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If you are a proud owner of one adorable French bulldog and living in the cold weather area and wondering
Why my adorable Frenchie can’t tolerate cold weather very well?
Can my Frenchie survive in the cold weather?
What temperature is too cold for my Frenchie?
Or how do I know if my Frenchie is cold?
How I can keep them warm in winter, and what safety tips I need to take to ensure their health and comfort?
Then this article is for you.
As you know, the French bulldog is a brachycephalic breed that is why adorable Frenchies are sensitive to cold weather and are prone to getting cold easily.
So your beloved French bulldog needs more care and attention in the cold weather and, above all, it needs a warm coat and cozy house.
Why my adorable Frenchie can’t tolerate cold weather very well?
Being a responsible Frenchie parent you should know the fact that “Frenchie cannot tolerate the harsh cold weather”
You know why?
There are different reasons such as
- Frenchie is unable to regulate their body temperature
- Frenchie bodies lose heat faster than they can produce it
- Frenchie short coats also don’t offer much winter warmth and cold protection
As mention before French bulldog is a brachycephalic breed. They have a broad and short skull with elongated soft palate and small nostrils.
These breed-specific characters don’t allow for much air to pass through the nostril causing the breathing issues and increases the chances of getting cold.
What temperature is too cold for my Frenchie?
French bulldogs are not genetically designed to be outdoor dogs.
If you are wondering what temperature is too cold for your adorable Frenchie, then you should keep in mind 4°C (40°F) temperature or below that will be very harsh for them.
If the weather is wet or if you have a senior dog or tiny puppy, then risks of getting cold may be greater, too.
Do you know the ideal temperature for French bulldogs?
It is between 50 to70 °F (10-20 °C).
How do I know if my French Bulldog is cold?
If you ever notice that your beloved French bulldog starts shivering or holding his palms off the ground, this means that the cold is so intense that they cannot beat it.
There are also some other signs, your beloved Frenchie can exhibit to tell you that “I am feeling cold” you should take some actions. Some are following
- Your Frenchie does not want to go outside
- Finding a cozy place i.e. under a blanket
- Shows laziness
- Barking or whining
- Cold skin and fur
In severe case
- blue or pale gums and inner eyelids
- Watery eyes
- Runny nose and nasal discharge
- Cough and wheezing
- Don’t eat food
If these signs are ignored for a long time then this can then lead to a more serious health problem such as hypothermia, flu or even pneumonia.
Please don’t panic if these signs appear. You should provide special care to your Frenchie during winter and colder months to reduce the chances to become more serious.
Can an outing in the snow lead to frostbite?
Yes, we understand your Frenchie needs a walk in the snow, but it can lead to frostbite if proper preventive measures are not taken.
Cold temperature due to snow may start the protective mechanism which makes the blood vessels to start narrowing down in an effort to preserve their body temperatures.
Extremities, i.e. ears, tail, and paws are more prone to frostbite. Your Frenchie may show these signs such as:
- Pains on touching
- Change of affected area’s color from normal to gray, bluish or pale
- Cold affected area
- Swelling of the affected area
- Dead or blackened skin or ulcer and blister
If you notice these signs of frostbite in your beloved Frenchie then you should immediately contact your veterinarian.
Can French Bulldogs go in the snow?
As you know your beloved Frenchie cannot tolerate the extreme cold temperature but it does not mean that he does not like to play with snow.
Your Frenchie also needs a walk during the winter season.
Now you may be having a question what should I do if my Frenchie wants to play and go out in the snow?
Here are some guidelines
- Keep your Frenchie warm by putting a coat and boots
- Immediately clean their paws when they come back after a walk or fun time.
You can begin with a 10-15 minute walk through a passageway before allowing the Frenchie to play around in the snow.
If your Frenchie enjoys and doesn’t show any signs of feeling cold then you can allow him to play in the snow. But with protection!
How to keep French bulldogs warm in cold weather?
12 Safety Tips to keep them warm in winter
Now it is time for some advice!
Here we will discuss some useful and practical tips to keep your French bulldog warm and cozy when cold weather hits.
- Never leave your dog unsupervised
- Visit to vet for a health checkup
- Provide a warm bedding
- Avoid overfeeding
- Provide water but not too cold
- Keep house training inside
- Paw protection
- Nail Trimming
- Protect the paw from street salts and chemicals such as anti-freeze
- Dress up your Frenchie with a winter coat.
- Don’t let them eat snow
1. Never leave your dog unsupervised
When you allow your Frenchie outside in cold weather without supervision for a longer time period then it will be dangerous for your Frenchie.
Also, you should never leave your dog alone in a car during winter. You can leave them inside the home. Your French bulldog will be more comfortable in a warm house and feel safer.
2. Visit to vet for a health checkup
As you know, French bulldogs cannot tolerate the extreme cold weather, before winter start you should take your Frenchie to your vet for a health checkup.
This will allow your vet to check for signs of any possible health issues that could become worse once the colder weather starts.
And also during winter if you feel any signs of cold or frostbite then you should immediately contact your veterinarian.
3.Provide a warm bedding
Your Frenchie can also feel cold during the night inside the house so you should move the bed inside the home at a warmer spot and add more bedding.
Your Frenchie also cannot cope with high temperature so don’t place the bed near the heater.
And if you’re still looking for a perfect bed for your Frenchie, you should check out this article about the benefits of a good dog bed for French Bulldogs.
4. Avoid overfeeding
Your Frenchie can easily put on weight during winter because the activity time of your Frenchie is decreased in winter so don’t overfeed.
You should not also decrease the amount of feed because Frenchie also needs the energy to maintain their body temperature in winter. So a balanced diet is recommended.
5.Provide water but not too cold
As you know water is a necessity of life but too cold water can lead to sore throat and then lead to more cold symptoms.
So you should place the water bowl in a warmer place at home. Use lukewarm water instead.
6. Keep house training inside
When the outside temperature is too low or freezing and you can’t take your Frenchie outside then you should find a place to do their house training inside.
You can also use potty training pads. These will be ideal for puppy training but also useful for the adult french bulldog.
7.Paw protection
You should constantly check your beloved Frenchie paw during winter.
In severe cold temperatures, the paw can crack and damage, which leads to a lot of pain.
You need to keep her feet warm if you are walking on snow and ice.
If your Frenchie is comfortable in boots then you can use the boot for better protection.
8.Nail Trimming
You should regularly trim the nail of your Frenchie especially when snow is outside.
If your Frenchie has longer nails it can be unsafe because of skidding and sliding, suffering a potential winter injury.
9.Protect the paw from street salts and chemicals such as anti-freeze
When you take your Frenchie to a walk during winter, you should be very careful because street salts and chemicals such as antifreeze can affect your beloved Frenchie’s paws.
This chemical exposes the French bulldog to an increased risk of burning paw or poisoning from paw licking.
If you have paw protection for Frenchie then there is no problem.
But if your beloved dog does not wear the boot then you should soak the Frenchie’s paws in warm salty water.
This salt solution will thoroughly clean the paw and all chemicals will be removed.
You can even apply Vaseline on each of their paws before going out.
It will act as a protective layer and protect them against irritants or chemicals.
10.Protect the nose
You can also apply the small quantity of coconut oil on their cute little nose. This will moisturize and heal the nose also disinfect the area.
11.Dress up your Frenchie with a winter coat
As you know, the French bulldog is very sensitive to cold weather due to short hairs and short snout (to warm up the air he or she breathes in).
So, you should buy a winter coat for your adorable Frenchie to protect his or her from harsh cold weather.
Because your Frenchie needs extra protection especially when you take him out for a walk or playtime.
Some French bulldogs are uncomfortable wearing clothes but benefits from additional layers in cold temperatures are way better.
You should take proper measurements before buying a winter coat (take a tape measure from the base of the Frenchie’s neck and to the base of the tail).
12. Don’t allow Frenchie to eat snow
We understand your Frenchie loves snow. You can allow your Frenchie to spin and run around the snow.
Let him eat the snow, maybe you think it is harmless but NO! It is harmful to dogs.
Do French Bulldogs need a coat in winter?
French bulldog looks so adorable in those coats people put them in.
Maybe you are wondering? Does my dog needs a coat or it is just fashion?
The answer is YES, It is a necessity of your beloved French bulldog in cold weather.
Your Frenchie needs a winter coat because his or her coat is sparse and thin, like humans, dogs do feel the cold.
You should pick a proper coat to keep them warm during harsh cold temperatures.
If the coat doesn’t fit your Frenchie well, then it will hardly help keep your Frenchie warm.
The material of a coat should be warm enough to protect your sensitive French bulldog.
How to treat a Frenchie with a cold?
If your French bulldog is suffering from cold, then these tips can help them.
Increase the fluid intake
Sick Frenchies don’t want to drink water but you have to make sure your beloved pup is getting enough fluid to protect them from dehydration.
You can add some chicken broth to their water bowl to encourage your
Provide healthy food
Your Frenchie may also go completely off their food. This can be dangerous as they need to keep their strength up.
Your vet may recommend adding some extra nutritional value into feeding time.
Stay indoors when it’s too cold
Your beloved Frenchie might still want to get outside, try to limit how much time they are exposed to cold weather temperatures.
Your Frenchie will also need time to rest and recover from the cold symptoms, so any form of playtime should be reduced considerably.
Provide love and affection
You should offer your beloved Frenchie love and more attention but also give them the space they might need.
Conclusion
If you are worried about your Frenchie’s health during winter then you should keep these tips in your mind and provide more protection.
But still, if your Frenchie is showing signs of cold and illness then it’s probably a vet time.