Sizes of French Bulldogs depending on age and how to adjust them

The French Bulldog tends to gain mass quickly, especially during the first months of life. Therefore, the owner is often faced with questions whether the growth is correct, whether the pet is transmitting it. What weight norms for French Bulldog puppies by months - we will consider in our article, and also talk about the size and weight of this breed of dogs at different periods of life.

By purchasing a French Bulldog puppy, his owner may have an average idea of ​​what size he will become in adulthood. However, as for other breeds, for the "French" there are standard parameters of their weight and height indicators. It is important to know that the adult age of dogs of this breed reaches 10-12 months. After this time line, the French Bulldog hardly grows upward, the boy becomes more courageous, his muscles get stronger, and the girl gradually prepares for reproduction. Dogs over 1 year of age should not be overweight.

The difference in sex is also taken into account in the standard indicators of the size of the animal.

"French women" have more miniature parameters: weight from 9 to 13 kg, and height - 26-35 cm. Owners should take into account that the boundaries of these norms are not rigid. A deviation of 350-450 grams towards a decrease or increase in mass should also be considered the norm.

With such a modest growth, the mass of Bulldogs may seem disproportionate, but such is the specificity of this breed. They inherited strong and developed muscles from their forefathers - fighting dogs. Comparing the French Bulldog with other breeds of about the same height, but with less weight, we can conclude that they have a large head, wide and developed chest, wide bones. But a loving owner should always control the body weight of his pet, who is inclined to gain it, because excess weight threatens to shorten the life and undermine the pet's health.

The French Bulldog is born with a modest weight of 200-300 grams and is rapidly gaining weight in the following months. By the age of one month, the initial weight can increase 4 times, and with each subsequent month, the weight gain can be 1-1.2 kg. Some owners may even worry if they are gaining weight too quickly, as puppies are usually round. The table shows the average weight data for puppies of this breed per month.

It should be noted that a slight deviation in weight from the given data is permissible, provided that the breed type is preserved. After all, it is also important to take into account hereditary data and other objective circumstances (feeding by the mother or formula, climatic conditions and similar factors). Do not forget, too, that we are talking about the weight of the classic French Bulldogs, not the dwarf mini-bulldogs.

Experts have developed a formula by which you can calculate the individual weight of an adult bulldog, based on its "puppy" weight. Using one formula, you need to weigh the puppy at the age of 8 weeks, and then multiply the data by 4 times, then we get the approximate weight of a one-year-old dog. The second version of the formula is calculated by the weight of a 4-month-old puppy, which must be doubled in order to know how much an adult pet should weigh.

Let the owners not be confused by the chubby outlines of the French Bulldog at 1 year old. Usually, in the second year of life, the dog becomes slimmer, becomes leaner and can weigh even less than its one-year-old mass. The main thing is to pay attention to the behavior and mood of the dog: if there is activity in tandem with a good appetite, then there is nothing to worry about.

Let's turn to the factors influencing the weight gain of French Bulldogs.

• Genetics. How a puppy grows up largely depends on what parameters his parents had. When purchasing a French Bulldog puppy, it is advisable (if there is such an opportunity) to get to know his mother and father and, based on them, form an average idea of ​​the height and weight of an adult pet.
• Breastfeeding or artificial feeding. It has been noticed that puppies who ate enough of their mother's milk have larger parameters than their peers who do not have enough milk (for example, if there are many puppies in the litter), or raised on artificial mixtures.
• Insufficient or oversupply food. After weaning, the main criterion for a dog's weight gain is food. The owner should learn the rules for feeding the French Bulldog. Food should be balanced, nutritious and in the right amount. Up to 4-5 months, meals should be frequent - 4-5 times a day. This is required by the high intensity of growth of representatives of this breed. Then the number of feedings gradually decreases to 2 times a day by 7-8 months. The best solution would be to purchase special feed, since it can be difficult to establish a comprehensive balanced diet at home.
• The opposite moment - too high-calorie and excessive nutrition. Overfeeding his pet, the owner often hopes that all the extra calories will go to the muscles.However, accustomed to consuming large portions, the dog moves less actively with age, which will certainly lead to weight gain.
• Dog health. Infant illnesses, trauma, surgery or antibiotics can cause a young Frenchman to grow poorly. Often, having recovered, the dog can catch up with his peers, the main thing is to prevent the transition of the disease to a chronic form.

