If you have a French Bulldog like us, then you can attest to the fact that they’re the most curious of companions. They are always turning the house upside down for one thing or another, especially when there’s some food involved – and cheese is no exception.
We found out that our Frenchie loves to eat cheese when some was dropped on the floor, but our immediate response was to research into how safe it was for him to eat. Here’s what we found out plus what our vet told us.
Can French Bulldogs eat cheese? Most Frenchies can eat cheese as it contains goodness such as calcium and protein. However, some could react badly if they are lactose intolerant or have sensitive stomachs. It best used as a treat sparingly, and you should let them eat a small amount first and monitor for any negative reaction over a 24 hour period.
Before you go off and start feeding your French Bulldog cheese, please continue reading as there are some which could be very bad for their health.
Is cheese good for a French Bulldog?
Cheese can be an excellent addition to your Frenchie’s diet because of the abundance of protein, calcium, vitamins, and essential fatty acids. That said, you should know that it depends on your dog.
Some Frenchies can digest certain cheese without any problems, while some, especially those that are lactose intolerant, can have their stomach profoundly bothered by even the tiniest amounts.
As owners, it is really up to us to study our furry companions and how they react to certain foods; this will help in diet planning and general caregiving.
Calcium
Cheese contains calcium, which which can be great for a dog’s bone growth. This is particularly true for younger dogs, as puppies in early stages of growth (usually between 1-4 months) need all the help they can get.
Calcium is the most abundant minerals in dogs, and Frenchies are not an exception. It is an essential nutrient that is necessary for their overall health.
A dog’s skeletal system contains most of the calcium in the body. Having calcium in their diet can really help, particularly given the genetic make-up of this breed where their upper body needs to be carried continuously by small but sturdy limbs.
Calcium also plays a vital role in their cells.
Calcium helps with processes such as muscle contraction of and the transmission of signals and nerves.
If you’ve ever found your French Bulldog to be lethargic and weak, and your vet couldn’t find any illness, your little friend could be calcium deficient.
Vitamins
Cheese also contains a fair amount of vitamins. Specifically, it contains Vitamin A, B, and D.
Taking vitamin A for example; this includes contains a group of unsaturated organic compounds. For the more scientific amongst you, those compounds include names such as retinol and retinal.
While vitamin A has many functions, it is known to be vital for the growth and development of your pup as it can help to keep the immune system health and help with vision. Plus, it can support the health of other internal organs too.
Vitamin B (the pyridoxine), helps their bodies make new red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout their system.
On the other hand, Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium phosphate, and other compounds important for their health. A lack of Vitamin D results in bone pain and muscle weakness.
I’m sure by now; you must have asked yourself why there’s so much information here about the individual compounds found in ordinary cheese. The idea is to give you an idea of the benefits of feeding your Frenchie cheese.
What cheese is best for a French Bulldog?
When it comes to feeding Frenchies cheese, there are some types of cheese recommended, and some you’re explicitly told to avoid. This is to enable your Frenchie to stay healthy and have a long life.
For that to happen, your French Bulldog needs to maintain a low-fat, low-sodium diet, which translates to not eating much cheese.
Some kinds of cheese come with recommendations from experienced vets and Frenchie owners. These varieties tend to have low lactose content and moderate Fats in them.
Some include:
- Colby cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Swiss cheese
Can French Bulldogs eat cottage cheese?
Yes, Frenchies can eat cottage cheese and in fact it is considered one of the best cheeses to feed your furry friend.
Of all the various types of cheese, cottage cheese is the least harmful as it contains the lowest amounts of fat than other kinds of cheese.
It’s also a good source of protein if your Frenchie suffers from protein-losing enteropathy (an intestinal complication caused by a lack of protein components in Frenchies).
Handy Hint: You might be interested in the essential guide to French Bulldog health problems which details all the ailments our beloved breed can suffer from.
Cheese not recommended for Frenchies
However, there are some types of cheese that you should never feed your French Bulldog. The rule of thumb is fatty, creamy cheese, and cheese that contains herbs or food items like garlic can cause intestinal upset.
If your Frenchie isn’t lucky enough, it might even lead to death. So, take my advice, there is no need to experiment with your buddy’s life here.
Below is a list of a few types of cheese to avoid:
Blue Cheese, Roquefort, and other French cheeses
It is advisable that Frenchie owners stay away from these types of cheeses because of their high-fat content.
Also, when blue cheese starts to get super-ripe, it can produce roquefortine, which is a potentially lethal toxin for Frenchies to consume.
Finally, these types of cheeses tend to contain the most substantial amount of sodium compared to others.
Some owners feed very minute quantities to their dogs, but this is very dangerous and might cause severe complications for your Frenchie. It is essential to stay away from these cheeses altogether.
Handy Hint: For a comprehensive list of all the worst foods you can feed a Frenchie, check out this list of 25 toxic human foods that will make your dog sick.
Cheese with herbs, garlic, or other flavorings
Under this category, there is cheese, like Havarti, or even cream cheese herbs that contain herbs or garlic used to enhance the flavor. At all costs, try to keep these out of your dog’s reach.
The reason is, the additives on these types of cheese are dangerous to your Frenchie.
Garlic, onions, and other spices are very dangerous for Frenchies.
As previously stated, this dog breed have susceptible digestive systems, and it would be wise to avoid any potentially hazardous food, regardless of how pleasant the aroma is, as it would be in the best interest of your Frenchie to do so.
Brie, Goats cheese and Feta cheese
This category of cheese varieties is known to be notoriously lethal to Frenchies. They contain one of the highest levels of saturated fat levels of any cheese.
Saturated fat can be hazardous to Frenchies, especially for their hearts, and general blood circulation around their bodies.
The ironic thing is that they taste very delicious, and as much as you want your dog to savor the taste, it would be wise to keep it away from them at all cost.
Excessive amounts of this kind of fat can lead to pancreatitis, a severe and usually life-threatening condition in dogs, and worse in Frenchies.
Conclusion
They cause much trouble for their size, don’t they?
Sometimes, it’s a tedious affair watching over these adorable creatures. They make perfect companion but often find themselves in trouble.
For instance, imagine your Frenchie eating a load of grass and then throwing up hours later on your carpet. Not that grass is bad for them, but hey, too much of everything is.
Now, I’m sure you’ve seen them eat a lot of other things, but can they eat cheese? The short answer is yes; they can. However, is anything ever that simple and straightforward?
One thing Frenchies like to do is try to get a piece of what you’re eating — every time. Sometimes I think in their heads, they’re probably thinking “if he can eat it, so can I”, but that’s not the case most of the time.
Frenchies have very sensitive stomachs, and feeding them just anything can be detrimental to their health.
Some foods have been observed to be very harmful to Frenchies.
Foods like chocolate (see the signs of poisoning), raw bread dough, grapes (find out how toxic they can be), and raisins, etc. cause breathing difficulties, can lead to kidney damage, which is very prominent among French Bulldogs.
However, there are some types of food your Frenchie can eat, that will not affect their health. One of these is cheese as long as it’s in moderation and not the wrong type.
Cheese can be a delicious supplement for their diet. Frenchies will pretty much do flips for cheese. They love it.
So, as with any human type food, do your research first, talk with a vet, and only feed non-dog suitable foods to your pet if safe to eat and in moderation.