Best Food for French Bulldogs – Adult, Puppy & Seniors Guide

This article will discuss the best foods for French Bulldogs. We will consider adults, puppies and seniors as well as the different types of food to give your Frenchie the healthiest diet possible.

Although they have French in the name, these little rascals owe their existence in large part to an extinct breed of dogs from England, the Toy Bulldog.

The Toy Bulldog was brought over to France by lace workers. It was mixed with terriers over time, to bring in desirable features such as the famous bat ears. One of the lesser-known facts is that Frenchies were very popular with the Parisian ladies of the night, due to being a great talking point, and being content lazing about.

A reasonably small dog, male French Bulldogs should be around 12.5 kgs (28 lbs), while female Frenchies should be slightly smaller at approximately 11 kgs (24 lbs). The typical weight range is between 8kg and 14kg; the important thing in the breed standard is that they appear sturdy, compact, and solid.

Best French Bulldog Dog Food – Summary Table

Best Dog Food for Adult French Bulldogs

1. 🏆 Orijen Original Adult Dog Food, 6kg

For the USA – CLICK HERE For Canada – CLICK HERE 

The UK and Europe Link:

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	Orijen Adult Original Food, 6 kg	No ratings yet	Buy on Amazon

Source Origin: Orijen – Made in Canada

One of the top premium foods for dogs in the world, Orijen Original is a high meat content diet that is sure to make your Frenchie salivate.

There’s no need to worry about grains or gluten in this food; with 85% meat and carb-limited food, it will keep your French Bulldog happy and healthy for a long time.

First 3 ingredients: Fresh chicken meat, fresh turkey meat, fresh whole eggs
Protein: min 38%
Calcium: min 1.4%
Fat content: min 18%
Calories: Metabolizable Energy is 3900 kcal/kg (470 kcal per 250ml/120g cup) with calories distributed to support peak conditioning; 39% from protein, 19% from vegetables and fruits, and 42% from fat.

Company’s food description:

“Nutrient-dense WholePrey™ ratios of fresh meat, organs and cartilage plus whole fish and whole eggs provide a natural source of virtually every nutrient your dog needs.

Infusions of freeze-dried chicken and turkey liver enhance flavour naturally, making ORIJEN deliciously tasty for the fussiest of dogs.”

2. Taste of the Wild Complete Dry Food, 6 kg

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	Taste of the Wild Complete Dry Pacific Stream with Smoked Salmon Dog Food, 6 kg	No ratings yet	Buy on Amazon

Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream recipe is egg-free and grain-free, with animal protein completely coming from fish.

Foods rich in fish are great for your dog’s skin and coat and are sure to keep them nice and shiny.

Fish is also an excellent alternative for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Allergies are common in French Bulldogs, so it’s worth giving fish proteins a go.

First 3 ingredients: Salmon, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes
Protein: min 25%
Calcium: min 1.9%
Fat content: 15%
Calories: 3,600 kcal/kg (360 kcal/cup) Calculated Metabolizable Energy

Company’s food description:

“This egg-free recipe gets all its animal protein from fish, meaning that it’s rich in the omega fatty acids that help keep skin healthy and fur smooth and shiny, and maybe a good option for dogs with food sensitivities.

The sustainably sourced, smoked salmon taste will satisfy any dog’s inner-wolf while meticulously selected ingredients provide the ideal nutrient levels for the overall health and vitality of adult dogs.”

Best food for French Bulldog Puppies

3. Acana Puppy and Junior Dog Food, 6 kg

For USA and Canada – CLICK HERE

The UK and Europe Link:

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	Acana Puppy and Junior Dog Food, 6 kg	No ratings yet	Buy on Amazon

Acana is a somewhat affordable take on premium foods. It’s not exactly affordable, but without compromising on quality, it offers a premium product at a reasonable price.

Puppies need good food to support their development, and Acana Puppy and Junior do just that.

With 70% meat, no grains, and just the right amount of vegetables, it is sure to keep your French Bulldog puppy in perfect condition.

First 3 ingredients: Fresh chicken meat, chicken meal, turkey meal
Protein: min 33%
Calcium: min 1.5%
Fat content: min 20%
Calories: Metabolizable Energy is 3660 kcal/kg (439 kcal per 250ml/120g cup), with 32% from protein, 22% from fruits and vegetables, and 46% from fat.

