Our own French Bulldog get zoomies after a bath, late at, during play in the garden, after a poop, or sometimes with no rhyme or reason whatsoever. At least that’s what we used to think until I researched why French Bulldogs run around like crazy, aka, the zoomies.

Why do French Bulldogs get the zoomies? French Bulldogs will run around like crazy with the zoomies to relieve pent up energy or even stress. It’s perfectly normal behavior and even has a name: FRAPS, or frenetic random activity periods. 

Why do French Bulldogs run around like crazy? 

Animal behaviorists are unable to provide a scientific explanation for the zoomies, but there is a common observation. Dogs, and French Bulldogs get the zoomies in a variety of scenarios, typically when aroused by excitement, pent up energy that needs to be released, or even stress.

Wikipedia describes the zoomies as:

“Frenetic random activity periods (FRAPs), also called the zoomies or midnight crazies, are random bursts of energy occurring in dogs and cats in which they run frenetically, commonly in circles. They usually last a few minutes or less. It is not known what causes animals to engage in FRAPs.”

It’s very normal, and it’s observed in dogs of all ages, and even cats.

Our own French Bulldog Claude gets the zoomies in a variety of situations. When he does, he will like crazy, running from one end of the house to another, jumping on beds and couches with furious bursts of speed.

When outdoors he will run fast laps of our garden with sudden direction changes and wild spins. It even looks like his back end is going faster than his front end; it’s hilarious.

The times we’ve seen our French Bulldog gets the zoomies include:

• After he’s had a poop.
• When it’s windy a gust wind “gets up his tail”.
• When we incite hectic play with him in our house.
• After he’s had a bath and he try to towel dry him.
• Just before he’s meant to go bed.

Here are my guesses on why this happens…

My Frenchie zoomies after a bath

Claude the Frenchie hates being dried with a towel so as soon as we get him out of the bath, he’s off like a shot running around the house. He will run, look at us, put his head to the floor, then take off again the minute we take one step towards him.

As he’s running, all the hair and water from his bath is flying all over the house.

I assume he gets the zoomies for two reasons; one he hates towels, and two he runs like crazy to shake all the water off his body.

My Frenchie zoomies after eating

I’ve never met a French Bulldog who wasn’t obsessed with food, so can only assume that the heady mix of a full belly and all that excitement results in a classic case of the zoomies.

My Frenchie zoomies before bed

There’s a theory that dogs will FRAP to release any pent-up energy they have. If your Frenchie is running around like crazy before bedtime it could be get rid of all the energy not used during the day so he can get a decent night’s sleep.

My Frenchie zoomies after pooping

Despite research, I can’t find a satisfactory explanation to why French Bulldogs get the zoomies after pooping, other than; it’s a massive relief.

It could be that your dog has been cooped up at home needing a poop, so when it comes it’s like a big release of something or other! 

Are the zoomies dangerous?

As long as your French Bulldog isn’t being aggressive whilst running around like crazy, and your dog is safe from harm, then I don’t think there’s anything to worry about with the zoomies.

Despite how fast and frenetic your Frenchie runs like crazy, they will rarely injury themselves as they seem to know the dimensions of their body and the space around them.

The only exception to the zoomies being ok would be if the crazy spins are stress related or your Frenchie isn’t getting enough exercise and mental stimulation. Only you can judge whether that’s the case, but if you need guidance here’s how much Frenchies need to be walked each day.

There are also people more educated than me about dogs who have written about this interesting behavior. Dr Marc Bekoff, a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado (see his profile) explains on the Psychology Today website that it’s ok for dogs to have the zoomies.

When asked whether it was ok for dogs to do the zoomies or FRAPS, he said:

“My answer is always something like, yep, as long as you’re sure that she or he won’t harm themselves or others and it’s done in a safe area. And, it’s essential for a human to know their dog and to remain alert when either the dog or other individuals are in the path of a frapper fugue and potentially can be harmed.” (view source)

Conclusion

From what I can find, scientists have no cast-iron explanation for why dogs run around like crazy and get the zoomies. So, all we can do is make the assumptions as outlined in this post, and they make a lot of sense to me.

Regardless, providing your Frenchie is having fun whilst doing the crazy runs, it’s not going to harm him.

If you want to prevent it, I can only recommend that you get your Frenchie more active both mentally and physically. Here are some Frenchie toys I can recommend which might help.

You might also like…

Whilst you’re here, possibly for the first time, I wanted to share with you some other interesting Frenchie articles:

• The truth about Frenchies being color blind
• The funny sitting positions only Frenchie owners will know

The post Why French Bulldogs Get Zoomies & Run Around Like Crazy? appeared first on French Bulldog Owner.

I came down in the middle of the night to get a drink, and soon realized my mistake. I felt guilty, particular as I wasn’t sure if Frenchies are able to see in the dark. After all, Claude needs to go through the dog flap to do his business, so I wasn’t sure if he could without being able to see where he was going.

This made me want to do a bit of research into whether Frenchies can see in the dark, and if they can, how well can they see in darkness? We all know how good cats are at seeing with their night vision, but does the same apply to Frenchies? Here’s what I discovered.

Can French Bulldogs see in the dark? French Bulldogs can see in the dark five times better than humans can due to the genetic and physical construction of their eye. However, like all dogs, Frenchies cannot see in complete darkness and do not have night vision without some small light source being present.

That’s the short answer, if you want a little more detail, here’s what the experts say according to my research into Frenchies seeing in the dark.

How Frenchies see in the dark

French Bulldogs have large and sometimes bulging eyes. This can actually help Frenchies see in the dark better because larger pupils let more light get into the eye.

The mechanics of a dog’s eye includes a cornea, pupil, lens, and retina. In the retina there are cones that absorb color, and rods that absorb light. Dogs have more of these rods than humans, meaning they can see better than us in low light situations, for example in a darkened room.

