Why Do Bulldogs Look Sad? It's Not What You Think...

We all adore Bulldog’s squishy and smooshed face. They’re so cute and lovable, but have you ever wondered why it looks squished and gives you the feeling that he’s sad? Do they really feel sad all the time? Is it just your dog? OMG, what if it’s something you did?

Before you let your thoughts spiral out of control, let’s see why their faces actually look the way they do;

So, why do Bulldogs look sad? Bulldogs look sad because of their genetic mutation; Bulldogs are a Brachycephalic Breed; this term is used for dogs with flat faces, and your Bulldog’s skin has dense wrinkles that give you a feeling that your Bulldog is sad while they may be just fine.

Continue reading this article to know how you can cheer up your dog in 5 simple steps.

5 Reasons your Bulldog always looks sad

There could be lots of reasons why your Bulldog looks sad, as dogs are sensitive creatures, so they get adaptable to the atmosphere they live in, so here are some of the reasons why they look sad.

Adapting to a certain situation

Our dogs feel the vibes when the surroundings are off and emotional (Family loss, losing a job, etc.). As dogs are sensitive creatures, they get happy when we are happy and sad when we feel down. So, they just reflect what they see.

Our own perception

Sometimes it is just our perception, as when Bulldogs look at us with their smooshed faces and wrinkles, we get the idea that they feel sad.

If there’s nothing wrong, then you know that it’s from your perception.

Learned behavior

Your Bulldog’s face reflects what he feels, so if you are feeling down, depressed or anxious, he gets that feeling too. Your Bulldog can sense what you feel.

If you cry, he will feel discomfort and distress, and he will also try to help you get over this feeling. You can learn why Bulldogs cry here.

Being busy from them.

Bulldogs will feel and look sad when you ignore them or get busy. When a Bulldog owner gets busy with his chores and life gets him away from his lovely pooch or even gets a little bit busy, they will be sad, as Bulldogs need attention and love all the time.

However, you should distinguish between this and separation anxiety, and you can learn about this in this post on velcro bulldogs here

Selective Breeding

As a Brachycephalic breed, They’ve wrinkles, smooshed faces, and shortened facial appearance, which is why they look so sad all the time, but they don’t feel sad all the time.

5 Ways to Cheer up your Dog

When dogs get depressed, they become isolated, withdrawn from people they love, and inactive. When this happens, it should be our priority to cheer them up.

So, here are five ways to cheer up your dog.

Create a daily routine.

Create a daily routine and stick to it, have an early walk, give him treats when he does a positive action, have new experiences with him, and you can even go hiking. It definitely helps a lot.

Give him attention

When dogs feel neglected, they get isolated. It is time to give them extra attention, cuddle and play extra with them, and pet them. Bulldogs, in particular, do not like being left alone, and the problem is larger if you have not trained them to be okay alone while they’re young.

I will even suggest that you talk with him, share with him the nice details of your day, and express it more with your tone and voice and facial expressions.

Get another pet

Maybe it’s time to get him a companion, to spend more time with, play, fight with him. If you’re ready to get another pet, why don’t you give it a shot?

Stay positive

Dogs reflect what they see. If he sees you happy, he will get happy. If you’re sad, he’ll feel the same!

So, stay positive, cheerful, smile, and get playful with him. I suggest putting on some cheerful music or holding him with a cuddle, and that will help a lot with cheering him up.

Have you ever seen your bulldog smile? Try smiling at them, and you may just see them smiling right back at you. You can learn why bulldogs smile and what each of their smiles mean here.

A new Toy

Try getting him a distraction, yes, a new toy to play with, and you can get something that both of you will enjoy playing with and get you to spend more time together.

Can Bulldogs get depressed?

Bulldogs can get depressed, but don’t worry; it’s only temporary and also not that difficult to handle. If you deal with it in the right way by creating new experiences with your Bulldog and starting a daily routine, you should be able to help your Bulldog to get back to normal in no time.

Lots of things can trigger depression in dogs, sometimes things that we can’t control, like a major change in the family or a distressing event like the loss of an owner or a companion.

Do French Bulldogs choke easily?

