The best food for a French Bulldog puppy will make sure your little pooch has everything they need to grow big and strong. Choosing the right puppy food that's packed full of nutrients and vitamins, as well as being tasty for your Frenchie pup can feel like an overwhelming task as they are so many options out there. That's why we're here to help.
French Bulldogs grow to be a small-to-medium breed with plenty of personality. They can be an independent breed but at the same time, they are lovable and want all of your attention. They also make for fun-loving and playful dogs, so be prepared to throw a lot of balls and give plenty of cuddles. Aside from their large ears, their trademark feature is their short nose and their adorable wrinkly face. While this makes them look cute, Frenchies can suffer from breathing problems, which is why keeping them at the ideal weight for their breed is crucial for their health.
The best food for a French Bulldog puppy at a glance:
• Best overall: Royal Canin Breed Health French Bulldog Puppy Food - view on Pets at Home
• Breed-specific nutrition: AVA Veterinary Approved French Bulldog Puppy Food - view on Pets at Home
• Best premium wet French Bulldog puppy food: Lily's Kitchen Puppy Recipe - view on Amazon UK
• Best-tailored French Bulldog puppy food: Tails.com - view on Tails.com
Choosing the best food for a French Bulldog puppy while their young will put them in good stead for the rest of their life. Whether you opt to feed them dry puppy food or wet puppy food, their diet will provide them with everything that's essential for healthy development. Certain ingredients and vitamins are added to make sure their muscles and bones are as strong as they can be, their coat and skin are healthy and glossy looking, and their digestion and overall gut health are supported.
We've rounded up some of the best food for a French Bulldog puppy on the market that will provide your pup with everything they need for their development during puppyhood.
Best food for French Bulldog puppy
Best overall
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The Royal Canin Breed Health French Bulldog food has been tailored to the developmental and growth needs of Frenchie pups. Suitable for French Bulldogs up to 12 months old, it has a patented complex of antioxidants, including vitamin E, this food will help to support your puppy's natural defenses while their immune system gradually develops
Customer review: "I have tried a lot of different food for my frenchies and this one is the best so far. Particularly for their very sensitive tummies."
Pros
- Specially formulated nutrition
- Tailor-made kibble
- Immune system support
Cons
- Some Frenchie puppy owners thought it could be more digestible
Breed-specific nutrition
Pets at Homewww.petsathome.com
Made with a highly digestible fish protein, the AVA Veterinary Approved French Bulldog Dry Puppy Food has also been made with French Bulldog puppies in mind, as some Frenchies can have intolerances to chicken. It has pre-biotic fibres to aid digestion, L-carnitine to help promote a healthy weight and lean muscle mass, and Yucca to help reduce stool odour, among other benefits.
Pros
- Hypoallergenic recipe with no added grain
- Offers mobility and joint care, as well as energy and fibre
- Contains a natural source of Omega 3 and 6 to support skin and coat condition, health and kidney health and ongoing brain function development
Cons
- It's a new food so no reliable customer reviews yet
Best wheat-free French Bulldog puppy food
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If you don't want to opt for a fish-flavoured food, this AVA Veterinary Approved Optimum Health Medium Breed Dry Puppy Food is another great option. As French Bulldogs grow up to be a medium-to-small breed, this food will provide them with everything they need for healthy growth, from six weeks to one-year-old. The advanced formulation has an easily digestible source of chicken protein with no added wheat or wheat gluten. The shape and size of the kibble are the perfect size for your Frenchie.
Customer review: "Switched our puppy onto this when we got him and he loves AVA. He's been on it for 3 months and we're more than happy with it. His condition is great and it's easy for him to digest. He's excited to eat it and there's never any left!"
Pros
- Combines slow-release carbohydrates and sources of fibre to maintain energy levels and healthy intestinal function
- Unique blend of vitamins and minerals
- Added glucosamine and chondroitin to support joint condition and general mobility
Cons
- Only chicken flavour available
Best meat and rice French Bulldog puppy food
AmazonYour French Bulldog puppy's skin and coat will stay in a lovely glossy condition when you feed them Harringtons Complete Dry Puppy Food Turkey & Rice as it's filled with Omega 6 and 3 oils. It contains 26 grams of turkey for every 100 grams of kibble, which offers a good source of protein for energy, growth and repair.
Customer review: "My frenchie puppy loves this food. It doesn't upset his tummy, easy to chew and he looks forward to his breakfast every morning! Only wish they did a fish flavour in the puppy range!"
Pros
- Contains no soy, wheat or dairy
- Has prebiotic FOS to help maintain a healthy digestion
- Vitamin E and Omega 3 help support a healthy immune system
Cons
- To ensure this large bag stays fresh, you'll want to make sure you've got somewhere to store it properly
Best premium wet French Bulldog puppy food
AmazonLooking for a wet food for your French Bulldog puppy that is made with natural ingredients and no added sugar? The Lily's Kitchen Puppy Recipe is a nutritionally complete, grain-free dog. It contains chicken, which is an excellent source of protein and selenium, potatoes for potassium to support all-around health, and carrots, rich in antioxidants to keep your pup as fit as a fiddle.
