Why do French bulldogs fart so much?
I wondered about this one Sunday afternoon, when I heard a toot followed by a toxic whiff. It was my 6-year old Frenchie snoring happily at my feet.
Indeed, French bulldogs are cute and cuddly but they also happen to fart (a lot!) and often with passion and purpose!
So if you are a Frenchie owner you must have surely caught their ‘bombs’ at some point or the other. Sometimes, they even fart in their sleep and get startled by it!
Laugh all you want but if you want to stop your Frenchie’s farting, you must address the question ‘why do French bulldogs fart so much?’
In this guide, I will tell you exactly what causes your Frenchie’s farting and also provide some easy tips to prevent it.
Why Do French Bulldogs Fart So Much?
Farting is all a part of the adorable package that your French bulldog is! So be ready to handle it and get used to it.
These dogs are small but their stinky farts mean that you need to provide them with plenty of room – having several open windows!
Here are some reasons why Frenchies are so flatulent:
1. Genetics and short noses
The main reason behind your Frenchie’s flatulence is their short faces.
These ‘squashed in facial structure’ causes them to swallow a lot of air when they eat. This excess air is the main reason behind your pet’s increased flatulence.
So, the next time you want to laugh at your poor pet’s farts or want to tease it for them, stop for a moment and think!
This flatulence is a result of poor genetics and irresponsible breeding.
High demand for this popular dog breed has led to excess irresponsible breeding. This, in turn, has resulted in the breed’s flattened facial structure which tends to make them so gassy.
It is important that breeders avoid breeding these brachycephalic dogs having very flat or squashed-in faces. This could considerably reduce the issue in the offspring puppies.
2. Hard to digest foods
Sometimes, your dog’s diet might be responsible for your pet’s flatulence.
Your Frenchie could be finding certain ingredients in its food difficult to digest.
You also might be, unknowingly, feeding it a low-quality dog food. These are typically foods with corn, soy, wheat, and other grains, fillers, and preservatives.
These ingredients could make your Frenchie very gassy.
Even if your Frenchie is eating high-quality food, that food might still contain certain proteins that its sensitive system cannot tolerate.
Additionally, some people feed table-scraps to their cute Frenchies because they are unable to resist their cute eyes when they beg! Unfortunately, most human-food treats can make your pet very gassy.
Do French bulldogs fart a lot? Certainly! And it could be a sign…
Thus, your Frenchie’s farts may be telling you that it needs a dietary change.
3. Fast eating
Another reason behind your Frenchie’s excess gas is its tendency to eat too fast.
Frenchies love food and sometimes, they get very excited by it. This excitement causes them to gulp down their food wherein they swallow large quantities of air with it.
If you are a little bit upset about a bulldog fart, their eating style should change.
(We will discuss, later on in this guide, how to slow down your Frenchie’s fast eating.)
4. Sedentary lifestyle and obesity
Sometimes, gas or stomach flatulence can occur when your Frenchie does not get adequate exercise.
As a Frenchie owner, you probably know that these dogs sleep a lot. If they sleep right after eating, the undigested food causes gas to remain trapped in the intestines.
If, on the other hand, you exercise your buddy adequately, it gets an opportunity to move. Movement allows the trapped gasses to pass out of the body thereby reducing excessive flatulence.
It is a well-known fact that overweight or obese dogs tend to be gassier than normal-weight dogs.
5. Underlying health issues
If you are feeding your Frenchie a high-quality diet, it is also getting adequate exercise, and is a relatively slow eater, then the gas or flatulence may be result of an underlying health issue.
Canine flatulence can occur due to IBS, stomach infections, intestinal parasites, etc.
So, if your Frenchie has suddenly started farting a lot, it may be time to visit your vet. It would help him diagnose if you also tell him what commercial dog food you’re giving your french bulldog puppy.
Also Read: Best Dog Food for French Bulldogs with Sensitive Stomach
General Tips to Select the Best Dog Food for French Bulldogs with Gas
Please check out our guide on Best Dog Food for French Bulldogs with Gas where we have covered this topic in detail.
In general, you need to look for a food with the following attributes:
A. Contains a single protein source
Limited ingredient diets are usually the best for French bulldogs that suffer from gas.
When a food has limited ingredients (less than 10), it means that it usually contains a single protein. It will also be free from preservatives, fillers, by-products, and artificial flavors and colorings.
B. Has the words ‘highly digestible’ printed on its label
Dog food which state they are ‘highly digestible’ are usually free from corn, soy, wheat, fillers, grains, and other hard-to-digest foods.
They are especially made for dogs that have food intolerances or sensitivity.
These foods are gentle on your Frenchie’s tummy and could reduce gas formation considerably.
C. Is minimally processed
Many Frenchie owners feed them raw or minimally processed foods to reduce gas.
Raw foods or the BARF diet (Bones And Raw Food Diet) are free from chemicals and often easier for Frenchies to digest with ease.
However, BARF diets could increase your pet’s risk to salmonella and other pathogens found in raw meat.
So, if you are planning to make the switch to BARF diet, please speak to your vet first and also read up all you can about it.
D. Contains probiotics
French bulldogs with gas need probiotics or live prebiotic elements.
These enhance digestive health of your french bulldog by increasing the good bacteria in their intestine.
The friendly bacteria also reduce gas and improve your buddy’s ability to assimilate nutrients. Furthermore, they boost your pet’s immune system to fight infections and lessen dog fart.
10 Top Tips to Reduce Flatulence in French Bulldogs
Do french bulldogs fart a lot? Blame it on the flatulence!
Here are some simple tips that can help you reduce flatulence in your beloved Frenchie:
1. Make dietary changes
A healthy and consistent diet is the best thing you can do to prevent gas formation in your pet’s tummy.
