This is the third or fourth article that I have written about French Bulldogs and their weight. Previously, I have written about having a skinny Bulldog and Frenchies that are not eating.
Well in this post, I want to look at the whole idea of a French Bulldog’s average weight.
A healthy dog should neither be too skinny nor too fat. This is something every dog already knows. But how do you tell if your furry friend is of a healthy weight?
French bulldogs are small dogs which can make telling when they’re underweight or overweight a bit difficult, especially to the untrained eyes. However, if your Frenchie looks much smaller or bigger than other French bulldogs of the same age, then you may have a dog with a weight problem.
But before getting worked up over the current weight of your dog, you first have to compare the standard healthy weight and growth rate of French bulldogs to that of your Frenchie. And if your Frenchie’s body weight greatly deviates from this standard, only then should you worry.
[1] French bulldog healthy weight
Generally, male French bulldogs are known to weigh slightly more than their females. However, even within the same age and gender, the weigh of these dogs still slightly vary. For instance, at 3 months old the average weight of male French bulldogs range between 8.6 and 12.9 pounds. At 6 months, male French bulldogs will weigh between 15.5 and 23.6 pounds, and 12 months old male Frenchies weigh between 19.8 and 30.4 pounds.
These figures are somewhat lower for female French bulldogs. A 3-month-old female French bulldog will weigh between 7.7 and 12.1 pound. This weight will fall within 13.8 to 22.1 pounds at 6 months. A year old female Frenchies will weigh between 17.6 and 28.4 pounds.
For adult (2 years and above) Frenchies, males weigh between 20 – 28 pounds, while females weigh from 18 to 26 pounds. If the weight of your French bulldog falls within the weight range matches his/her age, then you can safely say that your dog has a healthy weight. Note that the weight of your largely depend on genes inherited from her parents, that is besides diet, age and lifestyle, which is beyond your control.
Also, if your Frenchie’s weight falls a little below or above the specified weight range for his age, you may have nothing to worry about. In fact, worrying about your dog’s weight without any supporting evidence that there’s a problem is very unnecessary. Instead of possibly getting worked over nothing, pay your vet a visit to find out for sure if your Frenchie is healthy.
[2] Signs that your dog is overweight/underweight
There are always obvious signs that show whether a dog is either underweight, overweight or healthy. And even without knowing the exact weight of a dog, you can tell a dog in perfect body shape and size by merely looking at and observing the dog.
And as a pet owner, you should be able to tell if your dog is healthy and in perfect shape just by observing her. You can do this either with your eyes or by conducting a simple exercise where you check your dog’s body for excess or too little fat.
This is a very simple exercise and only requires that you use your eyes and hands to feel your dog’s body. Begin by looking down at your dog while she’s standing, any dog with a healthy weight will have a broad chest and a narrow waist. If your dog is shaped this way, that is you can clearly make out the broad chest and the tapered waist, that’s a good sign.
Next, you’ll need to run your hands over your dog’s body. Use your open hands to feel both sides of your body, focusing on the rib cage. For a dog with a healthy weight, you should be able to feel the rib cage and spine beneath your palm, you should feel each rib with your finger but not clearly see them with your eyes.
An overweight dog will have a rib cage and spine buried beneath a thick layer of fat, and you’ll be unable to easily feel them, while an underweight dog will have a very prominent rib cage and spine, with only a thin layer of skin covering them.
A sagging belly is also a sign of too much in a dog’s body because healthy dogs have raised bellies. In general, puppies and young dogs tend to be skinnier than old and senior dogs because the former are usually more physically active and therefore expend more calories.
[3] How to help your French Bulldog lose weight
Helping your Frenchie shed a few pounds and regain a healthy weight isn’t as difficult as it may seem. In theory, it’s simple enough; less food, more exercise. You can help your canine burn off an excess build up of fat in about 5 to 7 months by creating a weight loss plan and strictly adhering to it. It’ll take several months because there isn’t an overnight quick fix for it, it’s rather a long-term goal. Here are some tips to get you started and keep you on the right track.
Feed your dog multiple times a day: if you dog’s eating routine is 1 or 2 large meals every day, this has to stop. A healthy way to feed a dog is giving her smaller meal portions multiple times a day. This is partly because it’ll keep the blood sugar level of your dog more stable throughout the day thus reducing the amount of extra calories stored in the dog’s body.
Replace sugary treats with healthy options: many dog owners loose sight of how many calories treats deposit in the body of dogs. To expedite your dog’s weight loss and diet program, drastically cut back on the amount of treats you hand out and substitute unhealthy sugar-laden treats with healthy options like fruits and vegetables.
Consider a change of diet: it’s easier to give your dog store-bought and packaged food than to actually prepare some diet-rich home-made meals. But the latter is the healthier option and will provide your dog with all the essential nutrients her body needs. You may also want to consult a veterinarian to examine your dog and recommend healthy meals or draw up a diet plan to help your dog shed extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight. Note that changing a dog’s diet is done gradually to prevent digestive problems.
Help your pet expend more calories: a weight loss plan for your dog cannot be complete without exercises on it. Great exercise options include; daily brisk walk for at least 30 minutes that leave your dog panting, running up and down the stairs, playing fetch with a ball, a toy or other dogs in the neighbourhood. You can also get your pup a dog treadmill to expedite her weight loss.
[4] How to help your French Bulldog gain weight
Too much fat is bad for dogs, same as too little fat. A dog is truly healthy when she has a healthy weight, if your Frenchie is too skinny here are some ways to help her gain some weight.
Check with your vet to know if your dog is healthy: when you suspect that your dog is underweight your first instinct may be to increase the amount of food you give her. But sometimes, weight loss in dogs may be due to an underlying health condition. Therefore, you should let a vet examine your dog before you begin your mission to fatten your pup.
Make sure your pet’s getting sufficient calories: examine your dog’s diet to ensure she’s getting enough nutrients and the exact amount of calories her body needs. Check the nutritional profile of the pet food you’re giving her to be sure it has all she needs. Also add high protein foods to her diet as these help in weight gain.
Change your dog’s feeding routine: give your dog smaller portions of food (add home-made meals to her diet) several times a day, this will help your pup get all the nutrients she needs while keeping her energy level high. This feeding routine also helps your dog clean her plate.
Support your dog’s diet with healthy treats: healthy treats like peanut butter are high in protein and a good source of calories for your dog. Other good options include slices of carrot, apples and pumpkin.
[5] Health concerns of overweight/underweight French bulldogs
When a dog becomes overweight or obese, her susceptibility to a number of many serious health conditions significantly increases. Dogs do not handle fats as well as humans, and as little as an extra 5 pounds in the body of your canine friend will expose your dog to a variety of unpleasant and very serious disease.
French bulldogs are notorious for having breathing problems and if yours is already battling with a respiratory problem, even the slightest bit of extra fat in her body may worsen the condition, this is quite scary. Overweight dogs, French bulldogs included, have a much higher risk of developing serious health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease and gastrointestinal disease.
Underweight dogs are also not safe, these dogs apparently lack some essential vitamins and nutrients, and therefore have weaker immune systems which in turn exposes them to different diseases, especially worms and parasitic infections.
Final Thoughts
A dog’s body weight will continue to vary at different stages of his or her life, these variations are all very natural and will depend on a number of factors. First, dogs add weight as they grow older, this is very natural so expect an older Frenchie to weigh more than a much younger one. Besides age, other factors like gender, genetics, diet, lifestyle and activity level all contribute to the overall body weight of a healthy dog. The best way to help your dog enjoy good health is to help her maintain a healthy body weight, this is instrumental in helping the dog combat infectious diseases.
Photo Credits
¹ Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash
