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Some of you may recall Cofi, Dex’s adorable friend and our neighbor. Whenever I had the pleasure of pet-sitting Cofi, his dad would provide me with detailed feeding instructions.
His attention to detail was so precise that it often made me feel like Cofi was a VIP, perhaps even the president!
But whether or not Cofi held a prestigious title, it became clear to me why his dad was so cautious about his diet. Cofi is a French Bulldog, a breed notoriously sensitive to everything, including food.
Taking my experience with Cofi into consideration, I’ve shortlisted the top 10 best dog food for French Bulldogs.
Let’s get started.
Spot And Tango Unkibble Dog Food
Spot & Tango Unkibble
Farmina N&D Prime Grain-Free
Farmina N&D Prime Grain-Free
Orijen Original Dry Dog Food
Orijen Original
French Bulldogs must always be kept on a high-quality protein-based diet that uses human-grade meat. Their food must have limited but premium ingredients, especially when bought from pet stores.
All the names included in this review are great choices because most use whole foods as their first five ingredients.
Let’s find out more about each of them:
Flavours: Cod & Salmon
Type: Dry
Brand Recalls: 2022
Calorie Count: As per dog’s needs
Crude Protein: 27%
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About the Product:
Spot & Tango is a unique fresh dog food delivery service. Their Fresh Recipes consist of food cooked fresh in USDA-approved kitchens and ready to serve. All ingredients are sourced locally, and their recipes are all-natural protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
The brand also offers another variation — UnKibble Recipes. These recipes are high on nutritional integrity thanks to a unique Fresh Dry prep process. The Cod and Salmon flavor on this list is part of the brand’s UnKibble Range, made with 100% fresh and whole ingredients. Cod is a novel protein source that works great for Frenchies prone to allergies.
Top Five Ingredients: Cod, Salmon, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Sunflower Seeds.
Unlike regular kibble, UnKibble is not extruded and contains zero meat meals or powdered “mystery meats.” It is a healthier, tastier, and fresher alternative to commercial kibble and costs 40% less than other frozen formulas.
Take a quick quiz, and you get a personalized meal plan for your pet. Though the brand has had one recall in 2022, its Fresh Recipes are the best homemade dog food recipes for French bulldogs.
Flavours: Chicken & PomegranateType: Dry Product Recalls: None Calorie Count: 432 kcal/cup Crude Protein: 34%About the Product:
Farmina N&D’s Prime Chicken and Pomegranate recipe is among the best grain-free dog foods for French Bulldogs. It makes for a balanced meal given the high-quality proteins, complex carbs, omega-3 and omega-4 fatty acids — everything your Frenchie needs to stay healthy.
What makes it unique is that their kibble is cold-pressed. Cold-pressing helps retain the taste, texture, and nutritional value of its core ingredients in the most nature-identical way. This process also results in super tasty dog food.
Top Five Ingredients: Chicken, Dehydrated Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Fat, Dried Whole Eggs.
I recall, even a picky eater like Cofi really enjoyed his Farmina meals. The kibble is small and crunchy, easy enough for flat-faced French Bulldogs to chew without the danger of choking.
In addition, the Chicken and Pomegranate formula is gluten-free and has a low glycemic index. So your Frenchie gets a grain-free, high-quality meal that supports healthy skin and coat. And since French Bulldogs tend to put on weight, this formula ticks all the right boxes.
Flavours: Chicken, Turkey, & FishType: Dry Product Recalls: None Calorie Count: 473 kcal/cup Crude Protein: 38%About the Product:
If your French Bulldog suffers from skin allergies and digestive issues, this is the formula to try. The brand only uses nutrient-dense and premium quality animal organs and meat in its dog food.
Made from free-range chicken and turkey and wild-caught herring and salmon, this is one of the best dog foods for French bulldogs with allergies. Most of the ingredients are freeze-dried.
Top Five Ingredients: Chicken, Turkey, Salmon, Whole Herring, Chicken Liver.
The recipe is easy on your dog’s stomach because 15 of its main protein sources are either fresh or raw, mimicking the natural diet of dogs. It also has a pungent fishy smell which though not a problem for dogs, can cause your house to stink.
This formula also contains dehydrated ingredients like chicken liver, eggs, and sardines. While this is great for a growing Frenchie puppy or active adults, you may have to significantly reduce the portion for a lazier or less inactive pet.
Flavours: Turkey, Sweet Potato, Green BeansType: Wet loaf Brand Recalls: 2015 Calorie Count: 420 kcal/can Crude Protein: 9.0% (min)About the Product:
The NUTRO PREMIUM LOAF is a wet loaf high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. This tasty and healthy slurpy formula is a balanced meal and Cofi prefers it over dry food variants. It works great as a meal topper with regular kibble and is excellent for aging Frenchies with weak teeth.
