Bringing your French Bulldog puppy home for the first time can feel overwhelming. There’s a lot to remember, and you might not know where to start when it comes to feeding your puppy.
If you’re new to owning a French Bulldog, you might be curious to know: How much should I feed my French Bulldog puppy?
In this article, I will cover some key information about feeding your French Bulldog puppy, including how much you should feed them and a suggested outline for a feeding schedule that you can adapt as they grow.
Keep reading to find out more.
How Much Should I Feed My French Bulldog Puppy?
It’s a challenge to calculate precisely how much you should feed your French Bulldog puppy, and your veterinarian will be able to advise you on this.
Typically speaking, the breeder that you have bought your French Bulldog puppy from should provide you with all of the information that you need on feeding your puppy. This includes what food your new puppy has been eating as well as how often your puppy has been fed throughout the day.
French Bulldog puppies have high caloric and nutrient needs. Generally speaking, French Bulldog puppies aged anywhere from 8-12 weeks of age need a total of 1.5 cups of puppy food per day.
When it comes to giving them this food, you will need to spread this food out over equal intervals throughout the day into 3 meals equaling 1/2 cup each.
That being said, you will need to bear in mind that the quantity your dog eats depends on a number of factors, including their size, metabolism, and activity levels.
Spreading out the meals is the key to a healthy, happy puppy, as it minimizes the peaks of energy your French Bulldog will experience due to dramatic rises and decreases in blood sugar levels between meals.
Ensuring you feed them in these intervals will allow your puppy to maintain a healthy amount of energy and nutrients throughout their day.
Once your French bulldog puppy reaches 6 months, you can reduce the number of times that you feed them down to 2 meals a day.
Puppies can have sensitive stomachs. It’s essential to keep your feeding schedule consistent. You will need to feed a puppy the same type of food, the same amount of food, and feed them at the same times of the day to ensure that their stomach can cope.
You should never make any drastic changes to your dog’s diet. To come up with a feeding plan for your specific puppy, you should consult with your veterinarian and come up with a suitable feeding schedule in conjunction with their advice.
While you can use this information as a general guideline for a feeding schedule, it’s best to speak to your veterinarian.
What To Consider When Feeding Your French Bulldog Puppy
Certain factors affect the amount of food your French Bulldog needs such as activity level, health, age, and weight.
Age
You will need to consider when feeding your French Bulldog puppy is their age. Typically speaking, it usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks for a French bulldog puppy to be weaned off of their mother’s milk and adjust to dry and/or wet dog food.
As a result, your puppy may initially be a little stubborn about eating dry and wet food if they were only just recently weaned. In this circumstance, you will need to ensure that you remain patient and consistent when it comes to meal times.
If you find that your French Bulldog puppy won’t eat dry kibble on its own, you could always try a combination of dry and wet dog food. Alternatively, you could try adding a dash of water to the dry kibble to make a type of gravy.
Not only will the meaty aromas tempt them to the bowl and encourage them to eat their food, but it will also soften the dry kibble slightly and make it easier for them to chew.
Weight
You will also need to take your dog’s weight into consideration. French Bulldog puppies are allowed to be separated from their mothers at 8 weeks, at which point they will weigh somewhere between 7 to 12lbs.
How much your French Bulldog puppy weighs will depend on their gender, as male French Bulldogs typically weigh more than their female counterparts.
They are considered fully grown around 12 to 14 months old, but may continue to put on muscle until they are two years old.
It’s important to note that French Bulldog puppies will overeat if you give them half the chance to. They are a greedy breed by nature, and you need to be wary of overfeeding your French Bulldog as this can lead to a variety of health conditions if they become overweight.
When assessing whether your Frenchie puppy is overweight, you should be able to see a little rib and they should have a defined waistline.
If your puppy doesn’t, then it is likely that you are overfeeding them whether that be through their food or through any additional treats you may give them when training.
When it comes to choosing to give your dog treats, fewer high quality treats on special occasions are much better than feeding them many lower quality ones more often to train them.
When it comes to training your puppy, positive reinforcement in the form of praise also works.
Calories
As your French Bulldog puppy gets older, the number of calories they are eating should increase according to their weight. You should feed your puppy 12 to 30 calories per pound of their body weight.
As it’s not an easy feat to track the amount of calories your dog is eating, the best way to establish if they’re getting enough is to measure their food in cups.
You will also need to make sure that they’re getting a good balance of proteins and vegetables to provide them with the right nutrients as they grow into adulthood.
However, if you are not sure how much to feed your French Bulldog puppy, consult your vet.
Nutrition
One of the most important factors to consider when feeding your French Bulldog puppy is nutrition, as a healthy, well-balanced diet is essential for their growth and development.
The essential ingredients of a dog’s diet include proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. However, a puppy’s diet should contain around double the amount of crude protein and fat than an adult’s diet.
This simply comes down to the fact that puppies have higher energy requirements and are actively developing muscle and other tissues. Energy comes from the breakdown of protein fats and carbohydrates.
This is why it’s important to opt for a high quality puppy formula when choosing your dog’s food. You can even opt for breed-specific food that is designed to meet the nutritional needs of your specific dog to provide you with the peace of mind that they’re getting all they need.
Health Conditions
When feeding your French Bulldog puppy, you will also need to bear in mind any health conditions that your Frenchie could be prone to developing.
Diarrhea
Stomach upsets are very common in Frenchies, so monitoring their diet is absolutely essential. Signs of a digestion problem include wet, runny, and loose stools.
