April 2023

I am asked often what are the best dry dog foods for French Bulldogs? As you may know about me, I feed my dogs raw food made from scratch daily. I am aware not everyone wants to do dedicate this much time and effort. I get it. Sometimes I wonder why I do it myself but then I realize I have a clan and feeding them the dog foods I would approve of would be quite expensive. Now if I had 1-3 Frenchies I’d likely choose the pre-made kibble for convenience which is likely the boat you are in. Each food listed has been evaluated by the ingredient quality and ingredient safety by the DogFoodReviews.com using this evaluation criteria.

Not only does the review look at the ratio of protein, fat, and carbs but also looks at the safety of the ingredients as well. The best dry dog foods tends to freeze dried raw, air dryed, low temp baked, and then extruded kibble listed from healthiest to least healthy processing.

Here are some of the criteria they look at in the reviews for dry dog foods:

Dog Food Ingredient Quality

Does the food contain too much carbohydrate?
Are free amino acids added to balance poor quality proteins?
Are plant sources used to boost protein content?
Are there excessive vitamins & minerals added?
Does it contain unnamed animal protein?
Does it contain processed or seed oils?

Dog Food Ingredient Safety

How much processing is involved in making the food?
Does the contain foods that are known to be high in pesticides? (Think dirty dozen).
Does the food contain rice?
Does the food contain natural flavor?
Does the food contain GMO’s?

I’m not paid to promote these brands. They are the ones I’ve found are the best and some I have even used in the past. I do include links to purchase them from Amazon that are affiliate links. I’ve included a recommendation for freeze dried raw, air dried, grain free kibble, and kibble containing grains. Keep in mind this article is providing you with what I consider the best foods. These may not be the most cost effective. Cost is why I take extra steps to make my own food for the Frenchies. It takes time but saves quite a bit of money as my chicken recipe costs about $1-$1.50/pound. Other meat recipes are more costly to make but still less expensive than made for you options. Again this article is all about the best dry dog food options.

I often see posts that Frenchies are prone to chicken allergies. I personally have not experienced this as I feed my whole clan a mostly chicken diet. But just like humans dogs can be allergic to any ingredient. According the vets at VCA hospitals, food allergies account for only 10% of all allergies in dogs. The most common causes of food allergies in dogs are proteins found in beef, lamb, chicken, soy, egg, dairy, or wheat. If you can I would have 3 or more meats which you rotate through to help prevent sensitivities. If you suspect food allergies, you will want to investigate it farther which is beyond the scope of this article.

Freeze-dried raw dog food for French Bulldogs- All Stages

Woof freeze-dried raw dog food coming in 7 recipes is my absolute favorite and for all stages of a pups life. Freeze dried means it’s frozen, placed in a strong vacuum with the temperature raised slightly causing the water to sublimate (turn from ice directly into vapor) leaving about 3% moisture in the food. Often, rehydration will be required before serving. It really depends on your pup. The moisture is removed to prevent the food from spoiling and makes it shelf stable. The bonus with this route is there is less denaturing of the food providing that occurs when exposed to heat. The downside is it is more costly so keep this in mind when making your choice. You can also consider using this as a topper or mixing half and half with another one of the choices below.

The overall score is 9.4 for the 7 brands. Beef and venison have an overall score of 10. The wild brushtail has the lowest score at 9 due to having calculated carbs over 15% and adding excess vitamins but has a 10 for safety. For ingredient quality the carbohydrate source comes from foods like bok choy and carrots which are low in starch, not high in pesticides, and non-GMO crops which is preferable to grains and legumes. The recipe contains a variety of meats and organs providing natural occurring vitamins and minerals. All but venison and beef had a pointed deducted on quality for adding 5 or more minerals.

I recommend rotating 3 or more recipes to help prevent sensitivities and allergies. Here’s a list of the tasty flavors and their overall score:

Goat with ground bone, Lamb Green Tripe, Lamb Liver, Lamb Kidney, Bok Choy, Carrot, Blueberries, Cranberries, Kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, Honey, Rosemary, Coconut Oil, Hoki Oil, Vitamin D3, Salt, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate)

Venison, Lamb, Lamb Green Tripe, Lamb Heart, Lamb Liver, Lamb Kidney, Ground Lamb Bone, Bok Choy, Carrot, Blueberries, Cranberries, Kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, Honey, Rosemary, Coconut Oil, Hoki Oil, Vitamin D3, Salt, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex

Brushtail with ground bone, Lamb Green Tripe, Lamb Liver, Lamb Kidney, Bok Choy, Carrot, Blueberries, Cranberries, Kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, Honey, Rosemary, Coconut Oil, Hoki Oil, Vitamin D3, Salt, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate)

Beef, Beef Heart, Beef Tripe, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Ground Beef Bone, Broccoli, Carrot, Apple, Kale, Kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, Honey, Rosemary, Coconut Oil, Hoki Oil, Vitamin D3, Salt, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex

Duck with ground bone, Lamb Heart, Lamb Green Tripe, Duck Liver, Bok Choy, Carrot, Blueberries, Cranberries, Kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, Honey, Rosemary, Coconut Oil, Hoki Oil, Vitamin D3, Salt, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate)

