In this post we look at some of the popular opinions from both dog owners and vets on raw diets for Frenchies. We’ll also look at some of the potential health benefits and risks of raw feeding. Let’s dive in!
Is raw dog food good for French bulldogs?
Depends on who you ask
A raw food diet for dogs is a divisive question in the pet community. On one hand there’s a growing number of dog owners who have made the switch and claim their dogs are better for it. There are some vets that like the idea of feeding biologically appropriate raw food (known as the BARF diet) to your dog.
However there is also a lot of push back from other veterinarians who point out that there isn’t much scientific research on raw diets for dogs, but there is a mountain of research showing the health benefits of traditional commercial dog food.
Some dog owners a quick to point out that the disparity in research is because most dog food research is funded by traditional dog food companies. These companies have a vested interest in funding research that promotes their products. They don’t have much incentive to put money towards research that might create demand for a competitor.
Before we get into the benefits and risks of a raw food diet for French Bulldogs, I’d like to point out that I’m not a veterinarian, and this article does not constitute veterinarian advice. The goal of this article is to introduce you to the raw dog food diet, and cover some of the risks and benefits that pet owners and vets have voiced.
Benefits of a raw diet for a French Bulldog
Supporters of the raw diet claim that switching their dog to a raw diet results in some great health benefits. Better bone and joint health, healthy skin, a smaller stool, Shiny coat, and less body oder are some the benefits often associated with raw dog food.
Some pet parents even claim that this kind of diet will boost your dog’s immune system and support his digestive system.
Risks of a raw food diet
Finding the right nutritional balance for your French Bull Dog
If you want to feed your french bulldog raw food, it might seem simply in theory. Your frenchie’s ancestors ate raw meat, so any raw meat should be good for your pup right? But the truth is that feeding your dog raw food is a little more complicated than that (more on that in a minute).
Bacteria
While French bulldogs can eat raw meat in theory, doing so puts them and their owners at risk for harmful bacteria. The FDA points out that your dog’s meal of raw food can expose both you and them to Salmonella and Listeria.
What raw foods can Frenchies eat?
What meat is best for French Bulldogs?
Raw feeding tries to mimic the different types of meat previous dog breeds would have eaten in the wild. A balanced raw meal is modeled after a full carcass. To achieve this balance many pet owners use a 80/10/5/5 rule when feeding raw food to their dog.
80% of each raw meal should consist of muscle meat. Muscle meat is any meat made up of an animal’s muscle tissue. Hearts and Gizzards also fall under the muscle meat category.
10% your French Bulldog’s raw feed should be raw meaty bones. Like their name suggests these bones are raw bones with a little bit of meat left around them. It’s important to note here that not every bone is safe for your French Bulldog to eat. The raw meaty bones you feed your french bulldog should be small, soft, and easy to eat.
You should never feed your dog raw bones with marrow. They are tough to eat and are a choking hazard.
The next 5% of your Frenchie’s raw meat should consist of liver. This is pretty self explanatory.
The last 5% of your dog’s raw diet should be made up of what’s called offal (also known as secreting organs). Common organ meat that falls under this category are spleen, pancreas, and kidneys.
Overcoming the challenges of a raw diet
The health benefits of feeding your dog a raw diet are huge, but the challenges involved can also seem large. On one hand there’s the risk of infection from bacteria, on other there’s the fact that you have measure out each meal between a variety of meats. No mention the fact that raw meat goes bad quickly and can be tough to store for long periods.
Do you want to give your dog all the health benefits of a raw food diet but want to minimize the risks and not feel overwhelmed with meal preparation?
Then you should consider air dried dog food. The air drying process preserves the natural nutrients of fresh food, but also eliminates potentially dangerous bacteria and pathogens (it’s a gentler process than the conventional heating methods used to make kibble).
Food made through air drying is also shelf stable, meaning you can safely store it in your cupboard and save valuable fridge and freezer space.
Air dried food gives you a lot of the benefits of raw dog food, but without the risks and hassle.
Front of the Pack offers a safe and nutritious air dried dog food that was formulated by a team of specialists ranging from bio chemists to nutritional Scientists. It’s especially design to give your dog a complete nutrition profile in every meal. If you’re interested in making the jump to air dried food, click the button below for 20% off of Front of the Pack’s premiere food.
Can French Bulldogs eat raw chicken?
Feeding your French bulldog raw chicken potentially carries some a great health benefits, but it also comes with some real risk too. The biggest risk of raw chicken to your dog’s health is salmonella. Symptoms of a salmonella infection include diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy and even fever.
Are raw eggs good for Frenchies?
In general eggs make a nutritious addition to your dog’s diet. But like raw poultry, serving your french bulldog raw eggs may expose them to salmonella. Raw eggs have no additional nutritional value over cooked eggs, so this case it’s probably not worth the risk.
What’s the best raw food for french bulldog with allergies?
Dogs sometimes have allergic reactions to a specific type of protein. The best food in this case would be one that’s free of the protein that triggers your French Bulldog’s allergy symptoms. In you are unsure which food is triggering the allergy you can try by trial and error to figure out which ingredient is the culprit.
It’s also a good idea to consult your local vet in this case as well.
Once you discover the source of the allergy you can incorporate raw dog food recipes that avoid that ingredient.
How much raw food should I feed my French Bulldog?
A general rule of thumb is that you should feed your French Bulldog the equivalent of 2-3% of their body weight each day, spread between two seperate meals.
Final thoughts on the French Bulldog Raw Diet
While raw dog food is a bit of a controversial topic, many pet owners swear by it. If you’re feeding kibble, canned food, or any other traditional commercial food to your Frenchie and they are having health issues, then it may be worth it to talk your vet about transitioning to a raw diet.