For example, below is as accurate a representation as I can make of what your French Bulldog sees in the dark compared to a human’s vision.

This is how those larger pupils help, as they let more light absorb into the rods, meaning improved night-time vision in the dark.

Your Frenchie eye lens are also positioned closer to their retina than a human, meaning the image projected onto the retina will appear brighter. This helps them see better than us in low light situations, like a kitchen at night with no lights on.

But they will still need some small light source to be able to see in the dark, as they need some light to enter their eye on order to see.

How does a Frenchie’s eyesight compare to a human’s?

The Science Daily website say that:

“Dogs see a lot better than humans do at night. Dogs have many adaptations for low-light vision. A larger pupil lets in more light. The center of the retina has more of the light-sensitive cells (rods), which work better in dim light than the color-detecting cones.” (view source) 

In terms of actual numbers and something you can put a figure on, a professor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison said:

“Dogs have evolved to see well in both bright and dim light, whereas humans do best in bright light. No one is quite sure how much better a dog sees in dim light, but I would suspect that dogs are not quite as good as cats. Dogs can probably see in light five times dimmer than a human can see in.”

Therefore, you can assume that if you do leave your Frenchie in a dark room like I did, that he should be ok providing there is a small light source like moonlight or streetlights outside – because the can see 5 times better than we can in the dark!

However, if the room is completely pitch black with no dim light source, your Frenchie’s night vision won’t be any better than ours, as they need some degree of light to be able to see in the dark.

French Bulldogs cannot see in total darkness, no dog can.

Conclusion

According to multiple online sources I’ve read, French Bulldogs eyesight in the dark is not quite as good as a cat, but not too far off.

That means I probably should not worry about leaving my Frenchie and cat in the dark at night. Providing there is some moon light, street lighting, or light source emanating from an electrical appliance, they should be able to see their way around in the dark ok.

Dogs including Frenchies see things very differently to how humans do. I wrote another guide recently which shows how French Bulldogs see color – it might surprise you!

The post Can French Bulldogs See in the Dark? (Photos of How They See!) appeared first on French Bulldog Owner.

To investigate further, I decided to research whether Frenchies can see color, and if they can, what colors can they see? You can read my helpful guide to what I found out below, but firstly here’s the short answer!

Are French Bulldogs color blind? Frenchies are not color blind but like all dogs are unable to see certain colors the way we do. For example, dogs don’t see the color red like humans do, instead seeing a yellow or blue color shades instead. It is not true that dogs only see in black and white.

Can French Bulldogs see color?

French Bulldogs can see color, but in a different way to how humans do. Dogs have something called a dichromatic vision (see definition).

This means that unlike humans who have three color sensitive cone cells in their retinas for red, yellow and blue, whilst Frenchies just have the two; yellow and blue.

That doesn’t mean they cannot see color, it just means they see it differently to how we do. For example, below is a photo of what we would see when looking at an iconic red British phone box, versus how a French Bulldogs sees the color.

As you can see, rather than seeing a red colored phone box, your French Bulldog will see it as a green and yellow hue.

What do French Bulldogs see?

So, whilst we now know that French Bulldogs are not color blind, I thought it would be interesting to run some experiments to find out what colors French Bulldogs see. To help with this I found a really cool online tool which lets you mimic what dogs color ranges dogs visualize.

The Dog Image Processing Tool was created to help demonstrate the differences in visual perceptions between dogs and humans. You can upload images and then see how your dog might see the colors… which is what I decided to do!

For example, below you can see an image of a yellow tennis ball on the left, with what French Bulldogs see on the right.

As you can see, my French Bulldog can see the yellow color, although it is a little blurry. But enough for him to know it’s the ball he wants to go for.

Things change when you examine colors like reds as dogs find it easier to distinguish between blue colors than red colors. Look at these photos of a child’s ball pit, and how the red balls become more yellowy when looked at by a French Bulldog.

Based on this, the fact my Frenchie has been choosing a yellow ball in my garden each time is probably down to fluke or something else entirely – because it doesn’t look like he would be able to see a big difference between the two colors other than shade.

The bottom line is; Frenchie can see color changes, but with certain color ranges like reds they will be distinguishable as shades rather than a color.

What colors can French Bulldogs see?

Due to the fact dogs only have two color cones in their retinas, it means the colors French Bulldogs can see best would be yellow, blue, and shades of grey.

You might have heard the misconception that dogs can only in black and white. This has been debunked by scientists. It’s thought that this belief was seeded in 1937 when Will Judy wrote an editorial about dogs being color blind in a magazine.

On Andras Peter’s excellent Dog Vision website, there is a chart of RBG colors which shows what colors French Bulldogs can see compared to humans. I’ve included that below which is a great visual indicator to show that French Bulldogs are not color blind and can see colors, albeit not as many as humans.

On the American Kennel Club website, they say the following about the colors dogs are able to see:

“Dogs can make out yellow and blue, and combinations of those colors. This renders a lot of the world greyish-brown. That lush green lawn? It probably looks like a field of dead hay. That bright red velvet cushion? Still comfy, but it probably comes across as a dark brown blob to the dog.” 

Next time you’re out and about throwing a ball for your Frenchie when playing, consider what they are actually seeing – it’s will look very different to what you see!

Handy Hint: Frenchies also see in the dark very different to how we do. Check out the photos I put together which predict how well your French Bulldog can see in the dark at night time.

Conclusion

Based on what I learned when putting this article together, it seems that I might want to re-consider the color toys I buy Claude our Frenchie. For example, he’s not really going to get the best benefit from a red toy compared to another as the color won’t look that vibrant and interesting.

From now on, as I know Frenchies see yellow and blue colors best I am going to buy him things like the toys below!

You might also like…

If you want to invest in some new gear for your Frenchie, please check out the following pages:

• The best French Bulldog toys
• All the gear you need for your new Frenchie in one place

The post Are French Bulldogs Color Blind (What Colors Can They See)? appeared first on French Bulldog Owner.

