Best Dog Food for French Bulldogs

French Bulldog Feeding Guidelines

Which Diet?

Before you can use a feeding chart you must decide what diet your Frenchie is going to be fed. Puppies are also different from adult dogs.

Your choices are:

Choice #1: Anything you can get your hands on (table scraps, bones, leftover rice, whatever)

Most of these fall into the “what can French Bulldogs NOT eat” category.

NOT a good choice but it is amazing how many dog owners do exactly that.

No!

Take care what you feed your dog, especially your French Bulldog.

Choice #2: Raw Dog Food Diet – also known as the BARF diet (Bones And Raw Food)

If you decide on a raw diet for your French Bulldog, here are a few considerations:

It is only safe for dogs 12 weeks and older.

Another consideration is that the American Veterinary Medical Association does not support the BARF diet because raw foods (especially when you make the mix at home) have a huge risk of carrying pathogens.

Examples are Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus.

What’s more, these pathogens are not only a danger to your dog but to humans as well.

Choice #3: Hypoallergenic diet – used when a dog has food allergies

First, you have to know for sure that it actually has food allergies – see below for more info.

Choice #4: Grain-free diet

It is not hypoallergenic unless you have established that your dog is allergic to the specific grains that are absent in this food.

Choice #5: Weight control diet

When your Frenchie is too fat.

Or is becoming too fat.

Choice #6: Dry food only

Better for large dogs, maybe not such a good option for Frenchies.

Freeze dried and air dried foods are the best quality, with most of the nutrients still intact.

Cold-pressed is also good, as is baked.

Extruded dry dog foods lose the most nutrients in the drying process.

Choice #7: Wet food only

A more expensive option, but it does mean that your dog gets more hydration.

Does not last once opened, throw away any uneaten food after 20 minutes.

Choice #8: Dry and wet food

The best of both worlds.

It can help you ensure that the dog gets all of the necessary nutrients while having some variety in the diet.

Just make sure that he gets used to the variations while still young otherwise you may end up with digestive problems. (The dog, not yourself.)

Choice #9: Medical diet

For conditions like urinary tract disorders, arthritis, etc.

Such a diet is very specialized and must only be undertaken with the advice of a vet.

How Can I Tell if The Diet is Appropriate?

If your vet advised it, it is hopefully appropriate and safe.

For yourself, watch the condition of its body and coat. If your Frenchie’s coat is glossy, and it has lots of energy, and it appears fit and happy, the food agrees with him.

Lots of doggy-doo strewn about the yard may indicate that he is not digesting his food properly.

If your French Bulldog’s poop is very smelly, the food may not be as healthy as you think –  try something else.

Poop color should be light to dark brown, not red, yellow, or black, and certainly not bloody. It should also be firm, not runny or very hard.

Poop patrol, attenshun!!

How do I Choose the Foods?

Check the ingredients label. This is the very best way.

Learn to know the good ingredients from the bad (and how to spot the marketing hype). If you don’t have time to read the dog food ingredients label link above, here are some quick and dirty tips to navigating ingredients labels:

1. The most important thing is clarity. Each ingredient should be named, and the most important ingredients (the 3 or 4 at the top of the list) should ideally be given as a percentage.
2. Protein from whole meat should be the first (and therefore most abundant) ingredient on the list. Umbrella terms like ‘meat and animal derivatives’ must be avoided. Manufacturers usually use them because naming the ingredients would put customers off. French bulldogs love whole meats like lamb, fish (salmon is common in Frenchie diets), beef or chicken. Some dog foods include wild game bird, duck, and turkey. Protein should be at least 25%.
3. Premium plant-based proteins can round out the protein list. Ones that are particularly good for Frenchies are lentils, peas, sweet potato, chickpeas, and dried fruit. Watch that it is not the main source of protein because it’s bio-availability (the amount of nutrients that can be extracted from the food by your dog) is much less than meat-derived protein.
4. On the other hand, too much protein can also be a problem. It can put more pressure on the organs for digestion, throw off nutritional balance, increase the likelihood of diabetes, and can harm dogs that already have diabetes.
5. Healthy fats like omega-3s keep your Frenchie’s coat and skin glossy and healthy. Examples include fish oil (salmon and ocean fish) and coconut oil. Fats should be at least 5%. For your French bulldog puppy, you may check with your vet whether you should get food containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This is an essential fatty acid.
6. Carbohydrates provide energy and fiber so they are necessary. The ingredient list should say “whole oats” or “whole wheat”. Whole, fresh, organic, unprocessed ground grains such as rice, barley, millet and alternatives such us potatoes, sweet potatoes, and peas, are also acceptable carbs.

