Wet vs dry dog food, which is the best for your Frenchie?
What’s their difference?
Are you unable to choose between the two?
If yes, you’ve come to the right place.
This article gives you all you need to know about the Frenchies’ nutritional needs plus the benefits, advantages, and disadvantages of both foods to help reach a decision.
Come with me for this and much more, will you?
Let’s get started.
Wet or Dry Dog Food What’s the Difference
The difference between wet and dry dog food is primarily the moisture content.
Wet dog Food
This type of food has a high moisture content, usually up to 78% mixed with dry ingredients and made by mixing ground protein sources or meat ingredients with a gravy containing vitamins, minerals, and grain. This mixture is then cooked sterilized, and finally packed in cans.
Key ingredients
- It has animal-based protein,including meat and organs from poultry, fish, cattle, etc.
- Vitamins from vegetables and fruits
- Added minerals
- Fats
Should French bulldogs eat wet food?
Yes. French Bulldogs can be fed on wet food as it has many benefits, which include:
Key benefits
Pleasant smell and taste: Frenchies have a compromised sense of smell resulting from their facial structure. As such wet food is suitable for Frenchies because of its strong flavor, making it appealing to these pups.
Longer satiation: Due to its rich flavor, wet food is more satiating and keeps dogs fuller for long durations.
Greater hydration: With its high water content, wet food is easily digestible hence helpful in preventing bloating, gas, and dehydration in Frenchies.
Soft texture: The mushy texture of wet food makes it teeth and gum-friendly, making it possible for Frenchies to chew with ease
Advantages of wet dog food
- Wet food is less processed.
- It’s more palatable due to its mushy consistency and appealing smell
- It has high moisture content hence ideal for dogs prone to dehydration
- It’s easy to digest
Disadvantages of wet dog food
- Wet food spoils very quickly when opened
- It’s pricier than dry food
- The smell can be overwhelming
- It is messy
- The food may contain unwanted toxins.
Here are the best wet foods for French bulldogs.
Dry dog food
This type of food contains a low amount of moisture, usually up to 11%, biscuits or kibbles.
Can French Bulldogs eat dry food?
Yes. It’s okay for Frenchies to feed on dry food.
Key benefits
Improves dental health: The scraping of food against the teeth while chewing helps build up tartar and plaque and prevents nasty mouth odors and other oral issues.
Easy to feed: Dry food comes in the form of biscuits which are easy to feed as no further portioning is necessary. It’s also messy-free food.
Economical: Since it contains little water, the energy concentration is more; thus, Frenchies require only a tiny portion per serving.
It’s energy-packed: Dry food is packed with proteins and carbohydrates hence its energy-dense.
Advantages of dry dog food
- Less costly than wet food
- Used as training bait or reward
- It has a long shelf life compared to wet food
- It is easy to store or travel with, and you can feed it on the go.
Disadvantages of dry dog food
- It’s a low-quality food as it contains many preservatives and artificial flavors
- Dry food is hard in texture and may be difficult for younger puppies to eat
- Low moisture content hence may lead to dehydration
- It’s hard in texture, thus unfavorable for young dogs.
Here is the best dry dog food for Frenchies.
Wet or Dry Dog Food: Evaluating Food Labels and Ingredients
While choosing your Frenchie’s food, it’s very crucial to read through the food label and understand all the ingredients included in the food.
Be keen on the ingredient list to identify ingredients that may not go well with your puppy. Go for food that contains ingredients that match your dog’s dietary needs.
Although the ingredients may be similar for wet and dry dog food, it’s important to note that dry food contains more fillers, additives, and artificial flavors, which may cause digestive and allergy issues for your Frenchie. Look out for harmful or toxic ingredients.
French Bulldog Nutritional Needs
Just like other dog breeds, Frenchies need a balanced diet made of high-quality proteins, fats, and carbohydrates for overall growth.
Special health considerations
Frenchies are prone to conditions such as:
Brachycephaly
It is the most pronounced and severe health issue facing French Bulldogs that stems from their flat-faced appearance. This unusual condition makes it difficult for Frenchies to eat.
Obesity
Due to their massive appetite for food and their inactive nature, Frenchies are prone to serious weight gain.
Other structural conditions that impact a Frenchie’s ability to feed well include:
- Super long soft palate on the roof of your dog’s mouth
- Extremely short upper jaw but lower jaw with average length.
- Loose facial skin folds and tissue around the mouth and nose
- Shortened nose and airways resulting from the flat muzzle
- Crowded teeth which call for regular brushing
- Wide flat jaw
French Bulldogs Feeding Schedule
| Adult weight | |||
| Dog Age | 18 | 24 | 30 |
| Months | Quantity(Cups) | Quantity(cups) | Quantity(cups) |
| 2 | 2+4/8 | 2+6/8 | 2+ 7/8 |
| 3 | 3 | 3+3/8 | 3+ 5/8 |
| 4 | 3+1/8 | 3+ 5/8 | 4 |
| 5 | 3+2/8 | 3+ 7/8 | 4+3/8 |
| 6 | 3+2/8 | 4 | 4+ 6/8 |
| 7 | 3 | 4 | 4+ 6/8 |
| 9 | 2+5/8 | 3+2/8 | 4+ 1/8 |
| 11 | 2+2/8 | 2+7/8 | 3+ 3/8 |
| 12 | 2+2/8 | 2+ 7/8 | 3+ 3/8 |
Frenchies Diet Depending on Life Stages
Frenchies have different dietary needs at various stages of life as follows:
Puppies
Puppies require more food to supply the energy they need to fuel their fast growth. As such, their diet should consist of not less than 500 calories daily.
It would be best to split their meal 3 or 4 times per day to keep them full. Puppy food is ideal at this stage.
Adults
French Bulldogs in their adult stage have reached their full growth potential and stopped growing.
