Why Do French Bulldogs Snort & Grunt? The Truth + 4 Tips

Pawscessories is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

When you first got your french bulldog you probably knew they would make noises here and there. But little did you know really how often they would snort, snore, grunt or groan.

Is it normal for french bulldogs to snort and grunt? Or is something wrong?

Why Do French Bulldogs Snort:

French bulldogs are in the category of brachycephalic dog breeds. This means they have a flatter face which contributes to increased difficulties in breathing. Because of their deformed airways you will hear a french bulldog snort and grunt much more often than other breeds.

In this post you’ll discover:

8 reasons why french bulldogs snort so much
When their snorting is nothing to worry about
4 tips to help reduce your frenchies snorting (tip #1 is the most important!)
And much, much more

Let’s jump right in.

Table of Contents

Top 8 Reasons Why French Bulldogs Snort & Grunt

1) BOAS

The largest reason for french bulldogs to snort or grunt more than other breeds is because of Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS).

Which simply means because of the shape of their head/face their ability to breathe normally is very difficult for them.

This affects them in a few ways.

Even though their muzzle/nose is shorter than most other breeds, they still have a similar amount of skin/soft tissue in these areas that longer muzzled breeds have.

This means their nose, mouth and throat will have less open space for air to freely pass through which makes breathing more difficult and can produce snort-like sounds.

In addition to having more skin clogging up their airways, brachycephalic breeds also have more narrow, or deformed, windpipes.

This means each breath takes in less oxygen than other dogs.

So for the same reason why people (and probably your frenchie) snore, you’ll see your pup snort and grunt quite frequently.

Air isn’t able to flow easily through their nose or mouth which results in them making noises as they breathe.

2) The Position They’re Resting/Sleeping

If your frenchie decides to sleep in a way that’s more comfortable, it may cause them to snore, snort and grunt.

What is more comfortable for their body may not be the most optimal way for them to lie down in order to help air enter and exit their lungs.

If your frenchie sleeps lying on their back, without their head raised, or bunched up in a ball, these types of positions can limit their airways which makes them sort and grunt.

When it comes to their sleeping, you may simply have to get used to their snorts and snores.

If you’ve ever tried to change up your sleeping position to help stop snoring, you know how difficult it is to change this habit when your normal position is so comfortable to you.

Especially since you’re not able to tell your frenchie why they need to adjust their resting position.

If they’re able to still get quality sleep, their snorting here isn’t much of an issue.

3) Overweight

When a french bulldog weighs more than they should, it makes their already labored breathing even more difficult.

Which produces many snorts and grunts.

Basic, everyday activities tire them out making them feel warm and out of breath.

And for your frenchie it’s even more difficult for them to catch their breath and cool themselves down because of their narrow airways.

So if your pup is overweight, you’ll hear many more snorts than if they were in good physical condition.

4) Physical Activity

Anything that gets your french bulldogs heart pumping will also cause them to involuntary snort or grunt.

Simply because breathing is more challenging for them.

So when they exercise and need to take in more air, more frequently, they’re going to snort.

This absolutely isn’t a reason to take them for less walks or reduce their physical activity.

It’s actually a reason to give them more.

The better shape they’re in, the more efficient their body will be at recovering and catching their breath after exercising.

This won’t stop their snorting and grunting altogether, but should definitely limit it once they’re exercising more often.

5) Allergies

Anything that adds to your frenchies already existing breathing troubles will make them snort even more.

Allergies are definitely one of the cases where your pup would snort and grunt more than usual.

Seasonal allergies such as pollen or dust mites could make their limited airways swollen which tightens them further and results in them snorting.

Add this on top of exercise or feeling warm and you’ll likely notice them snorting much more often.

If you think your pup might have allergies it’s a good idea to take them to the vet.

It’s best to keep your frenchie away from places that have the allergens bothering them to avoid making breathing even more challenging for them.

6) Reverse Sneeze

A snort or grunt-like noise that french bulldogs sometimes make is actually a reverse sneeze.

And reverse sneezing can scare the life of owners because it’s such a strange behavior.

Here’s what a reverse sneeze looks and sounds like:

For the most part, reverse sneezing is nothing to worry about.

It’s a similar bodily function to an everyday sneeze that you would do.

However it’s a good idea to record your pup when they do reverse sneeze so you can show your vet next time you visit them.

This way you can be sure it’s a harmless reverse sneeze and nothing more serious.

7) Stress

When a frenchie is feeling stressed out or overly anxious you may notice them snorting or grunting more.

This is because certain compulsive behaviors are quite common when a dog is feeling stressed.

A few signs of stress that could contribute to your frenchie snorting more are yawning, panting and pacing.

Each of these affects their breathing patterns which could in turn make them grunt or snort more because of it.

If your pup is around unfamiliar people or dogs, in a new environment (for example, you recently moved), or has had a big change in their routine, this can cause them higher levels of stress.

Once they become more familiar with their new circumstance their snorting should go back to normal.

However if their anxiety stays high you should take them to the vet for possible solutions.

8) Too Much Collar Pressure

Another reason for your french bulldog to snort more than usual is because of too much collar pressure.

If your pup is a puller on their walks the added pressure on their throat from their collar could be making breathing even more difficult.

This is why it’s even more important for frenchies to learn how to loose leash walk.

They don’t need any additional challenges when it comes to breathing than they already have.

4 Tips To Help Your French Bulldog Snort & Grunt Less

1) Keep Them At a Healthy Weight

Keeping your frenchie at a healthy weight is arguably even more important than other breeds.

Yes of course all dogs should be a healthy weight.

But, with your frenchies breed specific breathing problems it’s important to make breathing as easy as possible for them.

And keeping them in good shape is one of the best ways of doing that.

Ensuring they eat great quality food, without too many treats, as well as good daily exercise will help their breathing tremendously.

It won’t completely get rid of their snorting and grunting, but it should help reduce the amount of daily snorts you’re hearing.

2) Use a Harness

Using a harness instead of a collar when taking your frenchie for a walk is really a good idea.

Harnesses are a better choice for any dog, and especially so for breeds that have trouble breathing without added pressure on their throat.

Harnesses distribute pulling pressure across their chest instead of along their throat.

Many people think harnesses encourage pulling because of this but that isn’t the case.

It just means that on the off chance when your pup does pull, it’s not going to affect their breathing and injure their trachea.

Related Reading: Dog Harnesses Fully Explained (Are They Cruel?)

3) Get Them a Raised Border Bed

Certain positions your frenchie sleeps in can help open up their airways making them less likely to snore and snort.

Which means more peace and quiet for you and a better quality sleep for them.

Two dog beds that have a raised border that are extremely comfortable are The Cozy Cuddler and The PetFusion Ultimate Dog Lounge & Bed.

If you can get your pup to sleep in a dog bed that helps position them in a way to keep their airways open they’ll be less likely to snort, snore or grunt.

Related Reading: Top 12 Best Dog Beds For French Bulldogs

4) See The Vet

While snorting and grunting is much more common in french bulldogs than other breeds, if you notice your frenchie excessively snorting it’s a good idea to take them to the vet.

They could be having more difficulties breathing than they should which is causing them to snort more frequently.

Better to be safe than sorry and have a veterinarian take a look at them to see if there’s anything that can be done to help out your pup.

Other posts you might find interesting:

Top 15 Best Harnesses For French Bulldogs

9 Reasons French Bulldogs Are High Maintenance + 4 Tips

Top 4 Reasons French Bulldogs Army Crawl + Helpful Tips

11 Reasons French Bulldogs Get Diarrhea + Tips To Help