Customer review: "My dog has been eating this since she was a puppy, it’s the only food she never goes off, we will be switching her soon to the adult version."
Pros
- Made using 67 per cent chicken
- Suitable for puppies from 8 weeks old
- Natural ingredients
Cons
- Some reviewers have mentioned cans have arrived dented on arrival
6.
Tails.com
Best-tailored French Bulldog puppy food
Tails.comtails.com
You can get food specifically made to the exact needs of your individual puppy with a Tails.com subscription. The tasty vet-approved kibble is packed with proteins and healthy grains that are gentle on the tummy and boosted with vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and antioxidants that are essential to your pup's growth, too.
Customer review: "She has been having Tails food now since she was 16 weeks and thrives on it. She is a really healthy dog and loves the food"
Pros
- Fortnightly deliveries until they are 14 weeks old, then monthly deliveries
- Adjusted to their needs as they grow
- Comes with an adjustable scoop
Cons
- Recommended portions are on the smaller side
Best hypoallergenic wet French Bulldog puppy food
AmazonJames Wellbeloved Grain Free Puppy Turkey in Gravy Pouches are highly digestible but also tasty for your Frenchie pup, too. The pouches are made with natural ingredients with added vitamins and minerals that are essential during the first few months of your pup's life. This hypoallergenic wet food is free from artificial colours, flavours or preservatives so you can be sure of what you're serving your puppy at mealtimes.
Customer review: "Bought this for my new Frenchie. She absolutely loves it. Good quality food."
Pros
- Full of moisture
- Contains Omega 3 oils for healthy skin and coat
- Hypoallergenic
Cons
- Could have more food per pack
Best French Bulldog puppy food for digestion
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The chicken-flavoured Hill's Science Plan Perfect Digestion is the perfect size for your French Bulldog puppy to chow down on. It offers 100 per cent balanced nutrition with high-quality protein to support optimal growth. Hill's exclusive blend of prebiotics will help nourish your pup's unique gut microbiome to ensure they have a healthy digestive tract.
Customer review: "My fussy French Bulldog puppy loves this food so much! He wouldn't eat anything but home cooked food until we tried this product. He took a liking to this food so quickly and it is now something we can't live without! I love knowing that my puppy is getting the nutrients he needs with the amazing ingredients. I would strongly advise trying this product it's amazing especially if your fur baby is extremely fussy like mine"
Pros
- Provides DHA from fish oil for healthy brain and eye development
- Promotes regular and healthy stools with the special blend of prebiotics
- Gentle of small stomachs
Cons
- Not suitable for pups with a maize or gluten allergy or intolerance
FAQs
How much food does a French Bulldog puppy need?
The amount of food your Frenchie puppy needs depends on how much your pup weighs, and whether you're opting to give them a wet puppy food or dry food diet. Every type of food will have its own feeding guidelines so you can use these to figure out how much food they should have compared to how much they weigh.
Usually, up until six months old, you should feed French Bulldog pups three small meals daily, with roughly 1/2 a cup of food per mealtime. When they get to six months, increase their food intake to up to two and a half cups daily, but only feed them two times a day.
Frenchies are prone to obesity, so it's important to keep an eye on their weight. If you start to notice your pup is piling on the pounds more than they should for their age, you should reduce their portion size by half a cup. If you have any concerns about your pup's weight, speak to your vet.
Can French Bulldog puppies have allergies?
Allergies are a common problem with French Bulldogs. These can be genetic, but they can also be food-based. They can usually get acne that causes sores or dry, flaky patches on their body. If you spot your Frenchie pup excessively and constantly scratching, chewing or biting at their legs, paws, face, sides or their behind, it could be a sign they have an allergy.
If your Frenchie's allergy is food related, here is a list of common ingredients that the breed can be intolerant or have allergic reactions to:
• Dairy products (such as eggs and milk)
• Soy
• Carbohydrates (such as rice and potato)
• Grains and wheat
• Meats (such as chicken, lamb, beef and turkey)
If you believe your French Bulldog puppy is showing signs of having an allergy or intolerance to their food, one of these is likely to be the culprit. We suggest eliminating or isolating certain ingredients in their diet to find out the trigger, which can be a little trial and error. You can then opt to feed them puppy foods for sensitive stomachs as these are typically made without ingredients that dogs are commonly allergic or intolerant to. We would also recommend collaborating with your vet to find the best food for your French Bulldog puppy.
Rosie Floyd is a Pets, Homes and Garden Product Writer for Take A Break Pets, specialising in all things dogs. She grew up always having at least one dog as part of the family and has experience in owning a variety of breeds, including Labradors, Cockapoos and Yorkshire Terriers.