Feeding your frenchie

There is no "one size fits all" for dog diets and there is no single brand or diet that we recommend above others. Every puppy is different and what works for one may not work for another. We encourage our puppy families to find what works best for them. Some important signs of a healthy diet in a puppy are: a soft shiny coat, firm stools, appropriate energy level, breath/skin/ears that are free of any foul smell, good appetite, and a healthy weight/body condition. If the diet you choose for your pup checks those boxes then you're doing pretty well. But sometimes adjustments need to be made. Below you'll find links and tips to help you out. Remember to take your puppy for regular check ups and consult with your veterinarian on diet changes and if you have concerns.

Here are the highlights:

Feed a "puppy" life stage kibble that meets AAFCO nutritional standards to start (100% raw is not ideal for growing puppies because of their special nutritional needs and homemade diets must be recommended and designed by a veterinary nutritionist).
Avoid formulas that bunch ingredients like potatoes, peas, and legumes together and high on the ingredients list (see info on DCM below)
Dogs have zero nutritional requirement for carbohydrates and starches (grains, fruits, vegetables). These can be healthy additions to a diet but not necessary and therefore, shouldn't be the primary source of energy and protein in a formula; look for foods with meat as the first ingredient if not the first two or three ingredients
High protein does not equal better; excess protein just turns to fat and diets that are too nutritionally dense can lead to unbalanced growth issues in puppies
Do NOT feed rawhide or cooked bones and limit treats and toppers to 10% of the diet

Keep reading to learn more about dry food and raw diets in greater detail.

Once you start researching dog food you'll come across two distinct schools of thought: one that supports reading the ingredients and one that dismisses them and puts the focus on how the ingredients are formulated. It can be pretty confusing and contradicting. Below we will go over the points that both groups agree on to help you find that middle ground.

Animal protein should always come first. Be aware that any ingredients listed after salt comprise less than 1% of the kibble. Look for foods without artificial flavors, artificial preservatives like HA, BHT, ethoxyquin, propylene glycol and carrageenan.

Excess starch can lead to and increase yeast and ear infections as well as contribute to tear stains. Examples of starchy ingredients are potatoes, sweet potatoes, brewer's rice, rice and rice bran. These ingredients are also high in fiber; high fiber diets have been shown to cause taurine deficiency. Taurine is necessary for vision, good digestion, normal heart muscle function, and support of a healthy immune system. This amino acid is only found in meat protein and not in plant protein. If you see too many of these plant ingredients (especially if they're high on the ingredients list) they may be accounting for more of the protein content of the kibble than the actual animal protein, which can be problematic.

High fiber, high starch ingredients in combination with legumes (peas, chickpeas, field peas, split peas, tapioca, lentils, beans, fava beans, pinto beans, etc. ) are not ideal, as they have been linked to Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). DCM is a heart disease resulting in an enlarged heart and congestive heart failure. In 2018 the dog food industry saw a sharp rise in DCM cases in breeds not normally predisposed to it coinciding with the rise of "boutique" dog food brands and grain-free diets.

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has published their findings but they and the scientific community are not yet able to draw a conclusion as to the exact cause of these cases. The good news is that French Bulldogs are a low-risk breed (more than 1 case but less than 5 was ever reported). If you are concerned, however, and would like to take more steps to prevent DCM, here's what you can do based on their findings:

Avoid grain-free diets (accounted for over 90% of cases)
Avoid HIGH PROPORTIONS of peas, lentils, other legume seeds (pulses) (accounted for over 93% of cases), and/or potatoes to include their various forms (whole, flour, protein, etc.) (over 40% of cases). Some of these ingredients should be fine - just not in TOO high amounts.
Avoid the brands that had DCM cases in their grain-free kibbles

What are by-products and meals?

They might not sound appetizing to us, but don't fear these highly digestible and high in taurine ingredients. Meat by-products are defined by AAFCO as the 'non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat' to include organs like lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, tripe, blood, bone, as well as emptied stomachs and intestines. If you turn to raw as an alternative you will find that these very same ingredients are absolutely essential to your dog's diet.

Meat meal is 'rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices'. Rendered means that it has been cooked in high heat and pressure to eliminate harmful bacteria. You will sometimes encounter non-descript meat meals like 'poultry meal', 'meat and bone meal', blood meal, animal digest, and 'beef and bone meal'. We prefer that the ingredients reveal the actual animal source.

In kibble, the ingredients are listed from largest amounts to lowest *pre-cooking* weight. Fresh proteins listed first lose their water weight during the extrusion process (rendering) and end up constituting less of the food than before. Fresh proteins can be up to 75% water. This means in a food that lists a fresh protein first, like deboned salmon for example, and a dry ingredient second like rice - the salmon moves down the list and you're left with more rice than salmon after cooking. This is another reason to look for kibbles that have as many animal proteins (be they fresh or meals) listed first as possible. Since meat meals are already dry they're a good way to ensure that the animal proteins remain at the top of the list.

Always monitor your puppy's weight and make adjustments according to the feeding instructions. In general, a puppy is fed close to double the serving size of an adult dog of the same weight. Not all foods are suitable for puppies; stick with the ones labeled as either 'all life stages' or preferably 'puppy'.

Tip: Add bone broth or raw goat's milk to kibble to add moisture (this will help your Frenchie digest it more easily as well as give it a flavor boost they'll love).

