French Bulldogs are unique dogs that benefit from special items in their diet. These wonderful companions are naturally lazy, and without a proper diet, they can easily become overweight, resulting in numerous health issues. Therefore, they need a well-balanced diet that can provide them with the necessary energy while making sure they don’t gain weight and stay healthy.
Fortunately, there are numerous ready-made nutritious meals for Frenchies in the market that can give your Frenchie everything it needs. These meals are perfectly designed to improve your dog’s health while making sure that he has the needed energy for his daily walks and play.
Other than the commercial dog foods, there are several other food items that can significantly improve your French Bulldog’s health. These items can merge perfectly with both homemade and commercial dog foods. Here are some of the best healthy foods that can support your French Bulldog’s health aid healing.
Consider incorporating these into your Frenchie’s diet
1. Raw Eggs
For decades, we have been programmed to stay away from raw eggs, but did you know that raw eggs, together with their shells, can be a complete source of nutrition for your dog? An egg is a great source of folate, vitamin B12, fatty acids, riboflavin, vitamin A, selenium, and iron, so you can give them raw eggs several times per week. Cooking them can destroy a huge percentage of nutrients in eggs. Dogs cannot consume raw eggs as their main source of nutrition, but they are a great addition to your Frenchie’s diet.
2. Organ Meats
Irrespective of the food you feed your dog (commercial, homemade, or raw), organ meat should be a good part of your French Bulldog’s diet. Most commercial diets follow the 10-80-10 rule (10% organ meat, 80% muscle meat, and 10% bones). However, you can give your dog more organs and glands states the Crazy Pet Guy, organs like the heart, stomach, pancreas, kidney, and liver which are nutrient-dense. Some organs, like the liver, are rich in amino acids, zinc, folate, iron, and vitamin A and B. Kidneys are rich in iron, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and vitamin A, so make sure your Frenchie gets plenty of organ meat.
3. Goat Milk
Goat milk is ranked among the most nutrient-rich food items. Goat milk contains immunoglobulin, amino acids, probiotics, electrolytes and minerals. Raw goat milk can help strengthen your dog’s immunity while reducing allergies. And thanks to the digestive enzymes and probiotics in raw goat milk, it can be great for your dog’s digestive tract. And unlike cow milk, goat milk is:
- Easier to digest
- Less allergenic
- High levels of selenium, zinc and vitamin A
- More digestible thanks to the small size of its molecules
4. Bone Broth
In addition to adding hydration to dry dog chow, bone broth has numerous health benefits for your dogs. Bone broth is prepared by simmering bones with apple cider vinegar for several days. The slowly simmering process helps breakdown the nutrients in bones to create a highly nutritious meal. Bone broth has several health benefits, including:
- Detoxification of the liver
- Improves digestion
- Strengthen your dog’s ligaments, tendons, joints, bones, and muscles
- Improve the immune system
- Support brain function
5. Coconut Oil
One of the best medicinal power foods, that can improve the overall health of your canine pal, is coconut oil. This oil is an excellent fat that is made up of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT). Coconut oil is a thermally stable fat that doesn’t oxidize even when subjected to high temperatures. Another great benefit is that most dogs love the taste of coconut oil in their meals. Coconut oil has a wide range of health benefits, including:
- Improves the dog’s oral and skin health
- Boosts immunity
- Reduces inflammation
- Improves cognition
- Is rich in minerals and antioxidants
6. Kelp
Because some of our soils are mineral deficient, seaweeds, like kelp, can help provide needed trace minerals. Kelp is a great seaweed that absorbs aa great deal of nutrients into its leaves. On average, compared to land plants, sea veggies have over 20 times more minerals, amino acids and vitamins. Kelp is a great source of complex phytonutrients and trace elements that can improve your dog’s health. Some of the minerals found in kelp include magnesium, zinc, iodine, and selenium.
7. Fermented Foods
Fermented food can be a great source of probiotics (beneficial bacteria). Fermented foods contain a wide range of supplemental probiotics that can help support your dog’s immunity. They can also help heal inflammatory bowel disease and leaky gut while assisting with detoxing the bowel. Fermented foods contain choline, enzymes, acetylcholine, vitamins (B, K2 and C), and lactic acid.
8. Omega-3 Oils
The small-sized, oily fish like, anchovies and sardines, are the best source of omega-3 oils. Unlike larger oily fishes, these small-sized fish haven’t had time to accumulate a large amount of toxins. These oily fishes are cleaner and can be an excellent source of omega-3s. However, you should avoid feeding your dog farm-raised sardines. Omega-3 oils have numerous benefits, including:
- Improve the heart’s health
- Kidney function
- Brain food
- Supporting your dog’s joints
Other sources of Omega-3 oils include Cod liver oil, Calamari oil, and Krill oil.
9. Mushrooms
One of most beneficial food ingredients, that have been a significant part of Chinese herbal formulas for centuries, is mushrooms. Mushrooms are powerful ingredients that come packed with nutrients and vitamins such as antioxidants, digestive enzymes, and prebiotics. Mushrooms can help boost your French Bulldog’s immune system and digestive health. Some of the best types of mushrooms that you can add to your dog’s meals include Maitake and Reishi.
Final Thoughts
The French Bulldogs is one of the lower energy breeds in their size range. These wonderful companions are naturally lazy and can spend a significant part of the day sleeping, which is actually why they are one of the best apartment breeds. Without significant exercise, and a balanced diet that is specifically designed for French Bulldogs, these dogs can easily gain weight, so make sure your dog doesn’t overeat and spend most of the day sleeping on the couch. And to improve their health and well-being, you can incorporate the above healthy foods into your French Bulldog’s diet.
