Why does my French Bulldog chew furniture?
Chewing is normal for dogs. Puppies chew while their adult teeth come in, and many young dogs keep chewing out of boredom well after that, sometimes into their second year. A chewing habit does not always fade on its own, so give him things that are clearly his, put valuable things out of reach, and give his day something to do. If he chews only when he is alone, at doors and windows, the cause may be separation instead.
In short
The whole chapter in a few lines. Read further only where you want to know why.
A breed summary is only a prejudice about the breed.
You can use prejudices — but get to know your own dog.
It depends on the breeding, the environment, and the dog’s own character. He may have all of the breed’s traits, some of them, or none. Every dog is his own.
1 Why dogs chew
Chewing is not a fault. For a dog it is a normal way to explore, to pass the time and to settle himself. The goal is not a dog who never chews — it is a dog who chews his own things.
The ASPCA (the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and shelter guides describe the usual reasons:
- teething — sore gums while the adult teeth come in
- boredom — not enough to do, so he finds something
- anxiety, including distress about being left alone
- nobody has shown him which things are his — a gap in what he has learned, not a problem in the dog
The reason matters, because the answer is different for each one.
2 Teething ends. The chewing after it does not always end with it
Owners are often told that puppies chew and grow out of it. Part of that is true.
| Phase | When | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Teething | until the adult teeth are in, around 6 months | sore gums |
| Young dog | from about 7 months, often into the second year | boredom and entertainment — not teeth |
| Adult | after that | it may simply have become a habit |
That is how shelters and vets describe it. The practical point: the chewing after six months is a different thing from teething, and waiting for it to pass is not a plan. It usually takes work — the steps further down.
3 The question that sorts it out: is anyone home?
Before choosing what to do, find out when it happens.
- He chews while you are home too — that points to boredom, a young dog’s phase, or a habit.
- He chews only when he is alone, and at the ways out — doors, window frames, the crate door — that is the pattern the ASPCA describes for separation-related distress. More toys will not solve that; it needs the approach in Separation Anxiety.
If you do not know what happens while you are out, record it. A phone or a camera during the first part of your absence tells you more than guessing from the damage.
4 Why “walk him more” runs out early for a Frenchie
The usual advice for a bored dog is more exercise, and the ASPCA does recommend daily physical exercise together with mental stimulation. For most breeds, a longer or harder walk is easy to add.
For a flat-faced dog it is not. Heat, exertion and a narrow airway set hard limits — see BOAS (the breathing disorder of flat-faced breeds) and heatstroke. Push the walk further and the risk grows before the boredom shrinks.
So the side you can grow is the other one: things for the mind — a food puzzle, a short training session, a new place to sniff. For a Frenchie the goal is not a tired dog. It is a day with something in it.
Where you live changes the limits. In a tropical city like ours, heat restricts walks most of the year; somewhere colder, the limit may be a different one. Know your own place.
5 What helps
The management steps the ASPCA and shelter handouts describe:
- Give him chew toys that are clearly his — and make them more interesting than the furniture.
- Put valuable things out of reach — and check what “out of reach” means. Shoes, cables, remote controls, anything he has already gone for. A plugged-in electric cable can burn his mouth or kill him — if he has bitten one, call the vet right away, even if he seems fine. Height deceives: a fan, a draft or a sleeve can put something on the floor. And a door that is not properly shut is not shut, so if the other room is the plan, the closed door is part of the plan.
- Watch him, or give him a safe place. When you cannot supervise, a dog-proof room or a place of his own keeps both the dog and the house safe — see Safe Space.
- When he picks up his own toy, make it worth it. Attention and praise for the right choice show him what is his.
- Give the day some mental work. Food puzzles and short training sessions give him something to solve.
6 Chew safety in a flat-faced dog
Not every chew suits every mouth. French Bulldogs often have crowded teeth — see dental health — and for a dog with a narrow airway, swallowing small pieces can be dangerous.
- Ask your vet which chews are safe for your dog’s mouth and size.
- Watch him whenever he has a chew, so you can step in if he starts to choke.
- Take it away when it breaks into small pieces.
- Chewed wood can splinter. A dog who chewed furniture and was fine was lucky — the splinters can hurt him.
7 When chewing needs the vet or a professional
If you think he swallowed something, call the vet right away — even if he looks fine. What he ate decides what happens next. Go to the vet now if he vomits, will not eat or seems in pain, or if his mouth is bleeding.
Talk to your vet soon if an adult dog who never chewed suddenly starts. A change like that does not pass on its own, and it can have a cause worth finding.
If the chewing comes with signs of distress when he is alone, or keeps getting worse despite the steps above, ask your vet about a board-certified veterinary behaviorist or a certified behavior professional.
8 Spike: our experience
Our stories and opinions on this page are our personal experience with one dog, Spike. One dog is not the measure for every dog — for your dog, your vet decides.
“A chewing habit a puppy learns does not stop on its own.”
Spike chewed furniture until he was almost three — only when nobody was home. Every chair, a table with a wooden base, the edges of the bed, the TV cabinet, even a small coffee table: everything wooden in the living room he could find.
It did not pass by itself. It took years of work and a lot of rewards. We also said “Spike, NO!” so many times that he probably thinks his name is Spikeno.
The practical lesson cost us a living room: do not buy new furniture until the chewing is over. Ours was replaced only after he stopped.
Today he destroys nothing. He has no puzzle feeder and no snuffle mat — he eats from a bowl, a raised slow feeder for his health. He is a classic Frenchie for his age: he rests through most of the day and gets up for three things — something happening on the street, food, and a walk.
Our opinion: that works for him because his day has a gate, a street and people around. Most dogs do not have that. A dog alone in a quiet apartment all day may need the puzzles and the chews far more than Spike ever did.
One thing we keep an eye on: resting is normal for him. If he stopped getting up for the things he always gets up for, that is the change we would take to the vet.
Owners Also Ask
Why does my French Bulldog chew furniture?
Chewing is normal for dogs. Puppies chew while their adult teeth come in, and many young dogs keep chewing out of boredom well after that, sometimes into their second year. A chewing habit does not always fade on its own, so give him things that are clearly his, put valuable things out of reach, and give his day something to do. If he chews only when he is alone, at doors and windows, the cause may be separation instead.
Will my puppy grow out of chewing?
Teething chewing usually ends when the adult teeth are in, around six months. The chewing that comes after that is driven by boredom, can last into the second year and may turn into a habit, so it is better not to wait for it to pass. Give him chew toys that are his, keep valuable things out of reach, and give his day something to do.
Is chewing while I am out a sign of separation anxiety?
It can be. Chewing only when he is alone, aimed at doors, window frames or the crate door, is the pattern the ASPCA links to separation-related distress. Chewing that also happens while you are home points more to boredom or habit. A recording of the first part of your absence tells you more than guessing from the damage.
What chews are safe for a French Bulldog?
Ask your vet, because French Bulldogs often have crowded teeth and a narrow airway. Watch him whenever he has a chew, take it away when it breaks into small pieces, and remember that chewed wood can splinter and hurt him.
How do I keep a Frenchie busy if he cannot exercise much?
Add things for the mind rather than harder walks: food puzzles, short training sessions and new places to sniff. Heat and a narrow airway limit how much exercise a flat-faced dog can safely do — they do not limit how much he can think.
References
- ASPCA — Destructive Chewing. aspca.org
- Southwest Humane Society — Destructive Chewing (handout). southwesthumane.org
- ASPCA — Separation Anxiety. aspca.org
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Lightning Strike and Electrical Injury. merckvetmanual.com
