Do French Bulldogs shed?
So this questions seems to come up a lot. Do French Bulldogs shed? Unfortunately there’s no straight answer for this but if you’re looking for a dog that 100% does not shed, the French Bulldog is probably not for you. In this post we’ll look at how much/little French Bulldogs shed and how to deal with French Bulldog shedding.
Do French Bulldogs shed ?
When people ask do French Bulldogs shed it’s hard to give a straight answer. Yes and no. We have a three year old French Bulldog called Kikka and she sheds….a lot! Before Kikka we had a French Bulldog named Luna and she didn’t really shed all that much. My partner previously worked as a dog walker and used to take dogs home all the time for lodging. In that time we had several French Bulldogs in our care and the rate of shedding varied from one to the next.
Read on to find out what you can do about it if your French Bulldog sheds a lot. If your Frenchie doesn’t shed, well you’re one of the lucky ones.
Are French Bulldogs hypoallergenic?
This might not be the answer you were hoping for but at least it’s clearer than the last one. No. French Bulldogs are definitely not a hypoallergenic breed. If you have some allergies you might find you’re ok with them. I, for example suffer from hay fever and I’m also allergic to cats but I’m absolutely fine with our Frenchie. If you suffer from more severe allergies then I’d strongly encourage you to try and spend some time around your potential new friend for life before committing to adopting them or buying them. Bottom line, the French Bulldog is not hypoallergenic.
Is there any way I can stop my French Bulldog from shedding?
You can’t stop your French Bulldog shedding. It’s a natural process. However, there are measures you can take to reduce the amount of hair that’s left sticking to everything in your house. There are several gadgets and brushes on the market to help you out. Personally, we’ve found the gadgets such as rubber, de shedding mitts to be absolutely useless.
The best solution we’ve found is simple a case of regular brushing. Regular brushing for you might be once a week and maybe that’s enough to keep your home fur free. For us, brushing once every two days is the absolute minimum. To be honest, we really need to brush Kikka on a daily basis to keep her coat in check and even then, if you take her up on to your lap she will leave hair on your clothes. In the next section I’ll talk about what we’ve found to be the best tools for the job.
Do French Bulldogs shed due to diet?
There are plenty of studies to suggest that your Frenchie’s diet can play a part in the rate at which your Frenchie sheds. It makes sense right? Just as a healthy diet for us humans means healthy skin, the same goes for your French Bulldog. It’s best to try and source out some good quality dog food and one which your dog likes. Our dog has a grain allergy and we’ve found Beco dog food (UK link only sorry) to have a variety of foods made from great free range products. They stock grain free options which works for us. Do you have a veggie dog? We also feed our dog Veggiedog (US link, UK link here .) Although she’s not veggie, she eats this topped with sardines and absolutely loves it.
What should I use if my French Bulldog does shed?
As stated previously, the market is flooded with gadgets which claim to solve your hairy problems for life. We’ve found most of the bold claims to be about as good as the flimsy products that come with them. We’ve tried several brushes, all of which have done a suitable job when used on a regular basis. The only issue with brushes is that they clog up very quickly. This is especially the case if you French Bulldog sheds a lot.
After trying several I decided to take to a bit of research and read some reviews to see if I could find something a little more sturdy and low maintenance. That’s when I found the Thunderpaws De Shedding Tool (UK only.)(If you’re in the US the Pet Neat looks to be a close match.)Honestly, any brand that dresses their brush up in styling to look like a JCB must mean business. (If you don’t know what a JCB is check here .) Even the name sounds like it means business. I was sold mostly by the Amazon customer reviews, partly by the looks. Ok I was sold mostly by the looks, partly by the Amazon customer reviews. This thing though is the dogs *insert whatever you like here.* It works and it works well.
This tool feels solid and not in the slightest bit flimsy. Not only does it work, it’s super easy to clean. The head of it is very similar to the head of a set of hair clippers. That’s the best way I can describe it. Only very little pressure is required. After 7-10 strokes you simply peel the shed hair off the comb and start again. Our dog absolutely loves it as well which always makes life easier.
Anything else I can do to protect my home?
These answers may seem obvious. Other than regular brushing, consider restricting your pooch to certain areas of the home. If you want to allow your dog on to privileged areas such as the sofa or bed, put a blanket down that’s used only for them. If you like to keep your car clean, again use a blanket or shop online for an overpriced cover which does exactly the same job. Other than that you just need to keep on top of it really. There’s no quick fix solution. It comes with the territory of owning a dog.
Do French Bulldogs shed due to allergies?
Although the shedding process is natural for any dog, there are allergies to consider if you feel that the shedding is excessive.
It’s no secret that French Bulldogs can be prone more than most breeds to allergies. Certain foods such as grains can trigger a reaction as can external sources such as grass or pollen. Speak to your vet if you’re concerned about any possible allergies. This Dr explains about how allergies can be seasonal or food related.
Stress can also be a factor.
Another point to note is stress. If your French Bulldog is new to the home they may be a little stressed and unsettled. Our Frenchie shed a lot more in her first few weeks compared to what she does now. Dogs take some time to settle in to their new surroundings. Monitor the rate at which your dog sheds and see if it improves.
Medical skin conditions.
Your little pal may have an underlying health condition which requires proper medication. Keep an eye out for bald patches on their coat and excessive scratching. Raw looking skin or open sores should set alarm bells going. If you see any of this you should definitely contact your vet for an appointment. See the video above.
Is the French Bulldog a good choice for my home?
Of course, your French Bulldog shedding is definitely not the only factor to look at when making this choice. There are so many things to consider before committing to getting a Frenchie and you can read about them in my other post ‘ French Bulldog cost (things to consider before getting a French Bulldog.)’
For shedding though, you need to think about the materials in your home and who’s living there. Our Frenchie spends most of her time downstairs and the entire lower floor is wood flooring. This means it’s easy to sweep up. She rarely gets up on the sofas and when she does, it’s on top of her own blanket. She does get up to the carpeted area upstairs but we hoover it a lot. We also don’t allow our dog on the bed but that’s just our own preference. It all really depends on how flexible you are and what you’re willing to put up with.
If you came to this post and were wondering ‘Do French Bulldogs shed?’ Hopefully you’re now armed with enough knowledge to make an informed decision. French Bulldogs are definitely not the low maintenance pups many people assume they are.
If you’re already a French Bulldog owner, maybe this post has given you some ideas on how to reduce the effects of shedding and things to look out for.
Thanks for reading, if you need to contact us you can do so via this form.
Kyle
Product links:
Beco Dog Food free range chicken.
Beco Dog Food sustainable Cod & Haddock
Beco Dog Food Wild Boar and broccoli
Header image credit: Image by Alexandr Ivanov from Pixabay