Company’s food description:

“Entirely free of plant protein concentrates, ACANA Puppy & Junior is loaded with 70% meat — up to twice as much as most pet speciality dog foods.

Free of grains and fast carbohydrates such as rice, tapioca or potato, ACANA is rich in meat proteins to promote your puppy’s peak development and conditioning.”

4. Taste of the Wild Complete Dry High Prairie, Grain Free 6 kg

For USA and Canada – CLICK HERE

The UK and Europe Link:

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	Taste of the Wild Complete Dry High Prairie with Roasted Venison and Bison Puppy Food, 6 kg	No ratings yet	Buy on Amazon

If you’re looking for alternative flavours to the usual options on the market, this Taste of the Wild dry food is a great option for your puppy.

Roasted bison, lamb, and venison in this grain-free recipe will be sure to keep your Frenchie puppy dancing around while waiting to be served.

First 3 ingredients: Bison, lamb meal, sweet potatoes
Protein: min 28%
Calcium: Not provided
Fat content: min 17%
Calories: 3,656 kcal/kg (364 kcal/cup) Calculated Metabolizable Energy

Company’s food description:

“Roasted bison and roasted venison combine in this grain-free recipe, providing ideal amounts of highly digestible energy for your growing puppy.

Unique flavours from roasted meats, vegetables, legumes and fruits in a small kibble size make it easy for puppies to enjoy the nutrients they need for overall vitality.

Because of the guaranteed levels of DHA and perfectly balanced nutrition, this formula is excellent for pregnant or nursing mothers and other adult dogs as well.”

Best food for senior French Bulldogs

5. Orijen Senior Dog Food, 6 kg

For USA and Canada – CLICK HERE

The UK and Europe Link:

Preview	Product	Rating
	Orijen Senior Dog Food, 6 kg	No ratings yet	Buy on Amazon

Getting old is often a scary thought, and seeing your French Bulldog slow down or getting grey hairs will make you think about what you can do to make sure they are in top shape.

Orijen Senior promotes lean muscle mass, while it’s limited in calories to help your dog maintain a healthy weight.

This premium food is precisely what your senior French Bulldog deserves to live a happy, healthy life as an elderly member of your family.

First 3 ingredients: Fresh chicken meat, fresh whole eggs, fresh turkey meat
Protein: min 38%
Calcium: min 1.3%
Fat content: min 15%
Calories: Metabolizable Energy is 3630 kcal/kg (435 kcal per 250ml/120g cup) with calories distributed to support peak conditioning; 42% from protein, 21% from vegetables and fruits, and 37% from fat.

Company’s food description:

“With 38% richly nourishing protein, and a limited 19% low-glycemic carbohydrates, ORIJEN nourishes all senior dogs according to their evolutionary and biological needs.

Unmatched by any other senior dog food, 2/3 of meats are FRESH (refrigerated, no preservatives) or RAW (flash-frozen, no preservatives), including the top 10 meat ingredients.”

Best Food for French Bulldogs suffering from Allergies

6. AATU 80/20 Dry Dog Food, 5 kg

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	AATU 80/20 Dry Dog Food - Duck 5kg - High Protein Grain Free Recipe with No Artificial Ingredients	No ratings yet	Buy on Amazon

First 3 ingredients: Duck, Sweet Potato, Chickpeas
Protein: 33%
Fat content: 19%

Company’s food description:

“AATU is handcrafted in small batch recipes, naturally made without artificial colours, without artificial preservatives, without artificial flavours and GM ingredients.

The fresh and raw protein is pre-cooked using our “low & slow”TM method to ensure efficient digestion of the meats.”

7. CANIDAE PURE Real Duck, Limited Ingredient, 12lbs [USA & Canada]

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	Canidae PURE Limited Ingredient Premium Adult Dry Dog Food, Duck and Sweet Potato Recipe, 12 Pounds,...	No ratings yet	Buy on Amazon

Choosing Food for Your Frenchie

Frenchies tend to be affectionate and clown-like, though their exercise requirements are moderate, so don’t expect to run a marathon. Each dog is different, of course, and some can do a lot more than others. Be prepared to still invest time in play and training, as they can be livelier than many of the other lapdogs.

As cute and attention-grabbing as they are, French Bulldogs are not cheap, and often, neither is their diet. We’ll take a look at some of the options which will help your Frenchie to stay in good health.

How much food should I feed my French Bulldog?

We know a couple of French Bulldogs, in particular, two brothers of which one is as lazy as they come, while the other one behaves like a working dog.

They are also both a different size, so their calorie intake is different. Luckily their pawrents know that, and both dogs are in perfect shape. They have a nice visible waist, with no visible ribs, but plenty of defined muscles.

There are many calculators you can use to calculate the ideal amount of calories per day for your day.

As an example, a 12kg neutered French Bulldog, who is in perfect condition, will need around 700-750kcal a day to maintain an ideal weight.

The number of calories will, of course, change depending on activity levels.

If your dog is very lazy and spends most of the day sleeping or lying around the house, the calorie intake will be lower.

As mentioned, each dog is different, even within the same breed, or even within the same litter. One of the Frenchie brothers we discussed above will have different requirements.

As an example, a 12kg neutered French Bulldog, who is in perfect condition, will need around 700-750kcal a day to maintain an ideal weight.

He weighs around 10kg, which is ideal for him, as he is shorter, narrower and overall smaller than his brother. He is also incredibly lazy and not overly keen to leave the house most days. He will need around 400kcal to maintain his ideal weight. It’s best to keep an eye on your dog’s condition and adjust the amount of food accordingly.

The Frenchie brothers are both adults now. If you have a French Bulldog puppy, however, the above information won’t be suitable. Puppies need more calories than adults, and their daily food requirements need to be split into multiple meals throughout the day.

The food packaging will give you some guidelines on the amount of food for your Frenchie puppy, and it is best to start with that.

Not all foods recommend or should be fed in the same amounts. In the majority of foods, the more meat content it has, the lower the amount of food per day is required. Foods of lesser quality have lots of fillers which have little to no nutritional value, so your puppy might feel full, but they’re not getting much out of that.

In addition to food labels, your puppy’s breeder should provide some information in the puppy pack, which is based on their experience with the breed and in particular their breeding lines. They will also explain what should a French Bulldog puppy look like at various stages of their growth.

In addition to food labels, your puppy’s breeder should provide some information in the puppy pack which is based on their experience with the breed and in particular their breeding lines.

Finally, as your Frenchie gets older and becomes a senior, it’ll become easier for them to gain weight, so you will need to look for foods with low-fat content, and also decrease the calorie intake. Keeping your senior French Bulldog in perfect shape will ensure you have many happy years together, so don’t overlook the need to provide the best food you can.

If in doubt, always consult a veterinary professional to help you do the best for your Frenchie.

What to watch out for when feeding your French Bulldog

Allergies

As cute as Frenchies are, unfortunately, they are prone to many different health problems. Like many other brachycephalic breeds, allergies are a common occurrence for the French Bulldog.

Allergies are particularly annoying since they can manifest at any point in life; thus, you’re never really safe from them.

Genetics do play a part, and if your pup’s parents have a history of allergies, it will increase the chances for your dog to have them as well. This isn’t a given, so don’t panic unless you notice something out of the ordinary with your dog.

Food allergies are one of the most common ones, followed by seasonal allergies, drug allergies, and environmental allergies.

Allergy tests exist, and you should always consult your vet when choosing food that helps with allergies, but to start with you should go through the list of ingredients in the food you are feeding your dog and look to swap to something with less common allergens.

It’s always good to choose a grain-free diet. This is because wheat and other grains are not digestible by dogs; thus, they don’t provide much benefit to your French Bulldog’s diet. Wholegrain, such as brown rice, isn’t necessarily as bad, but the easiest option is to start with eliminating grains, and seeing if that stops allergic reactions.

Beef, chicken, pork, corn, wheat, and soy are the most common food allergens in dogs, so if those are in your Frenchie’s diet, and you’re experiencing problems, it’s time to look for an alternative. Keep in mind that if your pup is in perfect condition, with no health problems, you don’t necessarily have to stop feeding beef, pork, or chicken. Not all dogs experience allergies to the same allergen, or even to the same level.

Obesity

We wouldn’t say that French Bulldogs are prone to obesity, but many Frenchies are lazy, and owners tend to overlook the need for exercise and weight loss, which can exacerbate a couple of health issues.

With their flat faces and tightly squeezed nostrils, Frenchies can’t afford to be overweight. The extra weight in dogs tends to gather around the neck, rear end, and the waist area. With neck being one of the spots to accumulate fat folds, it can add extra pressure to Frenchie’s nostrils, thus creating additional difficulties when breathing.

To help maintain your French Bulldog in perfect condition, look for foods with low-fat content, make sure you follow food guidelines and reduce food when necessary.

