The truth is, dogs don’t really need to eat vegetables if fed on a complete and balanced diet from their daily dog food. However, Frenchies love to eat everything (and anything), so it’s not uncommon for us owners to let our pooches have the occasional veggie.
Can French Bulldogs eat vegetables? French Bulldogs can eat certain vegetables, but only as a small part of their diet. Vets recommend that vegetables in a Frenchie’s diet are only fed as low-calorie snack, making up no more than 10% of their daily food. However, some vegetables are actually poisonous and toxic for Frenchies.
Vegetables can be good for French Bulldogs but should only ever be fed as an occasional treat or snack. In fact, some veggies can be a lot healthier than most of the snacks you see for sale in your pet store.
Being low in calories, vegetables can help you to maintain your Frenchie’s weight. But don’t give them “just” vegetables, and in fact, limit the amount of veg to just 10% of their daily calorie intake.
However, as with anything your feed your Frenchie, monitor for diarrhoea and choking. If your dog has any history of allergies, I would err on the side of caution completely.
And above all, remember I am not a vet, so please always consult with a professional before adding anything into your Frenchie’s diet. Everything here is based on my own online research of what vets say.
But do French Bulldogs like vegetables?
I can only talk from personal experience with our own Frenchie, Claude. He’s a huge lover of veggies and we will occasionally let him eat some steamed carrots leftover from our own dinner.
Claude the Frenchie does like vegetables, so I decided to research online vet websites to see what the safe veggies are, and how they should be fed.
I hope you enjoy my research below which explains what vegetables are good for French Bulldogs and which ones you should avoid completely. Some are toxic including onions, garlic, shallots and other members of the Allium food family.
Vegetables for French Bulldogs
In this list you can find out what the best vegetables for French Bulldogs are. Some are good, some are not; so please do read each section in full. There are some of these veggies which come with a warning; either regards to choking, allergic reactions, or even toxicity.
Artichokes
French Bulldogs can eat artichokes, but only in moderation and without any additional or harmful additions to the recipe. The hearts, leaves, stem are fine in small portions, but should not form part of their regular diet in large amounts.
Artichokes contain a lot of nutrients that can be very healthy for a Frenchie including vitamin C, folic acid, magnesium and fiber. Some vets even say that artichokes can help with Frenchie farts and irritable bowels.
As an antioxidant, artichoke could help defend against cancers, heart problems, and their boost their immune system.
If you do decide to feed artichoke to your French Bulldog, take off the outer leaves, make sure it’s raw, and cut it into very small pieces to avoid choking. Don’t garnish or season it with salts, peppers, or garlic.
Asparagus
French Bulldogs can eat asparagus safely, as it is not toxic to dogs. However, asparagus stalks can be very tough and chewy, so chop it up into small bits, and cook it lightly before feeding it to your Frenchie.
Raw asparagus could lead to diarrhoea, flatulence, and vomiting as it can be hard to digest if it’s tough and not sliced up into smaller pieces.
As with any other vegetables on this list that Frenchies can eat safely, don’t add any other ingredients to the asparagus. Butter is something to avoid completely.
But please note; the asparagus fern is toxic to dogs. If you’re growing the asparagus yourself, make sure you completely remove the toxic fern part first. This won’t be found in shop bought asparagus.
It’s also worth mentioning that if your French Bulldog does eat asparagus, his urine may smell funny. It’s exactly the same with humans, but you shouldn’t find this an issue providing your Frenchie is potty trained or urinates outdoors.
Aubergine (eggplant)
Most French Bulldogs can eat eggplant and aubergine safely, as long as it’s fed in moderation. If you do decide to feed aubergine and eggplant to your Frenchie, only do so in small amount as a treat.
Eggplant is part of the nightshade family, which is a common cause of allergies in both humans and dogs. You should also closely monitor your Frenchie in case of an allergic reaction.
For me, I would completely avoid feeding aubergine to a Frenchie as then you won’t be taking any risks. There are other vegetables for a French Bulldog you should try instead.
