Why Does My Frenchie Sleep on Me? And Should You Let Them?

French bulldogs enjoy sleeping on top of their owners. Even if you’re not bothered by your dog sleeping on you, you may be curious why it happens in the first place. So, here we are, answering all your questions regarding this behavior.

Why does my Frenchie sleep on me? Your French bulldog is showing his affection and love by sleeping on you. They are bonding with you, seeking your love, trying to make the connection between you get stronger. He also feels safe and warm while sleeping closer to you.

If you want to know how to deal with this behavior, and the common reasons behind it, slide down and keep reading.

7 Reasons French Bulldogs like to sleep on their owners

There are many reasons your French bulldog is sleeping on you. Let’s discuss the seven most common reasons behind this behavior.

#1 Your French bulldog is super affectionate.

French Bulldogs are companion dogs that get attached to their owners; sometimes, they get too attached to them. Frenchies will often try to sleep on you to strengthen your bond, which is a sign of closeness and connection.

They want to interact with you, especially after you have been gone all day. Sleeping on top of you is a simple way to request your time, connection, and love.

#2 Your dog wants attention.

In puppies, it’s normal always to want attention, as their survival depends on their mother’s care.

However, as they grow up, their attention-seeking behaviors might become irritating. So when your dog lays on you, it’s a sign they want you to rub their body and back and give them some love and emotional support.

#3 Your dog has separation anxiety.

One of the most common behavioral problems in French bulldogs is separation anxiety.

They simply cannot bear to be separated from their owners, no matter how much love they receive. Frenchies often become distressed when left alone, especially for long periods, relieving this feeling by sleeping on you.

#4 Your dog lies on top of you for protection.

One of the main reasons that Frenchie dogs stay nearby is for security; your dog sleeps on you as instinctively to feel protected and secure.

And your dog is not only guarding you. He also wants your protection. So, he believes that you are protecting each other by sleeping on top of you at night.

It’s similar to why they also follow you when you go to the bathroom, they are guarding you at your weakest moment when you would’ve been vulnerable to “predators” if you are in the wild.

#5 Your dog could be nervous or fearful.

When your dog is worried, terrified, or otherwise stressed, it’s natural for them to seek comfort and reassurance from you, as you’re more than just a pack member to him, and you are the only one who can make them feel safe.

#6 your dog finds you cozy and warm.

Your dog wants to be always with you, sharing everything. They will jump and lay on you to share sleeping time too. Alternatively, your dog may prefer you over his bed, as you are cozier for him.

Also, when you and your dog come into contact, you exchange body heat, so they do this more during cold seasons since they aren’t warm enough, and sleeping on you is the quickest and easiest way to warm themselves up.

#7 Because you unconsciously reward the behavior.

Your Frenchie may be simply doing what will give him the most positive reward!

While he may not have started the behavior, if your dog crawled into bed on a particularly cold night and was rewarded with affection, attention, and extra warmth, they will most likely continue the behavior to be rewarded more and more.

Should you let your French Bulldog sleep on you?

It is absolutely a personal choice. If there’s no danger of suffocating, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t let your Frenchie lie in your bed.

It’s a nice way to bond with your dog and will most likely bring you closer together. However, if your Frenchie is new to your home, you should consider sleeping with him as if he spends the night in his crate alone, he may bark out loudly.

In this scenario, I recommend that you sleep with him until he is well-adjusted to the house and crate-trained.

Is it dangerous to let your Frenchie share the bed with you?

It’s not dangerous as long as you and your dog are not suffering from any disease, But if you have allergies, it will get worse by letting your dog sleep with you.

And some dogs may have fleas and ticks in their bodies that may cause sickness to humans, so people with a weakened immune system can have some issues with this.

I don’t want my Frenchie to sleep on me; what can I do?

Positive reinforcement training is the alternative you should use to teach your dog to sleep somewhere else instead of sleeping on you.

This is where you encourage him to act in a specific way by rewarding him when he exhibits symptoms of doing so, and that’s through doing the following tips:

Make the location you want your dog to sleep in cozy and comfortable. You can enhance the bed by adding extra blankets for them to snuggle up in.
Make your dog stand at the targeted location and reward him.
Give your dog a reward to entice him to lie down.
Repeat the steps more than once until your dog realizes that sleeping there is good behavior and that he would get a reward for doing it.
Shut your room’s door, or elevate your bed out of reach for your dog.

When laying on top of you becomes a problem?

Your dog may have some behavioral or other underlying concerns that you should be aware of.

Some of these concerns may include the following:

A dog will occasionally lay on top of you to show dominance: if your dog sleeps on you suddenly, and it’s not ordinary for him to do so, then there is a good chance they believe they are the leader and trying to dominate you.

However, you have to make sure that he is doing this to dominate by realizing other signs of domination besides sleeping on you.

If there are many signs of domination, you may have a minor issue on your hands.

Not feeling good: Your dog may not be feeling well or may have an undiagnosed health condition, and he may choose to sleep on you for emotional support. And as a dog in pain does not always express it, this could be one of the reasons your dog has suddenly started laying on top of you.

Conclusion,

Almost all the time, your Frenchie sleeps and lies on top of you because they love you, they are expressing their feelings for you and want to be closer to feel safe, warm, and to feel connected to you. You may wake up sometimes and find them staring at you. At this moment, they are waiting for you to wake up and spend time with them because they miss you.

And it’s totally your decision whether you choose to make your Frenchie sleep on you or not. However, this is a great approach to bonding with your dog and reciprocating your love and affection.

And by sleeping on top of you, they show their trust in you.

Why Does My Frenchie Sleep on Me? And Should You Let Them?

7 Reasons French Bulldogs like to sleep on their owners