Can you hike with a Frenchie? I personally don’t recommend hiking with a Frenchie as they simply aren’t cut out for long walks, particularly when the weather is hot. However, it depends on how you define what hiking is.

For example, we take our French Bulldog into the local forest and will hike up and down hills and through the woods for sometimes up to 30 minutes – providing it’s cool. You can hike with a French Bulldog at this level, providing its fitness levels are ok.

However, if you want to hike with a French Bulldog for a whole day, then this has to be completely out of the question. They are a small breed who will breathing difficulties and will lack the stamina required to hike all day.

But that doesn’t you can’t take your Frenchie on a hiking expedition, but you do need to set the expectation that your hike is going to be a very short one, and I don’t recommend more than 40 minutes to an hour – this will exhaust most French Bulldogs.

If you have never gone for a longer walk with your Frenchie and are unsure if the dog will cope with it, here’s how to prepare for a short 30-minute hike.

How to hike with a Frenchie

Before you expose your French Bulldog for a longer walk than normal, you should take the following precautions and hiking preparations:

1. Ensure your Frenchie has had a recent health check

Before a longer walk then normal, make sure your Frenchie has had a recent trip to the vets, so you know he’s physically able to do a short hike.

Things vets typically check Frenchies for are issues with their breathing, such as stenotic nares (narrowed nostrils), and respiratory problems.

2. Train your Frenchie for the hike

If you have a fat French Bulldog whose only exercise has been leaving the couch for the food bowl, then there’s no way you should be hiking with them – it will be too much of a shock to their system and they won’t make it very far at all.

Instead you should take things slowly, and train them with a couple of short walks near your home each day, building the distance and time up incrementally.

An exercise plan could be something that your vet helps to design based on their age, weight, and existing levels.

3. Choose an easy hiking route

Frenchies can be very muscular dogs, but they are not great at scaling extreme angles, such as stairs. They are also not known to be good swimmers. Based on this, you should plan to hike an easy route, avoiding rough paths, steep slopes, and deep water.

You should also plan to take regular breaks and rests, because Frenchies get short of breath very easily. 

Handy Hint: If you do go hiking with your Frenchie and he starts to overheat you need to act immediately. Here’s what to do with an overheating French Bulldog.

What to take hiking with a Frenchie

Being prepared with the right gear is absolutely essential for a safe hiking trip with your dog. Some of the must-have basics include:

• Flea and tick collar (and check for ticks as you hike).
• Fresh and clean drinking water to prevent dehydration.
• Dog poop bags to keep the area clean and hygienic.
• The right collar or harness (here’s what I recommend).
• Dog collar with name and address on in case he gets lost.
• First aid kit for you and your Frenchie.
• Umbrella in case hot sun becomes a problem.
• Dog snacks and treats for an energy boost.
• Dog backpack in case the hike gets too much (here a dog carrier on Amazon).
• Dog boots to cope with a rougher terrain (here’s what I recommend).

What dogs are better for hiking with?

If hiking is important to you, then I’d recommend a completely different breed. According to the American Kennel Club, the following breeds are best for hiking trips:

1. Siberian Husky
2. Australian Shepherd
3. German Shorthaired Pointer
4. Vizsla
5. Australian Cattle Dog
6. Weimaraner
7. Bernese Mountain Dog
8. Rhodesian Ridgeback
9. Alaskan Malamute
10. Portuguese Water Dog

Conclusion

Many people think of French Bulldogs as being lazy dogs, this simply isn’t true. However, that doesn’t mean they are physically cut out for long hikes in the wilderness. They are not the right dog for you if this is what you are planning.

As a general rule of thumbs, Frenchies can cope with a couple of walks each day, both of which can last between 30 and 45 minutes – not really much longer.

Based on that, French Bulldogs can hike, but be prepared for a very short hiking trip. They won’t be able to deal with anything that’s longer than that.

The post Can You Hike with a French Bulldog? appeared first on French Bulldog Owner.

Well, I own a Frenchie, and whilst they aren’t all the same, there are certain parts of their character which are very typical. So just how lazy are Frenchies? Let me explain with some real-life experiences, and videos.

Are French Bulldogs lazy dogs?

There are certain characteristics that will lead people to believe that French Bulldogs are lazy dogs. However, this isn’t actually true; they are not a lazy breed and need stimulation. When Frenchies are active they can be very hyper, needing regular exercise each day to keep them happy.

I hate to break it to you, but French Bulldogs are not lazy!

All of this is based on the personal experience of owning a Frenchie, plus having been in the French Bulldog community for a number of years.

However, I can understand why there is this common misconception that all Frenchies are lazy, so let me explain in more detail.

Why people perceive Frenchies to be lazy dogs

There are certain ways that Frenchies behave that will make them look very lazy. It’ very understandable, and the truth is, for a lot of the day they will actually do absolutely nothing – so they can deserve this reputation.

For example, here are some typical French Bulldog personality traits which can create the impression of laziness.

1. Frenchies can sleep for almost 60% of the day

Our French Bulldog Claude will sleep a lot. I’ve previously written a blog about his sleeping patterns, where I recorded him nodding off for between 12 and 14 hours a day.

It understandable that people will look at these statistics and fall into the trap of believing in Frenchie laziness.

Don’t let this lack of action fool you into thinking Frenchies are lazy though.

When Claude is awake, he is VERY AWAKE, wanting to run, play, act hyper, and be the most hectic dog on the planet. Many Frenchies are exactly the same, demanding constant attention and stimulation.

2. Frenchies can be very stubborn and refuse to walk

One of the most common personality traits of Frenchies is their stubbornness. If they don’t want to do something, they won’t.

For example, sometimes your Frenchie puppy will just sit there and refuse to walk. Claude even to this day will sometimes struggle with recall commands, preferring to completely ignore me and only saunter over when he is ready.

