The French bulldog is a breed of French origin and is a small molossus weighing between 12 and 20 kg. It is usually considered a companion animal or a show dog. However, this cute and cuddly furry dog is much more than just a small dog. It is affectionate and sensitive and will want to be the centre of attention in the house. It is lively and playful; you will have fun with it!
The only thing you have to bear in mind before adopting it, is that its skin is more demanding than that of other breeds. That’s why, in this article, we concentrate on how to care for its fur and delicate skin.
The Bulldog: a dog that needs lots of care
French bulldogs are known for their wrinkled face but these wrinkles need special attention; you can clean them with moisturising creams or shampoos.
But they are also known to have respiratory problems which makes them fragile dogs; in fact, they often suffer from allergies and asthma. Their nose is often congested and the eye area is prone to dryness and infections: you have to keep their eyes clean with specific products to avoid conjunctivitis.
With this background, you will have understood by now that this breed needs constant care to prevent problems. In fact, the cute little frenchies are prone to skin infections and other related problems. This is due to the ratio of skin surface area to weight. The frequency with which you groom them and the types of products you use can also play a role, so it is best to spend time on their hygiene.
The skin of these dogs is also at risk from fleas, ticks and parasites, due to the large amount of hair they have. It is therefore best to use a shampoo for daily grooming that will naturally protect them from parasites and at the same time not damage their delicate skin.
You should wash your frenchie every two weeks, brushing it thoroughly after drying to remove excess hair.
As it may suffer from skin allergies due to its sensitive skin, it is in danger of scratching or biting its skin because of the itching. This could make it worse and require further cleansing and medical treatment which could damage the surface layers of the epidermis. In that case, it is best to pay a visit to the vet!
In addition, Frenchies, although they do not lose much hair compared to other breeds, have a particularly thick coat, so it is best to brush it at least every other day and clean the nail area daily.
The bulldog’s eyes, wrinkles and nose
French bulldogs are bred to have a very short nose, a rounded shape and a wrinkled face.
They have a skin with few layers of epidermis, precisely to match the breed standards.
If you want to disinfect the wrinkles on the dog’s muzzle, you will need to lightly secure its skin with human hair bands.
Bulldogs are one of the most distinctive mixed breeds in the history of dogs. They are very similar to the English bulldog, but have very different physical traits.
One thing that bulldogs have in common is a high level of an enzyme called tyrosinase. If you are not familiar with this enzyme, it is found in many people and animals and is the enzyme responsible for some critical stages of melanogenesis.
This means, in a nutshell, that bulldogs are very sensitive to the presence of sunlight. The more UV rays they are exposed to, the greater the damage to the skin cells. This damage is noticeable with browning of the nose and ear tips, deep wrinkles around the nose, loss of pigment in the nose and increased sunburn even in areas that are normally protected.
Therefore, avoid exposing them to the sun for too long, try to keep them in the shade and fully protected by dog sunscreen. Regular use of sun cream can also help prevent further damage.
