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French bulldogs, or “Frenchies” as they are affectionately known, are adorable, quiet, playful and lively dogs to own.
Their even-tempered nature make them great family companions that can easily adapt to a wide variety of environments, while their small sturdy frames require minimal exercise.
How well the French bulldog fairs health-wise largely depends on its diet. Unfortunately, without proper nutrition, the French Bulldog can be exposed to the numerous health risks that plague other breeds.
French bulldogs require a high-quality balanced diet which depends on the individual dog’s level of activity and metabolic rate – these things are needed to correctly ascertain the number of calories required.
It can be a tough task deciding on the best dog food for French Bulldogs, owing to the huge number of options on the market. We’ve got you covered in this article.
Our Top Picks
Based on our own experience, market research, sales and rankings, here are some of the best French Bulldog foods currently on the market:
- Taste of The Wild Grain-Free Premium High Protein Dry Dog Food
- Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Adult Dry Dog Food
- Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin And Stomach Dry Dog Food
- Royal Canin Health Nutrition French Bulldog Adult Dry Dog Food
- Nulo Adult Grain Free Dog Food
- Merrick Lil Plates Grain Free Small Breed Recipe
- Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food
1. Taste of The Wild Grain-Free Premium High Protein Dry Dog Food
This Taste of The Wild dog food is specially made to include premium ingredients for your French Bulldog. This includes raw beef to provide your dog with important nutrients for strong and lean muscles.
The cocktail of ingredients also includes essential vitamins and minerals which act as antioxidants. Fatty acids provide your dog with a healthy skin and coat.
All of the ingredients are nutritious and easy to digest. This includes probiotics, which are useful bacteria that remain in your dog’s digestive tract. They provide helpful supplements which contribute to your dog’s overall digestive health.
Nutrition Details
Protein content: 32%
Fat content: 17%
Carbohydrates: 43%
These macronutrient levels ensure that the nutritional needs of your French bulldog are met.
Additional Notes
- it’s high in protein, but not excessively high
- note that some dogs will love this, but others won’t. You’ll have to try it with your French Bulldog and see how it goes.
- we have found that many French Bulldogs who are otherwise picky eaters happily eat this Taste Of The Wild food.
- the kibble is medium-sized; if your dog has trouble with them, we suggest breaking them up into smaller pieces with a mallet.
- quality dog food at a great value.
2. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Adult Dry Dog Food
Made from 100% natural ingredients, the Blue Buffalo range of dog foods was created to ensure a balanced diet for your French Bulldog and improve its holistic health.
Ingredients include real meat (chicken), garden vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and LifeSource bits, which are a precise blend of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals.
Blue Buffalo dog food ingredients aim to provide your French Bulldog with:
- proteins for healthy muscle development.
- carbohydrates to act as the fuel for your canine’s activities.
- essential vitamins, calcium and phosphorous for healthy bones and teeth in your dog.
- glucosamine and chondroitin for the joints and mobility of older dogs.
- vitamins, antioxidants and minerals to boost your French Bulldog’s immune system and support a healthy oxidative balance.
The food does not contain any poultry by-product meals, wheat, soy, corn, preservatives, or artificial flavours.
Additional Notes
- made in flavours including chicken & brown rice, fish & brown rice, and lamb & brown rice.
- made in Wilton, Connecticut, USA
- the kibble pieces are about the size of a pea – plenty small for easy consumption.
- we recommend getting a new bag about 2 months after opening.
3. Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin And Stomach Dry Dog Food
Formulated with protein-rich salmon as the primary ingredient, this Purina Pro Plan food is also created for dogs with sensitive stomachs like the French Bulldog. This is achieved by adding easily-digestible prebiotic fiber that nourishes the useful bacteria in the dog’s digestive system.
Other ingredients include rice and oatmeal to act as the food’s carbohydrates, fish oils which are rich in the EPA omega-3 fatty acid, zinc, and omega-6 fatty acids for the skin and coat.
Key benefits include:
- salmon as a rich source of protein to maintain and support your French Bulldog’s muscle development.
- oatmeal as a source of carbohydrates, which also digests easily and is great for sensitive stomachs.
- zinc and omega-6 fatty acids which promote a shiny, beautiful coat and healthy skin.
- no artificial colours or flavours, wheat, poultry by-product, or soy.
