French Bulldog Blog

The Best Dry Dog Foods for French Bulldogs

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.

Did you find your perfect Frenchie pup?

Start planning for your new French Bulldog puppy to join you!

Need help planning? This is include for free when choosing a pup from The French Bulldog of Colorado. No worries if you don’t. You can still get the same training our puppy parents receive.

Take me to the course!

Still Looking for the Perfect Frenchie to add to your family?

Check out our available Frenchie pups at our sister company, The French Bulldog fo Colorado.

Take me to the pups!

nutrition

The Best Dry Dog Foods for French Bulldogs

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?

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

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:

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

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%

Grain Free Kibble Dog Food for French Bulldogs-Adult

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

Kibble Dog Food for Frenchies- Adult

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.

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.

Did you find your perfect Frenchie pup?

Start planning for your new French Bulldog puppy to join you!

Need help planning? This is include for free when choosing a pup from The French Bulldog of Colorado. No worries if you don’t. You can still get the same training our puppy parents receive.

Take me to the course!

Still Looking for the Perfect Frenchie to add to your family?

Check out our available Frenchie pups at our sister company, The French Bulldog fo Colorado.

Take me to the pups!

nutrition

How to Train Your French Bulldog to Listen to You.

How is it that Frenchies have such big ears but many of us are googling how to train your French Bulldog to listen to you? Hehe! I believe we’ve all had the experience when you call your little angel and he just looks at you in bewilderment like why the heck would I listen to you? Many of us have said it’s because they are stubborn and they might just be a little bit more stubborn than the average fido.

I have noticed there are quite a few more behavioral complaints since Covid and I believe there is a correlation between the secluded lives we led and several newbie pet owners. Due to this and my passion to keep Frenchies in their homes, I have started a dog training certification program. As I learn from the best, I will be sharing information you can easily use to train your French Bulldog to listen to you.

What is Classical Conditioning?

Classical conditioning is bascially learning through association and your Frenchie knows one event will lead to another. Once the association is made, he will repeat the behavior in order to get something enjoyable out of it. Sounds a lot like us, right? Here are a few examples of how we classically conditioning negatively.

Your Frenchie whines when placed in a playpen or crate and you rush to pick him up. Your Frenchie associates whining when left alone will lead to being picked up by my human.
Someone new enters the home. Your Frenchie jumps on them and then is petted and spoken to. Frenchie learns when I jump people pet me and speak to me.
Mailman comes to the door. Your Frenchie barks. Mailman leaves. Your Frenchie thinks his barking ran the mailman away.
Your dog begs at the kitchen table. You feed him scraps. Begging must mean I get yummy food.

Operant Conditioning to Train Your French Bulldog to Listen to You

When we want to change or create a behavior we use operant conditioning. This is a learning process where the behavior is changed with reinforcement or a negative consequence. What this means to your pup is his response to an action causes him to get something enjoyable or lose something enjoyable.

Use Clear and concise instructions

Imagine you are at an event and no one speaks your language People are trying to communicate with you and they become impatient because you don’t understand them. Would you become frustrated with their lack of understanding? This is how your Frenchie feels when his human doesn’t take the time to teach him the language. How do you do this? Provide clear and concise instructions.

Use single word commands like sit, down, heel, come, off, etc…

Your Frenchie understands sounds rather than words. To help him understand you it’s best to use single word commands. For example, use the command come instead of come here or comer over here. Your Frenchie will likely not respond.

Give each behavior it’s own command.

There are two examples where we need to give our Frenchies a specific command. The misuse of down and come is the prominent. People often use down to tell your Frenchie to stop jumping on guests and they want to use the same word to tell him to lie down which is confusing for him. “Mom, what do you want? All four paws on the ground or to lie down on the floor?” Down is the appropriate term for lie down. Off is the appropriate command to get off the couch or to stop jumping.

Come is confusing as well. Come means come to me. Let’ s go means follow me. To come, your Frenchie needs a target and when your back is turned he doesn’t know who he is coming to.

Come=come to me

Let’s go=follow me

Homework to train your French Bulldog to listen to you.

