When it comes to French Bulldog shedding, you’ll find them amongst the leaders when it comes to minimal shedding. That being said, there are some details that you should know when it comes to French Bulldogs’ shedding.
Yes, a French Bulldog does shed all year, but they shed the most during spring and fall seasons. It is also known as “blowing coat”, It’s a biological response to the changing of the season and temperature, and happens to all dogs even if they don’t have two coats (Frenchies have only one layer). Since the temperature is shifting, their fur will adjust to match it.
Sometimes the fur will fall out a few hairs at a time, and other times it will come out in tufts. A Frenchie’s coat is what controls their body temperature, and they’ll be able to adjust their temperature to stay comfortable year-round.
Their fur also protects them from sunburn, windburn, and other weather conditions that humans struggle with.
Frenchies and other dogs can shed at different times during the year, too. Any time that there is a change in temperature, a dog’s coat will begin to adjust to it.
A French Bulldog’s coat will grow longer during the winter months to protect the pups from cold and rain, but then they’ll shed their winter coat when summer comes around to have a shorter one, warmer coat that breathes better in hot weather, known as the summer undercoat.
Since they don’t shed a lot or have excessive dander in their hair (dander is what creates allergic reactions), French Bulldogs are often enjoyed by those with animal allergies. With this pup, you will be less prone to it.
While they aren’t technically hypoallergenic, they won’t produce as bad allergy reactions as most dog breeds. For best results, a blue French Bulldog is thought to shed the least out of your options for Frenchies.
Is shedding normal? Can I stop it?
Shedding is natural and healthy for Frenchies. Not only does shedding help them stay comfortable in the temperatures as it changes (and protects them from the sun and other environmental damage); these are crucial factors for the pooch’s well-being.
It also helps them get rid of old, unhealthy hair and replace it with a brand new coat of strong and healthy hair. Just like humans, they rely on a proper disbursement of oils to keep their hair healthy and strong, and shedding is part of the dispersal of this oil.
There have been some studies lately about adding certain supplements to the dog food in order to reduce your French Bulldog shedding during these seasonal changes. While you can consider these for your dogs, it’s not the best idea. Shedding is a natural practice and critical for your dog’s health!
While it can be troublesome to see his fur coming out, it actually feels good for your companion, and the best approach is not to try to change that, especially by using something as personalized as medication to do so.
How to help get a handle on your French Bulldog shedding
One of the best details about enjoying a Frenchie as your family dog is that he doesn’t shed very much! Unlike larger, furrier breeds such as Golden Retrievers or Huskies, Frenchies naturally have short and fine dog hair that sheds minimally.
Another important trait to add to the considerable factors list that will influence the decision to bring this fun-loving dog into your household, and your lap; they won’t leave your clothes full of hairs.
If you’ve ever had another dog breed before, you will especially notice the positive difference in the amount of shedding between them.
That being said, you can put a couple of tips into place to help you keep your French Bulldog shedding to a minimum if you notice it becoming a problem.
Not only will it be great for keeping hair off your furniture (and other places in your home), and make you turn on the vacuum cleaner less often, it’ll also keep him comfortable and itch-free while blowing his coat.
Groom him once a week
When it comes to those seasonal changes (and other times during the year!), groom him at least once a week. It’s a great bonding exercise, and it will also help you lose any excess fur along his body and belly.
For best results, start first with a stripping comb. This is a carefully designed comb that will painlessly loosen any excess hair and fluff from your Frenchie’s undercoat.
Don’t use too much pressure, as it can tug on his hair and make him uncomfortable. Once you’ve loosed as much hair as you can, follow that with a grooming mitt. He’ll love the feel of the silicone teeth, and it will be effortless to clean!
Unlike other dogs who shed excessively, weekly grooming will be enough to keep his shedding under control even when blowing his coat.
Doing it weekly also helps you monitor the amount he’s losing so that you can watch for anything weird that may require more attention (more on that later).
If you aren’t sure what combination of brushes and grooming mitts to use, talk with your dog’s vet, or take a look online to see what’s out there.
Bathe him once a month with sensitive products
To help your French Bulldog shedding stay comfortable, you can also consider giving him a doggie bath once a month! While some dogs may need to go to a groomer in order to get a proper soak, yours is fine to do right at home.
Since French Bulldogs are known for having particularly sensitive skin, you’ll want to talk to the veterinarian about the right sensitive skin dog shampoo, such as Epsom bathing salt which won’t cause skin irritations on the sensitive skin of your French Bulldog, if your dog has dry, itchy skin issues, an Epsom salt bath will soothe and relieve tender skin.
This will help keep the itching down and will also help remove any stubborn hair that is looking to blow off. Plus, he’ll smell great and enjoy the massage that you’re giving him at the same time!
