French Bulldog Feeding Guide

Hello, lovely pet parent! Welcome to my ultimate guide to feeding French Bulldogs.

In this guide, I will cover how much to feed a French bulldog, how often to feed your French bulldog; when to feed your French bulldog, what foods to feed your French bulldog, what foods to avoid feeding your French bulldog; and other questions you may have about your French bulldog’s nutrition.

You can read the article to the end, or go through the table of contents below and jump to the section that answers the questions you have on your mind.

French Bulldogs are part of select dog breeds that are prone to overeating, coupled with the fact that this breed is your typical relaxed breed that engages in little or no exercise, which makes the chances of your cute little buddy very high.

In 2013, a study discovered that diarrhea, skin problems, and brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome are the biggest causes of fatalities among French bulldogs. Brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome can be corrected with surgery, while diarrhea and skin problems can be remedied with healthy food and hygienic practice.

Let’s jump into the article.

What Are The Nutritional Requirements of French bulldogs?

The nutritional requirements are the first thing to consider when choosing the best dog food for French Bulldogs, because feeding your cute puppy low-quality dog food can lead to a host of problems like malnutrition, joint disorders, gastrointestinal issues, and skin problems.

Your French Bulldog’s meal should primarily consist of protein, fats, and fiber to enable optimum growth.

Your French Bulldogs’ source of fiber should come from white rice, corn, peanut hulls, and cellulose, while their source of protein must come from animal flesh like fish, poultry meat, beef, and organ meat. And its source of fat must come from vegetables and fish oil.

Nutritional Requirement for a French Bulldogs Puppy

The diet of a French Bulldog puppy and adolescent should consist of 22% protein, 8% fat, 6% fiber, 1.2% phosphorus, 1% calcium, vitamins, and omega-3. Your Frenchie puppy would need a large amount of these nutrients when compared to other stages of development to facilitate the growth of healthy muscles and strong bones.

Nutritional Requirement for an Adult French Bulldogs

The meal plan for mature and adult French Bulldogs should consist of 18% protein, 5% fat, fiber, and omega-6 acids. Your adult dog will require a lower percentage of nutrients at this stage to prevent them from gaining excessive weight that would affect their athletic abilities.

Nutritional Requirement for a Senior French Bulldogs

The food your pet will eat at this stage of its life should ideally consist of 23% protein, 9% fat, and 7% fiber. French Bulldogs at this stage of life need a larger percentage of these nutrients in their meals to prevent certain health issues that may arise as a result of old age and genetics.

What Factors Affect The Feeding of Your French Bulldogs?

There are some factors that will affect the diet of your French Bulldogs, such as the size of the breed, its age, its activity level, and its underlying health conditions.

Let’s take a quick look at those factors before we jump into the quantity of food to feed your dog.

Size consideration

The average length of a French Bulldog is 10.6 to 14.5 inches from the sole of its feet to its shoulder. The weight of the male is around 19.8 to 30.9 pounds, while that of the female is around 17.3 to 18.6 pounds.

Despite the small size of the French Bulldogs, they are prone to having a large appetite and, of course, overeating. Males usually require a higher calorie intake than females to remain healthy and strong.

Age consideration

As different weight sizes will require different intakes of calories, so too will different age groups require suitable levels of nutrition to match their stage of development.

French Bulldogs grow at a steady pace, so the nutritional requirements of a Frenchie puppy will be different from that of a senior Frenchie to maintain its health and agility.

Activity Level

Most French Bulldogs are very energetic and hyperactive.

You wouldn’t want to feed your pet food high in fat and sodium like cheap fast food, which would make him sluggish and lethargic.

These fast foods don’t contain the nutrients that would make your dog perform to the best of their abilities and make them slow to learn new tricks or obey your commands.

Health Consideration

French Bulldogs are prone to certain health conditions, which should be taken into consideration in their diets if you wish to manage or prevent those issues.

Some health issues that affect your dog’s breed include hip dysplasia, conjunctivitis, tracheal collapse, and thyroid issues.

These health issues could be prevented or mitigated by taking or avoiding certain foods right from the start rather than waiting to treat them when they pop up.

It might be tempting to cut corners and go for the cheapest food. But engaging in such an act, in the long run, could lead to pain in seeing your Frenchie sick, frequent trips to the vet, and thousands of dollars in expenses.

How Much To Feed A French Bulldog?

Your French Bulldogs, just like any other dog breed, will require a different amount of food according to their stage of development. The amount of food a puppy will need will be different than the amount of food an adult will need according to their nutritional requirements.

