For many Frenchies with flat faces, eating out of a flat bowl can be challenging. I started with a standard bowl for my French Bulldog but quickly found it was a bad idea. After some experimentation, I found the best French Bulldog bowl for our little guy. Not all bowls are created equal and here you will find my recommendation.
Why do flat bowls cause issues for French Bulldogs?
Think of it this way. Imagine trying to reach something over your head and having really short arms. Short people problems. The issues a French Bulldog faces when eating are similar in nature.
They have a relatively flat face. For Frenchies trying to reach food at the bottom of a flat bowl that is as flat as their face can be a challenge. Add to that breathing problems and you can see how that may cause issues.
French Bulldogs are brachycephalic dogs. Brachycephalic dogs are prone to breathing issues. This can make eating a difficult task.
I don’t know about your Frenchie, but mine is also far from a slow eater. He attacks his meal with excitement. This further increases the possibility of choking and numerous other problems. There are ways to lessen the odds of this happening to your Frenchie and choosing the right bowl for them can certainly help with that.
4 problems flat bowls can contribute to
Frenchies are prone to some health issues when eating out of a standard flat bowl. Avoiding these issues are prime reasons to not use a flat bowl.
Bloating and Burping: Some argue that standard bowls don’t cause bloating and burping for brachycephalic dogs like Frenchies. We found that our little guy did get “belchy” after eating his meal out of this kind of bowl.
Choking and hacking: In the excitement to gobble up his food, his shortened airway may catch a few bits of kibble, causing him to choke. My little guy stopped during meals a few different times to hack. This scared me and I wanted to have him avoid this.
Vomiting up his meal: Eating too quickly may cause your Frenchie to have an upset stomach vomit up that meal. I found when he ate too fast he would quickly throw up the meal (try to eat it again), and then be fine after that.
Frenchie Flatulence: If you have had a Frenchie for some time there’s a strong chance you will have experienced some flatulence from your furry companion. While diet can be a contributing factor the speed at which meals are consumed can be a big factor. As your dog attempts to get his kibble out of the flat bowl, he can swallow a lot of air. This can lead to gassiness and that’s no fun for your Frenchie or you.
These are all strong reasons to experiment with different dog food bowls for your Frenchie. If your Frenchie has ever had any of the issues above changing their food bowl may help.
My Choice For Best French Bulldog Bowl: The Ourpets Stainless Steel Tilt-A-Bowl
After researching the various options we decided to go with the Ourpets Stainless Steel Tilt-A-Bowl. It is made from quality material and is stainless steel so it’s easy to clean. The elevated and tilted orientation of the bowl was what we felt would help our Frenchie slow down his eating.
We read the reviews and talked to some other Frenchie owners. Also, a very important factor was that it had to match the stainless steel water bowl we already owned. We purchased the Stainless Steel Tilt-A-Bowl and it arrived a couple days later.
>> Learn More About The Ourpets Stainless Steel Tilt-A-Bowl On Amazon <<
Did The Stainless Steel Tilt-A-Bowl Actually Help?
That’s a resounding YES! For that reason it gets my pick as the best french bulldog bowl. We found that this slanted bowl did help to slow down how quickly our little Frenchie ate his food. He actually slowed down considerably and ate at a slower pace.
This helped to prevent him from burping and occasionally vomiting up the meal he just ate. This bowl was exactly what we were looking for and it achieved the outcome we had in mind.
Pros and Cons of The Stainless Steel Tilt-A-Bowl
Pros:
- It’s stainless steel and easy to clean
- The elevated and tilted nature of the bowl are perfect for flat-faced Frenchies
- It’s very inexpensive
Cons:
- If you want color this product isn’t a fit as it only comes in stainless steel
- It holds a bit less food than the description states (didn’t bother us though as out little Frenchie doesn’t eat much).
Other Options For Your Frenchie
In case the bowl I picked for my Frenchie doesn’t fit your style I did want to leave you with a few other alternatives that could help.
- The IQ Treat Ball – When we first got our little Frenchie I hired a dog trainer friend of mine to work with us. Some advice she gave us was to make him “work for his food” with
training . We had him work oncrate training to earn food, practice sitting, practice laying down, and more.
On occasions we couldn’t train him one on one, we put some of his kibble or some treats in this ball to get him mental and physical engagement. It’s not a bowl at all but it did work great for feeding times. It’s one of my Frenchie’s favorite dog toys. This kept him busy but also slowed down his eating dramatically. We still use the IQ Treat Ball often with our little guy. Learn About It on Amazon Here - 15 Degree Slanted Bowl – This is another similar option to the stainless steel option I purchased above. This one does come in more colors so if you want more color options this one may be for you. The dish is stainless steel so it is easy to clean as well. It also comes in a few different sizes. If this one suits your needs more you can learn about it here.
- Enhanced Pet Bowl – I was tempted to get this one when I first was looking but the price difference was the only reason I didn’t pick this one. It is a quality bowl, comes in a few different size and is made for flat-faced dogs like Frenchies. I really liked this one too but I was happy with my choice. Take a look at the bowl here
Conclusion
Frenchies and their little flat faces are a big part of their charm. While their short snouts are adorable it can make eating out of a standard bowl a challenge. That’s why I switched to this French Bulldog bowl. My hope is that this helps you in finding the right bowl for your Frenchie.
Visit How-To-Solve-A-Rubix-Cube.com, an awesome website dedicated to the puzzle cube. Learn the easiest layer-by-layer method.
