Development of French bulldog puppies by month. Proper care for them, balanced nutrition, switching to dry food. Features of behavior and character in different periods.
In the past of French bulldogs there are formidable dogs from Spain, baiting dogs from England, temperamental terriers and decorative pugs. All this left an imprint on their appearance and character. The breed was recognized at the end of the 19th century in Europe.
French Bulldogs are small Molossians that have certain characteristics. Their puppies are born quite large, change quickly and become active dogs with a lot of energy.
Newborn puppies
They stay in the womb for almost 2 months. They are born with closed eyes, a pink nose, eyelids and a short tail. The ears are not erect yet; they rise much later.
At this age, all their actions are aimed at eating, sleeping and heating. Newborn French Bulldogs instinctively seek out a warm place. Milk is sucked several times a day, and the bitch cleans and cares for them while she feeds.
Weight is gaining rapidly. By 10 days of age, the eyes open a little. They are still blue and cloudy. Sometimes puppies are born with their eyes open, but this is not the norm.
Important: Be sure to weigh yourself daily to monitor growth.
In the first days they move by crawling, with sharp claws helping them in this. They squeak when they are hungry. Between feedings they sleep near their mother or huddle together. Without heat, food is poorly digested.
Milk teeth erupt by 3 weeks in the amount of 28 pieces. The hearing appears earlier - on 10-14 days.
Diet by month
It is customary to feed French puppies a certain set of foods and in certain quantities, which makes it possible to take into account the peculiarities of their physiological development at each moment in time.
During the period from 1 to 2 months, the diet should include:
- beef meat,
- sea fish,
- vegetables,
- milk,
- cottage cheese,
- eggs,
- porridge,
- pasta.
Servings range from 50 to 100 grams.
In the period from 2 to 4 months, portions increase and reach a volume of 150 grams. You can also include sugar and fish oil.
In the period from 4 to 6 months, a single portion is 200–300 grams, and in the period from 6 months to 1 year, the minimum portion should be 300–400 grams. In addition to these products, the inclusion of others is allowed, but it is important to observe the reaction of the French bulldog’s body to the new product.
Choosing a food option: natural or dry food
Dog owners are always faced with the question of choosing natural or dry food.
The answer is ambiguous and depends on the specific situation in the family. However, it is worth saying that when feeding dry food, you should monitor its quality. Until they grow up, French Bulldog puppies should be fed exclusively premium food, or better yet, professional food, since it is more likely to provide the correct balance of all substances important for healthy growth. Feeding low quality dry food is only allowed for adult French Bulldogs.
The advantage of dry food is its ease of feeding, as well as the balance of essential vitamins. When using natural food, the dog owner needs to independently develop a nutrition program for the pet, as well as have fresh food.
IMPORTANT. When feeding dry food, additives with natural products should be avoided, since the entire structure of microelements and vitamins in dry food is lost. You should also avoid adding dry food when feeding natural products, otherwise the diet will be disrupted.
The choice of nutrition option depends on the owner; the dog, in turn, will feel great in both cases, provided that the rules of feeding dry or natural food are followed .
Vitamins for puppies
It is important for French Bulldog puppies to receive vitamins every day. These vitamins are:
- Vitamin A ensures healthy kidneys, eyes, skin, and salivary glands;
- B vitamins help digestion, promote muscle development, and also prevent the onset of vitamin deficiency;
- Vitamin C is responsible for general health, forming immunity;
- Vitamin D is responsible for the development of the musculoskeletal system;
- Vitamin E helps in the development of reproductive organs.
REFERENCE. Supplementing puppies with vitamin C is important during weaning.
Factors influencing growth
All indicators given above may change under the influence of various factors. Such, for example, are: genetics and heredity, the presence of various diseases, the climate in the place of residence. Nutrition plays a special role here. For example, a puppy fed on its mother's milk, in the vast majority of cases, will grow faster and be larger than its counterpart raised on artificial nutrition.
Adequate and high-quality nutrition in the future also directly affects the puppy’s growth rate. For example, if a dog does not receive enough high-calorie food, it may slow down its growth. And this, as a consequence, can cause dystrophy caused by rickets. In turn, overeating can cause obesity, and the subsequent appearance and development of various diseases.