French Bulldog IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease)
IBD in bulldogs can affect both their stomach and intestinal tracts. If a food allergy is suspected, the only treatment is an elimination diet. As a result, you will need to watch out for any food sensitivities your dog has.
Reflux
Flat-faced breeds such as Frenchies can suffer from reflux or struggle to swallow their food. You will need to monitor this when it comes to giving them their food.
Dental Problems
Flat-faced dogs often have crowded teeth which, in turn, can cause dental problems when it comes to chewing.
You will need to work with your veterinarian to ensure that you are opting for dog food that is both good for your dog’s dental health and is easy for them to chew.
Activity Level
You will also need to take your dog’s activity levels into account, as this can vary from dog to dog despite the breed.
While some French Bulldogs are hyperactive, others are lazy and love nothing more than lying on the couch all day.
That being said, this breed really doesn’t require a tonne of exercise, and how much you exercise them will depend on their age. A good rule of thumb is 5 minutes for each month of your puppy’s life.
As your French Bulldog edges closer to adolescence, the amount of exercise they need will increase. Around 60 minutes of daily exercise split into two walks is plenty for your fully grown French Bulldog.
Due to their flat faces, Frenchies can have severe breathing problems so it’s best to do short, low-intensity walks. As a result, too much exercise can even be bad for French Bulldogs.
As a flat-faced breed, French Bulldogs can overheat and struggle to breathe and pant, especially in warmer weather. Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) is a condition that can cause severe breathing problems and is caused by their shorter faces.
As a result, you should make sure that you take precautions to keep your dog cool and make sure that you understand the signs of heatstroke in dogs.
If you’re unsure whether you’re exercising your French Bulldog enough, consult your veterinarian and they will be able to offer you advice.
French Bulldog Puppy Feeding Tips
Consult With Your Breeder
As well as getting advice from your veterinarian, you will also want to question your breeder.
As they’ve been caring for your puppy for the first 8 weeks of their life, and have since weaned them off their mothers milk, they will be able to advise you on feeding your puppy.
From the food that they used to feed your puppy, to the times of day that your puppy is used to being fed, you will be able to gain a better understanding of your puppy’s needs.
Consult With Your Vet
Above all else, consulting with your vet should be your first port of call when bringing home your new puppy.
With their professional advice and the information you’ve received from the breeder, you’ll be able to come up with a feeding schedule that works for both you and your puppy.
Invest In A Slow Feed Dog Bowl
A slow feeding bowl is a useful dog bowl to have as they are designed with ridges or grooves which are designed to slow your dog down when they are eating.
As French Bulldogs are greedy by nature, you might find that a slow feed dog bowl is good to have on hand to ensure they don’t eat too quickly and end up with a bad belly ache!
Choose Treats Carefully And Use wisely
Training your puppy can be a challenging feat. However, some treats contain high amounts of sugar, colourings, milk products and fat.
As a result, you will need to make sure that you choose your treats carefully and use them wisely, as failure to do so can quickly result in your puppy becoming overweight.
Dry Dog Food Vs Wet Dog Food For Your French Bulldog Puppy
There are a variety of dog foods on the market for you to choose from for your French Bulldog puppy. Whether you opt for dry, wet, or a combination of both foods will depend on your budget, your puppy’s health, and your puppy’s preference.
There are benefits of both dry and wet dog foods, these include but are not limited to:
Wet Dog Food Benefits
Provides Hydration
One of the biggest benefits of wet dog food is that it provides your dog with an extra boost of hydration, as it is made up of around 70 to 75% water. The moisture in wet food reduces the risk of urinary infections and other related issues while your puppy is still getting used to drinking water.
Easy To Chew
When puppies are adjusting to dog food after being weaned off their mother’s milk, wet dog food can be easier to chew for them.
Wet Dog Food Cons
Expensive
Wet foods tend to be more expensive than dry dog foods. As a result, it costs more to feed your dog, even if you are buying the product in bulk for a cheaper price.
Messier And Expires More Quickly
By nature, wet dog food is messier and expires more quickly. Wet dog food cannot be left in a bowl for hours on end, and it can be messier. As a result, people often consider wet dog food less convenient to feed their dog and store.
Dry Dog Food Benefits
Cheaper
Dry dog foods are affordable and are incredibly easy to store for longer periods of time, meaning that they have a longer shelf life than wet foods.
Promotes Dental Health
Dry kibble plays an essential role in keeping plaque and tartar from building in your dog’s mouth and are important for your dog’s dental health. Dry kibble is excellent for getting rid of plaque build-up in the process of your dog chewing crunchy, dry kibble.
Dry Dog Food Cons
Provides Significantly Less Hydration
Dry kibble only has a water content of around 20% water. However, despite the lack of hydration this dog food provides.
Harder To Chew
Puppies have small mouths and can initially struggle to chew dry kibble when they are adjusting to
There’s no getting away from the fact that nutrition plays a significant role in canine health.
Your French Bulldog puppy requires high-quality dog food that provides everything it needs to meet its requirements and ensure healthy development.
In Summary
Generally speaking, you should be feeding your French Bulldog puppy 1.5 cups of food spread out over equal intervals of time and split into three meals.
However, there are many variables that can affect your dog’s diet and how much food that you should be feeding your pet, such as their age, weight, and activity level.
Before coming up with a consistent feeding schedule for your French Bulldog puppy, you should consult with your veterinarian. Following their advice, you will be able to make a feeding schedule that suits your dog and you.
Good luck and enjoy welcoming your new French Bulldog puppy into your family!
