There is no disputing that French Bulldog puppies are some of the cutest breeds out there. But like any other puppy out there, finding the right diet is of the utmost importance to their development through puppyhood and into adulthood.

If you have just brought your puppy home, you may be wondering what and how much they need to eat. Their feeding chart changes a bit from the first few weeks of their life through six months and beyond.

How Many Cups of Food Should a French Bulldog Puppy Get?

There is a quick answer for how much to feed a French Bulldog puppy, though it is more of a generalization. The rule of thumb is that puppies should be getting mother’s milk up to age eight weeks, with one and a half cups of food (over three meals) starting from weeks eight to twelve.

The number of meals (and cups of food) will change as they get older. This means that you need to be familiar with the recommended portion sizes and frequencies as your pup gets older.

Feeding a Newborn to Eight-Week Old French Bulldog Puppy

Like any other puppy, you should start your French Bulldog out with mother’s milk if possible. They will need to be fed mother’s milk (or a prescribed equivalent formula) every few hours to ensure that they are getting the proper nutrients.

This is also the time where their teeth will come in, which means that they will be uncomfortable and whiny. It is what happens when they hit the eight-week mark that really sets the tone for the rest of their development.

Feeding an Eight- to Twelve-Week Old French Bulldog Puppy

By the time the eight-week period rolls around, it is time to give them puppy food. They will start to get roughly 1.5 cups of puppy food in a given day, spread out over a total of three meals. It is important to make sure that the food is high in proteins, calories, and any other nutrients required to ensure that they thrive.

At this stage, you can feed your puppy raw food if desired. Just keep in mind that your pup also is going through social changes, developing distrust of new things (food, people, dogs, etc.). Make sure to focus on their training and diet at this point, establishing a fixed eating routine. French Bulldogs are comfortable when they have the same feeding time each day.

Feeding Tips

You may find that you need to adjust the way that you feed your French bulldog puppy after they wean off of mother’s milk. The weaning should take place over a period of roughly two or three weeks though it can sometimes take a little longer.

If you get your puppy from a breeder, they should be ready for dog food by the time you get them home. It is important that they get three meals per day because they are very energetic and need all the calories that they can get.

Calories matter but they can be difficult to count. Make sure that you are feeding them according to their weight. For every pound they weigh, make sure that they get 25-30 calories. Generally speaking, that is going to equate to roughly 1.5 cups of food. If it is more, that is okay; your puppy’s dietary needs are their own.

It is also helpful to weigh your pup. Knowing what they weigh can be relatively easy, though you can just wait until they go to the vet. It is important to monitor their weight so you can adjust feedings where necessary.

Finally, don’t get frustrated if your pup doesn’t take to puppy food right away. It might be that they were weaned too quickly; it will just take them a little longer to get used to being on puppy food. Show them time and patience, they will get there eventually and be on the right dietary path in relatively short order.

It takes time and patience to find the right balance for your French Bulldog. Especially given their unsure and distrusting nature, it can take some time to get the right balance between frequency, food type, and content.

Make sure that you are going with a quality option above all else. While it might cost a few dollars more, you can have the peace of mind in knowing that you are giving your dog the very best that they need nutrient-wise. That should be all that they need to give them the requisite energy in order to be cute all the time.

Conclusion

It is important to find a diet that works for your French Bulldog puppy. Most of them start with being fed puppy food three times per day starting at around eight weeks. This will carry on to around six months or so before getting down to roughly two meals per day.

Your pup is your pup, and their dietary needs are unique to them. Those standards may not work for your pup; check with your vet if there is an evident need for change as they can work to establish the proper diet.