Frenchies never grow up. They want to play all of the time. But keeping a Frenchie entertained all day can be hard work. However, it needn’t be that way with this list of toys they actually love to play with!
Before I go on though, let me be clear. We do actually have Frenchies and aren’t just a website created by someone who doesn’t own this breed. All the favorite toy suggestions here are based on toys we have found Claude the Frenchie likes to play with – on this page you can see photos of him and his friends actually using some of them.
In this list of the best French Bulldog toys on the market you will see favorites to suit puppies that are chewing and teething, plus some stuffed toys. I am going to start off with the ones that Claude has loved the most, that have kept him entertained the longest.
What are the best toys for French bulldogs?
You will need toys that last, period. Frenchies have quite strong jaws and during the teething phase especially will destroy anything that’s not up to scratch. Almost all the toys I recommend below pass that destruction test.
Best French Bulldog toys (according to Claude)
Here are our French Bulldog favorite toys which have entertained Claude the most. With some of these, Frenchies will play with by themselves, others with us when we want to get involved. I believe these are the best toys for French Bulldogs, puppies and adults alike.
1. Bomber Ball
After Claude destroyed all the tennis balls in our garden, we decided to opt for something more industrial strength – and that’s exactly what you get with the Bomber Ball (see Amazon prices).
We’ve had to buy a replacement after 10 months but believe me that’s pretty good going for a ball toy. It comes with a handle on it so you can throw it, squeaks, and is tough enough to withstand all the punishment a teething or adult Frenchie can dish out.
2. Laser Pen
This is the cheapest French Bulldog toy we’ve bought and provides for hours of entertainment. It’s great for a rainy day too when you need to burn off your Frenchie’s excess energy when the weather doesn’t allow for walks.
I recommend you buy a couple of them as they aren’t the most robust of things, but you do get your money’s worth. These laser pen toys (see Amazon prices) will also need some batteries too. Claude loves chasing the laser across the floor, and even does it with our cat at the same time.
3. Frenchie Chew Toy
French bulldog chew toys are essential no matter what age your Frenchie is. They start to teeth around 12 weeks of age, with the teething phase typically lasting up to 24 weeks. During this phase they will want to chew everything; furniture, shoes, you name it.
Frenchie chew toys can offer a distraction and suitable alternative to having your prized possessions chewed up and destroyed. You can find a similar one to the photo on Amazon.
4. Kong Chew Toy
A Kong is one of our French Bulldog’s favorite toys… and there’s a good reason why; you can put treats in them! If we’re leaving the house for a couple of hours without Claude, we’ll place kibble treats or peanut butter (xylitol-free of course) into it.
The Kong helps to keep your Frenchie busy. It will not only take cunning and flexibility to get the nice tasting secrets out but will also take them a while too. And once they’ve finished hooking or licking the tasty treats out, they can chew the Kong too – it’s virtually indestructible.
These are one of the most popular dog toys in the world as you can see from the thousands of Amazon reviews. If your Frenchie doesn’t have this toy, he’s missing out… and you wouldn’t want that would you?
5. Tug of War Rope
Frenchies love to play tug of war. It lets them get rid of any excess energy (and possible aggression) – and it keeps the owner fit too! We had a few different tug of war ropes that didn’t last too long, especially when left out in the garden.
This one is brilliant though and despite the pulling, tugging, and tearing at it, has never degraded, frayed, or ripped apart. They are designed for aggressive chewers. Unlike other tug of war toys, this one has a strong rubber ring on it which is great for keeping your dog’s teeth in good shape.
You can find a similar tug of war toy on Amazon. There are loads of different styles to choose from.
6. Stuffed Toy
French Bulldogs love stuffed toys too. We had to buy one for Claude because he kept raiding my son’s bedroom and making off with his teddies. The best ones for Frenchies will come with a squeaky noise when bitten.
I can’t find the exact same toy we bought, but here’s one on Amazon that looks really good if you read the reviews and feedback. It comes a pack of 12 so your dog should never get bored again.
7. Rope Ball Toy
A great toy for keeping your Frenchie entertained outdoors would be a rope ball. You can throw it, dangle it, or kick it. Either way it’s like heaven to a French Bulldog.
