French Bulldogs are inquisitive, friendly dogs with large personalities. They’ve grown in popularity as pets in the last decade and they can be seen almost anywhere. If you’re lucky enough to have a French Bulldog in your home then you know exactly what we mean. Part of the responsibility of having a dog is ensuring that they’re well fed and developing properly. This can sometimes be confusing and hard to know which is why we’ve created this article to guide you. We’ll discuss what food your French Bulldog should be eating, how they require different food at different stages of their life, potential problems that might be preventing them from thriving, and a handy weight chart.
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Feeding Your French Bulldog
Firstly, we need to discuss one of the most important factors in a French Bulldog’s development, nutrition. Excellent nutrition is important in order to have a healthy and happy dog. ‘You are what you eat’ and this applies to our dogs too. If we wouldn’t eat unhealthy processed food, then why should we expect our dogs to, right?
French Bulldogs don’t require any specific type of dog food compared to other dogs. There are many varieties of food out there; wet, dry, freeze dried, raw, or cooked. Regardless of what food you decide on, they do need to be on a high-quality and nutritionally balanced dog food. What are the signs of high-quality dog food? Look for foods that meet human-grade standards with a limited ingredient list that’s easy to understand and free from high carb fillers like potato, rice, oats, barley, yam, pasta, corn or wheat. The food should contain lean meat-based protein sources (such as chicken, turkey, pork and beef). The protein sources should be clearly listed, avoid foods with ‘animal by-products’ or ‘animal derivatives’ as their protein sources. Foods should be approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officals (AAFCO).
Feeding Your French Bulldog at Different Life Stages
French Bulldogs’ nutritional requirements will vary at different stages of their life. As young puppies, they have a huge requirement for calories and high-quality ingredients to promote puppy growth. Puppies grow rapidly during the first six months of their life and they continue growing more after this period. Without proper nutrition, they might be stunted and underweight. Check out our other article to learn how to switch puppy to two meals per day!
Once your puppy is fully grown, generally, between 12-16 months of age they will progress to adult dog food. This food will provide the nutrients and calories required to maintain an adult weight. Very active dogs will need more calories while sedentary dogs will need less.
Dogs that have been neutered will have slightly different nutritional requirements than other adult dogs. They generally need fewer calories to prevent weight gain which can happen in the months after neutering surgery. This can be achieved by feeding a diet with relatively low carbohydrates and high-quality lean protein.
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Senior dogs require highly digestible foods and a good source of omega fatty acids for potentially stiff joints. They might require varying levels of protein depending on their kidney function and body condition.
I’m sure that you can see from above, that regardless of the life stage, a balanced and high-quality diet is essential at any stage of life. Good quality nutrition will keep your dog at optimal body condition and health. Some companies offer stage-of-life specific recipes instead of “All Life Stages” recipes because the nutritional requirements of puppies are different than the nutritional requirements of adult dogs. Feeding stage-of-life specific recipes allows your dog to have the optimal nutrients for the life stage they are in.
French Bulldog Weight Chart
I’m sure we can agree that no two dogs are the same and dogs will grow at different speeds. However, regardless of small differences, most dogs will loosely follow the growth chart below. It’s important to monitor your dog’s growth because if they’re not growing it could indicate a medical problem.
Age of French BulldogWeight (male) lbsWeight (female) lbs2 months8-126-103 months10-148-124 months12-1610-155 months15-2011-176 months15-2212-207 months17-2514-218 months19-2515-229 months20-2816-2210 months20-2817-2411 months20-2817-2412 months20-2817-2612 -18 months (adult weight)20-2817-26
The above chart provides a guideline for your French Bulldog’s weight. This is only a guideline and some dogs may weigh a little less or more. According to the American Kennel Club, French Bulldogs shouldn’t weigh more than 28 pounds so if yours is weighing over this, it’s worth checking if they’re overweight. Obesity is a common problem in French Bulldogs.
Why Isn’t My French Bulldog Growing?
There are many reasons that might explain why your French Bulldog isn’t growing. Reasons in young puppies include; congenital (from birth) conditions (such as a liver shunt), heavy worm burdens, and feeding a poor quality diet. Some puppies might be naturally smaller due to the size of their parents and the genes they’ve inherited.
Puppies that are over-exercised might be shorter and stunted in height. This is due to the premature closure of the growth plates in their legs due to being exercised too much.
How Can I Monitor my French Bulldog’s Weight at Home?
It can be difficult to tell if our dogs are at a good weight and not underweight or overweight. You can monitor this at home in a few ways. You can weigh them at home if you have a dog scale or you can weigh yourself and then weigh yourself holding your dog. The weight difference between these is the weight of your dog.
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Apart from weight, we also monitor their body condition score. This is a score that measures the amount of fat coverage over the ribs and waist of the dog. It can be done by feeling the ribs and waist and you don’t need any special equipment.
Another option is to visit your veterinarian if you’re worried about your dog’s weight. Many veterinary clinics offer weight clinics where your dog gets weighed regularly and you can get feeding advice.
When to Contact Your Vet
If your dog isn’t growing as well as you’d like and you think there’s a problem, contact your veterinarian. They’ll examine your dog and check their weight. They might do some blood tests if they’re concerned about an underlying condition.
Conclusion
French Bulldogs make excellent companion dogs and we want to keep them as healthy and happy as possible. Ensure that you feed your Frenchie a high quality nutritionally balanced diet to encourage growth. Obesity is a common issue in French Bulldogs so monitor your dog’s weight and body condition score closely to prevent this from happening. Contact your vet if you’re concerned about your Frenchie’s development.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should my French Bulldog weigh?
Adult French bulldogs should weigh between 20-28 pounds. Males tend to weigh more than females.
How much should my 4-month-old Frenchie weigh?
A 4-month-old French Bulldog should weigh between 10-16 pounds in weight. Males generally weigh more than females.
What age is a French Bulldog full-grown?
French Bulldogs are generally fully grown between 12-16 months of age but this can vary from dog to dog.
How much should my Frenchie weigh at 6 months?
A 6-month-old Frenchie should weigh between 12-22 pounds depending on whether they’re male or female.
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