Food for thought, or what should my Frenchie be eating?

The weight of your Frenchie is an important factor in their health. 

A French Bulldog that weighs around 25 pounds, should have a calorie intake of about 500-600 kcal a day. But for older Frenchies this figure may drop, and for overly active bullies and puppies, you may need to feed them a few more calories because of the extra energy they burn off. 

Growing puppies need more fat and protein in their diets than adult dogs, which is why commercial foods contain higher amounts of these ingredients in their puppy formulas. Fats and proteins help support healthy skeletal and muscle development; without them, your pup may become malnourished.

Since Frenchies reach their adult size quickly, ensuring that the food they’re taking in is beneficial to their health as well as their weight and height is crucial. Make sure that the food you’re supplying to them is packed full of nutrients. Try to avoid foods that contain preservatives and fillers, since those can harm dogs or simply add to overall weight gain. And be aware that wheat products are the main culprit of flatulence in Frenchies!

Read the ingredients list to ensure that the protein being used in your Frenchies food is from meat and not plants. Whole meat is the best, which includes: chicken, beef, fish, and lamb. Dogs can’t easily process protein that comes from plants, so meat protein is the best method to ensure that they won’t have digestive problems later on in life.

Other key ingredients to look out for are foods that contain a decent amount of fat, particularly chicken fat or fish oil that keeps their fur and skin healthy. Also, puppies should have Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, which aids in eye and brain development. And older dogs should take in MCFAs which stands for medium chain triglycerides since they keep your Frenchie feeling young and active. 

Please note that a lot of French Bulldogs have allergy sensitivity to the protein found in poultry, so we do recommend trying a poultry free formula if you find that your Frenchie is showing allergic reactions.

What foods are French Bulldogs allergic to?

An unfortunate part of having a French Bulldog is that they often develop food allergies. Some of the allergies they can develop are over food items like corn, beef, milk, cheese, and other dairy products. As well as chicken, lamb, fish, chicken eggs, wheat, and soy. Not all Frenchies will have these allergies, but others will have them all!

Just keep a close eye on your Frenchie to see how they do when first starting out with these foods. If they show signs of allergies such as scratching or licking a lot, breaking out in red blotches or vomiting – you may need to find a new type of food.

Here are some symptoms of food allergies:

• Bald patches of skin.
• Diarrhea.
• Dry and itchy skin.
• Ear infections and inflammation.
• Excessive licking.
• Excessive scratching particularly near their ears, face, and paws.
• Hot spots.
• Skin infections 
• Vomiting

Corn, in particular, can cause hives on your dog’s skin, or form other skin irritations. Keep in mind that some allergies can come from the environment your pup lives in, so if changing the food doesn’t seem to be working, consider the pollens, grass, and general makeup of their surrounding environment.

The Best Food for French Bulldogs

Novel proteins seem to work well for warding off allergies, things such as Rabbit, Elk, Kangaroo or other super-lean meats. These meats cooked with some veggies make for a great custom meal. 

www.royalfrenchies.ca