However, if you do decide to let your Frenchie eat eggplant, it could be very healthy for them. Aubergine contains phytonutrients that help to battle diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and neurological problems.
It’s also packed full of vitamins like B6 and K, plus essential minerals like potassium, folate, and niacin.
Beans
French Bulldogs can eat many different types of bean, but there are some that can be toxic to their health. Green beans are the safest and healthiest as they contain antioxidants, iron, potassium, proteins, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and K.
The beans to avoid feeding to your Frenchie are baked beans, canned beans, fava beans, and raw red kidney beans.
Due to the large amount of different bean types, I’ve created another guide all about Frenchies eating beans which goes into more detail on what’s safe and what’s not.
Beetroot
French Bulldogs can eat beets and beetroot safely, but as with all Frenchie vegetables in their diet, keep beetroot in moderation. This vegetable contains lots of healthy elements such as fiber, folate, manganese, potassium and vitamin C which are said to be good for a Frenchie’s coat.
Beetroots are not toxic, and the ASPCA (US equivalent of the RSPCA) have actually written a guide on their website (view here) about how beets are OK for Frenchies and dogs.
Beetroot is best served cooked and mashed or you could even shred it over their normal food or kibble.
Broccoli
French Bulldogs can eat broccoli, whether it’s in a raw or cooked form. As with other vegetables a French Bulldog can eat, broccoli should be served with no seasoning or butter added. This vegetable is high in vitamin C and fiber, plus very low in fat, making it a health snack alternative.
However, it might not be worth the risk, as broccoli florets contain isothiocyanates. These are known to cause gastric irritation in dogs.
If you do let your Frenchie eat broccoli, make sure it’s only 10% of their daily calories. Anything more than 25% can be toxic to them. It can also present a choking hazard if raw and in large chunks, so serve it very small and always cooked first.
Brussel sprouts
French Bulldogs can eat Brussel sprouts as long as they are fed in moderation. However, sprouts are known to be one of the vegetables that produce the greatest amount of flatulence, so it’s not something I would let my farting Frenchie eat!
Sprouts are a healthy treat that Frenchies could eat and get some benefit from. They contain vitamins and fiber plus antioxidants that help fight damage to your dog’s cells.
Back to the farting though… Brussel sprouts do help with bowel movements, so your Frenchie will be smelling a lot after eating them. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though, as providing you can put up with the stink, it could actually help their colon health.
Brussels are also rich in vitamin K which aids healthy bones, plus minerals such as potassium and manganese which helps build up muscle protein.
Butternut squash
French Bulldogs can eat butternut squash safely providing you don’t let them eat the seeds and skin (these can cause blockages in their digestive system). All types of squash are okay for Frenchies to eat and are even said to help them get over diarrhoea.
Feed your Frenchie butternut squash by cutting it up into small chunks, remove the skin, peel, and seeds, then steam and mash it up and combine with their normal diet. Don’t feed raw butternut squash to your Frenchie.
Squashes contain healthy elements such as vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. These elements are said to help with their eyesight, colon, immune system, muscle development, and more.
Cabbage
French Bulldogs can eat cabbage, be it black, Danish, green, purple, red, savoy, or Tuscan cabbage. This vegetable is said to help your dog’s digestion, can be good for their skin, and could even help to fight cancers.
However, don’t feed large amounts of cabbage to your Frenchie. Cabbage contains a naturally occurring compound called thiocyanate. Vets say this can suppress their thyroid gland and could lead to hypothyroidism.
By cooking the cabbage thoroughly, you can eliminate the thiocyanate. Either steam or boil it, and then shred it into small parts to add to their daily calorie intake.
Cauliflower
French Bulldogs can eat cauliflower, but I would recommend you don’t feed it to them raw. This vegetable is good for French Bulldogs as long as it’s been steamed, boiled, or roasted first as this will eliminate the gassy qualities.
However, many recipes such as cauliflower cheese will contains onion and garlic, both of which are toxic to dogs. So if you do feed your Frenchie cauliflower, make sure it’s in the plain form of just the vegetable with no seasonings or dairy elements.