Always select high-quality dog food with premium ingredients. Avoid cheap cheap dog food or low-quality foods that are packed with by-products, fillers, etc.
You generally want to feed your pet food higher in proteins than carbohydrates. However, too much red meat can also cause stinky farts in dogs, so look for a balanced food.
If your pet is diagnosed with a food allergy, then learn to read food labels so you can avoid those ingredients. Your dog’s intestine, once irritated, can cause stomach-related diseases.
Sometimes, you might have to switch to dog food containing a novel protein source.
Novel proteins are those proteins that your pet has not eaten before. Common novel proteins for French bulldogs could be: venison, bison, rabbit, duck, etc.
You could slowly switch to the new food and see if it helps reduce gas. In many cases, simple dietary changes like eliminating grains (corn, soy, and wheat) and switching to high-quality, minimally processed foods can help.
2. Limit feeding gas-inducing foods
Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, etc. are good for Frenchies but they can be very gassy. So limit your pet’s intake of these foods. Your french bulldog farting several times a day can be caused by too many gassy foods.
3. Avoid feeding table scraps
In addition to switching to a healthy diet, you must strictly refrain from feeding table scraps to your Frenchie.
Table scraps mostly consist of human foods like cookies, crackers, etc. They might be seemingly harmless but they could contain allergens or ingredients that your Frenchie is unable to digest.
So, strictly prevent your Frenchie’s ‘snacking’ on fatty and sugary foods.
Also, avoid feeding dairy products like milk, cheese, etc. since Frenchies – like most dog breeds – are lactose intolerant.
What you give your pet can be the culprit of excessive farting.
Also Read: 30 Foods Your Dog Should Never Eat
4. Exercise your pet
Dogs that lead a sedentary lifestyle are not only more likely to become overweight or obese, they could also fart a lot more.
So, factor in 2-3 exercise sessions (each one about 15-20 minutes) in your Frenchie’s daily routine. A tired dog is also a better-behaved dog, so exercise can help in other ways as well.
Your Frenchie will do well with a couple of rounds of brisk walking (during the cooler parts of the day as you must take care not to overheat your pet). The movement will allow the gases to pass off and prevent farting.
5. Switch to a slow-feeder dog bowl
If your Frenchie eats too fast and swallows air while eating, then switching to a slow-feeder bowl can considerably reduce the amount of air swallowed.
You could go in for an elevated and tilted dog bowl like No products found. or a maze-feeder like this one . Just make sure you go for an anti choke feeding bowl!
Don’t forget to check out our guide on Best Dog Bowls for French Bulldogs.
6. Feed it a digestive supplement
A digestion enhancing supplement is beneficial for Frenchies with sensitive stomachs.
It supports and balances the gastrointestinal environment and also helps breakdown food for better absorption.
With regular use, these supplements can eliminate gas and other poor-digestion symptoms.
7. Keep your Frenchie out of the trash
Naughty Frenchies who eat food from the trash (indoors and outdoors) could end up having many digestive troubles including gas.
So, keep the trash out of your pet’s reach and make sure s/he behaves on its walks.
Also read: Best Collars for French Bulldogs
8. De-worm your Frenchie from time to time
Intestinal parasites can also cause gas, vomiting, appetite changes, etc. on your dog’s stomach.
Practice a strict deworming schedule to keep your pet’s GI tract free from parasites.
9. Use gas-preventive medicines
Your vet might recommend medication or herbs for preventing and treating excess flatulence in your Frenchie. Some medicines for treating canine flatulence include:
- Carminative herbs
- Zinc acetate
- Bismuth subsalicylate
- Yucca schidigera
- Activated charcoal.
10. Rule out underlying health issues
If, despite all of the above, your Frenchie is still making you wonder ‘why do French bulldogs fart so much’, then it may be time for some deeper investigation.
Your vet might order some stool exams to rule out underlying issue like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, stomach infections, and even certain cancers that may be causing excess farting.
FAQs on Why Do French Bulldogs Fart So Much?
1. Why does my French bulldog’s poop smell so bad?
If your Frenchie’s poop is smelly, you might want to consider making some dietary changes. It might be allergic or sensitive to some ingredient in its current diet.
You could try adding some probiotics to its diet to eliminate the stink. Probiotics balance the gut flora to reduce the stinky odor-causing bacteria.
2. How many meals should my French bulldog eat per day if it is gassy?
Feeding a Frenchie 3-4 small meals per day could reduce flatulence and gas considerably.
Sometimes, larger meals may be overwhelming your small Frenchie’s system, and smaller-though-frequent meals could be easier for it to digest.
3. Why does my Frenchie fart in its sleep?
Frenchies, like most dogs, often fart in their sleep because their digestive system is relaxed at the time of sleeping.
This pushes out the gas produced due to the fermentation of undigested food and allows it to travel out easily through the relaxed digestive tract.
4. What can I give my Frenchie for gas?
Before starting any medicine or supplement, please discuss it with your vet.
In general, you can feed your Frenchie a digestion-boosting probiotic supplement and/or activated charcoal to reduce flatulence.
Conclusion – Why Do French Bulldogs Fart So Much?
Why do French bulldogs fart so much?
The answer lies in their diet, facial structures/genetics, and their speed of eating.
Also, food intolerance or allergies, feeding table scraps, dairy products, and gas-producing veggies like broccoli, combined with a sedentary lifestyle can also cause excess farting in Frenchies.
You may be a new dog owner and may be shocked by frenchies fart! Well, you better get used to it! The next time you encounter someone asking “Do french bulldogs fart a lot?” – I guess you know what to say and share too.
We hope this guide helps you minimize gas and reduce farting in your French bulldog.
