Why is my Frenchie so stubborn?
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Why is my Frenchie
so stubborn?
He heard you. He's just deciding whether it's worth his time. Here's what's actually behind that famous Frenchie "attitude" — and why it's less stubbornness than a very specific kind of intelligence.
"Stubborn" is a people word for a dog trait that's really independence bred on purpose. Frenchies weren't developed to take orders — they were developed to be opinionated little companions, and that history still shows up in every eye-roll and slow-walk to the door.
Where Frenchies actually fall
Compared to breeds built for obedience work, here's how a typical Frenchie tends to score on the traits people usually mean by "stubborn."
Approximate positioning based on general breed temperament patterns — individual dogs vary.
Why the breed developed this way
Bred as companions, not workers
Herding and retrieving breeds were shaped by generations of tasks requiring instant obedience. Frenchies were bred purely for companionship — there was never selective pressure for command-following.
Intelligent, but not motivated by tasks
Frenchies are genuinely smart, but their intelligence shows up as problem-solving for their own goals — like getting on the couch — rather than eagerness to complete tasks for you.
A strong, opinionated personality by design
Breed standards actually describe Frenchies as having a "clownish" but self-assured temperament. What reads as defiance is often just a dog with a genuine point of view.
Working with this personality, not against it
Lean into food and praise motivation
Because they're not naturally eager to please, high-value rewards do far more work than a firm tone ever will. Make compliance the more rewarding option.
Keep training sessions short and genuinely fun
A bored Frenchie disengages fast. Five focused minutes beat twenty minutes of a dog quietly checking out halfway through.
Pick your battles
Not every "no" needs to be a standoff. Prioritizing safety-critical commands over minor preferences reduces the number of fights you're both having.
Expect a personality, not a robot
Some pushback is just part of who this breed is. The goal isn't to eliminate it — it's to build enough trust and motivation that cooperation usually wins out.
A Frenchie isn't stubborn because he doesn't understand you — he's stubborn because he's decided he has a say in the matter, and honestly, that's part of the charm.
Work with the personality you actually have, not the one you wish you'd trained.