This stubbornness can work both ways though, and can mean our Frenchie does what he wants, which can mean running, running, and more running until he can’t run anymore despite me trying to get him to stop!

3. Frenchies are brachycephalic and can struggle for breath

The flat face and squashed features that defines this breed, and also makes them popular is actually very problematic for their health. This physical trait makes them a brachycephalic breed leading to breathing problems, and difficulty coping in hot weather.

Because of this, you might assume that Frenchies won’t over-exert themselves and will be lazy, but the opposite is unfortunately true.

My experience of Frenchies is that they don’t know when to stop. They can run themselves into the ground even when they are struggling to breathe.

Claude is a perfect example. If I let him run around our garden, he would do it until he dropped so it’s up to us to monitor his activity and bring a stop to it before he gets too worn out.

4. Many Frenchies will be overweight

You will see lots of fat Frenchies on social media and could fall into the trap of thinking this is a normal look and offer confirmation bias of them being lazy dogs.

The truth is, Frenchies should not be overweight, and require regular daily exercise and a sensible approach to diet and snacks. I wrote a guide about fat French Bulldogs and how to keep their weight in check only last month.

The truth about Frenchies being lazy dogs

Hopefully I’ve given you some insight into why people believe all French Bulldogs are lazy. Of course, all dogs are different with their own personality, so it’s not to say there aren’t Frenchies who are completely lazy – it’s just that I am yet to meet one.

The truth is, this breed needs a lot of stimulation and attention, and far from being lazy they are actually very active when they aren’t in sleep mode.

They are very funny and can quickly go from one extreme to the other. One minute your Frenchie will be snoring his head off, the next minute running “zoomies” around the room or garden and yard.

Handy Hint: If you’ve ever wondered why Frenchies get the zoomies and run like crazy then I think I might be able to help with my zoomies explanation.

There’s no real in-between status with Frenchies; they will either be chilling out or being manic and hyper. You can see some classic examples of their non-lazy behavior in this video from our YouTube channel showing the different ways Frenchies like to play.

Frenchies need exercise and walks

Many people think that Frenchies will easily slot into the sedentary and chilled lifestyle of the owner. Whilst of course this is true to a certain extent, it doesn’t mean Frenchies are lazy enough to not need walks and regular exercise.

Without exercise they will get bored, possibly even destructive, and almost certainly will put on weight leading to health problems. As owners, you have an obligation to walk your Frenchie no matter how lazy you think he or she is.

Handy Hint: Read my guide to how often you should walk a Frenchie, how far, and what the limits should be on daily exercise.

This breed needs to be walked at the very least, once a day, twice if possible. They have energy to burn, and a desire to be active.

You do need to be careful though!

Whilst you should exercise them, you do need to be very careful to not overdo it. It’s very easy for Frenchies to overheat, and you will need to keep them cool in the hot summer months (here’s how).

In fact, only this week the BBC published a news article highlighting some research by Nottingham Trent University which showed this breed is more prone to heatstroke than others.

The study found that French Bulldogs were in the high-risk category of overheating due to their restricted breathing; the brachycephalic issue I mentioned earlier.

A spokesperson from the Dogs Trust charity said:

“These findings show that owners of flat-faced breeds and dogs who are overweight need to keep an especially close eye on their beloved pet during the warm weather as they could be at greater risk.”

Whilst Frenchies are not lazy, that doesn’t mean you should take them on long hikes or expect them to be good running partners. This breed will not be able to handle that level of activity, and it can be actually be extremely dangerous.

Conclusion

It all boils down to how you define laziness.

Our Claude sleeps so much of the day, but when he’s up and about he’s more than a match for dog breeds that you typically think of as being active.

However, I won’t dispute that some owners might have Frenchies they say are lazy. Whilst there are some breed-specific traits, all dogs have their own personalities so there will be outliers.

Overall though, I disagree with the statement around this breed being lazy dogs and believe owners should keep their Frenchies well exercised and active.

Both you and your dog need this for mental well-being!

The post Are French Bulldogs Lazy? The Truth Might Surprise You! appeared first on French Bulldog Owner.

Why do French Bulldogs need special bowls?

Let me explain…

As a brachycephalic breed with flat faces and shortened necks, Frenchies can struggle to eat and drink from standard dog bowls. If they end up eating too fast, they are prone to bloating and possibly even choking.

This can be exacerbated with the wrong type of French Bulldog food and water bowl that lets your Frenchie chew, swallow, and drink too fast.

If you scroll down you will see my choices on the best food bowl for a French Bulldog, but first let me explain why I recommend what I do.

What food bowls to avoid with your Frenchie

I am not a fan of plastic food bowls for a number of reasons. Firstly, they scratch easily, and bacteria can form in the scratches on the plastic and be very hard to remove, even with cleaning.

This presents a potential health hazard to your Frenchie, as does the possibility that your dog could also have an allergic reaction to plastic. Plus, Frenchies are huge chewers and there’s the additional risk of them chewing the plastic bowl and hurting themselves.

There’s also the consideration that plastic French Bulldog bowls might leak BPA (Bisphenol A) into the food and water. This dangerous chemical in plastic dog food bowls is a little controversial though, as the FDA say there’s no risk, whilst some research has shown it could be.

I prefer to be on the safe side, so won’t choose plastic food bowls for our Frenchie.

What is the best material for a French Bulldog food bowl?

The best French Bulldog food bowl will be made from stainless steel. I like bowls that are scratch resistant, simple to clean, and harder to tip over if trodden on by your Frenchie.

Dishwasher safe and sturdy, I like stainless steel food bowls with rubber underneath, so they stay put when your Frenchie is eating and drinking.

There’s nothing wrong with ceramic food and water bowls but can become easy chipped and cracked meaning they break or attract bacteria in the gaps.

What size bowl do I get for my French Bulldog?

The size of your French Bulldog’s food and water bowls doesn’t really matter. We have a large stainless-steel bowl for drinking water which we change every day, and a slighter small food bowl.