Additional Notes
- dogs with sensitive skin and stomachs should really benefit from this dog food. It has been called a “miracle food” and has been shown to eliminate itching, redness, and other irritations.
- Purina has excellent quality control and backs up efficacy claims with hard data.
- if your French Bulldog has digestive issues and/or a sensitive stomach, definitely give this food a try.
- this is great for dogs who are allergic to other meats like chicken, beef, or pork.
4. Royal Canin Health Nutrition French Bulldog Adult Dry Dog Food
When making this dog food, Royal Canin considered the fact that French Bulldogs have flat muzzles and therefore benefit from an easy-to-eat food. This food takes care of that and goes further by providing muscle support and aiding in digestion for dogs with gas issues.
Nutritional Needs
This Royal Canin food is specially formulated to meet all the nutritional needs of the breed from 12 months and over. It contains precise digestible proteins, fiber content, and high-quality carbohydrates.
Muscle Growth
The precise protein content and the L-Carnitine helps significantly with your French Bulldog’s muscle growth.
Easy To Eat
The food contains well-tailored kibble that becomes an easy pick and chew food for your dog.
Digestion And Skin Health
The food contains highly digestible proteins and essential nutrients that help in reducing stool odor and gas and support skin health.
Additional Notes
- in general, this works as advertised; it really accommodates sensitive stomachs, and you’ll often find that your French Bulldog will eat all the food put in front of it.
- it indeed tends to reduce gas substantially.
- if you’ve tried many foods that your French Bulldog hasn’t responded well to, we strongly recommend giving this a try.
5. Nulo Adult Grain Free Dog Food
This dog food is ideal for your French Bulldog, with its 85 percent protein content coming from animal sources. These are nutritious proteins as compared to plant-based proteins that can cause allergies.
Nulo also ensures that it doesn’t contain tapioca, white potatoes, or other filler ingredients.
Contains 100% All Natural Ingredients
The food is formulated with 100% all natural ingredients without grains, ensuring that your dog gets a balanced diet for healthy growth and the right energy levels.
Free Of Grains
This Nulo food is free of any allergy-causing grains such as fake additives, wheat gluten, corn, soy, colours, and flavours.
Easy To Eat
This food takes care of the needs of small and large dogs alike. The meat proteins, BC30 Probiotic, and low-carbohydrate small kibble is ideal for any size of French Bulldog.
Nulo also left out egg and chicken proteins as they’re often not easily digestible.
Lean Muscles And Healthy Skin
The food contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that promote healthy skin, a healthy coat, and lean muscles.
Additional Notes
- many dog owners who have struggled to find a good food for their dog have found tremendous success with this Nulo food.
- perfect for French Bulldogs with grain allergies or other difficulties.
- we have found that in most cases, this food makes a big difference in the coat, skin, teeth, and overall health of your dog.
- very high ratings from dog owners.
6. Merrick Lil Plates Grain Free Small Breed Recipe
Merrick Lil Plates dog food is specially formulated to cater to the special dietary needs of the small-bodied French Bulldog. It comes in small kibble shapes to fit the mouths of smaller dogs or dogs who have trouble breaking up large kibble.
You can summarize this food as follows: smaller bites for tiny mouths, dainty dishes in smaller portions, and essential nutrients suited to smaller breeds.
Ingredients
The food comes in lamb, beef, chicken and salmon flavour, but we generally recommend chicken in this case. The primary components are poultry or fish, real meat, and fruits and vegetables.
The fruits and vegetables include sweet potatoes, peas, apples, blueberries, and others. These ingredients are ideal in providing your French Bulldog with the required protein.
This gets followed by grain-free ingredients: no gluten, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Single-Serve Trays
The food comes in convenient and unique serving trays specifically made to diving the right portions for a serving.
Additional Notes
- some have reported that the food in some bags is different than what they had previously been using. We didn’t notice any problems with our bags, but keep an eye out for a situation like this, and if necessary, contact Merrick customer support to discuss.
- as with all dog food, some dogs will not eat this food. You’ll need to test it yourself and see how your dog reacts to it.
7. Wellness Core Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food
This Wellness Core grain-free dog food recipe contains just six main ingredients that accommodate the clean, high-protein dietary needs of your French Bulldog. It is quality assured and made in the USA with approvals from standard authorities.
Free Of Grain And Filler
The food does not contain any grains or GMO-sourced ingredients. It has no grains, tapioca, potatoes, soy, colors, preservatives, dairy, wheat, or chicken.
Protein Ingredients
This food has optimum levels of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Along with chickpeas, it contains cage-free duck and duck meal, an unusual protein source, which is seasoned only with natural duck flavours.
Tasty, high-quality animal proteins give the dog lots of energy as well as a shiny coat.
Additional Notes
- fair price
- the inside of the bag doesn’t stink
- the kibble is medium-sized
- generally makes stool firm and solid
- the protein source (duck) is uncommon, and this may benefit your dog if it has ear problems, skin problems, or allergies.
Here are a few pointers, tips and suggestions to help you settle for the best:
Dietary Considerations
To prevent health problems like obesity, breathing issues and skeletal complications, a French Bulldog requires a balanced diet. An adult will need, on average, a meal that consists of a minimum of 18% protein and 5% fat content.
Protein provides the dog with a valuable foundation to build lean mass and healthy muscle. The best sources of protein can be found in foods that contain fish, meat and poultry.
Fats, on the other hand, provide a vital concentrated source of energy, which is in the form of calories and omega fatty acids for healthy skin and a healthy coat.
Since the French Bulldog is a fairly small breed in stature, it has a fast metabolism. This means that the dog requires more calories per pound of body weight compared to larger breeds. It is important, therefore, to consider feeding your French Bulldog around 25-35 calories per pound of body weight on average.
Depending on your dog’s age and health requirements, an average of two to four meals per day should be adequate. It is important to measure and note the size of food portions the dog consumes, instead of free feeding or having food out all the time.
Buying Guide
The most important issue to watch in your French Bulldog’s diet is calorie intake.
It should match the basic needs of your dog based on activity levels. This is because French bulldogs are highly prone to obesity and a slight weight gain can result in health problems.
With that in mind, always look out for dog foods that contain the following ingredients:
1. Meat Protein
Ensure that your food of choice lists proteins from animal sources as its ingredients. The proteins should be whole meat such as beef, fish, lamb and chicken.
Alternatively, the protein can also come from meat meals; this a concentrated form of meat that has all its moisture content removed.
According to The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), puppies should consume 22% protein and adults should consume 18%.
2. Fats
Sources include chicken fat, flaxseed and canola fat, with an overall fat content ranging from low to moderate for additional health benefits.
The AAFCO recommended fat intake to be 8% for French Bulldog puppies and 5% for full-grown dogs.
3. Omega-3
This important fatty acid has a big influence on your French Bulldog’s skin and coat health.
4. DHA
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid that supports your dog’s brain and eye development.
5. Carbohydrates
For dietary balance, the best food for French Bulldogs should contain low carbohydrate content. The carbs could also come in a low-glycemic form such as sweet potatoes.
Carbs help to keep your dog’s blood pressure steady in addition to being a source of calories.
6. Healthy Calcium To Phosphorus Ratio
Foods formulated for French Bulldog puppies should have a calcium to phosphorous ratio of 1.2 parts calcium to 1 part phosphorus. A deficiency or excess intake can cause orthopedic problems such as painful bone spurs.
Owing to the Frenchie’s nature of having a sensitive stomach, always go for high-quality foods, and avoid the following:
- foods with excess protein content.
- animal by-products, additives and fillers.
- ingredients that can cause allergic reactions such as wheat and soy.
To be on the safe side, buy high-quality dog foods that are formulated specifically for small or medium breeds. This way, you will be sure that your dog’s basic nutrition and calorie intake needs are met.
Also, watch closely if there are any signs of undesired weight gain, and make portion adjustments if necessary.
Conclusion
It is worth noting that most of the dog food brands mentioned have a wide range of products to choose from. There are food formulations for puppies, adult French Bulldogs, and aging dogs.
Before purchasing any dog food for your French Bulldog, read the label to ensure it has the right ingredients. Check the source of proteins and also confirm that it is enriched with vegetables and minerals as additional nutrients.
Basically, the main characteristics of the best dog food for French Bulldogs should achieve the following:
- boost muscle mass.
- maintain a healthy weight.
- not trigger any allergic reactions.
With a combination of a well-balanced diet, good hygiene practices and sufficient physical exercise, there is no reason why your French Bulldog can’t live to a ripe old age.
