Do French Bulldogs Shed? - Everything You Need To Know

Do French Bulldogs Shed? – Everything You Need To Know

A French Bulldog is considered a low-shedding breed, but when your dog does shed, he goes all out. The shedding cycle will depend on different factors such as how old your dog is, and what kind of genes he has inherited.

Plus, what you feed your French Bulldog and even the weather conditions. If your dog is a puppy, then as he transitions from a puppy into an adult, there will be hair everywhere until your puppy develops his adult coat.

Do French Bulldogs shed worse than pugs?

No, Pugs shed more than French Bulldogs.

Do They Shed?

French Bulldogs do shed, but the shedding cycle should only be twice a year if your pet is healthy. But, when your dog does have his shedding cycle, his hair will cover everything. A French Bulldog has a medium-fine coat and shed during spring and fall.

Why do they shed so much?

A puppy will shed excessively when he’s getting in his adult coat. Plus, some French Bulldogs will shed their undercoat in hot summer weather to keep cooler. Too, if your pet is stressed, he’ll start to shed as well.

What Affects the Amount of Shedding?

Different factors can cause your French Bulldog to shed out of season. If you see bald spots on your dog or hair falling out, then that’s excessive shedding. You’ll need to determine why it’s happening and what to do to stop it.

Type of coat

Depending on your Bulldog’s genetics, your pet may have a thinner sleeker coat. Or, he could have a second undercoat that will grow when it’s cold and shed when the weather warms.

Age

Shedding is heavy with puppies because they shed their puppy fur when the adult fur starts to come in. Once your puppy grows into an adult, then the excessive shedding should only happen in the spring and fall.

Season

Shedding season is usually in the spring after the winter when your pet sheds his winter coat. Also, if the summer is hot, your Bulldog will shed his undercoat to try to stay cool. Both of these shedding times are normal.

Other Causes

Your French Bulldog should not shed excessively. If he does, then there may be some underlying problems. He could have a reaction to certain types of food he’s eating. Liver or thyroid disease could be present or parasites like fleas and ticks. Your French Bulldog could have a fungal infection or a bacterial infection. Your pet may be licking, scratching, or biting from stress.

If your dog is a female, then pregnancy or lactation could be causing hair loss. Your dog could have cancer or poor nutrition. Also, coming into contact with different plants, or shrubs can cause shedding if your pet has a reaction to the plant or shrub. Or, if your dog was out in the sun too long, he could have a sunburn.

Baths

Another way to prevent shedding, is to choose the right shampoo for bath time. Since Frenchies are prone to develop skin allergies and have sensitive skin, it’s essential to buy a shampoo, which is hypoallergenic, just for sensitive skin. Or you can use a bathing salt, which won’t cause your dog irritations on his skin or make his eyes sting and burn.

After your dog’s bath, it’s crucial to dry his coat correctly. Don’t use a hairdryer because it can make your pet’s coat look dull and lifeless. You can use a microfiber towel that would absorb the water from his coat. It will clean from his paws too from any dirt or grime. The reason why a micro cloth is better than cotton is that a micro towel will pick up sand, mud, dirt, and dog hair.

Do they smell?

Yes, a French Bulldog can get pretty smelly. It can come from the facial folds if they aren’t cleaned properly. You need to keep your Frenchie’s folds clean because if you don’t, your pet can have some severe issues.

The first sign of a more obvious issue is that the fold will look sore and might even bleed. Your dog may start rubbing his face on the floor and furniture to try to relieve the discomfort and pain.

Yeast Infection

A yeast infection can develop in the folds, and you can treat it by using medical wipes. Wipe gently through the folds then pat dry. Continue daily until the folds heal and then continue to clean the folds to make sure there’s not a recurrence.

Ear Infection

Ear infections can be another source of an unpleasant odor. An ear infection is usually caused by a wax buildup in your dog’s ears. But it can also be caused by buildup moisture. Cleaning your pet’s ears with Q tips isn’t recommended because you could cause your Frenchie injury to his ear.

You can take a medicated wipe along with otic solution and gently clean out your pet’s ears. But if your dog is walking off-balance or circles, then you need to call the vet for antibiotics or another course of treatment.

If you notice your dog’s paws smelling like a corn chip, you need to check them out. Most of the time, it’s caused by your Frenchie’s doing some paw licking. This is a regular routine for cleaning if his paw is injured. But this can cause more problems than a solution. You should wash your pet’s paws with warm water and dry gently. The fresh air outside will help to dry them.

Does your French Bulldog have a tail pocket? It’s located between your pup’s tail and the skin joining the tail. It almost looks like a dimple. If your dog does have one, it can start to smell, and you need to clean it a couple times a day. Using a medicated wipe on this area will help with the odor as well.

How to Control Shedding

Keeping shedding under control may be a continual effort once shedding season starts. Some French Bulldogs will have a second undercoat than develops in colder weather. The coat will shed in warmer weather, and hair will be everywhere. Other French Bulldogs will have a sleeker thinner coat for all seasons, and the shedding will be less.