For a wealth of information on dog diets and great articles on nutrition click HERE to visit Dogster's website.

Food Sensitivites

Grain or grain-grain free? Animal proteins are responsible for more sensitivities than are grains. True grain allergies are rare. The greater concern with grains is that some have been treated with toxic chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides that make their way into your dog's food. The most common dog food allergens are: beef, dairy, lamb, chicken, chicken eggs, soy and wheat gluten. If you would like to read more about grains in dog food, Dogster has a helpful article: https://www.dogster.com/dog-food/grains-in-dog-food-should-you-avoid-them

It is worth noting that grain fed commercial livestock and factory farmed meats lack the proper omega 3:6 ratios. The improper balance of these fatty acids can lead to inflammation and allergy-like symptoms. For this reason, choose animal protein sources that are described as free-range, grass-fed, cage-free, etc. Giving more Omega 3's than Omega 6's can further help offset inflammation in dogs with allergies and sensitivities.

If your little one shows symptoms of allergies or food sensitivity start with the protein first in your process of elimination.

Always consult with your vet to decide what will work best for your Frenchie.

Raw

Interested in raw feeding? It can be a great option for an adult French Bulldog, especially if your Frenchie has had digestive or allergy issues on a traditional kibble diet and a beneficial addition to your pup's kibble diet. However, because puppies need all their nutritional needs met on a daily basis, we recommend waiting until your Frenchie is an adult before trying to feed 100% raw.

Raw enthusiasts consider it to be the healthiest possible option for dogs. But why might raw be better than kibble? Dogs' bodies can produce 25% of the enzymes they need to digest their food - the other 75% they need from the food itself. The extrusion process that dry food goes through destroys some of those enzymes and can reduce the nutritional value of the protein. This impacts your dog's ability to digest and properly utilize those nutrients.

Though there are not as of yet scientific studies to support the benefits of raw feeding, many owners report seeing more energy, healthier skin and a shinier coat, smaller and less smelly stools, less inflammation and chronic diseases and health conditions like arthritis, cleaner teeth, fresher breath, a leaner muscular build, and a stronger immune system in their raw-fed dogs.

A raw diet eliminates grains, excess carbs and starch, ensures protein is coming from an actual animal source, healthy sources of fat, and high moisture content for optimal digestion. In order to feed a homemade raw diet, one must research it thoroughly. Incorrect levels of nutrients can be harmful. There is also the risk of food born illness and contamination. If you are concerned you can always disinfect your raw meant using grapefruit seed extract or food-grade hydrogen peroxide which have powerful antimicrobial properties.

Conveniently, there are ready-made raw food options available in frozen, freeze dried, air dried, and dehydrated form. Your local mom-and-pop pet food store will be the best place to shop for these higher-end products. Big-box stores like Petco or PetSmart have limited options at the moment. Sites like Amazon or Chewy will primarily carry the freeze dried or dehydrated raw food products.

Dogs will need to eat 2-4% of their body weight per day; puppies eat 2-3x that amount.

Biologically appropriate raw food or BARF diet is 80% meat, 10% organ meat and 10% bones. This is a good place to start. Varying the types of proteins you give your Frenchie is an excellent way to prevent him from developing intolerances.

The Ancestral Diet is a raw diet modeled after what dogs' ancestors hunted and foraged. The breakdown is 75% meat, 25% fresh vegetables, and a nutrient mix containing trace minerals. Fruits and vegetables have been shown to be beneficial additives to your dog's diet whether raw or kibble.

Low sugar and fermented veggies are excellent for your dog's intestinal tract (microbiome), and both fruits and veggies add antioxidants to keep your Frenchie young.

Some popular supplements to raw are: blue berries, turmeric, ginger, salmon oil, raw goat's milk, raw kefir, plain greek yogurt, raw pumpkin seeds, farm fresh raw eggs including shells (not store bought), carrots, broccoli, and dark leafy greens. There are many more - research will help you find what works best for you and your French Bulldog.

The Prey-Model is another raw diet that consists of bones, muscle meat, skin, organs, fat, connective tissues, hide, hair, and feathers. In this diet, dogs are fed as close to whole animals as possible to best mimic what dogs would eat in the wild. For PMR (prey-model raw) no plant matter, dairy, or supplements are fed, however, many still add omega-3 fatty acids. The ratios are: 80% muscle meat, 10% raw meaty bones, 5% liver, and 5% other organs.

Keep in mind that diets based on what wild animals eat are based on animals that are surviving not thriving. Please research raw very carefully before making a complete transition and understand that ratio diets are only a starting place for raw and are not appropriate for growing puppies.

While a 100% raw diet is not always compatible with everyone's budget or lifestyle, remember: some raw is better than none. Many Frenchie owners supplement their kibble with raw with excellent results. Research has even shown that dogs who ate a diet that was 80% dry plus 20% whole, raw food had significantly lower risk of allergies, skin diseases and atopy-related skin symptoms (like Atopic Dermatitis, an inflammatory allergic skin disease) later in life.

For more on where you can get raw food click on the link below to visit Primal Pooch's site: https://primalpooch.com/finding-raw-dog-food/

And for a more in depth look into raw feeding and an excellent place to begin delving into the world of raw visit Raw Fed and Nerdy's website by clicking below.

Raw Fed and Nerdy

Feeding your frenchie

Dry Food

Food Sensitivites

Raw

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