How I Keep My Frenchies Happy and Healthy

French Bulldogs are known for their adorable, squishy faces, expressive personalities, and irresistible charm. If you’ve ever owned one, you know they need a consistent grooming routine. This helps them stay healthy and look their best. With my dogs, you can visibly notice the difference if you skip even one day of grooming.

As a proud Frenchie mom to Pumpkin, Honey, and Sugar, I’ve perfected an at-home French Bulldog grooming routine. It keeps them clean and comfortable. It also keeps them far away from unnecessary vet visits. I don’t have proof, but I would bet that proper grooming even helps your dogs live longer.

So whether you’re a new Frenchie owner or a seasoned pro, you might be looking to refine your care habits. Here’s everything I do to keep my French Bulldogs healthy. You can copy these tips and even leave your own down below in the comments.

1. Brushing Their Teeth: The First Step in My French Bulldog Grooming Routine

Dental care is a step too many dog owners skip, but it’s essential for French Bulldogs. Poor oral hygiene can lead to bad breath, gum disease, and even serious health issues. If you have never brushed your dogs teeth before, don’t be too hard on yourself, just learn from it. Right now, go look inside your dogs mouth at their teeth. Do you see any yellowing…. or even black? Seriously don’t freak out, just make it a point to brush their teeth from now on. Start off once every other day, then you can scale down to once a week if you want.

I personally use Arm & Hammer Charcoal Dog Toothpaste with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush made for little kids. The charcoal helps whiten their teeth and freshen breath naturally. The kid tooth brushes are easy to fit in their little mouths and isn’t too abrasive on their gums.

How to Brush Your Dogs Teeth:

1. Use a soft bristle kids tooth brush, a tooth brush made for dogs or even a finger brush.
2. Apply a small amount of toothpaste.
3. Excitedly invite them to lick the tooth paste, so they can see that it tastes good.
4. Gently brush in small circles, especially on the back teeth.
5. Brush for at least 60 seconds. Going back and forth between right and left.

💡 Important: Never use human toothpaste. It can be toxic to dogs and make your dog sick.

Tip: Dental chews are also a great option for teeth maintenance. Be careful though, because if left unsupervised, your dog can choke on them. Sometimes my dogs get too excited. They try to swallow a bone that’s too big. Therefore, I need to be careful and I urge you to do the same.

Buy the same, complete teeth brushing kit on Amazon: https://amzn.to/41qsyZh

2. Cleaning Their Wrinkles and Face Folds

If you own a French Bulldog, you know their facial wrinkles can collect dirt, food, and moisture. Without regular cleaning, these folds can become dark, irritated or infected.

My French Bulldog Face Cleaning Routine:

• Step 1: Wipe all their crevices and around their bottom mouth with a gentle, dog safe wet wipe. Add water to it to properly soak your dogs face.
• Step 2: Use a soft human face tissue, or round cotton pad to dry between their crevices & face.

💡 Pro Tip: Buy scented dog wipes. My dogs go CRAZY over scented wipes. They all happily wait their turn for me to clean them. So far they have liked lavender, oat meal, mango, melon & papaya, peaches and vanilla coconut.

The photo above shows unscented wipes because I just ran out of the scented kind. Check out these scented dog wipes that my dogs have used before and love (on Amazon): https://amzn.to/3Hzozmd

3. Using Wet Wipes on Their Bodies Between Baths

Part of my French Bulldog grooming routine includes quick wipe downs between baths. I use the same wipes from earlier to help remove dirt, allergens, and odors. This keeps their coats fresh without over bathing, which can dry out their skin. It’s ideal for quick clean ups and can be used to clean their butts too.

4. Bath Time for French Bulldogs

Bathing a French Bulldog requires gentle care because of their sensitive skin. I bathe(actually shower) mine every 4 weeks or sooner.

Dogs Bath Routine:

1. Brush their coat before the bath to remove loose hair.
2. Use lukewarm water, never hot or cold.
3. Lather with a gentle, high quality dog shampoo that smells great but is free of harsh chemicals.
4. Rinse thoroughly and towel dry.
5. Dry their faces very well.
6. Use a shedding spray or dog perfume to lock in freshness.

Tip: Be careful to not get water in their ears. If you need to, gently shove a cotton swab in their ear before bath time. Take it out after.

Check out this dog shampoo that I use on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4oz6vJu

5. Feeding a Healthy Diet

A healthy French Bulldog isn’t just about grooming. Diet plays a huge role in keeping your dog healthy. I feed my dogs high quality, protein rich food that supports coat health, energy, and digestion. I also feed them a lot of carrots and occasional fruit.

Think about it like this. There’s a $5 bag of bacon flavored dog food that my dogs LOVE. They will eat it up like there’s no tomorrow. Unfortunately, that dog food is similar to super processed and unhealthy food for humans. If my dogs eat that food, they will be scratching their ears with ear issues. They will also have diarrhea for the next two days. As much as they love how yummy that cheap dog food is, it comes with negative consequences. It’s not worth it.

Tip: Avoid overfeeding. Frenchies are prone to weight gain, which can affect their overall health.

6. Nail Care in the French Bulldog Grooming Routine ️

Overgrown nails can cause discomfort and affect posture. An overgrown nail is also more likely to break and cause serious bleeding. I keep our dogs nails trimmed using a dog nail clipper and a round nail filer. I bought the round nail filer from Amazon, but really a human one would work.

Tip: If you can, start young so you dog gets use to it. If that’s not an option, and your dog HATES clippers, just use a round nail filer. With patience, you can get it done. I have also seen people clip one nail at a time while their dog naps.

Buy the round nail filer that is meant for dogs on Amazon: https://amzn.to/45BVYVn

Buy the easiest to use dog nail clippers on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HxsL5U

7. Ear Cleaning

French Bulldogs bunny like ears can collect dust and debris, so I check on them every few days.

Our French Bulldog Ear Cleaning Routine:

• For regular cleaning, I use ear wipes with a finger pocket. It’s basically a dog ear wipe that you can slip a finger into. I do this method most often.
• If I notice excessive scratching, I use a vet-approved ear cleaning solution with a cotton pad. You can either put the solution on the cotton pad, or directly in their ear then use a dry cotton pad for clean up. I then put a small amount of Cortizone 10 in their ear, but not too deep.

Order Pet Ear Relief Wipes on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4mbxQjj

8. Bonus French Bulldog Grooming Tips

• Hydration: Always have fresh water available.
• Exercise: Keep them active with short walks and playtime. Play with them!
• Supplements: Add fish oil for skin health or probiotics for digestion.
• Vet Checkups: Annual visits help catch issues early.

Why My French Bulldog Grooming Routine Works

By following this routine, my Frenchies have:

• Clean teeth and fresh breath
• Healthy skin and coats
• Short, comfortable nails
• No ear and skin infections
• More energy and better moods

Final Thoughts on Grooming Your French Bulldog at Home

A consistent French Bulldog grooming routine doesn’t just keep your dog looking cute. It helps prevent health issues. It also saves money on vet visits. Finally, it keeps your Frenchie comfortable year-round.

If you haven’t already, start building a routine you can stick to. Your dog will thank you with kisses, hugs, and a whole lot of love.

Question for you: What’s one product or tip you swear by for keeping your French Bulldog healthy? Share it in the comments. I’d love to learn from other Frenchie parents! Thanks for reading!

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