From what I can gather, they also help to keep your dog’s teeth clean too as the rough rope rubs against their teeth to help remove any plaque. Have a look at the Amazon prices.
8. Squeaky Bone Toy
Frenchie love toys that squeak. As you can see from my photo, Claude and his buddies will often playfight to see who can win the bone battle.
The one I recommend today is made from durable rubber, doesn’t fade in the sun, and is even infused with vanilla extract to make it even more appealing.
You can buy this toy in red, yellow, or green depending on your style. As with the other Frenchie toys, this is also available on Amazon.
Best French Bulldog puppy toys
I hope you enjoyed seeing the French bulldog toys we’ve had most success with, but I wanted to offer you an even broader choice for puppies in particular.
Frenchie puppies need to be constantly entertained and will want to play for every single second they are awake. Below you can see some of the toys best suited to a French Bulldog puppy.
9. Salsa Orangutan Squeaky Cuddly Toy
Frenchie puppies love to cuddle up. Combine a toy that is cuddly and you’re onto a winner, especially if it’s machine washable and durable like this one.
This puppy toy also comes with a squeaky button inside of it so expect your puppy to be cuddling into it one minute and trying to destroy it the next. See the Orangutan on Amazon.
10. Chuckit Throwing Balls
Frenchie puppies love to chase balls but need something a little bit smaller than the Bomber Ball I recommended earlier. And that’s why the Chuckit is just perfect for those still growing mouths, teeth, and jaws.
It bounces, it floats, it won’t get torn to pieces. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, it also has a squeaker inside of it, so you get a lot for your money. You can buy a pack of 2 on Amazon.
Best French Bulldog chew toys
Frenchies of all ages like and need to chew, but even more so during the teething phase. Your puppy’s gums and teeth will hurt, so they need something durable to chew on. You can even get French Bulldog chew toys that go in the freezer first, to help soothe sore gums.
11. Arctic Freeze Cooling Chew Toy
And here’s one that does just that. You can either fill it with snacks or pop it in the freezer before play time. It’s the perfect chew toy for a teething Frenchie and should keep them entertained and away from the table legs.
Don’t worry about the liquid inside it. It’s 100% purified water so there’s nothing nasty in this toy that could put your chewing puppy at risk. See the latest prices on Amazon.
12. Dog Toothbrush Stick
Dental hygiene is a must so why not combine a favorite toy with functionality? That’s what you get with this dog toothbrush stick toy. The ridges will get into your Frenchie’s teeth as he chews but can also be used for games of fetch too.
It’s fun, will keep teeth clean, and should (so they say) also improve the smell of your Frenchie’s breath – and who wouldn’t want to do that? Go take a look at the Amazon prices.
Best French Bulldog stuffed toys
13. Hide-a-Squirrel Toy
Claude loves chasing squirrels. He’s never caught one, so this could be the next best thing for Frenchies that fancy themselves as hunters. But it’s not just the squeaky sounds and plush design that make this an appealing toy. It’s the mental challenge it can offer too.
It’s said to be a boredom buster, and it’s easy to see why; once you hide the squeaky squirrels in there, your dog will have the challenge of getting them out. I love this and can see why it’s the kind of toy French Bulldogs like to play with.
We’re going to get this for Claude as a Christmas present this year. I was surprised at how highly rated it was, but it certainly seems to work as you can see from the Amazon reviews.
14. Duckworth the Duck Toy
You’d be quackers not to get this. It’s quite simple as it’s just a fluffy duck with a squeaker. But sometimes the simplest toys are the best for a French Bulldog. Hours of fun could be had with this, and once your dog is tired, he can cuddle up to it.
It’s large and fluffy so won’t be a choking hazard risk, and can be dragged around and pulled about. The people who already own this say it stands up to a lot of rough play. Go see for yourself as it’s available to buy on Amazon.
Best French Bulldog toys for mental stimulation
A bored Frenchie is an unhappy Frenchie. These mind-stimulating toys are how you keep a French bulldog entertained and mentally active.
15. Tuff Mazee Ball Toy
The Tuff Mazee ball will help to keep your Frenchie’s senses stimulated. It has a small maze inside within which you can place small kibble biscuits. As your dog pushes the ball around, the treat will hopefully find its way through the maze.
This sounds like absolute torture to me, but by all accounts, it can keep your dog entertained for hours – and importantly, keep their mind active. Go check it out on Amazon.
16. Interactive Dog Puzzle Toy
Another great idea here with this interactive puzzle that can help to teach your Frenchie how to learn sequential steps to get a reward. It has 6 different compartments that pull out to reveal a tasty treat.
It’s said to help curb challenging and destructive behaviour, will slow down mealtime, and help to stimulate your French Bulldog’s brain. See what people are saying on the Amazon reviews for this awesome toy.
Favorite Frenchie toys you don’t have to buy
There are some fun toys you might already own and won’t have to spend any money on. Here are a few household items that Frenchies love to play with too.
17. Standard Football / Soccer Ball
Claude loved playing with footballs when he was a puppy. He would go mad in our garden pushing it around at high speed with his nose and it kept him entertained for hours at a time.
Part of the game was him trying to get the ball into his mouth. He couldn’t do that due to the size of his jaw, but he was able to peel some of the outer layer of the ball away – so the key here is to keep the ball completely inflated so your Frenchie can’t tear it apart.
Once Claude got to about 10 months his jaw was a lot bigger and he was able to chew the football up – we were getting through a couple of football toys each week. That’s why we switched to the Bomber Ball which I recommended as one of our favorite French Bulldog toys instead.
18. Balloons
Sometimes the simplest things can provide the best entertainment for a Frenchie. My son and I will sit on our couch and “head” the balloon to Claude. He will try to get the balloon, and actually end up heading it back.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of chew toys, active toys, teething toys, puzzle toys, and stuffed soft toys. The top section are all ones that we know for sure are the kind of toys French Bulldogs like to play with.
But sometimes, anything will work as a toy. Frenchies aren’t that fussy at the end of the day, as long as they can have fun and stimulation, they are a very happy breed.
You might also be interested in…
As you’re already here looking for ways in which to keep your Frenchie entertained, I wanted to share with you some more tips and advice.
How do you keep a French bulldog entertained?
Toys are just one aspect to keeping your French Bulldog entertained, but you can’t rely on just toys alone. Whilst they are great for when you can’t pay your Frenchie 100% of your attention, you need to give them more than that.
Many people will tell you that Frenchies don’t need a lot of exercise. That’s not strictly true, as they have a lot of energy they need to burn off.
We walk Claude twice a day for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, but also play with him and his favorite toys as much as we can in the house.
How to keep Frenchies safe when playing?
Puppies will chew and eat anything in front of them, so make sure the toys you do buy don’t have small parts and are rugged enough to not be chewed into small pieces (and definitely don’t let them play with rawhide toys).
Frenchies will be very boisterous, and puppies will never know when to stop. Because of this, in hot weather particularly, they can overheat easily. I wrote a guide on how to keep Frenchies cool when playing.
How do French Bulldogs like to play?
French Bulldogs have lots of different ways they like to play aside from with their favorite toys. They like to playfight, the like to play rough, and they love to play fetch. You can see a video below which shows some great examples of Claude playing.
For more information on how Frenchie play, read this guide.
Handy Hint: You can see more videos of our lives as French Bulldog owners on our YouTube Channel. We release videos every week so please subscribe.
How to stop chewing and destructive behavior
Toys are one of the best ways you can help to prevent chewing. Without toys, mental stimulation, and exercise you might have a lot of destructive behavior to deal with.
If you don’t mind your furniture getting destroyed, then don’t invest in French Bulldog toys and games. If you do want to stop that, read this guide to stopping chewing.
How to stop a Frenchie biting when playing
Once you have a collection of toys for your Frenchie you should also play with them. They can play by themselves happily but love it most when they have a playmate to share the fun with.
However, puppies in particular find it hard not to bite, and this can become problematic if not trained out of them at a young age. To find out how to stop biting, read these notes.