The formula alone will not meet your dog’s protein requirement, but it can be used to jazz up plain boring food or up the nutritional content of your dog’s meal. It is grain-free and non-GMO. Since it steers clear of wheat, corn, soy, or animal by-products, it is suitable for Frenchies with food sensitivities, especially those allergic to beef.
Top Five Ingredients: Turkey, Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver, Sweet Potatoes.
This is a premium wet loaf that works well for malnourished or underweight French Bulldogs that need extra nutrition minus any bloating or stinky stool. It is hands down, one of the best wet dog food for French Bulldogs. Although the brand did issue a recall on some of its treats in 2015, this wet food formula has never been recalled.
Flavours: Chicken and OatmealType: Dry Product Recalls: None Calorie Count: 417 kcal/cup Crude Protein: 29%About the Product:
BLUE BUFFALO’s Life Protection Formula is made keeping the French Bulldog’s growth needs in mind. It comes with the brand’s proprietary LifeSource Bits — darker, smaller pieces of dog food rich in vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients that pack a punch and are cold-pressed to retain maximum nutritional value.
These LifeSource Bits are not just growth supplements. They also help strengthen the immune system of your French Bulldog puppies. Given how sensitive Frenchies are, the brand only uses human-grade chicken as its primary source of protein and oatmeal for complex carbs — both easy-to-digest ingredients with high nutritional value.
Top Five Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Barley, Fish Meal.
The inclusion of premium quality fish oil also deserves mention because of the many benefits it offers dogs. However, I do not advocate for any kind of chicken or fish meal in dog food, especially under its first ten ingredients.
This particular Blue Buffalo life protection formula eases dietary issues and constipation in puppies. It is one of the best dog foods for French Bulldogs puppies.
Flavours: Wild chicken with peasType: Dry Brand Recalls: None Calorie Count: 409 kcal/cup Crude Protein: 28%About the Product:
Frenchies are prone to food intolerances and may benefit from a limited ingredient diet like the Canidae Pure Goodness with Premium Proteins, Chicken and Pea formula. Canidae is a premium brand that does not compromise on quality.
The recipe is made from wild chicken reared cage-free and supplemented with organic peas. I love that this recipe is grain free, has a low glycemic index, and is, therefore, great for maintaining the correct weight of your French Bulldog.
Top Five Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas.
This recipe is not ideal for dogs prone to pea allergies. But this is a good choice if you’re looking for the best hypoallergenic dog food for French Bulldogs.
Flavours: Venison and garbanzo beansType: Dry Brand Recalls: May 2012 Calorie Count: 422 kcal/cup Crude Protein: 32%About the Product:
If you have a Frenchie, you know the breed tends to get gassy because they eat too fast without chewing their food and swallow air in the process. So if you’re looking for food for French Bulldogs that can help with flatulence, Taste of the Wild’s Appalachian Valley Small Breed Canine Recipe is a good option.
Made with novel proteins like venison and garbanzo beans, this dog food has small and easily chewable kibbles. Specifically designed for small breeds like Frenchies, it allows them to eat without any difficulty and is an excellent option for dogs with dental problems.
Top Five Ingredients: Venison, Lamb Meal, Garbanzo Beans, Peas, Lentils.
In addition to vitamins and minerals, the formula contains species-specific K9 pre- and probiotic cultures which allow better breakdown and digestion of the kibble. It is therefore one of the best dog foods for French Bulldogs with gas and bad breath.
However, it does contain pea, pea proteins, and legumes which can cause food intolerance.
Flavours: Beef and brown riceType: Dry Product Recalls: None Calorie Count: 386 kcal/cup Crude Protein: 26%About the Product:
Merrick’s real beef and brown rice formula qualifies as high-quality dog food. The brand uses the freshest whole foods sourced from local farmers. It, therefore, gets a big tick for premium, human-grade ingredients that French Bulldogs need in their diet.
The recipe has lean beef as its primary source of protein. In addition, brown rice and ancient grains like quinoa provide complex carbohydrates and keep your dog’s energy levels high. Merrick’s dry food for your French Bulldog formula is further fortified with chelated minerals that allow for better and easier absorption. So your Frenchie can derive optimum nutrition from this variety of food.
Top Five Ingredients: Deboned Beef, Pork Meal, Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal.
You may observe an improvement in your dog’s coat health and energy levels when on Healthy Grains Real Beef Brown Rice dog food. Glucosamine and chondroitin in the recipe keep your Frenchie’s bones and joints healthy and together help in cartilaginous collagen synthesis and prevent fluid build-up in joints.
