A breed well-known for its incredible charm, the French Bulldog is one of today’s most popular breeds. Lovable and essentially suited to any living situation, this breed makes an ideal family companion. But in order to keep it on the right path towards excellent health and wellness, our top dietary picks are sure to help!
In this article we will be reviewing the ideal health characteristics of a French Bulldog such as their average healthy weight, the amount of exercise they require, as well as what kind of dog food is best for their dietary needs.
| Dog Age: | Recommendation: | Rating: | Ingredients: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy: | Blue Buffalo Red Meat Puppy Food | 4.8 / 5.0 | Beef, peas, pea protein, fish meal, eggs, flaxseed, tomatoes, fish oil. |
| Adult: | Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food | 4.9 / 5.0 | Yeast protein, chickpeas, oats, peas, potatoes, canola oil, sweet potato, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, fish oil. |
| Senior: | Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food | 4.9 / 5.0 | Yeast protein, chickpeas, oats, peas, potatoes, canola oil, sweet potato, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, fish oil. |
Average Healthy Weight of French Bulldogs
Healthy Male Weight: 20-30 lbs
Healthy Female Weight: 15-25 lbs
French Bulldog Breed Summary
A distinctive appearance, sometimes misidentified (due to its bat-like ears), the French Bulldog is a small breed that typically has short, stocky and muscular body in addition to favorable qualities such as being easy to care for. French Bulldogs are incredibly popular because of their cute appearance but also because their size is great for apartments and other small homes.
The Frenchie is a playful breed, but the French Bulldog can do equally well at home or napping on the sofa. To ensure that this breed does not become overweight, regular exercise is vital. The Frenchie has a snub nose which makes it unsuitable for extreme climates – whether hot or cold weather.
When it comes to intelligence the French Bulldog will be able learn new things if they are motivated and you spend time teaching them. They can be independent minded and stubborn.
The French Bulldog is deeply bonded to its family. It does not thrive if left alone for long periods of time and prefers to be near those it loves the most.
French bulldogs are naturally suspicious of others, and are unusually vocal when it comes to unusual noise. Typically if they see something unusual outside they will begin to bark and growl to alert the family.
American Kennel Club Breed Classification: Non-Sporting Dog
Recommended Daily Exercise Amount: 30 minutes – 60 minutes a day
Physical Traits of French Bulldogs
French Bulldogs are known for their small, stocky, and muscular body shape.
Personality Traits
Loving, funny, stubborn, vocal, and alert
Potential Health Issues for French Bulldogs
The French Bulldog can be afflicted with different hereditary health conditions. While diet alone cannot cure these, it can lay an excellent foundation to support good health in this breed. Among the most common conditions, which typically affect the Frenchie are allergies, intervertebral disc disease, cherry eye, ear infections, allergies, and pyoderma.
Seasonal Allergies
The French Bulldog can suffer from a number of different issues, including allergies that affect their stomach and skin. Recurring food-related or environmental allergies can be managed by switching to an allergy-free diet with limited ingredients.
These types of issues are common for smaller dog breeds which makes it important to find a dog food that can help to alleviate these symptoms if you have a smaller dog breed such as a corgi, morkie, or even a cockapoo.
Intervertebral Disc Disease
French bulldogs are born with a chance to have a set of genes which cause their discs to slip and become aggravated. Keeping the French Bulldog at a healthy weight can prevent these from becoming dislodged.
Potential Eye Health Injuries
Cherry eye is a condition that affects many dogs and can be seen when a third eyelid called the nictitating membrane slips out of place, commonly due to genetics or weakened tissue. In most cases, cherry eye can easily be treated with medication or surgery.
To support overall eye health, a French Bulldog’s diet should include the following nutrients:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Anthocyanins
- Astaxanthin
- Beta-carotene
- Carotenoids
- Glutathione
- Lutein
- Lycopene
- Omega-3 essential fatty acids
- Phytonutrients
Possible Ear Infections
One of the most common dog health issues, including for French Bulldogs, is recurring ear infections. These can be caused by an overgrowth of yeast or may happen as a result of trauma to the ear, allergies, autoimmune problems or excessive cleaning. Feeding your Bulldog a proper diet can go a long way in maintaining its overall health and minimizing the impact.
Pyoderma
Pyoderma is a skin condition that can be brought on by stress or an inflammatory response. The condition is most often caused by bacterial infections and can easily be treated with medication. While not all varieties of Frenchie are affected, there are changes to the diet which the owners should consider to improve their skin health. Vegetables
- GLA
- ALA
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Vitamin E
- Vitamins and choline
- Flaxseed/fish oil
- Antioxidants
- Probiotics
Best Dog Food For French Bulldog Puppies
Age of Frenchie Puppies:
10 weeks – 12 Months old
French bulldogs need specific food to help them grow strong and healthy. A formula for small breed puppies made up of easily digestible ingredients is the best option, with lean meats being the top ingredient. Calories are important because these high-energy pups need plenty of fuel to be their best selves.