There is one consideration here though; if you have a large feeding bowl you might be tempted to put too much food in it, and over-feed your Frenchie. It’s easy enough to do, and there have been studies about how larger plates lead bigger portions and obesity with humans, so you can apply the same logic to dog bowls.

Handy Hint: The most important aspect is feeding your Frenchie the right amount of food. I’ve written a guide previously with feeding charts included.

How high should the food bowl be off the ground?

And lastly, many Frenchie owners say you should use elevated feeding bowls that are high off the ground to avoid bloat. This opinion appears to be changing in recent years, with this interesting statement found on the DailyPuppy.com website:

“In the past, raised food bowls were believed to minimize dogs’ chances of developing bloat, which is a sometimes fatal gastrointestinal condition. Studies have shown, however, that raised food bowls do just the opposite. These feeders can make your pet more vulnerable to bloat, says veterinarian Jon Rappaport and other experts. Because of the potential dangers associated with raised food bowls and issues such as bloat, it’s important to never use them for your pet unless your veterinarian specifically instructs you to do so.”

The best French Bulldog food bowl choices 

Now you have bit of insight into what makes the best French Bulldog bowl, here are just a couple of choices which ticks all the boxes. 

1. Basic slow feeding bowl

This stainless-steel slow feeder is ideal for Frenchies. It’s designed with the obstructive hub in the middle of the food bowl. This stops them from eating their food too quickly, or in too large a gulp, therefore helping to prevent choking or bloating.

Instead, your Frenchie has to work a bit harder and slower for his food, so there’s no chance of him chewing it down in seconds and also getting indigestion. It also has a rubber base so won’t slide or tip over.

When we introduced this food bowl to our Frenchie, we noticed his vomiting reduced. Before he would probably be sick once a week because he was eating too fast. With this food bowl, it’s now a lot rarer.

2. Slanted mess-free dog bowl

An alternative French Bulldog food bowl is a slanted model. Admittedly it is slightly off the ground, but not high enough to cause any issues. The primary reason for the design is to alleviate neck pressure on your Frenchie and make eating not as messy!

It works by leaning at a 15-degree angle, so your Frenchie’s food goes to the bottom of the bowl. That means your Frenchie doesn’t have to chase his food around the bowl making it fly all over the floor… it also reduces the chance of them getting neck pain when bending flat to the bowl surface.

The manufacturer says that this unique design helps to reduce bloat and indigestion, and wont’ slip and slide over the floor. As with the previous bowl, it’s made from stainless-steel.

3. Stainless-steel water bowl

And finally, you will need a separate bowl for the water. With this one there’s not really much need to slow the drinking down, as this is a problem typically associated with just feeding.

I recommend a French Bulldog water bowl that is 2 to 3 times larger than the food bowl, and the water should be replaced daily with clean and fresh.

Conclusion

Frenchies should have their own feeding and water bowls, rather than just an afterthought like an old dish or cereal bowl you no longer need.

Whilst it might be tempting to buy a food bowl for your Frenchie that looks fun and funky, with bowls, functionality always has to beat out form.

Don’t buy cheap, and don’t buy a fad!

Get the right size, something that slows down their eating, won’t slide about, and will last for a few years – like stainless steel!

You might also like…

Whilst you’re here please do take the time to browse around French Bulldog Owner. I’ve published hundreds of helpful guides over the last few years. Here’s a selection of ones I think you might like to read next:

• The best toys you can buy for a fun Frenchie
• How much water your Frenchie should be drinking each day

The post The Best French Bulldog Bowl & The Size You Need appeared first on French Bulldog Owner.

However, with the huge amount of choice in the market for dog toothbrushes, it’s easy to buy the wrong type of product that doesn’t suit Frenchies… which is why I’ve put this guide of the best French Bulldog toothbrush products together.

Unlike other websites that will present a long list of various products, I’ve only included two French Bulldog toothbrushes here. You won’t need to look any further, as we’ve used both with our Frenchie Claude over the last 4 years.

The best Frenchie toothbrushes we’ve used

All you need to buy, is laid out below, with reasons why these toothbrushes are such great choices for Frenchie dental care.

1. The best puppy to adult Frenchie toothbrush

We bought one of these packs when Claude was a puppy, and it lasted for the first two years of ownership. The reason it’s a great choice for growing Frenchie puppies is that it comes with a smaller finger brush set ideal for small mouths.

All you do is place the finger brush heads over your fingers, place into your puppy’s mouth, and start brushing.

The larger toothbrushes are fantastic, and one of them has a two-headed design that lets you clean both sides of your Frenchie’s teeth at once. This is ideal if your dog doesn’t like having his teeth cleaned, as it halves the amount of time you need to brush.

All the toothbrushes are ergonomically designed to fit into the nooks and crannies of a Frenchie mouth, and this set will do you as your dog grows older and gets bigger.

2. Best toothbrush for an adult Frenchie

Once we needed to replace the option above, we started looking for something more suitable to an adult Frenchie. We didn’t need to break the bank and opted for a cheap solution that did just what we wanted – click the image below to see the prices.

It’s a double-headed toothbrush that has all the right angles and bends to get into those tough to reach places in your Frenchie’s mouth.

3. Best toothbrush for Frenchies that hate teeth cleaning

You might find it really hard to get your Frenchie to keep still when brushing his teeth. If they suddenly start resisting and moving around, you can hurt them with a traditional shaped toothbrush… this option below is ideal for that.

It’s a silicone finger brush that you can slot over 1 finger, and brush and scrape gently around your Frenchie’s teeth. Because you don’t have to push a handle into their mouth, you can typically get a lot more control over your brushing and hold them stiller whilst getting into the teeth and gums.

This is the best toothbrush for Frenchies that aren’t going to easily stay still whilst you use a normal shaped brush.

You must also have this teeth cleaning chew toy!

