Walking

Let me address the elephant in the room: French Bulldogs have a reputation for being lazy, snoring lumps who’d rather nap than exercise. This is partially true, but also wildly misleading. Yes, Buster would happily spend 23 hours a day asleep given the option. Yes, Jago treats long walks like some sort of personal affront. But that doesn’t mean they don’t need proper exercise—it just means their requirements are different from, say, a Border Collie who’d run marathons given half the chance. ...

Finding a harness that actually fits a French Bulldog is like trying to buy trousers for someone who’s 70% chest, 20% legs, and 10% attitude. Most harnesses are designed for dogs with proportions that make sense — you know, necks, defined waists, aerodynamic shapes. French Bulldogs are built like particularly muscular loaves of bread with a head grafted on top. We’ve been through approximately seventeen harnesses in three years with Buster and Jago. Some were catastrophically wrong (one got stuck halfway over Buster’s head and required intervention). Some were fine but impractical. One — just one — has lasted two years and counting without a single issue. ...