What to feed your French Bulldog: healthy diet and nutritional basics

Requirement for basic substances

It is necessary to carefully plan your dog's diet. Of the basics, a French dog needs to be given daily:

• proteins: 9 g per 1 kg of puppy weight or 4.5 g per 1 kg of adult weight. Protein can enter the animal’s body through foods: beef, lamb, horse meat, chicken, liver, eggs, and milk-containing foods. You should not give your dog soy, beans, or peas, as they are poorly digestible;
• fats: 1.3 g per 1 kg of dog weight. The component is the main source of energy. The dog can get fats along with meat and sunflower oil. An excess of fat leads to a reduction in the walls of hollow tubular organs (esophagus, stomach, intestines, ureters, etc.);
• carbohydrates: 10 g per 1 kg of weight. Natural food is very important for dogs, so you need to feed them oatmeal, buckwheat, rice porridge, bran, and wheat bread.

The carefree life of French bulldogs depends on a balanced diet

General information about feeding French bulldogs

Regardless of what kind of food your pet will eat, fresh or industrial, the bulldog’s diet should be varied. It is important to pay attention to ensuring that the animal receives all the vitamins and minerals it needs. What matters is the balance of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. When choosing products, you need to focus on their freshness, benefits and safety, since most representatives of the breed are prone to allergies.

Note! French Bulldogs are brachycephalic. Their esophagus is curved and their gastric tone is low, so they need to be fed a light diet.

Ready-made food or natural food

How to raise a French bulldog at home

Most owners believe that food for pets does not play a huge role. Some give their pets food from the table without thinking about how it will affect the animal's body.

Important! Bulldogs need special nutrition to grow healthy and strong.

Natural food has a very beneficial effect on dogs. It is better to prepare a balanced menu for the week for the French variety in advance. It is important to consider that the dog needs at least 35% protein. It can be found in beef, lamb, and rabbit. The meat can be diluted with cereals - buckwheat, rice. If the choice fell on turkey or chicken, then before feeding it, be sure to cook it and remove the skin. Dogs can be given fish, but only boiled fish, without bones.

Pork can be fed to dogs, but only once every 2-3 weeks. It is important to consider the conditions here:

• the dog should not have allergies;
• the meat should not be fatty;
• The pork is frozen and boiled.

Often owners do not have time to cook for their pet; this is where ready-made food comes to the rescue. They are an excellent substitute for natural food for French bulldogs.

Note! Store-bought food already includes all the vitamins and beneficial microelements that dogs need so much. In addition, they can be purchased in large quantities. Feed can be stored for a long time and not spoil.

Ready-made food is divided into two types: dry and wet. In turn, each of them is divided into classes that have different composition and quality of food.

If the owner switches the pet to ready-made food, then it is worth providing the puppy with enough water. It is commercial dog food that is not able to provide a sufficient amount of moisture to the pet.

Proper nutrition keeps your pet healthy and strong

Natural nutrition

Some dog owners make the grave mistake of believing that feeding their dogs is a simple matter and nothing more than a whim; the leftovers from their table will be enough for them. This is not true, the dog must be fed correctly, this is the key to proper development and good digestion.

French bulldog dogs need meat as a natural diet; it should make up at least 35% of the mass fraction of the entire diet. Beef, rabbit, lamb and offal can be given as meat food. Such products can be given raw, but they must be scalded with boiling water.

Poultry meat: chicken, turkey must be cooked, the skin must be removed . Fish can only be given boiled and without bones. Boiled cereals should be given as an additive to meat - rice or buckwheat are perfect.

Dairy products will be a good addition to the main diet, but only if your pet digests them well. Boiled vegetables should also be present in the French Bulldog's diet. This diet will help your dog stay fit and healthy for many years to come.

This is interesting! Many people have a categorically negative attitude towards feeding their French Bulldog pork. You can feed him, but following certain rules.

First of all, the meat should not be fatty, the second rule is that it should be well frozen. And lastly: this meat is not given raw; it must be boiled. Pork should not be given often; it is usually given once every two to three weeks.

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Natural feeding

Natural homemade food should be balanced and contain ingredients that are suitable for French Bulldogs.

Fish

DIY muzzle for a French bulldog

Fish (fillet) is not the main source of protein for dogs, but it is not prohibited for French bulldogs.