Puppy foods that help puppies grow at a healthy pace should have the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorous. This requires selecting the type’s of best dog food for French Bulldog puppies which includes:
| Recommended Dog Food: | Key Benefits: | Shop Now! |
|---|---|---|
Blue Buffalo Red Meat Puppy Food | - High protein red meat recipe crafted with beef to help build lean muscle. - Grain-free blend specifically designed for puppies that contains healthy antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals selected by veterinarians. - 32% Protein Content. - 16% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Purina Healthy Puppy Food | - U.S farm-raised chicken based puppy food with additional vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. - Contains 23 essential vitamins and minerals with included DHA to support brain and vision development. - 28% Protein Content. - 14% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Best Dog Foods For Adult French Bulldogs
Age Range of Adult Frenchies:
1 year old – 7 years old
French Bull Dog owners need to create a healthy, balanced diet for their dog. These meals should include lean meat-based proteins and ingredients that help with digestion and immunity. The best types of dog food for adult French Bulldogs are:
| Recommended Dog Food: | Key Benefits: | Shop Now! |
|---|---|---|
Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food | - Clean protein recipe designed with prebiotics and probiotics for optimal digestion and allergy health. - Crafted with recognizable superfoods such as spinach, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, pumpkin, oats, and no fillers or additives. - 31% Protein Content. - 10.5% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Blue Buffalo Duck Blend | - High-protein formula with lean protein duck blend to help maintain healthy lean muscle mass. - Contains healthy carbohydrates such as green peas and sweet potatoes as well as additional omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. - 34% Protein Content. - 15% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Best Dog Food For Senior French Bulldog
Age range of senior Frenchies:
8+ years old
French bulldogs slow down as they age. For them to live comfortably, you should choose a diet with fewer calories made up of quality ingredients so that the meal has something in it for everyone. Supplements that help support heart, eye and joint health are also desirable.
Recommended dog food for senior Frenchies are:
| Recommended Dog Food: | Key Benefits: | Shop Now! |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food | - Clean protein recipe designed with prebiotics and probiotics for optimal digestion and allergy health. - Crafted with recognizable superfoods such as spinach, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, pumpkin, oats, and no fillers or additives. - 31% Protein Content. - 10.5% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Blue Buffalo Senior Dog Food | - A high-quality chicken protein blend with additional vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to help support your senior dog. - Contains additional omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to improve the joint health and cognitive health of your dog. - 30% Protein Content. - 12% Healthy Fat Content. | Shop Now |
Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Food For French Bulldogs
Below are a few of the most commonly asked questions we have received from readers about the different types of dog food you can feed to your french bulldog. If you have any questions that aren’t answered below then please reach out to our team and we will answer your questions and post it down below.
Below are a few of the most commonly asked questions about the best dog food for french bulldogs:
Is Purina Pro Plan Good For French Bulldogs?
Purina Pro Plan is one of the most well known and popular dog foods on the market because of how large the Purina brand is. We believe Purina Pro Plan is a suitable dog food for french bulldogs but we do believe there are a few different dog food brands that offer higher quality ingredients. Purina offers a large percentage of protein content for their food but the protein isn’t as clean as other brands. They do use some fillers and additives that other brands don’t use but this is how Purina keeps the price of their dog food cheaper compared to competitors.
Instead of feeding Purina Pro Plan to your french bulldog, we typically will recommend a brand that offers a cleaner source of protein such as Wild Earth or Blue Buffalo. These brands also include more beneficial nutrients and vitamins will help your dog thrive.
Is Wet or Dry Dog Food Better For A French Bulldog?
French bulldogs can thrive on either dry dog food or wet dog food but typically dry dog food is recommended as they will typically contain a larger percentage of protein and include more nutrients and vitamins compared to wet dog food. Most popular dog food brands will provide a dry dog food but only a few brands will provide a wet dog food as well so dry dog food is more accessible.
Wet dog food can be a better options for french bulldogs who don’t like the texture of dry kibble or for those who require wet food for a medical reason. This could because of an impairment to their teeth or mouth of your dog or could be more gentle on their digestive system.
Is Royal Canin Good For French Bulldogs?
Royal Canin has grown in popularity for many different adult dog breeds including french bulldogs. Royal Canin states that their high-protein recipe is good helping your dog build muscle mass but we have found that their protein isn’t easily digestible for most dogs. The crude protein content is too high and can often times cause an upset stomach for many dogs. It is worth talking to your veterinarian about Royal Canin before switching your french bulldog over to this type of food.