Lamb, Lamb Green Tripe, Lamb Heart, Lamb Liver, Lamb Kidney, Ground Lamb Bone, Broccoli, Carrot, Apple, Kale, Kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, Honey, Rosemary, Coconut Oil, Hoki Oil, Vitamin D3, Salt, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex

Chicken with ground bone, Chicken Heart, Lamb Green Tripe, Chicken Liver, Broccoli, Carrot, Apple, Kale, Kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, Honey, Rosemary, Coconut Oil, Hoki Oil, Vitamin D3, Salt, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate)

Ziwi Peak Air-Dried Dog Food for French Bulldogs-All Stages

Ziwi Peak air-dried dog food comes in six different recipes with and average score of 9/10. They lost a point for safety since it’s moderately processed but it’s much less processed than kibble. Air-dried means raw ingredients are placed into drying chambers where air is continually circulated causing the moisture to evaporate until it reaches a level of approximately 14%. This makes it shelf stable.

This line averages 33% protein and 4% carbs as calculated. Fats are a bit high averaging at 24% and protein is slightly lower. The quality of the carbohydrates is from high quality sources like kelp and inulin from chicory. There’s a combination of meats and organ meats. The added minerals cost It a point in quality as it shows the food itself doesn’t provide it. The minerals are chelated which is absorbed better than non-chelated.

I recommend rotating 3 or more recipes to help prevent sensitivities and allergies. Here’s a list of the tasty flavors and their overall score:

Tripe & Lamb | Overall 9 | Quality 9 | Safety 9| Protein 36% | Fat 32% | Calculated Carbs 6%
Tripe & Lamb | Overall 9 | Quality 9 | Safety 9| Protein 36% | Fat 32% | Calculated Carbs 6%

Lamb Tripe, Lamb, Lamb Heart, Lamb Liver, Lamb Lung, Lamb Kidney, New Zealand Green Mussel, Lamb Bone, Lecithin, Inulin from Chicory, Dried Kelp, Minerals (Dipotassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Selenium Yeast), Salt, Parsley, Preservative (Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid)

Lamb, Lamb Heart, Lamb Tripe, Lamb Liver, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Lung, New Zealand Green Mussel, Lamb Bone, Lecithin, Inulin from Chicory, Dried Kelp, Minerals (Dipotassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Selenium Yeast), Salt, Parsley, Preservative (Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid)

Chicken, Chicken Liver, Chicken Heart, New Zealand Green Mussel, Chicken Bone, Lecithin, Inulin from Chicory, Dried Kelp, Minerals (Dipotassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Selenium Yeast), Salt, Parsley, Preservative (Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid)

Beef, Beef Heart, Beef Kidney, Beef Tripe, Beef Liver, Beef Lung, New Zealand Green Mussel, Beef Bone, Lecithin, Inulin from Chicory, Dried Kelp, Minerals (Dipotassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Selenium Yeast), Salt, Parsley, Preservative (Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid)

Venison, Venison Tripe, Venison Heart, Venison Lung, Venison Liver, Venison Kidney, New Zealand Green Mussel, Venison Bone, Lecithin, Inulin from Chicory, Dried Kelp, Minerals (Dipotassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Selenium Yeast), Salt, Parsley, Preservative (Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid)Mackerel, Lamb, Lamb Heart, Lamb Tripe, Lamb Liver, Lamb Lung, New Zealand Green Mussel, Lamb Kidney, Lamb Bone, Lecithin, Inulin from Chicory, Dried Kelp, Minerals (Dipotassium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Selenium Yeast), Salt, Parsley, Preservative (Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid)

Grain Free Kibble Dog Food for French Bulldogs-Adult

Nature’s Logic Distinction Grain Free is the highest ranked kibble in the dog foods reviewed. They offer 3 recipes with an average score of 7.3/10, 32% protein, 15% fat, and 29% calculated carbohydrate which is considered high in carbohydrates and loses a point due to this. Tapioca root is the carbohydrate source which is not a high-pesticide crop. It’s one of the unique kibbles that has no added vitamins or minerals but it was formulated using feeding trials instead of AAFCO minimum requirements.

Safety wise, the kibble contains meals making is an ultra-processed food. With extruded foods they are heated four times during processing which causes losses in some active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids, and phytonutrients. Also note, there are studies showing ultra-processed foods are linked to a higher rate of all mortality in humans and you can make the same reference here with your little Frenchie. The recipes include some high pesticide ingredients such as kale and spinach but they are farther down the label meaning they are smaller percentage of the formula.