Don’t be Fooled

Ingredients lists can be manipulated quite cleverly by manufacturers. Some common tactics to look for include:

1. Fresh meat in dry foods

Consider that 20% fresh meat only equates to around 7% dry meat. If ‘fresh meat’ is the first ingredient on the dry foods list, be sure to discount the water and move it down the list accordingly.

2. “Total meat content”

This is done to avoid telling you what is really the protein source. It could be a lot of oil and meal instead of any real meat.

3. Splitting grains

By using several kinds of grain, the amount of each one is relatively small, placing it further down the ingredients list, but together the cereals may in reality make them the first and most plentiful ingredient.

Or even if there is just one grain, they can split it into different components, each of which is then a much smaller percentage, and further down the list. For example, in a food that has only maize as a grain source, you could see on the list ‘maize flour’, ‘maize gluten’ and ‘maize meal’ separately, making them appear less significant.

4. “Soy mill run”, “wheat middlings” and/or “wheat mill run”

These are grain fractions i.e. not whole grains and those are the fillers that are often responsible for digestion problems.

Other Facts to Keep in Mind

• Puppies should be fed 3 – 4 times a day, as do senior dogs because their stomachs weaken with age. Adults only once or twice a day.
• If you think that your bulldog puppy is allergic to grains, then put it on a grain free dietary trial for at least 10 weeks in order to establish whether it is a better food regime.
• The French Bulldog should not weigh more than 28 pounds. As they become less active with age or if they are gaining weight for any reason, limit their calorie intake to 400 to 500 calories per day.
• Every food is different, whether it’s canned, raw or dried. Because the calorie density differs from food to food, measure accurately and don’t overfeed your Frenchie with snacks or treats.

French Bulldog Feeding Chart (& French Bulldog Puppy Feeding Chart)

This French Bulldog Feeding chart is meant to be a “guide” to get you started, not hard and fast “rules”. A good starting point for you to tailor to your Frenchie’s needs.

Follow the instructions of your chosen food (and/or vet) and measure as accurately as possible. Remember that active dogs need more food, but older dogs can get along with less.

• 2 to 6 months old –  half a cup, 3 to 4 times a day, total around 220g
• 6 to 9 months old –  three quarters of a cup, 2 to 3 times a day, total 152 g to 233 g
• 9 to 12 months old – three quarters of a cup, 2 times a day,  total 110 g to 184 g
• Over 12 months –  half a cup, 2 times a day,  total 128 g to 165 g

Here is a daily calorie baseline for a healthy adult French Bulldog and adjustments, based on your dog’s age and activity level:

• Typical adult French Bulldog – 550-600 calories per day
• Highly active adult French Bulldog – 750-825 calories per day
• Senior French Bulldog – 470-500 calories per day

Royal Canin French Bulldog Review (or, Regarding Dog Food Brands With “French Bulldog” in the Name)

No products found. adult food (they also have a puppy food) is advertised as, among others:

“Tailor-made to help a French Bulldog easily pick up and chew their food; helps to reduce intestinal fermentation; supports muscle tone with precise protein content and L-carnitine; and that it reinforces the skin barrier with essential nutrients to support healthy skin and wrinkles.”

Hard to decide offhand whether this special food will achieve all of these claims.

Probably not.

The ingredients do differ from their other specialized brand foods (e.g. Golden Retriever) but is it material? How would an ordinary person know?

Here are the first 5 ingredients of Royal Canin’s dog food “specially formulated” for French Bulldogs:

1. Brewers Rice (yuck!)
2. Wheat (grains…yuck!)
3. Chicken by-product meal (yuck!)
4. Chicken fat
5. Wheat gluten (yuck!)

Verdict?

The ingredients alone (not even getting to the guaranteed analysis) break almost every dog food rule and is a hard pass for us.

You should not buy Royal Canin French Bulldog formula for your French Bulldog. Your Frenchie deserves better. 🙂

Best Dry Dog Food for French Bulldogs

If you can’t trust a dog food that has “French Bulldog” right in the name…what can you trust?! Here’s our pick for best dry dog food for French Bulldogs:

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We recommend that you feed your French Bulldog a similar amount of kibble at a similar time each day, keeping things consistent, healthy, and preventing stomach issues.

