Most French Bulldogs refuse to go potty in the rain because they hate how it feels, not because something is wrong. They have a short coat, they sit low to the wet ground, and nobody ever taught them that rain is part of the deal. The fix is a potty cue, a covered spot, a good raincoat and a really good snack.
We asked our Facebook group this week what their Frenchies do when it rains. A handful said their dog loves it. Most said some version of one word: "Refuses." One gremlin stands halfway out the dog door and cries. Another held a poop for two days out of pure protest. So you're in very good company.
Why do French Bulldogs hate going out in the rain?
Because rain is cold and wet, and a Frenchie is built to notice both. The American Kennel Club's guide to potty training in bad weather, written by certified trainer Sassafras Patterdale, lists the usual reasons:
- The feeling of rain landing on them. Some dogs just can't stand it.
- The wet ground. Other dogs don't mind the rain itself and hate wet grass under their feet. (Several of our group members said wet grass alone is a hard no.)
- Getting cold. The AKC points to short-coated breeds here, and a Frenchie's coat is about as short as it gets.
- Being low to the ground. The guide says small dogs "will be particularly unhappy" in bad weather for exactly that reason. A Frenchie's belly rides pretty close to a soggy lawn.
(Okay, a little of it is stubbornness. She's a Frenchie.)
How do I get my Frenchie to pee in the rain?
Teach her to go on cue when the weather is nice, then use that cue when it isn't. That's the AKC's main advice: start in weather she's comfortable in, and only ask for it in the rain once she knows it.
- Pick a phrase and start on a dry day. Say it as she starts to go. "Go potty" works fine.
- Pay her right away. Praise and a treat the second she finishes. Keep the good stuff by the door.
- Bring the fancy treats for bad weather. The AKC says to have high-value rewards ready when you ask for the cue in rain or cold. Rain is overtime. Overtime pays more.
- Go out with her. Our take: a Frenchie who gets shoved out the door alone will stand on the mat and stare at you through the glass.
- Warm house comes after the potty. Also our take. If she goes back in the moment she pouts, she learns that pouting works.
Does a raincoat or an umbrella actually help?
Yes, for a lot of dogs. The AKC says a properly fitted raincoat can make a dog more comfortable in the rain, and properly fitted boots can help a dog who hates wet ground. Fitted is the important word on a Frenchie. She's shaped like a barrel with legs, so check that she can walk and squat in it before you trust it.
The umbrella tip comes straight from our group. One member said her girl refuses flat out, but the second an umbrella opens over her, she trots out and pees. That same dog will happily run through the garden hose. Frenchies make no sense.
What if she still won't go on wet grass?
Give her a spot that stays dry. The AKC suggests pottying under an overhang or a big tree, or setting up a patch on a covered patio. Their two cheap versions are a piece of sod in a planter, or a plastic baby pool filled with dirt.
After a rainy trip, towel her off, feet and face folds included. Moisture trapped in a wrinkle is how fold trouble gets going, and we wrote up the full routine in our skin fold post. If she fights the towel, our post on Frenchies who won't let you touch their paws or face will help.
If she has an accident inside on a storm day, skip the scolding. The AKC's advice is to watch her closely indoors after a failed trip, keep her near you, and offer the yard again soon.
Is it dangerous for a dog to hold it because of rain?
It can be, which is why this is worth training and not just laughing about. The AKC guide says dogs who hold their bladder to avoid bad weather can end up "uncomfortable or even unsafe."
The thing to watch is the difference between won't and can't.
- Won't looks like a dog who plants her feet at the door, then pees a normal amount once you finally get her to a spot she accepts. That's a training problem.
- Can't looks like a dog who squats and nothing comes out. PetMD's guide by Michael Kearley, DVM, describes it as "straining to urinate without any urine coming out," making only little dribbles, or whining while trying. His answer on whether that's an emergency is one word: yes. Go to the vet right away, rain or no rain.
Poop has a longer clock. VCA Animal Hospitals says most dogs go at least once a day, and to call your veterinarian if your dog hasn't had a bowel movement within 48 to 72 hours of the last one. So that two-day protest in our group was right at the edge of a phone call.
Want our everyday Frenchie checklist?
Drop your email and we'll send the one-page Frenchie Itch-Relief Checklist. It's the daily skin and paw habits (drying off after wet walks is on the list), in the order that matters.
FAQ
Why will my Frenchie play in the hose but not go out in the rain?
Nobody knows what goes on in that giant head. Our guess is that the hose is a game she picked, and rain is weather that picked her. Two members of our group reported the exact same thing this week, so yours isn't the only one.
Do French Bulldogs need boots in the rain?
Not all of them. The AKC suggests properly fitted boots for dogs whose problem is the wet ground. If your Frenchie freezes at wet concrete or tiptoes on wet grass, boots are worth a try. Let her get used to them inside first.
Is it okay to use pee pads on rainy days?
That's our opinion, not a rule: an outdoor covered spot is the better first move, because it keeps "potty happens outside" simple for her. If it rains for a week at a time where you live, a pad by the door is a fair backup.
What we'd use
A raincoat that fits, a big umbrella and a pocket full of cheese. None of that is ours, and nothing we sell will make a Frenchie like the rain. What we do make is two daily powders for the stuff that happens the other 364 days: Frenchies vs Plaque & Tartar for dental health and Frenchies vs Mushrooms to support immune health. Give your soggy gremlin a towel rub from us.