On average, feed your puppy Frenchie 1 to 1.5 cups of food that has 25 to 30 Kcal per day; feed your adult Frenchie 2 to 3 cups per day that has 500 to 750 Kcal per day, according to its activity level; and feed your senior Frenchie 2.5 cups per day that has 400 to 600 Kcal per day.

I will provide you with the charts below to help you plan your French Bulldog’s meals from its puppy years to its senior years. However, this meal plan is not a one-size-fits-all. It’s just a general guideline that should be followed based on your dog’s needs and recommendations from your vet or dog nutritionist.

How Much To Feed A Puppy French Bulldog

The meal meant for your puppy and adolescents should be very rich in protein and contain a moderate amount of fat that can be gotten from animal meat for them to grow into healthy adults.

A French Bulldog puppy should be given 1 to 1.5 cups of food per day that contains 25 to 30 kcal of nutrients based on its age, weight, size, gender, and physical activity.

The feeding requirements of your puppy are given in detail in the charts below:

Puppy French Bulldog Feeding Chart

Age	Daily Food Quantity (Cups)	Kilocalories(Per day)	Protein	Fats
2 – 3 months	1	22 – 28	22 – 25%	8%
4 – 5 months	1.5 – 1.5	25 – 30	22 – 25%	8%
6 – 9 months	1.5 – 1.5	25 – 30	22 – 25%	8%
10 – 12 months	1.5 – 1.5	25 – 30	22 – 25%	8%

Following the guidelines above will aid in bone development and muscle growth, and strengthen their immune systems to fight off common bacteria and viruses that can lead to some health complications.

How Much To Feed An Adult French Bulldogs

The nutritional requirements for the meal of an adult French Bulldog are different than those of a puppy. The food of a mature Frenchie should have a lower percentage of proteins and fats to prevent obesity.

An adult French Bulldog puppy should be given 2 to 3 cups of food per day that contains 500 to 750 kcal of nutrients based on its age, weight, size, gender, and physical activity.

The chart below will give you an understanding of the daily consumption needs of adult French Bulldogs to help you with their meal plan.

Age	Daily Food Quantity(Cups)	Kilocalories(Per day)	Protein	Fats
1 – 10 years	2 – 3	500 – 750	18%	5%

How Much To Feed A Senior French Bulldog?

Senior French Bulldogs are generally less active than their younger counterparts due to fragile bones and joints. This means their meals will contain fewer calories, protein, and fat.

Geriatric French Bulldogs often have a host of health issues like spinal problems and tend to be picky eaters when it comes to commercial dog food and their favorite kibble.

Senior and geriatric French Bulldogs should be given 2.5 cups of food per day that contains 400 to 600 kcal of nutrients based on their age, weight, size, gender, and health issues.

The table below gives you some details about the meal plan of older French Bulldogs.

However, you must still ensure that they get the essential nutrients they need.

Senior Bulldog Bulldog Feeding Chart

Age	Daily Food Quantity(Cups)	Kilocalories(Per day)	Protein	Fats
7 years and above	2.5	400 – 600	23%	>9%

You can continue giving your senior dog the same food you gave them as an adult, only in a smaller quantity as they don’t need as many calories as adult dogs. However, you should still consult your vet or pet nutritionist to be on the safe side.

How Often Should You Feed Your French Bulldogs?

Your French Bulldogs’ meal frequency will vary the same as the feeding amounts, which is majorly dependent on their age. Below is the list of how often to feed your French Bulldogs:

How Often Should You Feed Your French Bulldog Puppy?

• During the weaning process or at 8 weeks old and below: feed them three times a day at equally spaced intervals.
• 8 weeks to 9 months old: feed them three times a day at equally spaced intervals.
• 9 months to 12 months old: gradually transition to feeding them two times a day with 12 hours of spacing between meals. Ideally, one meal in the morning and the other in the evening.

How Often Should You Feed Your Adult French Bulldogs?

You should feed your adult French Bulldogs two times a day, with a 12 hours spacing between meals for easy digestion.

How Often To Feed Your Senior French Bulldogs?

You should feed your senior French Bulldogs two times a day except given a specific schedule by a vet.

When Should You Feed Your French Bulldog?

• French Bulldogs puppies should be fed in the morning, afternoon, evening, and night due to a faster metabolism in comparison to their adult colleagues
• Adolescent French Bulldogs should be fed in the morning, afternoon, and evening to help them transition properly into an adult.
• Adult and Senior French Bulldogs should also be fed in the morning and in the evening unless stated differently by your vet or pet nutritionist.

As a general rule, you should feed your French Bulldogs a few hours before going to bed in the evening, so they have enough time to digest the food before going to sleep.

