There are a few reasons why you might want to see your French Bulldog gain some weight or muscle. When searching for how to bulk up my French Bulldog, stay away from any advice that encourages supplements before speaking to your vet.
There isn’t much you can do to change the structure of your Frenchie’s body; all you can do is support them in a healthy way and you’ll see your French Bulldog bulk up as much as they can.
Are French Bulldogs Usually Muscular?
It is part of a French Bulldog’s genetic makeup to have a bulky, muscular build. This is because they are descendants of the Molossus dog, which were muscular as well.
What To Feed A French Bulldog To Bulk Up
The most important element of a well-balanced diet for a French Bulldog is food with a good source of protein. You also want to ensure their food is high protein, as this will help nourish and build healthy muscle.
We recommend PEDIGREES HIGH PROTEIN FOOD
You will also want to be sure to measure the amount of food you feed your Frenchie, as too much will cause them to gain weight. If they need some extra weight, you can feed them a little extra until they are at their ideal weight. Otherwise, they will get obese, and French Bulldogs cannot handle extra weight very well.
French Bulldogs are dogs that will eat the food that is laid out for them. Thus, it’s best to feed them measured amounts of kibble at certain times of the day, rather than letting them free feed from a big bowl. They will eat, even to the point of getting sick, as they like their food.
You also want to avoid feeding them food with any unnecessary grains. Furthermore, you want to avoid foods with corn and soy ingredients, as most dogs end up being allergic to these foods. You’ll know if your Frenchie is allergic to these ingredients if they have loose stools or diarrhea, and they are prone to scratching.
Feed Your French Bulldog Occasional, High Protein Treats
Rather than feeding your Frenchie store bought treats, you can try feeding them some high protein treats that you make at home. French Bulldogs are able to eat eggs, which are low in calories and high in protein and other great nutrients. You can also let them have some plain yogurt as a little treat.
You can even opt for some plain, cooked chicken without any bones in it as a treat. They like their meat, and it’s an ideal source of protein, especially if they tend to prefer meaty, store bought treats.
Be Sure You’re Feeding Your French Bulldog Enough
When you’re in the process of trying to help your French Bulldog gain more muscle, you might have to opt for a little bit more food than is recommended for their age and size so they have enough energy to exercise and build those muscles up.
Most dry dog foods will have recommendations on their packaging that advise how much of that particular food you should feed your dog based on their age and current weight. It might also advise how much to feed them to help them gain or lose weight.
It would also be a good idea to consult with your French Bulldog’s vet to make sure the food you are choosing is ideal for your pup, and see that they are monitoring their weight to ensure they aren’t gaining fat, but are gaining muscle.
The typical healthy weight range for a male French Bulldog is between 20 and 28 pounds, while for a female, the range is between 16 and 24 pounds.
How To Keep Your French Bulldog At A Healthy Weight
While diet is essential in order to bulk up your French Bulldog, that food won’t do much if your Frenchie isn’t also active. It can be a little difficult to keep your French Bulldog active, but it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to keep up a consistent effort to do so.
For starters, they should be going for walks every day. Frenchies can be finicky when it comes to walking when it’s especially hot or especially cold outside. You don’t want to force it too much if they seem to be uncomfortable, as French Bulldogs are prone to breathing issues that can be exacerbated by rough temperatures.
Similarly, your Frenchie may not be a big fan of rain or snow. If you can find them sweaters or boots, and be sure to pack water on a hot day, it may help them get used to walking in inclement weather.
If you are able to break up their walking time into a few shorter walks every day, that would be best. French Bulldogs can’t usually stay active for a very long time, and if you tire them out, they may start to dislike walking altogether.
How To Play With Your French Bulldog
Playing with your French Bulldog while at home can also help keep them active. Furthermore, it allows you to bond with your Frenchie. This is especially important on days when you cannot convince your French Bulldog to take a walk because of the weather or because they’ve already been on one that day.
Consider toys like rope toys that you can encourage your Frenchie to pull on and wrestle around with. Throwing balls around, even balls that have little holes for treats, will have them running around your home excitedly, which will be good enough exercise to help them gain muscle.
It could also be nice to even let them out in the yard and have a couple of outdoor toys to play with so they can be active outside without having to go on a walk all the time.
Don’t Force Them To Bulk Up More Than They Can
There is very little control that you will have outside of a high protein diet and adequate exercise when it comes to how much your French Bulldog can bulk up. The only reason you should be trying to bulk up your Frenchie is to ensure they are as healthy and happy as possible. Thus, trying to push them to bulk up more and more will be unhealthy.
If you are able to see your French Bulldogs ribs when you look at their midsection, you will know they are underweight. If your vet does not observe or discover that their weight is due to a medical issue, it’s worth continuing trying to have your French Bulldog gain weight.
If your French Bulldog appears to be very round with no defined waist, it’s possible that they are overweight. Letting them continue to be overweight or gain even more weight could lead to a variety of health issues, which could ultimately shorten your French Bulldog’s life.
Recap
How to Bulk up French your Bulldog is a fairly easy process, but you must respect that their genetics and their naturally small stature will only let them bulk up so much. Ensuring they get exercise and fun play time and a healthy diet is always the best course of action to support a long and healthy life for your Frenchie.
Last update on 2024-07-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
