Dogs are awesome. One look at those puppy eyes and they crawl straight into your heart. You’ve recently decided that you need another pooch in your life, but you can’t choose between Pugs and French Bulldogs. Why not get the one that sheds the least, right?
Turns out that, while both of these breeds shed and require regular brushing, pugs tend to shed more. Either way, you’ll have to deal with doggy hair on your clothes, carpet, and bedding. In this article, we unpack tips on coping with shedding Frenchies.
[1] What Colour Of French Bulldog Sheds Least
Frenchies come in a huge variety of colors, ranging from fawn and pied through to brindle and even the rare blue/grey. They’re all adorable, and most have us have fallen in love with those cute little puppy eyes and tiny feet. I mean, what’s not to love?
Well, maybe shedding. Even though they have short hair, Frenchies shed a lot. Like, sometimes, an insane amount. This begs the question, is there a specific type of Frenchie that sheds less?
According to most forums, black and dark brindle Frenchies tend to shed less than their cream or light fawn counterparts. The color of their coats even affects the feel of the coat. We don’t know why, though.
[2] French Bulldog Shedding Solution
Dogs will shed. Even Frenchies, who shed a lot less than other dog breeds, will give you plenty of excess hair to manage. Puppies typically shed more than grown dogs, so as your pup matures, you can look forward to less hair on your clothes and furniture.
Managing the excess hair boils down to grooming and diet. Giving your Milo a good, daily brush will remove most of the hair before it gets on your furniture. It’s also an awesome bonding time for you and your pup, especially if you have a high-quality grooming brush. It’s like a trip to the spa if you do it right, and who doesn’t love a bit of pampering?
Additionally, regular brushing makes your pooch’s coat softer and cleaner. You could also add some supplements to your pup’s diet (no, those aren’t just for humans). Fatty acid supplements will keep your pup’s hair healthy, which reduces shedding.
If you’ve done all of this and are really getting exasperated with cleaning hair off your clothes and furniture, you could always get your fur kids a coat. That is if weather permits. If you live in the tropics, we wouldn’t recommend it, since your poor pooch could overheat. The cool thing is that the coat catches most of the hair before it gets to your furniture. Now, you just wash the jacket. Easy peasy!
A good vacuum cleaner is also a worthwhile investment for any pet owner. It gobbles up all the hair from all the places. Seriously.
[3] French Bulldogs Shedding More Than Usual
Sometimes, you might find that your Frenchie is shedding more hair than usual, even get bald patches. This could be scary, and it’s definitely worth paying attention to.
Often, this is due to allergies. Unlike their human parents, our fur kids don’t typically sneeze from allergies. Instead, they itch or lose hair. Pay close attention to your pup’s diet and environment. Did anything change? Maybe they’re allergic to the new dog food you got, or there’s more pollen in the air than what they’re used to.
Frenchies have tons of folds in their skin, way more than most other dog breeds. In summer, these could develop hot spots, also known as acute moist dermatitis. If this is the case, your doggo will be scratching away like mad, since the condition is, at best, highly irritating, and at worst, excruciating.
Your Milo could also develop chronic dry skin if you bath him too often. Now, we’re not saying that you shouldn’t bath your pup. You definitely should, and pay extra attention to those cutesy skin folds and tiny feet. Just keep moderation in mind. If you don’t know how often to bath your pup or which products to use, chat with your vet. They can recommend the frequency that’s best suited to your situation and your pup’s general condition. Your vet should also have a handle on locally available products that are friendly to your fur kid’s skin and hair.
Sometimes, your fur kids could lose hair because of dandruff – more on that in a later section.
Lastly, excessive shedding and bald spots could be due to mites. These critters burrow into the hair follicle, causing it to shed. They’re also incredibly irritating, so your pup is likely to scratch away as one possessed.
[4] When Do French Bulldogs Shed?
Dogs shed their coats to get rid of damaged, old, and extra hair. In winter, they tend to grow a bit more hair to protect them against the cold. When spring comes along, they no longer need all that extra hair, so they shed it. Kind of like when we take off our warm coats to cool down. This phenomenon is called coat blowing and can be very messy. Not as messy as in double-coated dogs, though.
Likewise, when winter comes along, they need space to grow all that extra hair for their winter coat, so they shed. In short, Frenchies, as with most other dog breeds, shed at the change of the season to get their coats ready for whatever new weather conditions they’re expecting.
Luckily, Frenchies tend to shed less than other dog breeds, because they have a single coat instead of the double coat found in most other dog breeds. Say what now?
Double-coated dogs have two layers of fur: an undercoat and a topcoat. The undercoat is usually very thick and meant to protect the dog from cold climates. The topcoat, on the other hand, serves as protection against the environment. You know, water, snow, shrubs, and the like. Because Frenchies were bred as companion dogs, not working dogs, they’re meant to live inside. So, they don’t need all that extra protection against the elements, hence the single coat.
[5] French Bulldog Shedding And Dandruff
Dandruff is one potential cause of excessive shedding in French bulldogs.
Causes of Dandruff
Dandruff in French bulldogs have a wide variety of possible causes, and most of them point to other underlying issues. This often makes dandruff challenging to treat since you first have to figure out the underlying cause. Common causes of dandruff include allergies, skin infection, immune-mediated diseases, and endocrine disorders. Yikes, those sound scary!
Luckily, your vet would know what to do, so if your Chomper has dandruff that just won’t go away, take him for a check-up.
Treatment
Now that we know what causes dandruff in Frenchies, we need some way to manage it, right? Luckily, this condition is usually relatively easy to manage with the right tools in your toolkit, and if the underlying condition isn’t too serious.
First off, a good daily brushing session is essential. Brushing stimulates blood supply to the skin while distributing the natural oils in your pup’s coat. The increased blood supply also encourages more oil production, which keeps your pup’s skin healthy and his fur glowing.
Then, there’s the diet. Just like their human parents, Frenchies need a balanced, healthy diet. We know it’s tempting to go to the discount store and buy the cheapest pet food in bulk. Not a good idea. Doing this increases the risk of allergic reactions and skin conditions. Remember, those cheap pet foods aren’t nutritionally balanced, so your pup probably isn’t getting all the vitamins, minerals, and other goodies that he needs. This affects everything, from digestion to skin condition and general health.
Instead, opt for a reputable brand that pays attention to what they put in their dog food. You don’t have to splurge on premium brands – just pay attention to what’s inside. If you’re not sure what to choose, chat to your vet for recommendations.
Next, check out the shampoo that you’re using. Frenchies have delicate skin – far more sensitive than ours. So, use a soothing anti-dandruff doggy shampoo and conditioner, preferably with added chamomile and oatmeal to moisturize their skin.
Additionally, you could use essential oils like coconut, grape seed, and neem to hydrate your pup’s skin. Rub small amounts on those dry spots to offer some relief from the dry, itchy feeling.
Always chat to your vet if your pup has dandruff, since it may point to some underlying medical condition. If home treatment solutions don’t do the trick, your dog might need some serious help from the vet.
In Closing
Frenchies shed less than Pugs and most other dog breeds, but you won’t get away from having hair all over your clothes and furniture. That said, you can manage shedding through good grooming and a proper diet. If you notice your Frenchie shedding more than usual, it’s usually a sign of something else being wrong. When in doubt, visit the vet.
Photo Credits
¹ Photo by Gabriel Rodrigues on Unsplash
