Alice White
The French Bulldog’s coat is dense and short, without an undercoat. A clean and shiny coat indicates the good health of the dog. Despite the lack of the undercoat, the French bulldog sheds leaving hair on furniture, carpets, and clothing. Adult dogs change their coat in the spring and fall. The thin and short summer coat has good thermal conductivity, while the thick winter coat protects against the cold. You can reduce the effects of a pet’s seasonal shedding with regular grooming.
Reasons for Natural Shedding
The French Bulldog sheds due to natural reasons as well as under external and internal negative circumstances.
In addition to the seasonal rotation, other reasons for shedding are:
- Replacement of softer baby hair with adult hair (at 3-9 months old).
- Compensation of coat areas damaged by chemicals.
- Age-related color changes (in adolescents).
- Being in season, pregnancy, parturition, feeding, and other increased stress on the pet’s body.
- Old age.
The seasonal shedding lasts about 2-3 weeks. The dogs living in an apartment without frequent walks may shed for months. The abundance of hair loss differs between pets. If your French Bulldog has more hair loss than usual, you should contact your vet – it may be due to health problems.
Reasons for Unscheduled Shedding
The French Bulldogs have hair loss not only due to seasonal shedding but also for other reasons. These problems are internal or external and can be treated with medication, changes in housing, care, and feeding.
The internal problems that cause a dog’s hair to begin to fall out:
- Helminths.
- Hormonal disorders.
- Genetic diseases.
- Food allergies or dermatitis.
- Nutritional deficiencies resulting from improper dietary choices.
- Liver disease, kidney disease.
- Stresses (mistreatment, change of residence, etc.).
The external factors are:
- External parasites (Trichodectes, mites, fleas).
- Fungal diseases (ringworm).
- Heatstroke (can be caused by hot weather, wearing too warm clothing, high indoor temperatures).
- Too frequent bathing.
- Use of aggressive grooming products that degrease and dry the skin.
If the hair loss is due to the reproduction of parasites or fungal infections, it is focal and accompanied by redness, dandruff, severe itching.
What to Do if Your French Bulldog Sheds a Lot?
If there is a lot of hair loss, you should regularly remove dead hair with special combs for short-coated dogs. During the shedding period, the French bulldog should be combed out with a rough brush by massaging movements against the hair growth, then along the hair growth. For such a procedure, a special comb is provided, with short soft bristles. It is undesirable to use brushes with metal bristles, furminators, and slicker brushes. You can also remove dead hair with a special rubber glove or a damp sponge. Such a procedure not only reduces the amount of hair on all furniture but also improves blood circulation and the appearance of the pet’s coat.
In case of severe hair loss, the dog should be given vitamins of A and B groups as they stimulate the growth and strengthen the hair coat.
Care for the French Bulldogs’ Coat
Regular hygiene procedures should be performed to speed up the seasonal shedding, as well as for a beautiful shiny coat and healthy skin. In order to speed up the renewal of the coat, it is recommended to give your dog special vitamins with Omega fatty acids and yeast. They help to fight such problems as hair brittleness, dryness, and dandruff.
You should bathe your dog not more than once every 3-4 months so as not to wash away the natural greasing that protects the skin and coat from external influences.