Your homework this week to train your French Bulldog to listen to you is to begin using the proper single word commands even if your Frenchie doesn’t listen. When your Frenchie jumps on you or is on the couch, say off. If you want him to come to you say come. When you’re leaving the house and you want him to follow you to the car say let’s go. You are training yourself first. Next week we will work on training your Frenchie via a rewards system.

Did you find your perfect Frenchie pup?

Start planning for your new French Bulldog puppy to join you!

Need help planning? This is include for free when choosing a pup from The French Bulldog of Colorado. No worries if you don’t. You can still get the same training our puppy parents receive.

Take me to the course!

Still Looking for the Perfect Frenchie to add to your family?

Check out our available Frenchie pups at our sister company, The French Bulldog fo Colorado.

Take me to the pups!

Education Training

How to Litter Box Train French Bulldogs

There are several options on how to potty train pups. One great way is to litter box train French Bulldogs. You may have several reasons for doing this.

Your pup doesn’t have its full series of shots yet and you don’t want to expose him to potential diseases in the great outdoors.
You may live in an apartment and getting your pup out in time may be a bit of a hassle.
One may be leery of taking the pup outside when they have to go in the middle of the night.
You may have mobility issues and taking your pup outside just isn’t feasible.
You may work long shifts and need a space for them to relieve themselves while you’re away.
When you have in climate weather this may be a back up method for your pup.
You may have a busy schedule.
Or you may just want to because this method would work best for you.

This is the method I will be using for my litters of pups at The French Bulldog of Colorado going forward. I tested it out with a Frenchie pup I was dog sitting for a month and it worked great.

5 Easy Steps to Litter Box Train French Buldogs

Find a location. Choose a spot for your litter box. This needs to be away from the where he sleeps and eats. If you plan on keeping you pup in a playpen while away longer than he could hold it, place the litter box as far away from their sleeping area and food & water as possible. You may think about adding two boxes. One in the playpen and one where he has access to outside of the playpen. If you are using this as an interim until your pup receives shots, a good place to place the box is next to the door. This makes an easy transition to taking your pup outside to potty when they are ready to do so.
Create a routine. Place your pup in the litter box and tell them “go potty” after he wakes up in the morning, after eating & drinking, after playing hard, and after getting up from a nap. You may consider setting a timer for every hour and increase the time until he is trained. Be consistent with the command you use. Go pee sounds different than go potty. Chose one.
Give positive reinforcement. When your pup potties or poos in the box give lots of praise using the proper voice inflection.
Celebrate. When your Frenchie pup easily goes in the litter box shower him with praise and love so he knows it’s a positive experience to go in the box.
Be patient. Accidents are likely to happen. When this occurs, clean it up, increase the positive reinforcement, and adjust your timer to take your pup to the box more often.

Items needed to litter box train French Bulldogs

A litter box with a lip to allow easy entry into the box.
Pellets or pee pads for the box.
A scoop to remove waste.

Order Potty training on Amazon:* litter box, Pellets, Scoop

There are several different types of pellets for litter box training. You can even use pee pads. Personally, I really don’t care for pee pads. The pups tear them up, they are a choking hazard, and terrible for the environment. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ll be using recycled newspaper pellets. The wood pellets could potentially be toxic to your pup if they eat them. You have to remember as a pup everything is fun including playing in the pellets and chomping on them. Newspaper is the safest and most eco-friendly option. If you have access to a Tractor Supply Store you can get the best deal on the newspaper pellets for horses. It’s fine if it doesn’t say dog as they are the same thing. I’ll tell you a litter secret. Anything that’s packaged for dogs they increase the price even though it’s identical. You can also purchase the pellets at a pet store or online here via Amazon.

Directions on how to use the litter box.

Spread 1-3 inches of pellets evenly over the bottom of the litter box.
Remove soiled litter with a scoop daily. I do this anytime I see poo.
Refill with new litter. I suggest cleaning it weekly with soap and warm water.

Congrats on your new Frenchie pup and good luck on litter training French Bulldogs. I believe you will be happy with the results.

Did you find your perfect Frenchie pup?

Start planning for your new French Bulldog puppy to join you!

