Coming from 19th century England, Nottingham to be exact. They were made to be smaller versions of the English Bulldog and were lapdogs. When craftsmen went from England to France, they took their smaller bulldogs with them. The French people fell in love with these dogs and named them French Bulldogs.
Eventually the Frenchies, as they were known, made their way back to England and appeared in dog shows. The coat of the French Bulldog is adapted for life in western Europe.
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The French Bulldog Coat
The French Bulldog comes from a moderate climate in western Europe and have a short, fine, smooth and brilliant coat. Is this a coat that sheds and if so, how much and how often? Actually, all dogs shed their coats at least seasonally if not continuously.
So, what do we know about the French Bulldog that would impact its shedding?
- The French Bulldog has a single coat. They only have a topcoat. The hair on their topcoat is short and leads to moderate shedding.
- There is a difference between excessive shedding and seasonal natural shedding. Seasonal shedding is very manageable in the French Bulldog
Factors that Influence French Bulldog Shedding
- Diet
- Supplements
- Brushing
- Bathing
Sudden shedding could indicate that there is a health issue with your French Bulldog. Excessive shedding or the development of hairless or light hair patches can be the same thing. These shedding conditions might indicate something as simple as an allergy or something as serious as mange.
French Bulldog Grooming
Brushing and bathing on a regular basis will keep seasonal shedding under control and daily shedding reasonable.
Nutrients and Supplements for The Coat
A diet that provides the proper nutrients can assist in keeping shedding under control as can supplements that are made especially for the coat. You can get the proper food and supplements from your veterinarian as well. If you feed a grocery store brand of dog food, you cannot ensure that your French Bulldog puppy is getting the nutrients it needs. Supplements are a way to ensure proper nutrition.
Fish Oil and Vitamin Supplements
The vitamin supplements and fish oil are available at pet stores and health food stores. These supplements help to control shedding and ensure the French Bulldog’s coat is healthy. You can get them from your veterinarian as well. Supplements are a way to ensure the best possible health for your French Bulldog’s coat.
Frenchie Baths
Bathing is an important control over excessive shedding, but it can also be detrimental if used too often. Too much bathing of French Bulldog puppies can actually cause increased or excessive shedding. One bath per month should be maximum for French Bulldog puppies using a gentle, dog or puppy shampoo. If you use soap and water, make sure it is not a harsh soap. Harsh deep cleansing soaps and shampoos are expense and unnecessary.
You can do a dry shampoo once a week to keep your Frenchie nice and clean. Test the shampoos and soaps you are using so that you don’t create allergies that your French Bulldog does not have to start with.
Brushing
As previously mentioned, regular brushing has a major role to play in keeping shedding under control. Using just a regular hand brush and daily grooming of the topcoat will get loose hair and fur out before it can be shed. This is true more for the adult French Bulldog as it is for puppies.
French Bulldog Healthy Diet
As previously mentioned, diet is important when considering shedding for any breed of dog. High protein is one major factor that needs to be in the diet. A sample of the kind of diet that would help with Frenchie shedding is:
- Mixture of Hills Ideal Balance Natural Chicken Dog Food and Avoderm Dog Food.
- Show Stopper Coat and Skin Optimizer by Animals Naturals Inc. is sprinkled on the top of this food.
- Also sprinkled on top of the food is a digestive enzyme with probiotics made by Nature Vet.
- One half tablet of Pet-Tabs Vitamin Mineral Supplement for dogs daily.
- One half tablet of Cosequin DS plus MSM Joint Health Supplement for Dogs daily.
- Do not feed any food with corn or corn meal.
- Add Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids once a day.
- Inflight Coat Formula (ICF) is one of the best products for supplementing your French Bulldog’s diet. This product is known for producing the most luxurious, healthiest coat your dog could have and to increase the shine and the color while it reduced the amount of shedding there was. Inflight Coat Formula used by top breeders and winners of the National Dog Show. It was not available to the public until 1996. Since then its reputation is growing sue to the success of professional breeders, groomers and handlers of show dogs. It helps to eliminate excessive shedding, baldness, poor condition and dry skin under the coat. It is considered by most professionals as the best of the best for any dog’s coat.
This is only a sample and the specific brands are not what is important but rather the ingredients.
For many owners of the French Bulldog, there is an unexpected realization that they do shed quite a bit. Their hair is fine and short. You will find these hairs on your clothes or furniture more often then if you had a double coated dog. It is also true that the French Bulldog has a tendency in hot climates to accumulate oil, bacteria and fungus in the coat and hair follicles.
You can use antibacterial wipes to regularly clean above the tail, above the nose and in the vulva area of females.
Causes of Excessive Shedding in French Bulldogs
Since the French Bulldog does not shed that much what are the causes of excessive shedding? If your French Bulldog is white or a lighter color, they may not be shedding more but it will be more visible. However, if it really is excessive shedding it could possibly be caused by:
- Puppies naturally shed more than adult dogs.
- Skin irritation.
- Parasites, lice, fleas
- Immune diseases or conditions
- Infections fungal or bacterial
- Allergies that are inhalant or food related
- Excessive scratching or licking
- Pregnancy and lactation
- Issues with the adrenal glands, thyroid, liver or kidney
These are good reasons to see a veterinarian if your French Bulldog exhibits excessive shedding. All dogs will shed. Your French Bulldog will shed less than most, but these tips can help you to slow it down even more.
Victoria Nelson is a lifelong animal lover. She grew up in a small farm with a wide variety of pets that included dogs, cats, cows, fish etc. A published author since 18, she loves writing, and nothing makes her happier than writing about animals and sharing useful animal care tips.