Specialists in breeding dogs of the French Bulldog breed are of the opinion that thinking about adjusting the dog's weight should be when the individual reaches 1.5-2 years of age. In this case, individual characteristics, gender, health and lifestyle of the dog must be taken into account. Correction of body weight is possible:

• upward, with insufficient weight;
• downward, if the pet is overweight.

Before resorting to one of the types of weight adjustment, be sure to consider the pet's nutritional system. It can be based on natural feeds or dry mixes. Mixing these systems is strongly discouraged. Only one should be adhered to, which was chosen at the first appearance of the "Frenchman" in the house. Otherwise, the dog's body is threatened with a violation of the intestinal microflora up to the indigestion of food.

If the veterinarian recommends to reduce the weight of the dog, then a competent approach to such adjustment will consist in the following steps.

• Reducing portions and calorie intake. A truly loving owner will not succumb to the compassionate glances of his pet asking for a supplement. A portion of food per day should not exceed 5-7% of the total weight of the dog. It will not be easy at first, but after 1-2 weeks the French Bulldog will get used to this regime. If the dog is kept on a natural food system, more boiled vegetables should be given (except for potatoes, which can be fed raw).

The diet requires low-fat cottage cheese or dairy products, sea low-fat fish without bones, legumes - all this is allocated 40-50%. Lean meat (offal or poultry) should be 20%, in addition to suitable (due to the tendency to allergies of this breed) cereals, the proportion of which in the diet is approximately 20-25%. Portions must be weighed, the frequency of feeding is twice a day at the same time. Be sure to give vitamins that your veterinarian recommends. While on commercial food, you should also consult with a specialist which food is best for reducing the dog's weight and how much to give it, taking into account the age and lifestyle of the dog. It is advisable to pay attention to higher quality premium feed.

• Increased physical activity. Overeating should not be blamed on the dog, but on its owner, so the situation needs to be changed by joint walks with outdoor games with a stick or ball. At first, the "Frenchman" will be lazy, since the metabolism of an overfed animal slows down and he does not want to move at all. You should not force your pet to run - you should start with short walks, gradually increasing the time and active loads. It is important that this activity is enjoyable for the dog. You can determine if the "Frenchie" is overweight by trying to feel the ribs of the animal. If this can be done without difficulty, the dog does not have a sagging abdomen, it moves without shortness of breath, then its weight is normal. In the opposite situation, when the French Bulldog is underweight, you need to act according to the following scheme.

• Mandatory installation of the cause of thinness at the veterinarian, with the delivery of tests. Possible culprits can be helminths, which are sometimes not detected the first time, a violation of the intestinal microflora, rickets. Often such a dog lacks certain vitamins - this is usually evidenced by a dull coat, poor condition of the eyes and mucous membranes. The specialist will prescribe the appropriate treatment, after which the thinness usually goes away.

• If there are no health problems, you should pay attention to the quality of the feed. Perhaps it is worth changing the type of industrial feed to a more expensive one or increasing the proportion of meat products in natural feeding, not forgetting about vitamins.

• If the dog is healthy, to try to find out what the parents of the "Frenchman" were - it is quite possible that this harmony is hereditary.

• The frequency of feedings to increase body weight should be increased to 3-4 times small, but in nutritious portions, preferably at the same time. When feeding a dog with natural food, the ration should be distributed so that 2/4 of lean meat, animal protein, 1/4 of cereals and 1/4 of vegetables and fruits.

• Observe how the French Bulldog behaves while walking. If he refuses to run, he wants to sit down, rest, then he should shorten the time of walking, but not stop them, since maintaining muscle tone is necessary.

You should always remember and take into account the nutritional characteristics of French Bulldogs:

• tendency to gain weight;
• tendency to allergies;
• not very strong immunity and health;
• individual calculation of calorie consumption based on the activity and age of the dog.

The owner, who is attentive to the body weight of his pet, ultimately gets a healthy, active and happy French Bulldog life.

A story about the breed in the next video.