Carrots
French Bulldogs can eat carrots, but they should be cut into small and edible chunks before serving. Calories are a healthy snack alternative that contain high fiber amounts whilst being low in calories.
You can feed your Frenchie raw or cooked carrots. To find out more about this safe Frenchie vegetable, read this guide.
Celeriac
French Bulldogs can eat celeriac or celery root. Celeriac is packed full of goodness including vitamin K, and the minerals calcium, copper, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.
However, celeriac should only be fed in very small quantities as it has a higher than average sugar content for a veggie. As a carbohydrate, it can also cause a lot of bloating and gas… and as we know, Frenchies are prone to farting (so possibly one to avoid).
Celery
French Bulldogs can eat celery but I wouldn’t let them eat too much of it. Celery is known to cause increased urination so if you live in an apartment, it could mean more trips outdoors and an uncomfortable pooch.
Interestingly, too much celery can cause dogs to urinate a great deal more than usual. But cut into small, chewable, digestible pieces — with the leaves removed— celery is okay for dogs in limited amounts.
Celery is safe for dogs though and will often be recommended by vets to help aid a Frenchie with weight loss. It’s an excellent source of fiber and vitamins and could even lead to your Frenchie having fresher breath due to the way in which it’s chewed.
However, I would recommend you feed celery to your Frenchie in very small amounts and cut it up into bite-sized chunks to prevent choking.
Fennel
French Bulldogs can eat fennel as it’s a safe vegetable that comes packed full of vitamins A and C, plus calcium, iron, and potassium. Vets say that fennel can also help battle your Frenchie’s bad breath, indigestion, and flatulence – what’s not to love about fennel!
Fennel is also said to improve bowel movement, calm a dog’s digestive system, contains antioxidants, and keep your Frenchie strong and healthy.
Some dog owners will boil up fennel seeds and then mix the fennel water into their pup’s normal food. In fact, some dog foods and flea treatments actually include this awesome vegetable for Frenchies.
Garlic (toxic: do not feed)
French Bulldogs should not eat garlic! This vegetable is part of the Allium family, the same as chives, onions, and leeks and is poisonous to dogs. To re-iterate, garlic is poisonous to French Bulldogs and you should never let them eat it.
Before you panic, it’s large amounts of garlic that can be toxic to a French Bulldog, so if they have eaten a small amount off the floor, chances are they will be fine. But if in any doubt whatsoever, and your see vomiting or diarrhoea, please consult with your vet immediately.
Garlic poisoning might not be obvious until a few days after your Frenchie has eaten it, so look out for signs such as:
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhoea
- Drooling
- Increased respiratory rate
- Lethargy
- Nausea
- Pale gums
- Vomiting
Ginger
French Bulldogs can eat ginger in small doses. Ginger contains antioxidants which are said to help with motion sickness, circulation of their blood, bloating, and gastrointestinal problems. Ginger is also an anti-inflammatory vegetable so could help a Frenchie with arthritis.
Only feed your Frenchie raw ginger, perhaps sprinkled on top of their normal food. I would not recommend anything more than one teaspoon of ginger a day.
Don’t let your Frenchie eat gingerbread, ginger cookies, or ginger snaps. These will be high in sugar and are particularly bad for weight gain and dog’s that could be prone to developing diabetes.
Herbs and spices
French Bulldogs can eat some herbs and spices in moderation, but there will be some that will be dangerous. Below you can see the safe herbs and spices followed by the ones which could be toxic to dogs.
Safe list (only in small amounts)
- Anise
- Basil (can help with arthritis, mood, stress, and anxiety)
- Cayenne pepper
- Chamomile
- Chia seeds (contain essential Omega oils)
- Cinnamon (is an anti-inflammatory and could counteract diabetes)
- Coriander
- Dill (is said to reduce flatulence)
- Fennel
- Ginger
- Mint
- Oregano
- Parsley (can flush toxins from your Frenchie’s body)
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
- Turmeric (could boost metabolism and help with weight loss)
Toxic list (do not feed)
- Cocoa powder (read more about the toxicity of chocolate)
- Comfrey
- Garlic
- Nutmeg
- Pennyroyal
- Salt
Kale (do not feed)
French Bulldogs should not eat Kale. Whilst that might counter a lot of other advice you have seen online from pet bloggers who call this a doggy superfood, I prefer to listen to real life vet websites.
