Growing up, my family would teach me about healthy eating and sticking to a regular eating schedule. That’s exactly what I want for Augie my French Bulldog, too.
There are many brands of French Bulldog food to choose from, but not all of them are good. Many dog food companies fill their foods with unhealthy fillers, dyes, and empty carbs that provide zero health benefits to my dog.
If I won’t eat food like that, then why should my dog?
The good news is, there are many quality dog foods on the market. They offer vitamins, nutrients, and protein to promote your French Bulldog’s health. Pair that with a regular eating schedule, and your furry friend will be happy, healthy, and a ball full of fun energy.
Here are some tips for finding quality French Bulldog food and how to make an eating schedule for your four-legged friend.
A Little About French Bulldogs
French Bulldogs make a loving and charismatic addition to any family. They’re a small to medium-sized dog that offers a lot of personality for their size. They are lovers, charmers, and get along well with most animals and people.
It’s no wonder we French Bulldog owners love our dogs so much.
A healthy French Bulldog can live 10 to 12 years, sometimes longer. These little fellas should have are smooth healthy coats and a strong compact muscular body.
Frenchies are vulnerable to infections and other health issues due to their compact muzzle and body. Maintaining a healthy Frenchie lifestyle includes regular meals, cleaning, and exercise.
The key to a Frenchie’s long life is a healthy diet and some moderate exercise.
Tip #1: Start An Eating Schedule Early
Like with people, a regular eating schedule promotes good health, digestion, and a happy attitude. Well, our little Frenchies are the same way.
Setting an eating schedule early will help your Frenchie feel energized throughout the day. If your newest addition to the family is a puppy, you can start an eating schedule right away. As your Frenchie grows, you may need to change their schedule.
A puppy that seems tired between meals might need an extra meal. You can experiment with 3 or 4 meals per day find what works best for your Frenchie.
Some French bulldogs may experience spikes in energy and digestion issues when limited to 2 meals per day. Keep your Frenchie and their tummy happy by sticking to 3 or 4 smaller meals.
If your pup is a little underweight, try adding an extra half cup of food to their daily amount. Your Frenchie will get back to their healthy plump weight.
If there are other pets in the home, make sure your Frenchie doesn’t eat their food too. Many Frenchies are always hungry, and pirating food can lead to excess weight gain.
Overweight Frenchies can suffer from heart disease, diabetes, and hard breathing. If your Frenchie is on the heavy side, cut back their food by half a cup and increase their water intake.
A regular feeding schedule will keep your Frenchie happy and healthy all day long.
Tip #2: What to Look For in French Bulldog Food
You want quality French Bulldog food for your four-legged friend. But how can you be sure the food you get is good?
Look for the ingredients list on the bag of dog or puppy food. You want to look for ingredients that are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Fillers are full of empty calories and preservatives, so do your best to avoid them.
French Bulldog Puppy Food
Selecting the right puppy food for your Frenchie can be a stressful task. The food you feed them now will shape your Frenchie’s health.
Puppies need extra nutrients and minerals to maintain their energy as they grow. These extra nutrients help with bone growth, teething, and energy. So the best dog food for French Bulldog puppies is one that will nourish them in their development.
Nutrients to look for in puppy food include fats, proteins, and DHA. Also check the calcium to phosphorous ratio.
For fats, look for puppy foods with about 8% fat. Your puppy will need less as they age.
DHA is an OMEGA-3 that supports a healthy brain and eye function. OMEGA-3s also aid in healthy skin and a healthy coat.
As you look for puppy food, avoid foods that are high in sugar and processed ingredients. These foods offer very little nutritious value for your Frenchie.
Besides the type of puppy food, it’s important to measure your puppy’s food out for each meal.
Here are some of the best French Bulldog puppy foods:
FROMM Nutritionals Dry Dog Food
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Here’s a grain free puppy food option if you want to go that route:
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Natural Puppy
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Adult French Bulldog Food
Adult Frenchies need a lot of protein in their diet. Most of their foods should be meat-based or high in protein. Plus, they’ll love you for the meat-based foods.
Proteins are important to your Frenchie’s strength and fitness. French bulldog foods should have at least 22% of protein. Frenchies can enjoy whole meats such as chicken, beef, and fish as well as concentrated meats.
Fat and OMEGA-3 fatty acids are important. Look for healthy fats from canola oil, chicken fat, fish, and flaxseed are the best options for your French bulldog.
Check the ingredients list on the back of any bag of French bulldog food. That’s where you’ll get the most accurate information on the quality of the dog food. If the ingredients sound
Tip #3: French Bulldog Food Bowls
Frenchies have broad compact muzzles that make eating and drinking difficult. Fortunately, there are many food bowls with a special design made for French bulldogs.