You should also adjust their diet to adult food. Daily calorie content of 780 is considered ideal with the meals spread two times daily.
Senior
As your Frenchie advances in age, it becomes less active and more prone to weight gain.
It’s, therefore, necessary to switch to an ideal diet with more proteins and low in calories to help keep the weight in check.
It would help if you reduced the calories intake to between 400-500 per day.
Tips for feeding a fussy Frenchie
When your Frenchie is picky, these tips may help:
Change their diet: Your dog may be tired of eating the same food. Making a switch to a different type of food can encourage it to eat.
Add in human food: You can try adding in some chicken or beef broth or put in a piece of chicken to make the food more enticing.
Set a safe eating place: A safe, silent, and comfortable place will ensure no interruptions as your dog eats.
Avoid giving treats in between meals: Treats will give your Frenchie satiety and discourage eating during mealtimes.
Give your Frenchie regular exercise: Take your dog for regular walks before meals to help him burn calories and work up an appetite.
Selecting French Bulldogs Food- What to Consider?
These are some of the things you should keep in mind while looking for the best food for your French Bulldog:
Weight management
Frenchies are prone to obesity. Therefore, it is vital to go for the food that will help weight control, especially if your dog is above the standard weight. The maximum weight for a French Bulldog is 28 pounds.
Calorie content
Given the propensity of Frenchies to gain weight, It’s essential to keep a keen eye on the daily calorie intake.
Get in touch with your vet to properly evaluate your Frenchie’s ideal weight, and calorie needs based on various factors.
However, in general, the daily calorie content for an adult shouldn’t go beyond 780 calories per day on average.
Life stage
Frenchies have different nutritional needs at different stages in their life. Go for age-specific diets without generalizing. A puppy needs to eat puppy food, and the same goes for adults and seniors.
Activity level
The unique structure of the French bulldogs’ noses affects their respiration system. As such, they tend to get tired quickly and have low energy levels.
Although daily walks are necessary, You should avoid excessive exercise. Hence ensure you go for the food with an ideal blend of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Obesity in French Bulldogs -Causes
There are many reasons why French Bulldogs suffer from obesity:
Overfeeding: Frenchies like to munch on everything that makes them likely overfeed.
Low activity level: Although they are playful, Frenchies are not the most active dogs and tend to be more couch potatoes. With their appetite and inactivity, they are likely to add some extra pounds.
Genetic disposition: Frenchies are among the breeds that are naturally susceptible to obesity
Age: As a Frenchie age, he becomes less active and more likely to gain weight
Helping your French Bulldog Have healthy mealtimes
Building healthy habits around mealtimes will make eating fun as well as improve their digestive systems. You can help your pup have healthy mealtimes by:
Having longer meal times: You can try spreading out your dog’s meals as this will help ensure that its energy lasts longer while keeping the stomach satisfied. If your dog is a fast eater, try slowing him down using things such as a slow feeder or puzzle bowl.
Keep the meal portions regular: Be consistent with the amount of food your Frenchie takes and avoid the temptation to give them more than the normal portion even if they seem to want some more. Adhere to a strict diet and avoid too much snacking.
Regularly give some chews: Giving healthy kibble for your dog to chew will help clean their teeth and improve their dental health.
If your Frenchies eat dry food, do this every day.
If your Frenchie’s diet consists of dry food, ensure you give them a lot of clean drinking water to help with digestion and keep them hydrated.
Ensure you place bowls with water in areas where they spend most of their time. Be sure to give them water after
FAQs
What can French Bulldogs not eat?
French Bulldogs should not eat raw potatoes & tomatoes, bones, avocados, xylitol, onions, garlic, almonds, and macadamia nuts, which can harm their health.
What should French Bulldogs not drink?
Caffeinated drinks like coffee, cola, green tea, black tea are not suitable for Frenchies. Others like milk and alcohol can cause serious health problems to French Bulldogs.
How does your French Bulldog’s jaw affect eating?
Suppose your Frenchie has an underbite characterized by the lower jaw coming out further than the outer jaw or visible lower teeth even when the mouth is closed.
In that case, it may experience difficulties in chewing, swallowing, or drinking.
How often should Frenchies have wet food?
You should feed French Bulldog puppies aged 2-6 on wet food three times per day, beyond which you should reduce it to two times.
Is wet food bad for Frenchies’ teeth?
Due to its adhesiveness and stickiness, wet food contributes to faster tartar build-up as little teeth scraping is involved while chewing. This tartar build-up may lead to severe oral conditions such as teeth rot if left untreated.
Is chicken bad for French Bulldogs?
No. Chicken is safe for French dogs. However, ensure you don’t feed them on the chicken bones and skin as these may pose the risk of choking and digestive upsets.
What foods are bad for French Bulldogs?
Foods like chocolate, raisins, cooked bones, avocados, garlic, macadamia nuts and walnuts, grapes, artificial sweeteners, candy, foods with high sugar content, and high salt content are bad for dogs.
What human food can French Bulldogs eat?
Human foods including bananas, carrots, cucumbers, celery, spinach, sweet potato, natural peanut butter, unsweetened yogurt, chicken, beef, tuna, cheese, salmon, turkey, and sweet potatoes are safe for French Bulldogs to eat.
Should I feed My French Bulldog Wet or Dry?
You can feed your Frenchie on either of these foods. However, your choice depends on your dog’s specific needs and preferences. While some French pups love kibble, others would have none of it and prefer canned food.
Whether dry or canned, what’s important is to ensure that your dog gets all the necessary nutrition he requires for a healthy life.
You need to identify your Frenchie’s needs first, then focus on the food that meets that need sufficiently.
Well, now that you have all the necessary information on these two types of dog food, go ahead and make your choice.
Happy pawrenting!