***Please note I cannot find these on Amazon but am looking for another way to easily order them.

Beef (source of Methionine-cystine), Pollock Meal (source of Taurine), Tapioca Root, Pork Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Menhaden Fish Meal, Spray Dried Pork Liver, Pumpkin Seed, Yeast Culture, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Dried Kale, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kelp, Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Parsley, Dried Cranberry, Dried Artichoke, Dried Mushroom, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract

Chicken (source of Methionine-cystine), Chicken Meal, Tapioca Root, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Turkey Meal, Duck Meal, Spray Dried Chicken Liver, Pumpkin Seed, Yeast Culture, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Dried Egg Product, Dried Kale, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kelp, Pollock Meal (source of Taurine), Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Parsley, Dried Cranberry, Dried Artichoke, Dried Mushroom, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract

Beef (source of Methionine-cystine), Beef Meal, Tapioca Root, Pork Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pork Meal, Lamb Meal, Pollock Meal (source of Taurine), Spray Dried Pork Liver, Pumpkin Seed, Yeast Culture, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Dried Kale, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kelp, Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Parsley, Dried Cranberry, Dried Artichoke, Dried Mushroom, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract

Kibble Dog Food for Frenchies- Adult

Nature’s Logic Distinction line has 4 dry dog foods recipes with and average scor of 6.9 similar ot the Distinciton Grain-Free line with an average of 32% protein, 30% carbs, and 13% fat. The carbohydrates are higher but still lower than many kibbles. The great thing is this line has whole food nutrition meaning they don’t need to add extra vitamins and minerals to meet AAFCO minimal guidelines. Since it is kibble it’s considered ultra-processed and it’s second ingredient is meal which is an ultra-processed ingredient. Despite this, it’s a great option for those who can’t afford air dried.

Millet as the carboyhydrate source decreases its safety score as millet is typically spray-dried with Roundup before harvest resulting in it bieng a very high pesticide food.

Sardine, Sardine Meal, Millet, Herring Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Yeast Culture, Pumpkin Seeds, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kale, Dried Kelp, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Parsley, Dried Cranberry, Dried Artichoke, Dried Mushrooms, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract

Pork, Pork Meal, Millet, Pork Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Yeast Culture, Menhaden Fish Meal, Pumpkin Seeds, Spray Dried Pork Liver, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kale, Dried Kelp, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Parsley, Dried Cranberry, Dried Artichoke, Dried Mushrooms, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract

Chicken, Chicken Meal, Millet, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Spray Dried Chicken Liver, Pumpkin Seeds, Yeast Culture, Dried Egg Product, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kale, Dried Kelp, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Menhaden Fish Meal, Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Parsley, Dried Cranberry, Dried Artichoke, Dried Mushrooms, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract

Beef, Beef Meal, Millet, Pork Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Menhaden Fish Meal, Spray Dried Pork Liver, Pumpkin Seeds, Yeast Culture, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kale, Dried Kelp, Spray Dried Porcine Plasma, Dried Tomato, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Apple, Dried Carrot, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Blueberry, Dried Apricot, Dried Spinach, Dried Broccoli, Dried Parsley, Dried Cranberry, Dried Artichoke, Dried Mushrooms, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product, Dried Pineapple Extract, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract

Dry kibble for French Bulldog- Puppies

Orijen dry kibble for puppies is the highest rated kibble for pups at an average of 7. The previous two kibbles are indicated for adults. The recipe contains 38% protein, 20% fat, and 17% carbs.

Based on quality it scores relatively high due to its lower carbohydrate percentage. It has a small addition of high quality vitamins and minerals. The fact it contains a variety of meat and meat organs is a bonus as well.

The safety concerns is that it is a kibble and ultra-processed via extrusion and there are multiples high pesticide ingredients such as lentils, peas, and apples. It also contains natural flavors which lowers its score.

Overall, it’s a great choice in comparison with other kibbles. I realize if your Frenchie is sensitive to chicken this is not the food for you. You may want to consider one of the air-dried or freeze dried foods above.

Chicken, Turkey, Turkey Giblets (Liver|Heart|Gizzard), Flounder, Whole Mackerel, Eggs, Chicken Liver, Whole Herring, Dehydrated Chicken, Dehydrated Turkey, Dehydrated Mackerel, Dehydrated Chicken Liver, Dehydrated Egg, Whole Red Lentils, Whole Pinto Beans, Whole Peas, Chicken Fat, Lentil Fiber, Pollock Oil, Whole Green Lentils, Whole Navy Beans, Natural Chicken Flavor, Whole Chickpeas, Pea Starch, Chicken Heart, Salt, Whole Pumpkin, Whole Butternut Squash, Collard Greens, Whole Pears, Whole Apples, Whole Cranberries, Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Freeze-Dried Chicken, Freeze-Dried Turkey, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Dried Chicory Root, Turmeric, Sarsaparilla Root, Althea Root, Rosehips, Juniper Berries, Citric Acid (Preservative), Rosemary Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product

I hope this all helps you choose the best dry French Bulldog dog food. Remember this is the best dry dog foods. You also have others such as canned, frozen, homemade lightly cooked, and homemade raw to explore as well. My homemade raw recipe is about $1-1.50 per pound. With my large clan I have chosen this route even though it takes quite a bit of time for me to do so each day. With one or two Frenchies you could easily make it ahead of time and freeze it. I am also working on a homemade dehydrated version I can keep on hand when I am tight on time or out of town. If you’d like my homemade raw recipe, please click the button below. It will sign you up for our newsletter. Button coming soon.

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