Both river and sea fish are suitable for dogs. But you should be wary of river inhabitants because they contain helminths. To protect your pet, it is better to cook the fish for about 30 minutes. or freeze it for 2-3 days. The French bulldog can be given carp, pike, carp, bream, herring, hake, capelin, perch, etc.

Important! It is better to choose low-fat varieties of fish. Sea inhabitants are rich in microelements and amino acids.

Porridge

French bulldogs are excellent at digesting milk porridges: buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, barley.

Fruits and berries

Usually pets are not fed such treats, but they are also not prohibited. If your pet loves fruits and berries, then you shouldn’t deny him this. You can treat your bulldogs to cherry, peach, apple, pear, plum, watermelon or banana. There are no strict restrictions on products. Be sure to remove seeds from fruits and berries.

Vegetables

If there is a lack of vitamins and fiber, dogs can be given vegetables. They can be raw or cooked. Cabbage, carrots, beets, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, and pumpkin are suitable as additional elements for food.

Dairy

Foods containing milk can make up a fairly large part of the diet, but some pets experience discomfort when eating milk-containing foods. In any case, you should avoid excessive dairy intake to avoid developing lactose intolerance. It is allowed to give bulldogs cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, sour cream, and yogurt.

Natural feeding is very beneficial for dogs at any age. Such food has a beneficial effect on the bulldog’s body.

Undesirable and prohibited products

What to feed a Labrador at home

Every French Bulldog owner should know the intricacies of the dog's diet.

The diet for a French bulldog must be carefully selected

Important! It is strictly forbidden to give your pet pickled, salted and peppered foods. It is also necessary to avoid excessively fatty foods. You should not give your dog ketchup or mayonnaise.

Often, a common everyday dish can cause an allergic reaction in a dog. In this case, it is better to replace the product.

Mixed nutrition and transition to dry food

Nowadays, many dog ​​breeders use a mixed method of feeding French bulldogs, when the dog food alternates. This option is perfect for dogs who do not have stomach problems.

Note! There should be at least 4 hours between granulated food and natural products.

It takes 10 to 14 days for a puppy to transition to dry food. In some cases it will take longer. In the first stages, the granules are softened with water or kefir. Food is served in small portions in a bowl.

Strict adherence to standards when switching to dry feeding will not lead to gastrointestinal upset in the dog.

How to avoid pet obesity

Obesity is a fairly common problem for French Bulldog dogs. The owners themselves are most often to blame for this. With their love they harm their pet, and when they go to work for the whole day they leave several bowls of dry food. This is absolutely impossible to do.

To avoid such trouble, you need to pay close attention to the feeding regime and walk the dog correctly, giving the necessary exercise . If you notice that your French bulldog has begun to gain excess weight, then change the feeding regimen and increase physical activity. Use special dietary feeds as food, since preparing them yourself is quite troublesome.

If the measures taken do not help, then you should contact a specialist, he will select the right regime for your pet. It is better to devote more time to your pet and not take the situation to an extreme. Weigh your dog regularly and do not overfeed.

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Industrial puppy food

Ready-made food makes life much easier for owners, but it is important to take a responsible approach to choosing granules.

Preference should be given to trusted companies that have earned a good reputation in the market. Companies must use natural, safe ingredients in their production.

Industrial feeds are divided into:

• dry. Sold by weight in the form of granules or packaged in sealed packages;
• semi-moist. Found on store shelves in cans and blisters;
• wet or pates. Available in individual tin or plastic packaging.

Depending on the composition and quality, industrial food is divided into classes:

• economy The food contains no more than 4% natural meat. The composition contains low-quality ingredients and harmful additives. The composition can be based on soy, beans, additives, flavorings;
• premium It is based on meat products and vegetables. But not all foods contain a sufficient amount of beneficial vitamins;
• super premium. The food is made from natural products with carefully selected proportions. The composition includes useful minerals;
• holistic. Food based on natural products without the addition of harmful substances or additives;
• hypoallergenic. The food does not contain dyes or chemical fillers. Contains natural meat and grains.

Note! Among industrial feeds, Royal Canin ranks first. The package contains granules for dogs that contain all the important vitamins. This is the most popular healthy pet food.

Dry food rating and classification

The table contains information on recommended super premium dry food suitable for the French Bulldog.