It’s so difficult and heartbreaking when you experience a Bulldog choking. It is a threatening danger that affects your dog’s life. However, yes, French Bulldogs can choke easily; here are three things to do when your Frenchie is choking (God forbid)

The truth is, Frenchies eat fast. They love food and eating so much, come on, all dogs do. However, Frenchies have short necks, so they can’t properly eat from their bowl, which can easily lead them to have problems while digesting the food and can so easily choke. They can also choke on different things, such as toys or small pieces.

3 Things to do when your Frenchie is choking

Dogs chew anything they could find, toys, shoes, flowers, literally anything they could reach. Unfortunately, this happens to every dog owner. If you see your Frenchie choking, you may have a few seconds to act before the damage is irreversible, so let’s learn what you must know and remember.

Stay calm

It is so important to act calmly and fast in this situation; the life of your Frenchie depends on those few moments, so don’t panic, and act fast.

Pick up, Reach down.

As those moments are super hard, you should act fast, do this method, pick up your Frenchie, Reach down its throat and remove the object. They will struggle, as choking dogs will struggle, and they might hurt themselves or bite you. So, be careful, act calmly and fast.

Shake, Shake, Shake.

After the hard step, your Frenchie should be able to breathe naturally again. If not (God forbid), gently massage his lungs and shake him.

And remember, this could happen to any dog owner; it’s not your fault. You have to stay calm in this situation to think clearly and act upon the situation.

3 things every Bulldog owner should know!

Bulldogs are known for being lovable and loyal, and they love to play so much; they as well gain weight so easily, so you must watch their diet. But here are three things you need to know about your Bulldog

Attention

As a breed, Bulldogs are well known for their need for attention, and some might say that they are needy animals and super emotional, and others also agree (LOL). If you are looking to spoil your pet, then you will definitely love Bulldogs.

Playtime

Bulldogs gain weight easily, so they may need more Playtime and not much exercise to help balance their health; they love Playtime so much, so don’t worry, they are so active in it, and they love to fetch.

Children

Bulldogs love to be around children, as children are so playful and fun. I can tell that a house with kids and Bulldogs will not be boring.

Why do Bulldogs have squished faces?

Bulldogs have squished faces because they’re from a brachycephalic breed, a term used to describe dogs with flat faces; researchers believe that Brachycephalic is caused by a genetic mutation. While the Bulldog’s skull is forming and growing, the skull gets wider and shorter than most breeds.

What dog has the saddest face?

The dog that has the saddest face is the Neopolitan Mastiff; it’s an Italian dog breed, they’re massive and may not be the best choice for a house pet, but if you decided to raise a Neopolitan at home, you got yourself a loyal companion.

Do dogs get sad when you yell at them?

Dogs do get sad when you yell at them. Experts say that it may not only make them behave even worse, but it also can cause them stress and depression. Research has proven that Reward-based training is the best solution for bad behavior, reward-based training may take more time, but at least it doesn’t cause depression.

Do dogs forgive you if you yell at them?

Dogs feel less complex emotions than humans. Yelling won’t give them a lasting effect, but if it was done once, if more than once, it could cause them sadness and depression, yet, love and nice words can get things right between you.

What is the difference between the French Bulldog and English Bulldog?

There’s a small difference between the French and English Bulldogs. The French Bulldog is smaller, the English Bulldog is 14-15 inches, and the French Bulldog (Frenchie) is 11-13 Inches.

How to know if my Bulldog loves me?

There are many signs by which you can know if your Bulldog loves you. If he loves you, he will jump with happiness when he sees you. He will check on you all the time, sleep around you at night, and they can get protective over their loved ones.

How can I show my love to my Bulldog?

You can show love to your Bulldog by looking deeply into their eyes, of course with love, not as a threat. When a Bulldog looks deeply into your eyes, he’s virtually sending you a hug, and you can also pet them gently.

Do Bulldogs like cuddles?

Bulldogs are huge cuddle fans, as they’re full of love, and it’s fun to have them around. They even get more relaxed when you cuddle them; it’s also one of their ways to show love and affection towards their owner.

Helpful Resources

Dog Depression – How to help your dog

Depression in dogs

Did you like the post? If so, please share it!

Why Do Bulldogs Look Sad? It’s Not What You Think…