I’ve found vets online who say that kale could cause kidney and bladder stones. Here’s one example of why you should not feed your Frenchie kale courtesy of the the MSPCA.
“Kale might be nutritious for humans but keep it away from your dogs. Lots of pet owners have started feeding kale ribs to their dogs as a treat, but kale is high in calcium oxalate, which can cause health issues including kidney and bladder stones. Most dogs can recover at home with medication; however, hospitalization and supportive care may be necessary to aid recovery.”
Leeks (do not feed)
French Bulldogs should not eat leeks. Just like garlic which I reference earlier, leeks are part of the Allium family, and can be poisonous and toxic to dogs. Just a small amount of leek can damage your Frenchie’s red blood cells, leading to a decrease in blood oxygen.
For details on what to look out for, scroll up to see my notes on garlic.
Lettuce
French Bulldogs can eat lettuce, and in fact, it’s one of the best vegetables for Frenchies. Lettuce is packed full of vitamins A, C, and K all of which should be in a doggy diet. It’s also a low-calorie snack that can aid digestion and provide fiber.
However, how the health benefits of lettuce very much depend on how you feed it to your Frenchie. For example, raw lettuce will be better for them, but don’t give it to them with any dressing or vinaigrette on it.
Mushrooms (do not feed)
French Bulldogs can eat certain types of mushrooms, but only specific ones which is why I recommend you leave them off the table completely. Whilst mushrooms do have health benefits such as vitamins and protein in them, some have high toxicity levels.
All it takes it letting your Frenchie eat the wrong type of mushroom for problems to develop. Mushroom poisoning can lead to death in worst cases, with seizures and organ failure a real possibility.
Mushrooms that are poisonous to dogs include (courtesy of PetMd.com):
- Liver toxic mushrooms: Amanita phalloides (Death Cap Mushroom), Amanita ocreata (Angel of Death), Lepiota (False Parasol), and Galerina.
- Hallucinogenic mushrooms: Conocybe, Gymnopilus, Psilocybe, and Panaeolus.
- Toadstool mushrooms: Amanita pantherina (Panther Cap) and Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric).
- Mushrooms containing muscarinic agents: Inocybe and Clitocybe.
- False Morel mushrooms: Gyromitra esculenta (Beefsteak), Gyromitra caroliniana, mushrooms in the Verpa genre, mushrooms in the Helvella genre.
- Mushrooms that cause gastrointestinal distress: Boletus, Chlorophyllum, and Entolomo.
Onions (do not feed)
French Bulldogs should not eat onions. Just like leeks and garlic, onions can be toxic and poisonous in large amounts. It doesn’t matter if they are raw or cooked, Frenchies should not be fed any form of onion.
However, the toxicity level of onions is dependent on the size of your dog and how much they ate. If in doubt, consult with your vet.
To be honest, a small piece of onion that falls to the floor and gets gobbled up is probably fine, but it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry so seek professional advice.
Parsnip and swede
French Bulldogs can eat parsnips and swede. These root vegetables are safe for Frenchies and contains good stuff like vitamins B6 and C, plus folic acid and potassium. These vegetables are good as they are said to help metabolism and even kidney function.
As with all the veggies on this list, cooked or raw parsnips or swede should only be fed to a Frenchie in moderation. I suggest chopping them up fine and sprinkling them on your dog’s normal food.
Peas
French Bulldogs can eat peas as they are a good source of vitamins. In fact, peas are often found in commercially available dog food. Frozen peas, snow peas, sugar snap peas, garden, and English peas are fine, but avoid canned peas.
