The humble French Bulldog has taken a place in many pet owners hearts in recent years. They have literally exploded in popularity with their cute squat face, bug round eyes and a tendency to love cuddling up on a humans lap.
There are a couple of questions though that potential owners frequently ask such as:
“Do French bulldogs shed?
and…
“Are French bulldogs hypoallergenic?”
Well in this guide I will answer both of those questions and also give you some tips to help manage them both.
Do french bulldogs shed?
I am going to answer this question first and give the quick answer, I will then go onto a bit more detail.
So do french bulldogs shed? Yes French bulldogs do shed, they shed twice a year around Spring and Fall. At these times they lose their undercoats. This can be managed by regularly using a stripping comb and grooming mitt to help remove the excess loose fur.
So that was the quick answer but now let’s look a little deeper into it.
What is the hair like that French bulldogs shed?
A french bulldogs fur is best described as Smooth and fine and not very thick. It can feel quite soft.
It is also worth noting that there are two types of fur on a french bulldog but not all french bulldogs have this.
The brindle breed for example has two coats, the undercoat and the outer coat. Where as other cross breeds will only have a single coat.
Whilst we are talking about fur this brings us onto the second important question!
Are french bulldogs hypoallergenic?
This can be quite a big hurdle for many potential owners of pets. Having an allergy to an animal can suck especially if it is an animal that you would love to have as a pet.
That is why it is important to know if a french bulldog is hypoallergenic or not.
Are french bulldogs hypoallergenic? Or are they a problem for allergy sufferers.
So are french Bulldogs hypoallergenic? No, French bulldogs are non-hypoallergenic and as such can set off allergies in people that are susceptible. Because the french bulldog has short hair it is the perfect place to find dander (dead skin flakes) which is what sets off your allergies.
Do not worry though there are still plenty of people out there who suffer from allergies and live a happy and healthy life with a french bulldog.
In this next section I am going to give your some great tips that will help you to deal with shedding and allergies.
Ways that you can control shedding and related allergies from french bulldogs.
A recent study by WebMD found that 30% of US adults and 40% of US children suffer from allergies. That is quite a high statistic!
This includes a wide range of different allergies but pet allergies make up quite a large portion.
The problem with pets is that they have thick fur which is the perfect environment for dander to hide. Once the pet or french bulldog in this case starts to shed the dander is released and breathed in.
Dander is harmless but in people with allergies the body sees it as a threat and releases histamines. This is what causes your sneezing, weeping eyes and other symptoms.
If you only suffer from mild pet allergies there are ways that you can manage the shedding process. This will help you with your symptoms, it will also help to stop shed fur from getting all over your house and belongings.
Regular brushing.
It is always best to regularly brush your french bulldog anyway but this is especially important around shedding time.
By brushing the coat you are removing a lot of the loose fur and also dander that would otherwise have floated up into the air ready to breathe in.
If your frenchie is shedding I recommend brushing once day using a stripping comb or a grooming mitt. These will easily take away any fur that is close to falling out. Take it nice and easy and be as gentle as possible.
It is also good for the dog as well as it can be quite itchy when it is shedding time!
The video below shows what combing a french bulldog is like during shedding. It shows how much hair they tend to shed.
Can you stop a french bulldog from shedding?
I heave heard this question quite a few times.
The answer is no, you cannot stop a french bulldog from shedding. It is a natural process in which the french bulldog is replacing its coat of fur depending which season is coming up. They use their coats to stay warm in winter and cool in summer.
So no, as cool as it would be if we could stop our beloved frenchies from dumping their unwanted fur all over the house, we can’t.
Regular brushing will help though and should stop a lot of the transfer.
What to do if a french bulldog sheds excessively.
There are times when a french bulldog sheds excessively, although this is quite rare it could be a signal that there is an underlying health condition.
If you notice that your frenchie is actually losing hair that is not supposed to be one of its shedding cycles you should take it to see a vet. As it could be suffering from any one of the below problems:
- Wrong diet and nutrition.
- Allergies.
- Bacterial infection.
- Yeast infection.
- Severe sunburn.
- Stress.
- Hormonal imbalance.
Conclusion.
Everyone who owns a french bulldog will tell you what an amazing breed they are. They will also tell you that they are a breed that sheds.
The shedding is not as bad as some other breeds and with regular brushing it can be taken under control.
As far as allergies are concerned I would say that it would fine to own a french bulldog if you only suffer from mild allergies. Using the brushing techniques mentioned above you should be able to control it enough so that it does not become an issue.
I really hope this guide has answered the questions you may have had.
If you enjoyed this article why not have a read of my article about french bulldogs being lazy and the perfect lapdog!