Features of feeding a puppy

What to feed a French bulldog puppy? The diet should be compiled based on the volume of the pet’s digestive system, the ability to digest and absorb all nutrients.

If there is a discrepancy, pathological changes may occur that affect the secretory and motor functions of the intestinal tract.

It is important to observe the diet, the dog’s age, and mobility.

Diet from one month to six months

One-month-old puppies feed on their mother's milk, which contains important elements for the growing body.

When the puppy has reached one month, he needs to be introduced to the first complementary foods. You can use goat's milk, low-fat cottage cheese with egg yolk, or milk porridge with the addition of prebiotics sporobacterin, vetosubalin or vetom.

Note! During the transition from mother's milk to feed, experts recommend adding Gelacan-Baby dietary supplement to food.

A puppy should be given vegetables for up to six months: zucchini, beets, cabbage, carrots. The diet should also include cereals: oatmeal, barley, buckwheat. To obtain calcium, the puppy must eat kefir, yogurt, and fermented baked milk.

In addition, about 35% of the diet should be meat: beef, horse meat or lamb. You need to give food 5-6 times a day.

Feeding from 6 to 10 months

Between the ages of 6 and 10 months, the puppy should eat well. The diet should include meat products and vegetables. The food must contain natural ingredients.

From 8 months you can move from frequent feeding to 2 times a day.

Feeding from 10 to 12 months

During this period, the dog should eat like an adult dog. A puppy 10-12 months old is the ideal period to switch to two meals a day. Eating a varied diet and getting enough protein is important.

Diet from year

Feeding with commercial feed is acceptable. Considering the proportions, the main thing is not to overfeed your pet.

What to feed an adult Frenchie

If you use high-quality dry food, you can save on daily cooking. But it is better to choose only premium food, since they are selected in accordance with the characteristics of the animal.

A natural diet will be much more nutritious, but you should add vitamins or minerals to it. You need to figure out how to properly feed a French bulldog, since the purebred pet is very picky and suffers from dermatitis.

If you purchase high-quality dry food and correctly calculate its optimal dose, your pet will not suffer from a deficiency of nutrients and will quickly become full.

Dry food

Feeding the French with industrial feed does not cause problems if you choose a company with a good reputation. At the pet store you can find:

• dry food for French bulldog;
• semi-moist – sold in disposable metal bags;
• wet - in portioned bags made of metal or high-quality plastic.

A quality small breed option may be ideal for bulldogs, but the best food for a French bulldog is the premium and super-premium type. It is also a good idea to give your bulldog holistic treatments.

Natural nutrition

When clarifying what is suitable for a French bulldog and what to feed a dog of this breed, you need to get your bearings and add high-quality natural products to the menu. You cannot offer an animal food from the common table:

• potato;
• lemons, oranges, tangerines;
• seasonings;
• chocolate bars or candies;
• smoked meats;
• salt;
• fried foods;
• dumplings;
• sausage or frankfurters;
• bones - large or small chicken;
• marinades or vinegar;
• confectionery;
• bread;
• grapes or raisins;
• vegetables with a pungent smell (onions, garlic).

You definitely need to think through the daily menu for a Frenchman, based on your own financial capabilities. The animal's diet should contain not only proteins, but also carbohydrates and fats. There should be a minimum amount of the latter so that the Frenchman does not suffer from obesity.

Meat and fish

The dog’s diet should consist almost entirely of meat, but cooking lean chicken, veal, turkey, and rabbit meat every day will be expensive for the owner. You can add some lean pork and offal to the menu.

The animal will be delighted with river fish, but it contains parasites. You can add boiled shrimp to your dog’s bowl, but only occasionally. To prevent a Frenchman from becoming infected with parasites, seafood needs:

• cook for at least half an hour;
• freeze for three days.

Dairy

Whole milk and whey are given to a two-month-old baby. They are poured into the animal’s bowl or added to food only after ensuring their quality and reduced fat content. About 40% of six-month-old puppies of this breed suffer from lactose intolerance, but tolerate sour milk well.

Porridge

French bulldogs digest porridge with milk very well. They refuse to eat some cereals, except buckwheat, rice, and oatmeal. Cereals should be thoroughly washed, boiled until pureed, adding additional products, cut into pieces, to the finished dish.

Fruits and vegetables

To obtain plant fibers and fiber, the dog must eat boiled or raw cut vegetables, but many French people are not happy with them. If you want to feed your animal healthy food, it is better to puree boiled pumpkin or zucchini and add it to the porridge. Some French people like to chew raw carrots or long carrot sticks.

If the bulldog does not have allergies or diarrhea when eating fruit, then small slices of apples or peach, banana slices or pitted cherries should be offered.

Hypoallergenic food for French bulldog

A separate question is what to feed a French bulldog if he has allergies, since he often suffers from its consequences. It would be a good idea to choose hypoallergenic food that includes natural meat (rabbit, lamb) and fish. Before determining which hypoallergenic food is best for a French bulldog, you need to make sure that it does not contain chemical dyes, flavors, or various harmful additives.

Hypoallergenic food for French bulldogs is produced by most trusted, world-famous companies. In order for the animal to feel comfortable, it is necessary to provide it with access to water. If there is no clean water in the house, then the Frenchman’s blood density may increase and dehydration may occur.

Acana

It belongs to high-quality premium and holistic food, so its cost is usually high. By-products are completely excluded from the feed; only pieces of natural meat are used. Vitamins and minerals enter the body from hypoallergenic vegetables, berries, and fruits. It would be ideal to feed a pet of any age with this holistic product because it is perfectly balanced.

Farmina

An excellent dry food for a French bulldog with allergies, it has a wide variety of flavors and has a balanced formula of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It consists of high-quality ingredients, contains fiber, crude proteins and easily digestible carbohydrates, prebiotics, but does not contain GMOs and oats.

Royal Canin

Royal Canin French Bulldog food is made from high-quality meat, offal, and vegetables. This diet often lacks additional vitamin and mineral supplements that help the animal be healthy.

Grandorf

A quality holistic product made entirely from natural ingredients and meat. It is suitable for children, as well as adults up to the age of six.

Orijen

Premium dog food that meets the criteria for natural nutrition. The food adapts to the diet of any animal, it contains fresh meat with a high protein content. The food is rich in unique ingredients, including poultry, red meat or fish chunks, and quail eggs.

What should an adult dog's diet be?

An adult should consume:

• dietary meat: beef, lamb, rabbit and horse meat. The daily norm is 50-70% of the total volume. Raw meat is pre-frozen. The daily rate is calculated based on the dog’s weight: 20 g per 1 kg of weight;
• offal (liver, lung, heart, kidneys, tripe). Before serving, boil until fully cooked. Raw offal contains worm eggs;
• sea ​​fish. It can be given raw or boiled;
• cereals: buckwheat, rice, rolled oats. Porridge should account for 25-30% of the daily portion. They need to be cooked separately: meat and vegetables are added before serving;
• fermented milk products: cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt and yogurt. Milk is poorly digested by adult dogs, so it is recommended to avoid it. Dairy should account for 20% of the daily diet;
• vegetables: beets, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, bell peppers, cabbage. Their norm is 15% of the daily portion. Vegetables can be given raw or stewed. Salads are seasoned with 1 teaspoon of olive oil;
• seasonal fruits. Suitable as a treat.

Hypoallergenic food

If your dog is allergic, then hypoallergenic food is perfect for him. They are made based on natural ingredients. Due to this, pets do not suffer from allergic reactions.

Note! The food is great for bulldogs who are lactose intolerant. It is also appropriate to give food to dogs with other diseases.

Nutrition during pregnancy and after childbirth

Pregnancy lasts about 9 weeks. During the first three weeks, no special diet is required.

Gestation period of a female French bulldog

Closer to childbirth, it is necessary to increase the amount of foods containing calcium. In the first month, the female needs 70 mg per 1 kg of the bitch’s weight. A sufficient amount of calcium will ensure the correct formation of the puppy’s skeleton and preserve the mother’s teeth.

Phosphorus plays an important role. The mother should receive 50 mg per 1 kg of weight per day. Additional vitamins A and D will not be superfluous.

In addition, during pregnancy, the female needs to be fed 3 times a day, and it is also worth reducing her carbohydrate intake. Closer to birth (7-9 weeks), the dog needs to be fed 4 times a day. It is worth eliminating from the diet foods that make it difficult to digest food.

