleeping on your bed!
• You Will Be Warm. Have you ever been around a French Bulldog? They’re like little furnaces that fart all the time – which is a good thing during the winter. You will have a hard time getting them out of your cozy bed during the morning, though.
• Both Will Sleep Better. Your Frenchie will sleep better than ever when they sleep by your side, and your sleep quality will improve. A self-reported study showed that most pet owners slept better when their furry friends were around.

Cons of Letting Your French Bulldog Sleep in Your Bed

• Discomfort. Frenchies move around – even when they sleep! You may have little room on your bed for you when a French Bulldog is around. I have two of them, and they love sleeping together, so I know what I’m talking about.
• Over Attachment. French Bulldogs will get overly attached to their owners. It’s difficult to avoid that part. Imagine what happens when they spend their day and night with you. Sleeping could be hard for them if you’re having a late night elsewhere.
• Snoring. So much snoring.
• Warmth. Both a pro and a con! A warm French Bulldog is like a little snoring stove, which is great to have in the winter – and complicated to deal with during the summer. You better believe warmth will not stop your Frenchie from sleeping next to you.

Alternatives to Letting your French Bulldog Sleep in Your Bed

You may not want your French Bulldog to sleep on your bed, but that doesn’t mean you have to get them out of the bedroom. Your Frenchie will probably love to have you around when it’s time to dream (and they’ll probably dream about you!).

A good compromise would be getting a comfy dog bed next to your bed. That way, your French Bulldog knows you’re around, suffers from no separation anxiety, and can sleep soundly.

You may feel that’s not the way to go with you – and that’s okay. You should crate train your Frenchie early on if that’s what you want.

I should warn you against doing two things. 

1. Don’t let your French Bulldog sleep outside. They won’t regulate their temperature right, which will ruin their sleep quality. 
2. Don’t switch it up. Make a decision and stick with it: you either let your dog sleep on your bed or not, but don’t give mixed signals that will confuse your Frenchie.

What You Should Know

Sleep is a big part of a French Bulldog‘s schedule. An adult Frenchie will sleep 14 hours on average: six to seven hours at night, then nap throughout the rest of the day. You can let your French Bulldog sleep with you in your bed or get a dog bed inside your bedroom – but make sure you stick to your choice once you decide (to avoid confusing your Frenchie).