Why Do French Bulldogs Sit Funny – Is Something Wrong?

Why Do French Bulldogs Sit Funny - Is Something Wrong?

There are three main funny sitting positions that most dogs that come from the bulldog breed exhibit. These are the Puppy sitting, The straight up and down, and the Frog.

Several times, you may have caught your French Bulldog sitting funnily and thought. Is that normal? Well, the good news is that all these funny sitting positions are nearly always part of your Frenchies and breeds makeup. But on some occasions, their sitting may be an issue if they suddenly start doing it for no particular reason.


The Frenchie Puppy Sit/Lazy Sit.

If you’ve ever seen your Frenchie flop into a sit? They will most likely sink down on one hip while their other leg sticks out to the side. Or perhaps they seem almost cross-legged, with both knees on the side and their toes touching. This is considered a puppy sit, or even sometimes a lazy sit. If your dog is over the age of two, these sitting positions may indicate an issue.

When your French Bulldog is young, they are quite flexible since their joints are lax, their bones are flexible, and their ligaments can be very stretchy. That’s why your Frenchie might look somewhat clumsy as they run around.

As your French Bulldog matures, the muscles, bones, and ligaments become stronger, and it all fits more closely together. The early mobility is substituted by strong weight-bearing joints that sustain the body and guarantee that your Frenchie can run around and leap without a problem.

The Frenchie Puppy Sit/Lazy Sit
Why Do French Bulldogs Sit Funny

Why Does My French Bulldog Using A Puppy Sit?

Whenever your French Bulldog drops into a puppy’s sitting position, it’s a telling indication that something is causing them pain. They will sit this way to relieve the strain on their knees or spine or stop irritating an uncomfortable part of them.

If your Frenchie rarely does this, it might be a temporary issue, such as a muscle sprain, which will correct itself through rest. That said, if your French Bulldog is sitting like this regularly, you need to check it out. There are several possible triggers for this issue, many of which are curable. Here are just a handful of what it could be:

Hip problems (hip dysplasia)Impacted or infected anal glands
ArthritisKnee issues (luxating patella)
Spinal problemsMajor injury
why do french bulldogs stretch so much

None of the conditions that create lazy sitting will improve independently, and most of them are degenerative. Avoiding the issue means that they could get worse, probably resulting in a need for costly operations. In the end, you should get to the source of the issue; the quicker you find out what is happening, the simpler it will be to fix.

What To Do If Your Frenchie Is Lazy Sitting.

It would help if you first took your Frenchie to your Veterinarian so they can evaluate your dog. The Veterinarian may also identify the issue in a regular inspection, or they may recommend x-rays to see if there are problems with the skeleton.

Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy are some of the most effective approaches to treat issues, including building up muscles to help strengthen damaged or damaged joints. Other disorders can only involve muscle management, moderate hip dysplasia, or luxurious patella, all of which can be effectively controlled in this way.

Most of the complications that induce lazy sitting are bone-related. Particularly severe complications can require pain medicine or surgery in the worst possible case. Offering your Frenchie a healthy joint supplement that contains Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and MSM will help tremendously.


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The straight up and down/Human Sitting

If you’d seen your French Bulldog sitting like yourself, besides looking comical, you might think that it definitely doesn’t look comfortable. That being said, this human-like position tends to alleviate tension on the back and hips.

This posture provides support for the lower back of your Frenchie and supports the middle of the chest where French Bulldogs bear much of their bulk. However, this sitting posture has been reported to be typical in dogs suffering from hip issues such as hip dysplasia.

What is Hip Dysplasia

Hip Dysplasia is a debilitating condition that stops the hip bones from resting correctly in the hip sockets.

If your French Bulldog has hip issues, you could find that they will have trouble staying in one place for a long time. They can continuously try out different sitting and lying poses because of hip pressure; in reality, French Bulldog hip issues are very common.

Should You Be Concerned About Your Frenchie Human Sitting?

Suppose you start to notice that your Frenchie is suddenly sitting human. In that case, you may need to bring them to the Veterinarian to have them checked out, particularly if you’ve got an older French Bulldog that’s just begun sitting upright all of a sudden.

Let’s hope that the Veterinarian would assess if they have a hip injury in a standard test. If not, they can recommend taking x-rays and seeing any problems with your Frenchies’ skeleton. When the source of the issue has been found, they will be adequate to discuss how to deal with it.

That said, most French Bulldogs that sit like humans would not need surgery. As long as your Frenchie doesn’t sit upright each day, there’s actually nothing to stress about.

funny things french bulldogs do

My French Bulldog Lays Down Like A Frog/Splooting

A sploot is a stretch your French Bulldog does while relaxed. If you’d seen your Frenchie lying flat on their belly with their back legs spread out behind them like a frog, well, that’s a splootting.

Instead of tucking their legs beneath their body like a typical sit or lying position, they do this.

My French Bulldog Lays Down Like A Frog/Splooting
French Bulldog Sitting Position

So Why Does Your Frenchie Like Looking Like A Frog?

There is little scientific explanation about why dogs like splooting, but we can make a few assumptions:

To StretchMuch like us, you Frenchie enjoys getting some well-earned relaxation time. They will get into all types of positions to take the weight off after a full day of investigating, smelling, and playing, so the sploot maybe your French Bulldogs’ way to give those muscles and hips a decent stretch after the day’s exercise.
To Keep CoolWhether it’s an especially hot day, or if your Frenchie has played all those games of catch, your French Bulldog can Frog/sploot to cool down. If dogs get too hot, they often seek a cold surface to spread their belly out, and sploot is the best position. If your Frenchies panting by itself doesn’t cool them off enough, the cold tiled floor is the ideal place to stretch out.

Should I Be Worried About Frogging/Splooting?

In most situations, splooting is completely natural. Each time your French Bulldog gets their frogging on, it stretches its hip and leg muscles, which can help strengthen its joint muscles and gain flexibility.

However, if your French Bulldog seems to be suffering from physical discomfort when splooting, this could signify a health condition and be a warning of hip dysplasia once again. So if they look in pain, please take them to your Veterinarian.

Marshall Newton

Marshall Newton stands as an authoritative figure in the world of dog care and training, enriched by over 40 years of hands-on experience. His lifelong journey with dogs has seen him own over 20 canines from a diverse range of breeds, making him a versatile expert in the field. Marshall's expertise doesn't stop at general dog care; he's also a specialist when it comes to French Bulldogs. As the founder of "Little French Dog," Marshall provides invaluable advice and resources for both new and seasoned Frenchie owners. Whether it's understanding breed-specific traits or discovering new care tips, Marshall is the go-to resource in the Frenchie community. Interested in learning more? Feel free to connect with Marshall on LinkedIn for a deeper dive into his professional background and a wealth of canine insights.

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