Like all dogs, Frenchies require a well-balanced diet, with plenty of nutrients. They have a tendency to be a little greedy and to avoid excessive weight gain you should provide adequate exercise (but be EXTREMELY careful about taking your French Bulldog swimming) and the right diet for your beloved pet.

Here are our picks for best dry dog food for French Bulldogs:

Best Wet Dog Food for French Bulldogs

Wet dog food is so incredibly tasty when compared to dry dog food.

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Buy this when you want to spoil the shit out of your Frenchie (all the time or special occasions).

Also great for senior French Bulldogs, dogs with no teeth and as a condiment on top of dry kibble. Here are our picks for best wet dog food for French Bulldogs:

Best Food for French Bulldogs with Sensitive Stomach

Frenchies seem to be born with sensitive stomachs. French Bulldog farts should be declared a national emergency, amirite?!

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It is mostly due to a weak immune system, that is often genetically determined, but you can relieve it by providing optimal food.

If yours has a problem choose foods with no artificial colors or flavors, no preservatives, and no added sugars.

Support healthy gut flora by choosing minimally processed foods supplemented with probiotics and prebiotics that help to keep your dog’s immune system in top shape.

Best Dog Food for French Bulldogs with Gas

Sensitive stomachs and gas go together. Sensitivity leads to gas production.

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Gassiness can also be due to the dog gulping air while eating, which happens when it eats too fast, or because of the abnormal facial structure (yes that cute, flat face is abnormal for a dog).

We recommend a grain-free diet, as wheat and grain may cause excessive flatulence in French Bulldogs (as can beans and cabbage).

Include lots of complex carbohydrates (like sweet potatoes) rather than single grains, as these can be a problem for pups whose health is already compromised.

Some individual dogs are lactose intolerant.

This means that they can not digest the lactose (sugar) in dairy milk. It passes through to the colon, which is stimulated to release water, resulting in diarrhea.

Sometimes also vomiting.

The colon bacteria also now has a good medium to grow in (sugar and water) leading to fermentation and gas.

Best Food for French Bulldogs with Allergies

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How do you recognize a dog food allergy? Symptoms include:

• Itching or watery eyes
• Sore patches on the skin
• Occasional diarrhea or vomiting

If you suspect a food allergy, then the gold standard is to put your Frenchie on an 8 week trial prescription hypoallergenic diet.

NOT grain free diets.

Simply switching to a grain-free dog food is unlikely to help your dog with food allergies.

During the trial, this must be the only food he gets. No table scraps or treats, or else you will not find out what is wrong. If the symptoms are still present after 8 weeks, the problem is something else, not food.

Many French Bulldogs are allergic to corn.

This ingredient is frequently used in commercial dog foods as a filler, and it can make your Frenchie break out in skin rashes, skin irritation or even hives!

Pet owners need to know that the instances of dogs with gluten allergies are extremely rare. It’s unlikely that switching to a gluten-free dog diet alone will ease your dog’s food allergy symptoms.

Tip: To prevent allergic reactions, use only pet-friendly cleaning products in your home.

Best Dog Food for French Bulldog Puppies

“What should I feed my French Bulldog puppy?”

– You, probably, while staring at the dog food aisle

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As with all puppies, the best food for French Bulldog pups is the one that will give them optimal nutrition while being tasty (and, with any luck…not too expensive).

However, these French Bulldog puppies have several physical features that are different from other dog breeds that you need to consider when choosing their food:

• Extra-short upper jaw and normal length lower jaw – not so easy to hold food fast because these jaws result in an underbite. Bigger and odd-shaped kibble can be easier for the Frenchie to grasp and chew.
• Extra facial skin and tissue in and around the nose and mouth – food can get stuck in there and it makes quite a mess.
• Flat muzzle which means they have a shortened nose and airways –  snuffling, grunting and not being able to breathe properly while eating can be messy and problematic.
• Crowded teeth – daily tooth brushing and oral care is a necessity.
• Extra-long soft palate  – that is the back of the roof of your dog’s mouth. It easily leads to obstruction of the airway.
• Extra-short legs – a deep bowl with a high rim makes it difficult to reach the food. They need a bowl that is shallower than usual.

All of the problems mentioned above are exacerbated by obesity.

The time to start preventing your dog from getting too fat is in puppyhood. Do not feed it too much, because:

food ≠ love!

One of the main considerations when you choose the best food for your Frenchie puppy is digestibility.

Related Reading

• Do French Bulldogs Sleep a Lot Normally?