In total, we shouldn’t spoil our companions with treats as they may grow too attached to them. Treats should be majorly used as a reward when training your dog.

What Food To Feed Your French Bulldog?

The food you feed your French Bulldogs should specifically cater to large breeds and contain the required nutrients necessary for a strong and healthy dog.

The kind of food to feed your French Bulldogs includes dry dog food, wet dog food, a home-cooked diet, and biologically appropriate raw food to ensure your dog eats a balanced diet.

Let me touch on these few points to make you understand what to feed your dog:

• Dry Food: Dry dog or kibble is a portion of commercial pet food made by grinding and mixing up ingredients like meats, grains, and nutritional additives, which are then shaped into little kernels and cooked at high temperatures to remove the water content. Dry dog food contains more carbs, less fat, less water, and sometimes less protein and is often recommended by vets due to its lower cost, dental health benefits, convenience, weight loss support, and playtime perks.
• Wet Food: Wet dog food, or canned food, is made by mixing up and cooking the ingredients before adding or extracting varying amounts of water. Unlike dry dog food, wet dog food contains more water, fewer carbs, more fat, and often more protein. They are recommended by vets due to their high water content, taste, ease of eating, and high nutritional profile.
• Home-Cooked Diet: Home-cooked diets are a great option for pet parents who are not into commercial dog food and want to go the extra length to prepare the meal for their furry companion. Feeding your dog a home-cooked meal will give you control of its nutrition and can put you at ease knowing that you will always give your dog the best treatment.
• BARF Diet: Biologically Appropriate Raw Food is a type of food that contains raw meat, raw eggs, crushed animal bones, fruits, vegetables, probiotics, and other natural ingredients. BARF diets are used as a substitute for processed foods with preservatives. However, consult your vet before feeding your pet a raw diet to avoid health complications from harmful substances.

What Food To Avoid Feeding Your French bulldogs?

We should take caution against giving whatever food we’re eating to your French Bulldogs. They tend to eat anything and will beg for treats, which makes it tempting to hand them whatever we find ourselves eating.

There are certain human foods, fruits, and vegetables to avoid feeding your French Bulldogs because these foods contain toxins that are harmful to your pet that could lead you to frequent trips to the vet.

Human food to avoid feeding your French Bulldogs includes chocolates, coffee, gums, peanut butter, candies, cooked bones, etc.

The Fruits and vegetables to avoid feeding your French Bulldogs include grapes, avocado, garlic, onions, etc.

You should always check the ingredients on the food label to see if these ingredients are present in the food. Or you can simply consult a vet or pet nutritionist to check the ingredients with them.

When Can I Transition My French Bulldogs From Puppy Food to Adult food?

You should transition your French Bulldog’s puppy from puppy food to adult food when he’s around 12 months old.

Transitioning your adolescent French Bulldogs from puppy food to adult food is an important stage in your dog’s development. Puppy food contains more calories and nutrients than adult food to meet the nutritional requirements at that stage of life.

However, feeding your adult puppy food will fill them with more protein and fat than their body requires and will lead to obesity due to the high-fat content the body doesn’t need for optimum growth.

Why Is My French Bulldog Not Eating?

Your French Bulldogs will not eat if they have one or a combination of the factors listed below. Anxiety, dental or mouth injury or upset, acid stomach, short illnesses, medications and vaccinations, old age, and getting food elsewhere.

You should not panic just yet if your dog refuses to eat. The best thing you can do at this stage is to consult your vet to perform a check-up on your dog.

Why Is My French Bulldog Always Hungry?

French Bulldogs tend to have a healthy appetite, so it can feel like they are always overeating. If you ensure that the food you give is properly measured and that you have chosen food that is suitable for small breeds, then the following are reasons that your Frenchie could be showing signs of being hungry all the time.

Your French Bulldogs can feel hungry all the time if they have engaged in lots of exercise, gone through stress and anxiety, had an illness, or have engaged in bad habits reinforced by people around them.

Frequently Asked Questions on French Bulldog Feeding

Final Thoughts on French Bulldog Feeding

French bulldogs are energetic and sweet dogs that will make wonderful companions for anyone. Our small furry friends are hyperactive and tend to have a huge appetite, so you must take care as a Frenchie owner of what you feed them.

As pet owners, we must be sure of how much and when we should feed them. Since French Bulldogs are energetic dogs with huge appetites, we must put extra effort into planning their diet.

Options such as dry, wet, raw, and homemade diets are all great for them. Free feeding them or giving them too many treats can lead to severe health problems.

It is also essential to know what foods are healthy and should be avoided, as some foods are toxic.

If you are not sure about any information or problem concerning your Frenchie, it is best to contact the nearest veterinarian.