Finally, increase exercise if required, however, be prepared for exercise to be in multiple short attempts rather than one long walk.

Overweight French Bulldogs are going to have difficulties managing a long walk or a run, so start slow, and increase exercise over time. As with anything, consult your veterinarian for medical advice.

Gassiness

French Bulldogs are known for making a lot of noise, be it from the front, or the rear.

They might be gassier than many other breeds; you can still do something to reduce it. While gas isn’t usually a huge problem, your dog will still feel better if you improve this situation.

One of the reasons why Frenchies are gassier than many other dogs is because they ingest a lot of air. French Bulldogs can be a bit greedy and very quick when it comes to finishing their dinner; combined with their facial structure, you can see why there is a lot of air coming in.

You might want to invest in a puzzle feeder, or simply a slow feeder bowl. Make sure you get one that is suitable for short-faced breeds, or else you risk having a very annoyed Frenchie trying to get to their food.

Slow feeders, as the name suggests, encourage slower eating by having barriers or puzzles in the bowl. This keeps your dog busy, mentally stimulating them, while also reducing the amount of air they ingest.

Diet is usually the leading cause of increased flatulence. Just because people say that Frenchies fart a lot, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read the food label and look for food that might suit your dog better.

What to avoid if you want to reduce your Frenchie’s gassiness? Keep an eye on those carbs. The same goes for fat and fibre. Too much of those components in your dog’s food, and you’ll be keeping your windows open all day every day, even in wintertime.

What Types of Frenchie Dog Food Are There?

• Raw Food – Just as the name suggests, raw food means food made entirely from raw ingredients and served just like that. There is no cooking process involved in preparing this food, and usually, there is a minimal amount of processing required.

The manufacturers have to freeze the food at appropriate temperatures to keep the bacteria at bay. At home, you also have to have a proper amount of space in your freezer to keep the food.

To prepare the food, you have to take it out of the freezer and thaw it, then server. You shouldn’t cook raw food as it’s simply not intended for that, especially as it often contains ground bone.

• Dry Food – one of the most convenient types of food is dry food. Dry food has been popular for a long time, but the market was dominated by a handful of companies who pushed low-quality food out to the masses. Luckily, with the information available today, consumers turned to find better options.

New manufacturers have emerged in the last few years who provide high-quality diets that are a great alternative to raw food, with the added benefit of convenience.

There are also many different sub-categories of dry food, with extruded dry being the most common type. Cold-pressed is touted as a better alternative to extruded due to the process being different.

Our personal favourite in the dry food sector are air-dried and freeze-dried foods, however, these often come with a very high price tag. In addition to those, baked and muesli type dry food also exists, although neither of those is common.

• Wet Food – Unlike dry food, wet food was often talked about as being of high quality. This isn’t necessarily true; just as with dry food, you need to look at the ingredients to know what you’re buying.

Wet food has also seen a  rise in options over the recent years, and you no longer have to feed a can of cereals with meat flavour to your dog.

There are many options on the market, most of them with high quantities of meat and a minimal amount of cooking and processing to ensure the best diet for your Frenchie.

Keep in mind that a lot of veterinarians don’t recommend feeding just wet food on its own, due to potential impact on your dog’s teeth. It’s not that the food is terrible for your dog; it’s purely because eating only soft food means your dog’s teeth won’t be doing enough self-cleaning.

Dental hygiene is essential, of course, but it’s a topic for another discussion. This is why a lot of people will combine wet food with dry food, combining the flavour of wet food with the crunchiness of dry food.

• Fresh Food – A reasonably new addition to the market, if we exclude all the home-cooked fresh meals that people have been feeding to their dogs.

The food is cooked at the manufacturer’s premises and usually delivered in pouches or another type of container. It’s usually delivered frozen and will require adequate freezer space for storing. It can only sit in the fridge for a limited amount of time, generally up to 4 days.

It’s an excellent alternative for those considering raw food but worried about handling raw meat in their kitchen.

Summary

We hope you found our guide to the best dog food for french bulldogs useful. When selecting your pet’s diet, it’s important to consider the health, weight, energy and age of the dog.

Protein, calories, allergies, vitamins and minerals as well as avoiding artificial preservatives and other undesirables should all be considered. A healthy diet will mean a healthy dog, but it may take some trial and error. Remember that you will also need a good amount of exercise to maintain that healthy Frenchie weight.

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