French Bulldog Grooming

Frenchies are small companion dogs with an alert, active and attention-loving nature. No wonder the French Bulldog is one of the world's most popular dogs! They also do not require much grooming, however, what little they do require must be done to keep them healthy and comfortable. This will include: brushing them weekly, trimming the nails and cleaning the ears monthly, regular dental care, and bathing them as necessary. The breeds skin folds are known to get smelly when not properly cared for! It's also worth mentioning that the large eyes of the Frenchies are sensitive and prone to discharge. We recommend starting the grooming process when he/she is a puppy, especially dental care, so the loud noises and weird sensations can be gotten used to. We have compiled the basics of Frenchie grooming for you, here, on this page.

Although this breed has a short, smooth, single-layered fur, French Bulldog grooming will definitely require taking good care of the coat. First, French Bulldog shedding (or moulting) is inevitable; they shed year round and even more heavily during certain seasons. Brushing them weekly will keep their coat in good shape and cut down on the shedding. The best grooming brush for a French Bulldog's coat is a bristle brush but you can also use a deshedding tool if you'd like. The following sections will summarize the important aspects of how to groom French Bulldogs including: bathing, brushing, removing tear stains and more.

The best brush for the French Bulldog is a soft bristle brush. The coat is naturally short and smooth so a weekly brushing should keep them in perfect shape! Members of this breed shed all year around, but you can use a deshedding brush on your Frenchie during seasonal shedding times to prevent so much of the dead hair from ending up on your floor and furniture.

Frenchie coats are short and straight so tangles and mats are not an issue with this breed. They can benefit from a weekly brushing because they shed seasonally; doing so will help reduce the amount of fur on your furniture and floors. You can use deshedding tools, like the Furminator, on your French Bulldog to remove dead hairs.

Bathing is an important part of this wrinkly dog's grooming routine. Most owners ask "How often should I bathe my French Bulldog?" There is no rule for how often to bathe them; some experts claiming every six weeks will do while others stating that as frequently as weekly is fine. Canines with wrinkles, like French Bulldogs, often so smell and get stinky faster than other breeds. How to clean the French Bulldog's ears is also an important part of the bathing process.

When you do decide to bathe him/her, the best shampoo for a French Bulldog is usually a gentle, hypoallergenic shampoo because their eyes are sensitive (sometimes the skin is, too). We recommend running a couple inches of lukewarm water in your tub or container before introducing the dog to the water. Make sure to clean in between the wrinkles, which are breeding grounds for yeast and bacteria that produce that stinky smell we previously mentioned. Rinse thoroughly (then, rinse again) so you don't leave any itchy soap behind!

After the bath, dry your Frenchie thoroughly, especially in the wrinkles as the moist skin is a much better area for the yeast and bacteria to thrive. Cleaning your Frenchie's ears can be done at this point if you wish. Take a cotton ball or q-tip and wet it with ear cleaning solution (or vinegar). Gently rub the parts of the inside of her ear that can easily be reached; if you don't think you could easily reach it, that probably means it's too far.

Note, cleaning the wrinkles in between with a deodorizing wipe, applying a wrinkle balm, or using dry shampoo are great ways to keep her from getting too smelly in between baths. These products can all be bought at any pet supply store.

Frenchies don't require haircuts because their coats are already short, sleek and single layered. Owners that want to add some style can do so with accessories, although we don't recommend doing this is your Frenchie is easily stressed. A French Bulldog with a pink sweater, for example, will be adorable and it will help keep her warm in the winter. There are plenty of pet accessories at your local pet store or on websites like Chewy or Amazon.

These dogs require little exercise to stay healthy and happy so the nails don't wear down as much as a more active breed. Your Frenchie's nails should be trimmed or filed monthly, whether you trim or file will be based on your pup's tolerance of the activity. If you find this aspect of care too challenging, your veterinarians office can do this for a small fee. Dog spas and salons will care for your Frenchie's nails, of course. Those that decide to paint their French Bulldog's nails at home must make sure to purchase a special, dog-safe nail polish.

Two common pests that can live on your French Bulldog are ear mites and fleas. Luckily, both are easily preventable and easily treatable but can also cause health problems for your pet if left untreated.

Ear mites are very common among all breeds of dogs (and cats). They don't bite the skin but do feed on oils and waxes in your pet's ears and they are spreadable to dogs and other household pets! They can be prevented by cleaning your dog's ears with an ear solution at least once per month along with application of a topical parasite solution; for example, Advantage makes a topical solution that is inclusive of fleas, ticks, ear mites and several other pests. You might notice your Frenchie shaking his head a lot or scratching excessively near his ears. Upon inspecting the ear it may smell bad and have debris that looks like reddish-brown coffee grounds (this is dried blood). If you suspect your pet has ear mites already, take him/her to your veterinarian where they will clean out the ears, treat any bacterial or fungal infections, and apply an anti parasite treatment.

Fleas are another ubiquitous pest for most every animal. It's important to treat fleas as soon as possible because they are easily shared with other pets and excessive scratching can cause skin infections. Some pets may even be allergic to fleas-- if you pet is losing hair, sneezing a lot, and has nose or eye discharge, this may be the case. Regular bathing and a flea preventative medication is routine for most Frenchies. As mentioned earlier, you can get monthly topical solutions that take care of both fleas and ear mites (plus a lot of other pests)!

Other aspects of care that should not be neglected include the teeth and eyes. Gum disease and bad breath can plague French Bulldogs without proper dental care-- and no one likes stinky dog breath! Experts recommend your French Bulldog's teeth be brushed daily or as often as possible. It is especially important to clean the teeth when your French Bulldog loses their baby teeth-- at around 3 to 7 months. There are plenty of dental treats, chews and gels you can try if your pet won't comply with at least a weekly brushing. You can also take him/her to your veterinarian where they can do a deep dental cleaning, however, this is often pricey. One last thing to keep in mind is that the structure of a French Bulldog's teeth is often not in a straight line so you may have to thoroughly inspect the mouth to make sure you reach them all.

French Bulldog's and tear stains often go hand in hand due to their sensitive, slightly protruding eyes. These can be prevented by keeping the eye area clean and dry; if they have any "eye goobers" wipe them of with a soft cloth or qtip. Eye discharge can often be caused by allergies, so make sure you are using a monthly flea and ear mite preventative as well as monitoring your pet's reaction to her food. If you already see tear stains, then we recommend using a hypoallergenic tear stain remover for the French Bulldog's sensitive eyes. This can be purchased at any pet supply store. You can also try a hypoallergenic, tear-free shampoo or waterless shampoo-- just make sure the area is dry afterwards. Some experts also say you can carefully use a q-tip dipped in hydrogen peroxide to rub the tear stain area.