The food, however, may not meet your Frenchie’s daily protein requirement. At only 26%, it does not have as much crude protein as most other dog foods on this list. Also,
Frenchies allergic to beef cannot be put on this diet, while pork and salmon meal can be detrimental to others.
Although this product has never been recalled, Merrick has recalled a few of its treats a couple of times in the past.
Flavours: Chicken and RiceType: Dry Brand Recalls: 2023 Calorie Count: 387 kcal/cup Crude Protein: 29% About the Product:
Even the most well-cared-for French Bulldogs are prone to developing dental issues with age. Purina’s Pro Plan Shredded Blend for Small Breeds is a great option as it is easy on the teeth and gums.
Made from human-grade chicken, it contains a mix of crunchy kibble that is small in size and shreds of meat. Overall, the food offers a good contrast in flavors and textures. It is easy to chew and, therefore, good for aging seniors. Additionally, the food has a moderate calorie per cup, and senior Frenchies with diminishing activity levels will benefit from it.
Top Five Ingredients: Chicken, Rice, Poultry By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Beef Fat.
However, I have reservations about some other ingredients in the product. I am not a big fan of any product that uses chicken meal (any and all leftovers go into it). The shredded blend also has corn and wheat; both are known to cause allergies in dogs.
But going by reviews, most dog parents have good things to say about the blend. It is, after all, fortified with calcium and potassium. And while this product has not had any recalls in the recent past, some other products from the brand have been recalled.
Flavours: Chicken and RiceType: Dry Product Recalls: May 18, 2012 Calorie Count: 453 kcal/cup Crude Protein: 32%About the Product:
Growing puppies of any breed need 22-32% of crude protein for healthy growth. For French Bulldog puppies, the more protein-forward the food, the better. Diamond’s Naturals range, with a guaranteed 32% crude protein on a dry matter basis, is created keeping growing pups and nursing mothers in mind.
Free-range chicken is the primary ingredient in this recipe. It also contains salmon oil, known for being a powerhouse of omega fatty acids that promote cognitive and neurological development in young Frenchies.
Top Five Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Ground White Rice, Chicken Fat, Cracked Pearled Barley.
In addition, Diamond supplements the formulation with superfoods like blueberries, flaxseeds, pumpkin, and dried kelp. It also has proprietary probiotics for your pup’s gut health.
The product was recalled in May 2012 for an undetermined salmonella infestation. It even contains not-so-great ingredients like chicken meal. That said, it’s still a great formulation that can help Frenchie pups, lactating mothers, and senior dogs with dental issues.
Orijen Original is among the best dog food for Frenchies with skin allergies. It uses high-quality novel proteins and organ meats only and is a mix of chicken, turkey, herring, and salmon, freeze-dried to reduce contamination from common allergens.
The food also has supplements that help improve the overall skin and coat health of French Bulldogs.
Farmina N&D Prime Grain-Free gets the highest score for the best dry dog food from this list. Besides being a brand with zero recalls, it also provides complete nutrition from carefully selected, top-quality ingredients.
It performs well in terms of ingredients, calories, protein content, and flavor, winning the top spot.
Frenchies are a brachycephalic breed – they have punched faces with short necks and may choke when eating from a regular dog bowl. They may even end up straining their necks.
That’s why elevated/slanted bowls that are level with their faces work best for them. Such bowls make it easy for the breed to get to their food.
NUTRO PREMIUM LOAF Adult Natural Wet Dog Food is the best wet food for French Bulldogs. It can be used as a meal topper or filler between regular kibble meals.
It’s healthy and tasty and boasts unique ingredients like turkey and green beans. However, your Frenchie should not be on an exclusive NUTRO loaf diet.
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary S/O is a unique formula made keeping small breeds like French Bulldogs and their urinary problems in mind.
However, before switching your pet to any special diet, it’s best to check with the vet. Please do not make dietary changes dictated by medical conditions on your own.
French Bulldogs need extra TLC because they are a sensitive breed. That’s why I drew up this list of the top 10 best dog foods for French Bulldogs to help dog parents like you feed your pet better.
With options carefully selected to meet their unique dietary requirements and promote overall health, you can feel confident in choosing from the ten brands listed above. However, it’s important to prioritize your pet’s well-being by consulting with your vet before making any significant dietary changes, as they can provide personalized advice tailored to your French Bulldog’s specific needs.
Share this article with your friends who have French Bullies and help them make better choices too!
Meet Sheryl, a dedicated pet mom with over 20 years of hands-on experience as a pet mom to various dog breeds, from German Shepherds to Shih Tzus. Join her on her pet-centric journey as she aims to empower pet owners with practical tips and guidance. With her experience and passion for pets, she strives to make a positive impact in the lives of pets and their devoted owners.