As well as using one of the French Bulldog toothbrush options above, my vet recommended that we also use this chew toy below. It’s been fantastic in keeping Claude’s teeth and gums healthy!

It’s a special chew toy that will brush their teeth naturally without you having to. It’s a toothbrush stick that sits on the floor for your Frenchie to chew. It’s non-toxic, durable, and won’t hurt their teeth – read the Amazon reviews.

Whilst your Frenchie chews the toy, the bristles work on the teeth to help remove stubborn tartar and plaque in those hard to reach places.

This is a great way to help keep your Frenchie’s teeth clean, as your dog will enjoy chewing on it whilst benefiting from dental care.

If you don’t like the design of this, and to be honest it does look a bit “strange”, then you might also want to check out this Frenchie toothbrush chew from Arm and Hammer below. Click the image to see how much it costs.

Always use dog-friendly toothpaste!

As well as a decent French Bulldog toothbrush, you will also need the toothpaste. I’ve published a guide to toothpastes previously, but to save you the trouble, the product below is the best.

It’s vitally important that you don’t use human toothpaste as they will contain a toxic ingredient called xylitol that can make dogs very ill.

Frenchie teeth cleaning tips

Once you start regularly cleaning your Frenchie’s teeth with your new toothbrush, there are some things to look out for in their mouth. Vets recommend you start dental care from the puppy age, and then brush teeth daily.

I appreciate that brushing your Frenchie’s teeth everyday might not be practical, but as often as you can will mean you prolong their dental health.

Start by placing your finger gently into your Frenchie’s mouth, spreading some dog-friendly toothpaste onto his gums. Try this a few times, and then introduce the toothbrush instead of your finger – by this time he should be used to it!

Get used to lifting up your Frenchie’s lips so you can check on the health of his gums and teeth on a regular basis. The more you do this, and if started at a young age, the easier it’s going to be as your dog will get used to it.

There are some very obvious signs of dental disease you should check for when teeth brushing, including:

• Plaque and tartar deposits building up on the teeth.
• Discoloration of the gums.
• Discolored teeth.
• Damaged and bleeding gums.
• Foul smelling breath – here’s what it could mean.
• Receding gums and roots of the teeth showing.
• Your Frenchie has lost his appetite.
• Signs of blood in your Frenchie’s food bowl.

Conclusion

Using a good toothbrush and regularly brushing is imperative with Frenchies. As a brachycephalic breed, they can have poorly aligned jaws. This can mean a crowded mouth and teeth that need more attention than most due to dental disease.

The reason?

With a crowded mouth, food can get easily trapped in the back of your Frenchie’s mouth and be very hard to remove, even not flushing away when your dog drinks water.

Please get a good toothbrush and get started with brushing today. Even if you can’t do it once a day, try for at least a weekly brush.

You might also like…

I’ve previously written other guides to Frenchie dental issues which you can browse below:

• What to expect when your Frenchie puppy starts teething
• The percentage of Frenchies that will have health problems

The post The Best French Bulldog Toothbrush That Vets Recommend appeared first on French Bulldog Owner.

As a Frenchie owner, I’ve been through a few different French Bulldog toothpaste brands over the last 3 years, so know exactly what the best ones are. Unlike other websites, I am not going to give you long list of dog toothpastes, but instead just 2 that I’ve used and why I recommend them.

Vet approved toothpastes for French Bulldogs

The key is, to get a French Bulldog toothpaste that doesn’t just cure their bad breath, but also protects teeth and gums. Not all of them will do this, so you need to find a good 2 in 1 protection – plus something that your Frenchie won’t recoil at the taste with.

1. Vetoquinol Enzadent toothpaste

It’s the most expensive, but only because it’s in a pack of 3 toothpastes rather than 1. It’s the best Frenchie toothpaste we’ve used, for a number of reasons. Firstly, it tastes like chicken (not that I’ve tasted it), so your dog won’t be disgusted by it, and should look forward to having his teeth cleaned.

This toothpaste also doesn’t foam. French Bulldogs hate foaming toothpaste in their mouth, it drives them crazy and they just end up shaking their head, and the foam goes everywhere.

This product also offers an exceptional clean and polish and does your Frenchie no harm when swallowed – it’s the leading brand in enzymatic dog toothpastes and comes in a pack of 3 which should last all year.

2. Virbac enzymatic toothpaste

Virbac just comes in single packs, so works out at a similar price to my leading recommendation. But there’s a reason why this isn’t my top choice, and it’s purely down to personal experience… our Frenchie Claude didn’t get on with the taste.

Yes, it cleaned his teeth great, but he recoiled and struggled with the beef flavor – and we tried them all. And that’s the thing; most French Bulldog toothpastes are actually very similar and mostly just boil down to how your dog likes them.

It’s a great choice, and if your Frenchie likes beef over chicken, could be the right one for your pup – made in the USA, it is vet recommended as you would expect.

Handy Hint: Never use human toothpaste on your Frenchie! Our toothpaste contains xylitol which is toxic to dogs and can make them very ill.

Why use a dog toothpaste?

All dog owners should regularly brush their dog’s teeth, and Frenchies are no different.

Statistics around canine dental decay make for sobering reading; it’s said that more than 80% of dogs have dental disease once they reach three years old. Frenchies are particularly prone to teeth problems due to their shortened snout.

This characteristic makes their jaws become overcrowded with teeth, leading to persistent dental problems.

Just like with humans, tartar and plaque can build-up in your dog’s mouth, but can be prevented with regular teeth brushing and a quality dog toothpaste that is designed to be swallowed.

As well as a toothpaste, you can also give your Frenchie chew toys (here’s what I recommend). When dogs chew toys, it can help to reduce and remove tartar and plaque. There are also some special treats you can use.

If you click the image below, that will take your directly through to one of the best Frenchie teeth cleaning chew toys that money can buy (on Amazon).

