How to Feed My English Bulldog
✅ Fact-Checked
You can feed English Bulldogs either a commercial or a homemade diet, but you need to do a little research first. Nutrition is very important, and you should ensure that your dogs are getting the right vitamins and minerals. You will also have to find out which foods are safe for your English bulldogs to eat and which aren't.
What do English bulldogs Eat? Bulldogs can have sensitive stomachs and many allergies, so it is important to only give them food designed for dogs. Bulldogs need food that has 2 grams of protein for every pound they weigh, carbs from whole grains, omega 6 fatty acids, enriched with vitamins and minerals.
1 Best Nutrient Rich Foods for your English Bulldog
The first thing you need to check up on is the protein level in the dog food. Dogs need both animal and plant-based proteins. Protein helps to strengthen their bones and muscles as well as encourage their fur and nails to grow.
In addition, protein provides energy and helps to produce antibodies and hormones. English Bulldogs need 2 grams of protein for every pound they weigh, but puppies and pregnant dogs require twice as much.
Carbohydrates are also important in the diet of your English Bulldogs. They supply energy and are full of vitamins and minerals.
Fats also provide energy and encourage good skin and a smooth coat. Fat also helps to provide a healthy nervous system and regulates body temperature.
Vitamins boost the immune system, are antioxidants and help the blood to clot. The most important vitamins your English Bulldog should have are A, C, E, K and folate. Beware however, of fat- soluble vitamins as they can be toxic.
Minerals can help wounds to heal and aid in bone and teeth growth. Among the minerals which are essential are potassium, zinc, sodium, calcium, magnesium, selenium and iron.
You may not think of water as a nutrient, but it is crucial for English Bulldogs to survive. They need clean and fresh water every day. Water flushes waste from their bodies and regulates body temperature. Like people, a large proportion of their body mass is water and it needs to be kept at 70 – 80%.
English Bulldogs have short muzzles which can make it difficult for them to swallow their food. This is called 'brachycephalic'. In addition, their teeth are often crowded together making it difficult to chew. Because of this it is better to split their meals into twice a day or even 3 times.
You can feed them either wet or dry food, but a mixture of both is probably best. If you just feed them dry food you won't be certain that they are getting enough hydration. Always check the ingredients on the tin or the packet of dry food to make sure that they are getting enough vitamins and minerals.
It is also advantageous to ensure that they are getting glucosamine in their diet as it helps to build cartilage. Chondroitin is also important as it reduces inflammation and pain and it helps the joints to function.
So if you are feeding your English bulldog a homemade diet or even if you are giving them homemade snacks you need to know what is good for them and what can cause upset stomachs.
Best Protein For English Bulldogs
Lamb is a good choice of protein. Many bulldogs can have even slight allergic reactions to chicken. If your bulldog is loosing fur or seems extra itchy, check the ingredients in the dog food, and try switching the protein if the dog food contains chicken. Always check the dog food for Omega-6 fatty acids which give your dogs healthy skin and beautiful coats.
Many commercial foods, especially dry food, have grains added, but they can be empty fillers. If you want to add grains to the diet, make sure that your dogs have brown rice or oatmeal. Don't give them white grains as they have been stripped of all their nutrients.
Whole grains on the other hand are full of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber which is good for the digestive tract. In addition, whole grains reduce the risk of obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease and kidney disease.
Eggs are another good protein source and they can strengthen the bones and promote healthy skin. However, don't give your English bulldogs raw eggs as there is always a risk of salmonella.
Should English Bulldogs Have Dairy
Dairy is a little tricky. A lot of dogs are lactose intolerant so dairy products could give them stomach upsets. If you find that your English Bulldogs can tolerate lactose, a little cheese in their diet is a good idea. It is high in calcium so your dogs will end up with strong bones and teeth.
However, don't give them cheese with a lot of mold like Blue Stilton as it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and fever. Yogurt is good in moderation as it aids digestion. Milk and ice cream should also be avoided if your dogs are lactose intolerant, although if they're not, a little won't go amiss and will give them extra calcium.
Can English Bulldogs Eat Fruit
When it comes to fruit, bananas are top of the list. They are jam-packed full of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and vitamin B6. They are good for the bones and help with gastrointestinal problems.
Be careful though. Bananas are full of sugar so can make your English Bulldogs fat and eating too many of them can upset their stomachs. Feed them bananas in moderation. The same goes for strawberries. They are full of antioxidants, but they also have a lot of sugar.
Nuts are a difficult one. Yes, they contain protein and Omega 3 fatty acids, but they are fattening if they are eaten in any great quantities. In addition, while peanuts for example are fine for dogs, cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, hickory nuts, pecans and walnuts are toxic to dogs.
Also avoid giving your English Bulldogs onions, mushrooms, garlic, grapes and raisins as they too can be deadly. We have a full list of what is safe and not safe for bulldogs to eat.
2 What is the Best food for English Bulldog Puppies?
Because they are continually growing, puppies generally need more calories than adult dogs. English Bulldog puppies need a diet which is rich in protein and full of vitamins and minerals.
You can feed them either a commercial food or a homemade one. But it's probably better to feed them a good commercial food produced specifically with puppies in mind. It will contain the extra calories and the right vitamins and minerals.
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Puppies need calcium, but not a food with added calcium as this can lead to hip dysplasia. Look for a formula which has a ratio of 1/1 calcium to phosphorus. It's not a good idea to feed puppies a raw food diet as this can be hard for them to digest.
If you feed them a dry food diet, choose round or triangular kibble which can be easier for them to eat than traditional square kibble because of their short snouts. If they are finding it hard to eat dry food, mix in some wet.
It makes it easier for them to learn how to eat kibble and it can also be more palatable. In addition, it gives your English Bulldogs extra hydration as they may not be drinking enough water.
If they seem to have trouble digesting their food, there are limited ingredient recipes which should be easier on their stomachs. Try to avoid food which contains empty fillers like corn, wheat or soy. They have no nutritional value and can cause stomach upsets.
WATCH THIS VIDEO on what bulldogs can and cannot eat!
3 How Much do you Feed an English Bulldog Puppy
Don't free feed your English Bulldog puppies. English Bulldogs are greedy and will usually eat anything put in front of them. It is best to stick to a schedule and give them the right amount of food.
Overfeeding can lead to obesity which can produce bone, muscle and joint problems. From the age of 2 to 4 months they should be fed a third of a cup of food 3 times a day and from 5 to 12 months, half a cup twice a day.
However, you can still split the food into 3 meals if you want. Smaller meals are better because they can help to avoid bloat which can be deadly.
When you first get your puppies, it is a good idea to start them off on the same diet they were eating when they were with their breeder. If you want them to eat something else, slowly wean them off the old food by gradually adding in the new.
Its important that bulldogs get plenty of water, too. Check out our article all about hydrating your pup.
4 Final Thoughts
Like humans, bulldogs have their preferences. Some will want dry food rather than wet. Others will like chicken in preference to lamb. As your dogs grow, you can try them on different foods and see which they like best.
Of course, you must ensure that they are getting enough protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals. If you buy commercial food, always check the packet or tin in the store or look online. Homemade food is more difficult, but there is plenty of help on the internet. Follow these rules and you should have happy and healthy English Bulldogs.
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Source: https://www.pawsgeek.com/what-do-english-bulldogs-eat/
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