Prohibited foods for the French Bulldog
Humans and dogs have different physiology and ability to digest food. Some foods are extremely undesirable on a puppy’s menu, and some can be fatal.
Prohibited foods for the French Bulldog are:
- baked goods, chocolate;
- tubular and boiled bones;
- salt, sugar;
- spices;
- smoked meats and pickles;
- alcohol;
- industrial cat food.
In order for your pet to be cheerful and healthy, to develop harmoniously and not need frequent visits to the veterinarian, it should be fed properly, given the optimal load for its age, and handouts should be excluded from the table.
The best dry food
Feeding your French Bulldog with ready-made dry food is the best choice. It will allow you to avoid an unbalanced diet. I'm sorry to say: dry food that is sold in supermarkets is not suitable for your dog. Super premium food is required. The popular food lines include options for puppies and adult animals.
Giant food is not suitable for your dog due to the kibble size being too large and high energy content. Use food for small and medium dogs.
Older animals suffer from chronic diseases, so use veterinary food for them. Dry food for dogs with sensitive digestion is most suitable for French bulldogs.
I recommend choosing products from the following brands:
- Eukanuba;
- GO! Natural;
- Grandorf;
- Dukes Farm;
- Acana:
- Hill's.
We recommend reading our food ratings: premium food, super-premium food, holistic dog food.
Don't be put off by the high prices: since the nutritional value of the food is high, you will need significantly less of it than lower-grade foods. Dogs that receive nutritious food get sick less often and save money on pet treatment. The volume of feces is reduced by 2 times.
The recipe for granulated feed was developed by professionals. Characteristics of the finished food GO! Natural is shown in the figure:
The food contains the only source of animal protein - young lamb. Lamb proteins do not contain allergens. Brown rice and oatmeal contain slow starch that does not ferment. Sunflower oil does not contain Omega 3 fatty acids, so other products were used instead. Flaxseed is known for its beneficial effects on the skin, coat and intestinal digestion.
Alfalfa has immunomodulatory properties, cranberries prevent urolithiasis, carrots and apples contain pectin substances that cleanse the intestinal walls of toxins. Yeast extract and chicory root are sources of prebiotics, and lactobacilli are probiotics that normalize digestion and prevent constipation and diarrhea.
The food contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Please note the low protein content. The completeness of the diet is achieved by including amino acid preparations, and the low level of protein provides the kidneys with a gentle mode of operation to cleanse the blood of toxic nitrogenous waste. You will not be able to prepare food of similar quality from natural products.
Bathing and litter box training
Water procedures should be taken as needed, but this should not become a systematic event. Bathing should be taught from early childhood. Shampoos are used in the process. However, only dog shampoos are acceptable, and are also selected to match the type of dog’s hair and its breed. Human shampoos are contraindicated for use.
A long-haired dog needs to be brushed to prevent the fur from becoming tangled when wet. It is more convenient to wash a small dog in a basin, and a large one in the bathtub. You need to lay a rug on the bottom to prevent your paws from slipping.
First, you should wash under low pressure water at a temperature of +40...+45 degrees Celsius. During the washing process, you need to wet the wool well so that there are no dry areas. Apply the shampoo slightly diluted in water, gently massage the coat and whip up the foam. When washing it off, you need to make sure that it doesn’t remain anywhere: under the ears or in the armpits. Otherwise, inflammation is possible.
After bathing, dry the dog with a terry towel in the direction of hair growth. Then you can dry it with a hairdryer. It is important that the air is not too hot and does not dry out the skin. Long-haired breeds should be combed while blow-drying. You also need to get used to using a hair dryer from an early age: an adult dog can be frightened by the buzzing sound. While bathing, you can offer your pet treats, and talking and stroking will calm the animal, which will make the whole procedure calmer and more enjoyable.
Vaccinations for French Bulldog puppies - when and what to do?
For a French Bulldog to be fully healthy, it is important to receive a number of mandatory vaccinations in a timely manner. Before you vaccinate, watch your puppy: he should feel good and look absolutely healthy.
After vaccination, you should observe your bulldog for 6 hours; if you suddenly notice symptoms of an incipient allergy (difficulty breathing, swelling of the nasopharynx), call your veterinarian immediately.
For vaccinations, it is recommended to use drugs from such companies as:
- Merial,
- Intervet,
- Duramune.
The following vaccinations are required:
- First vaccination at 2 months: Nobivak DHPPi + Nobivak Lepto;
- Second vaccination after 2–4 weeks: Nobivak DHPPi + Nobivak Lepto;
- Third vaccination after complete tooth replacement (8 months).
IMPORTANT. Do not vaccinate while your puppy is being treated for fleas and ticks.
Treatment, first aid
The therapy combines three directions: exclusion of the allergen, correction of the hypersensitive state and the use of symptomatic antiallergic drugs.
If wounds appear on the skin, they are lubricated with brilliant green. Scabs on the face and in the ears are treated with furatsilin solution. For severe allergic dermatitis, chaga balm (externally) and sinaflan and baby cream mixed in equal parts help.
The greatest difficulties arise in identifying and treating food hypersensitivities. Such a diagnosis cannot be made quickly, since many canine diseases have similar manifestations.
When dealing with food allergies, several unshakable rules are followed:
- the animal is put on a special diet (protein-free);
- do not give vitamins, sweets, chewing toys;
- for the first 2-3 weeks, systemic antipruritic medications are given;
- To exclude secondary bacterial complications, antifungal drugs are prescribed;
- do not use antiparasitic agents;
- Do not use medications that relieve inflammation (erythromycin, tetracycline or Bactrim).
Also, the owner of a French bulldog must realize that no hormones coupled with antihistamines will relieve his pet of this type of allergy. They will only make its most striking signs less noticeable.
When diagnosing and treating food hypersensitivity, food tests will be required (this will be done in any serious clinic). There they will make an accurate diagnosis.
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If you don’t have money for a clinic, you can independently search for effective medicinal food at retail/pharmacy outlets or switch (leave) your dog to a natural diet.
In the second case, new ingredients are introduced periodically to observe the dog's reaction. So, if allergic manifestations disappeared when eating rabbit and potatoes, you can introduce beef for 14 days.
If the pet tolerated it well, add chicken and also watch his reaction for at least 2 weeks. If familiar symptoms occur, chicken is removed from the menu, replacing it with a new ingredient. This algorithm is followed until all potential irritants are detected.
But the selection of optimal nutrition is carried out when the acute phase of the allergy has passed. And to begin with, in order to remove all the sores, the “Frenchman” is given bifidum- and lactobacterin, and fed with a soup of rice and beef. With this diet, the stool returns to normal within a week, and after a month all the troubles disappear. But, despite the visible relief, you should continue the entire course of 3 months.
In the most advanced cases, they resort to systemic treatment, including the method of classical homeopathy, which has shown good results in eliminating food hypersensitivity.
Breed Features
The breed characteristics of the French Bulldog include balance and fearlessness, physical activity and playfulness, as well as the ability to quickly and easily adapt to any situations and different circumstances. French bulldogs have a special character, and it is for this reason that it is important to pay close attention to the behavior of the puppy when choosing a pet . Experts and experienced dog breeders strongly recommend giving preference to an active and playful animal with good psycho-emotional health.
Important! Remember that some of the complexities and character problems of a French bulldog are difficult to discern during puppyhood, so it is advisable to get acquainted with the parents of the puppy you are purchasing, their behavior and exterior features.
Among other things, the French bulldog is a breed that requires increased attention to its health, so it is recommended not to neglect basic preventive measures and maintain pet hygiene.
Dogs of this breed are very trainable, so from the very first days, the pet must be accustomed to cleaning the eyes and ears, combing the coat and trimming the nails weekly. A completely healthy animal is characterized by sufficient motor activity and playfulness, has a powerful and muscular, well-developed body.
Also characteristic of the breed is the absence of dog odor, which is an invariable “companion” when keeping many other dog breeds at home.
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