Deciding how and when to feed French bulldogs can be tricky when you’re a first-time owner – but the most important thing is to feed your French bulldog a balanced diet.
The amount of food you need to give your French bulldog will change as they develop, so let’s look at how their feeding needs will change from when they’re French bulldog puppies to seniors. Below is a general French bulldog feeding chart.
Your French bulldog puppy can be weaned onto half a cup of puppy kibble from the age of 5 to 6 weeks, which takes about 2-3 weeks.
Once you’ve got them home, you must feed your Frenchie puppy three meals of dry puppy kibble daily.
Once they’re 12 months old, it’s time for you to move them on to adult dog foods.
You’ll need to adjust their caloric intake according to their weight to around 30 calories per kilogram. This could be around 2-3 cups of food twice a day.
As your French bulldog ages, you’ll need to lower the calories in your dog’s food to match their activity and avoid them gaining body weight in later life. Depending on their weight, you can continue feeding them the same amount as adult French Bulldogs.
You’ll need to feed your Frenchie more food when they’re pregnant. Instead of increasing their portions, rather increase how often you feed them. Feed them three times a day instead of only two. Ensure they’re getting high-quality dry food or wet food with extra protein levels and a good profile of essential minerals and vitamins.
Many people choose to put their dogs on a raw food diet. Raw meat and boiled veg make up raw food diets and mimic their natural diet more effectively than commercial food can.
If your dog is suffering from an allergic reaction, a fresh approach to their diet could determine if their current food is causing their reaction, and natural food could prevent future complications.
You can reward your Frenchie for good behaviour but be responsible when giving your Frenchie treats as they are prone to joint issues if they gain too much weight.
They should avoid dairy as cheese and dairy products can cause unwanted weight gain.
You should also avoid grapes and raisins, which can lead to indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and kidney failure.
Frenchies have been known to be fussy eaters who can go off of their food.
They might stop eating for several issues, such as a dental or oral issue, anxiety or low energy levels, or they simply don’t like the food you’ve given them.
French bulldogs have moderate to above-average activity levels and should drink around 3 cups of water daily to maintain hydration for their activities.
Make sure your Frenchie is fed a wholesome, nutritious diet best suited to a small dog’s body and gut, and go light on the treats to maintain a healthy weight that will avoid complications in later life. You will have a happy, robust dog with a healthy relationship with its food bowl!
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