French Bulldogs are smaller-sized dogs that have short coats. Luckily, dogs with short coats don’t need to be bathed frequently, but do French Bulldogs need to be groomed?
French Bulldogs do need to be groomed because it keeps them looking and feeling good. While these dogs don’t require haircuts during grooming sessions, they do require the other parts of grooming, such as a bath, nail clipping, etc. If you want a happy and healthy Frenchie, you need to make a regular grooming schedule for the dog.
Are you interested in knowing how often your French Bulldog needs to be groomed? You’re on the right page. Keep reading because we’re going to discuss everything you about the grooming process for Frenchies.
Do French Bulldogs Need to be Groomed?
French Bulldogs will need to be groomed. When it comes to grooming a Frenchie, the following things need to be done:
- Brush the coat
- Bathing
- Brush teeth
- Trim nails
- Wrinkle cleaning (face)
- Tail cleaning
One of the good things about Frenchies is these dogs have short coats, so they don’t require grooming as frequently as breeds that have longer and thicker coats. However, French Bulldogs are still capable of shedding and getting dirty and stinky. That is why you’ll need to make sure they get regular grooming.
How Often Should You Brush a French Bulldog?
When it comes to grooming a French Bulldog, the one task you will need to do the most often is brushing it. Frenchies should be brushed at least once a week. This is one of the most effective ways to keep their coat soft, sleek, and tidy. Weekly brushing can also help prevent the dog from getting an odor.
There are many different brushes on the market for dogs, which can be overwhelming if you aren’t sure which one is best for your dog’s coat. For proper grooming of a Frenchie, you will need a curry brush and a soft-bristle brush. A curry brush is a popular grooming tool for many animals because the teeth move in a circular motion to remove dead hair and dander.
A soft-bristle brush is excellent for short-haired dogs like Frenchies. These bristles stimulate the skin without irritating it. They are efficient for removing loose hair and leaving the dog’s coat sleek and smooth. Many pet stores and Amazon carry double-sided brushes so you can get a curry brush and a soft-bristle brush in one.
When to Bathe Your French Bulldog
French Bulldogs need to bathe, but not as frequently as other breeds. Every Frenchie’s bathing schedule will need to be judged by the individual dog. However, most dog owners give their French Bulldog a bathing every 1 to 6 weeks. While it’s not necessary to bathe it every week (unless your dog plays in the dirt a lot), the bathing schedule shouldn’t exceed 6 weeks.
If you don’t want to spend a fortune at the groomer, you can bathe your dog at home. Frenchies are relatively easy dogs to bathe on your own. However, you will need to make sure you pick out a good-quality hypoallergenic dog shampoo and conditioner.
Get Your Frenchie’s Coat Ready For Bathtime
Even though a French Bulldog has a short coat, it can still collect a lot of debris and dander. It’s important that you remove as much of the debris as possible before bathing the dog. Give the dog a good brushing before you draw a bath for it. If you notice that your dog is particularly dirty, we have a good tip for you.
Use a blow dryer on a high-velocity setting and go over the Frenchie’s body. This will help to loosen any dirt, debris, or dander that is collected in its coat.
Pay Attention to the Dog’s Face
French Bulldogs have a lot of wrinkles on their face. When you bathe your dog, you will have to give extra attention to this area. Use a good-quality dog facial cleanser on your Frenchie’s face. It is important to use a soap targeted to the dog’s face as opposed to regular dog shampoo because the face wrinkles can collect more bacteria than other parts of the body.
Since even small wrinkles can harbor a lot of bacteria, dog owners should get in the habit of washing the dog’s face in between bathes.
When washing your French Bulldog’s face, make sure you’re very careful around its eyes and mouth.
Choosing the Right Bathing Schedule
Taking a wild guess between 1 and 6 weeks is no easy task. Most Frenchie owners will give their dog a bath once a month to keep it clean. While this is a great schedule to go by, you should ideally determine the schedule based on your dog’s lifestyle.
Bathing the dog on a weekly basis is usually too much. If the dog doesn’t need the bath, it will end up drying out its skin. Typically, the only time a dog will need a bath on a weekly basis is if it’s very active outdoors in the summer. If your Frenchie loves to dig and always plays in dirty spots, it will need more bathing.
French Bulldogs that spend time outdoors will need to bathe more frequently than indoor dogs. If your dog lays around most of the day, you can get away with bathing it on a 6-week schedule. Dog owners can also keep their Frenchie clean and smelling good by using dog wet wipes between bathes as needed.
Keep Your French Bulldog’s Teeth Clean
An important part of your dog’s hygiene routine is to brush its teeth at home. This should be done once or twice a week in order to prevent plaque and tartar from building up. You will be able to find a toothpaste made for dogs at your local pet store.
For the toothbrush, you can also buy a toothbrush for dogs. Another option is to use a kid’s toothbrush because the bristles are softer and won’t irritate your Frenchie’s gums.
Don’t Forget About Your Frenchie’s Ears
There are many reasons why a French Bulldog may have an odor, and many dog owners are surprised when they learn it’s coming from the dog’s ears. French Bulldogs have big ears that need to be cleaned regularly. Dog owners should get in the habit of cleaning their Frenchie’s ears once a month and to also examine them for signs of infection.
To clean your dog’s ears, you will need to use:
- Sodium chloride 0.9 % solution
- Cotton ball or gauze
- Ear cleaning solution
Start by soaking the cotton ball or gauze in the sodium chloride 0.9 % solutions. Gently open your dog’s ear and begin to wipe it with the cotton ball. Once the inside of your Frenchie’s ears has been wiped, use another soaked cotton ball to wipe the outside of the ear.
Next, you will need to put the ear cleaning solution in the dog’s ear canal. Always follow the directions to the product you have chosen to use.
Trim Your French Bulldogs Nails
It’s important that you trim your French Bulldog’s nails once they begin to touch the ground. You will be able to tell that the Frenchie needs its nails trimmed because you will be able to hear them when it walks. Trimming your dog’s nails is something that you can do at home, but you will need to get your Frenchie comfortable with the idea first.
We recommend that you push down on the nail clippers a few times before trimming your French Bulldogs nails so the dog isn’t frightened by the sound when you clip its nail. Until your dog is used to having its nails clipped, you shouldn’t do them all at once. Start by trimming one and see how your dog reacts.
If the dog is comfortable, you can clip a few more nails. However, pay attention to how it reacts so you know when it’s time to stop. Put the clippers away when your Frenchie has had enough and continue again tomorrow. Trim a few nails each day until you have completed them all.
Final Thoughts
Do French Bulldogs need to be groomed? Yes, you will need to maintain a regular grooming schedule to keep your Frenchie clean and healthy.
Since Frenchies have short coats, their coats don’t need as much attention as other breeds. Dog owners should brush their French Bulldog’s coat a good brushing at least once a week. Your pooch may enjoy it if you do this more than once a week though. You should also be brushing the dog’s teeth on a weekly basis.
When it comes to bathing, it will need to be done based on how active your dog is. Bathes are needed every 1 to 6 weeks ot keep your French Bulldog clean. On top of brushing and bathing, it’s also important that you wash your dog’s face, trim its nails, and cleans its ears regularly. This is all part of a French Bulldogs grooming schedule.