How Do Bulldogs Show Affection? 17 Ways Bulldogs Show Affection
You may think that the Bulldog is a tough breed because of their history as a fighting breed and their intimidating appearance. However, Bulldogs can be ver warm-hearted and affectionate, especially with their owners.
So, how do Bulldogs show affection? Bulldogs show affection through various actions such as following you around, licking you, wagging their tail, bringing you their toys, and many more. Since dogs don’t talk, they express their feeling through their body language.
Keep reading to learn more about all the ways Bulldogs can show affection and how you can show them you love them too.
17 Ways Bulldogs Show Affection

All pet owner loves their pet so much, but have you ever wondered if your pet loves you back? Have you thought about why your Bulldog keeps following you everywhere you go? Checks on you every once and a while?
Each Bulldog shows his love and affection differently. You can tell that your Bulldog loves you; you just need to learn their language. Give the Bulldog the love and attention they need, and you’ll find all signs of love from him.
So, here are 17 ways your Bulldog will show affection:
Licking You
Bulldogs use licking as a way of showing affection toward their owner. It’s their way of kissing you, grooming, and expressing their feelings for you.
Cuddling with You
Bulldogs will lay on your leg, sit on your face, and touch you as much as possible as a way of showing affection.
Even though some Bulldogs don’t like hugging, if you cuddle with them, they cuddle back.
Smiling
Bulldogs can show that they’re happy by smiling; however, they don’t smile by showing their teeth the way humans do.
They lift their mouth and pull back their lips, letting their tongue out as a sign of affection and relaxation, which gives the appearance of a smile.
Tail and Body Wagging
Bulldogs will use their tails as well as whole bodies to show their affection by wagging and wiggling around. This is one of the tell-tale signs that your dog loves you, as it has too much affection that can’t be contained.
Puppy Eyes
The most familiar thing in dogs is the puppy eyes. It’s another obvious sign of showing affection,
When Bulldogs raise their eyebrows to make their eyes look bigger, that is their puppy eye look.
Playing Around You
Bulldogs can be a little less energetic than most dog breeds because of their body’s structure and weight.
So, as a sign of affection, they tend to play around with their owners to show them that they’re excited to see them.
Sticking Their Tongue out
When Bulldogs stick their tongue out, it’s usually a sign that they’re relaxed and happy.
If your Bulldog’s tongue is out and it’s wiggling on the floor, it is an invitation for you to rub his belly.
Stealing Your Things
Bulldogs have an exceptional sense of smell, possibly 10,000 to 100,000 more powerful than humans, that allows them to recognize a wide range of scents.
So, as a way of showing affection, they will steal some of the things that carry your scent because it reminds them of you.
Jumping on You
Bulldogs will definitely try to jump on you to show they love you. They will jump so high and even reach your shoulders to try to get closer and closer to you.
Be careful though as they can hurt themselves easily when jumping, so it may not be the best idea to let them jump around.
Showing Their Belly
Bulldogs will show their bellies and allow you to touch them as a sign of love and trust.
When you find a wiggly body posture with an open-relaxed mouth and an exposed belly, then it’s time to give your dog a belly rub.
Bringing You A Toy
Bulldogs might have a favorite toy to play with. It could be a ball, stuffed toys, and even in some cases, a plastic bottle.
As an act of love and showing affection, Bulldogs will try to share their favorite toys with you. It also can be an invitation to go play with them.
Putting Their Paw on You
In dog language, putting a paw on you means “I Love you.” It’s the way that Bulldogs try to expand the connection between both of you.
Of course, it means other things too, like “I want food” or “I want to play,” and even it could mean that he feels anxious, but mainly it is a way of showing and expressing love and gratitude.
Sleeping Near You
When your Bulldog wants to sleep near you, it means that he feels safe and secure.
Bulldogs won’t sleep in such a vulnerable position unless they love and trust you very much.
Leaning On You
If you saw your Bulldog leaning toward me, that means he trusts you. They want to be close to you as much as they can, so they put all their weight against you; they feel relaxed and loved when they do.
Eye Contact
Dogs are really smart animals; they learn human behavior and act like us.
Eye contact usually means aggression for animals, but when dogs maintain eye contact with humans, it’s usually a sign of affection.
Checking on you
Some dogs check on you if they’re in a new environment, while others just act like your shadow all the time, and the rest are just independent and have their own way of spending time but will still appear in your room all of a sudden,
It doesn’t matter which type your Bulldog is; all scenarios mean that they love you, care about you, and want to make sure you’re nearby.
3 Ways Bulldog Puppies Show Affection

