Frenchie's are no doubt a little challenging to feed.
Here I've comprised a list of foods that have had a high success rate in addressing issues that the breed is susceptible to, most importantly with no food recalls in 2024.
*In the US we have recently had an epidemic of pet food causing hemorrhagic gastroenteritis(bleed out of the gut) in dogs, with many fatalities in the pet food industry.*
Here we go over custom food companies, DIY making and the top Dry Food Currently with no bacterial recalls. The grain free/ grain heart debate we won't go into here.
So, you have a French bulldog, we know that they 1) have sensitive tummies, 2) many are allergic to chicken. In my experience, many of my pups have been great on chicken, until reaching about a year old. At that time, itchy skin, paw licking, yeast or hot spots started to show up. * a side note for this is that if feeding raw chicken, the issues were lessened or not at all (hmmm)
I have had many people reach out to me all over the world, asking my opinion on their dog's gastro issues, multiple clients had paid between 10-20k, for exploratory surgeries, medications, special diets and many other things when the one thing they all had in common was; the vets never did an extensive food allergy panel.
My first word of advice (having graduated from vet school) if you're having diet issues, loose stool, itchy skin, some puking after eating, or smelly flatulence, change the meat protein first, the simplest way is ordering an inexpensive food allergy test on Amazon and then going from there. These friends that had reached out to me, discovered their dog was allergic to many of the proteins, as well as preservatives in some food and once changed never had an issue again.
Here is the link for the life-saving Pet Food Allergy Test . There's also a lesser one for $88 that I typically use, but for the sake of a blog, go all in and for $150 get it all done.
For DIY dog food I recommend first knowing what meat protein your dog does best with as well as a starch. Some can be allergic to white potatoes, but not sweet so if you're going to DIY Cook for your pet, we do 3 core LID elements-
1) Meat Protein (cooked- salmon, ground lamb, ground beef, boiled chicken)
2) Starch- Rice (white or brown) Sweet or White Potatoes/ Cooked Oats
3) Boiled Carrots/ Puree'd Pumpkin
4) Additional: Boiled Broccoli, Blueberries
If cooking not your thing- These companies below can do a custom, ship to your door food.
The Farmer’s Dog – Best dog food with no recalls overall
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Ollie – Best mixed dog food without recalls
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We Feed Raw – Best recall-free raw meals
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Nom Nom – Best fresh meals free of recalls
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The Pets Table – Best dry recipes free from recall history
Next- Raw Food is a big topic, and one I really am a fan of as Frenchies seem to do extra well with the raw food, the main thing you need here though is the bone marrow and crushed bone. The BEST thing you can do is touch base with your local butcher and have them do a blend for you. It's easier on their tummies to produce digestive enzymes and break down the food more efficiently.
We used to blend our own raw food but using chicken quarters, we would slice them with the bone and feed them through a commercial meat grinder with carrots, broccoli, blueberries, apple and pumpkin and chicken hearts (chicken hearts and feet are a great treat and the feet clean the teeth really well). Our dogs had no skin issues, no acid reflux, no hotspots, no upset tummies and the poop would fall to the ground and disintegrate into dust.
The downsides of raw unless in premade rolls from your butcher, is the cleanup, risk of bacteria as meat must be rinsed and the expensive commercial grinders. it's a bit gross as well.
Now in the sense that many people don't have the time to cook for their dogs, or to get the raw food and maybe just want to stick with old school dry dog food. There is nothing wrong with this choice either, its easy, affordable, and companies are trying all the time to come up with better ways to hydrolyze dog foods.
We personally like Instinct Raw Coated Dry and Nutrisource. These are not "boutique" foods per an article that came out by veterinarians. If you know what I'm referencing, an article came out touting that certain boutique brands (no recalls, no bacterial issues) were not good foods, and instead of breaking down the why, they recommended the brands that many Vets get a kickback for such as Royal Canin and Science Diet. Both not terrible food, but RC was outsourcing its meat supply from China and Mexico (not meat rich countries) and Science Diet has lots of Preservatives. Speaking of Science diet, they do have excellent food options if you have a special issue like Urinary SO, it's been around a long time and is a very helpful formula, but the point is, it's been around a long time.
With further ado- Here are the current top 2024 Dry Dog Foods.
*If you click on Nutrisource- It'll take you to the Dog Advisors Review and why I really like the Food.
What to watch and stay away from: Check for these on the back, or by googling each brand of interest.
- Highest Quality Ingredients Only: Prioritize brands that use superior ingredients to provide optimum nutrition.
- Real Meat or Fish as the #1 Ingredient: The presence of real meat or fish as the primary ingredient guarantees a high protein content, essential for your dog’s muscle health and overall well-being. All Meal is not bad, It can be used as healthy fats.
- Low Ash Count: A lower ash count indicates a higher quality of protein sources, which is crucial for your dog’s digestive and urinary health.
- Guaranteed Analysis Balance: This ensures that the food offers a well-balanced nutritional profile, covering all the essential nutrients your dog needs.
- No Unspecified Meat Sources: Transparency in the source of meat prevents the inclusion of low-quality or questionable meat.
- No By-Products, Corn, Wheat, or Artificial Ingredients: High-quality dog foods exclude these ingredients to minimize the risk of allergies and other health issues.
- Exceeds AAFCO Standards: Brands that exceed the nutritional standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) offer superior nutrition.
- Manufactured in the USA: This criterion ensures adherence to strict quality control and safety standards as well as your protein sources are free from extensive preservatives and travel contaminants.
I hope you all have a little more insight into your dog's nutritional needs, and a little more guidance on what to look for and what to avoid.
Try not to give a bunch of different food to your dog in a day ex: lamb and chicken treats, a starbys pup cup, and doggy ice-cream. While your dog may love it, you're not actually setting your dog up for anything but an evening of diarrhea.
Stick with one type of treat, use for training or a nice non-rawhide chew to keep them busy in the house. I'm still a fan of smart bones.
*A note for diet changing*
If you're getting a new puppy (any breed) Do not think you know best and change the food right away, your compounding issues of stress as well as messing up their stomach. I can guarantee that you'll end up with dehydration, diarrhea, an expensive unnecessary trip to the vet, prescription dog food that makes your dog have more diarrhea and a whole lot of clean-up and stress.
All dogs and puppies need to be weaned onto new food, 1/3 of new added in with the old food and increased weekly, is an easy recipe for success. Set your dog up for more frequent potty trips and expect them to have some looser stool until the new food adjusts in their guts. If you are switching to raw, it takes about 72 hours for the old dog food to purge out before you see a difference.
If you have questions, we are always a click away.