The Frenchie’s short coat needs a weekly brush to keep it squeaky clean and super shiny.
Frenchies are indoor dogs, but require air conditioning in warm weather. While good at alerting their owners to danger (Look! The UPS Guy is coming!), their main role is that of lap warmer. The Frenchie requires minimal exercise and grooming.
Nutrition & Feeding
Depending on the size of your dog as an adult you are going to want to feed them a formula that will cater to their unique digestive needs through the various phases of their life. Many dog food companies have breed-specific formulas for small, medium, large and giant breeds. The French Bulldog is a small breed and has a lifespan of 11 to 13 years.
What you feed your dog is an individual choice, but working with your veterinarian and/or breeder will be the best way to determine frequency of meals as a puppy and the best adult diet to increase his longevity. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.
Coat & Grooming
Routine grooming for the French Bulldog includes regular nail trimming, ear cleaning, brushing to remove excess hair, frequent cleansing of skin folds, and occasional bathing. Their fast-growing nails should be trimmed regularly with a nail clipper or grinder to avoid overgrowth, splitting and cracking. Their bat ears should be checked regularly to avoid a buildup of wax and debris which can result in an infection. Teeth should be brushed regularly.
Energy & Exercise
You won’t have to worry about a yappy dog bothering your neighbors because Frenchies rarely bark. That said, you can count on them to alert their owners to danger (Look! The UPS guy is coming!). They enjoy daily walks or brief outdoor romps, but because of their short noses, they shouldn’t be exercised on hot, humid days and should have access to cool (preferably air-conditioned) rooms during the warmer months. Besides snoozing the day away, the Frenchie’s favorite hobby is being his owner’s personal lap warmer.
French bulldog & Health
Provide your Frenchie with regular checkups, routine vaccinations, tests for intestinal parasites, heartworm prevention, and flea and tick control. Your vet should do regular dental checkups and care, and you should clean your dog’s teeth regularly at home as well. As a short-faced, brachycephalic, dwarf breed, French Bulldogs may have some health concerns that you should be aware of. The short face can make their breathing less efficient than that of long-nosed breeds, so Frenchies have less tolerance of heat, exercise, and stress, all of which increase their need to breathe. Keep your French Bulldog cool in warm weather, and avoid strenuous exercise.
If your dog seems to overheat or become stressed too easily, with noisy breathing and sometimes spitting up foam, consult the vet and have its airway evaluated for pinched nostrils or an elongated soft palate. Anesthesia is also more risky in short-faced dogs, so be sure your veterinarian is experienced with such breeds should your Frenchie need to be anesthetized. The spine also merits special attention. Like other dwarf breeds, the stocky French Bulldog may also have abnormal vertebrae and/or premature degeneration of the intervertebral discs. While the spine is supported by good musculature, herniation of degenerated discs can cause major problems, and most symptomatic back problems are due to disc disease rather than to abnormal vertebrae.