“What do you feed your French Bulldogs?” Personally I feed a variety of fresh fruits and veggies, raw meat, cooked meat, and kibble. While kibble is the cheapest and most convenient option, its not necessarily the healthiest or most evolutionarily appropriate diet. And in addition to that, my dogs are picky and most would rather go on a hunger strike than eat a bowl of kibble. That being said, I’ve tried many brands of kibble and so far my Frenchie’s favorite is the Instinct brand in their rabbit and salmon variety.
I am typically feeding %50 kibble and to that adding either cooked meat or raw meat. When the opportunity comes I like to make a big order of either sheep or cow from a local farmer. I will boil this meat and then chop it up in my food processor. To this cooked meat I like to add a few veggies that I also chop up in my food processor. My French Bulldog’s favorites are butternut squash, sweet potato, sweet bell pepper, spinach and zucchini. To this mixture I usually like to add a fish oil, and a powdered supplement for joint health. Another great supplement to add is probiotic powder for gut health and gas. I have a video on a sample recipe of my home made cooked Frenchie food that you can watch here: https://youtu.be/AR31g5VZUIM and another recipe here: https://youtu.be/OdqQeOIcMi0
Some days I take the pleasure of just defrosting frozen pre-made raw meat dog food that I purchased. This is the most evolutionarily appropriate diet, as French Bulldogs, like all dogs are decedents of wolves and thrive on a diet of freshly caught raw meat. Their digestive system is designed for breaking down this type of food best. This diet is the most expensive to purchase pre-made however. My long-term goal would be to make my own balanced raw meat diet for French Bulldogs. Feeding raw a home though is not as simple as tossing a cut of raw meat down and calling it a meal. The meat on its own is not enough to keep your French Bulldog or any dog healthy. In the wild, dogs would eat the entire animal, including the contents of their stomach, organs, and bones. So making raw food at home would require a heavy duty grinder (for bones), and large freezer for storage, as a raw meal must be frozen prior to feeding to kill pathogens found in uncooked meat. For now though, purchasing a balanced, pre-made raw product in small quantities that fit in my regular freezer works. The brand of raw food I use is called Northwest Naturals.
NW Frenchies Adele enjoying some papaya
NW Frenchies Winkles Galore
My dogs also get treats throughout the day. They love fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, papaya, mango, apple and coconut meat. Another one of my favorite treats to have is freeze dried raw meat. I use the brand Northwest Naturals. Some days they will also enjoy kefir or cottage cheese. I try to make a point of adding as much fresh and unprocessed food to my dogs diet as I can. I hope that by filling their bellies with nutritious foods I will keep them healthy and functional for as long as possible. I hope this is helpful for anyone wondering what diet options are available for French Bulldogs. If your Frenchie is experiencing problems with their stools, skin, weight, etc this may be food related so don’t forget your veterinarian can also help suggest an appropriate diet and portion size. Sending my hugs and my love from NW Frenchies to you.