Need help planning? This is include for free when choosing a pup from The French Bulldog of Colorado. No worries if you don’t. You can still get the same training our puppy parents receive.

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Education Potty Training

Tips to Potty Train Your Frenchie

So you have a new Frenchie coming to join you! Congrats! It’s an exciting time in your life and you will want to start to potty train your French Bulldog puppy the moment he arrives. You want to start the potty training process early in their life but realize just like human babies every Frenchie pup will potty train at different rates. I really want for you to be successful at this as training issues are one of the most common reasons a dog is turned into a shelter. I do not want that for my Frenchie pups or any Frenchie for that matter. It’s important that from the get go you are consistent and you housetrain them correctly from the beginning.

Keep your Frenchies space small & clean

In the wild, puppies naturally learn to not go the bathroom where they sleep or eat. When the pups are small the Frenchie momma immediately cleans up after her little ones when they pee or poo. Without the scent of pee/poo around the puppies do no associate the area with relieving themselves. How can we take advantage of this?

Crate train your pup. A pup doesn’t usually want to dirty his own space. Keep the space small and increase it as your pup grows and/or shows he’s trustworthy.
Utilize a playpen. If you let your pup roam the whole house, he can easily go to a corner of the house that far away from where he eats and sleeps to relieve himself. Instead of letting your pup roam, place him in his playpen when you’re eyeballs are not directly on him. As he becomes trustworthy in that space increase the size of the space he’s allowed to be in unattended.
If your pup pees or poos in the house, clean it up and deodorize it immediately

Keep Your Frenchie on a Schedule

Your Frenchie pup not only needs to associate not to pee in the house but also that the outdoors is for going to the bathroom. How do you do this? By implementing a schedule

A young pup may need to be taken out once every hour. As he grows, the time between bathroom breaks will increase. Take the cues from your own Frenchie pup. If he pees before the house at the 45 minute mark, then you may need to take him out every 45 minutes. Your Frenchie will likely be able to hold it twice as long during the night time. I have found a 10 week old Frenchie when sleeping with me, can hold it most of the night. If I crate train, then it’s a shorter amount of time.
Take him outside after every feeding, waking up, and after playing.
If you catch your pup in the act, swoop him up, take him outside, and show him where he should go. It’s not suggested to discipline him for making a mistake.

Use Verbal Cues & Praise your Frenchie

When taking your Frenchie outside, cue that it’s time to go potty. Say go potty or go pee. Choose one phrase and stick with it. This is not the time to play or pet him. You ignore him until he does his business and/or continue to cue him to potty. I usually wait until they are about half way through going and then begin praising by saying good boy or girl repeatedly and when they are complete I pet them while continuing the praise. If you choose to use treats, this is the time to give him one. I always say my love and attention should be all they need so I don’t personally give treats but I understand why you would choose to do so.

Why does my Frenchie target the carpet?

You will find your Frenchie pup will target the carpet that they find far away from where he sleeps and eats. Why is this? Because the carpet is soft under their paws and makes them think they are standing on grass. If you can, block of any carpeted area while potty training.

What about puppy pads?

I am not a huge fan of puppy pads. One, they are terrible for the environment. Two, you want to begin training your pup the way you want them to be potty trained as an adult. It’s confusing to change methods. Three, they tend to play with them and tear them apart which is a choking hazard. I understand you may be using them until your pup gets its full series of shots, especially if you live in an apartment complex. My suggestions is to place the potty pad as close to the door as you can or even on the balcony if you have one. This way they associate the door with going to the bathroom and it’s just a few more steps outside to go in the great outdoors. You may even consider a grass pad made for pups or get a litter box short enough to step in and place recycled newspaper litter.

Again there’s nothing more fun than brining home a new Frenchie pup. Your pup relies on you to be consistent so he can learn good manners so he can become a proper canine citizen and seamlessly mesh into your families life.

Did you find your perfect Frenchie pup?

Start planning for your new French Bulldog puppy to join you!

Need help planning? This is include for free when choosing a pup from The French Bulldog of Colorado. No worries if you don’t. You can still get the same training our puppy parents receive.

Take me to the course!

Still Looking for the Perfect Frenchie to add to your family?

Check out our available Frenchie pups at our sister company, The French Bulldog fo Colorado.

Take me to the pups!

Education

5 Tips-Teach Your Frenchie Nibbling on Fingers is not OK.

When your little ones arrives you will almost 100% guaranteed need to teach your Frenchie nibbling on fingers is not an acceptable practice. Puppies are like toddlers. They learn by putting things in their mouth including your fingers. It might seem kind of cute at 4lbs but remember anything that won’t be cute full grown needs to be addressed as a pup. One of the biggest reasons dogs are placed in rescues is due to nipping or biting. Let’s nip this in the bud at an early age and create your own good Frenchie citizen.

#1 Get the whole family on board

Frenchie pups want to play and your fingers look like a great play toy. Discuss with the whole family how important it is to no engage with teasing/playing with pups via their own fingers. I’ve noticed sometimes kiddos and teenagers think it’s funny.

#2 Don’t put your fingers in their mouth.

I see a post almost every day, “How do I train my Frenchie to not bite my fingers.” Rule #1. Don’t let them put your fingers in their mouth. 🙂

#3 Say no & redirect

Firmly say no and redirect with a toy.

#4 Use the calming hold technique

If they are still persistent after the no and redirect, use the calming hold technique. You pick your pup up in a vertical position, place him firmly against one side of your body, place your arm that’s on the same side firmly over the front of his body, wrap your fingers around the base of the pups inside leg. This keeps your fingers out of the way of their mouth and typically calms him down. If the squirming continues use your other arm to hold across the bottom half. I’m a 3rd generation breeder and this is what I have done since I can remember…probably around 5 years old. It works. I have taught my sons (5 &7 years old currently) to do so as well. They do it and it works for even the kiddos. You hold them like this for a minute or two and can put him back down. If the behavior continues, keep on repeating this until he stops.

#5 Place in a crate or playpen for a time out.

If all else fails place him in his crate or playpen away far away from your fingers. Give him time to play with toys. After 5-10 minutes, bring him back out. He may just need to run out some energy.

Remember bringing a Frenchie pup into your home is a really exciting and fun experience but you will need to be prepared to teach your Frenchie nibbling on fingers is not OK. Good luck and happy training. We’d love to hear from you on how these tips worked for you.

Did you find your perfect Frenchie pup?

Start planning for your new French Bulldog puppy to join you!

Need help planning? This is include for free when choosing a pup from The French Bulldog of Colorado. No worries if you don’t. You can still get the same training our puppy parents receive.

Take me to the course!

Still Looking for the Perfect Frenchie to add to your family?

Check out our available Frenchie pups at our sister company, The French Bulldog fo Colorado.

Take me to the pups!

Education

Frenchie Friday: May 13, 2022

The Most Important Command to Teach Your Frenchie

When bringing your Frenchie home the most impotant command is to teach him to come. It may be cute to watch your little one run away while you chase him and scoop him in your arms. But what you are teaching him is it’s OK to run away from you. This won’t be cute when he is 20+lbs and a lot faster than you or when there’s a car coming and it’s a life and death matter for him to listen. I suggest you and everyone in the household start as soon as your pup arrives and I’ll give you some pointers. I am by no means a certified dog trainer as of yet. You never know when or if I will do so as I am a learner and love to collect certifications. 🙂 I will give you best practices in my almost 40 years of being born into the dog breeding world.

First, Frenchies are a braceycephalic breed. This means they have a short nose. Everyone talks about the disadvantages of this with their breathing but did you know it’s actually a benefit for them in receiving visual cues from you? Those wide eyes and short noses allow them to see your cues better and do the command you are visually cueing them to do. Every since I learned this, almost 20 years ago, I’ve incorporated visual cues into my communications with my flat nosed friends and it works.

With almost every command, I start with a snap, cue with my finger , and state the command with my voice. The snap alerts him that you are about to give a command which gives him the opportunity to listen to your voice and/or look to your hand for the cue.

The Most Important Command for Your Frenchie: Come

Put a leash and collar on your Frenchie.
Go down to his level. Snap. Point Finger towards yourself. Pull on leash while saying come.
When he gets to you reward him with praise, pets, and if desired a healthy treat.

Once he’s mastered the leash, remove it and practice in a safe enclosed environment.

Treats or No Treats?

I typically do not use treats as I believe my love and praise should be all they need but I totally get why you would want to use a treat. You will need to practice your own reward system that works for you and your pup.

In real life, when you tell your pup to come and he just looks at you like you are crazy you have to do something about it. I go directly to them and pull them back to where they were supposed to come. Then I give praise and love like they did what I said. The dragging shouldn’t be fun but shouldn’t harm them in any way either. I can allow my Frenchies outside with me now, snap my fingers, and tell them to come. They listen which is an important aspect of safety. Make the time to go practice the come command with your Frenchie.

Did you find your perfect Frenchie pup?

Start planning for your new French Bulldog puppy to join you!

Need help planning? This is include for free when choosing a pup from The French Bulldog of Colorado. No worries if you don’t. You can still get the same training our puppy parents receive.

Take me to the course!

Still Looking for the Perfect Frenchie to add to your family?

Check out our available Frenchie pups at our sister company, The French Bulldog fo Colorado.

Take me to the pups!

Education Training

Frenchie Friday: May 6, 2022

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Puppy Proofing for Frenchies-5 Tips for Your Home

Puppy proofing for Frenchies in your home is the most important thing you can do for your little bundles safety. I’ve had more puppies than the average person over my lifetime and unfortunately I can tell you that there were times I learned the hard way. I don’t want that for you. This is not an exclusive list but something to get your juices flowing on making your home Frenchie safe.

#1 Check out the backyard for exit points and places they can fall.

Check your fencing to make sure they cannot escape such as holes in the ground, wider slates in your fencing they can squeeze through. I have black iron rod feccing and had to zip tie gardening fence to it so my Frenchies couldn’t squeeze through. There are spots along our fence that the water washes away the dirt. I regularly check it and place more large rocks ther to prevent escapees. Also, if your deck is on the second story make sure there isn’t a space they can squeeze through and fall off. I had one do this that was an older pup and she broke her elbow. I now have stapled gardening fence to the bottom space of the deck railing. Place a lock on any gates. It’s only a matter of time before someone leaves it open and the Frenchies are wondering through the neighborhood. Also, cover window wells. When Maddie was a young pup she ran full force and fell into one of our window wells. It was night time and I was just sure she be hurt or worse. Thankfully she was totally fine. Maybe a little shocked. We covered the window wells right after that.

#2 Get rid of poisonous plants

Check all plants in your home and backyard to make sure they are not poisonous. Remove them from your home or place them high enough your Frenchie can’t reach them. Remember during the holiday season that poinsettias are poisonous.

#3 Remove essenital oils that are poisonous for dogs

Many esssential oils are good for dogs but there are some common ones that are toxic even when diffused in the air. Here’s a few common one but. not a complete list: eucalyptus, tea tree oil, pine oil, wintergreen oil, cinnamon oil, citrus oil, peppermint oil, sweet birch oil. Make sure you pet can easily leave the area when diffusing safe essential oils as well as they have sensitive noses.

#4 Keep poisonous to Frenchies food items up high where they can’t reach them.

Everyone’s home is different. We have an open pantry. When we moved here I quickly realized the Frenchies would sneak in and help themselves to stuff on the bottom shelf. I was thankful they didn’t eat the yeast. Here’s a few of the most toxic foods for Frenchies that you will want to make sure are out of reach: raisins/grapes, xylitol, chocolate, caffeine, yeast and yeast dough, macadamia nuts, fruit pits & sids, alcohol, onions. Xylitol is found in lots of items like gum, protein powders, peanut butters, toothpaste, and many many more.

#5 Put away all cords

Puppies can get tangled up in cords and I have received the sad call that this happened to one of our puppy parents dogs. Take a glance around and make sure they are out of reach of your fur babies.

Did you find your perfect Frenchie pup?

Start planning for your new French Bulldog puppy to join you!

Need help planning? This is include for free when choosing a pup from The French Bulldog of Colorado. No worries if you don’t. You can still get the same training our puppy parents receive.

Take me to the course!