How to Care for a French Bulldog By Melissa Maroff

Affectionate, playful, comical, curious and alert--all sound like prerequisites for the perfect mate. And all aptly describe the French Bulldog. "Frenchies," as they are nicknamed, were originally bred from English Bulldogs and French Terriers, and have a personality and needs all their own. Here are some ways to care for this delightful dog with the bat-like ears.

• Spay or neuter your French Bulldog. Spaying females before the first heat prevents breast cancer and decreases the chance of uterine infections. Neutering male dogs before age four prevents testicular cancer, helps maintain a healthy prostate and curbs aggression.
• Take your Frenchie for regular medical checkups and stay current on vaccinations, flea and heartworm preventative. You can also do a monthly home exam of the skin, eyes, ears, nose, teeth and gums.
• Have your French Bulldog's teeth cleaned professionally on a periodic basis. Certain veterinarians and pet teeth-cleaning professionals offer anesthesia-free cleanings. Anesthesia can be risky for a French Bulldog, due to their compromised respiratory system; however their laid-back nature permits these types of procedures to be done without an anesthetic.
• Keep your French Bulldog at a healthy weight. Overweight Frenchies are likely to experience a swollen abdomen and breathing trouble. Feed a quality, grain-free or low grain, natural dog food (dry or canned) containing real meat and/or vegetables or a balanced natural diet of real meat and other fresh foods, which will result in less gassiness. Raw diets also work well for French Bulldogs.
• Take your Frenchie for daily walks. They are good for apartment life and can be active indoors, but still need regular exercise.
• Brush your French Bulldog about once a week with a rubber brush or rubber grooming mitt to remove loose and dead hair. They are average shedders.
• Clean your French Bulldog's face folds and mouth regularly with a warm, wet washcloth, since they tend to drool.
• Bathe your French Bulldog when necessary. Usually every few months is OK. Clean the ears with a cotton ball and baby oil or ear cleaning solution for dogs. Keep your Frenchie's nails trimmed to a comfortable length (but you can skip the French manicure).

Tips & Warnings

• French Bulldogs tend to get along with other dogs, but some may be dog aggressive if not properly socialized. They normally get along with cats.
• Frenchies get along with strangers and love every family member, but normally bond most with one person.
• French Bulldogs are better with older children, because they don't tolerate rough play well.
• Frenchies thrive on human companionship and won't do well if left alone for too long.
• French Bulldogs snort, wheeze, grunt and snore loudly. That's all normal.
• French Bulldogs can be stubborn and do better with patient, consistent training rather than harsher methods.
• Being a flat-nosed breed, French Bulldogs are susceptible to heat stroke and don't do well in extreme temperatures, either hot or cold. Keep them in air conditioning during the summer and supervise their outdoor activity so they don't over-exert themselves and become overheated. They are definitely indoor dogs.
• French Bulldogs are prone to eye and respiratory problems. Some also experience joint disease, spinal disorders and heart defects.
• Be careful around swimming pools. Most French bulldogs are not able to swim.