Bathing French Bulldogs

French bulldogs are indoor dogs with short coats, so unless your Frenchie is regularly getting into mischief, he shouldn̵7;t require baths too frequently ̵1; once a month is more than sufficient. These dogs have strong personalities and can be stubborn, so it̵7;s important to get him used to bathing at an early age. This way, getting them into the tub won̵7;t be a huge struggle.

  1. Brushing

    • You can keep your French bulldog surprisingly well-groomed from brushing alone. Regular brushing will not only serve as an important bonding experience between you and your dog, it will also keep the coat shiny. Additionally, brushing your French bulldog will loosen mats and reduce shedding ̵1; the hair that ends up in the dog̵7;s brush won̵7;t end up on your furniture. Use a brush with rubber bristles when grooming your Frenchie.

    Nails

    • Your French bulldog̵7;s nails should be kept short enough that they don̵7;t touch the floor. If you can hear them clicking against the ground as your dog walks, it̵7;s time for a trim. To get a dog used to having his nails clipped, start handling the feet and touching the nails when the dog is a puppy. Guillotine trimmers are easiest to use. Cut the nail to 2 mm from the quick -- be careful to avoid the quick or the dog̵7;s nail will bleed. If the dog squirms too much to make nail-trimming possible, enlist the help of a friend, or, if necessary, take the dog to the groomer or vet.

    Bathing

    • French bulldogs are naturally clean dogs, and will even avoid sloshing through puddles, so you should only bathe when needed. Overbathing the dog will lead to dry skin. When you do prepare a bath, the water should be tepid since the French bulldog is particularly sensitive to heat. Also this breed has problems swimming, so be extra careful that the dog is supervised, and that the water is shallow. Finally, when bathing a French bulldog, be careful to gently clean the folds in the face.

    More Bath Tips

    • Start getting your dog used to the water from an early age, to minimize resistance to bathing. When washing your French bulldog, use a shampoo especially formulated for dogs, since dogs have a different PH than humans. Brush your dog before bathing to remove loose fur and mats. Between baths, use baby wipes to clean your dog ̵1; this is especially a good idea for cleaning around the French bulldog's mouth, since they do slobber more than other breeds.