There are some dogs that look friendly, while there are some that look very serious. The truth is, most of the time, the appearance of a dog does not match with his personality. Like what the famous saying says, “Do not judge the book by its cover”. One of the dog breeds that are often misjudged by people is the French Bulldog. This breed may look serious and unapproachable, but they are really loving, caring, and affectionate especially towards their owner and family members. No wonder why most of the people I know who own a French Bulldog say that it is a rewarding experience. When I asked them “How to take care of a French Bulldog?”, they said that it is actually very simple because they are smart and not high-maintenance.
Taking care of a French Bulldog is simple. However, as a responsible owner, you still need to take note of some tips so as to ensure that your doggo is happy, healthy, socialized, and behaved.
About French Bulldogs
If you know how an English Bulldog looks like, French bulldogs are their smaller version. French Bulldogs look more charming than the English. This is primarily because of their unique bat ears, giving them a strangely distinct appearance. Moreover, it is very rare for them to grow more than one foot. However, they have muscular built which makes them look hefty. For male French Bulldogs, it is common to weigh up to 29 pounds.
Similar to other breeds, French Bulldogs come in different colors. This include black, white, cream, brown, and other shades of brindle. Apart from that, this breed is considered as member of the dog group. If you want a dog who prefer to stay by your side while at home or just curl up on the sofa, this breed is the best option.
Even though French Bulldogs enjoys sitting or lounging on your sofa all day, their roots make them a perfect watch dog. You may not know this even though you have a Frenchie at home, but they will do their best to protect the people he cares about. They might look lazy but they are alert in case a stranger tries to break in to the house. They will instantly make a move once they see unfamiliar face of a person or even a dog. Also, French Bulldogs are very friendly towards other people, children, and even dogs.
French bulldogs are addicted to cuddle and staying inside the house. So if you are looking for an outside dog, this breed is not for you.
How to Take Care of a French Bulldog: Food and Exercise Requirements
When it comes to taking care of a French Bulldog, proper feeding and regular exercise are very important. Before bringing a dog in your house, you must already know about this. Most importantly, you should treat your dog like a member of the family who need proper care and attention. Also, while this specific type of breed prefer to slouch all day, you should make sure he will get regular exercise. Otherwise, this may result in obese Frenchie.
You should feed your french bulldog puppies 0.5 cups of superior quality dog food 2-3 times each day. Do this until he is 6 months old. On the off chance your puppy has a health condition, you must seek the advice of your vet. After 6 to 7 months, you can switch his food from puppy dog food to adult dog food. Once he starts eating adult dog food, he should take 1-1.5 cups of adult dog food. This must be divided in to two per day. This is just the standard. You can give your French Bulldog more or less dog food depending on his age, health condition, size, activity level, and metabolism
Even though French Bulldogs do not need to exercise every day, it is still important to have at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. This will not only help your Frenchie to stay fit and healthy, but it will your dog from showing aggressive behavior. There are several ways to exercise your dog. You can take a short walk at the park or the neighborhood, play fetch, or chasing a ball. While doing any of these, make sure to keep fresh, cool water available to him to avoid dehydration.
How to Take Care of a French Bulldog: Grooming your Frenchie
Aside from properly feeding your French Bulldog and giving him regular exercise, it is also important to keep him clean and neat with proper grooming. Yes, you read that right. Even though Frenchies seem like they do not need grooming, it is actually crucial to them.
The coats of French Bulldogs are short, shiny, and smooth. These characteristics make them look clean. That being said, they do not really need strict grooming to maintain this. To groom your French Bulldog, simply brush his coat every day, and while giving him a bath. In this way, his coat will look nice by removing the excess coats and promoting the proper distribution of skin oil.
Even those adorable wrinkles need proper attention when grooming your dog. You should be extra careful when dealing with this area or areas near the wrinkles. It is because those adorable wrinkles are prone to bacterial infection. It would be fine to bathe your dog once a month if he always stays indoor. But make sure to clean his wrinkles every week as he likes sniffing and going to narrow places. On the off chance, he plays with other dogs every day or you regularly take him to the park for a walk, clean his wrinkles every other day. Make sure to dry out those wrinkles to avoid attracting more bacteria. Aside from the wrinkles, make sure to also clean his ears every other day bu using a damp cloth.
The nails of a French Bulldog will not get torn down naturally. That being said, trim down his nails 2-3 times a week or as often as needed. This is to prevent pain cause by long nails.
Training your French Bulldog
Training your dog, regardless of the breed, should be the most fun and challenging stage of taking care of a dog. Whether you plan to join your dog in competition once he grows up or you will just let him stay indoor, make sure to train him.
You start training your dog the moment you bring him to your house. Even though they are smart, they can sometimes be lazy and hard-headed during training. That being said, make sure to train while he is still a puppy since it is also the phase when they still have plenty of energy. In addition to that, early training is crucial because you will get to show your dog the importance of obedience. Also this is the best time to establish who the real boss is. As you already know, your dog should be the one following you not the other way around.
The most crucial part of training is socialization. It is important to expose him to other humans and animals at an early age. Otherwise, this may cause aggressive behavior. Moreover, socialization makes sure that your Frenchie will remain friendly towards kids, adults and animals. You do not necessarily need to hire a professional trainer just to train your dog. You can simply bring him animal friendly locations to expose him to as many living creatures as possible.
French Bulldogs, by nature, are not very great when it comes to competitive or agility training. However, there are some instances when an owner or trainer helped a Frenchie overcome this attitude.
Keeping Your French Bulldog Safe and Healthy
As stated in the earlier part of this article, French Bulldogs are prone to obesity and dehydration. So, owners should properly take care of their frenchies to prevent this from happening. Always keep an eye on his weight and possible signs of overheating. Some of these signs may include lethargy, too much painting, abnormal and frequent drooling, and red or purple gums. On the off chance you notice that your dog is experiencing most of these symptoms, immediately bring him to the vet for check up.
While French Bulldogs are prone to overheating, they also easily get cold. If this happens, it may cause your dog to have difficulty breathing. To prevent this from happening, keep your dog indoors during the cold season. Aside from that, dress him with warm and comfy clothes.
Lastly, the majority of French Bulldogs cannot swim because they are too heavy. While it is true that most dog breeds were born as great swimmers, you should not leave your Frenchie unattended near the tub, pool, or the beach. They know how to swim, they just might find it hard to swim properly because of their weight.
Final Words
French Bulldogs may seem like the type of dog who is too serious, high-maintenance, and unapproachable. The truth is, they love cuddles, very loyal, and protective. Also, it is not difficult to take care of French Bulldog. Just make sure to apply what you have learned from this article.