Getting your Frenchie used to toothpaste

The first time you try and brush your Frenchie’s teeth, he will probably resist. It’s to be expected as it’s an entirely new and strange sensation for them. However, with a little practice, and a great tasting flavor, you should be able to get them used to it.

With Claude, I started off by rubbing the Frenchie toothpaste into his teeth and gums first over the space of a week. This got him used to me going in his mouth and let him get used to the taste.

Handy Hint: I have also written a guide to the best Frenchie toothbrushes that we use plus one that’s great for a puppy who won’t sit still!

Conclusion

It’s imperative that you keep your Frenchie’s teeth clean. Not only can it help with their notoriously bad breath, but will help reduce the risk of periodontal disease.

Doggy toothpastes are designed to scrub the teeth, which washes away the plaque, plus enzymes to reduce bacteria – which is why you should always choose a product labelled as “enzymatic”.

You might also like…

Here are some other teeth health related articles that can help you help your Frenchie:

• The Frenchie puppy teething guide
• When Frenchies lose their baby teeth

The post Best French Bulldog Toothpaste Recommended by Vets appeared first on French Bulldog Owner.

We don’t let our French sleep with us for a number of reasons. But that doesn’t mean we don’t let him come onto our bed. He does in the evening, but when it’s time to go to sleep, I take him downstairs to the kitchen where his bed is – it’s the only way we can get some sleep at night!

Should I let my Frenchie sleep with me?

I am not a fan of letting dogs sleep in my bed, so would say no to letting our Frenchie sleep with us.

You might not agree, but here are my personal reasons for not letting our Frenchie sleep in our bed:

1. The snoring is far too much

Frenchies are infamous for their snoring habits, and once they get going the noise can increase in volume until it’s unbearable. Unless your completely deaf, the snoring will keep you up all night.

Claude’s snoring gets so bad that we can’t even watch TV in our bedroom at night, and I will take him down early, and way before when his bedtime should be!

If you can’t get to sleep due to your Frenchie’s snoring, here are 19 tips on how to stop it (as much as you can at least!). Check out this video on our Frenchie YouTube channel of how bad it can get!

2. The fart smells are overwhelming

Nobody wants to sleep with snorer, but a farting dog is possibly even worse!

When a French Bulldog is sleeping in your bed it’s almost like a stinking time bomb waiting to go off.

Personally, I can’t get to sleep knowing that at any given moment I could get woken up by the foulest stench stinging my nostrils.

3. They take up way too much room

Frenchies might be a small and medium sized dog breed, but when they stretch themselves out in that funny frog-legged sleeping position, you’ve got no chance of being comfortable.

They are space invaders!

To see examples of how Frenchies sit down and lie down funny, check out these photos.

4. They will shed lots of hair

One of the worst things about French Bulldogs sleeping in your bed is the hair they shed. Frenchies do shed a lot, and despite what you might have heard, they are not hypoallergenic either.

This can make them very bad for allergies sufferers. The hairs get literally everywhere, especially when your Frenchies tries to burrow under the covers like this.

5. They can leave nasty surprises on your bed linen

Frenchies cannot clean their own bum (you will need to wipe them sometimes) which means sometimes there will be little nuggets occasionally left behind, on their behind.

This means you can get the odd little surprise on your bed. It could drop off and be found when you least expect it, or your Frenchie might decide to drag his bum over the white sheets.

It’s enough of a reason to not let your Frenchie start sleeping in your bed unless your 100% certain there’s nothing left behind after his last poop.

6. They are like little furnaces

Frenchies can keep you too warm in the winter, but in the summer months these guys are like little furnaces.

Claude sleeps at the foot of our bed in the evening whilst we watch TV, and my feet get insanely warm off him. I won’t want that amount of heat in my bed when I try to get off to sleep at night.

7. They don’t respect your privacy

And finally, do you value your privacy?

You might, but a Frenchie won’t…. meaning you could have a Frenchie pushing his face into your romantic liaisons. The bad breath alone is a turn off, let alone having a pair of beady eyes watching you get up to your business!

Handy Hint: I’ve put 21 signs to look out for if you want to know your dog truly respects you.

What the experts say

Other than my personal reasons above, there is no reason why you shouldn’t let your Frenchie sleep in your bed, it’s an entirely personal decision.

Providing your dog is safe, and there’s no risk of suffocation, then why not. It’s a great way to bond and will probably bring you and your Frenchie closer together – it’s not for me though.

What I quickly wanted to also do was see what the experts say about dogs sleeping in their human’s beds, as there are some polar opinions on this.

To get what I believe to be an expert opinion, I looked on the American Kennel Club website, and here’s what they say:

“There are some health concerns related to co-sleeping with your dog. Human allergies can be aggravated. There is also the risk of transmission of disease, from both the dog to the human and the human to the dog. However, such transmission is rare. Quality of sleep can also be affected. Previous studies have shown that owners sharing a bed with their pet report greater sleep disturbances than people whose pets did not sleep in their bed.”

So, perhaps it’s not a good idea?

Well, it might not be the case, as the AKC wrap up their article I reference with this statement:

“Studies have shown many physical and mental health advantages to owning a pet, and co-sleeping increases the amount of time spent with that pet, potentially increasing those benefits.”

Can my French Bulldog sleep in my bed?

It’s entirely a personal choice. We don’t let our Frenchie sleep in our bed, but I know owners who are fine with. Some reasons you might let them sleep with you include:

1.  They are suffering with separation anxiety

Frenchies are notorious for suffering with separation anxiety. It can develop for a number of reasons, and I’ve published a guide on how to deal with it.

However, you might have to cave in sometimes when it’s bad, and give them the love and security they need from cuddling up close to you at night.

2. They won’t stop crying in their crate

Nightly crate tears are closely related to separation anxiety, but are mainly an issue with young puppies who are spending their first few nights in a new home.

When Claude used to cry as a puppy, it was heart-breaking, and we did buckle at times and go get him. We’d then let him sleep in our bed for the night.

But the key was to not make a habit of it. Frenchies develop habits very quickly, and we always knew we did not want our dog sleeping with us every night.

3. You or they are cold at night

If it’s cold at night, a Frenchie can keep you warm. These little furballs get very hot, and it’s almost like having your own live and kicking hot water bottle.

Can French Bulldogs sleep alone?

Providing you have trained your Frenchie from a young age I don’t see any reason why your French Bulldog can’t sleep alone.

Claude sleeps down in our kitchen with all the doors shut. His bed is in a corner, and he will often share it with our cat.

Our cat is often out all night, so Claude the Frenchie will sleep alone half of the time. Other nights the cat will curl up in bed with him.

In my guide to night time crate crying, I explain how hard it was when we first had Claude as a puppy. It took us some time to get him used to sleeping by himself.

Conclusion

Letting your Frenchie in your bed is entirely a personal choice. I don’t mind our dog being on the end of our bed for a few hours in the evening, but when I need sleep, he’s got to go to his own bed downstairs.

Where French Bulldogs should sleep is something that divides opinion; and there really is no right or wrong answer!

I’ve previously written a guide into how much sleep Frenchies need. It gives some valuable insight into how their sleep patterns might be compatible or not with your own – which could be the decider on whether you let your French Bulldog sleep in your bed with you!

You might also like…

• Why your dog has suddenly become so clingy

The post French Bulldog Wants to Sleep in Your Bed: 7 Reasons to Say No appeared first on French Bulldog Owner.

But here’s the thing; there isn’t a standard size for French Bulldog harness sizes, because all Frenchies are different. Males tend to be bigger than females, some are stockier, some skinnier. No one sizes fits all. So what should you do…

What size harness for a French Bulldog puppy? As a general rule of thumb, a small size is best for a puppy, and a medium size is a good fitting harness that works best for an adult Frenchie. You should also measure first though so you get the correct fit.

The moral of the story; don’t rush out and buy one straight away.

If you can firstly measure your French Bulldog for a harness you will save yourself time and money. It’s very easy to get it wrong. The unique shapes of Frenchies means harnesses can either slip off easily or be too tight under their front legs.

Here’s how you do it…

How to measure a French Bulldog for a harness

1. Get a measuring tape

You will find that many French Bulldog harness sizes are based on the weight of your dog. Whilst this can give you a rough idea it’s not always accurate.

By measuring your Frenchie’s dimensions, you will be able to get the harness size that works best.

2. Measure across the chest

Pull the tape measure behind your Frenchie’s front armpits, so it wraps around and under their chest and then over their back.

You should then measure the width of the chest where it is at the widest which is usually an inch or two back from the armpits.

Make a note of the chest dimensions but add 3 inches on top because you ideally want room for them to grow into the harness size if this is a puppy.

3. Measure neck size

Some French Bulldog harnesses will also fit over the head so you will need to take a note of your dog’s neck circumference.

Loosely run the tape measure around the neck to get a size in inches or centimeters.

4. Weigh your Frenchie

Next weigh your Frenchie on scales… and yes, I know it’s hard to make them stand still but don’t worry. All you do is hold your French Bulldog and stand on the scales and make a note of your combined weight.

Then put your Frenchie down and stand back on the scales to get your weight; the difference between the two being how much your dog weighs.

You now know what size harness for a French Bulldog puppy. Most of the harnesses will be sold according to the chest measurement, neck size, and the weight of your dog.

Handy Hint: Click here to see which are the best harnesses for a French Bulldog according to the ones we’ve used since Claude was a puppy. 

Two recommended harness sizes 

If you don’t want to read that guide in full, here are 2 harnesses I recommend for the puppy and adult years:

• Best harness for a puppy
• Best harness for an adult

What harness works best for a French Bulldog?

Now you have the right size noted down, you could select from either of two I recommend above (both are excellent products). However, if you’re in a store right now and need some guidance, here are the features you should look out for:

• Choose a harness with a front clip if you have a Frenchie that likes to pull.
• Choose a harness with a back clip if your Frenchie doesn’t pull when walking.
• Is the harness the right size so it can get over your Frenchie’s head (if an over the head model).
• Choose a harness with adjustments points to allow for growth and weight gain or weight loss.
• Make sure the harness is the right size to not be tight around the throat and neck.
• If you cannot find an exact size harness, always go for the slightly larger one as you can then adjust it back down.

Quick reference guide for Frenchie harness sizes

If you’re looking at the best-selling harnesses, then two brands that spring to mind are Ruffwear and K9. Here’s how their sizes work with Frenchies.

What size Ruffwear harness for a French Bulldog?

As with any harness, the size you buy will depend on what measurements you record. However, for some general rules of thumb, here are what Frenchie owners say on social media:

“We have a small girl French Bulldog who is 18 months old, weighing about 10 kilos. We bought the small Ruffwear harness for her when she was a year old, and it was a bit loose to start with, but now the perfect size.”

“I use the medium sized Ruffwear harness on my average size male French Bulldog. I love it, and my dog appreciates the extra comfort levels offered.”

What size K9 harness for a French Bulldog?

I cannot reiterate enough why you should always measure your French Bulldog for a harness so you don’t waste money and time. But here are some comments I found from owners on the Julius K9 harnesses.

“I bought the size zero for my female French Bulldog who weighs about 18 kg. It’s the perfect fit for her and works really well.”

“We own two Frenchies who both wear the mini Julius K9 harnesses, but I know other male Frenchies who are larger and might need bigger.”

Conclusion

Once you’ve got the harness size that works best for your Frenchie, please take the time to check out my training guides for using your leash:

• How to leash train stubborn Frenchies
• How to stop Frenchies pulling on a leash
• Frenchie walking and exercise limits

The post French Bulldog Harness Sizes + How to Measure for What Works Best appeared first on French Bulldog Owner.