A French bulldog food bowl is shallower than most traditional food bowls. Options you’ll find are slow-feeding bowls, elevated bowls, and enhanced Frenchie food bowls.
Slow-eating bowls have a maze or bump in the center that forces your Frenchie to eat slower. Slowing the eating process allows your Frenchie to consume less air while they eat. This will prevent gastric distress and bloating.
Tip #4: How Much to Feed Your French Bulldog
Your Frenchie can help you with this, to a degree. They can often be overzealous when it comes to food. So it’s your job to make sure your four-legged friend only eats the food they need.
You’ll also find a feeding chart on the back of most French bulldog food bags. While each Frenchie is a little different, the chart can give you an idea about where your dog fits and how much he or she should eat.
Age
If you’re starting a new eating schedule with a 10-12-week puppy, they’ll need about 1.5 cups of food per day. You can start by spreading that amount throughout 3 meals to gauge your puppy’s temperament and energy.
As your Frenchie grows up, he or she will need more calories per day. Between 6 and 9 months, you’ll be starting your pup on a feeding routine they’ll have for the rest of their life. From 1.5 cups of food, you can move to 2 cups, depending on your Frenchie’s needs.
Weight
Weight is a big determining aspect of your Frenchie’s diet. A healthy male French bulldog should weigh between 20-28 pounds. A female will weigh closer to 16-24 pounds.
Adjust your French bulldog’s food intake if they’re over or under the recommended weights. An underweight Frenchie may need more food throughout the day while an overweight Frenchie will require a little less.
French Bulldog Activity Level
French bulldogs don’t need a lot of exercise. Most Frenchies are happy with indoor dog toys that keep them mentally and physically busy.
However, if you and your Frenchie like to explore the neighborhood or great outdoors when it’s cool out, your Frenchie may need more French bulldog food. A less active Frenchie will need less.
When feeding your Frenchie, keep a chart of their weight and feeding habits. This way you’ll catch anything unusual about your Frenchie’s weight or eating habits.
Common feeding issues to look for in your Frenchie are a lack of appetite, gastric distress, and eating too fast. Solve most of these issues with a slow-feeding food bowl. Or, feed your Frenchie smaller meals more frequently throughout the day.
Tip #5: French Bulldog Food Allergies
French bulldogs are just as susceptible to food allergies as their owners. Dog allergies are more difficult to detect and pinpoint.
Common symptoms of allergies in a Frenchie can be watery eyes, itchy skin, diarrhea, or vomiting. Before you rush to purchase grain-free dog food I would advise that you do your research it.
What About Grain-Free Dog Food For Your French Bulldog?
As you may have noticed, French Bulldogs can be a little gassy. Some food types can make their gas issue even worse. While a diet based on whole-food ingredients may help I would suggest that you speak with your veterinarian on this topic. I was surprised to hear from my Vet she strongly advocated against grain-free diets.
I understand the reasoning some French Bulldog owners would decide to feed their dog a grain-free dog food but I would highly recommend that you do your own research to decide what would be best for your Frenchie.
Popular diet culture may have influenced this misconception. A grain-free diet is not a better diet for dogs even if it helps your neighbor drop some pounds during a diet. The Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University concluded that food allergies in dogs are fairly uncommon. They say that grains are less likely to be an issue and that common proteins such as beef or chicken may be more to blame.
There is a big reason as to why grain-free diets aren’t a popular choice of Veterinarians or even the FDA. This FDA study found a link between dilated cardiomyopathy (also known as DCM) and grain-free diets. The study is far from over but it was enough to sway me against it. Unless your veterinarian confirms that your dog has a grain allergy or sensitivity, there’s no need for a grain-free diet.
Best Dog Foods for French Bulldog
Here are five great food options for French Bulldogs
1. Fromm Gold Adult Dog Food Small Breed
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2. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Healthy
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3. Taste Of The Wild High Protein Dog Food
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4. CANIDAE All Life Stages Dog Dry Food
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5. Castor & Pollux Organix Grain Free Organic Small Breed
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A Happy Healthy Frenchie
A regular diet with quality French bulldog food leads to a healthy Frenchie. High-quality dog foods have proteins, fats, and nutrients French bulldogs need. A regular feeding schedule keeps their energy consistent and prevents gastric distress.
Learn more great tricks to feeding your Frenchie with my latest articles. You’ll find great tips and tricks to make living with your Frenchie and a fun and rewarding experience.