Chewing Up Your Things
If you found that you no longer have clean and neat clothes or shoes, know then that your Bulldog Puppy adores you!
As a way of showing love and affection in Bulldogs puppies, they chew up all of your things.
It’s not only because they love you; it’s also because they’re going through the teething phase, and let’s be honest here, chewing is good for strengthening their jaws too.
Peeing Over Your Things
Do you know how your Bulldog puppy loves you? If you smell pee over your things.
Dogs get excited when they see someone they love; in fact, they get so excited that they can’t control their bladder and pee all over your things, but don’t worry, with time and when they grow up, they’ll learn how to control it a little bit better.
Licking
Every Dog on earth loves to lick, it’s their way of showing love, and at the beginning of their lives as puppies, they want to know what they are seeing and smelling, so they lick everything they see.
Problematic Behaviors That Don’t Mean affection (But You Think They Do)

With everything discussed in this article, some behaviors might seem affectionate but don’t always mean that the Bulldog is really showing affection towards you.
So, here are some of the problematic behaviors dogs exhibit that don’t always mean affection:
Obsessive Licking
Some dogs experience anxiety or discomfort and express it with excessive licking.
They may be licking themselves, toys, or even you. It wouldn’t matter to them in this case. So, how can you solve this issue?
When your Bulldog gets obsessive with licking himself or a toy, you can solve this by distracting him from what it’s doing. You can also start training them with food puzzles or a new toy.
Jealousy
As cute as it looks when your pet loves you so much he gets jealous of other animals around you, it can be alarming.
Bulldogs are strong animals, and they’ll get aggressive with others when your bulldogs feel jealous aggression, so this kind of behavior should never be cute or rewarded.
9 Ways You Can Show Your Bulldog You Love Them, Too.

Of course, you love your Bulldog, they’re so lovable and cute to be around, but do they feel your love?
Training
Daily training helps strengthen the bond between you and your Bulldog.
During the training session, you can set boundaries, teach new skills, and reward the dog with its favorite treat.
Morning Walks
Take your Bulldog on morning walks daily. It will also help strengthen your bond while socializing the dog and helping it stay active.
When going on walks, make sure to pick a safe location and keep your dog on a leash.
Belly rubs
Dogs love belly rubs, and experts believe that this stimulates the hair follicles.
If a Bulldog love and trusts you, he will let you pet him and rub his belly. He’ll even stretch himself on the floor, trying to get some belly rubs.
Talk to Them
Did you know that studies have proven that dogs understand us? So, Talking with your Bulldog will actually create a bond between you.
Express your love for them by words. Scientists at Emory University have proven by MRI scans that Dogs possess a basic understanding of words that they have been taught to associate with.
Teach Them Tricks
You can train your Bulldog in the basics training, but can you give it a shot and try training them in something complex?
Bulldogs are so smart, and they’ll surprise you when it comes to how fast they learn. You will also establish a deeper connection between you and your Bulldog.
Engage in Playtime
Don’t let your Bulldog play on its own; engage in playtime.
Sometimes we let our dogs play on their own, but engaging with them during the playtime gets them excited even more, which will establish a stronger bond between you.
Cuddling Routine
Did you try the morning cuddling routine? It’s great for you and your dog! Let me explain it to you.
First, you will wake up, then rub your Bulldog’s belly to empty their bladder, and finally, hug them for as long as you both need. Try that for a week, and you won’t stop.
Are Bulldogs Attached to Their Owners?

Despite the fact that Bulldogs look serious and independent, they are actually very loving.
Bulldogs will get extremely attached to their owners, and they will be very loyal and protective of them.
Do Bulldogs Have a Favorite Person?
Bulldogs do have a favorite person. It’s usually their owner or the person who spends the most time with them.
They will show affection towards this person and try to stick to him all day. They will also start to act like their favorite person and match their energy.
Related Questions
Are Bulldogs Protective of Their Owners?
Bulldogs are protective of their owners. They will become very aggressive if they sense a threat coming toward their owners. They are strong and smart, so if raised and trained well, they can easily protect their owners.
Do English Bulldogs Like to Cuddle?
English Bulldogs do like to cuddle. They tend to be clingy and love to get attention and affection from their owners. Make sure to give your Bulldog some cuddles to show them affection; otherwise, they might become depressed.
Are Bulldogs Possessive?
Bulldogs are possessive. They are mostly possessive over their food, as they will not share their food with any other dog, and they’ll even get mad and aggressive towards any animal that might come near their food. They are also possessive over their owners.
Can Bulldogs Swim?
Bulldogs can not swim. In fact, being in the water is a threat to them because they’re a Brachycephalic breed, which means they have a flat face and extremely short snout. They will not be able to swim properly because water can easily get to their noses, causing them to drown.
Are English Bulldogs Effective as Guards?
English Bulldogs are effective as guards. They could sense a threat and run quickly but for a small distance. They are also brave and super protective over their family members. Their stubbornness can play a role in strength because you can’t physically move them if he doesn’t want to.
Helpful Resources
5 Types of Bulldogs for Families
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