In the last week of pregnancy, the bulldog needs to be fed 5-6 times a day, with smaller portions. We replace meat with fish.

During pregnancy, it is advisable to increase the amount of dairy products.

Important! It is necessary to monitor the female's weight. Deviations from the norm can lead to premature birth.

How to choose the best food for your French Bulldog

The French Bulldog is a dog with a friendly character that can become a true friend and family member. But, like all members of the household, it requires attention, especially considering some of the health features of representatives of this breed. What should be taken into account when choosing food so that, at a minimum, you do not provoke allergies or other health problems, and, at maximum, provide your pet with a nourishing, balanced diet and good mood, prolong its life and improve its appearance:

1. Fat content.

   French Bulldogs are known to be prone to accumulating excess fat mass. Especially when living in an apartment in the city. Therefore, the emphasis in the diet should be not on fats and carbohydrates, but on proteins.

2. Cereal content

   . Wheat and similar grains are used as a cheap filler and feed volume increaser. But such components not only have low nutritional value for dogs and cats (they are not vegetarians), but can even cause an allergic reaction, to which French bulldogs are prone.

3. Content of meat components

   . Naturally, the more meat or fish contained in the food, the better for the dog. The optimal ratio of meat and other ingredients is 80% and 20%, but few companies produce such ultra premium or holistic diets. And such food is very expensive. If financial capabilities allow, it is advisable to provide your pet with just such food. If you want to buy a high-quality, but still not radically expensive product, pay attention to those foods that contain 50-70% meat, as well as 50-30% fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and other natural, plant components.

4. Content of useful additives

   . It is better that the food contains additionally introduced vitamins, micro- and macroelements, and other biologically active substances for the health of the body, in particular to maintain muscle mass, protect the skin, teeth, claws, fur, and joints. Pre- and probiotics are also useful, normalizing the functioning of the animal’s gastrointestinal tract, since French bulldogs are prone to indigestion and other similar unpleasant problems.

5. Size and shape of granules

   – the dog should be comfortable not only swallowing, but also chewing the food. This way you can avoid problems with the gastrointestinal tract and prevent the formation of plaque.

6. Power type –

   complete or non-complete. The first category includes dry granules. Everything is simple here - you just need to choose a quality product that suits your French bulldog once, and you can forget about the fuss, feed it several times a day, without using any other supplementary food. Incomplete nutrition includes canned food, soups and delicacies - a pleasant and healthy, but far from necessary addition to the main menu.

To choose the best food for your French Bulldog, it is useful to read reviews of such products from other dog lovers or veterinarians. If there are no reviews about a particular diet on regular Internet resources, you can search on the forums of breeders and veterinarians, as well as on specialized sites selling pet food.

Review of the best premium and super-premium dog foods

Vitamin and mineral supplements

Vitamin and mineral complexes are necessary for bulldogs that are fed a natural diet. Ready-made food for a French bulldog already contains the required amount of vitamins and minerals.

Supplements

The amount of supplement is determined by the veterinarian and depends on the dog’s age, weight, and diet. A French bulldog definitely needs vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K. Among minerals, dogs need calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and iodine.

For your information! Products rich in these elements are liver, greens, bran, cereals.

Food for older dogs

An adult dog is characterized by slow processes. She moves little and can easily gain excess weight. Therefore, it is important to monitor her diet. It is better to reduce daily portions and reduce the calorie content of food. At this age, food serves to prevent various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and musculoskeletal system.

Important! It is necessary to reduce the amount of fruits and foods with a lot of calcium. Such foods can lead to kidney problems.

For older dogs, hypoallergenic food and fully balanced food that takes into account the dog’s decreased physical activity are ideal.

When and how to feed

It is enough for a French bulldog to eat 1-2 times a day. A balanced diet gives you a feeling of fullness, but excess weight should not be allowed. Shortness of breath, heart failure and problems with the musculoskeletal system may occur.

There are dogs that are not left food for the whole day. Their appetite forces them to constantly look for edible products, beg for treats and pieces from the table.

This is harmful to his health and violates discipline. Dogs with a moderate appetite do not have to limit access to the bowl; they themselves regulate the amount of food they eat.

Feeding is harmful immediately after a walk or physical activity. It is better to wait until the pet calms down and fill the bowl. The stand is used at the discretion of the owner. Any food should be warm, approximately room temperature.