Use a brush

You can use a course boar bristle brush on your dog to get rid of the excess dog hair. Or a brush with small bristles on one side and larger ones on the other.

Clean the house

A good vacuum cleaner is a worthwhile investment to keep dog hair at bay. Otherwise, you’ll have dog hair on your furniture, your clothes, and you. Wiping the furniture down with a damp towel or a grooming mitt will help you keep ahead of the dog hair too.

Fatty acid supplements

If your Frenchie is shedding offseason, he may need a supplement. A supplement of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids will help keep your dog from shedding. Salmon oil and other dietary supplements will help with this problem.

Diet

A good quality food is key to a shiny coat. Don’t be tempted to buy the cheaper dog food because you want to save money. Cheap dog food is full of low-quality protein and additives and is a cause for shedding. To keep your dog’s coat shiny, healthy, and cut down on shedding a high-quality food is best.

Best Tools for Brushing

There are some useful tools for keeping your French Bulldog groomed. Below are some suggestions for your dog:

FURminator

Furminator

This brush is excellent for bristle-haired French Bulldogs. One quick brush will pick up more hair than you thought possible. It leaves your dog’s coat shiny and loose hair-free.

Check Out Some Reviews:

Grooming and Deshedding Glove

This tool is a grooming and deshedder in one. Slide your hand along your dog, and he’ll end up with no loose hair. It can also be used on furniture to pick up stray hair.

Check Out Some Reviews:

KONGZoomGroom

This toll has gentle rubber bristles that massage your dog as it removes loose hair. It will stimulate your pet’s skin for a healthier coat.

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Tips for brushing effectively

Your Frenchie has a beautiful smooth coat that’s short and easy to groom. Always brush him gently because of his sensitive skin once a week with a soft bristle brush or a hound glove. When your dog sheds in the spring and fall, use a grooming mitt or a stripping comb to remove all the excess hair

Are French Bulldogs high maintenance?

French bulldogs do require more care than other breeds of dogs. This breed is sensitive to heat and can have a heat stroke if they become overheated. Your Frenchie will need to have his wrinkles cleaned daily and anywhere that develops an odor.

Your dog isn’t the type to be left in the yard for an extended period, or in a garage. He needs to be inside with family members because your pet will become deeply attached to you. If you work a lot of hours or aren’t home a lot, then a French Bulldog isn’t the kind of dog you should own. A French Bulldog doesn’t like being home alone for long periods of time. Your Frenchie can become destructive if let to his own devices for too long.

French Bulldogs aren’t always good with cats or small children. Plus, he can be aggressive towards dogs with whom he isn’t familiar. Also, Frenchie’s aren’t good swimmers, so keep them away from spas, pools, ponds, and other bodies of water.

Are they cuddly?

Yes, a French Bulldog has never met a lap he doesn’t like.

What Color Sheds the Least?

All French Bulldogs shed regardless of the color. French Bulldogs come in an assortment of colors to choose from. Below is the array of colors:

Brindle Frenchie: The coat is a dark color and has some lighter color hairs. The Brindle is the lighter color, and it varies from very light to almost non-existent black, which is a Seal Brindle. A Tiger Brindle has heavy Brindle with patches of white hair or none.
Pied Frenchie: The skin is white or eggshell with a few patches of dark color. So, most are white with a darker color, which is the opposite of a Brindle.
Cream: The coat is a uniform eggshell color without any other hue. A cream-colored French Bulldog looks almost white.
Fawn: The coat can be a subtle tan to a reddish tan and everything in between. If the coat is fawn, there isn’t a patch, and the coat is one solid color. The areas around the head and ears are a little darker than the rest of the body.
Blue-fawn: The coat of this color is extremely rare and beautiful. It’s a blue-colored variation with the blue hue standing out at the masking points of the upper body and face.
Blue Brindles: The coat of a blue brindle is the opposite of the blue-fawn and has a little chocolate touch.
Chocolate: The coat, the color of chocolate, is another rare color. The colors range from a light milk chocolate brown to a darker brown with an assortment of eye colors. Some coats will have small to large patches, and some won’t have any at all.
Black: The coat of a Black Frenchie will have a distinct white blaze on the part of the body.

Is there a non-shedding mix?

No, all the coat colors shed the same. But, if your Frenchie has a white or cream-colored coat, then it will show up more. A dark-haired Frenchie’s fur won’t be as noticeable on the couch, rug, or on you. But, because Frenchie’s have shorter hair, it’s easier to clean up than dogs with longer hair.

Conclusion

A French Bulldog will shed heavily during the shedding season. Off-season your dog would shed less than a long-haired dog. But, if your dog has a health problem, you’re feeding him a cheap dog food or fleas, then he may be shedding out of season. For more information on French Bulldogs, check the link below: