Do French Bulldogs Fart A Lot?

Do you have a French Bulldog who farts a lot, and who embarrasses you in public with his noxious gasses? Are you wondering whether excessive Frenchie flatulence is normal dog behavior, or whether French bulldogs are simply more prolific farters compared to other dog breeds?

Do French bulldogs fart a lot? They sure do. French Bulldogs definitely have a reputation for farting a lot. And, to make matters worse, a Frenchie fart is notoriously stinky!

This article explains why French bulldogs have a prolific farting habit and offers some guidance on how you can reduce the frequency and impact of your French bulldog’s farting. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that you will be able to totally stop your Frenchie from farting, it’s in their nature!

Table of Contents

Why Do French Bulldogs Fart So Much?

There are many possible reasons why your French bulldog may be regularly blowing off. As you would expect most of these are diet-related, combined with the fact that French bulldogs have notoriously sensitive digestive systems. Other factors are related to a French bulldog’s physical make-up and overall health condition.

Once you know the reasons why your Frenchie farts, you can adopt some strategies to make the farts less frequent and less fetid.

You may need to approach this on a trial-and-error basis by cutting out those foods that you suspect are causing the doggy farts, on a one-by-one basis, to see if you can pinpoint the source or sources of the wind problem.

Diet-Related Fart Factors

Key diet-related fart-inducing factors in a French bulldog are as follows:

Too many carbohydrates, either from over-processed, cheap dog food or from human food. It may be tempting to give your cute and begging French bulldog your leftover food scraps, or sweet treats; however, you might live to regret it. And, never, ever give your French Bulldog spicy foods, that really is dynamite to a French bulldog’s gut!

Cheap, poor-quality dog food which is high in carbohydrates such as corn and starch.

High-fiber and high-fat foods that are hard for your Frenchie to digest.

Dairy products. Some dogs are lactose-intolerant, and even those dogs that can take dairy products find that these can cause excessive gas. The exception here is probiotic yogurt, with its live cultures, which can help reduce Frenchie flatulence.
Vegetables that ferment such as beans, brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower cabbage, etc.), and peas.

Physical Fart Factors

There are two main physical factors that increase the fart factor:

Aerophagia (excessive swallowing of air) – French bulldogs are a brachycephalic breed characterized by flat faces. Frenchies share some similar features with their brachycephalic cousins such as pugs, English bulldogs, Shih Tzus, boxers, and Boston terriers. Because of their facial structure, these types of dogs are more likely to wolf down their food and swallow air while they are eating. The swallowed air then works itself through the dog’s digestive system and comes out at the other end as a smelly fart.
There is a known link between overweight French bulldogs and excessive gas. A lack of exercise will cause obesity, so it’s important to get your French bulldog in the habit of walking each day to maintain a healthy weight. Regular movement through walking and energetic play also helps healthy bowel function.
There are various health conditions that can cause your French bulldog to fart. These include inflammation of the bowel, neoplasia (excessive tissue growth in the bowel), bowel cancer, parasitic infection, viral infection, and pancreatic disorders. If you suspect any of these conditions, you need to see a vet immediately.

Why Are French Bulldogs Farts So Rancid?

In a healthy and active French bulldog, in most cases, this is usually about the food that is being eaten. The fermentable vegetables are the worst offenders. Whilst many dogs are partial to a broccoli or cauliflower stem or two, it’s best to avoid giving your French bulldog broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peas and beans.

How To Reduce Fart Frequency and Intensity

You can’t stop a French bulldog from farting; they were built to fart. However, you can make life more pleasant for yourself by reducing your French Bulldog’s fart frequency and fart aroma intensity.

The three immediate solutions that I would adopt and try are diet, exercise, and a specially designed bowl or feeding mat.

In most cases, diet will be the key to this and is probably the single most important factor here. A healthy diet based on Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF), consisting of raw meat, bones, organs, and selected vegetables will, in most cases, make a big difference. The key to this is discipline, sticking to the diet, and not lapsing with unhealthy and inappropriate treats.
Diet diary– It’s worth keeping a diet diary and noting any change in your dog’s behavior every time he/she eats a certain type of food. If you find certain foods are followed by more intense farting episodes you can eliminate those foods from your dog’s diet. Through a process of elimination, you will soon discover which foods are most fart-inducing. You can consult your vet about this who are expert in elimination diets and can make sure that your dog is getting the right balance of nutrients as you work through this.
Anti-choke food bowls, or lick mats, are specifically designed to slow down eating. These products work by making your dog work for his/her food and the design encourages calm and gradual eating, rather than gulping and wolfing the food down. I know from experience that these do help, but are only part of the solution.
Regular exercise and active play will prevent obesity and will help the normal functioning of your dog’s gut which will help to reduce gassiness.

If you have tried all of these and you are still subject to regular gas attacks then you can move on to other remedies. But at this point, I advise that you seek a professional opinion from a vet, as some of the following solutions will require intervention and prescription from a qualified vet:

Probiotics specially formulated for dogs – PROBIOTICS are popular with humans and help to reduce wind by aiding digestion and minimizing the growth of dangerous bacteria such as E. coli or salmonella. Not surprisingly, they are good for dogs too. But, don’t give your dog human food probiotics. There are probiotics on the market that are specifically designed for a dog’s digestive system.
Dry activated charcoal.
There are various alternative and modern medications, and dietary supplements available that can help; all of these need to be discussed with a vet first. These include carminative, zinc acetate, YUCCA SCHIDIGERA extract, and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol).

Conclusions

Do French bulldogs fart a lot? Absolutely yes!

It’s unlikely that you will ever be able to bring an end to Frenchie farts, so you need to accept this as one of the downsides of owning a French bulldog. But there are many more upsides to outweigh this minor inconvenience!

A French bulldog’s squishy, cute face is part of the problem, as this causes food gulping and excessive intake while eating. However, in most cases, this problem is exacerbated by poor diet, an undisciplined approach to diet, and a lack of exercise and play.

So, the best way to tackle this is to use a lick mat or anti-choke bowl, and feed your French bulldog with good-quality dog food. Make sure that you cut out those foods that are known to be particularly fart-inducing such as human foods, high-fiber foods, dairy, brassica vegetables, beans, and peas.

If, after you have adopted this strategy, you are still suffering from regular and toxic Frenchie gas attacks, then I suggest it’s definitely time to go and visit a vet. The vet can test for specific health conditions that might be causing flatulence in your dog or can prescribe medications or food supplements if your dog is otherwise deemed healthy.

So, a French bulldog house is unlikely to ever be a no-fart zone, but with a healthier and more disciplined approach to diet, your house can be subject to fewer fart outbreaks and can smell slightly more pleasant.