Some people think that you can shave your Frenchies to cut down on the shedding or bathing and grooming, but this is not a good idea unless the vet says explicitly otherwise.
Since proper hair growth and shedding are essential for the overall health and protection from the elements, it’s best to “let sleeping dogs lie,” so the expression goes and leave their fur in its natural form.
Since these sweet and snuffly dogs don’t shed much or even require a lot of upkeep for grooming, there is no need at all to shave them even in the hot summer months.
Keep an eye on the amounts
Most importantly, you’ll want to keep an eye on the amount of hair that your Frenchie is losing.
From the brushing to the hair that you’re pulling off of your car seats and furniture, to potential hair around the house and your carpets, for instance. If it seems excessive or your dog has bald spots, it might not be regular shedding.
Sometimes dogs can lose fur for other health issues (more on that next!), and if he is losing more than you’d expect, or he seems to be continually shedding, it’ll be something that needs a closer look.
Do French Bulldogs Shed? – Healthy shedding and unhealthy shedding
As you’ve learned already, Frenchies — and most dogs in general — blow their coat twice a year. Dogs can also shed at other seasons of the year without it being a reason for concern.
Just like humans lose hair regularly without really noticing it, dogs will lose fur, and you’ll find clumps of it around your home or on your furniture or dog brush year-round. This is considered healthy shedding. But, dogs shed too when they are distressed physically or emotionally.
Causes of unhealthy shedding
Eating a poor diet
When dogs aren’t healthy, they will start losing hair, much like unhealthy humans will often experience hair loss.
Without the right nutrition, vitamins, minerals and other essential components in their daily food, dogs can often experience fast and unhealthy shedding.
Increased anxiety
When a dog gets stressed, one of the first symptoms is a loss of fur. It may not be large clumps at a time; you may just notice excessive shedding in extra hair or small tufts.
If you’ve taken a trip or you’ve taken him to the vet, this could be the cause of the stress-related shedding. It should go away once the trigger stops.
A change in the home or family status
Similarly, pets are very responsive to their home. If there is a change in the home such as a new pet, or you have family visiting — especially family with kids — it can stress your pet out enough to create a bit of shedding. This, too, will go away when the stressor is removed.
How to prevent unhealthy shedding
Now that you know about the kinds of unhealthy shedding, how can you reduce them in your Frenchie? Firstly, you’ll want to stick to a regular grooming schedule. This will help you be aware of when they start shedding, how much they shed, and whether or not it’s on a regular schedule.
This grooming time is also a great way to check out your pet for common signs of skin-related issues. These signs could include scabs, bare skin problems, sores, or skin irritation spots where you’ve noticed that he does excessive scratching or licking. The best way to keep an eye on your pet is to make it a regular thing.
French Bulldogs are known for having a lot of skin problems such as dermatitis due to their sensitive skin. This could lead to rough or flaky skin, as well as redness or even rashes.
If you notice any of these, it’s often accompanied by shedding in and around the problem areas. Try to schedule a vet visit and take some photos of the spots as well.
When it comes to keeping their health in check, always make sure that you’re going with good, healthy dog food that uses real ingredients with lots of omega 3 and fatty acids.
When in doubt, ask the vet what brand of dog food is recommended. You can even bring in the list of ingredients from your brand to see if it’s okay. Also, make sure to keep him healthy as far as weight, dental health, and all other focuses as well.
As far as anxiety-related shedding is concerned, take some time to recognize when your French Bulldog is shedding for stress-related reasons.
- Did it happen in response to a particular person?
- Was it due to a family trip away where he was left at a kennel?
- Do trips in the car make him anxious?
As his dog owners, you are going to be able to figure out his anxiety triggers better than anyone else!
Help your Frenchie to be at his best
Even though your French Bulldog has short and easy-to-maintain hair, proper grooming is going to be an essential part of his overall quality of life. It will keep him comfortable and healthy, offer him increased blood circulation, and bonding time with his dearest human, and it also helps you watch for skin allergies that are so common with this breed.
By staying on top of his health, especially his skin and hair health, you’ll help him stay happy and healthy for a long time to come!
Conclusion
While shedding is not everyone’s most-liked part of being pet owners, going with a French Bulldog means that you won’t need to be dealing with a lot of it. As far as grooming and other cosmetic maintenance, a Frenchie is pretty much as easy as it gets!
A wonderful breed to consider for his low-shed and easy maintenance alone, these snuffly dogs are also great additions because they love to be couch potatoes, run around the house with hilarious cases of the zoomies, and snore during your favorite movie.
Regardless of your motivation for having a Frenchie, you’ll find it to be the right breed for your family, and it’ll undoubtedly check off all of the boxes on your list.