The reason you should avoid feeding canned peas to your Frenchie is due to the added salts that the peas will often be soaked in. If you do feed them tinned peas, make sure you rinse them first, and even boil them up to remove any sodium traces.
Peas contain good ingredients including A, K, and B vitamins, plus are rich in protein and high in fiber… all of which can improve eye, heart, and skin health.
Peppers
French Bulldogs can eat peppers, but in moderation. Peppers are safe to eat and can be a crunchy and healthy snack. However, peppers of the spicy variety such as jalapeno or chili peppers should be avoided at all costs. Spicy peppers will upset your Frenchie’s stomach and result in vomiting.
Peppers of the green, yellow, and red variety are ok for Frenchies to eat, and contain a lot of vitamin C. Red bell peppers are the healthiest as they contain the most vitamin A and C, so it’s fine to place these in your Frenchie’s bowl.
Never feed your Frenchie peppers that have been exposed to seasoning, salt, or garlic and onion. For example, a fajita mix could contain some of the elements that are toxic to dogs.
To prepare pepper for your Frenchie, ideally you should steam and puree them to remove the outer skin. This skin can be quite tough for the to chew and digest.
Here are the most popular peppers with some quick guidance.
- Bell peppers (safe in small quantities)
- Cayenne pepper (do not feed)
- Chili peppers (do not feed)
- Jalapeno peppers (do not feed)
- Paprika peppers (do not feed)
- Red and yellow peppers (safe in small quantities)
- Tabasco pepper (do not feed)
Potato (do not feed)
French Bulldogs should not eat raw potato. Potatoes contain an element called solanine which can be toxic to some dogs in large quantities. It should definitely be avoided with diabetic Frenchies.
However, you can feed your Frenchie small amounts of cooked or boiled potato as the cooking process will destroy most of the solanine. But to be on the safe side, it’s not something I would let our Frenchie eat, and that includes chips, French fries, and crisps.
I wrote a larger guide about why this vegetable that could be bad for your Frenchie, so please read that for full details.
Pumpkin
French Bulldogs can eat pumpkin safely providing you don’t feed them the stem, leaves, and seeds. The pumpkin should also be cooked too, as raw pumpkin will be hard for a Frenchie to digest.
The best way to feed pumpkin to a French Bulldog is to choose the canned variety that is then cooked up, made soft, and not containing any pumpkin seeds, spices, and sugars.
Pumpkin is low in calories, high in fiber, and could even aid with weight loss if it’s used to replace a part of their daily kibble. It also includes iron, beta carotene, potassium, and vitamin A, all of which are healthy and good for a dog in moderation.
Radish
French Bulldogs can eat radish in small portions. Radish is a great source of fibre, potassium, and vitamin C which can support digestion, the immune system, and even your Frenchie’s muscle growth.
With a rough exterior, radishes can also help to keep your Frenchie’s teeth cleaner as it will shift plaque and other food traces. However, I recommend small portions that are sliced thinly to avoid any risk of choking.
Rhubarb (do not feed)
French Bulldogs can eat rhubarb stems safely, but the leaves are toxic to dogs. Based on that, I don’t recommend you let your Frenchie eat rhubarb to stay completely on the safe side. Dogs that eat rhubarb leaves will become ill, with excessive saliva, lethargy, and possible kidney failure.
Whilst the majority of rhubarb you buy in the store won’t have the leaves on, it’s not worth the risk in my view.
I also don’t recommend you let your Frenchie eat rhubarb crumble, rhubarb pie, rhubarb jam, or rhubarb yoghurt due to the high levels of sugar.
Shallots (do not feed)
French Bulldogs should not eat shallots. Shallots, just like onions, are part of the Allium family which is a vegetable group known to be toxic to dogs.
Shallots and onions are known to damage the red blood cells of dogs, leading to some serious health problems if eaten in large amounts. If your Frenchie has eaten part of a shallot that fell to the floor, he will probably be ok, but I’d check with your vet if he starts to show sign of illness.
Spinach
French Bulldogs can eat spinach but only in very small amounts. Spinach contains oxalates that can cause kidney damage in super large quantities, so should only be a very occasional and small snack in addition to their main meal.
If your dog has kidney problems, I would avoid feeding him spinach at all. If you want to feed your Frenchie spinach, it can be good due to the high vitamin content but just make sure it’s steamed, a very small portion, and doesn’t have any herbs, oils, or spices added.
Sweetcorn
French Bulldogs can eat sweetcorn and it’s actually used as a filler in many commercial dog foods. However, it’s very high in carbohydrates and sugars so should be a small portion, and just the corn pieces that have been taken off the cob.
Sweetcorn cob can present a big risk when chewed. It’s large and rough enough to causes blockages in your Frenchie’s digestive tract, so only let them eat the corn, nothing else.
Sweet potato (do not feed)
French Bulldogs should not eat sweet potato. Unlike standard potatoes, sweet potato is not toxic to dogs, so should be safe to eat. However, recent research suggests that sweet potato could be one of the food groups and veggies that could result in heart disease.
You will find lots of dog owners who extol the virtues of sweet potato, and I used to be one of those people. After all, it’s not fatty and contains lots of useful vitamins. However, I prefer to take the advice of the most up to date research on this vegetable.
Tomato (do not feed)
French Bulldogs should not eat tomatoes, despite ripe ones being safe. Tomato plants, stems, and leaves contains solanine which is harmful to dogs in large quantities. Whilst a small amount of tomato should be ok for your Frenchie, due to the warnings on solanine, I would not recommend it at all. You read more on the AKC website.
I would also advise against letting your Frenchie eat tomato ketchup, tomato sauce, and tomato soup. Whilst these won’t have much solanine present in them, they will be very high in sugars and contains spices. For more information I compiled some research into whether tomatoes are safe for Frenchies to eat.
Turnip
French Bulldogs can eat turnips providing they don’t have thyroid problems. Turnips are known to suppress thyroid function. Aside from that, turnips can be healthy as they contain folic acid, magnesium, and the vitamins B6 and C.
In large quantities, turnips can give dogs digestive problems, so as with all of the vegetables French Bulldogs can eat, make sure it’s only on special occasions. Either feed it finely chopped or mashed up without any dairy.
Watercress (do not feed)
French Bulldogs should not eat watercress as it contains compounds in it that can be toxic to dogs if eaten in large quantities. Wild watercress is particularly dangerous as it could lead to kidney and thyroid damage.
If your Frenchie eats some watercress that has been purchased for human consumption, chances are he will be ok, but I would not let them eat any wild watercress that they come across during a walk.
Zucchini (courgette)
French Bulldogs can eat zucchini or courgette. This vegetable is safe and full of nutrients including fiber, minerals, and vitamins. It’s also a low-calorie snack, with only 20 calories in one cup of raw courgette.
Just like all of the vegetables French Bulldogs can eat, it should not account for any more than 10% of their daily calorie intake.
Warning: Do not feed your Frenchie veggies if they have any history of allergies. Your dog could reach with itching, rashes, and stomach upsets. Always consult your vet before adding any form of human food to your dog’s diet.
Conclusion
Every Frenchie is unique. Just because our French Bulldog loves to eat vegetables it doesn’t means it’s safe for your own dog to do so. Plus, with Frenchies being known for their horrendous farts, veggies might be the last thing you want to give them!
And in truth; if your Frenchie is already eating a commercially available quality dog food that is vet approved, he doesn’t really need you to add veggies into his diet to balance his nutritional needs.
One thing I do recommend, is that you print off my list of the 25 worst foods you can feed a Frenchie. Some of them are bad for their health, others are actually toxic!
I will leave the last word down to the American Kennel Club:
“Dogs don’t need fruits and vegetables in their diet the way humans do. They’re carnivorous in the wild, eating vegetation when meat sources are scarce. But as an occasional snack or treat for your dog, peas are a healthy low-calorie option. So, both you and your canine pal can enjoy them while they’re fresh and abundant.”
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